Turning Varak over to the Archdiocese directly contradicted my duties as a Hunter. My disobedience wrought dangers that I now recognized. Albert might have sent this Hunter to pursue us, however, many more might be summoned to track me and slay the hybrid because of my disobedience to the Chosen.
While that might explain Philip’s reasons for following us, it didn’t explain why the Hunter needed to hire the brother and sister to kidnap the child. Neither had the fighting skills or ruthlessness to succeed. He had to have known that by looking at them. They were simply poor desperate farmhands who needed food more than money. And whom he was using for a greater advantage.
Ruby had mentioned the rockslide had been used for ... a distraction. I hurried to throw, roll, and hurl the last rocks off the road and bridge that allowed enough room for the coach to pass.
“Everyone get into the wagon!” I shouted.
Everyone around the fire paused and looked toward me with great alarm.
I ran toward them.
How could I have allowed myself to be misdirected again?
Father hobbled toward me. “What is it?”
“Get in the wagon. Thomas, get to the coachman seat. We need to get out of here. Now.”
“Son, what’s going on?”
“The Hunter. He’s here.”
“What? Are you certain?”
I nodded and pointed at Madeline. “Get Varak into the coach. Hurry.”
“Forrest,” Father said. “You’re acting like a madman.”
I opened the coach door and grabbed my Hunter box. “Get into the wagon, Father. We don’t have much time.”
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Father, get into the wagon.” I dug through my box, grabbing my dagger, and the gun. “The Hunter’s here.”
Father frowned. “Here? He’s nowhere around.”
“He’s been here the entire time. Now, let’s move. Otherwise we might all be dead,” I replied.
Thomas sat on the driver’s seat and nervously grabbed the reins. I helped Madeline step up into the coach. Father kept looking around but made no attempt to get inside. Finally I grabbed him by the back of his coat and heaved him through the coach door.
“No need for that,” he said, frowning.
After I placed what few weapons I could use to defend myself against a Hunter, I closed the Hunter box and slid it onto the seat.
Ruby stood beside Drake and offered her hand to help him stand.
I shook my head. “You two stay here.”
“What?” She whined with a feel-sorry-for-me face. “You’re going to leave us here and him with a broken leg?”
“Ask the man who hired you for help, if you need a way home. Besides, there’s no room for the two of you in the coach.” I nodded toward Thomas and pointed. “Head on across the bridge.”
“You’re not riding with us?” Thomas asked.
“No. I’m following along on foot to keep watch,” I replied. “I will catch up with you.”
“No need for that, Forrest,” a man said. “Just hand over the child and you’re free to go. We’ll have no troubles or contentions between us.”
I turned to see the Hunter behind me. He was a massive man, my equal in height and weight, if my assumptions were correct, but he was a lot older and more experienced at everything a Hunter knew. The scars on his face were visible even through his beard. His eyes were cold and his gaze was worse than any vampire’s heartless stare, sending chills down my back. He had survived a lot of fights and his severe scars testified to that fact. It didn’t take but a second’s time to realize he wasn’t a sensible person.
I shook my head. “I’m afraid I cannot allow that.”
A wild grin crept across his face. It was the answer he had hoped to hear. He pulled a dagger from his belt. “Then your problems are just beginning.”
Chapter Five
I never had to say another word to Thomas, nor did he hesitate, as our danger was evident. He leaned forward, cracked the whip above the horse’s head, causing it to bolt ahead, pulling the coach forward toward the bridge. He then snapped the reins and yelled commands until the horse was running at full speed.
Philip faced me with his knife at his side. The ease at which he held the blade informed me that this was his weapon of choice and one he enjoyed using. His menacing gaze indicated he was eager to shed blood. Mine.
Although I held my dagger, it was with far less confidence. I frowned at him, attempting to be more intimidating, but my lack of scars was a fairly good indicator of my fighting inexperience. “So that’s it? You’re just going to attack another Hunter?”
His jaw tightened. “You were given a choice.”
