"Halloween is upon us!" Juliet shrieked as she danced around the hallways in her regular succubus outfit. It consists of a few leather straps that cover key components of her body, designed to drive onlookers into a trance and under her spell. There's always been an unspoken rule that as Halloween approaches the monsters and ghouls are allowed a little more freedom in their appearance until November rolls over. Typically they have seven days to walk among the humans in their "costume" and mingle with them in their natural form.
Juliet has been looking forward to this day for a while. She has been keeping an eye on the calendar while organizing her finds to help decorate the office. All of today she's been putting pumpkins on random surfaces around the office with goofy faces stuffed with an LED light to make them glow. As she skips down the hallway she hears Hunter yell out, "Juliet! My office!"
Her fun is over for now as she is forced into her boss's office, "You called." With a stern face, he is staring at the pumpkin left on his desk, "I need you to explain to me a few things. First, what the hell is this?" He turns the pumpkin around so it's facing her. The face is a goofy one with its mouth open and tongue sticking out. "Secondly, who gave you permission to do this? Lastly, why are you not in business attire?" He was not having any of her fun. She sheepishly covered herself with her arms as her more modest work clothes appeared around her, "Well, it's Halloween and it's my favorite holiday. We monsters and demons get to have some fun around this time and I wanted to share it with the office."
"This is still a place of business. You can have your fun after you are off and before you are on."
"I'm sorry."
"The decorations have to go. I want you to round them up and take care of them."
"But!"
"No! Buts! This is my office, this is my building. We keep to a professional standard. I don't care how, just remove them." He grabs the pumpkin off of his desk, "Especially this one."
"Yes, sir."
With her head down and the pumpkin cradled against her chest, she closed the door behind her. Always as if on cue Hanson is outside the office waiting for her. In a light tone, he whispers, "You can put them in the third-floor conference room, we never use it." It made her smile like she needed to. It took an hour but she got the pumpkins she had scattered about the building together in the conference room where they looked like a social gathering. She turned off the lights giggling at the glow from the LEDs. As she rounded the stairs to the second floor Hunter walked out of his office with a stack of paper in his hands. With his booming announcement voice, he rattled the hall, "Pack your things! We have a job!"
Within an hour they were on the plane taking off from the tarmac. Hanson, Hunter, and Juliet were all centered around the table on the plane where they were about to get their briefing. Hunter looked rather excited about this one, "OK, the job is simple. We're heading to Salem Massachusetts." Juliet let out a giant squeal when he said the destination to where his ears were ringing. "Holy hell, what is wrong with you?!"
"We're going to the Halloween capital of the United States! How can you not be excited?"
"Because we're not going for fun. We're going for work which is why we're going at all. This contract pops up every year and this year we finally snagged it. We're going to be working from the time we land to November first so we're going to be busy the entire time and we'll be doing this in shifts. Hanson, ``You'll be doing the swing shift, I'll have the overnight shift, and Juliet will get morning and afternoon."
"Aww, but that's not when everything lights up."
"And exactly why you have the day shift. Now, every year something weird always happens and they have a team of hunters on standby. They always seem to screw it up. This year, we got the contract before anyone else so we're the ones who are going to set the bar and not hose this up. We'll be working with a local woman by the name of Marguerite, a witch who's been living there since the days of the witch trials so if anything is happening, she is the one to know about it. Be nice to her, she's a family friend."
"What kind of 'happenings' are we expecting?"
"Good question, past records have shown disappearances and reappearances. People have gone missing for days at a time and reappear later in the week but they are not themselves. They then disappear again and are never seen. Reports are vague from those who were affected because it seems that the people that disappear are loners, drifters, tourists, and people who have no family or local connections. With no one locally to watch you, not a lot of people are aware that someone is gone. We're going to be keeping an eye on a lot of people so always, always, always keep a watchful eye for anything suspicious and out of the ordinary. The advantage we have is that we can identify those who are actually not human as opposed to the normal people who live ignorant of the world around them. Do not be afraid to call them out to get information. Questions, comments, concerns? None? Good. We land in a couple hours so prepare yourself."
No one was there to greet them off the plane. This job was for them and them alone to take care of. Their ride dropped them off at an older-looking establishment where they checked into their room to put their stuff down. Once settled, they rounded up in the hotel's main entryway to head out into the city. They had to go meet Hunter's contact before it got dark. Hunter seemed to know where they were going but every turn they took seemed to lead them into a giant circle. Juliet began to get confused as they passed what seemed to be the same restaurant for the third time. He turned them down a brick alleyway that seemed to twist weirdly as they walked through it. With a couple turns she was sure that they were going to emerge onto the street again but as she turned the corner there was a run-down-looking shack with a small sign that just said "Books". The wood that the building was made out of looked corroded and weathered as if this building had been in this spot for a century.
Something seemed odd about this place though. Juliet was certain that this way took them back to the main road. As they entered the smell of mold and old books hit them. Hunter stepped up to the counter. With a soft yet determined voice, he shouted to the back room, "Hello? Anybody here?!" There was a slight pause before a voice replied, "Stop yer yellin'! You could wake up the dead!" The floorboards creaked as they heard someone move from the backroom. An old woman, hunched over and with eyes white as snow, wandered around the corner with the help of her cane. She looked them dead in the face, "You need to be polite to your elders. We don't move like we used to." As she got to the counter she sat on her seat placing her cane up, "Now, what can I… Wait a minute. Lean towards me." Hunter leaned in at her request. She brought her hands up to touch his face. As she felt her face seem to light up, "Oh my, it couldn't be. Is that you Bumbee?"
"Yes Auntie Margie, it's me."
"Oh, it's been so long! How have you been? Did you bring that handsome man Hanson with you?"
"Yes, he's here."
"Hanson, have you been taking good care of my Bumbee?"
Hanson smiled, "I have been Marguerite."
"You better be! You'll know what I'll do if you don't!" She turned back to Hunter, "Come in, come in. Be at home."
She stepped off her chair grabbing her cane to invite them into the back room. There were shelves upon shelves of old books lining the walls surrounding a small desk. There was very little light but just enough that everything seemed to have a warm glow cast upon it. There were a few chairs around a table with a tea set already set up. Marguerite sat down in the largest chair making herself comfortable and offering chairs to the others. Hunter took the seat closest to her while Hanson and Juliet took the seats opposite them. "Bumbee, what brings you out to me this time?"
