Taste of the Hunt

by Matt Mememaro

  “It is in his hand,” the first board member said. “You speak the truth. I apologize, Toldar. We can do nothing for the Huntrey, however we can attempt to do something to save Barros.”

  “No, you cannot,” Gunthos said stepping into the room. “He is lost to us.”

  “And you are?”

  “Gunthos of the Islands. Barros Toldar led these two on their first hunt, he hasn’t been seen since. It is possible he joined Tal’davin.”

  The board broke into argument again, this time throwing slander at Gunthos. He stood, silent watching the Hunter on the far right of the table light up a short cigar. They carried on, arguing the merit of why Barros would join Tal’davin before the smoker rose sharply with a knife in hand.

  “Enough!” he said. “I have listened to your arguments and I have but a simple reason. Toldar was the one to leave the Huntrey, he failed to kill the Countess when he was in Rhorn and during their time together she slowly turned him against us.”

  “Are you suggesting that Barros is the aggressor in this particular instance, Crix? Or are you saying he was used like as a tool?”

  “He could be both. We could be completely wrong. We just don’t have the evidence. However, I believe his time with the amulets has corrupted him and one of the smartest things Rowan could have done was taking them off him,” Crix said taking the cigar out of his mouth. “Barros is dangerous at the best of times; however, but if he is still alive we need to find him and bring him back here and put him down.”

  “Even if he is Tal’davin?” Gunthos asked.

  “Wait, Barros was taken. Lois is a Seeker, she confirmed two Shades ambushed him. We found blood,” Abner said. Lois nodded beside him. “Even if he is this Tal’davin will all the amulets, which he doesn’t have, he’s near impossible to kill.”

  “Tal’davin was slain on this very mountain. History has a tendency to repeat itself. I will dedicate resources to his capture, but for now until we know more, there is a threat we cannot wait to deal with,” Crix said.

  “What could possibly be more important than a Huntrey being destroyed by Tal’davin?” Lois asked.

  “Nothing,” Crix said. “But we know nothing yet and we need to contain this monster. If you encounter it again, survive. For the meantime, we’ve received reports from Alilletia that there is a pack of Vampires roaming the wilderness attacking travelers and turning them into their own. It’s not unusual for Vampires, but from what we can gather these are not Vampires. With what you have achieved on your first hunt and what was recommended, I would have what remains of your group along with Tori put these things down.”

  “What are we searching for?” Gunthos asked.

  “Beasts, white streaks that attack in the night, something we’ve never seen before. Find them and destroy them by any means necessary,” Crix said.

  “Of course, Masters, it is an honor to serve the Huntrey,” Gunthos bowed before taking his leave beckoning for Abner and Lois to follow.

  Tori ambushed Gunthos as he stepped down from the stairwell, leaping into his arms and smothering him with a kiss. Her eyes sparkled as she stared into his eyes. “We’re going on a hunt! It’ll be just like the old days.”

  “Except we have more baggage this time around,” Gunthos said again, lifting her off.

  “Baggage, am I brother?” Havoc asked. A smile played across his lips.

  “You know my meaning.”

  Tori looked around at her companions, taking a second to frown. “It is unfortunate that your friends are unable to come with us, we could use a few extra hands.”

  “They aren’t yet, Hunters. They’d just get in the way. Do you know what we’re going after?” Gunthos asked.

  “Gunner, I’ve faced these things once before and they killed my entire party. One had me pinned before it was ordered to let me go, so I could return here with the message.”

  “What are they?”

  “They’re animals. Nothing more than a pure beast, bred to track and kill Hunters with frightening accuracy. I’d take on a hundred Vampires over one of these any day.”

  “Who else is coming with us? I’d hope it’s more than just the three of us,” Gunthos said.

  “Abner and Lois are leading this hunt. The board want to see what they can do. It’s not everyone that kills a Countess on their first hunt,” Tori said.

  “We’re leading?” Abner was shocked. “I hardly have the experience.”

  “Only one way to get some, boy,” Tori said. “Besides, you’re a half Vampire. You’ll be fine.”

  “You’re not your father, Abner,” Gunthos said. “And look what happened to him.”

  “I haven’t needed him for sixteen years, Gunthos,” Abner said. He felt a rage begin to build inside him. “And if you think you can come in and try to take everything I’ve become away from me, think again.”

  “Your eyes are going red, calm down,” he said.

  “Never bring up Barros again, and you won’t have my rage unleashed upon you. We have monsters to destroy. Follow me or stay behind,” Abner said.

  33

  New Prey

  It was dusk, several days later by the time the group of Hunters reached the foothills of the Glazed Mountains in Alilletia. They were notorious for bandits and many foul creatures that inhabited the snow and cold, hiding in the bottom of caves. Far to the north lay the small town of Alnor, a hotspot for raiders even though it was defended by the sometimes impassable mountains and the giant men bred within the town.

