The Hunters Wolf

Chapter Two - Year 1852 (Jared)

It was a cold and wet night in central London, yet the street outside still thrummed with activity from people heading home after a long days work. The Inn was very cleverly placed in an area where many people passed by yet not so central as to draw the wrong crowd. Also, it made the perfect hunting ground for something not wanting to draw unwanted attention yet easy access to prey... which, in this case, was humans.

Jared sat in an inconspicuous place at the back of the Inn. From here, he could see everyone coming and going. Both escape routes were in clear view and easily accessible and he had a clear view of the bar around him while not drawing any attention to himself. He traced his fingers around the rim of his glass before lifting it to his lips, pouring the cool liquid down his throat. He needed his wits about him tonight, but one drink wouldn’t hurt. He needed to blend in, and nobody sat in a bar without a drink. With his other hand, he fingered the custom-made revolver he had discreatly consealed in a holster under his jacket. It was loaded with silver bullets and ready for action.

As he took another sip of his drink, the main doors swung open, and a hooded male walked inside, He was haunched over and bought with him a foul oder. As he crossed the threshold, he pulled down his hood to reveal a disfigured face and thick, patchy, warty skin. He took a quick glance around the room with his yellow rimmed eyes before walking in further.

Jareds' intel had been solid, and just as he had suspected, the creature in question was a Cambion. The offspring from a demon and human. Each Cambion Jared had ever faced had been different, but each of them formidable and evil. Despite their grotesque figure, they seemed to have some kind of lure to the opposite s*x. They would lure them to lair, have their way with them, and then eat them. That explained why all the missing people were women. The same pheromone they produce that attractes women also keeps men away from them. Which is how they manage to live so close to humans without any trouble.

The Cambion sauntered towards the bar, pulling up a stool and ordering a drink. It was on a hunt. Luckily, It had no idea it was also being hunted. Jared watched his target carefully, one wrong move, and the Cambion would realise it was being watched. Secrecy was of the upmost importance of the society that had sent Jared here, he couldnt risk engaging the creature here. He had to figure out a way to lure it outside and away from any crowds.

As Jared was assessing his options, the Cambion's back straightened, and he sniffed the air. Had he sensed he was being watched? Jared froze, ready to pounce into action. The order could smooth things over if push came to shove, and they engaged each other here. But they would be pretty pissed about it.

Luckily, it didn't come to that as Jared realised it wasn't him who had caught the creatures attention but a woman who had entered the Inn. She wore a dark blue skirt and red bodice, her Auburn hair was tyed in a loose plait down her back, and her eyes twinkled green in the dim light. A pang of guilt hit Jareds heart as he took in her beauty. There was only one woman he would allow himself to look at like that, and sadly, she was no longer here. He shifted in his seat, focusing back on his mission.

The woman sat at the other end of the bar from the Cambion, but he had noticed her instantly. Maybe this mysterious woman would give Jared the opportunity he needed to get the creature outside and away from prying eyes. He just had to bide his time.

Jared watched intently as the creature slid his way over to the woman and struck up a conversation. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he heard her laughter and watched as the creature got closer, stealing touches here and there. The womans nose crinkled as he got closer. To Jared and the other men in the room, the creature smelt like rot, but the pheromones it released affected women differently. Jared didn't know what that creature smelt like to women as no woman had ever survived an encounter with one for him to ask. But he was sure it was different from what he smelt. It seemed this womans nose didn't know what to make of its strange scent. But iys un-canny charm was working. It wouldn't be long now.

Right on queue, The Cambion began to lead the woman toward the door with its hard on her back. Jared waited a few minutes before following. Even if he momentarily lost sight of them, he was confident in his tracking skills to find them again. Especially with the stench the Cambion was letting off. He didn't need to track them, though. He remained a street behind them and watched them as they weaved through the street towards the quieter edge of town. It was far too easy to follow them. The Creature should have had its guard up. He should have been keeping an eye out in case he was spotted. but instead, he seemed just as inthrawled with this woman as she was in him.

The creature led the woman into one of the small cottages on the outskirts of town. Jared quicked his pace and peered through one of the cottage windows. This was the creatures' lair, alright. How it had gone undetected he had no idea but as he peered inside their was no mistaking what it was. The cottage was lit up by a eery yellow glow emitted from the fireplace in the centre of the far wall. A large wooden table took up the centre of the room with various knives and carving impliments across it. The woman took a seat at the table, not seeming to notice the instruments in front of her or the large cages above her head with various body parts dangling from it.

