Hunters

Chapter 6

Seven men awaited them behind the bench, their faces appearing carved out of stone. Rachel blinked. These people seemed to have no age. And their eyes were cold enough to send shivers down her spine. They looked ready to hang her and Daniel right there and then. She could almost feel a noose around her neck.

The blond, bearded man at the center of the bench motioned for them to approach. As they did, Rachel tried to find a trace of human emotion in his light-blue eyes.

"I assume you are familiar with protocol?" Even his voice sounded like a prerecorded message.
Daniel nodded and put his hands behind his back. Rachel shook her head.

The judge raised his eyebrows at Daniel. "You've left her in the dark completely, haven't you, Paxton?" He turned his head to Rachel. "Young lady, when in the presence of the High Council, one must hold one's hands behind one's back and one's gaze averted form the members' eyes. It is a sign of respect and good manners."

Rachel shifted her gaze and stared beyond the Council members, at the painting on the wall. As she put her hands behind her back, she felt like a punished kindergartner.

"Head Hunter," said a redheaded judge on the bearded man's right. "Shall we begin the procedure?"

The Head Hunter nodded and leaned back in his chair. A hooked-nosed man, furthest to the left, stood and cleared his throat.

"In the presence of these witnesses, we shall pass judgment on Daniel Paxton and Rachel Giuliani. Common charges: being outside division control, killing without reporting, endangering human lives, breaking the oath of secrecy and hunting without a permit."

Rachel did a double-take. Hunting without a permit? These people had to be joking. Were they being condemned for poaching?

"Further charges against Daniel Paxton: turning a human into a Hunter, not registering said new Hunter, and not reporting the death of his partner to the High Council."

Rachel stared from the painting to Daniel. He only shrugged as though to say, 'Eh, shit happens'.

"The Prosecutor for the Council suggests the following measures be taken," he raised his voice.

"Exclusion from the order of the Silver Wolf for Daniel Paxton, punishment by death for both accused."

"What?" Rachel stepped forward, completely forgetting not to stare straight at the council members. Every inch of her skin prickled, as if to make her aware that her body was alive and wanted to stay that way. "Kill us? For doing our jobs?"

"Watch your tongue, girl!" a dark man on the Head Hunter's left snarled.

"Look." Daniel took a step forward. "There's no reason for all this. Yes, I've breached protocol. I haven't reported like, ever. And I didn't tell you that Max died, but that's only because—"

The dark man waved him away. "The Council is not interested in petty excuses."

"You didn't believe Max about Vlad." Daniel raised his voice above the murmurs in the room. "I think it's worth investigating."

"You defiant imbecile!" The dark Council member stood and banged his fists against the table. His curtain of greasy hair flopped around his sunken face. The other members of the Council stared at him as if they'd never seen him before. "Chasing stupid legends is not what Hunters do. Our job is to protect humans from the creatures of the night."

"Oh, yeah, and that's working out just fine." Daniel clenched his fists. "When's the last time any of you actually killed a vampire? All you do these days is sit on thrones and forbid others from doing something useful."