Tainted Hunter (The Huntress Bane Book 1)

by Derek Shupert

  Lucian forms his fingers to make a gun and pretends to fire the make-believe weapon. Regardless of what he says, I’ll stick to my kukri.

  “Glad it works, then, and you’re willing to gamble your life on that. I’ll stick to what I know.”

  Lucian reaches behind the rocking chair and pulls out a sword.

  “The pistol is more of a back up to this. I generally try to use this first at all cost, even on raiders, since bullets can become scarce at a moment’s notice.”

  I hold out my hand toward Lucian.

  “May I?”

  “Sure.”

  Lucian hands me the sword.

  I grasp the lightly weighted weapon by its black, leather-bound handle. I step back and look over its finely sharpened silver edge. I slash downward to the left, then to the right. It cuts right through the air with little to no residual noise.

  “I think you’re smart using this more, but that’s just me.”

  I twirl the sword in my hand and thrust the handle toward Lucian. My hand wraps around the blade with precision that avoids cutting myself.

  Lucian grabs the handle at the same time mine grabs the blade.

  “I can see why you prefer using that kukri.”

  I glance over my shoulder to the window briefly before turning my attention back to him.

  “I really need to get back on the move. I’d like to make it to Black Fields before it gets dark again.”

  “Yes, of course.” He extends his hand out to me. “It was nice meeting you, Amanda.”

  I take his hand and shake it.

  “Likewise. I do appreciate the food, bed, and kindness you’ve shown me. Not sure how many folks would’ve done the same given how things are now. I don’t really have much in the way of valuables to offer, so I’m at a loss of how to repay you.”

  Lucian smirks and declines the notion with a wave of his hand.

  “Don’t worry about it. No need for that. After all, we humans need to stick together if we hope to survive and overcome this.”

  “Agreed.”

  I nod and half-smile. I turn and head for the beat-up front door.

  Lucian clears his throat again. He speaks up just as I reach for the door knob.

  “Would you like some company?”

  FOUR

  I stand frozen by the front door. Does this guy have a fucking death wish?

  Still, as much as that burden tries to spur me to distance myself from human interaction, I resist the temptation. Being around my fellow man, and witnessing the kindness that can be shown, reminds me of why we fight the vampires. Of why we keep trudging forward through this horrid life that is nothing short of a nightmare that we cannot wake from. It is probably that reason I agreed to have Lucian tag along. That, and having an extra set of eyes will help in spotting any raiders.

  Not that I could’ve stopped him anyway. I don’t view him as a threat considering the generosity, he has shown me. Besides, I don’t kill humans without just cause. After all, dealing with my own kind is a far cry easier than dealing with the undead.

  Leaning against the rotting wood siding of the house, I ponder on a great many things as I wait for Lucian to gather his belongings.

  Life, my future, and what is in store for me. Even if I kill Mathesis...

  No.

  When I kill Mathesis and this horrible nightmare is behind me, what will I do next? It’s a question that I may have to face someday.

  My gaze sneaks out over the defunct land where I can only imagine rows of pristine houses once stood. The picturesque portrait of the American dream, all wrapped up with the white picket fence, the two kids, dog, and the happy married couple radiating love as they embrace one another.

  That whole notion of a happy life is lost on me. All I can remember is pain and suffering. There may be some memories deep inside my head, but they are buried under mounds of death and destruction.

  Besides, remembering a time that was good and pure would only piss me off now. We can’t go back to that. That fairy tale world has been consumed by the vampires. This wasteland that they now thrive in is what we have to deal with. Maybe one day, if I’m lucky, the human race will be able to turn the tide and take back what is ours. It’s doubtful, but one can dream.

  The rusted hinges of the front door mark the presence of Lucian. I snap out of my entranced daydream, and push off the house’s siding. He steps out onto the front porch, and turns to face me.

  He’s dressed in a long, brown trench coat that covers the majority of his body. The ends dangle down to his grungy boots. The thick hood is placed over top of his head, cloaking his face within the darkness of the covering.

  A red rucksack is slung over his shoulders with his blade secured between the pack and his person. Even in the daylight, I can see why I thought Lucian looked like the angel of death that night.

  “I appreciate you allowing me to tag along with you to Black Fields,” he says. “To be honest, it’s been some time since I’ve been able to enjoy the company of another person.”

  Lucian pulls the door closed. He wiggles the faded brass doorknob to check if it’s secure.

  Not that it really matters now. He could be just doing it out of habit, or to give himself a sense of a normal life. Whatever that is.

  “It’s still a free country, sort of,” I respond. Lucian seems like a good person, considering that he dressed my injuries and didn’t try to do anything to me while I slept. Being that I’m nothing short of a magnet for the demons, perhaps I should give him a fair warning about traveling with me. “I feel like I must inform you of something.”

  He turns to face me. He raises his right brow, which is partially overshadowed by the veil of darkness that has engulfed his face.

  “And what’s that?”

  “I haven’t had a good track record with people staying alive around me for too long. They either end up dead, or worse.”

