Chereads / The Hunters / Chapter 15 - Chapter 14 part 1

Chapter 15 - Chapter 14 part 1

Adriana

Venus stirs in her sleep, making a sound that resembles a groan.

We are currently outside, lying in the shadowed clearing, doing nothing.

I wish something would happen.

It's been 4 days since Venus first turned up. Whoever sent the note with her must have had some trouble, but nobody here knows anything. At least that's what they've told me.

What makes the whole situation worse is the constant boredom. I've had barely any interaction with any of the others, save for a single discussion with Eros while I helped to clean his wound. For a brief time I felt like maybe I could get to know him a little better, perhaps find something beneath the cocky exterior, but as it turns out I was utterly mistaken. He avoided any personal questions like the plague, either diverting the topic or shutting down completely, not bothering to speak. This was particularly awkward, since he just kept watching me inquisitively, his eyes calculating. What he was trying to decipher I have no clue. I mean, I'm not that complicated, I just don't won't to bend to his every desire. He might be a prince but he isn't my prince.

We didn't speak much after that. I get the idea that he's avoiding me, not that there's any indication why. Hence, I have been left to contemplate our 'chat' by myself, for four days, since everyone else here seems suddenly incapable of socialising.

To be honest I'm starting to worry. When since did I, the town's resident hermit, start to desire company? That alone seems much more strange to me than the sudden revelation of supernatural creatures.

It wouldn't be so bad if I actually knew what was happening. When Eros handed me the rather obscure note, I thought he was doing it to be nice since I saved his ass. When I asked him anything about it however, he took pleasure out of dismissing me; smirking, as always. I suspect he only gave it to me in the first place because Becca had irritated him too while in her mood. He wouldn't even tell me when I sucked up to him for an hour, despite how painful it was to be nice. Ungrateful little shit.

Even after constant begging, Alec and Kellen won't say anything that Eros doesn't want me to know, and despite having apologized to me, Becca is still being more of a nuisance than help. She probably only apologized because Alec told her to, which pisses me off almost as much as being kept in the dark. Again.

Hence, why I am alone with a mildly psychotic bird, wallowing in boredom and self pity.

Ah, the joy.

Venus stirs again, this time fully waking. Her tired yellow eyes flutter open as she lifts her head.

Yawning, start to lay back, only to have her interrupt my relaxed state. Her head snaps to the right, her back going rigid and her wings tensing. I push myself into a sitting position, sighing. This isn't the first time something like this has happened; Kellen keeps disturbing her while in his wolf form. I think he's hunting. He could eat normally, but Alec told me that since he's young, Kellen must be in his wolf form every now and then to help get used to the pain. I just wish he'd be a little quieter.

Venus stands, coming in front of me and shielding me with her wing. I peer around, scanning for Kellen but keeping a cautionary hand on the chakram strapped to my belt. He must have got closer this time to disturb her like this.

As expected, his wolf pokes out from between the trees, stood in the shadows. Chuckling, I stand up, placing a hand between Venus's wings and rubbing her spine gently. "See, it's only Kellen."

She won't relax, still holding a defensive posture.

Brows drawn together, I step out from behind her, my hand still grazing her feathers. Kellen, mostly hidden by shadows, grows deeply. It is a low, gravelly sound.

I've never heard him growl like that.

An unsettled feeling pools in my stomach at the sound. It held so much power, despite being fairly quiet.

Venus is also tense at the sound.

Kellen growls again, this time louder, as we all hear faint whistling.

The whistling gets closer, approaching the clearing.

Venus and I both turn, watching as a shadowy figure approaches between the trees, carrying something heavy.

Now in the clearing, Kellen clumsily drops the firewood, eyes wide.

Shit.

He stares at the wolf, shaking, his eyes holding fearful recognition.

He knows who it is.

The wolf growls at Kellen, this time quietly, its teeth on display in a sinister smile.

We both stumble back, listening to the snarling beast that follows. It stoops down, ready to pounce.

"Ria..." Kellen whimpers, grabbing my arm.

The beast steps forward, glaring at Kellen. It tries to come closer, but Venus blocks its path with her wings. She looks back at us, squawking and pointing her beak towards the direction of the hut.

Grabbing Kellen's hand, I break into a run, tugging him with me. It takes a few seconds for him to come out of his frozen state, giving the wolf an advantage as it begins its pursuit. Venus is loudly tackling it back - I can hear her wings flapping and the anger her voice held.

We don't make it far before we are stopped in our tracks. Within seconds, I find myself scrambling up from the ground, Kellen having pushed me away from an arrow. Another sliced past my elbow, barely grazing it.

Now stooped behind a tree, I asses my surroundings. As of yet, I can't see the archer or any other beings apart from the wolf, still engaged with Venus. Kellen seems to have disappeared, but the pained howls of what I hope is his transformation echo around me.

Somehow I need to get back to the hut, or at least find a way of alerting the others.

Breathing deeply, I grab my chakram, splitting in in half so that I can hold a blade in each hand. I look around for any immediate threats. Seeing none, I run.

As soon as I begin moving, more and more arrows whip past. I try my best to ignore them, determined to get to my destination.

My blood runs cold as Venus squeals in pain, a thud following behind.

I push myself impossibly faster, my legs burning as I get closer to the hut, nausea settling in the pit of my stomach. The wolf leaps right over me, landing directly in my path. Closer than before, I can fully make out its chilling appearance - white eyes with no pupil or iris, its mouth foaming and contorted in a devilish grin.