“Hunters don’t kill other Hunters. There’s already too few Hunters in this world without us killing one another.”
With the number of vampires escalating, we needed more Hunters than what were in the world. Those of the Chosen were few. Many like my father coveted being tapped with such a calling, so much so that I had encountered self-appointed Hunters who foolishly hoped to make their fortunes slaying vampires but instead reaped early graves. Being a Hunter I could discern an actual Hunter. And Philip was definitely one.
He frowned. “Your actions contradict what you’ve said. The number of vampires has increased. But from what I understand, you’ve gone rogue and that child with you is a half-blood, which is far more dangerous than a legion of vampires. So you’ve proven yourself useless to our cause.”
“Is that what Albert told you?” I asked.
Mentioning the name jolted him slightly, causing his eyes to widen slightly, but he rebounded quickly without replying.
I grinned. “That’s what I thought. Hunter instinct didn’t reveal to you what the baby is or his location. The were-rat sent you with the knowledge.”
“Does it rightly matter where I got the information since you’re one to ignore the dangers of what a half-blood could do if left to survive?”
“It does matter, actually.”
Perplexed, Philip gave me an odd stare and chuckled. “Why?”
“Because Albert didn’t want to kill the child, either. It was he who insisted we take the child to Freiburg’s cathedral for the archbishop to rear. This was his idea, but for my father and I, it was a setup.”
“So the were-rat duped you?” He shrugged.
“And you, too, apparently.”
He ground his teeth. “The child still cannot be allowed to live. There isn’t any need for blood to be shed between the two of us, Forrest. As you’ve already stated, Hunters shouldn’t attack one another. Just let me do my duty. I’ll be on my way and you can be on yours.”
“No. I won’t allow you to harm him.”
“Why would you keep this child alive?”
“Because there is hope that his destined path can be altered.”
Philip’s brow narrowed. Fury set in his gaze. “You’re a fool. You cannot coddle a poisonous asp and expect it to gradually acquire affection for you. Eventually it turns and bites you. Regardless of how well you have treated it, it is still deadly and will kill you without hesitation at the first opportunity that arises. A half-blood is no different.”
“He is an infant—”
“Don’t be blinded by the smallness of the vessel. It’s the vile content, deep inside, which longs to come to the surface. It will only magnify and never lessen.” He pointed his dagger at me. “You need to realize it is not human.”
“He is half.”
“Fool! Have you been mesmerized by its gaze? Has he charmed you into being his servant?”
“No,” I replied. “I’m immune to—”
Philip nodded with a sly grin. “See? You’ve already felt his power. Upbringing will not lessen what he already is.”
“Time will tell.”
The Hunter lunged toward me and slashed his dagger. I recoiled but almost failed to avoid the blade. “Seems we’re at a standstill when it comes to reasoning.”
“There isn’t any rationalization with you.”
He came at me again. I watched his eyes, waiting for him to strike. He looked to the left, I reacted, but his hand made an underhand slice to the right. His eyes had deliberately tricked me. The sharp blade split open a long section of my thick coat sleeve, narrowly missing flesh. He took a quick step back and then shot forward again. This time I kept my eyes on his dagger, stepped slightly to the side, and gripped his wrist tightly. I yanked him in the direction he had thrust the blade, and pulled him off balance.
His feet fought to slow his momentum but he was unable to gain traction upon the icy edge of the road. He fell forward and rolled into the thick bramble.
I considered running to catch up with the coach, but I wasn’t certain how fast this Hunter was. If he were swifter, he’d catch up and attack me from behind. Plus, I wasn’t certain what other weapons he might have.
From the dark embankment he growled and rose. In the light of the campfire his eyes looked dark and sinister and nothing like I imagined an aged Hunter’s eyes to appear. I worried if this was what I’d eventually look like after years of slaying vampires. His frigid gaze fastened upon me. Death gleamed in his eyes. Like I had felt power leap from aged vampires, a similar energy stirred around him, not necessarily evil, but not untainted either.
