Rachel squeezed the empty shot-glass as she watched Daniel's head loll off his hand and fall on the wooden bar. He was completely wasted. Again.
He grumbled and reached for her. She placed the glass in his palm and he knocked it back, without even realizing he was drinking air.
"This shit gets weaker by the refill," he mumbled and his forehead thumped down on the bar again.
"Had enough?" Rachel asked, her tone dripping acid. "Can we do something else now?"
Daniel perched his chin in his hand, leaning one elbow on the mate wooden surface of the bar.
"Oh, no. Night's still young. Not 'alf as drunk as I should be."
Gritting her teeth, Rachel turned on the moth-eaten stool, and signaled to the bartender. The bulky, bald French man came over and gave her another empty glass.
"Better fill this one up with water," she mumbled.
"Still no luck, cherie?"
"Tell me about it." Rachel heaved a sigh, trying to calm down.
"Hey, buddy, piss off." Daniel pointed at the man. "She's with me."
The barman shrugged and walked away to serve another drunk-out-of-his-mind customer.
Rachel spun to face him. "I've had it with this, Daniel. I'm not with you."
"You're here," he said.
"Only because I don't want to find you lying in your own sick in a gutter!" She jumped off the stool so fast, it fell to the floor. "I'm fed up with you always being drunk. Okay, I get it, you're hurting. It wasn't easy on me either. But it's been eight months! When will you stop drinking your brains out and face the world?"
Daniel gawked at her , looking like a kid being told off by his mother. Even with all the drinking, his eyes weren't bloodshot. Rachel relaxed and reached out to touch his shoulder.
He jerked away. "Don't touch me!"
Oh, hell no! He'd never let her touch him since Cheryl died. Rachel understood. What he'd had to do was cruel, harsh and had obviously torn him up. But it was getting out of hand. She had turned into his babysitter. She'd spent the entire time after Vlad's attack trying to get him back on his feet. Instead of snapping him out of it, she ended up keeping him from throwing himself off tall buildings, from getting into fights and making sure he fed before he turned into an insane killing machine.
"Snap out of it, already." She slammed her fist on the bar in front of him, making him jump.. "I'm sick of cleaning up after you, of making sure you don't kill yourself or others."
Daniel scoffed and returned to his water glass. "No one's forcing you to stay. I want to die. You're doing me no favor by stopping me."
"The only reason I'm not already gone is because I'm your friend. I want to help you." She flexed her fingers, fighting the urge to punch him. Suffering she could get, but not wallowing in self-pity. "I can't believe you're so incredibly selfish."
He watched her through narrowed eyes. "I'm not selfish. If this bothers you, just go. You obviously can't appreciate that I'm trying to protect you."
"Protect me?" That was the last straw. "From what? From getting over all we've been through?"
"From me, okay?" he yelled and stood. He had to grab on to the bar to avoid falling over.
Rachel squinted at him. He was the one person she wasn't being protected from. And it was her own damn fault. She shouldn't be standing here, taking it like an idiot. "You know what? I think it's time we parted ways. If this is how you want the rest of your life to be, fine. I want to move on."
"Rach, I can't move on," he pleaded. "It's too soon and too... confusing."
"For heaven's sake, Daniel, eight months does not qualify as 'too soon'. I've managed to put this behind me."
"I haven't, okay?" His words became less slurred as his advanced metabolism burned the alcohol from his system. The drunken, oblivious expression she'd gotten so used to, turned into one of anguish.
I can't take it. She couldn't deal with his pain, not again. "I'm leaving. If you ever decide you're done feeling sorry for yourself, you'll be able to find me." Rachel turned her back on her best friend and walked out of the bar.
Cold night air hit her face, and her muscles relaxed. She took in a deep breath, holding back her tears. Walking out on Daniel had been one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do, but some part of her strangely felt as if she'd been freed. She could do this.
Paris looked more beautiful in the moonlight than she'd ever cared to notice before. Rachel walked down the street toward the hotel. She'd pack her bags and leave right away. If Daniel was content with destroying himself, that was his choice. She wanted to find Vlad and make him pay.
Turning right on a bridge, Rachel admired the almost full moon. In about three days, Daniel would need to feed. She shook her head. She'd have to stop linking every aspect of her life to him. It wasn't like her whole world revolved around him.