"We took a job in town and were hoping that you could help us."
"Anything for you, what do you need?"
"Well for the last couple of years teams have come in and failed in preventing some happenings that keep occurring around Halloween. We got the contract this year and I know that if anything happens in this town you know about it."
She leaned further back into the deep chair, "I know what you are looking for but I cannot show it to you. You will have to find it yourself because what you seek resides outside my realm. But I need to warn you, what you seek is very dangerous and I advise you to stop where you are and leave. But I also know you and you'll do it anyway so I'll help if I can. Hanson, can you be a dear? In my desk, bottom drawer, there is a box. Can you grab that?"
Hanson stood up with the directions of where to find what she needed. Opening the drawer he replies to her, "There are two boxes. Which do you need?"
"Both, dear."
Hanson returns to the table with both boxes. He sets them both on the table near the tea set gently. The boxes match the rest of the building in that they are very weathered and beaten. She opens the first box containing an old pipe with dried tobacco leaves. She packs the pipe with a few of them before lighting the end with a deep puff. The second box opens to a silver cross beaming alongside a bottle of water, an ax, wooden stakes, and some other smaller items. Hunter leans back with a concerned look on his face, "Oh no…"
"Oh yes. This is what you have walked into. They live outside of town so I do not know where they are so you will either have to find that out yourself or fight them in the city. I know you are capable but still, be careful. I will be here if you need me."
"Thank you, Auntie Margie."
"Such a good boy."
The group gets up to leave. Hanson is the first to be ready but before they can go Marguerite stopped hunter, "Oh Bumbee, one more thing, alone please." Juliet and Hanson take their hint to leave them. Hunter sits back down in his chair. Marguerite leans in as best she can, "I know I'm not one to judge but I feel the female companion you are with is not for you." Confused, Hunter stutters out a question, "Uh, w-what?"
"That girl! She's… well I don't know if you know but she's not of humankind."
"Oh, yea, no she's not. She's a succubus."
"You need to be careful around women like that."
"Auntie Margie, she works for me. She owes me her life."
"Oh, well that's different. Just don't abuse her then."
"How did you flip that so I am the offender in this case?"
With the box in hand, Hunter kisses his Aunt goodbye promising to visit again before they leave. With the rest of the group in tow, they head back out to their hotel to gear up and plan ahead. Hanson is tasked with heading to the local church to refill the holy water, polish, and bless the cross. The steaks are handed out and whittled down to be better kept in a belt loop or pocket for easy access. As Hanson and Hunter look over a map of the city they begin to plan certain hot spots from the previous years from what information they were able to gather. As they begin moving on to the information about vampires Juliet begins to put in her ideas, "So, since vampires are nocturnal does that mean that being out in the daytime is useless?" Hunter stops to look at her. He has a disapproving look on his face but he knows she's right, "Only stage four can infect others and at that stage, they cannot be out in the sun."
"So no need for a day shift ri~ght?"
Same disapproving look, "I know what you're getting at, and I hate that you're doing it, but yes, you can join either Hanson or me."
"I'll join you, Hunter. You're going to be out during the best time." His glare hit her. She stuttered out, "F-for getting the vampire of course."
He groaned but as he turned away she quickly squiggles in her chair from excitement. Creatures like her live for the week before Halloween so being in this small town that celebrates it so grandly is a dream come true. She can walk around the city in her "costume" and not be judged for being her weird self. The only problem is that she still needs to abide by her feeding restriction that Hunter placed on her. For every win, there is a loss with him. Her secret plan was just to enjoy the festivity while working on finding something that probably would not show itself. Her personal plan was to make this a vacation. Her fuddy-duddy boss was not going to stop her.
With everyone being on the night shift Hanson set an alarm to go off at 3pm so they could get as much sleep as they could. With them typically being up during the daytime hours Juliet was unable to sleep. She looked over the room at the two of them as they were passed out on the couch and the second bed. She could not get how they were able to just sleep on command. She sat up hugging her knees as she tried anything to try and fall asleep. Hunter rolled over facing her now. His face was numb in his state of rest. No expression, just calm. Looking over she wondered what he was dreaming about. Come to think of it, other than he works as a contractor, she really didn't know much about him. Other than work they never really talked about anything else. Well, being on the same watch together she was going to change that as well.
Without knowing she did fall asleep. She was woken up by Hanson's alarm. He stood up from the bed stretching bright-eyed and ready to go. She watched him as he got his gear together before leaving. Once he was gone she was left alone with Hunter still passed out on the couch. Looking over he really hadn't moved much since she last watched him. Laying back down she continued to stare at the ceiling for a couple of hours before the next alarm went off. Hunter got up this time much more groggy than Hanson was. He stumbled around the hotel room with his bag. He grabbed some new clothes and changed into something that looked a lot more moveable than his usual attire. His shirt didn't have sleeves, and his pants seemed a bit baggier than before. He usually had some degree of professionalism about him but this was very different. He noticed she was awake, "C'mon, our turn to head out. Hanson should have scouted the hot spots already so we can see what he got."
With a slight rush from him, she was up and dressed ready to go. Her outfit was a little less than what she wears around the office with short pants and her midriff showing. Hunter didn't complain so she must be ok with it. Her idea was to slowly skimp herself down as far as she could go before Halloween. The town began bustling with its little bit of nightlife. Most of the lights were already on casting a different colored glow from all the candles and lights from the decorations. Juliet followed behind Hunter keeping only a few feet to watch where he was heading. He didn't seem to be doing the same path he did this morning to find Marguerite. He just seems to be walking almost aimlessly. This was her shot! The crowds were small so there was very little chance of them being interrupted.
"Hey, Hunter, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" He stopped and turned to her, "No. Is it about the job or something else?"
"It's something else."
"OK, what's on your mind?"
They continued walking, "Well, we've been working together for a few months now and I don't really know you all that well."
Hunter stopped dead, causing Juliet to run into him. She stepped back holding her nose that landed into his shoulder blade. "Ow." She rubbed her nose trying to relieve the pain. Hunter had turned to her but not fully with a puzzled cautious look on his face. This was new for him. She had never tried to ask just about him. His thought was, "What is she trying to get at?" His thought was conveyed to her just through his facial expression. She quickly snapped to a defensive mode, "I'm not trying to get at anything. I just don't know you that well and, well, we work together often enough that maybe we should get to know one another." He squinted, "I'm still sketchy."
