Night Hunter
By Stormshadow13
Disclaimer; If I owned, a lot of Yaoi fans would be really happy.
AN: Er, this story was supposed to be up before Halloween but it's instead it's about a week and a half late. I hope you enjoy.
Personal thoughts
(Writing)
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Dark clouds slunk across the sky hiding the nearly full moon from the earth. A shriek of pain tore through the suddenly black night echoing around the buildings of the town. Anyone who heard the cry quickened their steps praying to any deity that happened to be listening to make it safely to shelter.
A figure slinking quietly behind one of these hurrying people pause head turning in interest. The shadow abandoned its perspective prey; spreading great black wings it soared into the night sky. It silently landed on a roof and peered down into the gloomy alley curiously. Purple eyes blinked in surprise then narrowed in speculation. `Interesting, very interesting indeed. `
x
Golden eyes narrowed in concentration as a silver blade sliced once more into the beast. The gigantic spider creature drew back hissing in pain and fury. The slayer stepped foreword ready to end this tiresome fight. The moon emerged from behind the black clouds and pale light glittered off the silver blade as it sliced through the creature's belly. The spiderron collapsed to the ground writhing as black blood began to spread in an inky pool. The slayer stepped in closer dodging the flailing legs and in one swift efficient blow severed the dying creature's head from its body.
x
The shadow watched the surviving figure carefully taking in every detail in growing excitement. The person who'd just killed the spiderron wasn't tall but not short either, he had long blond hair pulled back into a pony tail and large snowy wings folded on his back while he was dressed in white trimmed whit gold. The shadow moved carefully following the white clad figure making sure not to draw the other's attention to himself. It appeared that he had discovered the being responsible for the suddenly diminished population of night walkers. Not that the shadow was complaining mind you, with less competition for hunting grounds, his meals were coming easier. He watched the slayer exit the alley and spread his wings launching himself into the sky.
The shadow waited a few minutes weaving a spell of concealment around himself before he too took to the sky; following at a discrete distance. He watched as the slayer landed and went into the Red Dragon inn. This particular inn was a hang out and paying station for anyone who slew one of the night walkers.
The shadow hovered waiting patiently for the slayer to reemerge, to his great surprise it wasn't very long before the blond appeared in the door. The slayer exited the inn and once more took to the sky. The shadow winged over and once more fell into stalker mode. It was a short flight to the place where the blond was staying. The shadow watched as the white one dropped silently down on to a balcony and vanished through a window. After about ten minutes the light went out but the shadow waited another ten minutes to be safe. He quietly landed on the balcony and reached for the window. He jerked back with a hiss of surprise as his fingers brushed against a powerful but unseen barrier. 'So my little slayer, you have warded your nesting place. Wise, very, very wise. You are proving to be more intriguing then I first thought. I believe that you are going to be worthy prey for me.' The shadow turned spreading his wings heading for his own resting place before the dawns light came.
xxx
Every night over the next week the shadow tracked the white slayer as he continued to decimate the night walker population. With each hour that passed the shadow became more and more certain that not only was this white one worthy prey but also that he had finally found the perfect match for him. The perfect creature to become his mate. The shadow smirked as the slayer for the ninth time that night spun scanning the surrounding area and then the night sky seeking his unseen watcher. `No, no, my pet, it's not quite time for us to meet.` he chuckled silently. `But it will be soon.`
x
Krad glared up at the night sky fuming he knew that he was being watched but every time he tried to locate the watcher he had no luck. It was really beginning to piss him off. He'd been sensing the presents ever since the night he'd killed the spiderron almost a week ago. It also was really beginning to give him the creeps, he didn't like the feeling of being stalked, and he was the hunter not the hunted. The feeling of being watched made his feathers creep but it wasn't just the feeling of being watched that was bothering him but also the feeling behind the unseen eyes. It didn't feel like the typical I really hate you slayer so I'm going to kill you type of stair but more like you look really tasty, I think I'm going to eat you type of stair. He had no desire to become some night walker's meal thank you very much.
