Home/ All /The Hunter and the Vampire/FIFTEEN | DRIVE

FIFTEEN | DRIVE

2020-11-13 01:37:56

It was easier to face myself, sat alone in the liminal space that my car provided. It had always felt like a limbo to me: you were either getting in, getting out, or acti

Want to know what happens next?

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Latest chapter

The Hunter and the Vampire NINETEEN | HESITATION

It was all my fault. I’d hesitated, and, because of that, Old Tim was dead. The demon had lured me in, with what were most likely lies, and I’d taken too long to strike. And I’d forgotten another important rule of hunting, though it was an unspoken guideline more than an actual rule: don’t gloat. Maybe, if the demon hadn’t known it was going to die, it would have left Old Tim alive. I berated myself angrily the whole way back to Seafall, and as my emotional exhaustion began to set in, I continued to berate myself in a bitter inner voice, rather than the angry one, cold and almost toneless. Death was an unfortunate part of the reality of hunting. But unnecessary death was something far, far worse, and this time I’d been the one to cause it. I’d gone through the motions of the clean up rigidly, hardly noticing what my body was doing. I was less than a passenger as we sorted t

The Hunter and the Vampire EIGHTEEN | PENNY LANE

The stadium in Beerbridge had been built on an old apple orchard, which explained why their team, Beerbridge Town F.C., was nicknamed the Apples. However, I didn’t think it explained why half the stadium was filled with middle aged men wearing cartoon apples with gaudy, beaming faces on their heads. I’d played a lot of sports in my time, and football had been one that I’d enjoyed. I’d never understood the appeal of watching it, though. I wanted to be an active participant, rather than dressing myself up like an idiot and shouting from the sidelines. I’d been to a few university home games to watch Harper (he’d played for the Seconds), but that was more to be a supportive girlfriend than out of any real interest in watching the sport itself. Unfortunately for us, we needed to fit in with the heaving crowd. And that meant buying apple heads of our own. “I feel ridiculous,” Me

The Hunter and the Vampire SEVENTEEN | THE FOUR HORSEMEN

Once we were in the right place, Old Tim – and the demon possessing his body – were surprisingly easy to find. It was a relief to fall into the familiar routine of hunting. It gave me a chance to shut out my thoughts regarding Harper and Cyrus, and allowed me to focus fully on the task at hand. I was in my element here, stalking the streets of Beerbridge, my hand gripping the rowan knife in my pocket. I’d had to move it from the thigh holster – cool as it had looked – so that I could swing it quickly when the time came. Though Sierra seemed confident with the words of the exorcism, words of power designed to send the creature back to Hell, I couldn’t leave anything to chance. Who knew what poor Old Tim was dealing with, trapped inside his own body and unable to move or think or speak. He was a passenger, as far as our previous experience told us, anyway. I wrinkled my nose at the thought, and clutche

The Hunter and the Vampire SIXTEEN | DEMONS

To put it mildly, I’d been surprised to learn that a demon had taken up residence in the neighbouring town of Beerbridge. It was a little bigger than Seafall, and sat off to the east. It was known primarily for its large harbour and docks, so I supposed that a travelling creature, such as a demon, would see the benefits of settling there for a while. There were plenty of bodies ripe for possession, and, if it got bored, there was easy access to other port towns readily available. Though I was, of course, not glad that a demon had taken root in Beerbridge, I was glad of the distraction it provided me with. It all worked out perfectly – I had Sunday off work, and Susan, of all people, had found us a lead. Sierra had followed it up, and we’d gathered a few of our number to track the monster. Torre had been eager to stay behind in Seafall. The vampires were her main concern, and she’d asked Beau to st

The Hunter and the Vampire FIFTEEN | DRIVE

I’d half expected the house to be in darkness when I got home, but the downstairs lights were on, and it looked as warm and inviting as ever. I pulled up next to Harper’s battered old car, some vintage Chevy that he was equal parts proud of and fed up with, and then I killed the engine. It was easier to face myself, sat alone in the liminal space that my car provided. It had always felt like a limbo to me: you were either getting in, getting out, or actively driving. To sit in it, especially in the driveway, or a car park, at night, made the very air feel hazy and dizzying. The orange streetlight glowed against the windows, catching on the water droplets from the earlier rainfall. They were stark against the dark, glum sky, and I pressed the pads of my fingertips against the cool glass, tracing the pattern of them. I was only prolonging the inevitable. But his face – I’d never seen Har

The Hunter and the Vampire FOURTEEN | HAZELNUT

Harper grinned at me as Grace and I filed out from the back room. I smoothed down my apron, wanting something to do with my hands. I smiled back at him nervously, glancing at his soft, brown eyes for only a second before my own eyes started darting around the room, trying to find Cyrus. Being unable to spot him filled me with conflicting emotions. Was it good or bad, better or worse, that I couldn’t see him easily? I decided that, for the time being, at least, I would push him out of my mind. He was just a customer, and Harper, sweet, gentle Harper, was sat at the bar, leaning heavily across the counter and waiting for me to say something to him. “Hi,” I said. Harper frowned, standing immediately and reaching for me. “Are you okay, Cals?” “She’s been like this all day,” Grace chipped in, shaking her head at me. &n

The Hunter and the Vampire THIRTEEN | ANOTHER

I wiped my hands on my red apron. My cut was stinging and itching, which I hoped were signs that it was starting to heal in earnest. Harper had slapped my hand away when it had begun to scab at the edges, and threatened to wind a big bandage around my head to keep my picking fingers away.

The Hunter and the Vampire TWELVE | THE NAMELESS MUSTANG

It was easier to focus with a drink in my hand. I watched Cyrus keenly as he took his first sip – whiskey, neat – and he swallowed, though with a grimace at the heat in his throat, as easily as any human. Good – I wouldn’t have been able to look myself in the eye again if

The Hunter and the Vampire ELEVEN | SEAFALL

I wrung my hands together nervously as I waited for Cyrus. I felt silly for being so on edge – so excited – so I forcibly dropped my hands and held them limp at my sides. That felt unnatural, so I leant against the trunk of a nearby tree. But the tree was further from me than

The Hunter and the Vampire NINE | FIRE

I couldn’t help but feel worried about seeing Harper as we sat down together, tucked into a cosy nook at the far end of the coffee shop. There was a towering lamp beside us, casting strange shadows across Cyrus’s face. He’d carried our drinks over, and I got the feeling that he

More Chapters

Download the Book

FIFTEEN | DRIVE

Share the book to

Latest chapter