Tainted Hunter (The Huntress Bane Book 1)

by Derek Shupert

  For his sake, I hope he’s being truthful.

  The scenery of the dead and desolate world flies by rapidly with little to nothing showing that humans still inhabit the earth. Large structures that managed to survive the nuclear blast stand as nothing more than hollowed out carcasses of concrete and rebar.

  Overpasses are littered with numerous vehicles. Some of the occupants are still inside. They’re nothing more now than smirched rags draped over discolored bones.

  Having seen more than my fair share of the fall of the human race, a part of me envies those who were spared a life of pain and suffering at the hands of the vampires. Although it may sound harsh and unfeeling, the alternative is just as bad.

  So much blood has been spilt over our strife with the demons that it has rendered the majority of the planet an infertile wasteland. Poisoned to its core, it now struggles to hold on.

  There are tales that some parts of the world are slowly reviving, but I imagine I’ll never see that happen. Given the recent revelation that the dirt bag beside me revealed, I’m not so sure that the human race is going to survive much longer.

  I continue chewing on the raider’s words as we navigate the mounds of debris and vehicles that cover the road. Old City emerges from the thick haze that surrounds the tall, derelict buildings in a veil of shadowed gloom.

  The ruined structures are void of any sort of life. Birds fly overhead, entering and exiting the immense concrete formations. Massive, gaping sections of each building show contorted rebar and the dark hollow vortex that resides within.

  The cold, dead silence of the abandoned city is trumped by the buggy’s whining engine as we enter the maze of streets and structures. I throttle back the engine, staying on the side of caution as we traverse the congested streets.

  Lucian has his head on a swivel. His attention drifts from left to right at the buildings we roll by. I do much the same.

  Most humans now stay within the newly formed cities that are protected against the fanged fiends. Coming to such a place as Old City is a death wish for the foolish souls who dare to enter one of the demons many playgrounds.

  Given the gravity though of the situation, and the potential for the mass extinction of humans looming on the uncertain horizon, the risk is warranted.

  The raider guides our path through the maze of dilapidated steel structures and endless mounds of rubble that litter the cityscape. Our hastened pace has been reduced to nothing more than a slow crawl that ends with us being confronted with a massive building that has toppled over.

  Immense chunks of concrete and rebar lay scattered across the street, severing our ability to take the buggy any farther.

  I kill the engine, and remove the goggles from my dirt-covered face.

  “Looks like this is the end of the line.” I take in the roadblock before us and glance over to the raider. “How much farther do we have before we get there?”

  He points out through the scratched plastic windshield.

  “I believe it’s just past that building and up a bit further.”

  His injured hand trembles as he cradles it against his stomach. His face contorts in discomfort. He grits his teeth and winces through panted breathing.

  “You believe?” I hiss. My eyebrows narrow and lips purse firmly together. “I don’t need to hear guesses. You need to be sure. We’re in the belly of the beast here, and with that injured hand of yours, it will be like chumming the water for the sharks.”

  He removes the goggles from his face, revealing his busted nose and two blackeyes that he was dealt earlier.

  “I know it’s past this building, but can’t remember how much farther their nest is. There is so much shit in this city that it makes everything look the same. That, and I’m having a hard time concentrating with the fucking hole in my hand.”

  He holds his wounded hand in the air and shakes it in my direction as if that’s going to draw any sympathy from me. His current state of health is of no matter to me. He’s lucky he’s still breathing.

  I grab his hand before he has a chance to blink. My fingers wrap around the bloody bandage. I apply pressure. The raider howls in pain. He stomps his feet onto the board and thrashes about in his seat.

  “Listen to me good, you piece of shit. You’re damn lucky to be alive right now, all things considered. The only reason you’re still among the land of the living is because you’re useful. The second that ceases, I will have no reservations about ending your pathetic existence.” I squeeze harder. He cries out with a painful moan as his body crumbles. “So, unless you want your kneecaps to be busted, and for me to open you up from neck to nuts, stop the fucking complaining and tell me what I want to know. No guesses or I think so’s. Your life depends on it.”

  “All right, fuck.” He growls at me.

  I release his hand with an indifferent gaze. He reels in the palm and shudders as sweat races down his flushed skin.

  “What building is the vampire’s nest in?” I demand again.

  He takes a moment, trying to calm his breathing as he fights through the pain. His body quakes as he takes in a deep gulp of air, and releases it through trembling, chapped lips.

  “It’s in a bank—one of the few buildings in the city that still has its roof intact. It’s on the right side of the street. Commerce Sun or something like that. Like I said, I have only been there once.”

  I glance back over my shoulder to Lucian who is staring up at the empty buildings that surround us. He looks a bit hesitant and unsure.

  “You ready?”

  “Not really, but we need to check it out to be sure. Not exactly the best place to be when we lose daylight. Although, with the tall buildings and the haze blotting out the sun, I imagine it doesn’t really matter that much.”

  “Agreed. We find out what we can, and book it to Black Fields,” I respond.

  NINE

  I slip out of the buggy, remove the kukri from its sheath, and twirl the imposing blade in my hand.