He bared his teeth in a feral snarl and gave the night sky and unseen watcher an incredibly rude gesture as he stalked off for the Red Dragon. To his great annoyance the unseen presence now felt amused. Damn it! The bastard was laughing at him; he was going to rip it into little peaces as soon as he found it. This was so annoying it just made him want to kick something, preferably something that yelped when he kicked it. Unfortunately for Krad their was nothing around that he could kick or even snarl at, double damn.
He reached the Red Dragon and strode in heading straight for the inn keeper's office. One short rap on the door granted him entrance. He dropped off the head of the beast that he'd slain this night and picked up the small bag of gold that the human shoved at him. The owner of the Red Dragon was a short fat balding little man with piggy little eyes somewhere in his late 50's and his name was Eariwn. Krad really didn't like the man much but he paid well and after this job Krad could leave this disgusting town.
Eariwn smiled, "Excellent, you do your job well slayer. I believe that there is only a nest of dranpents left."
Krad nodded shortly and turned leaving the way he'd come. Once outside he sighed a breath of relief, maybe just one more night and a day in this place then he could be gone. He spread his wings leaping into the sky heading to his temporary sanctuary. Thank the great spirits that this task was almost over.
xxx
The last of the dranpents fell twitching in death at his feet. The blond slayer severed the head from the body and turned from the destroyed dranpent nest and started in surprise; their was someone standing behind him watching. With a sudden feeling of unease Krad eyed the stranger wearily.
The stranger opened its, no his mouth speaking softly words that caressed over Krad's skin like a lover's fingers. "That was a very marvelous fight. You are greatly skilled with your weapons. It was a pleasure to watch you in action."
It slowly dawned on the blond that he did know this stranger he was the unseen presence that had been stalking him. Krad flushed in embarrassment and anger. How dare this guy spy on him, who did he think he was? Amber eyes narrowed, "Who, are you."
The stranger bowed politely, "I am Dark Mousy. Would you grace me the pleasure of knowing my new mate's name?"
Anger quickly slid into confusion. 'Mate? Did this guy just call me his mate?' Krad stared at the man in disbelief. 'He has got to be joking!'
Dark stepped from the shadows that he'd been standing in and smiled at the incredulous slayer.
Krad's eyes widened as he caught the flash of fangs in the other male's smile. His heart froze for a moment as he took an involuntary step back breathing out one word, "Vampire." 'Oh shit.'
Dark chuckled as he began to close the distance between himself and the startled slayer. 'Damn, the blond was cute when he was caught off guard like this.'
Krad was jerked out of his momentary shock as the vampire started walking towards him. The blond's fingers tightened on the hilt of his silver sword that he still held. If this creature thought for one moment that he was going to lie down and bear his throat meekly the vamp had another thing coming. He shifted into a fighting stance mentally cursing himself for not bringing any vampire gear with him. He'd been lax, just because their hadn't been any rumors of vampires that didn't mean that their weren't any around. Vamps were tricky bastards and very good at hiding. Stupid, stupid, stupid! If he lived through this he promised himself that he'd be a lot more careful in the future. He took just a brief second to wonder how the vampire was staying fed with out leaving any bodies to announce his presence before he lunged.
x
Dark's lips curved into a smile as the slayer charged him. `Awe, his new mate wished to fight him, how cute.` He dodged the slayers first swing and then sidestepped the second blow. Honestly he was surprised that no one had tried to snap this beauty up before, he was gorgeous.
Dark continued to dodge the slayer's attacks while he admired the other male. After a few minutes he sighed mentally as much fun as it was teasing the slayer by keeping just out of his reach it was time to end this fight for the dawn was near. He stepped in ducked under the blond's blade grabbed the white winged man by the arm twisted and through him over his head.
The slayer flipped landing on his back a few feet away and lay stunned. Dark strolled over and knelt next to the dazed and disorientated blond. He slipped his left arm behind the white winged man's shoulders lifting his upper body off the ground while with his right hand he stroked blond hair from the slayer's face. Dark leaned down nuzzling the pale neck breathing in the sweet and heady sent of the blond's skin. He gently licked the milky flesh fighting the sudden and strong desire to sink his fangs into the lovely neck.
