Tainted Hunter (The Huntress Bane Book 1)

by Derek Shupert

  “We have valuables to trade. They’re yours for any assistance you can provide.” I play the part of a helpless, frantic woman who is in dire need of their help perfectly. I continue to sell the ploy. “Please, we have no other place to go. We are desperate.”

  The man to our right cranes his neck to the rucksack Lucian has on his back. Like most raiders, greed drives their existence.

  “Fine, but don’t make any sudden movements or we’ll cut you in half.”

  The raider with the gas mask advances toward the gate. He lifts up the hefty latch that has the two sections sealed shut. He grabs the thick, rounded, steel handle and pulls the gate open.

  “Thank you,” I graciously say.

  The two men keep their weapons trained on us as we enter the settlement. My eyes dart from either gunman to the surrounding buildings in search of other raiders that may be close by. I don’t spot any others, or any of the settlement’s occupants.

  Lucian grunts and winces as the two-armed men remain focused on us. Once inside, and cleared of the gates, they halt us.

  “That’s far enough. Give us the pack first. Then we’ll get him some medical attention.”

  I comply with a nod.

  “Of course. Would you mind bracing him while I remove the pack from his back?”

  The raider to our right lowers his rifle and steps toward us. Lucian reaches out his arm in a feeble manner as pain crawls across his face. Intermittent grunts of discomfort escape his lips. I pat my hand on his hip twice, signaling that I’m about to make my move.

  My right-hand slips down his back and grabs the kukri’s handle that is wedged between his body and the rucksack. I pull the blade free, and whip it around toward him.

  I move swiftly, my boots seemingly gliding over the dirt as I ram the tip of the blade through the raider’s chest who is wearing the gas mask. I grab the barrel of the rifle, and rip it free of his grasp, as he stands motionless in place.

  “What the hell?” the other raider yells as he brings his rifle to bear.

  Lucian strikes the man in the side of his left knee. His leg buckles as he drops to the ground. He fumbles to gain his bearings and lifts the rifle toward Lucian.

  Reaching inside his coat, Lucian pulls free his sword and slashes in an upward motion. The razor-sharp edge of the blade slices the man from his sternum up through his throat. Blood spills out and down his chest, drenching his tattered clothing.

  I yank the blade free of the raider’s chest. His body collapses to the ground with a thud.

  Lucian glances back to me with an emotionless gaze.

  “How many more do you think there are?”

  I shrug.

  “Not sure. They normally travel in packs, though.” I glance over to the two dull gray concrete buildings to our right. “Why don’t you check out those two buildings, and I’ll check the main one over there. Watch your back, and keep an eye out for any vampires. Just because it’s daytime doesn’t mean that they aren’t still inside those structures.”

  Lucian agrees with a tilt of his head. He reaches behind him and retrieves the pistol.

  We split up and head for our designated buildings.

  I rush over to the metal steps that lead up to a gangway that runs along the bunker’s top. I take three rungs at a time. The soles of my boots play off the jagged metal steps. I cut to the right, and head for a large steel door encased in cement that is buried in the side of the earth.

  The kukri stays taut in my hand. My fingers reposition over the handle as I slow my pace. There’s a mural of blood smeared over the door’s facing. The metal grates before the entrance are covered in the dark red substance.

  I cut my eyes in Lucian’s direction as he places his back to the building’s wall. He inches toward the opened doorway and pauses. He looks over at me and nods before peering inside. He slips into the interior of the structure and vanishes from my sight.

  A faint noise escapes from the slightly open door before me. I train my right ear and listen. Somehow, I’m able to hear the abated clamoring of the wicked, fanged fiends from within the substructure. The subtle noises of what sounds like the demons feeding. I’ve heard it before, and am all too familiar of what it’s from.

  They’re still.

  Motionless even.

  Sounds as though they are occupied with feeding on the settlers that have fallen to their ravenous thirst or they’re in a slumbered state since it’s daytime. As much as my heart breaks for the good, decent folks that are now nothing more than a buffet for the dead, their deaths will not be in vain. I’ll make sure of that.

