Huntress

The Alley was where the non-human teenagers of town gathered, Warlocks, Vampires, Witches, Hunters, half Fae, Werewolves, etc, despite the tension between the different species. We lived in a small town so others from neighboring towns would come in as well, creating a large group of minor Paranormals with lots of hormones. Fights were normal at The Alley, which was really not an alley at all; it was an area in the woods with a large natural bare circle, no trees, just grass. A bonfire was roaring when we arrived, even though it was early evening the sun was already sinking fast. A large group of teens were already there hanging out and talking, some already sparring, testing strengths and weakness or having bets.

Sam parked her car along the others and we got out, tugging on our parkas as we approached the fire.

“SAM!!” someone called out another half faerie.

Sam turned towards the voice and smiled at her cousin, “hey Kaylie, anything happening tonight?”

“Nah, seems quiet tonight, no high tension. I heard you are taking the Hunter into Faerie,” she said jerking her head towards me.

“The Hunter is here by the way,” I said, hating the way the faeries acted like I wasn’t there, it was always like that.

Kaylie looked at me, she was half Fae but not welcomed in Faerie, her father never claimed her though her uncle had, he was compassionate towards the half-breeds which amused the Queen. Being a niece to Sam’s father wasn’t enough to gain her access into Faerie, knowing that I had been invited seemed to have pissed her off.

Great, I thought, just what I need another Paranormal pissed off at me.

“I’ll let you two catch up,” I muttered and walked away towards the fire smiling slightly at the warmth.

“Hunter…” said a soft eerie voice and I turned slowly towards the vampire teen.

“Sean,” I said just as soft, “back to get your ass handed to you?”

“Always a pleasure to hear you speak Hunter.”

I studied the teen vamp, tall, handsome, dark hair, slightly curly, very suave and totally not white as snow people expected but creamy warm caramel. He also didn’t have full canines and wouldn’t get them until he died and became undead; he had small ones that still worked just as well.

“Seriously what you want Sean? You never approach me unless you want a fight which I could totally use right not, interested?”I asked before adding, “oh or ask me to prom.”

Sean laughed, “eager aren’t you but unfortunately not tonight. Though I wish you would come to prom with me, my love”

“Don’t call me that and I am not going to prom with you. I am not going to be some vampire toy so take your prom offer and shove it up your ass,” I hissed.

He arched an eyebrow, “Temper, temper Hunter.”

I watched him walk away and disappeared in the trees before turning to head to the bonfire wondering why he called me out when he appeared behind me, his lips brushing my earlobe, his hands on my hips, I tensed but didn’t move.

“A warning Hunter, someone wants to kill you,” he murmured darkling into my ear as if whispering sweet nothings before vanishing just as quickly.

I shivered and said softly into the night, “seriously, dark and mysterious isn’t winning you any prom date points.”

A bodiless laugh and I knew he heard me, I walked away tensed and ready to punch him if he tried to sneak up on me again. I sat down one of many blankets thrown on the cold ground. The blankets were spells to be warm during the cold months and cool during the hot months and were stored in magick-protected trunks that were kept in a huge oak tree with a hollow base. Interesting warning, I thought since I knew my cousin wanted me dead and anyone with a Pride grudge could see my death as a blow to my Pride community since I was the heir.

Sean, he was a pleasurable temptation. He had made it clear to me several times that he would happily engage in intimidate activities and I had heard plenty of stories on just how good vampires could be, they were very sensual creatures. I never took him up on his offer and he had long stopped making them in the verbal sense, instead he made them in the physical sense, like just now. Soft feather like touches, enough to make my skin tingle and wondered what more would feel like.

Unfortunately as temping at the idea was, the though of being physically intimidate with someone sent me into a panic only Sam could calm me from. I had long gotten use to Sean’s soft touches and they no longer bothered me as they did before because as a vampire he would never take it a step further, it was against their nature and code. Taking someone by force or against their will was a huge taboo in the vampire so in that sense I knew I was safe, unless he turned rogue, which I highly doubted.

