Into the Darkness (Prequel to The Hunters Saga)

Chapter 20: Us & Them

A/N: Welcome to the last (second-to-last if you count the epilogue) chapter of Into the Darkness, guys :D Hope it was worth the wait!! Important note at the end of the chapter, DON'T SKIP! ^_^ Enjoy, and thanks for reading <3

Chapter 20: Us & Them

   The smell of smoke was quick to reach the club. Henri Sinclair was at Dusk to Dawn when he sensed the danger, smelt the smoke, and heard the sizzling. Just his senses reminded him of another time in his past; a dark time. One where his sister and parents had perished on a summer night.

   Shaking his head to clear it, Henri moved past the entrance and followed his instincts. Said instincts led him to a girl; one that seemed to be barely conscious.

    He... He knew this girl...

   Dark brown hair... so soft...

   Christina...

   "No," the vampire growled at himself. Christina was dead; this girl has to be...

   Carefully, Henri approached her. The girl's breathing was shallow, and she wouldn't open her eyes, even as he moved closer. He knew this human... but he didn't know why she was there. The young hunter was propped against the brick of the building, and there was dried blood on her slightly torn clothes.

   "Hunter?" She didn't respond. Henri quickly grew impatient. "You... What are you doing here?" Something flickered in the distance, and it caught the vampire's attention. Henri saw the warehouse, alight with orange and yellow. His eyes widened slightly. What...

   Henri looked over the girl again before a voice called out to him. "Master!" The vampire turned. It was only Riley, one of his lackeys. Henri's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

   "Someone tipped them off."

   "Excuse me?"

   "The hunters are coming," Riley whimpered softly. "Do you think they know about..." His voice trailed off as he looked down at the human. "Isn't that Antoinette Drake?"

   "Yes, it is," I confirmed casually.

   "W-what is she doing here?"

   Henri managed a shrug. "Hell if I know." He looked at the burning building not so far away. "If I had to guess, I'd say she got into some trouble." Shaking his dark head of hair, Henri got to his knees in front of the hunter.

   "Henri," Riley began, sounding anxious. "What are you going to d-"

   "Call 9-1-1, Riley," Henri offered, not looking at the other vampire. "Tell them there was a fire."

   "B-but what about her?"

    Henri felt his fangs come out, and he swiftly bit into his wrist. "Go now, Riley, before those hunters come." The younger vampire sped off without another protest, leaving Henri with the girl.

   Antoinette Drake.

   Henri scoffed as he tilted the girl's chin up, opening her jaw in the process. Once that was done, Henri placed his bleeding wound against her parted lips, so that the liquid could do its work healing her.

   Healing her... Why am I...

   The vampire shook his head again. That was a stupid question. She'd obviously been through so much already, and death wasn't an option for her. Sighing after a moment, Henri removed his wrist and let it heal itself. Color had returned to the girl, but she had yet to open her eyes to look up at him.