  My free hand grips the edge of the door, and slowly pulls it open. My ears stay tuned to the demons below as I carefully widen the gap.

  A strong stench of the foul-smelling brood escapes the confines of the structure. It smells of death and rotting flesh. The pungent scent causes my nose to crinkle in disgust.

  Clouds roll through, blotting out the sun. The endless ether of blackness that the daylight refuses to touch causes me to take in a gulp of air. The blackness fills my gaze, but slowly subsides as the interior of the facility comes into focus.

  A steel landing and metal hand rails slowly fade into the darkness. I cautiously step onto the landing. The stairwell sinks into the abyss of death that awaits me.

  My free hand reaches for the railing that is attached to the wall. My fingers find the chilled, smooth exterior of the dense, rounded steel as I begin my descent into the demons’ feeding ground.

  One step after another, I make my way down. The darkness continues to fade away, and the ghastly gray rock walls slowly come into focus. The low humming of equipment merges with the slurping and other noises of the vampires feasting. My thoughts are honed to the task at hand. Kill the vampires and save any of the settlers, however that may be.

  My hand runs over something wet on the railing. I glance down at my palm. Blood.

  My boots find the landing as I come to a dead end that veers off to the left. The further I move into the subterranean catacomb, the more vivid the vampires’ breathing becomes.

  I’m focused, and ready to unleash a hurricane of slaying on the demons that are down here.

  The heavy veil of darkness that has laid claim to the interior of the structure has given way to the intense glow of the emergency lights mounted on the walls toward the ceiling. Bathed in its eerie iridescent hue of red, I pause.

  The long corridor before me has doors that populate down the face of the walls. Each is cracked open at different degrees. At the opposite end, a junction forms that splits off in either direction.

  The kukri twirls in my hand as I advance. My breathing is steady.

  Each room I pass by, I carefully peer inside to see if any of the demons may be occupying the damp, dark space.

  Each of the rooms are void of any bodies, human or not. The dishevelment of the space tells the story that a battle tore through the cramped quarters. Beds have been tossed. Clothes and other belongings lay scattered over the floors. More murals of blood are sprayed over the walls and sheets of the beds.

  I continue on past the remaining rooms and pause at the junction. I stand still, and train my ear. The aggressive grunts of the vampires tickle my ear.

  Sounds like they’re all together to my right. No doubt gorging themselves on the human livestock that they have slaughtered.

  The closer I get to the immortal creatures, the more my blood boils. I remain in control, but the strong desire to lose my temper is overwhelming.

  The stench of the demons spikes as I cautiously move over the steel grates. Death taints the air and invades my nose. I shake my head, trying to get rid of the sharp scent that has infested the structure.

  Each step I take is deliberate, and taken with a sense of care. They’re close by. My skin crawls listening to the sickening sound. As much as I want to rush in and have my blade taste the flesh of the wicked, I stay the thought.

  Up ahead, the corridor widens out and opens into a large gath
ering space. I press my left shoulder to the wall, and slide down its rigid façade. I pause at the opening, and survey the area.

  Designed in a circular pattern, a gangway runs along the periphery of the space. Sets of stairs dart down toward the ground where the demons have the settlers sprawled out—a convergence of bloodied flesh and tattered clothing that the vampires feed on.

  I take a few more steps toward the railing. Softly placed footsteps and low muttered grunts sound behind me.

  I stop cold, dead in place. My fingers reposition over the handle of the kukri as I cut my eyes to the side. I exhale a single puff of air.

  I focus my mind and wipe it clean, thinking of only slaying the dreadful demons.

  It’s time to go to work.

  SIX

  The demon’s breathing intensifies. My heart pounds harder as he inches closer to me. He’s quiet, but not quiet enough.

  I step to the left as he attacks. His clawed fingers cut through the air with a whoosh sound. It hisses at me and narrows its red eyes in my direction.