"Well, how about if I go too far you tell me and I'll stop?"
"Hm, ok. I'll give you that but be careful what you ask."
They continued on around the town. Hunter seemed to be taking special notes of his surroundings as they went. "So I guess I start with the basic question of how old are you?" He scoffed, "How old do you think I am?"
"I've tried guessing but you and Hanson make a lot of older references so I can say for sure. I'd guess like… 19 or 20-something."
"Ha, try 40-something."
"What?! Really?!"
"No, I'm 27. I just look young because the job keeps me in shape."
"Wow, then I wonder how old Hanson is."
"He is turning 67 this year."
"No way he's that old."
"He is. He's been around the block a few times and every time just keeps going."
"He sure doesn't look it."
"I've seen it start to catch up with him but yea, he can pass for early 50s with no trouble."
"How did you get involved with him?"
"Chance mostly. Life threw me a curveball and that's where it landed."
"What happened?"
"That I am not willing to share with you, yet. Maybe one day."
They stopped in front of an old tavern-looking building where Hanson emerged from within. He stepped up to them both with a map in his hands, "I was able to look at these few spots and get a few stories from the locals. Of the seven I visited, these three marked here seem to be the most popular of them."
"Thank you, Hanson, Juliet and I will take a look at the rest this evening, and tomorrow we can start working in shifts better."
"Good plan, sir. Best of luck to you both."
"Rest easy."
Hanson began his way back to their hotel to finish up his day before heading to bed. It was getting into the twilight hours when the city really began to show its pride. As they walked Juliet got more and more excited to see the lights come on, people set up and got their decorations going, and the people heading out to enjoy them. She tried her best to hide her excitement but she kept making too much noise attracting Hunter's attention, "Hey, straighten up. We have a job and we have to do that now." She tried to calm herself down but was still shaking from her excitement. Hunter approached a man standing near the street and enjoyed some music flowing out of a bar behind him. He was wearing what looked like a movie-grade wolfman costume. Hunter stepped up to him with a complete change of character, "Hey man, had to say, love your costume." The wolfman nodded with a smile at the compliment, "Thanks, man. I put a lot of work into it."
"No joke, you made that?"
"Yea, a couple years actually. It's really hard to make it feel like real hair."
"Wow, that is impressive."
Juliet started to get annoyed that she couldn't enjoy the nightlife but Hunter was off on his own enjoying someone's costume. "Do you mind if I see your hand and see how it was done?"
"Not at all!"
The wolfman stuck out his hand. Hunter took it in his hand with a really close inspection. Something seemed off though. He reached into his back pocket grabbing the silver cross from the vampire hunting kit they got from Marguerite. He held it hidden underneath his palm as he brought his other hand closer. "Wow, that is amazing attention to detail! I have one more question though." His mood shifted. His playful gushing turned into the stone-cold seriousness that he was known for. With a quick flash of the cross in his hand and a tight grip on his wrist he started the wolfman down, "When were you bit?" The wolf's playful demeanor quickly changed. He went to get angry but he was at an equivalent of gunpoint with the silver on him. "Aw, c'mon man. I'm not messing with anybody."
"And I plan to keep it that way." With a sharp voice, "Abigale!"
Juliet responded to her alias name quickly moving over. "I need you to watch the alleyway while my friend and I have a chat." She gave no words, just a nod. Hunter nearly dragged the wolf into the alley where Juliet stood at the end keeping an eye on anyone who looked curious. With her sharp ears, she listened while the two had their talk. "C'mon man, this isn't cool. This is the one week where I get to relax a bit."
"Oh I know, and I want to let you go back to that but I need some information, and you and your pack might be the ones to know."
The wolf stuttered a bit, "M-man, I'm not a rat. I-I don't know anything that goes on around here. I'm more of a loner than anything else. Just… Just let me go, please?"
"Son, I know that vampires and werewolves do not get along well, so everybody wins if you help me."
"Vampires? Geez, I try not to mess with them. They get nasty around this time."
"I'm aware, that's why I'm here so if you want to not have to mess with them, you will tell me what I want to know."
"Oh, c'mon man. I'm just trying to have a good time!"
"And I'm trying to help you have a good time in peace. Now, what clan is from around here that you know of that likes to cause trouble?"
"I-I don't know. I keep out of politics."
"That's too bad because this cross is getting kind of heavy." Hunter began slowly letting his hand drift towards his skin with the silver in hand. "I mean, werewolves like silver right? It's shiny."
"Why are you doing this to me? I don't know anything!"
"Yea, you don't? When were you bit?"
"That's a bit personal don't you think." The silver was close enough to his hand that he began to feel his skin burn, "Oh shit! '86! I was bit in '86!"
"19 or 18?"
"1986! I've just been palling around here since then."
"Then you would know about the disappearances that happen here wouldn't you?" The silver slightly touched causing the wolf to yelp, "Shh, don't want people to know do you?"
"Fine! Porter House! Porter House is where they came from! Rumor is they made a deal during the witch trials here to save their own skin. Since then they've been angry at the town and harass it from time to time."
"Now, that wasn't so hard was it?"
"You're the real monster man!"
The wolf broke his grip and quickly darted out into the street clutching his slightly burnt hand. Hunter wandered out shortly after him, "Now, that wasn't so hard. Porter House. Like the steak? I hope he wasn't lying to me. I'll have Hanson see what he can find. As for us, I think we're done for the night until we find that information."
"So~ we get free time?"
"No, you get one hour to feed yourself, then I expect you back at the hotel to hear what we find."
"You're no fun."
Hunter gave his signature glare, "We are not here for fun."
Juliet's hour passes. She's had her meal to keep her going for the week yet still feels a bit empty. Hanson was woken up by Hunter to help find more information about Porter House. She enters and the two of them are on the map looking over the area outside of town now. She walked on Hunter speaking, "If they were able to make a deal then they were desperate enough to have something they thought they needed to live for. So I'm thinking they were a wealthy family. So they would be around here or here." Hunter put up two red circles on the map just outside of town. Hanson was looking over an old book that looked to be from the town's history. Between the two they looked like they had this under control. As the door shut they were both alerted to Juliet's return. She seemed bummed but Hunter didn't seem to notice, "Welcome back. Have a seat."