The vampire buried his face against the juncture between the slayer's neck and shoulder breathing slowly as he fought for control. 'Not yet, not yet, it wasn't time to turn his mate.' After a second he lifted his head and raised his right hand to his mouth pricking his finger with a fang before lowering the now bleeding digit and slipping it between the slayer's slightly parted lips. After letting the slayer get a taste of his blood, he gently laid the blond back on to the ground.
Dark reached into his pocket pulling out a chain of white gold with a small pendant attached, he then fastened the necklace around the slayer's neck and as he pulled his hands away the catch glowed vanishing. He then pulled a white rose from his jacket and wrapped the slayers fingers around its stem before he rose gracefully to his feet. "I will see you later my mate." He turned and leapt into the sky heading for his day time refuge.
xxx
Krad groaned rolling over to his side moaning softly. Damn it, his head was killing him. The blond lay still struggling to regain his wits. He suddenly sat bolt upright eyes wide as his hand flu to his neck. He blinked in surprise as his fingers encountered a necklace chain rather then a set of puncture wounds. 'What the hell?' Krad pulled the chain away from his body peering at the pendant; it was a star with a crescent moon behind it and had an amethyst set in the middle of the star. 'Sense when did vampires give jewelry rather then biting someone?' The blond staggered to his feet and shook himself only then did he notice the white rose still clutched in his left hand. 'And, since when did vampires give people flowers? What the hell was wrong with this vampire? He couldn't be serious about that mate business could he?' The blond shook his head. 'Nah. Just a weird vampire.'
He walked over and picked up the dranpent head still lying on the ground. As far as he was concerned his business in this town was done. They hadn't complained about a vampire so it wasn't in his contract. Not his problem and he was so leaving this town, that is, as soon as he got paid for this last job. The blond slayer turned heading for the Red Dragon Inn firmly shoving any thoughts of a very strange vampire named Dark Mousy from his head. Oh yeah, he was so out of here.
xxx
Krad stretched rising gracefully to his feet. It was a new night in a new town, time to get to work. He began to gather up his gear there didn't seem to be many night walkers in this town; it was his second night on the job and he'd most likely be done in two or maybe three more nights. He paused reaching up to finger the necklace that the vampire had given him. Then he shook his head that strange vampire was over a hundred miles away. It was truly amazing how far one could fly if one really wanted to leave a place. Krad picked up his sword buckling it around his waist. He stepped to the door opened it and froze staring at a single white rose lying on the floor. No way, it wasn't possible. The blond stooped and picked up the flower. It couldn't be, the vampire had followed him. Oh shit, what the hell was he going to do?
xxx
That night before he went to bed for the day Krad left a note where he'd found that night's flower. Which said, (What do you want from me?"
xxx
The next night Krad found a single white rose with a note beneath it. Dark's note read, (I want to know you." The blond sighed rubbing his temples the vamp had been serious about wanting him for a mate. He wrote out his reply to Dark and left determined not to let the night walker distract him from his job.
xxx
The nights slipped passed one fading into another which turned into weeks, then months. Without fail Krad would wake every night to find a white rose and a note outside his door or window. He never saw Dark in person coming or going but his note would vanish and a white rose with an answering note would appear the next night. At first Krad had tried to dissuade his vampire suitor by being rather unfriendly. But as time wore on the blond found himself becoming curious about the vampire Dark. He began asking questions and to his shock Dark answered them as far as Krad knew, truthfully.
One of the questions that Krad had asked was why Dark kept leaving him white roses. Dark's response surprised the blond. (They are like you. Beautiful and delicate but yet they have sharp thorns.)
At first Dark had earned Krad's grudging respect then liking. After a while Krad found himself telling Dark secrets that he'd never told anyone else. Slowly the blond slayer began to consider the vampire his only true friend. Then it happened.
xxx
Krad swung his sword trying to drive the chimera back. This simple fight had turned into a life and death struggle. He'd come to this town expecting to find just a small tribe of goblins but instead he'd found a chimera. The whole village of Southhane had been in flames and bodies had littered the streets. The chimera had been ruling over a tribe of goblins they had come in and destroyed the town and its people. Krad had killed all the goblins but now he had to fight their master.