  I roundhouse kick it in the stomach. The impact knocks the breath out of the demon slightly and causes it to stumble backward. Its heavy feet pound the steel grates hard. He hunches over and struggles to breathe for a brief moment. He quickly regains his focus and bares his fangs at me.

  It’s smooth, bald, pale head beams in the subtle darkness. It continues to hiss, and comes for me once more. It strikes with lightning fast slashes of its claws. I dodge each one as it pushes me farther into the inner sanctum of the demons’ feeding grounds.

  Below, the other vampires pull away from the men, women, and children they’re feeding on to see what the discord is up above. The red hue of their eyes focusses on me. I can’t gauge their numbers, but it really doesn’t matter.

  The vampire strikes me in my chest and knocks me hard against the wall. The air bursts from my lungs. Before I have a chance to counter, the vampire wraps its cold, slimy fingers around my throat, and pins me to the wall.

  Its sharpened nails burrow into my skin as it leans in toward me. I ram my right knee into its side. It releases its hold long enough for me to strike with the kukri.

  The tip of the blade perforates the demon’s chest cavity with ease. I yank the kukri free, and spin on my heels. I lop off its head with one fluid motion, and send the severed skull hurling toward the others.

  The headless corpse collapses to the steel grate. I make for the corridor, but two demons from below jump up to the gangway, cutting off any retreat. One behind me and one in front, I’m forced to make my stand.

  They take a moment to size me up, hissing and grunting as I focus on the redness of their eyes. I turn and face the railing, positioning my body in a way where I can see both of the demons out of the corners of my eyes.

  With a voracious strike of the kukri, I engage the swarming fiend to my left. The blade comes down at a ninety-degree angle, and narrowly misses the mark. The vampire dodges my frontal assault, side-stepping to the right.

  The demon behind me grabs hold and wraps its strong arms around me. I struggle to break free, twisting and contorting my body in any way I can to release its taut grip.

  It leans in close to the side of my neck and breathes heavily. Its hot, fetid breath blasts my sweaty flesh and fills my ear with its subtle hisses.

  “You should’ve stayed in the daylight where you were safe, hunter. The master will be pleased to know that we have captured his beloved pet once more.”

  The vampire in front of me rushes headlong at us. I pull my legs up close to my chest. I thrust them forward with all of my might, and slam the soles of my boots into its body. The impact sends the vampire stumbling backward to the ground.

  “And you should’ve stayed in your damp cave.”

  I throw my bulk forward. My boots find the gangway. I toss my head back and smash the fiend’s face. Its nose crunches. Its hold lessens and allows me to gain the advantage. I lean forward, and lift it off the ground slightly. I fall backward, and slam its body into the steel grating.

  Its arms release me. I flip over its body and fluently thrust the tip of the kukri through its heart. It belches a piercing screech of pain.

  My eyes focus on the vampire before me. More quickly shuffle in behind it. I twist the broad blade into the fiend’s chest cavity with a snap of my wrist. Its body goes limp.

  “There is nowhere for you to run and hide, hunter,” the vampire before me warns. His mouth and cheeks are painted with the blood of the humans they have slaughtered. The gathering mass of immortal creatures encase me in a cramped space of certain doom. I can only imagine they feel as though they have me at their mercy. “Drop the blade, and perhaps we’ll only bleed you slightly.”

  “I would be more concerned with losing your heads.”

  I stand at the ready with the kukri clutched in my right hand. I shift my gaze from left to right as the demons inch their way toward me.

  A shimmer of light from above catches my attention. I tilt my head toward the ceiling and find a dome-like steel covering that is slightly ajar.

  Located to my right, and hanging toward the ground, is a steel chain—a last line of defense for the settlers in case of a breach of their inner sanctum. They must have never gotten the chance to use it.

  The demons come for me. I bolt and hop over the railing of the gangway to the ground below.

  I land hard on top of a table slathered in blood. I tuck and roll to the floor, and sprint across the space. Two vampires slash at my face with their claws. I behead them with one fluid motion. I remain focused on the chains as the heavy pounding of the demons’ footsteps trounce the steel grating all around me.

