To Kiss a Killer | boyxman | (OLD VERSION)

Chapter IV - The Slayer

When I was far enough from Dom to look back and he was no longer there, I dropped to my knees and drove my tears of frustration into the palms of my hands. I couldn't breathe consistently or even keep my hands from trembling. "I kissed a vampire," I said to myself, and it felt incredible. "Oh, God," I sobbed, wrapping my arms around my body. "What have I done?"

The guilt was overpowering. It was so foolish, so wrong, but so right.

I couldn't deny he'd stolen my heart, but I couldn't accept that I was this close from making that moment last. He was there in my thoughts, and would be there for as long as it took until I was graced with his company again.

I ran home as fast as my worn-out legs could take me. After getting that call from Julius, I predicted the matter was important, because he never called my phone. I usually got calls from Jackson, but if I were to ever speak with Julius, it'd be when I returned to the house.

Once I made it to the house, I opened the door, and was immediately greeted with a strong hand to my shoulder. Jackson rushed me through the dining room and passed the kitchen. "What's going on?" I asked, but he didn't answer me, so I guessed I'd have to wait until I was where we needed to be: in the den where Julius was sitting on the couch in front of the lit fireplace, TV off.

He was seated with a folded up piece of paper in his hand, an ominous smile on his aging face. He patted his hand on the cushion beside him and I took a seat. "My grandson," he said first, "My blood has been acknowledged."

"What do you mean, Julius?" I asked with confusion.

He handed me the folded paper and I undid it, looking up at him before the text in my hands. "Read it aloud," he added.

Raeden Dalton,

Raeden Dalton, son of Fredwolf Dalton, will be tasked with a target to mark a reigning line of recognition. Given the objectives in the past, you have been remarkable in accomplishing your goals, maintaining your pride in the art of slaying.

For the statement of your undefeated title, the Slayer Public have come to the conclusion that you, our brother, will be the next Hamilton, the next legend; follow these orders and become an immortal of your own kind, a prodigy to us all.

In your city [Wind Ridge] there is a vampire that was created five hundred and fifteen years ago; the name it also goes by is Dominick Von Kraige, and it is a vial being. It was created by an immortal dreaded by the Slayer Public's elsewhere in the world, Demiesius Titus, and it must be slain, in order for another slayer to be allowed to bring Demiesius to a demise.

Find this vampire and slay him.

Slayer Public

When I was done reading the letter Julius slapped a proud hand on my back. "You, Raeden, will go down in history for putting an end to that thing's life. Without it, the life of its maker Demiesius will ail with the loss, become careless, and that's when the Public will swoop in and take it out. The monsters will quiver at our rise to power. Soon they'll all be rightfully exterminated."

I faked a smile, "This is great but comparing me to Hamilton is a little over the top, don't you think? He was... Hamilton."

Julius rose from the couch, "Raeden, I'm sure you'll be ten times the slayer Hamilton ever was. After this you'll only be adding platinum stars to your ranking as a slayer. Soon, our family name will be the talk of the Public. Dalton... sounds about right, wouldn't you say, Jackson?"

I craned my neck to look back at Jackson, but when my eyes met with his, all I could determine was something that was surely far from cheering me on. We shared a scratchy stare for mere seconds before he crossed his arms and backed out of the den. "Whatever," he made clear before disappearing.