She takes her seat at the end of Hanson's bed looking at the wall above the couch. Hunter grabs one of the books that is open and hands it to her. It's open to a page with a picture of a large house with eight people standing in front of it. "That picture was taken in 1838 in front of the Porter Family home. The man two from the left is Nathaniel Anthony Porter, who at the time was the head of the Porter Household. According to the records we were able to find, Nathaniel was born in 1671. So tell me how someone can live for over 150 years."
"Demon, undead, long-lived creature."
"Exactly, in this case, undead. More specifically, vampires. In 1692 the Salem Witch Trials began. The family fell into the panic that was caused by the town. It's not 100% certain when they made their agreement to try and preserve their lives. Guessing how Nathaniel looks in this photo from 1838, I would say he jumped at the first sign of the witch hunt and sealed his immortality. I don't know how he got turned but he may actually be the person causing the disturbance."
"Why would he do that?"
"Well, after the trials had ended there were still a few people who thought they should take justice into their own hands. His sister was one of the unlucky few who were persecuted and executed in private. I don't know how so I am unsure if she had taken the deal as well. If she did, they would have had to get creative to kill her."
They had their findings scattered across a small table in the corner. They had done all they could for tonight. In the morning, Hanson would try and scout the areas outside of town looking for the Porter Manor where the photo was taken. As for now, he needed to sleep. Hunter grabbed a book to read while he waited for himself to get tired. Juliet didn't bring anything to entertain herself. She assumed that they would either be busy the whole time or she would be able to go out and enjoy the town. As the clock ticked away she could feel the cabin fever start to set in. She stood up heading towards the door until Hunter stopped her, "Where are you heading?"
"This place has a bar. I'm going to find something to do."
He looked up from his book, "You know what? That sounds like a good idea. Mind if I join?"
"No."
Quietly, the two left Hanson alone in the room where he could sleep in peace. The two wandered downstairs to the bar where Hunter had Juliet find a seat while he ordered drinks. He walked up to the table with two glasses in a bucket of ice with a white label bottle in the other. He took his seat across from her placing everything on the table. When Juliet saw the name on the label she realized that back in Texas, he was not playing the role of someone with good taste in alcohol. "Oh wow. You drink like this all the time?"
"Always. I refuse to waste good money on a bad drink. Be careful with it, go slow. I don't want to have to carry you upstairs again."
"I will never live that down will I?"
"Not while working for me."
He removed the cap releasing a strong odor into the room around them. It hit his nose with a slight tinge giving him a wry smile. The ice plinked into the glasses followed by a soft pour to the one-third mark of the glass. He tipped his glass to the woman across from him before downing the smooth elixir in one go. With his first down, he poured his second, "Now I get to ask you questions since you got to ask me some earlier today." Juliet's eyes widened as she looked over her glass at him. His smile stayed with him as he looked up from his pour. "I think you get the same treatment. How old are you?"
"It's rude to ask a woman her age."
He quickly retorted, "OK, how young are you?"
"Smooth recovery. Let me see. I am about 64 years young."
"You are just a youngin' for your breed. Captured, trained, or born into?"
"Cursed."
"How'd that happen?"
"I may or may not have been a bit of a slut in high school and college to where some power was noticed and I was cursed to the life I have now."
"It couldn't have been that bad."
"On average I banged eight guys a day or more."
Hunter had to pause from his surprise, "...how did you find the time?"
"If you want something bad enough, you make time."
"Jeez, when did this take place?"
"Late 50's, early 60's. Perfect timing too because free love became a thing with the hippie movement. Let me tell you something, the times were great for my kind."
"Oh geez."
"No joke, it's like... you ever go to an all-you-can-eat buffet table and think 'I can't eat all that' then the next thing you know you're buried under a pile of plates and silverware while everyone else watches in amazement?"
The mental image started to get to him, "...I can't say as I have…"
"It's kinda like that though."
"I don't think I needed the visual of you in the middle of a love pile with a bunch of hippies watching."
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I really don't want to do that again."
Hunter took a small drink, "Glad that you have standards."
"However low they are, they are there."
"Now I'm afraid to ask you any more questions."
"Then let me ask you one since you got so much out of me. Um, how about hobbies?"
Looking over the glass, "Really?"
"Yea, you have to do something to relieve stress. What is it you do for fun?"
He didn't speak, just pointed to the bottle.
"Really?"
He nodded.
"That can't be good for you."
He shrugged, working on his second drink.
He began to pour his third when the two of them heard a blood-curdling scream from outside. With no hesitation, Hunter busted towards the door with a speed that Juliet had never seen from him. Outside there were people looking up and pointing to a shadow on a rooftop. Juliet made it outside to see it as well. Whatever it was made a horrid noise before dropping something. Hunter darted around the crowd catching the mass before it hit the ground. It was a person wrapped in a blanket. The creature on the roof darted off but Hunter was not about to let it go. With a running start, he pushed himself off the wall of the building towards the building across the alley. With a firm foothold, he pushed himself up and across again until he was on the roof. He jumped the gap and began running across the top. Juliet was lost as to what to do. She looked around at the people gawking. She had to help but… "Ah! Screw it!" With a quick burst, her wings tore through her shirt allowing her a quick take off.
She could hear the people behind her gasp in amazement. She could feel the reprimand she was going to get from Hunter for this one. She was able to quickly catch up to him as he jumped seamlessly from rooftop to rooftop keeping up with the shadow. Once she got next to him he shouted, "Do not let him get away!" She aimed herself forward and with all her strength darted through the air. The shadow ducked between two buildings causing her to fly past. She pulled a large circle to get herself in between the buildings and continued chasing. She heard a loud thump behind her as Hunter fell from the roof to the street. Even with the long drop, he was still running strong. He muscled through the crowd while Juliet soared overhead. They got to the end of the block where the road split. Juliet flew up trying to find the shadow but he was lost in the darkness. Hunter came to a slow stop trying to determine which way it went but there were no clues. He paced back and forth looking both ways for 10 seconds before swinging his arms down, "Fuck! God dammit!"