Jared checked the perimeter around the building. Before he dived straight in for the kill, he needed to make sure the creature was alone. He had been ambushed more times than he cared to share, so he made it a habit to check throughly before jumping in. As he checked his surroundings and peered through the buildings windows, he realised why the creature had gone undetected for so long, it resided in a butchers shop. This explained why nobody had reported the smell of the dead that lingered in the air.

The creature and the woman were situated in the back of the building. The only other escape route was through the shop front door, which Jared checked, and it was locked. That suited Jared perfectly! As it meant, the only way the creature could get out was going through him.

He returned to the back of the shop and peered through the window. The creature stood with its back to the woman. It had something in its hand, something shiny and sharp. Jared looked towards the woman. She stood now looking straight at the monster. Her face looked more determined and full of hate rather than lustful. That was when he saw it, the tell tale sign when her eyes flashed brilliant emerald green, like her eyes were jewels and someone shone a light into them, iluminating them. Werewolf! Jareds back stiffened, and he grabbed his gun from his sheath.

He braced himself before barging through the door. The stench hit his nose like a wall, but he steeled himself and took aim at the wolf. His drastic entrance startled both beasts as they stared at him, neither wanting to make the first move.

The Werewolfs fangs decended, and she snarled while the Cambion dropped the carving knife and bared its own fangs, his own shock evident as he looked at the she-wolf. It didn't know what she was either, but it finally dawned on him. He was the one being hunted.

The Cambion let out an ear shattering screach, launching knives from the couter at both Jared and the wolf, They both jumped for cover, and the Cambion darted for the open door.

The she wolf jumped out from behind the table she overturned to hide behind. She ripped her skirt off, revealing a pair of fitted pants and boots, and then also made a dart for the exit.

Jared reacted quickly, firing a shot, which just missed the she-wolf and made its mark in the wooden door frame. The She wolf skidded to a hault and trained her emerald eyes on Jared. He moved forward, standing firm between her and the doorway.

"You're letting it escape!" her voice was more of a growl.

"Whatever territorial squabble you have going on will have to wait. You're too dangerous to let loose. "

"And that thing isn't!" She spat her eyes shining brighter as her anger grew. "Do you know how many women it has killed? look around you, " a growl rummbeled in her throat, and she lifted her arms, signalling to the various body parts around them.

"And how many have you killed?" Jared shot back at her, and she stilled.

"Then shoot me afterwards. But right now, the longer we stay here, the further it gets away. You have no idea how long it took me to track that thing. I can't let it get away. " Jared wavered for a fraction of a second. That was all she needed, and she bolted out the door. Jared gave chase.

They were both so fast, and it took everything Jared had to not lose their trail. He finally caught up to them when the She-wolf cornered the Cambion. It tried to scramble up the wall but turned on her when he realised that wasn't a viable option. He bared his fangs and screached again, lashing out at the she-wolf she dodged it swiftly lashing out with her own claws opening a gash across the Cambions face. He wailed in pain, and she clamped her hand against its throat, lifting it up in the air and then ramming it against the wall.

"Where is he!" she growled, ramming it again.

"I dont know. I never knew, " the Cambion wailed. Jared needed to think fast before they began to draw a crowd. He could see lights flickering in nearby windows as people moved within.

"Where is Henry!" The she wolf growled again. Except this time, the Cambion let out a spine tinging laugh.

"You can't kill me!" he spat."He will find you if you do," he warned. The she-wolf leaned in closer so her face was right in front of his.

"Im counting on it!" That was when Jared realised the Cambion was not defenceless. In its hands was another carving knife. Jared reacted quickly, raising his gun and pulling the trigger before the Cambion could do his own damage with the knife. His bullet hit his mark right between the Cambions eyes, and his body fell limp immediately, and the she-wolf dropped him.

"No!" it was her who wailed this time "Why would you do that?" she snapped at Jared, her eyes flashing again.

"He had a knife, your welcome," Jared said, striding towards her and pulling the knife from the dead Cambrions hands.

