The Forest had a defing silence on the moonless summer night. A storm was brewing, both in the sky and the humid forest below. The ancient oaks barely swayed in the wind as the faint rustle of last autumn's leaves with decaying clawed feet running a long forgotten path.
The band of six hunters walked with caution, Mike the Werewolf taking the lead with his nose to the ground. He searched for the scent of their targets amoungst the natural aromas of the woods. They had the element of surprise on their side, but the troubling sight of the blue sedan with the doors ripped off and windshield busted thru with fresh blood by the nearby lake weighted heavily on their minds. Aside from the wolf, each was dressed in grey and black cameo jackets with a bullet proof vest and cotton shirt underneath.
"Any luck, Mike?" Asked Chase. He lowered his rifle and placed his freehand on the wolf's shoulder.
"I think I have the scent of the driver. Either that or the husks broke in a Bath and Body Works." Answered Mike. He sneezed and temporarily reverted back to his human form. Aiden handed him a handkerchief. "Thanks, buddy."
"Maybe I can spare your allergies for a minute." Violet stepped forward. She slipped her black leather glove off. Everyone watched as she kneeled down and touched the ground where Mike sneezed. She felt for a Memory point and let it claim her. The scene in her mind played out like a B list horror movie. . .
Two teenage girls- one wearing a pink tank top the other in a grey t-shirt one arm with deep scratches- were screaming as a dozen grey imp like creatures were dragging them deeper into the woods. The girl in pink broke her right arm free from the dead claws and threw a bottle of body spray at the creature still gripping her left arm. The husk tried to block the bottle only to puncture it enough to spray the liquid into his yellow eyes. The creature recoiled in pain. Without a second thought, the girl ran off with half the creatures going after her.
Violet returned to the present to the familiar sound of growls and thrashing. Her hand reached for the pistol at her waist while her eyes scanned for the Husk. "I counted a dozen Husks, two girls; one was badly injured and taken towards the cave. The other escaped and was being chased towards Cloverdale. One Husk might still be lurking around. "
"They're both alive!?" Chase said. He looked at the others. This was unexpected. "Change of plans. Mike, Jim, Sam, I want you three to follow the injured girl. Aiden, Violet, you're with me. Hopefully, they didn't get too far."
"This makes no sense. " Replied Sam. She shook her head as the thrashing grew louder. "Husks don't behave like this. Occasionally, they swarm, but they usually don't wait to drain their prey, much less take it back to a den."
"I know." Chase raised his rifle as a shadow began approaching them. He shot it in the head right between the eyes as it started to sprint towards them. "Usually they only do that if they're being controlled by a more powerful vampire that has their mind intact."
Chase examined the body and whispered a prayer. "He was my least favorite math teacher back in high school. He didn't deserve this."
The groups followed their targets. Violet stopped every few minutes to search for another memory point. Aiden and Chase kept her covered each time she viewed a Memory. Soon, they heard a girl screaming.
"HELP!" The girl in the pink tank top had been surrounded. The Husks crept closer to her. The three hunters each took a target and downed three Husks. The remaining two turned their attention from the girl to their attackers.
One dashed toward Aiden head on. Violet drew her pistol and shot the creature in the eye socket two feet from him. Aiden reloaded his rifle and shot a bullet inches from Violet's head. She heard a thump as the other Husk fell behind her.
"Not bad, Drifter." Said Violet. She glanced behind her to see the body. Half a second later and she would've been wrestling the Husk. " How did you know it was behind me?"
"I saw it take to the trees." Aiden answered. He reloaded his rifle. "I figured it would pick the one most vulnerable and since your back was turned and you were focused on the other one. . . "
"If you two could stop flirting for a second, we need to get this girl to safety." Interrupted Chase. The other two hunters looked at each other a moment then their sandy Haired leader. "I'll escort her to the lake. You two reconvene with the others. I'll try to get a call out for help and join you when I can. And, please, try to keep it professional. No rolling around in the woods. You know how that always turns out in horror movies."
Violet blushed and Aiden just looked at him dumbfounded as they started towards the other target. After losing sight of Chase, Aiden whispered, "He's not serious, is he?"
"We just saved one girl from creatures that should've drain her dry to join their number hours ago." Answered Violet as she reloaded her guns. "He needed to ease the tension, for himself at least. I just wished he wouldn't say anything like that in front of other people." Violet paused to retrace their steps. "He's always been bad for it, but it's gotten worse since my Dad . . . "
A branch breaking stopped them both. They raised their rifles to see a large doe. They relaxed. Aiden looked at Violet. " I can understand that. Those hurting the most tend to want make other people happy. I just hope that other girl is still alive."
