Hunter's Tale

**Chapter 23**

**Hunter's Tale**

As Celeste rides through the night she eventually
lands miles away in the center bare area of woods; an area without trees. She
pulls out a torn piece of cloth from a small sack that she acquired from the
dead prostitute; along with a small drop of water wrapped around a rock, burns it
and it begins to glow. Acting as a small type of tracer it only glows in the
direction of the creature who's blood source. She tucks it away and begins to
speak into the shadows.

Translated from Spanish.

Celeste: I know you're out there watching me... but
if you're not going to help me with this I would appreciate if you looked after
my friends? They are good men and this war between you and them has nothing to
do with them... they are innocent bystanders... let their fate be their own.

She then mounts the trunk and flies off into the
night sky in search of the monster. Back on the ship to India the night sky
turns into day and Sadie's patience isn’t continuously tested. She is left
alone with in the captains courters whom she has drained dry after only two
nights. Anyone who discovers the body is compelled to forget what they see and
forced to tell lies of what the captain is doing. The need to repeat this
process begins to irritate her and soon she grows tired of compelling the crew.
Back at the manor Anabel grows tired not being able to communicate with anyone
outside of the walls of her own home so she begins to entertain herself in
other ways like compelling the slaves to do dangerous or sexual acts.

One day and a half passes and Celeste returns to Fernand
and Inkil hours after the sun rises tucked away in the shadows of the trees above
their camp. Fernand sits under the shadow of a tree covered in the thick
blanket. Inkil sharpens and cleans the dagger he uses to kill animals he cooks.

Translated from French.

Celeste: I'm surprised you two haven’t killed each
other by now.

Fernand: Nah... to be honest I have actually become
fond of the kid.

Inkil: Yes... He's not too bad..you know for a
vampire.

The two laugh.

Celeste: If I didn't know any better I swear you two
are becoming friends?

Fernand: More of an..understanding we would say.

Celeste: You doing ok..with the hunger Fernand?

Fernand: I'm... handling it... still a few bumps but
I'm doing well thanks to you.

Inkil: He hunts at night mostly brings the meat back
here after he drains the creatures. If hungry during the day I try to rustle
something up.

Fernand: Mostly I sleep though... helps pass the
hunger during the sun light hours.

Celeste: I'm impressed.... you're adapting well to
the change....look I have a lead on the creature that we encountered the other
night. I'm going to go on ahead but I need you two to meet me about 12 miles
from here... just follow this road. okay?

Inkil: A journey like that could take most the night
unless we leave now.

Fernand: There is a small matter of the daylight I
mean...

Celeste: When the sun starts to pass over head begin
heading there. It will create more shadows making the journey safer. It will
provide you plenty of safe passage.

Inkil: Could work....

Celeste: You’ll see a large house just off the road
in an empty field. It will signify you are close. If you're not there after the
sun set I will come find you.

Inkil: Why don’t you just wait for us?

Celeste: Because I am really close and really don’t
want to lose this thing... get there... safely.

Celeste then swings and jumps through the trees
toward the destination she told Fernand and Inkil.

Hours pass and the night time comes again. On the
ship to India, Sadie has lost complete patience. She has killed and drained the
entire crew and set their ship on fire using the wine on the lower dock be begins
to fly towards her destination using the map and compass to get there. Inkil
and Fernand soon arrive to the house Celeste told them about. It is a large
lodge of a farm house completely abandoned and in the distance with prairie
land grass over grown.

Translate from French.

Fernand: That's it...that's the house. We are almost
there.

Celeste then appears from the prairie field on the
opposite side of the road.

Celeste: That's actually far enough gentlemen.

Inkil: Have you been there the entire time?

Celeste: Only the last couple  minutes or so waiting for you two. I even
managed to take in a nap for a short bit.

Fernand: So how far ahead is this place we are going...a
town you said?

Celeste: No need to go that far...where we are
going...is right there. (Saying as she points at the house)

Inkil: An abandoned farm house? I'm not sure I
understand.

