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  I jumped up, stumbling a bit before catching my balance, not wanting to take my eyes off the thing. Until I heard another screech. There, to my right was another one, its glowing red eyes in a tree. The more I glanced around, the more I saw. 4 so far. 2 in trees, 2 on the ground. And the one was still coming towards me. It was just a dozen yards away now and my fight or flight instincts kicked in. I couldn’t stay on the path because behind me there was one on a tree over the path and in front of me was another literally standing in the middle of the path. I couldn’t go towards the park because the one coming towards me was coming from that direction. That left me running deeper into the woods and towards the river.

  I’m not so stupid to not realize that these things were herding me. For some reason I was being guided deeper into the woods. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that getting further from civilization while being chased by monsters was a horrible, truly stupid thing to do. But running directly into the arms of one couldn’t possibly be a good idea either.

  I pumped my legs harder, pumped my arms faster, dropped my head down and ran faster than I ever had in my life. My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest with adrenaline and fear. Tears that I didn’t even notice flew out of the corners of my eyes and wet the sides of my hair. My arms and legs were a mess of scratches from the branches and bushes I flew past, doing my best to stay ahead of the monsters behind me. I couldn’t hear the sounds of them over the beat of my heart and rushing of blood through my ears. I had no idea where they were, if they were still behind me or not but I had no desire to find out.

  A screech to my left let me know I was not in the clear. I swerved right and nearly ran into a tree. A low branch snagged my hair and I screamed while yanking my head to free myself, panicking even worse, thinking that they would catch up to me any second. Another screech behind me and then I finally yanked free, likely leaving several strands of brown hair behind. I took off like a rocket again, jumping over a log and ducking under another low branch. My lungs were on fire and, even though I ran miles every day without fail, I didn’t know how much longer I could go on. I was panicking and I knew it, I had to calm my heart rate. I tried to concentrate on breathing deeply, in through my nose, out through my mouth, counting in my head. It helped clear my head a bit so I could concentrate better on my surroundings.

  I had excellent eyesight, always had. I could see things in the dark that my sister never could. When we would play hide-and-go-seek as little girls I always won because of instinct and using my senses. I was able to guide myself through the forest pretty well, sidestepping trees, jumping over logs. But I never saw the cliff.

  I tumbled head over heels down a small but steep incline. At the bottom, I landed badly with my side against a sharp rock. I got up as quickly as I could, stumbling a bit from the disorientation of tumbling down the hill. My thoughts were just as messed up as my body and I felt almost delirious. I tried to get my bearings while gripping my side. I could feel a little wetness and knew I was cut from the rock but had no way to determine how bad the cut was and had no time. A screech came from the top of the hill and I had no choice but to take off again.

  Back to the trees. I thought that it was slowing the creatures down. Maybe they couldn’t navigate as well or maybe they couldn’t see as well? Suddenly my hair was yanked so hard it felt like my head snapped. Was I snared in a tree again? A drop landed on my cheek. It felt thick and viscous. Not water. I swiped at it and looked at my hand. Black goo. The panic that took over me then was uncontrollable. All I knew, all I felt was the overwhelming urge to get...a...way. I reached up with the hand that wasn’t holding my side and felt the long nails gripping my hair. My feet barely touched the ground, my toes scraping the forest floor while I flailed around.

  I started screaming in terror, twisting and struggling, scratching at the hand holding me. It was so strong! Something in my mind recognized what was bumping against the hand holding my side with every twist and struggle. I reached down and yanked the canister and without seeing where I was aiming pressed the trigger as hard as I could, so hard my finger hurt.

  I heard a screech so loud that my ears hurt but was dropped immediately. Unfortunately, when I fell I caught myself one-handed and very poorly. I heard the snap before I felt it. Agonizing pain shot through my wrist and up my arm nearly paralyzing me. Cradling my arm to my chest I stumbled back to my feet. I glanced around for the can of pepper spray that just saved me but through my struggles and fall it must have been lost. I had no time, I still had to get away.

  I had no idea how much longer I ran. The mist of the pepper spray had affected me too and my eyes watered and burned. I felt like I could have been running for hours, or it could have been mere seconds. My lungs were on fire again and the pain in my side had nothing to do with the rock I had fallen on. My thighs were hurting, I didn’t know how much further my legs would take me. And then I smelled it. Water. Fresh water from what could only be the river.

  I had never been to the river in the entire time I lived in this town. I didn’t know how far I had come or what to expect once I got there. And then there was the fact that this was April. The river water is likely to be freezing cold from the snowmelt in the mountains. But at this point, I could not think of a better way to go than directly towards the river.

  I could still hear the occasional screech, I couldn’t tell if I was still being herded or if I was already where they wanted me. All I knew was that they didn’t have me yet. I would fight until the end, if I could, because I had to survive. Without me what would happen to Iris?

  I was all but stumbling forward by the time my nose, and finally, my ears, lead me to the river. It was not very wide but it looked fairly fast. There were also rocks sticking out of the water. This looked like a horrible idea. A rustling behind me made me turn around. Just then one of the creatures ran out of the line of trees, and then another. I was out of time.

