Bloody and Wild

Slayer

"Who are you?" Ryder's voice came from right behind her, Lauren's heart jolted in surprise but she was relieved when the vampires blood red eyes released hers to look over her head at Ryder.

"Aiden McElroy," he replied, a confident and easy smile gracing his handsome face and revealing two adorable dimples. His accent was thickly Scottish, Lauren guessed that he was around late twenties, perhaps early thirties, or at least had been when he was alive. She paled and swayed slightly on her feet, that was a creepy thought. Stubble roughed up his jawline and he was extremely trim and somehow sexily gaunt with his high cheek bones and large, slanted eyes.

Lauren squeaked when Ryder pushed her aside, she quirked an eyebrow up in bemusement when she realised the Ryder had put himself between her and the vampire. Ryder glared coldly at the vampire, his jaw clicking in frustration as his nostrils flared.

"How the fuck did you get passed my guards?" He growled, but Aiden didn't even blink.

"I walked. They were very helpful in giving me directions to you." Aiden replied easily, with an air that implied he was imparting good news. Ryder balled his hands into fists.

"I was actually referring to a different kind of guards," Ryder's tone had become deadly quiet and Lauren felt a chill run down her spine on hearing it. Aiden's smile dropped and he leant toward Ryder.

"It was your Cold Children that I was referring to, well them and your interesting...pets." Aiden's eyes gleamed with mischief and he grinned once more. "I'm a vampire. You'll have a struggle showing me something that I haven't seen before." He boasted cockily, he glanced briefly at Lauren and winked. Lauren crossed her arms in front of her and scowled at him.

"We'll see about that!" Ryder raised his left hand, a sudden gale whipped Lauren's hair about her shoulders, doors slammed shut and the lights flickered alarmingly. Lauren realised uneasily that her breath was fogging up in front of her and she shivered.

"But why when I've come to help you?" A terrible scratching sound assaulted her ears and she looked to the floor in horror. The floorboards beneath Ryder had iced over and the layer of frost was spreading, the pale white tendrils about to bite at Aiden's toes. "Unless you don't need my council, hey if dying is your gig then I won't stop you." Ryder hesitated, "But perhaps you plan on winning this war you've started?" Aiden grinned confidently. The ice retreated slowly.

"What do you suggest?"

"Magic can't fight magic, just as a wolf can't completely destroy all wolves and a vampire can't exterminate all vampires. The fight is too even, you may win the end but your causalities will be greater than they need be. You'll never have the decisive advantage."

Lauren frowned in confusion, what did he mean by 'magic can't fight magic'? It was gibberish to her. "But you know this, that's what the werewolves are for," Aiden scoffed, "Use them and your war is over before it's begun. The werewolves stick to their own kind. They obey and never leave the lands they're born in. None of them have the brains or ambition to truly help you."

"Vampires are nearing extinction, how useful can you be?" Ryder sneered, his lips curling up in a mocking smile. Aiden grinned wider and with more warmth.

"Priceless, vampires are falling, becoming extinct and yet I have survived. What does that say about me?" His arrogance had become grating and Lauren felt the sudden desire to knock him from his pedestal, a desire stoked by her failure to wound Ryder earlier.    

"That you serve your own cause and nobody else's," Lauren boldly interrupted. Ryder smiled at her response.

"Good point my little dove" Ryder responded smoothly.

"Don't call me that," she snapped. She stepped toward Aiden and narrowed her eyes, inspecting him closely. "What do you get out of this?"

"It says that I am the best, not just faster and stronger than my enemies, but more cunning, intelligent and creative." Aiden's smile had become thin as he glared down at her.

"You didn't answer my question,"

"I'll discuss that in private with your partner," he looked up to Ryder and they shared 'a look' it was a look that said they understood one another.

"I'm his captive not his girlfriend," Lauren cut in quickly. Aiden's eyes appeared to gleam, which was disconcerting, and he grinned mischievously.

 "So you're single then?" He asked suggestively, his dimples winking at her. 

"No," she replied hotly.

"Her current relationship status is none of your concern," Ryder interrupted firmly.

"I see," Aiden smiled wider, his expression smugly superior and all knowing. Lauren would have slapped him if she were able to reach him passed Ryder.

"You know, I might acquaint you with my favourite stake. I have a feeling you'd get on so well." Lauren's tone was laced with sarcasm as she glared daggers at him. Aiden chuckled.

"Fancy yourself a vampire slayer, do you?" he replied teasingly, he tried to take a step passed Ryder toward her by Ryder moved quickly to block the vampire's path.

"I prefer the term Vampire Hunter, after all the hunts where all the fun's at. You might have heard of my family? The Fox's of Ducks Bottom?" Lauren could have cursed which ever idiot named the idyllic village of her upbringing, 'Duck's Bottom' suggested senile biddy's rather than thrilling daemon hunters. However the words had the desired effect. Aiden's smile vanished and he began to look uneasy.

"Gerard Fox's daughter?" he questioned apprehensively. Ryder was looking intently between the other two, an irritated vein throbbing in his forehead. 

"Granddaughter," she corrected, trying her best to mask her own surprise.

"I'll take you through to my office," Ryder interrupted attempting to push Lauren aside once more. Ryder and the vampire made to move passed her but Lauren grabbed a hold of Aiden's arm. He wore a thin shirt and his arm felt cold through the material. Lauren went on her tip toes to put her lips to the dead man's ear.

"Keep that in mind before you try anything on me," she hissed silkily before releasing him and watching the two men retreat to the depths of the pack house. Lauren gnawed at her lip. She wanted to get inside that office, to find out what was going on here, and now she finally had all she needed for her disguise but, it would only give her one shot and so many things could go wrong.

It would be even easier if Ryder asked her into the office, easier if he told her his plans and gave her the key. Could she do it? Could she get close to a creep like Ryder? Would she be able to... seduce him?

If her friend Chloe was here her answer would be simple, 'he's a guy, he thinks with his cock, please the cock and you have the guy - nothing to it babe.' Lauren grinned in spite of herself. This would work, she knew it would and when it did, she'd save her soul mate and get the hell away from here. If it failed the scissors could serve as a rather wild and daring plan B.