by Zara Novak
The vampires met in a clash of fists and fury. Ansel launched at Edmund instantly with a killing blow, the force of which knocked him back several feet, burrowing his shoes into the dirt.
They stood locked in a grapple for a second, breath hissing through their teeth as they struggled for control.
“Who are you?!” Ansel roared through strained teeth.
“My name is Edmund Volks. I’ve been assigned to bring you in.”
The grapple broke as Edmund’s strength broke momentarily. The strength of the fledgling vampire was certainly impressive. Ansel flung his fist forward and Edmund leaned all the way back until his hands were on the floor behind him. Edmund moved with the momentum of Ansel’s blow and flung his body backward, throwing the assaulting vampire into the trees behind him.
A moment later the vampire was back, and they began their aerial assault of super sonic blows and dodges.
“Appreciate you dropping in, but I’m a little busy.” Ansel hissed as they exchanged a volley of blows while bouncing between tall and waiting pines. Wood creaked as they pushed off the high trunks with their feet, branches shattered as they hurtled one another through the dead of night.
Each vampire would temporarily get the upper hand, only to be knocked back a few seconds later.
“You’re a good fighter for one so young.” Edmund said while catching Ansel off guard and hurtling his fist up into his jaw.
Ansel was back a moment later, sending a foot crashing down into Edmund’s back. “What can I say?” Ansel said as they fought. “I like killing Circle members.”
The fight retreated back down to the ground momentarily. Ansel came at Edmund with a flurry of fast and furious blows, knocking him back while he played defensive.
“You really think I’d have lasted this long if I was Red Circle?” Edmund laughed while twisting one of Ansel’s blows around and hurtling him into a nearby tree. The young vampire was on his feet again a moment later, returning the favor to Edmund.
Breath left Edmund momentarily as his body smashed through the body of a hundred year old pine. The deafening crack of wood splintered around him, followed by the heavy thud of the tree crashing into the damp forest earth below.
Edmund pushed himself up from the mossy earth, and rose wearily to his feet. Ansel was stood in front of him, chest heaving, fists clenched.
“Look kid.” Edmund panted. “You’re fast and you’re strong, I’ll give you that - but your fighting is sloppy. You let your rage get the better of you.”
“I’m stronger and faster than you.” Ansel growled. “This fight is over when I want it to be.”
Edmund laughed, rolling his head on his shoulders. “I’ll conceded that you’re faster and stronger, but that doesn’t make you a better fighter. You wouldn’t have let this fight go on so long if you could just end it.”
Ansel shot a laugh back, and for a moment it felt as if the vampires were bonding over their mutual taunting.
“You’re a good fighter old man. I’ll give you that. You taught me a couple of things just now that will come in handy some day. I didn’t know the Red Circle had agents like you. Every other one I’ve met this far has been some dead-behind-the-eyes stooge. It’s going to be a shame driving a stake through your heart. Maybe in another life we could have been friends.”
“I already told you I’m not with The Circle, I’m just collecting the bounty on your head. You’ve done a lot of wrong in a short time Ansel Draco. A lot of vampires would be happy to know someone like you is gone. You’re dangerous, you’re unpredictable.”
“I’m only a threat to the vampires who think they govern us.” Ansel sneered. “Stay out of this fight old man, this has nothing to do with you. I’ll give you a chance to leave now. We can let bygones be bygones.”
Edmund passed the suggestion over in his mind for a moment and pulled his lips tight in a thin smile. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his gun. “I appreciate the effort, but the bounty on you is just too good. No hard feelings of course.”
Ansel stared down at the gun in Edmund’s hand and rolled his eyes. “Bullets? Really?” He scoffed. “And here I was starting to think that you might actually be a fighter. What kind of vampire brings a gun to a fist fight?”
“What this old thing?” Edmund lifted the gun and looked at the side of the barrel as it caught the moonlight above. “I know it’s a bit cheap, but I’m a bounty hunter kid, we have to resort to these measures sometimes when an asset is being… difficult.”
