79 iv. The Hunting
Mary glanced around in panic. The vampires that invaded the mansion doubled from last year.
Her last guard was taken, his neck ripped toshreds as the vampires feasted on him. She had no choice but to run away.
Never mind that the direction is leading her to the woods. She had no choice. There are vampires on her tracks, as if chasing her out of the mansion.
Her eyes are unused to relying on moonlight to battle the darkness of the night. Her legs are not used to being chased like her life depended on it.
The vampires have never attacked her before. She would just lock herself in her room and the guards will just have to stay with her inside.
There will be no casualty, and not even any of the guards will be harmed. That is what was supposed to happen like all those years ago.
A thick vine caused her to stumble, her knees hitting the ground. She would have fell face first if not for the strong hands that held her up.
She felt shivers run down her spine as she noticed how cold were the arms that supported her just now. It belongs to a monster.
The stinging pain in her knees is not what bothered her most, but the blood that trickled from her wound.
.....
One very basic rule is this- one should not get accidentally injured during a hunting. Getting yourself all bloodied will guarantee death.
The smell of human blood attracts vampires like honey does to bees. And when a human gets their attention, that human is guaranteed no tomorrow.
Human blood is the vampires’ natural sustenance. And during a hunting, getting yourself bloodied means only one thing. Untimely Death.
“How are you, Mary?” the voice was cold but it wasn’t threatening.
She gulped as the man steadied her. She realized one thing as their eyes met- this monster knows her name!
She glanced around frantically for additional vampires that may be coming to attack her. But none came.
Her eyes met with his. He has an unworldly beauty, one that fits a fairytale.
He has silver hair and ethereal blue eyes. He has very pale skin, and yet it only added to his charm.
The way he carried himself is like that of an aristocrat. His red lips curved in a smile, seeing she was intrigued. The smile was rather a friendly one.
“Do I know you? How did you know my name?” Mary inquired, her panic lessening a bit.
It seems the other vampires have decided to keep their distance. For some reason, it appears they wouldn’t dare to come near her now.
At least she only has one vampire to worry about. She frowned when she realized it doesn’t mean she can run away from her destiny of being killed.
“I am afraid we have not yet met, princess. But allow me to introduce myself. I am Malavar, the first,” he bowed to her like an aristocrat and slowly raised his head again.
She felt like she is in one of those scenes when the prince bowed before a lady as he asked her for a dance. She felt silly thinking that, but still it doesn’t make it less true.
“Why am I being attacked? I am not a werewolf. This night is not about feeding but revenge,” she inquired.
The man before her smiled widely, his teeth were porcelain, and so were his fangs. She felt sheer horror seeing his sharp fangs up close.
She closed her eyes, waiting for the vampire to sink his fangs into her skin and kill her instantaneously.
The vampire laughed melodiously, “Please forgive me, Mary. I needed to kill your guards so we can have this moment. I wish to speak to you alone, far from the territory of the dogs.”
“Why? Are you planning to kill me?” the human girl bravely raised her head to him. Her blue eyes clashed with equally oceanic orbs of his.
He was about 6’3, his build was lean but not overly muscular. He was in other words, built like a prince.
He has a sword on its scabbard hanging on his belt. And his clothes are that fitting for royalty.
Dominus will easily tower over him even in his human form. Dominus will make this man minuscule at his seven feet. His muscular build would make him look even larger.
But this man before her seems like someone who won’t back down even if faced with such a foe. He seemed quite capable to match the wolves’ alpha.
“Why should I kill my bride?” he looked at her as she staggered, falling on the ground again, this time butt first.
“Are you out of your mi- mind?” she stuttered, her fear overtaking her.
“No, darling. I am not out of my mind, even if I know that is what you wish for,” he knelt before her, placing his lips on her wounded knee and licking up her blood.
The wound closed as he did so, sealing her skin again. She felt a searing pain in her knee and then a sudden feeling of relief as if her body received anesthesia for the pain.
“What do you mean by what you said?” her eyes looked at his sapphire orbs that looked at her with thirst.
She wondered if he wanted to drink all of her blood or if was he thinking of making her his lifetime blood supply. The way he is looking at her betrays good intentions.