The light of the moon disappeared as she stumbled down a narrow, empty street. She stopped and leaned her back against a wall, staring up at the sky. Why did she feel so uneasy? The small thrill of freedom had rushed out already, leaving a painful void behind. She couldn't be lonely already.
But, the truth was, her world did revolve around Daniel. He'd always been there for her, every single day. Without him, she would've been lost in this crazy world of blood and gore. It had always been him with the answers while she toddled along in his wake. He'd looked after her for seven whole years, and she'd given up on him after only eight months.
No. She banged her fists against the wall. This was different. He was spiraling into self-destruction and she didn't want to enable him. Not anymore. She had a purpose. She'd be fine on her own.
A bitter taste filled her mouth. Or maybe she wouldn't.
Rachel pushed herself off the wall and took a few steps down the street. Her stomach churned.
Come on! I can't be feeling this lonely already. Stupid Hunter addiction to affection! But the feeling wouldn't go away. Instead, it intensified, bringing with it a wave of nausea. She stopped in mid step and turned from left to right. Knot in stomach means unease. Nausea and headache equals vampires.
The street was deserted. Heart beating with excitement, Rachel closed up her leather jacket to hide her weapons. It had been so long since she'd last killed a vampire. Her entire body hummed with anticipation.
Rachel's senses pointed her in the direction of the vampire. She turned the other way and dashed up the street.. A shadow blocked her path. She skidded to a halt. Two of them, huh? Good. She had a lot of frustration bottled up.
As she backed away, she threw a glance over her shoulder. The blood in her veins froze. The vampire she'd thought was behind her turned out to be two bloodsuckers. Shit. Three was a bit too much. She swallowed the slither of fear creeping up her throat. She could try climbing one of the buildings, but the vampires might still catch her. Maybe they didn't know she was a Hunter. The element of surprise could decide the battle.
"Bon soir, gorgeous."
Rachel flinched and butted against the wall as the two vampires came up from her left. She had to play this just right.
"What are you doing alone on a night like this?" One vampire grabbed her shoulder. He was blond and handsome, but still scary as hell, and to her senses, completely disgusting. The other shivered in his companion's shadow, thin and reedy.
"I'm not alone." Rachel breathed through her mouth, trying to avoid their smell. "My boyfriend is meeting me on the other side of the alley."
"But of course, she is lying." The other vampire, a tall one with way too much dark facial hair, joined the party, speaking with a thick French accent.
"If I'm lying, it means I don't want your company." Rachel jerked her shoulder out of the vampire's grip and put her hand under her jacket, on the handle of her pistol. These vamps were begging for holes in the head.
All three vamps backed away, watching her through narrowed, reddish eyes. Damn. She should've sounded more scared, but she was too angry. The blond sniffed the air. He would tell she wasn't human any second now.
Rachel tightened her grip on the pistol, waiting. The blond flinched and stepped back, his nose scrunched in disgust. She whipped the pistol out and rapidly fired three shots. Blonde and Hairy sidestepped the bullets. Thin and reedy received a blow in the head and two in the heart. The remaining two grabbed her wrist and bashed it against the wall. The gun fell out of her hand.
Rachel reached her free hand under her jacket, pulled out her knife and drove it through Hairy vampire's forehead. He screamed and cursed in French, trying to yank it out. Rachel punched Blonde in the stomach. He groaned and let go of her. She jumped as high as she could and grabbed a window ledge. She scrambled up the building until she reached the roof and turned around, her fists raised, ready for the face off.
The blond vampire flung himself over the edge of the building, a grimace on his face. "I should've guessed you're a filthy Hunter. You reek."
"Well, you don't smell like a basket of roses either." Rachel lunged and knocked him down.
She put her hands on either side of his face and jerked, feeling the dull pop as his neck snapped. He screamed in pain and slashed at her. She pulled out of the claws' reach. They tore through the jacket and hacked her belt off.
She punched the vampire in the face. His nose cracked under her knuckles and blood spewed all over her hand. The vampire bucked under her and pushed her off.
He scrambled to his feet and snapped his neck back in position. "You bitch!" he roared. "You're dead!"
