The Hunters Saga #2: The Wolfsbane Rubies

Chapter 10: Moving Target

A/N: So... here's chapter 10! I can't believe I got this one done SO fast, especially with its length :) Anyway, enjoy! ;D 

Chapter 10: Moving Target

   Good advice if you ever decide to visit or even live in New York City: don't go out at night. Alone.

   You're just asking for trouble if you do. 

   Of course, those rules should've applied to me as well, but vampire hunters are smart and careful. It's in our blood, you could say... although all that would really do is get the vamps salivating for new blood at the mere mention of the stuff.

   Ethan hadn't answered any of my texts and I even called him, reaching his voicemail, unfortunately. He was either avoiding me on purpose, sleeping, or on a mission. Since it was only a little after 10 at night, it ruled out the second option, and he'd told me that no one had a mission assigned to them today due to Lily's death.

   I sighed inwardly. Whatever the reason, Ethan couldn't give me a ride, and my new Mustang was parked outside of the complex.

   Damn it, I was stranded.

   Which brought me back to the present moment, walking over the Manhattan sidewalks though downtown. The sidewalks weren't empty, per say – as they never truly were – but there were less people as midnight crawled closer. I could've asked Henri to give me a ride, but the whole situation would be awkward, almost as much as it'd been back at the party.

   I must've looked like a freak walking through the lit and littered streets, the blue dress clinging to me like a second skin. I almost tripped many times, usually at a curb, but I never fell on my face, thank God.

   That was good, at least.

   When I finally reached the nearest subway terminal, I hopped on the 24 hour public transportation: the subway, which was practically empty of people. I saw no tourists – since they only came out during the day, ha – but there were a few supernaturals present. It was their time to thrive, after all. The nightlife was always crawling with the undead and the just pain strange.

   When I got back to the apartment twenty minutes later, I imagined to see my uncle there for some reason. I just thought he'd be there, since our business was unfinished and he'd left in a hurry, it seemed. So, I was a bit surprised when I met an empty complex. No one was there, not even Ethan. Well, at least I didn't feel any bursts of power from a master vampire.

   I unlocked the door, still tensing for an attack.

   Nothing.

   Why was I so sure my uncle would be here? Did he even know where I lived? And if he did, how did he find out?

   I was just being routinely paranoid, I ended up telling myself.

   I headed into the bedroom, the one that I'd once shared with Liz.

   Liz...

   I tried to reach Ethan again, and left him a voice message about retrieving Lily's body from The Wolfsbane Rubies when the sun set again tomorrow. With that done, I tried to lay down and sleep.

   And I do mean tried.

   It was extremely hard with tonight's events going through my mind: Kira's story of the special ring that Henri still wore, the confrontation with my uncle and sister, the slave being thrown from the balcony, and, last but certainly not least, Henri being insanely jealous of Russ. I didn't want to deny the slight feelings I had for the handsome blonde vampire eye candy, but Henri had no right or cause to be jealous.