“No, I do not wish to make you my lifetime supply of blood,” he clarified.
“I am sorrry. I know you value your privacy. But I did read your thoughts, I couldn’t help it. They were very loud just now, your fear makes your thoughts appear and present them to me so willingly,” he explained.
“They were very disturbing thoughts, if I may add. Do you really see my race as nothing but a bunch of murderers? That can not be any more farther from the truth,” he cleared his throat and sat parallel to her.
“Then what do you want from me, if not my blood?” Mary felt her cheeks turn hotter, the red coloring appealed greatly to the monster before her.
“I wish for your bloodline. I wish for heirs. It has been prophecied this way, that the human girl who mated with the alpha can bear vampiric lineage. Only you in fact can give birth to a vampire child,” he clarified, smiling as she listened.
“For centuries we have been waiting, but the werewolves are a proud race, they never mated with humans whom they view as a lesser specie. Except for this very recent alpha that has taken over the pack, he seems to be rather too fond of you,” he held her hand and placed it on his lips.
“Do you plan to abduct me?” she felt her nerves crawl from the thoughts of it all.
“No, I do hope it doesn’t get to that. I wish for you to willingly come with me. At any time when you are ready, you can just whisper my name and the wind will carry to me your wish,” he smiled and licked up her wrist, making her wince.
“What makes you think I would agree to this? I just met you right now, and killing my companions in front of me left me with a bad impression of you. Moreover, I was raised by the pack, my loyalty is to them,” she said, her voice now devoid of her emotions.
“Because soon you will have no reason to stay here. On the werewolf camp, I mean. The alpha will have to choose a bride soon. A fitting luna from his bloodline, that is what he will choose,” he looked at her pitifully as his cold hand reached up to her cheeks.
She felt pain grip her heart over his words. It is true too. Dominus is of age and the elders have been pressuring him for years to choose his Luna. It will be just a matter of time before he does.
The vampire pressed his cold lips on her forehead and whispered in her ear, “As much as I want to stay and convince you, it seems I have to go. A wild dog is on its way here. I would rather not fight with him, it is not yet time for us to meet. I will see you again, my princess.”
Just like that, the vampire disappeared. She immediately pressed a hand on her neck to check on her pulse. She is alive and unharmed, it seems.
Trees were being smashed as the sound of rather crazed movements come nearer. She smiled as her heart beats faster. Dominus.
He growled seeing her on the ground, sniffing the scent of a vampire who has been with her. He howled, as if announcing his claim to the whole world. His claim to her as his.
She admired his wolf form, pride making her heart beat even faster. His wolf has bright golden eyes, its fur was pure black, and towers over ten feet, maybe more. He looked powerful.
She stood up and waited for him. He came near and lowered himself to her for her to climb aboard. She gripped its fur and climbed up on its back.
Through telepathy, he communicated with her as he carried her back to the manor. He was inquiring about what happened, to which she vaguely replied.
When he inquired about the presence of a vampire, she felt her heart clench. She told him he scared the vampire away when it heard him coming their way.
He stopped inquiring, seemingly satisfied with her answers. She on the other hand couldn’t help but think back on the encounter.
She knew the stranger’s words were the truth. Dominus will leave her one day soon. When he marries another, she would have to leave the pack.
Where will she go then? She has never worked all her life. She couldn’t just take money from him, especially when at that time he will be a rather married man.
She pressed her body on his fur as she gripped his neck, sniffing the bloody scent on his body evidencing the vampires he has killed.
She wondered if that really was her destiny, to belong to a vampire. She closed her eyes as the fears overtake her. She doesn’t want that.
It would hurt her to be away from him. It would hurt her to see him marry another woman. And it would kill her to belong to another man.
She loves Dominus with all her heart, and sharing her body with another is not something she would ever consider doing. But then what should she really do?
She hugged him tighter as they reached the front of the mansion, corpses of vampires and wolves alike were scattered on the ground. It has been one terrible bloody night.
She felt relief wash over her when the wolves howled, signifying the end of the hunting. The hunting season finally ended, and with it comes the new dawn.
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