He turned around heading back down the street they came from. Juliet had to deal with the new tears in her shirt as they walked back to the hotel. As they returned the group was still around the area and so was the person that was dropped. Hunter moved people out of the way to get to the person. He removed the blanket to find that it was a young boy, no older than 16. He looked pale, felt cold, and was shaking on the ground. Hunter gave him a look over. It didn't take long before he stopped picking the boy up. "We have to leave." Juliet was the only one who heard him. They could hear the sirens from the responding police but were gone before they arrived. The two darted around the back alleys until they hit the old bookstore. The door was locked but that didn't stop them. Hunter broke through the lock with a tool from his pocket barging into the store. "Auntie Margie! Auntie Margie!"
"What did I say about waking the dead, boy?"
"It's an emergency!"
The boy was placed up on the counter after everything on it was pushed off to the floor. Marguerite moved at her slow pace around the corner, "What could you possibly want at this ungodly hour?" The blanket was removed from the boy's torso. Hunter moved the boy's head towards him. Marguerite looked at him puzzled as she waddled up to her stool. With her glasses on, she takes a look, "Oh dear…" Her mood completely changed. "How long has it been?"
"No more than 10 minutes."
"Then we need to hurry. You know what you need to grab. Go get it."
Hunter disappeared into the back room where he could be heard rummaging around at her desk. She continued to look at the boy's neck with great intent. Hunter came back with a small leather piece with metal tools and a few vials. "Ok, mix the remedy while I do the extraction." Hunter grabbed a few of the vials and began measuring out a dosage in a syringe. Marguerite grabbed an odd tool that she placed on the boy's neck and began pulling on a syringe of her own drawing blood. "Ready?"
"Ready."
She removed the device placing a cloth over the bleeding wound. Hunter took his syringe, plunging it into the boy's soft spot on his shoulder. Juliet began to sway to the side watching them. As Hunter pulled the needle out she fell over passing out onto the floor. Both of them look over the counter at her. "Well… Shit."
"Language, young man! Go help her. I got the boy."
As Hunter helped her up to a sitting position she began mumbling incoherently. "Don't do well with needles?" She tried to form words but all he got was a head shake. "That's ok. Just sit here and we'll be out of here in a bit." She listened to the clinking of their tools as they worked until they began to clean up. Marguerite had Hunter move the boy to the cot in the back. "You two head back and get some shut-eye. I'll keep an eye on the boy while you find the thing that did this to him."
"What do you think his odds are?"
"Well, you got to him in time but with his age, his parents are going to probably end up allowing his treatment to stop and he'll be consumed."
It was a sad fact that normal people would never believe that their son would become a monster of myth. The harsh reality is that he would succumb to his vampirism becoming the one who would cause the death of his parents. With the boy on the cot and Juliet on Hunter's back, Marguerite wished them both a good night.
The crowds had cleared from the streets and the police were still kind of looking around. They noticed him carrying the girl on his back and they approached him. Very carefully Hunter signaled that she was asleep. His trick worked. The police officer let them go back into the hotel. Their bottle was still on the table waiting for them. The ice had melted watering the drink but to not waste good alcohol he finished off both glasses. With fresh ice, he poured another while he waited for his opposite sitting across from him to wake up. She eventually began to come to. She took in her surroundings slowly bringing herself together. When she was able to hold her head up again Hunter handed her a drink, "Scared of needles?"
"Yea."
"Where does that come from?"
"I don't like blood. Needles draw blood. I don't like needles." She downed the small drink in one go.
"I can see that. Feeling better at least?"
"I will once this kicks in." Her finger flicked her now empty glass.
While pouring her another, "Well, take it easy. It's smooth but it'll kick your ass if you're not careful."
"Right now, I'm good. I can deal with anything else the world throws at me."
"Good job back there by the way."
"With what? I passed out on the floor."
"Before that. You took off and caught up to me with no problem. You're really good to be able to do that and be able to catch up to that vampire."
"That was a vampire?"
"Yep, he bit the boy we picked up. Auntie Margie is going to watch him over the next couple of days."
She let a depressing exhale, "Poor kid."
"I think he'll be fine. We got to him really early but vampirism is not an easy thing to cure."
"You two seem to know a lot about vampires."
"Hanson and I? We have to know."
"No, you and Marguerite."
"Oh! Yea, supposedly she dated a vampire at one point in her life so she learned a lot."
"She dated a vampire?"
"Supposedly. Don't look so shocked. Most people see succubus as a creature of uncontrollable lust and here we are having a nice conversation. There are those who abide by the rules and live a peaceful life."
"I suppose."
The two continued working on the bottle at the table. About halfway through Hunter began to start relaxing and Juliet started getting bold, "I still have a few more questions about you."
"Go ahead. What's on your mind?"
"I have to be honest, you're not a bad-looking guy. Were you ever married?"
He stopped dead in his movement. He pursed his lips as though he was remembering a dream before bringing the drink to his mouth downing the remainder. "Actually, I was."
"Can I ask what happened?"
He paused again, "The job happened. I kept leaving at weird times to faraway places with no idea of when I would be back or even if I would be back. Eventually, not even a year later, she said it was too much stress and left me to my work."
"Ow."
"Yea. It was rough but here I am now, in a hotel bar with a succubus that I work with. What about you?"
"No. Well, a boyfriend here and there but I can't just stay with one person."
"That's rough."
"That's my lifestyle. That and I live a lot longer than humans so while they age I just stay about the same."
"That's the problem with eternal beings. You make friends and you also watch them disappear."
"That is my morbid reality. It's also why I made friends with the succubi in Texas. We knew one another well enough that we knew we would be together for a while."
"How long were you a group?"
"About 20 years before you showed up. Which I'm not mad about. We did get out of control."
"Glad there are no hard feelings."
As the night went on the contents of the bottle disappeared. Hunter finished off the last of it while Juliet was working on her second glass. She learned the last time that she has to take it slow but the straight alcohol was her deterrent to not consume the whole drink at once. With a slight stagger, she was able to stand to return to the hotel room. Hunter followed behind her to make sure she was ok. He didn't seem to falter at all. His alcoholism had built him a great tolerance to where he seemed to be fully functional. The two made it to the elevator where Juliet leaned against the wall for the slow ride up.
She looked at Hunter as he bobbed his head to the music playing on the elevator. "Hey, maybe I should be your girlfriend?" His head bobbing stopped in an instant as he locked his eyes on her, "Excuse me, what?"
"Ha! Your face! I got you!"