Rachel rolled to her knees and yanked an antenna sticking out of the roof. As the vampire leaped toward her, she pierced his stomach with it. She needed to reach her belt and get her stakes and lighter.
Twirling the antenna around like a baton, she stuck it into every soft part of the vampire's body. He roared in pain after every stab, but stayed on his feet. Rachel threw the improvised weapon at him. He dropped to his back.
She rushed to him, but someone grabbed her from behind. A sharp pain ran through her body as they slashed a crisscross on her back.
"Stupid Hunter." The hairy vampire booted her in the back and spat on her. "You think we are so easy to defeat?" Blood dripped from the knife in his hand. Her knife.
Rachel got to her knees. The cut burned, impeding her movement. Losing blood wouldn't improve her odds against two pissed off vampires.
"Let's burn her." The blond got to his feet, clutching her belt. "We have all we need here."
Rachel shut her eyes. She needed her body to heal faster. The pain wouldn't allow her to fight both of them. Fear made its way through her veins like poison. She had to get her weapons back, but the chances were slim.
"Feed first," Hairy vamp growled. "We can cook her after."
Rachel's eyes popped open.
"Ah, hell no!" Daniel landed in front of her. "I get you want to kill her after she humiliated you. But drinking her blood? No fucking way."
"Damn. I should've known they always travel in packs." The blond vampire took out a stake and flung it at Daniel.
He dodged flawlessly. A cocky grin spread on his face, and he charged. The hairy vampire kicked Rachel away and jumped on Daniel's back. She slid on the surface of the roof and stopped right on the edge. She rolled to her knees and scanned the battlefield for the knife.
She spotted the blade by the blond vampire's foot and scurried in that direction. Before she could reach it, the brunette vamp grabbed it and sank it in Daniel's back.
Daniel groaned and dropped to the ground, an easy target for both knife and stakes.
"No!" Rachel jumped to her feet. Her wound throbbed violently. She ignored it. She couldn't let them kill Daniel.
The hairy vampire turned just as she pounced on him. She snatched the knife out of his hand and plunged it into Blonde's head. He groaned and fell over. As soon as he touched the ground, Daniel took out a stake, rolled over and impaled his throat.
Someone grabbed Rachel and pulled her off Hairy's back. Hairy charged at Daniel. Rachel yanked herself free and kicked her captor. Thin and reedy was back. He grabbed Rachel by the throat and lifted her into the air. She kicked and swung her fists at him, trying to break loose. He dodged most of her punches and clawed her across the face. Blood flooded her eyes. She waved her hands, trying to beat the vamp off.
The smell of burning fabric filled the air. The vampire dropped her. Rachel sat up and wiped the blood from her face. Daniel held Reedy by the collar. Hairy throned on Daniel's back, his fangs deep in his shoulder. The third vampire was burning. Daniel used his free hand to pull Hairy off his back and smash him against Reedy. The two vamps growled and pushed Daniel to the ground. The vampires dragged him toward the flames.
Rachel shot forward, but before she could reach them, Daniel freed one hand. He took out his gun and shot Hairy in the head. Rachel grabbed a stake off the ground. Using both hands, she sunk it into Reedy's back and kicked him into the fire. Daniel tossed Hairy after his companion.
"Double kill," he said in a low bass, imitating a videogame voice.
She rushed to him. "Are you okay?"
He sat up, and checked the damage done by the vampires. There were three deep gashes on his chest and many other cuts from the knife and stakes. His t-shirt was soaked in blood.
"I'll live." He screwed his face up in concentration. After a few seconds, blood stopped dripping from his cuts. "This will take some time to heal. Stupid vampires."
"Let me help." Rachel reached for his shoulder, but he pulled back.
"Don't touch me!"
The sudden movement made him cringe. His wounds were graver than he let on. She grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. A shiver ran through her entire body as images flashed before her eyes: her on top of the tower in Prague, twirling her hair around her finger; her, reaching her arm out, looking as though she were about to have it cut off; her and Chris kissing in front of the hotel.
She had no idea Daniel had seen that. Then there were images of Cheryl smiling, talking, radiating life and happiness. Those images were replaced by her pain-filled face as she tried to speak, then by her demonic appearance after she'd turned into a vampire. A new image followed, one of Cheryl, her usual blue eyes crimson and burning with hunger, fangs visible.