The chimera hiss snapping its teeth at the blond slayer's head. Krad dodged the snapping teeth and the attempt to rake him with its claws but he didn't see the tail until it was far too late. The chimera's poisoned barbed tail caught the blond in the side. Krad staggered going down to one knee but he managed to yank the barbed stinger from his side. The chimera shrieked in triumph as the slayer's sword dropped from suddenly nerveless fingers and the blond collapsed to his side.
x
Dark glided cheerfully through the night sky. He was eager to see what his pretty blond was up to tonight. He dropped through black clouds and frown, something was wrong very, very wrong. He caught the sent of smoke and death on the wind. Purple eyes widened and he used his vampire speed to cover the last few miles between himself and the town in a matter of minutes. What the hell was going on? His eyes widened even farther as he saw the town below him in flames. Then he saw something that made his blood run like ice through his veins. He saw his sunlight, his white rose laying motionless on the ground with a chimera standing over him. All thoughts flew from Dark's head leaving behind nothing but pure rage. He folded his black wings and dropped out of the sky with a shriek.
The chimera never saw the vampire coming. Dark shot past the beast as just a black blur. One second the chimera was about to finish off the blond slayer and the next its throat was being torn out by a pissed vampire. The chimera dropped to the ground chocking on its own blood but Dark had already turned away dropping to his knees next to Krad. He carefully lifted the blond's upper body cradling him against his chest.
Golden eyes fluttered open. "Dark?"
The vampire leaned over stroking blond bangs from his slayer's face, "I'm here..." Then Dark's head snapped up in alarm as he sensed a cold presence. He saw the spirit of death gliding around the village she was currently gathering up the souls of the villagers but it wouldn't be long before she came this way. Dark felt his blond slayer shudder in his arms. He glanced down and felt a surge of panic when he saw his slayer's beautiful gold eyes beginning to glaze. The blond was teetering on the border of life and death. He didn't have much time.
Dark leaned down pressing his lips to the blond's cheek. He then felt a brush of cold and glanced up seeing the spirit of death now gliding towards him. He leaned back down lips close to Krad's ear and murmured. "Krad, I can give you a choice, I can make you a vampire like me or you can go with the spirit of death. I won't force you to become what I am. It is up to you." The vampire struggled to ignore the tears that had begun to slide down his cheeks.
Golden eyes shifted peering at the spirit of death. "I… I, don't want to die."
Dark smiled kissing the pale cheek softly before he brushed his lips gently down the blond's neck. He paused lips pressed to the milky skin feeling the pulse beneath the soft skin. The vampire drew back his lips swiftly sinking his fangs into the main artery of his slayer's neck. Dark sighed in pleasure as the sweet warm blood poured into his mouth. He'd been wanting this for so long but it also made him sad that it had to be this way. He closed his eyes enjoying the taste of the slayer's blood only stopping when he felt the heartbeat beginning to falter. Dark then
raised his mouth from the blond's neck and swiftly bit into his own wrist pressing the now bleeding wound to the slayer's lips. "Drink," he murmured softly stroking silky blond hair. At first he just felt his blood trickling into the blond's mouth but all of a sudden Krad's hands rose pressing Dark's arm closer and began to suck at the wound. Dark glanced up at the spirit of death and smiled victoriously. "You can't have him, he's mine."
The spirit of death nodded and turned away vanishing taking the souls of the dead with her to the spirit realm.
After a few minutes Dark pulled his wrist away from Krad's mouth and stood lifting the new vampire in his arms. He smiled down tenderly at the blond as he felt the former slayer snuggle against his chest.
Krad closed his eyes and relaxed into his mate's arms. He was so tired from the near brush with death and then the transformation into a vampire. He smiled as he felt Dark leap into the air heading for their refuge from the light of day.
xxx
AN: A Spiderron is like a gigantic spider and a dranpent is like a cross between a dragon and a serpent.