Ansel scoffed again. “Whatever. You can fire that gun as much as you want, doesn’t matter how many bullets you have in that thing, you know I’m going to dodge every single one. I’ll even let you take the first shot, be my guest.”
Edmund smirked as he watched Ansel stand up straight and hold his arms out.
“Okay…” He said. “But I have to warn you that I’ve never been a very big fan of bullets. As you mentioned they’re slow. I never had much look with them when hunting vampires. Especially ones that are quick like yourself.”
Raising the gun, Edmund lifted the barrel in Ansel’s direction and put his eye down the end of the sights.
The slightest expression of confusion flickered over Ansel’s face and he shrugged it off. “A gun without bullets. Gee, we’re all standing with bated breath to see how this one plays out. Fire away old man.”
“It’s my pleasure.” Edmund squeezed his finger on the trigger and the gun exploded in a flash of light and fire. The silver lined net burst forth from the end of the gun and spread out into the air like a wide spiderweb.
He glanced at Ansel, who had been taken completely off guard by Edmund’s surprise. The young vampire had been anticipating bullets, but there was no way he could dodge a net this close.
“Mother fuck- !”
The silver web of metal wrapped tight around the vampire, pulling him down to the ground immediately. Edmund chuckled to himself, tucked his gun back into his holster and walked over the dried pine needles below, to stand over the captured vampire.
“I failed to mention my gun doesn’t shoot bullets, because it’s a net gun.”
“Let me out you bastard!” Ansel roared and twisted on the ground, struggling as his skin hissed gently under the soft burn of the silver net.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that Mr. Draco - much as I enjoy the pleasure of your company. You’re my bounty now, and I’m going to collect.”
23. Ansel
The tops of the pines passed overhead as Edmund dragged Ansel along the forest floor on his back. The net had wound itself tight around Ansel, and it seared into his flesh as the net strained over his body.
“Any chance you could loosen this thing?” He hissed. “This shit fucking burns.”
Edmund laughed from in front. He had attached a long piece of cord to the foot of the net and pulled it tight as he walked ahead. “Yeah, not a chance on that one buddy. Sorry for the mild inconvenience, but that’s the only thing keeping you pinned down right now.”
Ansel shifted uncomfortably as his back caught on rocks, twigs, and roots underneath him. He was silent for the most part, trying to come up with a way to escape. It looked as if Edmund was leading them back to the track where they had left the car. He lifted his head up and saw the dim and flickering light of the broken headlight just through the trees.
In his heart he hoped that Kat had remained seated in the SUV. There was a chance that Edmund didn’t know about her yet, and if she remained hidden she could get away from this relatively unharmed. Edmund didn’t seem like a mindless killer, but there was no telling what he would do to Kat if she caught him by surprise.
“I kind of wish I hadn’t made such a mess of your car.” Edmund laughed as they finally stepped back onto the dirt track. “I did a real number of that baby didn’t I?”
“Yeah thanks.” Ansel said sarcastically. “I just got it back from the garage with my daylight modifications too.”
“Well I do apologize, but collateral damage is part an
d parcel of being a bounty hunter. You have to admit it was a pretty epic take down.”
Ansel couldn’t help but smile dryly as Edmund dragged him to the side of the truck. Thankfully Kat had been unhurt in Edmund’s take down of the SUV. He’d never say it to Edmund out loud, but privately he had to admit it was a rather effective attack.
“Hang tight a sec, I’m gonna go get my bike and come a little closer.” Edmund dropped the cord attached to the foot of the net and left Ansel laying on the side of the road by the SUV. “I needn’t remind you I can hear everything from back there, try anything funny and I’ll put a stake through your hand.”
Ansel flashed a sarcastic smile and shifted his weight so he was sat up with his back against the rear SUV door. The net still tugged over his skin, singing lightly against his flesh. The pain was secondary to Ansel, his primary concern was Kat.
The trunk door hadn’t be open when he’d left, that meant Kat must have opened it. So just where the hell was she?