"That was my best lead! Do you have any idea what you have done!" she growled again. Jared raised his gun again, aiming it at her.

"What do you want with Henry Bordoe?" Jared asked tensing as he said the name.

"What makes you think that's who im looking for?" she eyed him quizically, but at least she didn't growl.

"Are you seriously going to tell me it's just a coincidence that a she-wolf comes strolling into the centre of the Werewolf Alpha Henry Bordoe's territory asking about someone called Henry and they are not the same person?" It was his turn to eye her quizically. "Im afraid whatever reuinion you had in mind with Mr Bordoe will have to be put on perminent hold. I can't allow another wolf to join his pack. " This time is was the she wolf who burst out laughing although hers was much more musical than the Cambrions.

"Join his pack? The only reason i want to find Henry Bordoe is so i can kill him myself," she growled again.

"Why would a werewolf want to kill their Alpha?"

"He is no Alpha of mine!" she spat much to Jared supprise. Other wolves he had encountered had shown unwavering devotion to their Alpha, willing to lay down their own lives to protect his secrets.

"What did the Cambion have to do with Him?" Jared asked. He still had his gun aimed at her. He was usually more of a shoot first, ask questions later kind of guy, and he wasn't even sure himself why he was conversing with her. A werewolf of all things. He hated her kind. They had taken everything from him, and yet here he was, gun aimed right at her chest, but he hadn't pulled the trigger.

"You said yourself. This is Henrys territory. Yet a Cambion just moves in and starts killing unchallenged for over 2 months?" she raised her eyebrow.

"You think their working together?"

"You're the hunter, you tell me," she crossed her arms defiantly. She wasn't willing to share what she knew.

"You've heard of us?" Jared asked.

"Every supernatural being has. It didn't take much to figure you were a hunter. Normal humams dont use silver bullets. " Jared paused for a moment. The she-wolf clearly knew more than she was willing to let on. He had been hunting the werewolf alpha for years, and each time he thought he had come close, it turned out to be dead ends. He had made it his lifes mission to end Henry Bordoe after the death of his beloved wife. Jared lost everything because of him, and even the mention of his name caused him to see red.

There was a scuttle of movement behind Jared, which caught his attention. The She-wolf caught it too, looking over Jareds shoulder and then to the body at her feet.

"Look, if you're going to live up to your hunter name and kill me, can you get on with it? We're starting to draw attention, and something tells me you dont want that just as much as i don't. "

Jared still had his gun pointed at her. Every instinct told him to pull the trigger and be done with it. This is what he did. This is what he was trained to do. He hated her kind, and by killing her, he would save countless lives and avenge all those other lives she had already taken. However a little niggling feeling played in his gut, all trails to Henry had gone cold. He had nowhere else to even begin looking. His only lead now was the red headed She-wolf stood before him. He finally lowered his gun.

"Follow me. We need to dispose of that." he lifted his chin towards the dead Cambion.

"We?" she raised a quizical eyebrow again, and he signed. He didn’t like this just as much as she didn’t.

"You said yourself, you dont want to draw unwanted attention. People are on the way. They probably heard the gunshot. Nothing draws attention more than a dead body, " Jared said, grabbing the creatures legs and signalling with his chin for her to grab its arms.

"And two people carring said body is totally normal," she sighed but walked to the front of the body, lifting it with ease for someone so petite "I'd be faster carrying it on my own,"

"Im not letting you out of my sight, Wolf," Jared said as they manhandled the body between them. The she-wolf grabbed a blanket from one of the nearby washing lines and placed it over the body. If someone looked closely enough, they could clearly see what they were carrying, but Jared hoped that they wouldn't bump into anyone at this time of night, and if they did, the dark would help conseal what they carried.

"Turn right, wolf, head towards the river. We will dump it there. Hopefully, by the time it washes up, it will be someone elses problem. "

"Evelyn, my name is Evelyn."

"Im not usually on a first name basis with a wolf," Jared stifled a smile at the irony.

"But ditching bodys with them is a regular saturday thing?" She said sarcastically.

"No, its usually their bodys im ditching," he shot back. "Im Jared, usually I'd say nice to meet you... but"

"You had your chance to shoot me hunter. Although the thought of you trying to drag both bodies towards the river is quite ammusing," Jared looked into her face in the dark but noticed she too was stifling a smile.