When the Hunter Came

[Night Queen]

Title:When the Hunter Came
Fandom/original: Original
Author/e-mail:Me. [e-mail]
Notes:Been meaning to type this up, and this was a good excuse. I'm kinda an avid vamp fan. Oh, this is what I wrote, that you couldn't read my hand writing Trig.

Epilouge

Most people think my kind is evil, but we truly aren’t, just misunderstood. I myself have never killed any of my prey, not once in my five hundred and eighty-three years of undead ness.
True, some do, but how is that different form murderess, or carnivorous aspects of a humans life? That is how we are misunderstood; being thought evil when what we do is as natural to us, as eating is meat is to most of you. Plus, our prey is not defenseless, I have had several hunters come after me, just because I am a vampire, and I drink blood. They often mistake me for another vamp, one that kills. True, I have killed these hunters; they would come after me again if I didn’t. But only then do I kill, in self-defense.
Most put up a fight, bunt none put up a better fight then one that tried to destroy the vampire race of Washington State.

Chapter 1
I t was the year 1988, and I lived in the small town of Sultan, I have lived there for several years, no one notices me. It was in this town that I heard of the hunter, Mickey Berthau. Word flew fast, he was taking out vamps, county by county. He had started north, and had already made it all most all the way through Skagit county. Snohomish was next on his list.
At first I wasn’t afraid, I had taken on hunters before, but then came reports if stronger and stronger vamps being staked. Including my own sire, Josef. Josef had been sired in the late 10th century, the dark ages. A nobleman, he had be berated by his father for being soft. When he had turned, this berating turned him cold. He was one of the few truly evil kind if vampires, and one of the strangest.
After his death, I became scared, as did others in my community. We banded together, the five of us in sultan, and the eighteen in Monroe. We kept track of each other, so we would know if he came. So we would be prepared.
One of the five in sultan was one of my own line, the only of my line, David. I had turned him a few decades past, at a time when I had been lonely, when few vamps had frequented this area. He was my companion, he had been before I turned him, and now I kept close tabs on him, as he did on me.

Shortly after we had bonded together, it happened. He had arrived in Snohomish County. We became more watchful, and more secretive about our methods of feeding. The one vamp that killed, Sarah Ann, we threatened to dispose of if she didn’t stop her ways for the time being. Death would raise Mickey’s interest faster. Making it look as though there were less of us lived in this area, David and I began to share our victims, as did others. Through these actions, the whole of us hoped we would go unnoticed.

[Night Queen]

“Alexandria, we must go to meet the others.” David called out, as I sat watching the news. “We mustn’t be late, or the others may think that he has come”<br>For weeks now, all of us had met to reassure ourselves that the Hunter wasn’t here. I knew I had to leave, but on the tv, they were talking abot more dissaperancecs. All of them in northern Snohomish county, and they were making their way south.
“One minute, David. They are mentioning the disappearances again!” I yelled back, watching as the reports continued southward.
“…And several disturbances and disappearances have also occurred in the towns of Marysville, Everett, Lake Stevens and Granite Falls. More about this on the late night news at ten…”
Snapping off the TV, I flew downstairs, officially scared.
“David, he’s almost here! He is working on Lake Stevens now! We are next, I just know it!” I bubbled off as soon as I saw him, panic taking over. “All he has between us and him is Snohomish!! And that’s not very big!”
Stunned, David said nothing for a first, then I saw the same thing in his eyes that was blossoming with me. Realization.
“Come on, we have to inform the others. We need to decide if we should stay, or if we should go.”<br>I nodded my head, as he spoke what I had just been thinking. We stepped towards the door as one, went out, and began to run. Though not all myths about us are true, a lot are. We do posses amazing healing powers, and super reflexes, but many of the ones that supposedly injure us, are not. Crosses hurt us as much as they would hurt a human. As for holy water, well, I’ve drunken several bottles to scare those silly myth believing hunter, and I’m still around.
We ran to our rearranged meeting spot, a small chapel for travelers stationed on highway 2, between our towns. The rest were already there, except for Sarah Ann. The chapel only holds a few, but behind it there is a little known tunnel. Little known because it’s our private vamp hideout. We meet there. Being the oldest in the area, I'm the leader, most were turned between the 1700’s and the 50’s. I was turned in the early 1400’s, 1415 to be exact.
I told the collected vampires the news I had learned as soon as I made it to the front, David on my heels. Panic ensued, each trying to be heard, voices rising to drown out those around them. Just then, the door to our lair slammed shut. All turned to it, looking to see who had come so late, silence followed. It was Sarah Ann.
“ I heard the news, and yes, big scary hunter, but, huh, aren’t’ we big scary vamps?” She sauntered down the space between the rows of seats, a smirk on her face. “Instead of cowering in fear, making ourselves easier to kill, why don’t we organize a defense? One to destroy that hunter? There are twenty-three of us, and only one of him.” She smiled, gauging the reaction to her remark..
“But,” one of the younger ones, Erin, asked, “he’s killed so many of our oldest and strongest in this state, how do we hope to stop him?”<br>Sarah Ann was going to answer, but I cut her off, comprehension dawning on me.
“He killed the, true, but he killed them one by one. What if there wasn’t just one of us to attack, but all of us? What if we lived in one house, and only went out in groups? Then, if he did attack us, we would be more likely to be able to over power him.”<br>A calm filled the room, all thinking, while Sarah Ann nodded her head, a grin still on her face. Slowly, most started to nod their heads as well, liking the idea. A few of the older ones looked doubtful, but when put to a vote (yes, we are democratic and have been for years), twenty voted yes, while only three voted no. I donated my house to the cause, it being secluded and a large place, with plenty of rooms for all. Once settled in, we would make plans of attack and defense. With these we could start to ready ourselves to face Mickey Berthau when he came for us.

