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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
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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 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 TWENTY | TUESDAY
Bella e Buona. Beautiful and good, it meant. At least, that was what Cyrus had told me when I’d asked, grinning and eyeing me meaningfully around a mouthful of pasta and garlic bread. “Just like you,” he’d added, his eyes gleaming.I made a mental note about the garlic bread. I was pretty sure that was a myth, but it was better to be safe than sorry. I had to focus on work, otherwise I’d tumble into a swirling pit of anxiety. There were too many thoughts to contend with – too many difficult, confusing thoughts – so I kept my mind purposefully blank, save for useful information. It was a notepad, and my thoughts were allowed to be the pen – and only the pen.I was yet to meet his family, and considering the time I’d spent with him already, there weren’t many notes to make. I idly commented on the food, which was, admittedly, delicious – too delicious for a vampire to h
The Hunter and the Vampire TWENTY-ONE | THE FALLS
As I took Cyrus’s hand, I made a split-second decision. I’d not yet met his family, but with each passing second the likelihood of that shrunk further. And, even if I did meet them, would I be able to discern their true nature? A chef at work or a barman would be unlikely to do anything that would suggest something one way or another, and Cyrus was willing to tell me the truth. About what I didn’t yet know, but I had a feeling I wanted – needed, even – to hear it.So I took his hand, and I followed him out into the dark.He drove. It was a nice car, more understated than I’d expected for a man of his arrogance and wealth. The seats were plush and comfortable, but the dashboard was relatively low-tech. Actually – I squinted through the dim light – was that a tape cassette player? I thought they’d become obsolete years ago.I nodded to it. We’d been sat in comfort
The Hunter and the Vampire TWENTY-TWO | LEDGE
I froze. But it was not just fear that flooded me; it was relief, too, as cold as ice water and just as refreshing too. Someone other than my Dads and the others hunters knew, and the heady part, the thing that freed me, was that I hadn’t told him. I hadn’t broken their trust. He just… knew. But how?My second response was to lie, to protect myself and my team. “A hunter?” I repeated, curling my lip up into a bemused smirk.He rolled his eyes at me. “Don’t pretend.”I sighed. “Fine, okay, yeah.” I gave in too easily, simply because I didn’t want to have to hide it. My whole issue with Harper came from my omission of the truth in our relationship, and now here we were, sleeping in separate beds while I went off on trysts with another man. A man who knew who I was, far better than I’d anticipated. “How do you know, exactly?”
The Hunter and the Vampire TWENTY-THREE | VAMPIRE
I stumbled backwards, my hands moving automatically to my waist, wanting to grab a stake. Realising that I was unprepared – unaware of the danger I faced – my hand slipped further down, and I quickly crouched to grab the switch blade I kept in my sock for emergencies. I’d never been more relieved to feel a sharp piece of metal before. It wouldn’t do much against a vampire – and we’d come in his car, so I didn’t even have my supply of stakes in my boot with me – but it was better than being completely empty-handed.I swung into a defensive stance, my right knee bent and my arms raised. Cyrus rolled his eyes at me.“I’m not going to hurt you, Callie.”I snorted. “How can I believe that? You know what I am. That means that you know what I think of – of things like you.”I swung at him, all of my prior attraction having d
The Hunter and the Vampire TWENTY-FOUR | UNDONE
“Good date?” My Paps teased. His arm was slung across the back of the sofa, and he shuffled around to face me as I sloped into the living room. The wood burner was crackling quietly in the corner, and the mantelpiece was strung with fairy lights. The dark room was bathed in a soft, golden glow, and it made my brain feel even foggier.“Date?” I frowned. “What date?”My Paps raised an eyebrow at me, and I grinned. I toed off my boots and sat down beside him. The living room was painted in deep, neutral shades, cool blues and sandy beige along the skirting board. The sofa was a soft grey, and my Paps blended in neatly. He, and the room, looked like something straight out of an Ikea showroom. He gave me a quick squeeze, and then I settled against the cushions, tucking myself into the throw he offered to me.“It was fine. A bit boring, really. Where’s Dad?”
The Hunter and the Vampire TWENTY-FIVE | SPELLBOUND
“And you’re sure you don’t remember anything out of the ordinary?” Trigger asked, tapping her sleek purple boot against the linoleum floor. Her boiler suit – orange today – shifted with the bouncing movement, tightening at her waist only to tug loose again immediately after.I swung my own legs haphazardly from my seat on the desk. Tonight we were in my old school – they often hired out the assembly room and larger classrooms, and it was a good second best for us when the town hall was booked solidly. We’d dragged in tables and chairs, though most of the chairs were left unused and had been discarded to one side, as the majority of us had opted to sit on the tables or stand.I’d settled myself down next to Sierra, who had been alone and off to one side. Though she was well-liked, there was still some unease between the other hunters and her, especially since the mishap with Old Tim. I&rsq
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