Xander screamed in agony, his thunderous voice rattling the windows of the old country home. He raised himself, and wrapped his arms around the waist of Simeon. Thrusting with all his might, he took the much older vampire down to the floor.
“You will never get away with this!” yelled Xander, as he lashed out at Simeon. “The balance must be kept!”
Xander grabbed the head of Simeon, and began to squeeze. The silver set Simeon’s retinas ablaze as he dug his nails deeper into the once-mighty vampire’s eye sockets.
Writhing in agony, Simeon kicked and screamed as the pain overwhelmed him. He flailed his arms around, eventually finding the forearms of his target.
Simeon ripped Xander’s hands away, and with a swift knee to the sternum, sent Xander crashing to the ground.
Xander picked himself up quickly, but looking back he noticed Simeon had done the same.
The flames still raged in Simeon’s eyes, as he stared Xander down. He was too proud to show any signs of weakness, and laughed maniacally, saying, “You remember that little whore, in Toronto?”
“Of course I do,” stated Xander, trying to remain calm. “You made me watch, as you killed the only woman I ever loved in the afterlife.”
Xander wasn’t going to let Simeon control him; he wasn’t going to let his emotions conquer him. A clear mind is what he needed, and he remained focused on the task at hand.
“Ah…yes, and what was her name?” asked Simeon, as the flames slowly burnt out.
“Cynthia,” said Xander, beginning to feel his mind go cloudy, and his feelings overwhelm him. “Her name was Cynthia.”
“That’s right!” Simeon smirked, his eyes now healing rapidly. “She was a lovely woman, so full of life and energy. Until you entered her life, that is.”
“Are you done?” Xander inquired. “You haven’t controlled me for 100 years; and I’m not going let you start again.”
“The Council of Elders controls all vampires!” Simeon yelled. “You think you can escape our wrath? We allowed you to live your life, as long as you never interfered with our plans. Now that you have, we will finally be able to put you down, like the dog that you are. You may have talent, but you lack the heart of a true warrior!”
Simeon charged, tearing through the porch as he rapidly advanced on Xander. The two collided in mid air, as they were launched off the porch. They crashed against the ground in a thunderous boom, rolling around the battlefield as they clawed at each other.
On the ground beside them, ghouls still fought one another for control. Xander’s well-trained men seemed to be gaining the upper hand, as they sliced through their opponents.
“You’re losing the battle,” Xander grinned as they rolled around on the grass. “That’s what you get for turning your ghouls into addicts. You will never learn. For as strong as you may be, that is your biggest weakness. You are destined to repeat the same mistakes; I want you to know that I pity you.”
“Your ghouls mean nothing to me!” Simeon screamed. “I could kill a hundred before I break a sweat!”
Simeon mounted Xander, pinning him to the ground, and began stripping the flesh from Xander’s face with his powerful hands.
“You will never get away with this!” yelled Xander, as the nails tore through his skin. “Someone will eventually find you, and finish what I’ve started.”
“500 years, and you’re still just as thick as ever,” said Simeon, his hands wrapping around Xander’s throat. “After tonight, there will be no one around to stop us.”
Simeon picked himself up, and with his hand still clutching Xander’s throat, dragged him back up the porch.
Xander was battered and broken as he dropped to the porch floor. The blood poured down him, staining the bright blue porch underneath him. He could barely see, as Simeon knelt down beside him.
“And now, you will watch her die,” Simeon said. “You are too weak to save the one you care for…just like Cynthia.”
Xander struggled, desperately trying to escape Simeon’s grip. However, as he tried to fight back, he could feel the energy drain from his body. Everything was starting to go dark.
Chapter Nine
“Cynthia!” shouted Xander, walking through the front door. “I’m home!”
Xander hung up his coat, took off his hat, and closed the door behind him. He was living in a townhouse that the two of them rented, in downtown Toronto.
The year was 1965, and the two of them found themselves without a care in the world.
“Honey, are you home?” asked Xander, checking in the kitchen. “…Honey?”
She had to be home, he thought, as the door had been unlocked. Nothing seemed to be disturbed, or missing, so he quickly ruled out the possibility of a burglary.
Xander walked up the stairs, hoping to find Cynthia in the bedroom.
“Good evening,” said Simeon, as Xander opened the bedroom door. “It’s about time you arrived. Cynthia and I were getting ever so…bored.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” Xander asked, clenching his fists. “Get away from her!”
Simeon was standing with Cynthia at the foot of the bed. She looked unharmed, Xander noted, although the emotional damage could have run deep.
Cynthia was an immigrant of Greek descent; having only arrived in Toronto a few years back. She was a beautiful woman in her late twenties, with long black hair that curled down her lightly bronzed skin.
“What, no hello?” Simeon inquired, grinning devilishly. “You haven’t seen me in almost twenty years, and I don’t even get common courtesy? Is this how you treat your maker?”
“She hasn’t done anything to you,” said Xander, stepping forward. “Leave her alone.”
“Or what?” asked Simeon, barring his fangs. “You’re going to do something about it?”