They came across the others. Jim was treating the girl's injuries. The bodies of two Husks were in the distance. Sam and Mike were on alert.
"Where's Chase?" Asked Sam.
"He's taking the other girl to the lake and waiting for help." Answered Violet.
"Jenny? Is she okay?!" Asked the girl as she tried in vain to get to her feet.
"Don't worry. She's safe." Comforted Aiden.
"The good news, I've stopped the bleeding." Jim chimed in. "The bad news . . ."
"Violet, how many Husks were with the other girl?" Asked Sam. Her rifle tracked shadows in the distance.
"Five." Violet's eyes widened. She recounted the Husks already destroyed in her mind. The numbers weren't adding up. "Counting the one Uncle Chase took out before we split up, there should've been six here."
"There were only two when we caught up to them. Are you sure there were twelve? That's big for a swarm of Husks. " Mike confirmed. He took his wolf form again. His ears began picking up unearthly growls and scratching just out of sight. "We need to get out of here! Get her on my back, now!"
Violet and Sam lifted the girl on to Mike's back. She held tight to his neck."What's wrong?! They're gone, right? You scared them off."
"It's not that simple. These things don't feel anything, except arguably hunger." Jim answered. He checked his gun. His mind was searching for an explanation while his deep brown eyes scanned for any movement. "It's possible that they're part of a colony and getting reinforcements. The other possibility is that they're being controlled by a more powerful vampire. "
" Stay alert! We're not sure what we're dealing with." Violet ordered. They careful walked back to the lake. Mike stayed in the middle with Violet and Aiden in the lead. Sam covered their flank and Jim walked beside Mike and his passenger. Sam pointed her gun and shot into a tree. A decapitated Husk fell to the ground and the other three surrounded the hunters. "Mike, get the girl to safety! We'll handle this!"
"Understood, Boss Lady! Hold on!" Mike dashed off to the side with the girl holding on for dear life. The creatures started to follow, but Aiden threw a rescue flare above them.
The blinded creatures screeched in pain as Mike faded from view. The remaining hunters each picked a target and shot. All but one was downed. The angry remaining Husk lunged towards Aiden, knocking him on his back. Aiden used his rifle to block and dodge the creature's dagger claws and fangs. Violet quickly reloaded and instantly fired at the creature. It fell limp and Aiden pushed it off. Jim helped Aiden up while Sam snatched his rifle right out of his free hand. She fired it into a nearby tree and examined the hole.
"Jim, your barrel is bend. Just slightly, but it's next to impossible to get a bullseye." Sam shook her head and handed the gun back. "Come by the shop tomorrow and I'll see what I can do." She then turned to Aiden. "You okay, Drifter?"
"Not even a scratch." Aiden turned to Violet. "Thanks for the save. You're a quick shot."
"Just returning the favor, Aiden." Violet grinned.
"Does your uncle know you two are on a name to name basis now?" Sam teased. She wrapped her arms across their shoulders. Violet rolled her eyes. " Six weeks and already on a friendly basis. At this rate, we'll be planning a wedding by Easter. I'm thinking white bunnies and lavender eggs on everything. And just wait until you my ideas for the baby shower!"
"Assuming Chase options me for a review and doesn't throw the book at me." Aiden tried to hide a blush, but his porcelain skin betrayed him. Jim inspected a cut on Aiden's coat. "Everything ok, Jim?"
"Yeah, it went deep, but it looks like the plates stopped any penitrasion." He younger man said. "You're way overdue new uniforms. Can you take your jacket off a minute? I need to see your arm just to be safe."
Aiden slipped off the one arm. The only mark on it was a black Celtic cross tattoo word Serenity written in a scroll over it on Aiden's upper bicep. It looked like the metal plates had done their job.
"Come, on. Before Uncle Chase sends a search party after us." Ordered Violet. They started back towards the lake.
When they returned to the lake, a medic was checking both the girls out in an ambulance with Mike, still in wolf form, standing guard. Chase was talking to Sheiff Jones. He flagged them over. "Status report. "
"All twelve Husks have been accounted for and destroyed. " Violet answered. She nervously looked over at the ambulance, now getting ready to leave. "The girls?"
"Shaken, but minor injuries. One is going to need a few stitches, but they're both alive." Chase confirmed. He laughed in spite of himself. "I think this calls for a celebration."