  Lucian disembarks from the rear of the buggy on the opposite side. He retrieves his gear from the nook near the wheel well, and slips the rucksack over each shoulder.

  The raider peers through the windshield. He glances over to me with an unsteady gaze. I motion with my head for him to get out as Lucian keeps the pistol trained at him.

  He stares at me with an angered expression, but remains silent and obedient just the same. He steps out from the buggy, and makes his way to the front of the vehicle. Lucian stays close behind.

  I approach from the left.

  “We do this fast and stay silent. We still have daylight on our side. What little there is anyway.”

  The raider points to the kukri before looking at me.

  “Can I at least get a knife or something? With this bloody hand here, those things will be all over me in a matter of minutes.”

  There isn’t much that needs to be mulled over on that decision.

  “Absolutely not. I trust you about as much as I trust the vampires.”

  His brow wrinkles. He huffs.

  “How am I going to defend myself? Like I told you, they see me with you two, and they’ll rip me to shreds.”

  I nod over to Lucian.

  “We’ll protect you. Besides, if they get a whiff of your blood, I doubt they’ll care who you’re with. To the vamps, you’ll be nothing more than a walking meal.”

  The raider scoffs.

  “Please. The moment we get to their nest, you’re going to kill me.”

  I shrug.

  “Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on you and how good your intel is. Wouldn’t push your luck, though. Could go either way. If you want, I can just bleed you out here, and save you the stress of wondering about it.”

  The raider shakes his head.

  “Good. Now let’s get moving. We’re burning daylight.”

  I grab him by the shoulder, and push him toward the rubble. He stumbles clumsily over the debris. He offers me one last look before turning his attention toward th
e demolished building.

  “Keep a sharp eye out. The vampires may have other raiders nearby,” I say to Lucian.

  He nods. His head tilts upward, taking in the abandoned high-rise buildings to our left as he grips the handle of his sword tighter.

  I fall in behind the raider as Lucian brings up the rear. We carefully climb over the outer edge of the debris to our right. We snake through a tiny opening in the rubble that leads us through a maze of busted rock and contorted steel beams.

  The raider stays but a few feet ahead of us. He has ample incentive to remain silent, and not to try to flee. Vampires are an unforgiving bunch, and do not believe in second chances. Most blood bags that try to escape, or fight back against their vampire captors, are dealt a swift end.

  It still remains a mystery as to why Mathesis wants to keep me so close. And more importantly, why he hasn’t tried to kill me. After all, he isn’t the forgive and let live type.

  My attention moves from the raider up to the dismal sky above as we navigate the remaining labyrinth of the fallen building. It’s a slow and arduous process that is taking longer than I would like. Being caught out in the open like this would make it that much harder for us to adequately defend ourselves. The demons could attack from any angle, especially from behind.

  The daylight burns as fast as a candle’s wick. With every step we take, it seems as though it’s getting darker. Albeit, the clouds overhead have blotted out any sort of hope for the sun to shine down on the abandoned city. Fortunately, the demons only come out once nighttime has fully taken hold. We still have time.

  We continue our trek through the remnants of humanity’s past, and emerge out into the street on the other side of the rubble. Rows of rusted cars line the street as far as the eye can see. Weeds bust through the pavement, and grow up and around the immobile steel tombs.

  The raider leads us to the right, down the sidewalk. We move quickly, sidestepping the trash and other junk. My head stays on a swivel as my eyes probe the blackness beyond the grime that is coated on the windows.

  He stops at the edge of the skyscraper we are next to, and points over to the building across the street. Lucian and I come up next to him, and take in the brick structure.

  “That’s the place where I made contact with Remus last.”

  Commerce Sun is etched into the side of the beige and dull gray façade of the building. I push past the raider, moving him back between Lucian and myself.

  My right shoulder hugs the rigid surface of the structure as I peer to the right and down the street. My head pivots from right to left, checking for any raiders that may be nearby.

  The street is vacant of any bodies. The coast seems to be clear. I glance back to the raider, and nod toward the bank.

  “Do they have any thralls in there that you remember?”

  He shrugs as he glances at me, then the building.

  “There could’ve been some. I didn’t exactly go rummaging about. We met with Remus, conducted our business, then left. There wasn’t any idle banter between us.”

  “I think we should assume that they probably have some keeping watch,” Lucian adds. “Given who this Remus character is, I’d imagine they probably will.”

  “Nasty fuckers from what I hear,” the raider adds. “I haven’t seen any up close and personal, but I’ve heard they can be just as violent and deadly as the vamps. Just another reason for us to not go in there and piss them off.”

  Despite the raider’s cowering nature, he is right about the thralls being a formidable enemy.

  The sentries of the damned can be dangerous in large packs. Mindless corpse that are under the vampire’s control, the thralls are still aware of their surroundings. They have no freewill and submit their lives to be servants of the demons. Without being fully turned into vampires, the undead creatures are able to walk in the daylight. They do not possess any of the vampire’s traits and powers, but they do share their aggressive and violent nature.

  I nod in agreement.

  “What’s our best way in?”

  The raider chews on the question for a split second.