Rachel broke contact and fell backwards. "Oh, God!" She gripped the sides of her head, writhing in agony while panting as though she'd run a mile. Daniel had seen Cheryl as a vampire. No wonder he hoped booze would drive those images out of his head. And all that hurt... Tears cascaded down her face.
"Rach, I told you not to touch me." He scuttled next to her. His voice was softer, calmer than it had been since Cheryl died.
"What just happened?" She sat up, still gasping for air.
"I'm too weak to hold back my feelings. I didn't want to share them with you. I didn't want you to feel...all that." Daniel winced and put his hand on his side. "I think you took some of it on yourself. I feel -- I feel much better."
Rachel's breathing finally evened and she stared into the greenish fire. The weight on her heart wouldn't go away completely, even as the images faded. Maybe he was right, maybe she had taken some of his burden. If so, she was glad. She finally understood why he'd been acting the way he had. All that anguish was too much for one person to bear.
"You know," she whispered, "Cheryl would've wanted you to be happy."
Daniel glanced at her, his eyes shinier than usual. "I know. It's just—" He lowered his head. "I know."
"Thanks for saving my butt." She leaned against his shoulder, touching her face. Her fingers brushed the scars and she shuddered. She'd have these lovely reminders for a couple of days.
"Saved your butt? Rach, you beat up three vampires by yourself. I think you could've handled it just right."
She smiled bitterly. "Still glad you could make it to the party."
"I'm sorry." Daniel turned to her, a pained expression on his face. "This is all my fault."
She huffed. "Stop taking all the credit. I walked out on you."
"And you were right to do it. I was a selfish asshole. Not to mention a huge coward." He reached out and wiped some of the blood off her cheeks. "Being drunk all the time, I never had to think clearly. I know it's been equally hard on you."
"I didn't have to kill Chris." Or see him as a bloodthirsty vampire.
Daniel's hand lingered on her face and a sense of desperation engulfed her. She shuddered, but tried not to break contact. There was something else beside the pain this time, a small glint of hope. He really wanted to move on.
How you two broke up wasn't much better, Daniel thought. You've suffered just as much. You're strong. I had to face losing you to come to my senses.
Rachel pulled away and stared at him. "Losing me?" Something about that last thought felt strange. Her heart raced, sending fresh waves of blood dripping through her cuts.
"I focused on your aura after you left. I sensed those monsters closing in on you." He lowered his eyes. "That's when I woke up for the first time since that horrible night. I realized we're still alive. I have something worth living for."
Rachel's hands shook. She wanted to touch him, to see how he felt, but didn't dare.
"Revenge," Daniel mumbled. "I swore I'd get that son of a bitch if it's the last thing I do."
"Yeah, I want that, too." Why the disappointment, then? What was she expecting him to say?
Daniel took her hand and entwined their fingers. "You're the only thing that's kept me sane these last months. So, no more drinking for me. Ever."
Calm determination oozed from him, proving the truth in his words. They would finally start the hunt. Their life would be exciting again.
A picture of the two of them on a grassy hilltop, Daniel's arms around her, filled her mind, but she shook it away. Her feelings were too messed up right now. But one thing was sure. She didn't want to be separated from him ever again.
"Rach, do you feel that?" Daniel raised his head and looked around.
Rachel scanned the rooftops, concentrating on their surroundings. She finally picked up on an aura not unlike Daniel's, only much more bitter. It surely wasn't a vampire.
A tall, cloaked man appeared on the building across the street and, in one swoop, he landed in front of them. His cloak was pinned with a fancy, blue sigil representing a howling wolf's head, identical to Daniel's tattoo. He had longish chestnut hair and deep, dark pools for eyes. Aside from Daniel, Rachel had never seen another Hunter. Until now.
"Daniel Paxton, Rachel Giuliani." His voice was deep and formal. "You have been summoned before the Hunters' High Council for trial."
Rachel blinked. "Trial?"
The Hunter smirked. "Yes, trial. And I suggest you do not run. In your current states, you'd be very unsatisfying prey."
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Thanks for reading another chapter of Hunters. Hope you had fun! Leave a comment or vote in case you enjoyed it. And thank you for your support!