  “Thanks for the warning, but I’ll take my chances. Until all of the vampires are dead, we’ve all got one foot in the grave.”

  He’s right about that. Still, I felt I needed to do him the service of forewarning him.

  “When you’re dead, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  He chuckles slightly.

  “Duly noted.”

  We head out and away from the house till we come to a paved road. It spans for miles and miles in either direction. I narrow my eyes and place the edge of my right hand just above my brow. The yellow lines, although faded now, are still visible in spots where the dirt hasn’t reached yet.

  I imagine at one time, it had a name. Highway something or other. At least, that is what I was told a number of years back from someone who was old enough to remember such trivial things. Doesn’t seem as important now. No need for it.

  I stop, and look in either direction. I’m not familiar with the area. All these roads look the same. It’s hard to gauge where I was when I passed out and where Lucian has brought me to.

  “How far from Black Fields are we?”

  Lucian points to our right.

  “It’s roughly a three hour walk from here if you keep a steady pace. We stay on this road and cut over to the east the last mile or so, and we’ll run into Black Fields.”

  I glance up at the sun, and take note of its position. I do a quick calculation inside my head, and figure we’ll make it before the sun fully sets.

  Lucian takes notice of me looking up at the sun. “We should be within the walls before sundown.”

  I nod and we get under way.

  For the next hour or so, I’m lost inside my own thoughts. Lucian remains silent as well. I’ve never been someone who engages in non-essential chatter. Being held in solitude, and feeling the stinging bite of Mathesis’s wicked tongue for speaking out of place, trained me to be vigilant and careful with my words. Although I’m no longer under his thumb, the trained conditioning has stuck with me.

  Lucian doesn’t seem to mind the silence. He hasn’t forced any sort of interactio
n or additional conversation. Only the sound of our footsteps beating against the rigid pavement, and the wind whistling in our ears, can be heard.

  The abrupt crescendo of gunfire crackling in the burnt, orange sky breaks the silence. The noise stops us cold. My hand instinctively reaches down for the kukri as my eyes skim over the horizon.

  Lucian fumbles for the binoculars dangling from his rucksack. He manages to wrangle the strap free, and brings them up to his eyes.

  “Fucking raiders,” I grumble.

  It’s bad enough we have to contend with the vampires during the night, but we have to deal with the worst humanity has to offer during the day.

  Lucian peers to his left, then skims over the horizon to his right. The hollowed out burnt carcasses of vehicles, decimated by years of abuse from the elements, sit partially covered under mounds of dirt.

  He points out over the defunct land to my right.

  “There’s a settlement over that way.”

  I squint, and try to position my hand in a way that blots out the sun. Smoke trails up into the sky just over a ridge. The crackle of gunfire is intermediate in the distance. It sounds like it’s coming from the direction of the settlement.

  Only a single shot disrupts the silence every couple of minutes. I spot a body off on the side of the road. My fingers wrap around the handle and pull the kukri free of the sheath.

  “There.”

  I direct his attention ahead of us with the tip of my blade.

  Lucian lowers the binoculars slightly. He looks ahead of us at the barely visible body that is covered with dirt. He brings them up and leans forward some.

  “This could be a trap.” I point to any number of cars that are set off to either side of the road where raiders could be lying in wait for some poor sap. “Too many places for thieves to be hiding.

  Lucian diverts his gaze from the motionless body back to the direction where the smoke is filling the air, then back again. He secures the binoculars back on his person. His hand rubs at the stubble on his chin for a few seconds before he moves.

  He heads for the figure.

  “Wait a damn minute, will ya?” I growl. “What are you doing?”

  He remains tight lipped as he jogs over to the body. I follow. He pulls free the sword from behind him as he slows his pace.

  I finally catch up to him.

  “You know, this is a good way to get snuffed by a raider. Doing stupid shit always ends up bad.”

  “So I’ve been told before. Many times, actually,” Lucian plainly responds. “They could be hurt and need help. Just like you when I found you.”

  He offers me a quick glance, and I roll my eyes. I consider going on my way, but remain with him. Coming across genuinely good people who look to want to help others instead of making an already shitty situation worse is few and far between. Besides, I feel if I protect him until we get to Black Fields, then we can be even. I would have repaid my debt to him.

  We approach with caution. We slow, watching the body for any subtle movements. Still, nothing.

  My gaze scours the nearby shells of rusted metal for any signs that an ambush has been set for us. It’s hard to gauge if anybody is hidden among the vehicles from our current position. Shit. Not what I want.

  Lucian carefully steps toward the body. One of the arms is stretched out to the side as if it’s reaching for something while the other lays motionless next to its head. The back of the coat is riddled with slashes that run diagonally down the tattered fabric.

  My eyes move down to the body, then back to the vehicles. The reason I’ve survived for so long, not just from the vampires, but from the retched filth of humanity, is because I don’t do this kind of shit.

  “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” I warn.

  Lucian bends down in front of the body. He pulls back his hood, and brushes away the sand from the person’s back. He takes a moment before flipping them over.

  It’s an older woman, perhaps in her late forties or so. She doesn’t appear to be breathing. The claw marks running across her face and mid-section attest to that fact.