[Night Queen]

Chapter 2.
“David, have you seen Adam, Lisa or Niccolo around lately?” I yelled up my stairs.
“No, not since yesterday when they went out to hunt. Why?” he called back, coming to the top of the stairs and looking down at me.
This worried me. A lot. No one had seen these three in over twenty-four hours. Not to mention there had been more recent attacks, each attack getting closer to our location. He had reached the outer edges of Snohomish, and I knew we were next.
During the time I had been in thought, I had totally forgot the David was staring at me from the top of the stairs, waiting for me to explain why I was asking.
“We may have been hit, but don’t alarm the others yet.” I finally was able to answer. “ Be wary though. Tell me immediately if any of the others three return, especially is they don’t all come back together. I’m going to my study.”<br>David saluted me, then headed back to whatever he had been doing. I headed down to the basement, where my personal study was located. This study was the closest thing I had to a shrine. Its walls were lined with bookcases, bookcases that were stuffed full of books. While the remaining space was filled with giant plushy chairs, that just begged for you to sit in them. I nearly worshipped this place.
I went to my favorite chair, sat down, and picked up the book I was currently reading, Anne Rice’s Dracula. I was intrigued at the way the world portrayed my race, especially those who supported the Transylvanian myth. We vamps are much older then Transylvania is, we stretch back to the time of Egypt and beyond.
After about a half an hour, I heard a light tap on the door. This was followed by David’s voice, asking permission to enter. I consented. He was the only one I would allow down here without good reason. As I had said, it was my shrine.
“Hey,” he said, as he walked over from the doorway. “I have some bad news. They returned, but Lisa was staked. He is here, Alexandria, in Sultan, as well as Monroe. Niccolo and Adam had to hide out all of yesterday to avoid him.”<br>He waited for me to come out of my shock. The hunter, the killer of my sire and the being that threatened my very unlife, was here. At that moment, I was scared, scared like I had never been before. I just nodded my head, and tried to control the shaking that had begun across my body, tried to hide my fear. But David noticed. Coming over, he sat down besides me on my chair. Wrapping his arms around me tightly, he pulled me to his chest.
“Hey,” he whispered into my hair, “we are prepared for this. We will be fine. And, ya know, even if our defense doesn’t work, I’ll protect you from all harm. Though, I know you don’t need it, you being older and stronger and me.
“We will survive, no matter what.”<br>I smiled, though his words only made me feel a little better. Nodding my head, I snuggled closer, feeling for the warmth he would have given, if he had been alive.