Simeon turned towards Cynthia, looking her deep in the eyes. He stared directly into her soul, and said, “Cynthia…sit down.”
Expressionless and devoid of any emotion, Cynthia did as she was ordered. She was charmed, and lacked any freewill of her own.
“That’s a good girl,” said Simeon, sitting down beside her. “You won’t mind if the boys had a little discussion, would you?”
“…No,” Cynthia said, blankly.
“Good,” said Simeon, turning his gaze towards Xander. “Now we can speak.”
“What do you want?” growled Xander, taking another step closer. “Speak and then get the hell out. It’s been a long time since we ran together.”
“That it has,” Simeon said. “I have come to set things right between us.”
“And you do that by holding the woman I love hostage?” Xander asked.
“This human will matter little when I tell you what I’ve found,” Simeon grinned. “The last summoner, I have found her!”
Simeon jumped up from the bed, and grabbed Xander by the shoulders. With a eyes wide open, he said, “I want us to find her together!”
“The last summoner?” asked Xander, smirking. “You’ve truly gone mad this time. You know that is just a myth, right?”
“It’s not a myth!” said Simeon, eyes wide open. “She lives somewhere in the United States, the witches assure me that they have finally found her. She has escaped us for over two thousand years, but we have found her! It is only a short while before the last of their kind dies…and we will be paragons amongst our kind!”
“The last summoner died thousands of years ago,” said Xander, beginning to grow impatient. “All I see is a desperate old man, searching for something that was never there. I pity you.”
Simeon turned away from Xander, and took a seat beside Cynthia. She sniffed around her neck, as he ran his hands through her hair. Looking back at Xander, he said, “Well, that’s a shame—.”
“No!” yelled Xander, as Simeon sunk his fangs into the neck of Cynthia.
Cynthia sat there, unable to move; unable to scream. All she could do was watch while the blood drained from her body.
Xander ch
arged towards the much older vampire, knowing full well that he would not survive the encounter.
Simeon pulled himself away from Cynthia as Xander closed in. Growling, he stared down his old apprentice; his lip curling as his snarl shook the foundation of the house.
Xander stopped in his tracks, unable to bring his body to move. For the first time in his second life, he was afraid.
“Is there something you want?” asked Simeon, the blood dripping down his mouth. “Or do you want to join in, too?”
“I—I will kill you for this,” stuttered Xander, frozen in fear. “I don’t know when, and I don’t know how, but one day you will pay for this.”
“Well, I look forward to the attempt,” smirked Simeon, turning back to the helpless Cynthia, lying on the bed.
Xander watched on, in horror, as Simeon devoured Cynthia’s very essence. A tear streamed down his face, as Xander lost the woman he loved.
Chapter Ten
“No!” screamed Emily, as she watched Xander lay defeated on the porch. “Get away from him!”
“And what are you going to do about it?” asked Simeon, still grasping onto the back of Xander’s neck. “You may have killed those two lowlifes the other night, but I think we both know you got lucky. You simply don’t have it in you to control your power at will.”
He was right, Emily thought. She didn’t understand her powers; much less know how to use them. All she could do was watch, as her world became to unravel.
“You can still save him,” said Simeon, dropping Xander. “The choice is yours.”
Xander collapsed to the floor, unconscious and defeated. He had tried his best, but the formidable opponent was simply too much for him.
Simeon placed his boot on the chest of Xander, pressing down with all his otherworldly might.
Emily screamed in terror, as she watched her protector crumble under the pressure of Simeon’s boot.
“If you’re going to save him, you’re running out of time!” shouted Simeon, his boots digging through the flesh of Xander.
“Fine, I will come outside!” yelled Emily, now standing at the door. “You have won—.”
“You can’t do this Emily,” pleaded Steven, standing beside her. “You’re all I have left; I can’t lose you.”
Emily calmly looked towards her brother, and said, “My dear brother, if I don’t do this, we will lose everything.”
Steven dropped to his knees, sobbing in dismay as he pleaded for her to stop. It was the first time he had cried since the loss of their parents, and couldn’t handle the thought of losing the last family member he had left.
Emily placed her hand on his head and smiled, as if to tell him everything would be okay. Hesitantly, she walked outside, into the brisk night air.
“If you let everyone go, I will give myself over to you,” said Emily, inching towards Simeon. “But you have to promise me that you will let my friends walk away.”
Simeon stared down Emily, as she made her way across the porch. He grinned fiendishly, and said, “Didn’t anyone tell you? Never trust a vampire.”
Simeon dashed towards Emily, speeding towards her in the blink of an eye. He grabbed hold of her flailing arms, wrapping them around her back, as he held her from behind.
Growling, Simeon bared his fangs, as he sunk his teeth deep into the neck of Emily. The blood poured down her neck, as the pain overwhelmed her.
Emily could feel the life drain from her body, as Simeon continued to consume her.
“I have waited for this moment for a long time,” said Simeon, as he raised himself from Emily’s neck. “I’m going to enjoy this—.”
Emily jerked back violently, as Simeon dropped her to the floor.