  I had no choice, I turned back around and waded into the water as fast as I could, grabbing onto a large log that came past me. I wrapped my legs and good arm around the log that was twice as wide around as my own body and struggled to pull myself up to the top. I gripped it tightly with my legs and good arm, my breathing still erratic and my heart pounding.

  I glanced over to the bank and saw 3 sets of red eyes following me closely as my log sped down the river, occasionally bouncing off a rock and spinning me from one side to the other. Luckily, it never spun around to tip me into the water. I was finally starting to feel the effects of the cold water and started shivering, my teeth chattering together so hard I was afraid I would chip a tooth. I dropped my broken wrist into the freezing water, knowing that if I didn’t set it soon it would start to heal and then need to be rebroken. I learned that lesson the hard way.

  Once, when I was 10, I was climbing a tree that I was warned not to climb because it was too high and I’d hurt myself. I, being my reckless self, wanted to do it anyway so I managed to climb to the first branch but couldn’t reach the second without slipping. I fell and broke my ankle. Not wanting to get into trouble I hid, thinking my ankle would heal on its own, but being broken it didn’t heal right at all. By the time I hobbled home and explained what happened, having my mother re-break and set my ankle was enough punishment for me. We never told my dad and sister about that one. Mom and I had lots of secrets.

  I watched the creatures follow my log for a while, wondering if or when they would give up. Wondering if they would get me if my log got too close to the bank or if I would simply die of hypothermia before they even got close to me. Every once in a while, I would hit a small waterfall and drop and spin but I still never fell off, my log never turned to toss me off. I had no concept of time as I continued floating down the river. I was completely drenched in the icy water and the tenseness of my body made me more aware of the aches of my battered body.

  I was contemplating setting my wrist that was still trailing in the water when a different kind of howl rent the air. This one
was deep, angry, unearthly. The creatures all screeched in fury before taking off back the way we came. One stayed for an additional moment and I could swear there was a malevolence in its eerie red gaze. It made me shiver with something that had nothing to do with the cold water. Finally, after hearing another howl, it too turned back the way we had come.

  I floated a few more minutes in the inky black darkness. Even with my vision, it was difficult to see anything. There seemed to be no stars out yet and no moon was up in the sky. Tonight, of all nights, it would have to be a new moon. I sighed deeply before grimacing at the pain in my side. It should be healing by now but the damage must have been worse than I originally thought.

  My log slowed down and shifted to the side, seemingly to glide towards the opposite bank from where I went into the water. It seemed odd considering the water was still very fast and debris was passing me by. My hand was still in the water, my body wrapped around the log barely hanging on, my face pressed against the rough, soggy bark. I realized my vision was blurry, maybe it wasn’t so dark after all? I could barely make out trees to the side and reeds sticking out of the water along the bank. Shock, was the only thought that came to my rational brain. All my mind could comprehend was that I was in shock. Especially when my log came to a stop at the edge of the bank and a giant wolf-like creature stepped into the water and grabbed the end of the log with its lethal-looking teeth and dragged me the rest of the way up the bank. its glowing silver eyes on my face the whole time. And then it disappeared. Where did it go? Then everything went black.

  Chapter 3

  *****

  Crispin gathered up the woman in his arms, dispassionately noticing the myriad of wounds and smears of blood. She was filthy, her dirty and wet brown hair half up in a hair tie and completely tangled. Her clothes were torn and she was wet and shivering. He closed his eyes and, with his nose against her neck, inhaled deeply. His eyes flashed opened and glowed silver. A Hunter.

  The screams of the ghouls were reported to him but it hadn’t crossed his mind that a Hunter would be back in the area. There hadn’t been a Hunter around for years. And now this one shows up. Why didn’t she fight the ghouls? As far as he could tell there were only a few, any Hunter worth her title could have taken care of that many with her bare hands. This one was injured but not badly, she’d be up and moving again within a couple of hours. He turned towards his home – he needed answers.

  *****

  I woke up slow and groggy, wanting to slip back into sleep. I didn’t want to go into the diner today. I moaned softly, the aches and pains I felt concerned me since I didn’t remember doing anything to warrant them. Why does my wrist hurt? Then my eyes flew open as the memories came flooding back. Woods. Monsters. Broken wrist. Water. Wolf?

  I glanced around the room I was in. The opulence was jaw-dropping. The couch I was laying on a rich red fabric that matched the heavy drapes covering the windows. Gold wall sconces lit the room with a warm golden glow. And then I noticed that I was wearing a robe. A heavy black robe. What the hell? I sat up quickly, clutching the lapels tightly in my uninjured fist.

  My eyes immediately found a man sitting a few feet in front of me holding a small crystal tumbler of some amber liquid. His eyes were trained intently on me. The unwavering gaze made me feel distinctly uncomfortable. It felt like he was seeing into my soul, uncovering all my secrets. He gave off a vibe of ultimate control, much like I would assume a king would or any other man of great power.