“You’re a young Hunter, aren’t you?” he asked, cocking a brow. He sensed my weaknesses compared to what power he yielded. “Naïve and trusting, that’s why you won’t kill the child.”
He stepped from the embankment and walked slowly across the road toward me. His eyes regarded me in the same manner mine often viewed vampires and other undead creatures. He was enslaved to his need to kill. I was his enemy, only because I had chosen to hope Varak could somehow be redeemed. But I wasn’t foolish. I knew my limitations. I wasn’t strong enough to beat him. His rage overrode my strength. In a knife fight, he’d shred me open and watch me bleed to death. He held no compassion for me, no mercy.
I never expected to fight to the death with another Hunter. It wasn’t something I had ever imagined until after I had taken Varak. I understood why I was Philip’s enemy.
He leaned forward and rushed toward me with lightning speed. His blade was extended outward so he could plunge it into my gut, or change the angle quickly and slash me high or low. I wasn’t certain how to defend his advance. Even though my blade was out, I was too worried about getting stabbed to consider a counterattack.
My mind focused on the blade and his swift advance. The blade shone in the fire’s light. Before he was able to stab or slash, I attempted to run, but I tripped over my large feet and tumbled sideways. I pivoted, fighting my fall, but I had nothing to grab to correct my balance.
The Hunter turned slightly, trying to follow my accidental direction and slice me with the blade, but I fell outside his reach. His right boot caught my feet, tripping him. He hit the ground, growled out of frustration, and rolled around to get up. From behind Ruby swung the club and struck him in the back of the head hard, sending him to the ground unconscious. He dropped so fast the pain had never registered on his face.
She held the club overhead, staring down at Philip, waiting to see if he was going to try to get up again. Until this moment, I had completely forgot about her and Drake. After she was satisfied that he wasn’t getting back up for a while, she lowered the club and with bewildered eyes, she stared at me. “Did he say that he wanted to kill that baby we had taken?”
I nodded.
“Why?”
“It’s best you don’t know.”
“What’s a half-blood? The baby looked normal to me,” she said.
I ignored the question and nodded toward the Hunter. “Thanks for ... ”
Ruby grinned. “Thanks for the food.”
I took some of the longer twine that Drake had been tied with earlier before I had cut through the knots. I flipped Philip facedown and tied his wrists together tighter than normal, hoping he didn’t possess the strength to snap the restraints. I didn’t want him to get loose until someone happened upon him and cut him free.
“Ruby, you two don’t need to be nearby when he awakens, but with Drake’s leg, I can’t see any quick way for you to get far.”
“You regret breaking my leg now?” Drake asked.
I narrowed my gaze at him, and he swallowed hard. “Perhaps a little. But don’t forget why I did what I did.”
I reached into the Hunter’s coat pockets and found his wallet and coin pouch. I tossed them to Ruby. She smiled. “When we first met him, he had a horse.”
“Did he?”
She nodded.
“Then it’s probably tied nearby. But I’ve never heard one.” Tied horses grew impatient and usually protested with some type of nay or stomping of feet. “Wait here.”
Drake scoffed. “Where do you think I’ll go?”
I grinned. “Not far.”
I jogged along the crude mountain pass road until a soft whinny caught my attention. Tied at the edge of the road was a dark mare. I untied her, swung up onto the saddle, and rode back to the campfire.
“You’re taking it for yourself?” Ruby asked. “When my brother’s injured?”
Swinging off the saddle, I shook my head. “No. I’m going to help Drake onto the saddle, and then you slide in front of him. Ride to your home, but not too quickly. You don’t want Drake to fall off. You might not be able to get him on the horse again, or a fall might hurt his leg even worse.”
Ruby tucked her long strands of hair behind her ears and offered a radiant smile. After helping them both onto the saddle, I searched the saddlebags and took all the Hunter’s weapons stored inside.
“What kind of weapons are those?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Let’s hope you never need to find out. Now, you two head on home.”