Celeste: I tracked the creature into the town about
half a day or so ago...but then it doubled backed somehow and now.... it's
here.

Fernand: Here?

Inkil: Why...then why have us meet you here...aren’t
we safer at a distance?

Celeste: You are...however... I trust my
instinct...and it tells me I am going to need help with this one so... I had
you two meet me here.

Fernand: Well what the hell can we do?

Celeste: Inkil... You're good  with the weapons to make so it's safe to say
you have to test them before you give them to the Mondragon's right?

Inkil: Yes... I guess.

Celeste: You any good shot with your own cross bow?

Inkil: I can manage well.

Celeste: Better than nothing... Fernand you're a
vampire... you have strength... speed... healing and such could come handy with
what we are up against.

Fernand: It might.... but what are we up against?

Celeste: I honestly don't know... but whatever it is
it eats people.

Inkil: Eats people? You mean like a werewolf?

Celeste: No...whatever it is it looks human when it
eats but does drink blood like a vampire.

Fernand: So how do you know it's not a vampire? I
mean we can't kill our own kind you know...

Celeste: Fernand you said you didn't feed off that
girl...

Fernand: No.. I didn’t.

Celeste: Inkil is sure right?

Inkil: Almost positive... vampires only feed from a
single area during one feeding.

Celeste: The girl we found dead had markings all
over her neck... arms... torso and legs. The town not far from here have had a
series of murders ruled to be animal attacks in people homes with similar
markings all over the body. My theory is after Fernand fell asleep the creature
entered the room and began to feed on the girl.... it started with the neck to
possibly paralyze which is why she could scream out.

Inkil: Her vocal chords were numb.

Celeste: Exactly. Fernand was too drunk on the
alcohol that not only he drank but the girl drank before they had sex...

Inkil: Vampires can’t get drunk naturally they have
to drink the blood of someone who's already drunk... and that girl...she was definitely
wasted.

Celeste: Another point for you Inkil... so creature
just had to push a blood drunk Fernand on to the floor and it clawed and drank
from girl until she passed...drained her.

Inkil: But how do you explain the blood all over the
bed and floor?

Celeste: Fernand drinking from her and not healing
her after feeding... she must have bled out from her thigh after he passed out
which allured the creature to her. Or Fernand fought the creature briefly and
it bit and poisoned him.

Fernand: How is that?

Celeste: I found a torn cloth from the creature on
the floor was what I used to track it...must have been dropped during the
struggle and in your poisoned state you passed out and healed it out of your
system just before you slithered under the bed from the sunlight.

Inkil...it would explain the gaps in his memories.
Some poisons affect vampire’s minds...particularly newer vampires. Older ones aren’t
as weakened by it... they tend to be stronger.

Fernand: So the girl didn’t die from me...she died
because of me...

Celeste: Fernand...

Fernand: No..it's true... I bit her and her blood led
this thing right to her... and that's on me.

Celeste: Fernand feeling sorry for yourself isn’t
going to do anything.

Fernand: I don’t feel sorry for me...I feel sorry
for it. (saying as he starts to march vastly toward the farm house)

Celeste: Oh ok...um.. Inkil cover our flank from the
outside. It tries to run...stop it.

Fernand and Celeste walk into the house through the
front door. From the looks of it was long abandoned for years. Layers of dust
had settled in every corner and surface.cob webs and spiders along with decayed
and rotting wood creeks as they step through the house. Eventually the two get
a stench of death in the air as they walk through the house, Celeste with a
sword drawn.

Fernand: You smell that?

Celeste: All too well... here take this (saying as
she hands him a short sword as he takes it)

They continue to travel through the house cautiously
and hear a variety of sounds. They are even startled by Inkil who arrives
unexpectedly in the house with his crossbow.

Celeste: Damn Inkil...you're supposed to be outside
making sure this thing doesn’t get out.