  I was so confused and scared. “W-who are you?” I whispered. I didn’t really get the feeling that I was in immediate danger, but this man was so intimidating, and he hadn’t even spoken yet. He hadn’t moved either. I continued to stare at him, noticing his strong features, square chin, angular cheekbones, straight eyebrows. And gray eyes that seemed to glow, but I was convinced must be a trick of the light. He was extremely handsome in a rugged way. Someone you would expect to see in a movie, more about warriors and less romantic comedy. He sat in an armchair, one leg across a knee, both hands on the arms of the chair. That one hand holding the glass and still staring at me.

  After another moment of silence, while I fought myself from trembling under his scrutiny, he finally spoke to me. “Do you know what you are?” His voice was deep and rich and wrapped around me like silk. Now my trembles were from something vastly different than fear.

  “What I am?” I wrinkled my brow, confused. “What do you mean, what I am?” I hugged myself tightly around my middle. Something was so strange here. And I wasn’t talking about waking in some strange man’s home after being chased by monsters through a forest. “Where are my clothes?”

  “You were filthy,” Was his only answer.

  “Can I have my clothes back please? And can I call a cab to take me home?” I held my breath. I had no idea who this man was or why I was in his home. “I need to go home; my sister needs me.”

  At this he sat forward, dropping his foot to the ground. “A sister? Is she like you?” His tone did not change, it still sounded faintly bored yet commanding, his face remained impassive, but his eyes showed interest.

  “I-I’m not sure what you mean. She’s my twin but she’s bedridden and I am her only family. I must go home to take care of her. I have no idea how long I’ve already been gone. Please, can I have my clothes, so I can leave?” I knew my voice wavered there at the end. I was trying to be calm, but his stare was so unnerving. I had butterflies in my belly, too. I had never had such a handsome man look at me the way he was, with such intense focus.

  He leaned back again and took a sip of his liquor. “So, she is not like you then.”

  What does he mean? God, I was so confused, scared, achy, and weirdly captivated.

  “Do you know who your mother is?” Now that was one question that was guaranteed to get me worked up. I felt the normal spurt of anger rise in my gut at the memory of my mother.

  My voice was short and sharp, I knew it was when I answered him. I couldn’t help it. Years of anger toward my mother tended to come out when I spoke of her. Which was always reluctantly and rarely. “Yes. I know who my mother is.”

  One perfectly straight black eyebrow rose at the vehemence of my tone. “Ahhh, a story there I see. Care to share what you know about her?” He took another sip, his eyes still never leaving my face, voice still impassive, but those eyes couldn’t hide the interest in the subject.

  “My mother abandoned my sister and me 6 years ago. It was a horrible time and I don’t like talking about it,” I pressed my lips tightly together to keep from spilling all my hatred out to this complete stranger.

  “Tell me something,” he spoke again, the forefinger of his left hand started tapping on the arm of the chair, the first outward sign of anything other than complete calm coming from him. “Are you fast? Do you heal quickly? Do you sense things others don’t?” And then his eyes dropped to my wrist that had a bandage wrapped around it. I brought my wrist up and covered it with my other hand as if to shield the truth. By all rights I should have a cast on it, but it would have already fused back together and by morning there would hardly be a twinge of pain left to remind me that the bone had snapped tonight.

  I could play dumb, pretend I had no clue what he was talking about, but something about him demanded complete transparency. He wouldn’t tolerate bullshit. And I needed to know how and why he could possibly guess these things about me. Apparently, he knew more than I did when it came to me and my mother. “Yes.” What more could I say?

  A low hum sounded from him before he leaned forward again, his eyes flashing silver. I knew it wasn’t a trick of the light that time. “Would you like to explain why you are living in my territory yet have not acknowledged my sovereignty?” The quick slash of anger in his tone sent my pulse beating erratically and my breaths to come in short pants. He was fascinating while sitting there imperiously but truly frightening while angry. He sent the small hairs rising on my arms and I just knew he was more dangerous than the monsters had been.


  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I cried out. “I just went for a run tonight like usual and then I was attacked and chased by monsters! And then I woke up here in your home.” I looked around again frantically, my heart ready to beat out of my chest when I looked back at his angry face again. “I don’t know who you are, I don’t know why I am here, I don’t know why you are asking about my sister and my mother. I don’t know how you know about me healing quickly or being faster than others!” My voice was a near screech towards the end and even I winced at the sound of it. I lowered to a whisper, “I just want to go home.” I sounded pathetic, I knew I did, but I was at my breaking point. A night of frights and now being questioned by this gorgeous, imperious man was way past what my endurance could take. “Please let me go home.” I closed my eyes, ashamed at my display of weakness and even more at the feel of the tear sliding down my cheek. At that moment I hated him for making me feel this way. Helpless and afraid.

  “What is your name?”

  The question caused me to open my eyes again, taken aback by the sudden change of topic. He was back to hiding his thoughts behind that impenetrable mask he wore. I would think he was bored, but once again his eyes gave away his interest in the subject.

  “M-my name? My name is Ivy. Ivy Moore.”

  “Miss Moore, are you aware that you are a Hunter?”

  “A what?” My confusion must have been very clear on my face because I heard that low hum again coming from him and his features went hard for a brief moment. I could almost think I imagined it, it came and went too fast. The man liked to hide what he was thinking but it came through now and then.