Hunters

Chapter 11

"But he knew you would come, that you would continue his work." She rubbed her hands. "I have been waiting for you for many, many years."

Rachel looked from the nun to Daniel who still had his mouth hanging open. Her brain felt like a ball of yarn after a kitten had its way with it. She didn't know what else to ask, though she was sure this woman had more useful information.

"Did Max leave any information for us?" Daniel's voice shook. "A prediction?"

"Max knew that Vlad is unusual. Being born a vampire, he is much stronger than the made ones. You must seek the shadows. Yet, before this is over, a new war will begin. Many lives will be lost and the innocent will lose their innocence. Blood will flow once more and ignorance will exterminate the future."

The prediction didn't sound good at all. The seeking the shadows and lives being lost thing was as ominous as it gets. Not to mention the blood and extermination. Any information on how to kill Vlad? Rachel held her breath.

The nun let out the unearthly, screeching laugh again. "If Max knew, he would have done it himself. No, this is all I have for you. Until next time..." She held to her cane and eased her feeble body off the bench.

Daniel and Rachel stared at her. She nudged them with the stick until they got up and walked to the door. The two exited the house without another word. The nun slammed the door behind them with more force than she seemed capable of.

The smothering feeling returned. Rachel glanced around, even warier, knowing that invisible creatures floated nearby. Daniel seemed feel the same. He scooped her up and ran down the hill. The wind blew Rachel's hair back and the houses were nothing but a blur. He was going at Hunter speed. If anyone saw them, they'd be in so much trouble.

They reached the car, and Daniel put her in the passenger seat. Even before she fastened her seatbelt, he was behind the wheel, starting the car.

"Sorry, but I want out of here. That thing creeped me out." He turned the car around and drove off with the usual screeching tires.

"Thing? You mean the nun?" Rachel scratched the back of her head. "Wait, go left," she said as soon as they reached the intersection.

Daniel squinted at the cement factory. "Why?"

"I wanna go to that mausoleum thing." Rachel hugged her knees. "And what was that nun? I felt she wasn't a woman."

Daniel followed her directions. "That was a Banshee if I ever saw one. She's what's been producing that aura we find so intolerable. Wraith aura my ass."

Rachel gulped. "Okay. Banshees are real. If she's so horrible to be around, can we trust anything she says?"

"Banshees are neutral creatures, just like wraiths. Only Banshees are really rare. And they don't take kindly to vampires. Brides usually steal their prey."

A freezing sensation seemed to penetrate her very bones. "Banshees feed off humans? Shouldn't we be hunting them too, then?"

"They feed off human feelings. They prefer men's feelings. Hunters never had conflicts with the spirit creatures of the undead." Daniel banged his fist against the steering wheel. "Why didn't Max tell me any of this?"

Rachel watched his scowl, wishing there was something she could do about it. She understood perfectly. Being kept in the dark sucked. Especially concerning something as life changing and important as this.

"Maybe he was afraid you wouldn't believe him," she whispered.

"He knew I would've believed anything he told me. I worshipped the man. His death is right up there with Cheryl—" His voice broke and he focused on the road, his hands still strangling the wheel.