Inkil: I know but I figured you should know I know
what we are dealing with...

Celeste: Inkil...my number one job is to keep you
safe and how I suppose to do that if....

Fernand: What?

All three look up to find themselves surrounded and outnumbered
by a pack of monsters and point their weapons.

Fernand: What are these things?

Inkil: That's what I came to tell you. Vetala
monsters...

Celeste: What?

Inkil: Vetala's...they're like vampires because they
drink blood but they are more so like snakes. Except they don’t normally nest
like these..they usually hunt in pairs.

Fernand: Fuck..

Celeste: How do we kill it?

Inkil: The weapons are made to kill anything but
this particular monster if I recall right... simple strike to the heart.

The monsters resemble poor people. There are five
total. One jumps at Inkil and is immediately taken down by Celeste with a quick
slash.

Celeste: Stay down!

Fernand and Celeste manage to take the rest down
with fast maneuvers and team work within a matter of minutes. The very last one
tries to take a bite out of Celeste but Fernand throws his sword at it and
strikes it through the heart. As the commotion settles everyone stands over the
bodies.

Fernand: Weren’t there... five?

Celeste: Shit! (saying as she season dashing across
the tall grass and runs after it)

As she starts to catch up she feels an arrow pass
her face and into the Vetala's chest; and dropping dead. Celeste then stops and
looks behind her to find Inkil point the crossbow.

Celeste: Hell of a shot!

Inkil: Call it luck!

Celeste: Round up the bodies ... got to burn them.

Fernand: Why?

Celeste: Just trust me... bring the others out
here.. I'm going to grab the horses.

Fernand and Inkil gather the bodies together into
the center of the prairie. As they do so Celeste finds the fabric of the
monster that fed on the girl that was with Fernand and shows him, bringing him
a sense of relief. She then sets the bodies on fire.

Celeste: Make camp... I'm going to grab us food.

Celeste takes one of the horse and rides toward the
wooded direction of the town Fernand and Inkil were heading to.

Back at the Manor Anabel has let her boredom in the
manor take over and has had several slaves drink expensive wine to get drunk on
their blood. A couple are dead where as other are passed out bleeding; and she
dances to the music in her head. She soon interrupted by Sadie, who has
returned from India.

Translated from Vampyric.

Sadie: What the fuck is this?!

She says as she walks into the main hall where
Anabel is dancing with herself drunk.

Anabel: Heeeeey Sister.... I was wondering when you
would return... I've been going out of my mind bored as fuck!

Sadie: Are you drunk? Is that what's happening right
now you're drunk?!

Anabel: Maybe...how...how did you get back so fast?

Sadie: I got stir crazy on the ship so I flew the
rest of the way there... stayed in the family vault on arrival then came
back...turned a 30 day trip to a 3 day trip...what the fuck are you doing! Did
you forget mom is watching us?!

Anabel: No! I mean I haven’t been doing this the
entire time... I tried to keep busy... buuuut then I realized... mom would know
something was up... iiiffff I had my head in a book sooooo... (continues to
dance)

Sadie ventures to the lower area of the house to
talk to the witch leaving Anabel alone to dance drunkenly.

Translated from English.

Cloaked Witch: Ohh...the cloak of invisibility...
ooohhh it drowns in energy....dark energy!

Sadie: Right... my sister said you can channel the
energy from this and make the manor invisible to the eye of anyone outside
looking in.

Cloaked Witch: Yes she did...mention it.

Sadie: Then get on with it... now. (starts to walk
off) Oh...and I don’t think you need to know of the bullshit I went through to
get that thing so don't fuck this up. (leaves the room)

Back at the old farm house Celeste arrives with meat
from the town market and sets on to be out on the fire. The three sit by the
fire.

Translated from French

Celeste: So how do you figure out what we were
dealing with Inkil?

Inkil: It was from the studies with Mistress
Sadie.... there was something that kept reminding me of it...then we got here.
Snakes are prone to old places with allot grass...vetala's are no different.