Word of Lisa’s death, and of the hunter’s arrival, soon was told to the rest of the group. Of all of them, Sarah Ann showed not fear. As usual she wore only her look of superiority and haughtiness. What was once seven groups of three and a group of two, now became two groups of 6 and two of five. These groups each had a section of one of the cities. Because Sultan was so small, my group controlled it, while the rest took over Monroe. The four groups where the following: Matt, Sarah Ann, Jason, Tiffany, Ron, and Elizabeth controlling the north part of Monroe. The Vamps of the West were: Jennifer, Robert, Niccolo, Travis, and Sandy. While In the North was: Nicholas, Jordan, Brittany, Josh, Austin and Erin. Us five in sultan were: Ellie, Adam, Mike, David, and me. Each group had been selected for maximum defense for all, pairing the weakest with our strongest. I was extremely glad to be grouped with David, as knowing where he was when ever he was out helped with my mental stability.
For several days we were able to avoid the hunter, but as we knew it had to happen, he eventually struck. Jason and Elizabeth came back an hour before dawn, alone. Mickey had set traps, destroying all but these two, the strongest of the group. The remaining two joined the groups of five, Elizabeth with us Sultanians, and Jason with the western group.
We became more wary, going out for less time, starving if found no prey. It appeared that the hunter had only been scouting ahead, as he returned to Snohomish shortly after. Finishing up his job there, before he came back to get us.

About a week passed before he returned. Erin had seen him destroy the last members of Niccolo’s group. Guess the hunter got him in the end. Our groups mourned the loss of so many of our closer kin. In a time like this, you get close to those you never would have before, and it hit some of us hard.
Nothing else happened until the time I stayed home on. That is the one night I shall always remember, and always regret.
Sultan was infiltrated, and our group was hit. Ellie and Mike had died; Adam was badly wounded but was able to drag David home, who was near death. Of course, I blamed myself for it. If I had been there, with my added strength, they might have had a chance to beat him, but now. Now the only being I truly cared about might perish. We couldn’t even tend to him, as spattered in holy water as he was. Not to mention the several crucifixes tied to his various body parts. He was in constant pain. Nearly to the point of despair, I wandered the house. As sad as it was, I couldn’t function without David, and I felt lost.

[Night Queen]

Chapter three
When I was made, I didn’t say with Josef very long. He didn’t interest me, the way I had interested him. Instead I traveled the world, always alone. Every place I went to I got bored fast, I had no friends to share the wonderful sites with. I eventually crossed over to America, but still nothing interested me for long. That is, nothing interested me till the late 1920’s. It was shortly after World War One had ended, I had wandered into a small, southern town, in Tennessee I think. It was there that I met David, a young man who was complaining because the war had ended before he could go fight in it. I fell for him almost instantly. Though he was all gung-ho to fight in a war, he also showed a side with a sense of humor, and a caring way that I had not found in many before. I started to meet up with him most nights. He had a level of intelligence that astounded me. Part of this being knowing almost as much as I did about historic events. And I had been to most of them!
Unfortunately, I had to leave, I knew this from the start, even though I stayed. There were no other vampires here, and people were already starting to talk about the rash of strange marks appearing on the people of the town. As I had been the first new person in years, they were beginning to think that I had brought some strange new disease with me. I soon should flee, but I didn’t want to lose the companionship I had found in David. Every day the lure of turning him grew stronger and stronger.
On the night I had set to finally leave the town, my will broke. Telling David everything, I offered him the chance to join me, to be turned and to come with me on my journeys. He accepted, he felt as strongly about me as I did about him. We left two nights later after he had risen.
Since that time, we have yet to be separated more then a day. What this hunter had done to him, it made me worry.