He squinted his eyes with his mouth open as if he wanted to say something but nothing came out. He just rolled his eyes going back to the music. "I dunno, maybe it might be nice." He turned to her again, "What was that?"
"Nothing, drunken ramblings."
"Mkay."
The door opened for the two to step out into the hallway. One of the lights in front of their room went out while they were away. Inside though the room was dark. Hansons could be heard breathing as he slept on the bed. Juliet snuck her way under the covers to not disturb him while Hunter just fell onto the couch. She watched him as he rolled around to find a comfortable spot to fall asleep. It didn't take long for his breathing to change to the distinct pattern he has when he's asleep. She listened to the quiet around her before drifting off herself.
Morning came and went until Hanson's alarm woke him up. As he moved around the room collecting his things he woke up Juliet enough that she rolled over and went back to sleep. Hunter could sleep through anything so it didn't bother him. With his things ready Hanson began his rounds for the day. He was tasked with checking old records from land development to try and find the Porter House outside of town. With a few leads in his hand, he grabbed a taxi for the day. The first house was one of the first built in Salem. It was a glorious house that still seemed to be standing. Hanson's visit was short as the house was occupied by a current resident who did not know what Hanson was talking about.
The next house on the list looked a bit more run down and might be what he was looking for. He ordered the driver to stay there while he searched around. No one answered the door prompting a quick search of the ground. Looking through the dusty windows yielded little. The furniture inside was both in decent shape while a few pieces were falling apart. Some items looked used while others looked like they had been left to rot. This might be the place but until he could get inside he could not say for sure. There was no easy way in. The house was left with a mark to check back while he moved on to the next house.
Third, on his list had collapsed a long while ago from fire and had been left to sit until everything rotted away. Poor shame, the picture from when it was standing made it seem like a grand place to live. The fourth house on his list was similar to the second but there was a cross planted in the front yard near the entrance to the door. Looking it over it appeared to be of pure silver. No one answered the door and it still looked like someone had been there but not recently or it was poorly taken care of. With another mark, Hanson had completed his task in under six hours. Hunter would have to continue digging deeper. For now, he had to return to town and continue looking into the attack that happened the night before. Hunter had left him a note with explicit instructions to talk with Marguerite about the condition of one individual.
He followed the trail they had taken before to find the shop. The door was slightly open when Hanson arrived. A quick peek inside let him find two people talking with Marguerite. He opened the door to find that Hunter and Juliet were already there. "Hanson, good timing. How did house hunting go?'
"I was able to find two prospective spots but was unable to confirm either."
"That's better than what we started with. Were you coming to check in with the boy?"
"I was."
"Excellent, we can find out together."
Marguerite showed them to the back where the boy was still laying down on the cot. He looked rather pale but he didn't seem to be in as much pain as he was before. He's sleeping soundly in front of the fire. Marguerite sounded rather tired, "He was very lucky that you found him and brought him here. I can watch over him until he gets better but he may never be the same. While he won't turn into a vampire he will have some odd tendencies that may make him unfit for his usual life."
"I wonder if his parents have reported him missing yet."
"I'll see if he matches any recent posting but if history shows he may not have anyone."
It was a sad truth but if so then he may succumb to his ailment after he is released. The group headed back to the main room to let the poor boy sleep in peace. "Bumbee, I know what you do is dangerous and this especially, but I want you to find the thing that hurt that poor boy and make sure they are never able to do it again."
"We will do our best, Auntie Margie."
"Good, now go. I know you have work to do but don't be afraid to visit anytime, day or night."
"We will."
The door shut behind them giving Hunter a chance for a deep sigh. Juliet recognized that face from the siren incident, "Hunter, are you going to be able to do this?"
"Typically I have reservations about this kind of thing but this time… I don't feel the same. This is no longer a vampire, just a monster. And monsters need to be put down."
This was a new side of him she had not seen. He wasn't angry, just determined. There was a slight fire in his eyes as he declared his hunt had begun. Nathaniel Anthony Porter was a man with a family, a home, and a place he cared for deeply. This thing they were now engaged against was not Nathaniel, but a being that's sole purpose was to harass and destroy what they once loved. That is the sign that they are no longer the person they used to be, but the monster that they had turned into.
The next few days would be spent keeping an eye for the vampire while they wandered the streets learning about the two homes that Hanson had marked. Hanson's job was to try and dig up any recent information but everything on the houses seemed to stop around the same time in the mid-'40s. The previous homeowner's information was scratched from the city records. It was turning into a gamble on which house they were supposed to investigate. Two homes with similar stories brought up the theory that maybe Nathaniel wasn't alone.
With only two days before Halloween and the attacks would abruptly stop, the group started their plan. Small trip wires placed in the areas where the attacks were most likely to happen connected to a camera that would be able to capture anything that happened. The photos were dumped onto a cloud server that would allow Hanson and Hunter to look over them from anywhere. Together they shifted their shifts to just the night, splitting them up around the cluster of hot spots. Every one of them was on pins and needles and the people around them were beginning to notice their unusual activity. The local police would stop them and talk to them for a while but they never were able to find anything that they could detain any of them. With the extra attention on them, it began to get harder for them to move around and not be noticed by the thing they were hunting.
Midnight hit with only 24 hours before Halloween when one of the cameras snapped a shot of someone appearing from the sky in a back alley and walking out into the street. The group began to move in on the street where the camera was placed. They had a general idea of the person they were looking for. 'Abigaile, when you hunt, who do you look for?"
"Personally I prefer someone who's fit and has a lot of energy."
"I mean like group, social status, what are they doing?"
"Oh, I generally look for those who are desperate, alone, and tend to be easy to persuade."
"Then keep an eye out for those kinds of people in the crowd and see if you spot anyone looking at them with a hunting mentality."
With the crowds getting larger because of the celebrations going on it was going to be harder to find the person they were after. This gave Nathaniel an advantage that Hunter planned on taking away from him. Hanson walked slowly through the crowds while Hunter took to the higher ground, balconies, and just an elevated position to get a bird's eye view. Juliet was assigned to the rooftops to see if there was anyone who had a similar idea to theirs of looking down and hunting. They scoured the area where the camera alerted them while keeping an eye on the others in case he moved on. They were equipped with a short-range, in-ear radio that would let them talk quietly and quickly. The hunt was on and it would end shortly.