  As they neared the known homeland of the late Councilor Graytooth, Abner became increasingly uneasy as he acted as the spearhead of his party, riding ahead of everyone else. Each Hunter was armed to the teeth, stocked with every weapon the Huntrey could give them. Their horses carried all other essential supplies, camping equipment and food.

  The Glazed Mountains were pocketed with forests and the Hunters rode straight into the first they came across, using it for cover as night approached. With their heightened senses in a dense forest like this, the horses would be able to detect any threat long before the Hunters could. Abner kept his hand on his crossbow at all times, his head constantly on a swivel as they made camp for the night, just outside a cluster of trees overlooking a large cliff.

  “Do we have anything substantial to eat tonight, Gunthos? Or do we need to go hunting for something to line our bellies?” Abner asked.

  “I am not your fucking servant, boy. You might be the son of Barros Toldar, but I will not follow you. Especially after what he’s done,” Gunthos said. “You’re barely a Hunter, you should gather food.”

  “Abner is the leader of this hunt, Gunthos!” Tori said. “If you can’t follow him, like he said when we left the Huntrey, you can stay behind. I don’t care what we’ve been through, but if you wish to disobey the Board’s wishes, consider us done.”

  “Don’t do it, Gunner,” Havoc said. “You could have solved this problem on the road, but it’s too late now. We need you here.”

  Lois emerged from her tent, holding a map of Taagras in her hand. “Right, we need to start working out a plan to take these things down. Tori, you’ve been awfully quiet on the subject. Can you tell us more about what they are?”

  “About time you pretended like you were doing something,” Gunthos said.

  “We’re dealing with something new, I told you this. They’re wolves like the ones the Renori are breeding, but bigger, faster. When they attacked us they literally tore our horses to shreds and we didn’t stand a chance,” Tori said.

  “How many of you was there?” Havoc asked. “Surely you could have at least killed one. You’re Hunters after all.”

  “Ten of our best plus two novices,” Tori said. “We were totally caught off guard, the watch silently slaughtered before they fell upon us as we slept.”

  “How did your Seekers not pick up the trail? You were in the area hunting these things weren’t you?” Lois asked.

  “Tell me what you saw as we road into the mountains, L
ois,” Tori said. “They don’t leave trails. I couldn’t see anything after they left. I thought it best to track them back to their lair so I could return with reinforcements and massacre them while they slept. They only left tracks, quickly covered by the snow.”

  Abner put his hands together sitting down on a log beside were Havoc was building a fire. “So we have no idea where they reside, nor what their intentions are. It appears that we are stuck out here until they find us.”

  “Fuck this,” Gunthos said. “I can head to Etia and have a whore on each arm for the next month before my coin runs out. Havoc put that shit down and follow me.”

  “I’m committed,” Havoc said.

  “Don’t question...”

  A solitary howl broke across the mountain ranges, unlike anything Abner had ever heard before. It sounded strangled as if the beast wasn’t receiving enough air, chilling the blood all the same.

  “It’s them,” Tori said, sliding her crossbow off her back.

  The horses flicked their ears and stamped their feet at annoyance of the sound. Havoc restrained them, hushing the beasts before another howl ripped through the cooling air. Gunthos threw his head back, roaring his own wordless response.

  “What the fuck did you do that for!” Tori said.

  “If they’re here, I’m fighting them today,” he said. “Don’t even think about fucking stopping me, bitch.”

  “You’ve killed us,” Lois said.

  “Fight for your lives, then,” Gunthos said. “Finally a day when my skills are pushed to the absolute limit.”

  Moments later in the dying light, a white shadow moved against the snow. Large red eyes peered out from behind the trees at the clutch of Hunters gathered on the cliff face. The wolf emerged from the shadows, standing as large as one of the horses, but deadlier than the five Hunters that stood against it.

  The creature advanced forward placing each heavily padded foot in the snow not making a sound. Abner could now see how it could have snuck up on Tori’s party in the dead of the night. Each step was a purposeful movement towards its target with no wasted energy. It raised its head to the sky, letting another howl loose. The horses reared in fright.

  “How do we take it down?” Abner asked. “That fur looks too thick to penetrate.”

  “Shoot it,” Tori said. She began hammering away at her crossbow’s trigger, bolts flying towards the beast.

  There was two hundred meters separating the wolf and the Hunters as Tori uttered the orders. It had already crossed half that distance before each of the Hunters had drawn their crossbows, let alone fired a shot. Havoc took the lead, forgoing his ranged weapons, attacking the beast head on, diving as it leapt over him.

