Revolution (The Risen Series Book 2)

Chapter 1 ~ Where's Waldo

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Chapter 1: Where's Waldo
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Panting, dropping the slippy, blood covered knife, the red haze slowly disappeared from my vision. I pushed myself to my feet, sure that this Fallen would never get up again. I'd hacked it into so many pieces that even if I hadn't decapitated and thoroughly staked it, there would be no healing.

"Feel better now?" Kincaid asked from where he leaned against the wall of the upscale Hotel.

"No."

"You should have lead it into a quieter part of the city. There's too many humans crawling around this place," he admonished. "And you've made it harder to clean up by mashing it into the ground."

My gaze flicked towards the bright lights on the other side of the alley. I could hear the buzz of voices and music but I wasn't concerned about being spotted. The only thing crawling around this side of the hotel was rats. Maybe I had taken it a little far, maybe I'd let myself get lost to bloodlust, but it was the only way to vent my growing frustrations. 

Kincaid's constant scolding was beginning to get to me as well. Nothing I did seemed good enough for him. "If you don't like the way I hunt, you can do it yourself."

We both knew he was more than happy to let me get my hands dirty as he dialled whoever it was that cleaned up my mess. I'd let my anger and frustration get the better if me tonight, I would admit that. What was left of the body of the Fallen would be impossible to recognise, and that was the excuse I'd use for what I'd done. Disgust began to creep in.

It was the same cycle most nights for the last few weeks while the old castle style mansion Zena had procured for us filled up with vampires; I'd leave with Kincaid, hunt down any Fallen or other creature of the night causing havoc, release my rage, then feel guilty for killing and return in a sour mood. Even I was beginning to wonder why I kept doing it, but it was a distraction. 

"We should be getting back. You have duties."

"There's still enough time before sunrise to hunt one more down," I argued, picking my blade back up and wiping it on my ruined jeans.

Kincaid sighed heavily, pushing himself from the wall to fix me with his famous, golden glare. "What if there is nothing left to hunt, Shylah. We've killed many Fallen now. This isn't the way to deal with your annoyance about losing track of Airell and we're not going to find him here. He's long left the country."

"There's always something to hunt," I replied stiffly.

"Shylah-"

"You can come with me, or you can go back," I stated, waiting for his decision, already scenting the air for a trail to follow, to distract me.

I felt like I had been playing a giant game of Where's Waldo, except Waldo was an ancient vampire, and losing the game could mean the end of the world as we knew it.

Catching the scent of blood in the air, I jumped and grabbed the hanging ladder of the Hotel fire escape. Climbing quickly, the clatter of Kincaid following me met my ears. For all he argued, he always followed me. I wasn't sure whether Atanas had ordered him to or if he simply worried about leaving me on my own. His exterior may be hard, but I was beginning to see that he felt more than he let on, he was loyal and caring in his own way.