  “We were led in through the front, and didn’t venture too far. They have the windows blacked out with paint. The entrance is elevated over the main lobby floor. That’s where the vampires were at last time we were here.”

  I shift my gaze up to the sky briefly. Tiny shreds of light fight to pierce through the haze hovering above us.

  “It’s still daylight, so any vamps in there will hopefully be sleeping. Best case, we should only have to contend with any thralls, as long we do it quietly.”

  “The best case, actually, would be if they’re feeding. That way, they’d be occupied and distracted,” the raider quickly adds. Both I and Lucian glance in his direction. Our eyes narrow. “What? You know it’s true. Besides, you’re not the one bleeding here.”

  “I’d advise you to think before you speak from now on,” I sharply growl. “Comments like that will get you killed or worse.”

  “What could be worse than being killed?” he inquires with a dumbfounded expression on his sweaty face.

  “You’ve been in a nest before with those creatures,” I say. “Use your imagination.”

  The raider shakes his head. He runs his hand through his moist, matted hair, and mumbles to himself.

  Lucian hands me the raider’s pistol.

  I refuse with a dismissive hand.

  “Keep it. It won’t be any good against the vamps.”

  Lucian keeps the grip of the pistol facing me.

  “It will against the thralls. One shot to the head is all it takes, or so I’ve heard. Haven’t encountered any really to test that.”

  I refuse the weapon just the same, and hold the kukri in the air.

  “You keep it. I work better with my kukri anyway. Besides, you seem to be proficient with firearms.”

  Lucian shrugs. He reels in his arm as the raider eyes the pistol. He doesn’t toss out his opinion on wanting the pistol. I think I was pretty clear on that front.

  My eyes scrutinize the front entrance of the bank, and slither down the side of the building to the alleyway behind it. Not being familiar with the layout puts us at a disadvantage. Granted, he recalled what he thought was the layout, which I’m taking with a grain of salt. Given what he has divulged, and for the mere fact that he doesn’t want to die, I’m inclined to believe him. Still, my leash of trust will be short. It could be a trap.

  I point the tip of the kukri toward the front of the building. “We’ll go in through the front. If what he is saying is accurate, they should be on the lower level. That, and if we have to make a retreat, we’ll be near the doors and windows.”

  Lucian nods in agreement.

  He takes in a deep gulp of air, and releases it through his pursed lips. Both of his hands are filled with weapons. His sword is clutched in his right hand and the raider’s pistol rests in his left.

  I twirl the kukri in a circular motion as I glance at the raider.

  “Don’t do anything stupid, and you may just live through this.”

  TEN

  We stick close to one another, and move as a single organism through the congested street. Running the maze of rubble and decommissioned vehicles, we stay close to the ground and make for the front entrance of the building.

  Stepping up to the sidewalk, we head for the side of the bank and pause. Our backs fall flush with the wall as we cautiously snake along its austere exterior.

  My hand balls into a fist as I raise my arm into the air to hold up the others. My head sneaks out from around the bend in the direction of the doors to the bank.

  I carefully step out, and make my way down the sidewalk past the blotted-out windows. I try to peer in through the smudge spots that the paint doesn’t cover to see if I can see anything stirring inside.

  With the sun being held at bay by the dense clouds and haze that hovers over Old City, it’s hard to see past the endless ether that’s awaiting us. The raide
r and Lucian advance toward me. We make for the front door. I grab the diminished steel bar that runs horizontal along the frame.

  The glass has been busted into a million tiny fragments that carpet the sidewalk. The shards crunch under my boots. Rotted plywood hangs loosely from the corners. The bottoms of the pressed wood are busted and softened from years of exposure to the elements.

  I gently pull the door toward me. The rusted hinges belch and squeak loudly. I stop and listen. The raider and Lucian remain tight lipped.

  I can hear movement inside. Sounds like feet tromping over the floor. It’s faint, and doesn’t seem to be close to the front entrance. For now, it seems as though we are still in the clear.

  The door opens a bit farther before it stops suddenly. A clanking noise fills my ears. A thick chain wraps around the handle that’s fixed to the inside of the door. It’s opened far enough that I think we can slip through.

  I peer inside first, and get a sense of what awaits us. A strong, musty odor slams into me, causing my face to warp in disgust. I cough and gag, muffling my mouth with the sleeve of my coat. Mildew and mold, among other stale scents, invade my senses.

  The pungent stench of the vampire’s musk is sharp and overpowering. Death looms large inside these four walls. The demons are definitely here, and have been for some time.

  Lucian grabs the edge of the door and holds it open far enough for me to slip inside. The kukri takes the lead as I lower to the ground. My body threads through the narrow opening, and into the darkness. A small portion of the chain, hanging in the air, gently raps against the frame of the door. Hopefully it isn’t too loud.

  What light I’m afforded pushes back against the obscurity of the space as I stand up. I spin around and hold the door ajar, allowing the raider to slip inside.

  His large frame presses into the doors as he struggles to wiggle through. The end of the chain slaps against the door once more. I grab the end of it and hold it tight. I shush him under my breath and hold my hand in front of his face. He freezes.

  “What is it?” Lucian inquires in a low whisper.