  Two more taste the sharpened edge of my kukri before my fingers wrap around the hefty chains. I pull downward as fast as I can. The narrow bead of light quickly widens, and spreads like wildfire as the dome retracts.

  The strident light from above floods the interior of the structure with daylight. The night feeders quickly disperse and franticly search for cover below the gangway or any space that will shield them from the lethal rays of the sun. Some scurry up the walls, hunting for the narrow corridor.

  I continue pulling at the chain, opening the dome as far as it will go.

  The sensitive, pale flesh of the vampires blackens and the smell of cooking, rotting meat fills the space. High-pitched wails of pain echo throughout the space.

  A handful rush headlong for the corridor. The sharp report of gunfire blasts down the passage, halting them. One after another, the demons drop like dominoes as Lucian enters the space.

  “Thought you could use a hand.” He ducks and drops to one knee as a vampire strikes at his head with its claws. He tilts the barrel of his pistol upward and fires. The bullet blows through the demon’s chin and explodes out the top of its head. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full here.”

  “I have things under control,” I shout back.

  The kukri slashes and slices through the disoriented vampires as they try to flee the sun’s rays. Lucian and I clear the lot, and make short work of any that are left standing.

  I pause, and survey the bloodbath before me. The bodies meld together in a horrid scene of death. Tattered clothing and rapacious hands lay motionless on the stained red grating.

  Lucian makes his way down the steps to the lower level. He ejects the magazine and skims over the remaining ammo briefly before slapping it back into place as he approaches me from my left.

  “Glad to see that those holy bullets actually work,” I say.

  Lucian nods.

  “Never had any doubts.”

  He secures the pistol inside his pants, and soaks in the deceased bodies of the inert settlers that are spread out. They are dead, drained of their blood.

  “Dear God.” He mutters a sad whimper of sorrow. His hands close into tightly clenched fists. His lips grow taut and eyes narrow at the horrifying scene.

  I grab one of the vampires by the scruff of its smirched rags and fli
p it over. Its pale, smooth skin is now charred and rigid. I press the sleeve of my coat under my nose to shield myself from the awful fetor of its flesh.

  “Looks like the vamps were given free reign of the settlers once those fuckers from up top gained entry,” I growl. “Can’t say that I’ve ever heard of humans helping the vampires. Never thought the lowest scum of humanity would resort to helping these bastards wipe out their own kind. The thought of it makes me sick.”

  Lucian unclenches his fists. He releases a deep sigh and nods in agreement.

  “There were only a few more of those raiders up top. Killed one and knocked out the other.” He looks to his left, then his right. “Can’t believe they feed on the children as well.”

  I cut my eyes to the right and peer down. A boy, perhaps ten years of age, lies on his back with his arms stretched out. His scraggy, brown hair crawls out from under the dingy, light gray beanie on his head, which is cocked to the left. His eyes are closed, face filled with an emotionless expression as his tiny fingers hold a slayed woman’s hand next to him.

  The grim sight tugs at my heart, and probes my deepest, darkest nightmares from when I was a child. I know the horror and terror that the boy more than likely suffered while having his innocence torn from him in such a violent and barbaric way.

  My eyes glass over, but only a single tear races down the side of my cheek.

  “The blood suckers aren’t picky, and will take whatever they can get. They do not distinguish from right and wrong. Adult or innocent child. To them, we are nothing more than a portable food supply that they must feed upon. When it comes to the depravity that the demons will sink to, nothing surprises me anymore.”

  Lucian stares at me.

  His eyes are engulfed with sadness, not only for the fallen settlers, but for me as well. He places his hand gingerly on my shoulder.

  “Are you ok?”

  I turn away from him, and wipe the memories that are trying to burst from me away.

  “I’m fine. We should probably do a sweep and make sure that all of the settlers do not turn. I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

  Lucian pulls his hand back. He leaves well enough alone, which I’m thankful for.