Someone managed to catch Hunter's eye. Looking onward he did what he could to not get caught staring at the man. "Hanson, one heading to you wearing a red suit blazer. Keep an eye on him." There was an acknowledgment back, "I see him." Hanson got in the way but let the man pass by him nudging him slightly. Hanson turned to the man, "Terribly sorry." The man just glared at him. His eyes were very different from a normal person's. Hanson hit the radio button, "That is Nathaniel from the photos. Older, but it is him."
"Juliet, be ready for when he flies. Hanson, if he makes a move you stop it before someone gets hurt and chase him off."
Hunter kept his eyes locked on him now. If he was noticed looking and Nathaniel flew off it he would lead them to his home. Another person caught Hunter's eye. A red-headed woman fell out of a bar with a drink in her hand laughing rather loudly. She seemed to be alone as no one else followed her. She stumbled around the street until she bumped into the man they were hunting. Hunter could not hear what they were saying but he seemed to be laying on a charm with this woman. The man grabbed for her sparking Hunter to give the order, "Hanson!" With no more need, Hanson grabbed the man by the shoulder flipping him around. In anger, he bared his fangs toward Hanson. Hanson never flinched as he grabbed for a cross he had in his chest pocket. Once it was exposed Nathaniel was the one flinching. He darted off to an alley where he took off into the sky. Juliet saw his shadow blow past her. She quickly gave chase until he was out of town. She now knew where he was heading so they now knew where he was staying.
The group reconvened where they found Juliet floating above. She was able to point out where he had flown off to. There was no taxi ride this time. They had to hike their way there on foot. Juliet kept her attitude to keep watch to make sure he didn't leave. They approached the house. It was the second one on their list. Knowing which house it was this time Hanson was able to break the front door down, shattering the lock with a solid kick. Hanson and Hunter quickly made their way in with a cross in one hand and steak in the other. Juliet was tasked with overwatch. Her job was to keep an eye on the house. If Nathaniel made a break for it she was to ground him.
Moving through the cobwebs they searched room by room looking for where he was sleeping. There was very little chance that he was going to go back out and attack again now that they knew who he was. The best option was to return back to his place of rest and wait until the next night. But he didn't plan on them having a succubus helping them. The two made it to the second floor with no luck leaving only one more option, the attic. The ladder was hidden away in a closet. Once they found it they found his coffin. He had sealed himself in for the evening but Hunter knew how to draw him out. Hanson stood close by while Hunter slammed the cross into the wood before breaking the lid open. Hanson jumped at the chance, plunging the steak into the lining of the empty coffin.
The two looked at each other in confusion. They tracked him here, they found his spot, his sanctuary, but he was not there. The two looked around and outside wondering if he had gotten out but they saw Juliet soaring above in a circle around the house. The three windows were all still closed and locked. "What the hell? Where is he?"
"Sir, you need to remain calm."
"I know but we saw him. Where'd he…"
Looking backward across the floor of the attic he saw something out of place. The light hit it just right so that the shadow hiding in the corner could be seen. "Hanson!" Hunter jumped over grabbing him almost slamming him to the ground as a shadow flew by hissing at them. The middle window broke open as Nathaniel tried to escape. Hunter ran up to the window looking outside for where Juliet was. The window on his left behind him shattered as two bodies came crashing through it. Nathaniel was on the floor while Juliet was standing up. "I got him!"
Hanson jumped across the floor putting his entire weight on the vampire. Hunter slides into place jamming his steak right into the vampire's heart paralyzing him in place. Hunter sat back gasping while Hanson stood up. "I think we got him. Now we wait for the sun." With a smile on his face, Hunter was proud of their catch until their catch summoned the last bit of energy it had and lunged at him. Hunter tried to move but Nathaniel got him. Hanson grabbed the vampire, throwing him back onto the floor. Hunter has his hand over his shoulder covering a pretty deep wound. "He didn't get me, just his claws." It hissed, "Don't believe him! I will never miss it!" Hunter's boot came into solid contact with its face at the thought that he was gotten by that fiend.
Checking the clock it was almost three am. They had another four to five hours before the sun would rise. For now, they just had to keep an eye on him to make sure that he didn't try anything funny and get out before the sun came in and turned him to dust. An hour of silence went by and Hunter gained some attention by shuttering. His bleeding had stopped but he looked rather pale. 'Heh, heh, heh. Look at him. He's already becoming one of us." Another boot to the face, "I'm not turning. I'm just very thirsty."
"For blood. Why not indulge? Your cohort is right there."
"Shut up!" Another kick landed square on his nose.
It felt like an eternity was passing, waiting in silence with nothing else to do. "Little miss, why would you betray your own kind?" Hunter chimed in, "Don't answer him."
"Oh, taking orders from the human? Do you use him as a steady source? Who has the real power here?"
Juliet was offended, "Excuse me?" Juliet stood up, "What did you say?"
"Using humans for food, very smart."
"No, no, before that. One of my own kind?"
"Yes, us vampires are one kin."
"Kick him again, he clearly can't tell that I am a much higher breed of unholy being than him and I will not stand him talking to me as such."
Hunter reared his foot back, "With pleasure." His hit landed square pushing the vampire further into the middle of the room. The moon began to set leaving very little light in the attic. A little bit from the town was all they had. Even in the little bit of light Hanson and Juliet could tell that Hunter was in bad shape. He had moved on to more violent shakes and cold sweats. Eventually, his pain became audible as he began shivering. Nathaniel didn't miss his chance, "You may kill me but he will only turn on you then what do you win? Kill him now and save yourself the trouble of having to deal with another vampire later." Hunter was done. He stood up and with all his might and weight stomped on the steak in the vampire's chest shoving it deeper. "You little shit! I am having withdrawals and you are trying to play my people against me! Who do you think you are?!" With another stomp, he broke the hand, wrist, and forearm in a horrid sound.
Hunter fell back to the floor back into a ball of shaking cold mumbling to himself, "Only one more hour. Only one more hour." Sunrise was coming but not fast enough. The sky started to change to a light blue as some light began to peer over the horizon. Once there was an orange light, Hunter gave the order, "Ok, get him in front of the window." The other two moved the paralyzed vampire to where the sun was going to land directly on him. "No! No! You don't want to do this! You can't do this!"