Fernand: Good call...

Celeste: Yea... it probably saved us...

Small silence.

Fernand: Well all this eating is making me hungry...
going to go get in a hunt before I sleep.

Celeste: Hurray back...it'll be dawn before you know
it.

Fernand speeds off toward the woods.

Translated in Egyptian.

Celeste: I'm really proud of you...

Inkil: Why is that?

Celeste: Leave you alone for over a day and you not
only didn’t kill him but you bonded... I know that was hard to do.

Inkil: Well it's like you said... he didn’t choose
what he is... in a matter of weeks that could me...or worse.

Celeste: Or better.

Inkil smiles.

Celeste: You know with your knowledge of monsters...
and your skills as a weapons maker you could lead a better life than this...why
don't you run away?

Inkil: Cause they'd find me.

Celeste: ...

Inkil: What you don’t think I've tried? (saying as
he points to lashes on his back) Depending on the crime Mistress Sadie would
whip me good and heal me just enough so I didn’t forget the lesson...Not to
mention not sure you notice but there aren’t allot of people like me around
France... I stick out...

Celeste: You know something’s been on my mind...
vampires consider my kind abominations because of what we can do...

Inkil: Yes.

Celeste: You mean to tell me there is not one
vampire out there old enough that has figured out how to walk in the sun? I
mean they figured out flight...which is difficult even for a natural witch.

Inkil: Well yea... there's a few...but very few and
far.

Celeste: A few?

Inkil: Yes...the elders.

Celeste: The elders?

Inkil: First borns of each clan...they are said to
have unlimited strength...skin as hard as ice..can fly and walk in the sun
light...

Celeste: Have you ever met any?

Inkil: Not directly... but I have seen one... the
sheriff...

Celeste: Sheriff? Big guy tan skin white hair?

Inkil: You seen him?

Celeste: Once... but didn't know who he was... the
Mistresses seemed a little guarded around his presence.

Inkil: Well they should...he's their father.

Celeste: What?

Inkil: Master Sheriff Mondragon...He's the
Mistresses father...

Celeste: I see... you know... Get some sleep...we're
heading into town early morning. I'll take first watch and keep an ear our for
Fernand.

Celeste then leaves, after she sets up a protection
spell around the camp site, into the woods; just as Inkil doses off.

Celeste: Alright! Get out here...NOW! I know you're
watching and that you can hear me! SO you either get out here or I tell the
sisters everything!

Victor appears from the shadows.

Translated from English.

Victor: Someone has grown bold since the last time I
saw her. You seem different more sure of yourself...

Celeste: Cut the bullshit! You know it's funny how
fate has tendency to throw you a bone... I mean you want answers and will it
enough they appear.

Victor: Been talking to Inkil have you?

Celeste: Oh of course you know that I have...you
know I've had the last few days to think about allot of things but what I can’t
figure out is how you know so much without telling me so much?

Victor: I knew you'd discover what was important
yourself once you started to trust your instincts.

Celeste: So this was what some sort of test?

Victor: Look at it as you wish.... but you see the
big picture now...the vampires are not good and need to be stopped.

Celeste: Oh I do get that...

Victor: Good. Then you're ready.

Celeste: Not yet.

Victor grows puzzled.

Celeste: I'm not ready because what I don’t get is
why you are still fucking lying to me you piece of shit.

Victor: I haven’t been lying to you and I would like
a bit of respect.

Celeste: Give what you want and you get it. And you
can do that if you'd stop LYING to me!

Victor: I'm not exactly sure what you are getting
at.

Celeste: Oh you do. Going to tell you straight
out.... you tell what I want to know... no lies right now or I tell the Mondragon’s
everything.

Victor: I think that's fair. (says as he sits down
on a fallen tree) What would you like to know?

Celeste: Well let's start out with the fact that you
are a vampire...

Victor stares at her with a blank expression.