Time seemed to pass by painstakingly slow, with every mile marker taunting the young vampiress. Between fighting off her inner demon and the urge to destroy the SUV, Amber felt a huge measure of relief when Marianne turned onto a small overgrown and dirt path that barely counted as a road. Thick copses of trees eerily pointed in the proper direction almost as if their boughs were fingers leading them deeper into a shadow.
Given that she was a creature that lived in the night, the dark wood did little to actually unnerve Amber, even when Marianne turned off the headlights. Eyesight better than any other night-stalking predator, Amber watched the forest fall behind them and the soft glow of four bonfires overtook the center of attention within the field that Marianne had promised.
Opening the door and stepping out onto the rich cropnd, Amber held Jessica’s hand and followed Marianne through the stalks that reached ten to twelve feet in the air as though the kernels of wheat reached out like gnarled fingers in the vain attempt to find soce in the moonlight. Making their way through along a few paths that had been fttened in order to look as though kids had created crop circles, It took a few minutes of intentionally slow and careful movement to reach where five imposing figures stood with their hands behind their backs.
“Sorry about that being so slow, Amber. I wanted to be sure to keep the illusion in pce. Less footprints and all.” Marianne added and bowed to the five. “Amber Lane, as commanded.”
“I get it, Marianne.” Amber muttered as Marianne took her pce behind the gentleman in the center of the crowd. “You know this might scare a human, but it’s really just annoying for us.” Spotting one vampire that she knew pretty well, Amber waved. “Hey there, Arthur. Good to see you again.”
Appearing though he was in his mid-thirties, Arthur waved and then scratched his messy salt and pepper hair. “Amber.” He affixed his brown-eyed gaze on Jessica, “Jess. Gd you both could make it, under such odd circumstances.” He looked over at the other four, “If this goes okay, it shouldn’t take long at all.” It was a sudden flood of screams outside of where they stood that made Amber crouch as though a fight were about to start. “Amber…” Arthur held up his hands, “That’s not what you…ugh…” He looked to the center of the crowd. “I can’t do this.” He pointed, “In the center, that’s Abel Crimson, a part of the world delegation.” He waved his hands in dismissal. “You do this.”
With a wave of his hand, Abel watched as a couple of staked vampires were tossed onto the closest bonfire and sent a wave of ashes and plumes of hideous-smelling undead smoke curling through the air. “Orion, go ahead and bring out the exile and traitor.” Standing close to seven feet tall, Abel stepped forward and pulled on his suit jacket. “Amber Lane. Allow me to introduce you to someone, very special for our new cause.” He straightened his blue silk tie and folded his short brown hair to the side. With a sarcastic lean towards Amber, the well-groomed vampire offered a mildly sinister smile. “This is my favorite part. Over a hundred years, and I have never had the pleasure of doing this. Glory days. While we wait for Orion, I will go over a few things, if you don’t mind.”
“Go right ahead.” Amber huffed and waved her hands, “So dramatic.”
“Amber Lane. Youngling of eight months and warden of one Jessica Saunders, who also is your partner. You attended William and Mary University in Williamsburg where you earned your bachelor's degree in chemistry and hydroponics. You went on to get a masters degree from Virginia Polytechnical University in Agricultural Engineering. Due to your young age, we will refrain from going back further and jeopardize your ability to speak coherently due to frenzy. Has what you've heard been accurate, Miss Lane?" Abel questioned.
“Sounds about right, but you left out the fact I’m a huntress.” Amber crossed her arms defensively. “Why have you listed my qualifications? They have little use in the middle of this pce.”
“Just setting the record before we continue. It’s important that the others who do not know you, get a glimpse of who you are and were.” Abel pointed them all out as he waited for Orion to appear. “Arthur Lee, you know. Former council member along with yourself.” Going from left to right Abel continued. “Johnathan Miller, former regional member. Grayson Brooks, another local like yourself, and finally Orion Vogels.” Abel pointed to the patch of wheat where the two staked vampires had come from.
An athletic vampire that easily looked as though he were in his forties came from beyond the corn dragging a body that barely passed for a vampire into the middle of the field. Devoid of his legs from the knees down, missing his left arm from the elbow down and hanging like a macabre trophy around his neck were four fangs on a silver neckce. Orion flopped the body to the ground and tore open the shirt that they’d sloppily pced on the creature's torso to reveal an IV bag nailed to his chest and a small tube going directly into his neck feeding the leftover vampire one drop of blood at a time. With a snort and a kick to the side, Orion pointed to the vampire. “King…” he spat, “Cassian Veyne, former ruler of Ohio.” Orion walked to Abel’s right and bowed. “All yours my friend. I know how you like this.”
Quickly stepping between Jessica just in case Abel had other thoughts as he slinked forward with a dastardly grin on his face, Amber took a few steps back and readied herself for a possible confrontation.
One thing that Amber enjoyed above all was when her abilities sensed the difference between normal everyday feeding and being an actual huntress. Comparatively feeding was the better of the two disciplines. Drawing blood, savoring it on her tongue to enjoy the rich iron content, it’s wonderful slide down her throat cooling the burn as it traveled, and finally the satisfaction of eating brought an amazing measure of comfort. By contrast when her huntress ability fred, it washed her vision completely red, somehow told her where the weakest and strongest were, a path of attack and even estimated her own blood loss. Following the activation and its devastation, there was never a sensation of joy or accomplishment but rather the understanding that it was complete.
Spotting the glow reminiscent of a ruby sparkling in her blue-green eyes, Abel simply csped his fingers together and perked one of his long eyebrows. “So the rumor is true.” He took a careful step forward and then hesitated when he heard Amber’s cws lock into pce. “Very well. Please realize that the gentleman..thing here is only a representation of what not to become, Amber Lane.” He quickly waved to Orion, “Document please.”
Having already assessed that Abel was likely the weakest link and it was Orion who presented the greatest threat among the six, Amber carefully spoke. “What did that one do, Mister Crimson?” She patted Jessica on the leg for reassurance while her mind mapped out the path of final death for the six. “You have to realize that bringing half a vampire to an event like this will cause…issues.”
“I believe the word I wanted is distress.” Abel nodded to Orion as he handed over a set of documents. “This one here? This fool thought he was the so-called ‘king’ of Ohio. One of the myriad of reasons we are having this little social gathering.” Whistling a happy little tune as he walked around what was left of Cassian, Abel stopped and unrolled the set of papers he was handed. “Amber, we know that you have been supportive since our…” Abel paused, “...ranks have been depleted, so we are expecting that you will comply with our wishes going forward.” Abel faced the rest of the crowd and they all in turn nodded. “You see, Cassian liked to fashion himself a hunter. He went out of his way to hunt exiles.” Taking a little time for the words to sink in, Abel strode over and picked an ear of corn from a stalk and took a deep whiff of its raw kernels. “Mmm…shop organic, right?” Abel ughed and tossed the cob hard enough to clear the entire field. “Exiles weren’t meant to be terminated, just taught a little lesson before integrating back into the veil.” Abel took a breath and continued, “After that, he started gathering like-minded vampires and created a kingdom in an abandoned subway.” Abel looked down at Cassian. “Maybe that should have been your first clue. If you have to hide like a little sewer rat, perhaps you should have…” Abel stopped and wriggled his nose. “It’s not truly important.” He fixed his hair once more and paced between the bonfires. “Allow me to get to the point.”