  “Not raiders.” Lucian removes the bloody beige scarf from around her neck. He tilts her head to the left, then to the right. “No puncture marks that I can see.”

  I motion toward her arm.

  Vampires are notorious for going for the neck or arms of their victims. Only ones that they capture to keep as blood bags will you find puncture marks on other parts of the body. I would know.

  Lucian pulls up her left coat sleeve past her forearm. Nothing. He does the same for her right arm. It’s barren of any teeth indentations.

  He runs his hands through his moist hair, and glances back over to the smoke.

  “She’s from that settlement. Looks like they’ve been overrun with vamps.”

  I follow his gaze briefly before glancing back down to the body.

  “Is it one of those settlements that has their structures buried in the earth?”

  Lucian nods.

  “Yeah. They have a few buildings around the property that aren’t, but they’re pretty well fortified against the vampires, and raiders for that matter.”

  I bring the kukri down to my side. I skim over the body, especially the claw marks where dried blood has soaked into the woman’s garments.

  “She must’ve really pissed the vampires off for them to slash her like that.”

  Lucian nods.

  “Yeah. Shame really. I’ve been to that settlement a few times to trade with them. Nice, respectable people. Families just trying to get by.”

  He grinds his teeth. His hand rubs at the rough black stubble on his chin as if he’s deep in thought.

  “What is it?”

  He stands up.

  “Like I stated, their settlement is pretty well fortified to keep the demons out. Just wondering how they got inside is all. Doesn’t make any sense.”

  Staring at the slain woman’s body, I notice something barely visible inside her clutched fist. I force open her fingers, which is more like a bear trap. I set the kukri down on the asphalt to aid in prying open her fist.

  “What are you doing?” Lucian inquires.

  Each finger is forced open, revealing a cross and a lock of dark brown hair.

  I retrieve both from her palm and stand up.

  “As you know, vampires don’t have hair.”

  Lucian examines both items before cutting his eyes up to me.

  “So, what are you thinking? Someone got bit and started to turn and attacked her before fully transforming? She defended herself with the cross, and during the struggle tore free a chunk of their hair?”

  More gunfire pops off into the mid-day sky, snaring both of our attention.

  “Possible. Not sure why we’d still be hearing gunfire now though in broad daylight,” I respond. “If they were trapped inside with the vampires, we wouldn’t hear the reports of those rifles. They’d be muffled.”

  Lucian traces the sign of the cross in the air in the woman’s direction, and mutters some words under his breath. He pulls his hood up over his head, but keeps his sword clutched tightly in his hand. He starts walking in the direction of the settlement.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Going to see what happened.”

  FIVE

  The whole thing smells funny, and has me scratching my head. There are just so many things that are not adding up.

  We stay low to the ground, but move quickly. We find cover behind a half erect brick building that is riddled with massive holes within its framework. Cautious, we slip inside the drab interior, and move toward the opposite side of the building that faces the settlement. We take cover on either side of the exposed brick, our backs pressed firmly to the lukewarm clay.

  Lucian carefully turns about with the binoculars clutched in his hand. He peers out from concealment of the building and brings the large eyepiece up to his eyes.

  I peer out, and narrow my gaze at the hefty steel fence of the settl
ement. The gate is sealed with two figures standing still within the interior, but I can’t make out much more from here.

  “You see anything?”

  “Two armed men standing guard with automatic weapons. Can’t tell if they’re with the settlement or not though,” Lucian responds. “I can’t see anyone or anything else from here. To be honest, the whole thing doesn’t feel right.”

  I nod in agreement. Something is most definitely off here.

  “Let’s take a closer look.”

  Lucian lowers the binoculars. His voice is thick with concern.

  “How do we do that? I’m not overly convinced that they’re with the settlement. They could be raiders.”

  “Agreed. But I have a plan that will walk us through those gates.”

  Lucian attaches the strap of the binoculars to his rucksack as I lay out my plan of attack. He’s a bit hesitant, but remains solid and follows my lead.

  We head out of the building, and make for the front gates of the settlement. As we get closer, I survey the interior of the compound. Attached to the fence are rusted steel beams that have been welded together into the shapes of crosses. I’ve seen that done before at other small outposts. Sometimes they work, other times they don’t.

  Lucian walks with a bad limp as I shoulder his bulk. He grunts and grimaces as if every step is a painful barb that is probing his nerves.

  I glance to the two men standing watch. They’re dressed in black dingy coats that are faded and worn. Their faces are concealed.

  The one to our right has a black bandana covering the lower portion of his face, and a pair of thick-rimmed sunglasses on that are caked with dirt. The one to our left has a dark green gas mask on that is covered in scratches with a single large black filter off to the right.

  They finally spot us. They jerk their rifles up and shoulder the weapons, training the barrels in our direction.

  “Halt!” the one to our right yells.

  “My friend here is injured. He hurt his leg and is in need of medical attention,” I plead.

  The two men stare in our direction.

  “Get lost. If you value your lives, you’ll turn around and head back the way you came. There is no help here.”