It stalks towards me. I step back in response.

Before I can blink, I am screaming, the wolf darting forwards.

My body twists away, finding itself stumbling in any random direction.

Tripping over a root, I find myself ramming headfirst into the first one of the wolf's accomplices to make an appearance. The brutish thing thrusts out its arms, grabbing at me and gargling. Its eyes are like that of a snakes as it attacks, swinging a wooden club. I slash a blade at its boil-covered arm, grunting in disgust when it screams and spits out at me. It lunges again, but this time is blocked by the wolf, snapping its jaws in warning.

The disgusting creature backs down, gurgling low in its throat and retreating into the shadows.

I take the moment to escape, rushing again towards the hut, knuckles turning white from their grip on the blades. I fight the urge to look back, listening to the thumping of the wolf's paws getting closer.

A brief burst of relief floods through me as I see Kellen's shaggy brown wolf racing in from my left. This time I turn, watching as he tackles the other wolf, knocking it down. The shock factor seems to have the best effect, since when I see them next to each other, Kellen is clearly dwarfed by the beast. His strength is by no means an equal match to the superior being beneath him.

I stop running, confusion taking over from the adrenaline rush as Kellen jumps off of the larger wolf, setting it free.

It stands, beginning to leap forward, but is stopped in its tracks.

A shimmering veil blocks the beast as it snarls at something behind me, trying to claw at whatever shield blocks it.

4 figures shadowed by the trees, each radiating power beyond my comprehension, stand confidently behind a woman, whose hand is raised and glistening. Behind them, the rather unsightly archers lay scattered on the ground, seemingly having fallen, their bodies twisted and limbs protruding in ways that can only equal death.

The woman at the front steps forward into the light, illuminating her powerful appearance more. She is a beauty to be beheld though also a fighter to be feared, with flawless mahogany skin clad only in a black warrior's dress.

She glares at the beast behind me. "Leave, Roma. You have lost this battle."

From the trees emerge Eros with Kellen's wolf by his side, followed by the twins and...

Emily.

She lies in Becca's arms, though if it hadn't been for her distinctive blonde curls and button nose, I wouldn't have recognised her. She looks so frail.

"How...?" My voice squeaks.

The woman smiles warmly. "My name is Mahlia. I was on my way here when we were attacked, having passed through an enemy base unknowingly. The child was there, so we took her. It looks like we didn't take care of everyone before we left, however," she turns back to glare at the wolf. "Roma here is a betrayer. He is the one who took her. Why he would give up his cover however, is unknown."

So they weren't expecting him to just attack?

"No, we weren't. Mahlia called him a betrayer for a reason. He is notorious for being undetected," Eros says, grinning as he notices my confused frown deepen. I'm sure I didn't say that out loud.

"Child, if you have been tormenting this poor girl with that daft mind trick you better know what's coming. You might find it amusing but don't think I won't beat your ass," Mahlia tells him sternly, hand on hip as my mouth hangs open slightly. Remembering my former confusion, she turns to me. "Sweaty, I'm sorry he failed to tell you. It's a common trait of the high fey to read minds, although some like to be prats about it."

So all those times I thought I was thinking and he answered me, I was... Actually not speaking accidentally at all. Huh.

I wonder what else he's heard me think.

This could be an issue.

Suddenly the reason why they don't tell me anything about this little 'mission' becomes clear. They know I was planning to take Emily back.

For the love of God, I can't even think anymore.

As I come to this realisation, Eros smirks, giving me a sarcastic thumbs up for finally figuring it out.

For fucks sake. If he knew all along, why did he let me join them?

Rolling my eyes, I look back to the wolf as it growls again, this time at Eros. I step back again, despite knowing that he can't get to me past the veil. Even though I know I should be safe, the nausea is still settled in my stomach and I can't help but feel the danger in the air.

I look back at the dead archers, wondering what is giving me the uneasy feeling. Nobody is shooting at us now, so they must all have been killed.

The image of the gurgling creature crawls its way to the front of my mind.

They only killed the archers.

Surely Kellen would have smelt the other creatures by now.

Eros's eyes widen, obviously having heard my thoughts. He looks down to Kellen, who seems perfectly contented with rubbing his head against Alec's leg as he pets him.

I'd say he hasn't got a clue.

His joyful yips are kind of cute though.

That is, until they are interrupted by the shrill scream of one of Mahlia's accomplices, followed by a fit of coughing before they slump to their knees, revealing the axe wedged in their back at the base of their neck. The man reaches up to touch the axe, watching Mahlia hopelessly and sputtering blood.

Lips parted, I stare at the helpless man, before my wrist is tugged back.

"Becca, take Ria and Emily back to the hut. Protect them," Eros tugs me further, turning to me. "Don't do anything stupid. Protect your sister." I nod, following Becca, clutching my blades tightly.

As we near the hut, the sound of clashing weapons begins, joined by the angry growls of the wolf - Roma. I can only hope that Mahlia can hold him back; yes, the hut will protect against archers, but against a rabid werewolf?

Finally close enough, Becca throws open the door and runs inside. I attempt to follow close behind, but end up jumping back, heart racing at the sight in front of me.

The creature from before has some friends. And they somehow got inside.

Becca's eyes become purple as she holds Emily protectively, snarling. This fails to intimidate the creatures though, as they continue to back her up into a wall. The creatures are focused solely on the two girls, not even noticing me.

My grip on my blades tightens as the now familiar rush of adrenaline greets me.

I can't believe this is happening.