He looked around in the darkness, listening for her, tasting the air for her. He couldn’t find a single trace of the girl anywhere. Ansel sat there for a moment trying to follow his senses, and he realized that he couldn’t hear or smell anything in fact.
Was there a chance that…
That sneaky son of a gun.
Ansel shifted along side the back of the SUV until he was at the back, and caught a glimpse at the open supply box inside. It looked like Kat had managed to get into the box.
He lifted his nose to the air, and inhaled once more. The faint and repulsive scent of garlic hung in the air.
Garlic. The one thing that could temporarily dull a vampire’s senses, effectively muting their super sensory power, reducing it until it was even worse than a humans. For a brief second, Ansel had never been more grateful for losing his senses. If he couldn’t hear or smell Kat, then Edmund wouldn’t be able to either.
A quiet rumble came from the darkness ahead. Ansel flared his eyes into the darkness to boost his night vision, but no clarity came. His senses were completely and utterly dulled. The only thing he could see was the eerie glow of the red brake lights, which barely dented the vast black ahead.
A headlight came on in the distance, and a second later Edmund had pulled up on his bike. He killed the engine and climbed off.
“I can’t see or hear a fucking thing out here. You?”
“No.” Ansel shook his head. “I can only smell garlic, it must be growing around here.”
Edmund lifted his nose to the air, inhaled and grimaced. “I think you’re right. Gross. It’s all I can smell now. That witch must be growing it in an effort to keep vampires like us away. Clever girl.”
“Yeah…” Ansel said, grateful that Edmund had drawn his own conclusions. “That must be it. Good thinking.”
“Whatever it is, I don’t want to hang around here too long for her to find us. Chances are she’s not all crazy, but I don’t want to stick around and find out when I don’t have to. Sorry for busting your little adventure when you were so close to the end. No chance I’m voluntarily walking into the territory of a witch though.”
Edmund wheeled the back of the bike up to the SUV, picked the cord from Ansel’s net off the floor and started tying it to the back of his bike.
“I couldn’t help but notice you haven’t got a sidecar.” Ansel winced. “I really hope you’re not planning on dragging me back to Dead Rest all the way on my back.”
“Just along this track at least. You might get a few scrapes and bruises, but it’s nothing a vampire can’t handle. Once we get back to the main road I’ll jack a car and you can ride the rest of the way in luxury.”
“Gee,” Ansel said sarcastically, “You’re so kind.”
“My mother always told me I was a good host.” Edmund jibed back. “It would be a shame to prove her a liar now.”
Edmund straightened up, having finished securing the cord from Ansel’s net to his bike. “Now. Whereabouts is that girl you’ve been traveling with?”
Ansel froze. “Girl?”
“Come on.” Edmund rolled his eyes and brushed a hand through his beard. “I know you’re with that Kat Summers girl. I saw her climb into your SUV back at that diner - and I know you were at Avalon with her the night the Circle came in shooting.”
Damn it. Ansel hadn’t anticipated Edmund would know so much about him and Kat.
“I honestly have no idea.” Ansel said, just as perplexed as Edmund was. “I was just keeping her for fun anyway. No doubt she got scared and bolted the first chance she got.”
“Well I have to track her down. Circle wants her too I’ve no doubt. She put a stake through the heart of one of their agents, she knows vampires exist. You can bet they’ll be after her.”
Adrenaline beat through Ansel. He had no problem with Edmund tying him up and taking him prisoner, but there wasn’t a chance in hell he was going to let him do the same to Kat.
“No chance we’ll find her around here anyway.” Ansel said coolly. “Not with all this garlic growing.”
“Well, I might not be able to see, hear or smell as good as normal, but I can still move. She’s human, let’s say she’s been running all of… oh I don’t know. Five minutes? That leaves us with a perimeter of one kilometer from here for where she could be. I’m gonna zip around, see if I can find her. I quite like the odds.”
“Just leave it man.” Ansel said, trying his hardest to sound like he wasn’t pleading. “She’s not a threat to you or me, just let the chick go.”