Part of me was really tempted by Sean and I knew part of my aggression towards him was because deep down I liked him and the attention he always gave me, and the other part of me was terrified of what that could mean or lead to. Michael had totally screwed me up mentally and emotionally, yet another reason to hate him.

“Sean?” Sam asked plopping down next to me handing me a foam cup of something steaming.

“How did you know? This isn’t vampire hot cocoa right?”

“Its regular, the thermoses were just opened, no time for the vampires to spike it and I saw you two, what did he say?”

“Basically warning me that someone wants me dead,” I took a sip of the rich chocolate almost moaning as it went down but wrinkling my nose at an odd bitter under tone at the end, someone must of burnt the milk.

“As in ha ha dead or like serious dead?” she asked concerned.

“Is there really a difference, I don’t like pranks but I think serious dead but its not like I don’t have enemies.”

“Well at least you will be in Faerie during the holidays not that that is much safer but you will be under the Queen’s protection but if anyone tries to harm you they have to answer to her. So I think for the most part you should be safe.”

“Thanks,” I replied sarcastically, feeling odd.

Sam lifted the foam cup to her lips; I suddenly lunged forward and slapped it from her hand.

“Shit, it’s witches’ brew!” I said bolting to me feet, as the earth tilted under me.

Witches’ brew was a poison and affected Hunters, Fae and Humans the worse and could be fatal. My magick crackled around me like blue lightning making it self known in the physical sense, people turned to look at me.I noted some people already feeling the Witch’s Brew’s affects, stumbling, others laughed and asked who spiked the hot chocolate with alcohol.

“Where did the Witches’ Brew come from,” I snapped fighting off it affects, ignoring the spinning world.

Everyone began throwing their cups into the fire or on the ground with words and shouts of disgust, and lots of people tried forced themselves to vomit but that was the thing with Witch’s Brew vomiting wouldn’t do a thing. Though I was sure it wasn’t very strong I was sure it would make a lot of us really sick. It was probably someone’s idea of a sick joke.

The Witches and Warlocks immediately began to argue they had nothing to do with it while the vampires and other paranormal surrounded them, throwing the blame towards the likely targets. It wasn’t called Witch’s Brew for nothing.

“ENOUGH!” I shouted using my magick to make it echo, giving it a touch of thunder.

“Everyone get home and get treated for Witch Brew poisoning, I think the dose is mild enough that no one should die if you get treated immediately, you will just be very sick. If you are a magick wielder don’t do any magick it will only push the poison into your bloodstream faster as your metabolism increases and then it can be fatal.”

People began to disburse figuring out who could drive whom home or to whose house to go to for treatment.

“The Pride will treat anyone who needs it free of charge!” I called out as well, opening my phone and fumbling but finally getting a text to my aunt of the situation.

“We need to get you treated,” Sam said putting a hand at the small of my back.

I turned to look at her, smiling softly, “I think it’s too late,” I whispered before my knees gave out and she caught me.

“You used magick…” Sam said softly in shock as she started to try to get me to me feet.

“I can help,” Sean said softly appearing out of nowhere, making both of us jerk.

“You are not biting me Sean,” I panted.

“You could die. I can clear some of your system.”

“I think that was the expected outcome. They knew I would recognize the drink and react with magick, which would speed up my metabolism. They made it strong enough to make everyone really sick but not die from it because they would get treated in time.Whoever did this knew I would react with magick automatically; it has always been that way with me. If other Hunters reacted with magick too and died oh well…they got what they wanted, me dead.”

Sean shook his head, “I will not leave you here to die my love.”

“And I wont let you bite me and…we wont make it to my house in time,” I replied back, biting my lower lip to keep back a cry of pain as the sensation of knifes stabbing me all through out my body over came my senses, I hunched over on the ground.

“I can get her to her Pride faster then your car Fairy.”

“Go,” Sam said and I could hear the anguish in her voice.

I didn’t feel Sean scooping me up into his arms, nor did I hear the whistling of the wind that passed us as he ran at full vampire speed through the woods and night towards my home. I didn’t hear or see the shouts and exclaim of my uncle and aunt as they opened their front door to a vampire with their niece in his arms. I only heard, sensed, felt and tasted pain.

Notes

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