“I told you that I would have my revenge one day!” shouted Xander, wrapping a silver chain around the neck of Simeon.
Simeon gagged, choking on his own spit and blood. The silver burned through his skin, as Xander threw him to the floor. He thrashed around frantically on the porch, as Xander continued to pull the chains tighter.
With the sound of bone snapping, Simeon was engulfed in a smoldering flame. Not a single fiber of Simeon remained, as his body rapidly turned into ash and blew away in the breeze.
Xander collapsed to the floor in exhaustion, breathing heavily as his battered body slowly healed. A single tear streamed down his face, as he remembered the woman he had lost, thankful that he been strong enough this time.
Chapter Eleven
“Are you okay?” asked Steven, running outside. “Emily, say something to me.”
“—Steven?” inquired Emily, slowly lifting her head. “Is that you?”
Emily’s vision was blurred as she tried to pick herself up. She grabbed hold of her neck, trying to apply pressure to her wound.
Steven grabbed hold of her, helping Emily back up to her feet.
“Is there anything I can do?” asked Xander, offering his support.
“I think you’ve done enough,” said Tyler, exiting the house with a bat in hand. He waved the bat in the air, trying his best to look as intimidating as possible.
“None of this was my intention,” Xander said. “I never meant for any of this—.”
“Master!” shouted Horace, running up the steps. “The battle is over. I regret to inform you that we have sustained heavy causalities.
Horace was battle worn and covered in blood, but beamed with confidence. His men were well trained, and had carried about their business with deadly speed and accuracy. Simeon’s junkies never had a chance.
“Unfortunately, that was inevitable,” replied Xander, patting the ghoul on the shoulder. “You have performed admirably. The threat has been eliminated, but more may be lurking in the shadows. We will remain in the town, and hunt for any survivors.”
“Retire for the night,” Xander continued. “I shall join you shortly.”
Horace signaled for the remaining survivors, and they quickly disappeared into the night.
“Emily,” said Xander, stepping towards her. “I just want you to know—.”
“Stop,” interrupted Emily, holding up her hand. “I only want to know one thing.”
“Anything,” Xander replied.
Emily steadied herself, and slowly walked towards Xander. She wobbled a little, but as Xander moved to stabilize her, Emily motioned for him to remain where he was.
“Were you there…when my parents died?” Emily asked.
Unsure how to answer, Xander began to choke on his words, and said, “I—I was, but my reasons for—.”
“I have heard enough,” said Emily, with a look of sadness and regret. “I can’t believe I was beginning to care for you. I would like you to leave.”
“Emily, it’s not like that,” explained Xander, taking another step towards Emily. “You are not safe here—.”
“I said, leave!” shouted Emily, pushing him back. “I should never have trusted you. My mother was right about you!”
Xander cringed in pain, her harsh words cutting him deeper than any blade could.
“I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you,” said Xander, backing away. “I promise you.”
And so, Xander disappeared into the night, vowing to keep a vigilant watch over her.
Emily may have asked him to leave, but she couldn’t possibly imagine the threat that still remained; but she soon would.
The End
The Vampire Hunter
A Moonlit Night Saga: Episode Three
Chapter One
He rushed through the dense forest, his heart racing as he unsheathed his sword. He could hear the monster to his left, and then to his right; it was circling him. The hunter had become the hunted; or at least that’s what he wanted the creature to think.
His long brown hair blew in the night wind, and his tan duster thrashed against the damp forest ground. He watched, in the corner of his eye, as a shadowy figure stalked him, circling around him like a hawk hunting his prey.
“This is what you’ve t
rained for,” the man whispered to himself, trudging through a shallow river. “There’s no turning back now.”
He came to a complete stop, and listened, as the sounds of the forest spoke to him. It told him exactly what he needed to know.
“Die, ghoul!” said the man, slicing his sword in downwards arc as a ghoul came lunging at him from the trees.
The blade cut deep, running along the ghoul’s side. Blood splattered against the man’s face, as the ghoul collapsed to the ground.
The ghoul shrieked in pain, writhing in agony on the ground. The blood gushed from his body, spewing all over the foliage around him. Attempting to crawl away, he cried out for his master.
“Your master will not be coming for you,” the man said. “No one will be coming for you.”
The ghoul grasped at the nearest oak tree, pulling himself along, as he left behind a trail of blood and guts. The vampire blood would sustain him for awhile, but unless he received a fresh dose of blood, he wouldn’t last long.
“I want your master to know who did this,” said the man, taking off his Stetson as he knelt down beside the ghoul. “My name is Samuel Anderson, and I’m coming for him.”
Chapter Two
“You’re wake, finally,” said Emily, walking out of the kitchen. “…Another rough night?”
Emily handed Tyler a glass of water, as he lay on the couch, dripping with sweat. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and his hands, shaky, as he brought the drink up to his lips.
“It’s been a week now, and I still keep having these nightmares,” said Tyler, sitting up. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Emily, I really don’t.”
Tyler brought his hands to his head, and began sobbing. His hands trembled as the tears dribbled down his face.
A Moonlit Night Saga: Episodes 1 - 4 Page 5