Edmund raised a brow at Ansel and stared at him. “You know, for a man that says he doesn’t care, you’re starting to make me think you do.”
“I’m just saying, you’ve got your bounty. Take me back to the Red Circle and let’s get it over with.”
Edmund laughed. “I’ve never met a bounty so anxious to meet their maker before.”
“I’m only out here because I was looking for a way to find the Red Circle. If you take me to them it just cuts out the middle man.”
Crouching, Edmund brought himself to Ansel’s level and studied him with a curious smile. “What the fuck are you talking about? You’re looking for the Red Circle? I thought you were after a witch?”
“The witch will lead me to the Circle. They’re the ones I really want.”
“And why is that?” Edmund said with a dry laugh.
“I’m taking those fuckers down. You take me to them… just makes my life a little easier.”
“Shit. You’re crazier than I even realized. Take down the Circle?” Edmund scoffed and ran a hand over his beard. “It’s amusing that you think I know where the Circle operate within this area. You think that society of elite cunts would really trust a mongrel vamp like me with something so precious? You’re coming back to my place, I’ll phone it in, then Cairo Inai or one of his men will come and pick you up.”
The name caught Ansel off guard. “Wait. You know Cairo Inai?”
“Of course.” Edmund rose to his feet and smirked. “Weird little fucker is the one that’s paying me to bring you down.”
Ansel felt the blood beating in his temples and sat up straight. “Help me find him.” He pleaded. “Help me kill this bastard. The Circle need to be destroyed, and I’ll start with Cairo Inai.”
Edmund simply shook his head and laughed. “You’re a crazy fucker, and I kind of like you. But there ain’t a chance in hell that I’m getting on the wrong side of the Circle. I don’t approve of everything they do, but you’re a dead man walking if you think you can take them down Ansel Draco. Even a vampire as gifted as yourself.”
“Then help me take them down.” Ansel said. “Join me in my fight. I’ve seen what you can do. Together we could start making real damage. We could fight back, we could free vampires everywhere.”
The air of the silent forest swirled around them as Edmund stared at Ansel. He sensed something in Edmund. He sensed that there was hate for the Circle inside that vampire, just the same as he had.
; “I can see it in you.” Ansel said. “You know that I can do this.”
“You think you’re the first one to try and stage a revolution against the Circle?” Edmund scoffed. “You’re far from it Ansel Draco. I’ve seen better vampires than you try it, and they all ended up the same - a pile of ash on the ground. Is that where you want to end up?”
“It’s where I’ll end up if I don’t fight back anyway.” Ansel shrugged. “I don’t have much of a choice. Tell me - how long until you stop being useful to this Cairo Inai, how long until he turns his head on you too, and deems you unsuitable for the ‘gift’ of vampyrism?”
Edmund’s eyes flicked away, and Ansel could sense that the question had hit a sore spot.
“We’re just the same.” Ansel laughed. “The only difference is that I have the courage to do something about it.”
“The only difference is that you were stupid enough to break the law in the first place.” Edmund snapped back. “Don’t blame me for a death sentence that you brought on yourself Ansel Draco. You make your own trouble in this world.”
“Well at least we can agree on that.” Ansel said coldly. He glanced around the dark space, trying to get any signal of Kat. There was a faint trace of something. He’d kept Edmund talking all this time in hopes Kat would spring out of the darkness and reveal her master plan. So far there’d been nothing.
“Look, I’d love to sit here and talk until the sun comes up and fries us.” Edmund said. “But I’ve got more pressing shit to do. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go track down your girlfriend. Shouldn’t take me more than ten minutes tops.”
Edmund pulled a cigarette out of his jacket pocket and lit it up. He took a drag and blew smoke into the night. “Remember, try to escape and I’ll put a stake through your-”
A flash of silver flew over Edmund’s head, knocking the cigarette out of his mouth and onto the ground. The tight cord of silver chain pulled taut against his neck and the vampire crumpled down onto his knees, instantly drained of his strength and speed.
“The fuck!” Edmund cried out in shock as Kat wrapped the long coils of silver chain around him.