  For an animal of its size, the wolf was extremely agile, able to avoid most of the crossbow bolts that flew in its direction. Those that hit, bounced harmlessly off its thick white fur as it continued its charge to the four Hunters still shooting. They ducked underneath the beast as it leapt for them again, nearly sliding off the cliff edge.

  Before it had recovered, Abner had his sword in hand, as did Lois. She had resupplied with a broadsword, her preferred weapon and even its heavy blade seemed to do nothing to the wolf as it connected. Havoc was back in the fight, his blade sweeping low in an attempt to sever a front leg of the beast, to no effect. Instead it lashed out with a massive paw knocking him dangerously close to the edge.

  “Havoc! Get away from there!”

  His brother didn’t respond. At the sound of the Islander’s voice, the wolf turned from his weakened prey. A bolt from Tori took it in the eye, forcing a howl from its throat. Gunthos seized upon the distraction, running at the beast, leaping onto its back. Abner followed, allowing his fangs to slide out, feeling the Vampire’s power grow within him. He managed to stab the beast once in the hindquarter before it shook violently, throwing both him and Gunthos into the air.

  Lois let out a scream as she saw Gunthos fly over the edge, the Islander jamming his sword in between two rocks next to his brother. Abner meanwhile landed in the fire pit, sending wood in every direction. Pulling himself to his feet, he saw Tori attempting to drive the wolf away from the two Islanders while Lois, raced to help them.

  Sword in hand, Abner ran at the wolf, absent thought of his own safety, sliding underneath it cutting upwards with the blade. Finally the cut had caused damaged, open the wolf’s belly. It roared, searching for what had caused the injury, its angry red eyes landing on Havoc who was regaining consciousness.

  He lay on an ice patch, Gunthos still clawing his way off of the cliff, spotting the danger his brother was in. Nobody could reach him in time. The wolf charged, its head low, ready to make a kill. It leapt upon Havoc and the ice patch, losing its footing before sailing over the edge with the Hunter snapped up in its mouth.

  As the beast and the Hunter descended towards the ground three hundred meters below, Havoc screamed as he was sawn in half by the monster. It in turn howled its own cries of pain before both fell silent as they came into sudden contact with the ground.

  “He killed it,” Gunthos said as he pulled himself over the ledge, out of breath.

  The other Hunters moved with caution to the edge, seeing the splattered bodies of the Hunter and wolf painting the snow in blood. While the wolf was still mostly intact, they could see the red, silver glint of a sword that had punched through its skull.

  “Got it on the way down,” Gunthos said. He fought back tears, to no avail. “They can be killed.”

  “We got lucky,” Lois said. “What happens when there’s no ice and no cliff?”

  “Then we die a glorious death, like Havoc has on this death,” Gunthos said. “There is no shame in that.”

  “We should rest for the night, and mourn,” Tori said. “We need to find if it has any more of its kind nearby and if we can kill them. The Huntrey is depending on us to see this through.”

  The Hunters awoke with the sun at dawn, empty stomachs and the cold greeting them. None had slept through the night, the calls of other wolves, trying to find their fallen kin had echoed throughout the mountains. Fear gnawed away at Abner’s stomach for hours until the beasts had ceased their calls.

  “Did you sleep at all?” Lois asked as she rolled over to kiss him softly.

  Abner wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight. “No, but we know they aren’t invincible. We won’t be caught unawares again. As long as we are together and remain strong, we can get through anything.”

  “I saw you holding back last night, why?”

  “When I looked into its eyes I felt like there was a part of me inside it somewhere. As if it knew me. And I needed to study it. We’re only going to find more of them and we need to know how they fight. The Islanders killed it too quickly.”

  “I’d rather that than have us all dead,” Lois said. “You are far too precious to me and I won’t lose you again.”

  Abner smiled at her words. “From now on we’ll take them down faster. You won’t lose me, I promise. I love you Lois.”

  * * *

  To Be Continued...

  Acknowledgments

  Once again I’d just like to thank Angela for her tireless work with this series. She does everything from keep me under control to the cover to letting me bounce ideas off her. Simply amazing stuff and the series wouldn’t exist without her. Secondly I’d love to thank the readers. Again without you this series simply wouldn’t be happening. So I hope you enjoyed Taste of the Hunt and are looking forward to Hunted. It’s going to get juicy.

  About the Author

  Matt Mememaro resides in the sunny city of Brisbane, Australia.

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  With the rest of the Toldar Series coming soon, keep your eyes peeled on the bookshelves for the rest of the enthralling series. Matt looks forward to delving into other fictional genres and even non-fictional political works later down the road.

  If you’d like to find out more about the Toldar Series or any of Matt’s other projects, follow Matt here:<
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  Website: https://www.mattmememaro.com

  Also by Matt Mememaro

  Hunters

  The Taste Of The Hunt

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  Coming Soon

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  Hunted

  Final Hunt

  Making An Exile