Vampire Hunter’s Revenge

Chapter Two

Eva spent the next few weeks in the sanctuary bunker, grateful that it was set up more like a one bedroom apartment than a bomb shelter. Kristin, Adam and Zack all visited her frequently, and they had started working out a plan to assault the vampire nest. There were still too many long hours spent alone, and it was difficult not to feel like she was slowly losing her mind.

Tucked away deep underground in a box of solid iron, she couldn't even hear the sounds of the city above. The silence was deafening. A stereo system and stack of CDs made it a little more bearable, and she distracted herself by playing Solitaire, working out, or reading one of the many books that lined the shelves. Time had no meaning. It felt like hours that she laid in bed trying to sleep, kept awake by the memories of fangs sinking into her flesh. She knew the only reason she wasn't haunted by nightmares was the pouch of herbs she had tucked in the pillow case. Eventually, though, she would have to face those too.

She was applying a salve to the remnant scars on her wrists when she heard the familiar, rhythmic rap on the door. Setting the jar back on the sink counter, Eva returned to the main room and opened the door. Crowded in the hallway on the other side were Zack, Kristin and Adam, the last of whom was holding a duffel bag. The three of them entered before she had even opened her mouth to invite them in, each wearing a tense expression of urgency. Adam tossed the duffel bag on the couch. "Make sure everything's in there, then go get changed."

Her gaze turned to Kristin, the other woman's green eyes revealing a fear Eva hadn't seen in her friend for a very long time. "Ransford and Jayce didn't come back this morning," the redhead answered the unspoken question. "No one's heard from them since they left last night."

That was all the explanation that was needed. Opening the bag, Eva began to sift through the items inside. Kananga water, salt, matches, stakes, herbs, crystals, knives, chalk, dead man's blood, machete... She paused for a brief moment to try and think of anything else that might be needed. Satisfied he had grabbed everything, she zipped the bag closed. "Alright, I'll be out in a minute."

Back in the bedroom, Eva quickly changed into a pair of black tactical pants and a tank top and threaded a belt through the holster of her pistol. In the bathroom, she fastened a necklace around her neck. The chain was beaded with obsidian chips, and the polished obsidian dragon pendant rested perfectly centered on her sternum, partially covering the fresh scar. Next, she dabbed a few drops of oil onto the inside of her wrists, the back of her neck, her chest and her tailbone.

She could feel the energy of the crystals and oils start to blend with her own aura, and a small smile lifted the corner of her lips. It felt good to be back. Grabbing her black leather jacket off the hanger, Eva was pulling it on as she rejoined the others in the main room. "What are you waiting for?" she asked them as she grabbed her duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Let's go."

***

The car ride through the congested streets of LA was tense and silent. Eva stared out the window at the vehicles driving by. So many innocent people who had no idea how dangerous this world really was. If they succeeded in wiping out the nest, then at least the city would be a little safer for awhile. It was only a matter of time before another group of monsters moved in to claim the abandoned territory, though. And if they failed... this city would suddenly be a lot more dangerous than it had ever been before.

They stopped in front of the gate and climbed out of the car. Grabbing their go bags from the trunk, each of the Hunters began to arm themselves with their protection of choice, and coated themselves with the ashes of a scent-blocking mixture. Eva's gaze lifted to the dilapidated warehouse towering above them. Her hands stilled as they were fastening the machete sheath to her belt. Memories of that night flashed through her mind. The ache in her shoulders as she struggled against the restraints. The trickle of her own blood on her skin. The pain from the penetrations. The fear that grew as the strength bled from her body.

"Hey," Adam's quiet voice tugged her back to the present. She tore her gaze away from the building to finish buckling the straps against her hip, trying to ignore the way her hands were shaking. "How 'bout you stay with the car? You can have our backs."

Irritation burned in her chest at his suggestion. If they didn't think she could help, they could have just left her in the sanctuary and she would have been none the wiser. "f**k that," she snapped. From the corner of her eye, she saw Zack glance over at them in concern, and Kristin shaking her head as though warning him not to get involved. Eva ignored them both. "I'll be fine. Just need to get started so I can focus." Adrenaline had gotten her through countless dangerous situations over the years. It was what gave her the strength to escape from this place. She knew it would be necessary for her to finish the job.

Adam didn't seem satisfied with her response, but she didn't give him a chance to argue. Tossing her bag back into the trunk, she started walking towards the fence. "That's where I got in before," she told them, pointing towards a piece of chain link that had been cut through and peeled back.

Leading the way before anyone else could try to stop her again, she crouched down and slipped through the hole, then stood off to the side to make room for the others to join her. The rattling of the fence might have been enough to draw attention, but the walls of the warehouse were solid concrete, every window boarded over. As long as none of the vampires were outside, they wouldn't be able to hear a thing. Once everyone had followed her through, they silently headed towards the building.

Zack remained behind the others, his every sense alert to their surroundings as they approached the vampire nest. Over the past few weeks, he had started developing a sense of the dynamic between the other Hunters. Eva and Kristin were close friends, with the rare type of bond that formed between certain people the moment they met and only deepened with time. Adam was newer, not only to their friendship, but also to Hunting. He hadn't quite grasped the way this lifestyle changed people. He didn't fully understand the pain and anger they carried with them every day, or how they always pushed through because the moment they stopped pushing, they'd break. Part of Zack wanted to tell the other man to get out now, before that pain and anger took root in his soul. But he knew better than that. Once a person's eyes were opened to the darkness that existed in the world, it was impossible to ignore it. It didn't matter how hard they tried. The only way to truly get out was death. The lucky ones got to choose how they died.

Eva led them around the building to a board that was attached to the wall by only one single nail, easily slid aside to reveal an otherwise open doorway. It made him nervous using the same entrances that she had used before - when she was caught - but he knew that taking the time to find another way in would only increase the chances of being seen.

Rescue missions were the ones he hated the most. It would be so much easier and safer for everyone if they just torched the building with the vamps inside. But if their two friends were still alive, even if they had been turned, there was still time to save them if they hadn't ingested human blood. They had to get them out, or find their bodies, before anyone would be willing to light that fire.

The room they entered was dark, illuminated only by the light streaming in through the cracks around the edges of the boarded windows. Kristin flicked on her wristlight, the usual clear bulb having been replaced with a red one. It would be harder to see from a distance, and thus less likely to draw attention to themselves. She cast the beam of red light around the room, shining it in the corners. Zack wasn't sure whether or not he should feel relieved that the room was empty. They continued onward, slowly, steadily... every room they entered was just as empty as the first. He could see Eva's tension growing as well, her shoulders stiffening and her pace slowing.

"Something isn't right..." she whispered, pausing just inside the entrance to another massive, abandoned room. "It shouldn't be this empty..."

"Everyone's upstairs for your surprise party," a deep, rich baritone voice spoke from directly behind them.

The Hunters spun around to find a tall, broad, black male blocking the door. His eyes were focused solely on Eva, a sadistic grin spreading across his features, revealing a row of fangs. The woman seemed frozen in place, and even in the dim lighting Zack could see she had paled several shades.

"I knew you'd come back to me, love."