Hunter was the one to antagonize him, "I have waited a long time for this. I waited just a little bit more to see you burn before my very eyes. Now, go to hell where you belong and never return to this earthly plane."
In his last moment, Nathaniel summoned all the energy he could trying to reach out to anyone near him to grab them only for his attempt to be in vain. The sun rose over the hill flooding the attic with light. Once the sun's rays hit the skin he began to scream in pain. It was only a minute but it was the most horrific sound that could have filled the attic as he burned. His skin turned a toasted black before he dissipated into a pile of ash and dust on the floor. The only thing left behind was the steak used to stop him in his tracks. Hunter smiled at a job well done before falling back to the floor. Juliet was the first to get to his side, "Are you sure he didn't get you? You look so pale." She put her hand on his forehead drenched in sweat. Hanson sat next to her grabbing Hunter to pick him up, "The best thing we can do now is get him back to the hotel."
Hanson dialed for a cab while they moved outside of the house. It was a half hour before someone showed up but it was a quicker drive back to the hotel to get the shaking man out of his car. Juliet brought Hunter to their room while he took another path. Hanson was not far behind them with a bottle of something in his hand. He popped open the fresh bottle handing it to Hunter, "Brandy, slow but steady." Against Hanson's advice, Hunter grabbed the bottle taking a series of heavy swigs before panting for air. He immediately started to calm down before actually pouring himself a glass. His hands were still shaky but he was able to speak, "Hanson, we'll wrap this up tonight and claim everything in the morning. For now, though, I just want to sleep."
"Yes sir."
Hunter continued to drink about one-third of the bottle before putting a cap on it and laying on the couch. Hanson laid down in bed in his working clothes quickly falling asleep. Juliet was once again the only one still awake. She looked over the room as Hanson slept peacefully. Hunter's color seemed to return to his face as the bloodstains from his wound coagulated. She didn't consider herself new to this profession at this point yet there was always something that would throw her off. What was up with Hunter though?
Hanson's alarm went off waking Hanson and Hunter up. Hunter grabbed a quick swig from the bottle before standing up to wake Juliet. She rolled over trying to make sense of what was happening. Hanson began packing up their things while Hunter went to the bathroom to tend to his wound. Three claw marks were etched into his arm. They weren't too deep but they were still raw. With the shirt destroyed he used it as a blood rag to help clean up the rest of himself. When he was done he just threw it into the nearby trash can. With a fresh bandage on it, he seemed to be a lot better. From his bag, he grabbed a nicer shirt to put on. Their job was done so it was time for their wrap-up and leave.
The group checked out of the hotel with their bags in tow heading to Marguerite's bookshop. "Auntie Margie! We're here!" She came around the corner with another person in tow, "Oh good, you decided to show up before leaving."
"I would never leave without saying goodbye, you know that. And look who's up walking around."
The child they brought in was up and standing on his own. He still seemed to be lost as to what happened. Marguerite did her best to explain to him when he finally woke up but the reality is just too harsh for some people. "So, you're the people who saved me from that thing?"
"Yes, we did. Lucky it was us too, otherwise, you would be locked down to a hospital bed snarling at the orderlies."
"I'm having a bit of a hard time believing that I was attacked by a vampire."
"Most people do, but Auntie Margie here was able to stop it before it became a problem. As long as you follow her directions for the next couple of weeks and do not tell your parents, you should be in the clear."
"Oh no, my folks. They're probably worried sick."
"You should check in with them."
Hunter handed him his phone and let him borrow it. He wandered off into the back room to make his call while the other talked up front. "So tell me Bumbee, did you get your monster?"
"We did, We got him."
"Good, they've been tearing this place apart for a while."
"Just one though. We're pretty sure it was just one anyway. One 'Nathaniel Anthony Porter' was the one behind the attacks."
"Oh, he was such a nice man so many years back. I wonder what caused him to change."
"You knew him?"
"Not personally, no. He used to frequent my shop looking for history books on the witch trials. Then he just stopped showing up."
"I wonder if he found something in one of those books."
"We may never know. He returned everything he borrowed so I couldn't tell you when he changed."
Their conversation was cut short by the kid in the backroom on the phone, "No! I didn't! No! I didn't mean to! It's complicated! … I can't really explain but you need to understand that I tried… But I tried to get home… That's what I need… Hello?" He came back around the corner with the phone in his hand, "He hung up on me." Hunter stepped forward taking his phone back, "What happened?"
"My mother was in the background crying while my dad just yelled at me for going missing for so long. They didn't even report that I was missing, they just sat at home and did nothing. Now that they know I'm ok they don't want me to come back home causing so much grief. My dad's going to report to the state that I ran off on my own and never came back."
While Adam came to tears against the corner of the counter Hunter took Hanson aside. The two murmured just out of earshot of the others while they tried to calm the child. The two paused to look at him for a second before they continued their conversation. With a handshake and a nod, Hunter walked over to Adam, "May I see the phone?" Hunter went through the contacts and called the most recent number. They heard two rings before indistinct yelling on the other end. Once the yelling stopped Hunter spoke up, "Sir, this is Officer McClellan. Do you know the boy who recently called you? You do. What was it that you said to him? ...You did? You really told him that? ...I ask because he came to me for help and while I was trying to get a hold of the local station to help get a hold of the state department that watches over him he stole my service weapon and shot himself. ...No, I will be filing a report myself. You should hear from the state in a few days. Thank you."
Hunter ended the call putting his phone back in his pocket. "Welcome to the world of the lost and the dead." With his hand out he offered it to Adam to help him up and welcome him to his new life. The tears began to subside as they walked out of Marguerite's shop with a hug and a promise to visit more often. The group of now four made it back to the hotel where they were staying to wait for their taxi back to the airport. Once on the tarmac, they took off back to the office with a new member in tow. With a drink in hand, Hunter began filling out the rest of the paperwork they had to do with a smile on his face this time. Juliet noticed, "Why are you smiling about paperwork?"
"I've wanted to take this job for the last three years and I finally got it. We're getting paid once we get back and I'll be damned if we miss out on this."
"How much was the contract?"
"$22.2 million."
"Wha, what?!"
"Yup! We're going to be set for a while."
Adam leaned over at the sound of the money talk, "So, I should have asked this but what do you guys do?" Hunter leaned around the seat to look at him, "We're contractors."