Chapter four
Three days, and no attacks later, David was finally on the mend. The holy water had evaporated, and we were able to quickly remove the crosses. After I knew he would be okay, my worry was replaced by a new emotion. I was pissed. No one attacks my man and gets away with it.
I went down to my study room, and began to gather the various weapons that I kept for a time like this. A time when I’ve been threatened. Taking out several daggers and knives from their hiding spots, I began to strap them to my body as I headed to retrieve my favorite weapon. My bullwhip. Fifteen feet long, and the strongest leather money could get. I’d been practicing with it for years, perfecting my talent to a point where I could whip a gnat out of the air with one short snap.
Wandering the streets, I searched for the hunter as anger ran red hot through my blood veins. I wanted to kill this man. He had hunted me, killed my companions, and the he had nearly took from me my greatest possession. My love. More than anything I wanted to hurt this man Mickey Berthau. Thoughts of torture chased themselves around my mind, thoughts that would cause the hardiest and cruelest of vampires to cringe. I began to head down an alley with a demonic grin plastered across my face, my had on my whip, ready. I lucked out quickly, cause at the end of the alley? The hunter stood about to stake an unfamiliar vamp.
The vamp was probably one of the ones that kept passing thourhg here, trying to head south away from the hunter. As soon as I saw him, I let fly my whip, wrapping it around his stake and bringing it to me. Grabbing it from the air, I tossed it behind me, ss he turned to face me. Seeing me distract his would be killer, the other vampire fled, but I barely noticed. My entire being was centered on this man before me. He had a lean body, and black hair. Scars ran up and down every inch of his skin, and he was almost as pale as one of my kind. He grinned when he saw me.
“I’ve been wanting a challenge,” he laughed at me, “these vamps are usually so fear ridden that I can take them out in under ten minutes. Now you, you look like an opponent that will last almost 15.”<br> I didn’t reply to this, I felt no reason to. Instead, I quickly grabbed a knife, and threw it expertly in his direction, forcing him to jump aside or be speared. The smile left his face. Hooking my whip back on to my belt, I ran at him.
When I reached him, I threw out a kick to his head, but he had recovered enough to block me with his arm. I saw him wince with pain. Following up the kick, I slashed at him with my knife, he again had to duck to avoid getting slashed. I kept coming at him, not giving him enough time to fight back, to go on the offense, only to defend himself.
Fear creeped up on him quickly, I could smell it on him. My grin widened, he would soon pay for what he did to me. As he attempted to block my knife, and the occasional punches that I added, he got weaker. Soon he would have no strength left, and he knew it. He tried to run, but my whip was out in a flash. With a flick of it, I tripped him, another flick landed a blow on his back. He was beaten, and we both knew it. As I approached him, he rolled over to face me, and for the first time, I spoke to him.
“You have killed my sire, terrorized my home, killed most of my companions in the state, but that isn’t the worst thing you did. The worst thing you did was attack the one precious thing in my life, and nearly killed him. Neither him, nor I , have ever killed our prey. Neither of us has harmed you in anyway , till now, yet you still attacked us. Now, I want to know why the hell you did this and I want to know now!” I yelled the word now at him, and he flinched from me.
“Because,” He spat, “you are a bunch of blood sucking leeches, and you need to be eliminated.”<br> “Wrong answer.”<br>



Chapter five
I looked down at the corpse of the hunter as my rage dissipated. Remembering everything I had said and done, I was ashamed. How had I gone so brutal? The hunter had deserved to die, I knew that, but still. I had taken such pleasure in it, it saddened me. Knowing I had to get rid of the body, so I began to make the scene look like an accident. Like he had just slipped and broken his neck. After I set this up, I headed home to take charge of the care of David, and to have a deep think.

The news of Mickey’s death traveled fast, buy the next week, every vampire in the state, and quite a few in Oregon and Idaho too, had heard of my fight. Many were trying to praise me, but I stayed home. First taking care of David, and then hiding in my special study. I was still thinking over the way I had acted towards the hunter. I was still ashamed. This was were David finally found me.
“Hey, Alexandria, you need to quit beating yourself over the head for killing the hunter like you did. Someone had to kill him, at least you just killed him. I know several of us who would have killed him slowly and painfully, torturing him before the finished him off. You didn’t so that.”<br> “I know, but I just wish that I hadn’t felt so good doing it. There was a huge grin on my face when I snapped his neck, that’s how mad I was.”<br> He came over to where I was sitting and sat beside me, drawing me to him.
“Trust me when I say that any of us in your passion would have felt the same. He nearly killed my, your closest companion, and he spitted you when he saw you.” He stroked my hair as he said this, “not to mention the destruction of your sire. Everyone of us feels a kind of connection to their maker. I now I do. If I ahd been in the same position, I’m not sure I would have been as nice.”<br> I rested myself against him, then smiled. He was right. Why should I feel bad about what I did? I mean, given an oppurtuinity he would have killed me without blinking an eye about it.
“Thanks, you always make things better.”<br> He smiled. “Of course I do, it’s because I’m so smart.” I swatted at him, and grinned myself.






Epilogue
I still felt a bit bad about the almost ecstasy I felt when I killed Mickey Berthau, but I learned something from the experience. I do not have a bad soul, and I am not a slave to some urge to kill. I have a choice, and I choose not to be a killer. True, I will kill if forced to, but only in defense. I am not the type of being that goes around looking to kill, and I personally avoided killing if it is at all possible. This makes me proud to be me. The best thing you can do with your life is live it, and double for those in their unlifes.