TORI THE VAMPIRE HUNTER a life on the hunt
“Doe-eyed brunettes are my Kryptonite.”
Tori gave the girl sitting across her a flirty smile and emptied her glass before slamming it on the table.
“Even so, I wouldn’t offer you a drink if we were the only two people left in the world. Not even human, are you?”
The eyes of the pretty brunette widen in surprise at the words of the vampire hunter. She glanced at the door, wondering how fast she could reach the exit, but Tori shook her head.
“You wouldn’t have the time. On my lap is sitting a very sharp blade and I’d cut your head off before you could reach it.”
The vampire was young and inexperienced; Tori could tell by the way she looked around for help with the panic of a cornered deer. It was surprising she was out alone, but the Hunter had been tracking her for a while. Her coven didn’t seem to be the kind that took care of the newbies; do or die.
“Wha.. what do you want from me?” asked the undead girl.
Tori was confident, she had the upper hand. In her early twenties, she was still new to the game herself, but she was catching up real fast to the veterans of the Hunter Society. They were all amateurs that didn’t take their job seriously. To them, it was a game, a sport. To Tori, it was a lifestyle. She had chosen this; it wasn’t a birthright or a heritage like it was for some of her colleagues.
“I want you to take me to your nest.”
That was a bold request, but it had worked before. Vampires were no better than humans, flawed and ready to betray their own to survive.
“What are you going to do to us?”
“Well I ain’t inviting you for tea, what do you think I’ll do?”
“What if I say no?”
“I’ll kill you now and track every one of your friends down until no one is left. You’d just make my job easier if you tell me where you’re hiding.”
The pretty brunette snarled as only beast could and got up, flipping the table violently as she made her escape. Tori threw herself on the side and rolled on the dirty floor of the bar, avoiding the shattering glasses, but the vampire was already running towards the door. Without a second thought, she got up and followed her despite the shouts of the barkeep and the stares, her silver sword tight in her hand.
Following the night creature in the alley behind the bar, Tori didn’t doubt she would corner her prey. It wasn’t the first vampire she killed, it wouldn’t be the last. She only had 3 years of experience and training, which still made her the baby of the Hunter Society where most of the members started hunting when they were children, born into hunter families. Those who weren’t usually started after the death of a loved one. In her case, it had been her girlfriend. Fiancée, really. They had been together for almost 7 years and Tori had finally agreed to tie the knot. She wasn’t one to commit, but she did love Sara more than she had ever loved anyone. At the time, she had believed they could be forever. Until a monster buried their fangs into her flesh.
The girl turned into a narrow alley between buildings, trying to outrun the Hunter. Tori accelerated and took the turn without slowing down. She hadn’t expected the vampire to be waiting for her, jumping on her from an emergency stairwell above her. Upon impact, they both fell to the ground and rolled while trying to gain the advantage on the other.
Tori was mostly trying to keep the bloodsucker away from her neck. Only after struggling against the supernaturally strong creature, repeatedly throwing her knee in her guts while holding her throat, did she manage to get away from her.
Scrambling away, the hunter retrieved her sword she had dropped and got up, preparing herself for the second assault. Tori knew the newbie would throw herself at her again, following her primal instincts, and she was ready to finish this. Waiting to the last second, she evaded the frantic charge and cut the head off her opponent with one steady blow. Blood spattered on the wall and the ground, but Tori managed to stay mostly clean. At her feet, the body turned to dust, leaving no trace of her sworn enemy.
With a sigh, she cleaned and sheathed her silver blade, her favourite weapon. Sure, a crossbow or those fancy sunlight guns would be better and faster, but she didn’t get the same satisfaction as when she killed the beasts with her own strength.
The easy part was over. Now, she had to find the nest with her only lead gone. Admittedly, she didn’t have any choice but to eliminate the vampire before she got back to her friends to warn them. Tori didn’t like it, but she would have to do it the hard way : looking around for all the usual spots animals like them would call home, from crypts to abandoned houses.
The sun would rise soon and the young woman thought it would be best to call it a night. She’d have plenty of day time to snoop around the city. Before she made a move, she felt her back pocket vibrate. Picking up her cellphone, Tori saw the name and answered with a harsh tone.
“I’m hunting, Craig. You know I don’t like to be disturbed when I’m on a job.”
“I know, darling, but I thought you might be interested by the information I just got.”
She hated that he called her darling, but then again, he called everyone the same. He wasn’t good with names, his excuse.
“Spit it up.”
“A large coven in Fairmont, a small village deep in the wilderness. A couple Hunters already heading there. It’s not in your area, but thought you might want to join the hunt.”
“I’m already onto something here, Craig. Thanks, but I’ll pass.”
“You sure, darling? Heard the head was calling himself Count Kasyanov. Family been established for a couple centuries now. They say he has an accent, quite refined man with a taste for the rare and beautiful.”
Tori’s heart stopped when she heard the name. She stayed silent, processing the information, understanding now why Craig had thought she would want in. At the end of the line, she heard her name.
“Victoria?”
“Thank you, Craig. I mean it.”
The Hunter hung up and put the phone back in its pocket. She wanted answers and had been searching for them since Sara’s death, 3 years ago. She thought she knew, but she needed to be sure.
That night, Tori had come home late from school. The door to their room was half open and she heard a moan. She had recognized it, it was Sara’s voice, and she had thought she was cheating on her. Heart beating fast, she pushed the door open, ready to be crushed by the sight. Instead, she had felt her blood freeze and stopped moving upon seeing the woman she loved in the embrace of a tall and handsome man. He had seemed like kissing the peach skin of Sara’s neck, but something had felt so wrong. When he had heard her come in, he had lifted his face and smiled as blood dripped from his lips.
Tori had wanted to stop him, do something, anything, but she hadn’t been able to move. Only after he took her away could she feel herself move again. Broken, she had spent the night half crying, half in denial. She had thought she was crazy, that is had been a dream. She could still remember what he had said before taking Sara with him, speaking with a foreign accent she hadn’t recognized.
She will be taken care of. She will become a fine member of the Kasyanov clan.
Racing towards Fairmont on her motorcycle, she was finally going to find these Kasyanov. Sara was dead, Tori knew it. Deep down, she knew that whatever else happened after that, Sara wasn’t the girl she loved anymore. The med student had given up her normal life to avenge the death of the only person that ever mattered to her, and she had made it her goal to destroy the monster that had now taken her body.
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