“You just going to leave the Hunter there?”
“I’m sure someone will come along in the morning to free him.”
“And if they don’t?” she asked.
“I imagine he’ll become quite cold after the fire dies down. Now go.”
Ruby tapped the mare’s sides softly. The horse began walking.
Once they were farther away, I searched through Philip’s pockets and took any other Hunter weapons he had. I found his dagger on the ground and tossed it over the ravine and hoped it landed in the stream. Even if it didn’t, I doubted he’d ever find it again. Other than Dominus I had encountered a few Hunters without contention but none had befriended me like Dominus, and I hated being on this one’s bad side. Under the current conditions, there was no redeeming myself with Philip. I needed to catch up to the others, and we needed to put a lot of distance between this aged, mentally disturbed Hunter and us.
Traveling faster to Freiburg might help, but Philip already knew our destination. Albert had told him. Albert had mentioned that our paths would probably pass again. After his betrayal, to that I held no doubts. I definitely intended to seek the were-rat out in the future, but our meeting would not be pleasant. He had a lot of explaining to do.
Staring at Philip’s face, I worried that I’d become what this man was, and that deeply disturbed me. I supposed even the righteous slayings of vampires and the undead affected a person’s mind over time. Shoving a stake into the heart of a vampire was justified, but the subconscious could become suppressed from guilt since in appearance a vampire still looked like a human. Dominus had partly warned me, but I truly hoped to keep my sanity intact regardless of the number of vampires I slayed during my travels. While awake, slaying vampires was different than what can be projected in a nightmare where the mind doesn’t necessarily distinguish the living from the undead.
As I hurried down the road toward the bridge, I thought about the issue at hand. Weighing both sides of the arguments, I was still torn in making a solid decision. There wasn’t any accurate way to predict what was best. I had chosen mercy and hope for a child that might eventually possess neither in his regard for society.
Chapter Six
After I had crossed the bridge and rounded the next bend of the descending mountain road, I realized I might end up walking through the night before I ever caught up to my father and the others. But at least the moon shone brightly in the clear night sky.
Wolves howled in the wooded valley below.
The large oaks and maples on both sides of the road weren’t tightly knit together like the pine and fir forest I had run through when I had searched for Varak. No thick underbrush and bramble weaved in-between the tree trunks, either. The moonlight cast odd shadows through the leafless canopy and at times, I could have sworn somebody was running from one tree to the other, following me.
Shoving my hands into my coat pockets, I gripped a stake in each gloved hand. While I was fairly certain Philip was still restrained, I didn’t believe I was alone. Besides, Philip wasn’t one who would hide amongst the trees. As angry as he’d be when he finally awoke, if he caught up to me, he’d be certain to make a direct attack. However, since Ruby and Drake had left on his horse, his journey on foot slowed him down quite a bit.
A part of me worried that leaving him bound and weaponless had not been the right thing to do. I didn’t know what lurked in this mountainous area, but if a vampire came upon Philip, it wouldn’t hesitate to drain the Hunter’s blood or possibly turn him into one of the damned, creating something as bad as what Varak was. I cringed. It would be my fault and another iniquity against the Chosen, something that would ensure additional penance.
The Hunter had left me little choice though. He could kill me; I could kill him, or we surrendered the child to him to kill. None were outcomes I favored.
Crisp leaves smashed underfoot in the forest. When I stopped, the crunching sounds did as well. I picked up my pace, disliking the shadowy trees more and more by the second. As I walked, the footsteps followed.
The wind howled, slicing through the trees and causing me to tighten my coat near the collar and tip my hat forward. The frozen road crunched under the thudding of my heavy steps. Whoever or whatever was in the forest kept its distance and seemed to avoid being seen whenever I glanced toward the trees. Perhaps it followed me from its curiosity, and I was fine with that, as long as it never charged toward me to attack.
Forrest Wollinsky: Predestined Crossroads (Forrest Wollinsky: Vampire Hunter Book 3) Page 3