*Chapter 11: Hunter and Vampire*


"Where could Espio be? He disappeared from the hospital while the dead body is there. A vampire attacked again." Vector said, walking alongside Knuckles. They stood in the streets, looking for Espio ever since they heard that he is nowhere to be found. "I hope he's okay."

"He could turn invisible, Vector. I don't think a vampire could see him." Knuckles said. "I'm sure he'll turn up."

"You called, domni?" A voice spoke. Vector and Knuckles turned to see Espio walking towards them with a smile. Rouge is walking behind him.

"Espio! You're okay!" Vector said, approaching him. "What happened to you?"

"Long story." Espio said. "But, I have a friend with me. Knuckles, Vector, this is Rouge the Bat." Rouge came up to smile at the crocodile and the echidna. She curtsied to them.

"Hello." She said, bowing her head. Her eyes set on Knuckles who stared back at her. Then, her heart started to beat. Knuckles took off his hat and took her hand.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Rouge." He spoke with a smile. He kissed her hand. Rouge felt a slight shock in her, making her gasp. Knuckles pulled his lips away to see her face. Rouge blinked at him. "Are you alright? Did I offend you?" Knuckles asked.

"Uh, no. No, you didn't." Rouge said. "It's just...you are...such a gentleman."

"Well, then, nice to meet you Miss Rouge." Vector said, taking Rouge's hand and kissed it gently. Vector faced his detective partner while Rouge had her eyes on Knuckles. She knows that he is a vampire hunter. Of all mobians, why him? She's a vampire, and he is a vampire hunter. Rouge has found her true love. Her mate. "Why don't you two get to know each other while we head back to our office?" Vector suggested, giving Knuckles a wink. The red echidna blushed a bit. Espio gave her a glance.

'I'll be fine. After you and the others taught me of the vampire abilities, I'll handle Vector. Get to know Knuckles.' Espio spoke in mind.

'It wouldn't hurt. But, remember not to reveal yourself to Vector.' Rouge replied in mind. The chameleon nodded and walk alongside Vector. Knuckles has his elbow out for Rouge to take.

"Shall we, my lady?" He asked. Rouge slowly wraps her arm in Knuckles' and they take a stroll through town. Rouge couldn't believe this happened to her. She always sees Knuckles from afar, but never had this feeling until now. When she looked into Knuckles' violet eyes, she felt it. It felt warm. And she did like it. "You stay safe from those bloodsucking vampires, Miss Rouge?" Knuckles asked.

"Uh, yes. But please, call me Rouge." The white bat replied. "But, aren't you worried about you and your team becoming...next? The vampires could strike at you in seconds."

"Nah. They wouldn't dare come near us." Knuckles said with a smirk. "Besides, one of them killed my wife." He stopped as he thought back of his deceased wife. "Tikal doesn't deserve such a fate. Of all the mobians, why her?" Rouge lowered her ears a bit and place her hand on his shoulder. Knuckles sighed a bit, fighting back the tears.

"I'm so sorry."

"I swear, I will find this vampire and kill him. That bastard will die." Knuckles said.

"...Do you remember what this vampire looks like?" Rouge asked.

"Hard to tell, but...I think it's a wolf." Knuckles said. Rouge wondered if the vampire wolf is the same one who bit Espio. It may be possible. "But it doesn't matter. The vampires must go. They have killed enough."

"...Right." Rouge said, trying not to look nervous around him. She cannot reveal herself to him. He will kill her too. Knuckles turned to her.

"Why are we talking about those monsters? We should get to know each other first." He said, forming a small smile. "I would like to introduce you to my crew." Rouge smiled back at him. Knuckles lead her down the street to visit the bar.


The bar was filled with the echidnas and few other mobians. The bartender is serving the female echidna a beer who tipped him in thanks. She turned to the see the door open and see her leader, Knuckles. But she noticed Rouge behind him outside the door. Rouge looked inside to see the bar filled with half of the vampire hunters.

"Rouge? What's the matter?" Knuckles asked. "Come in. They won't bite." Rouge smiled in relief and step inside. Hard for her to be invited in some places if she wants to shop.

"Knuckles!" Everyone cheered.

"Good afternoon, everyone! Remember don't drink too much for tonight!" Knuckles said. Some of the echidnas laughed and went back to their break by chatting and drinking. Rouge followed Knuckles up to the bar to sit next to him. The female echidna stared at Rouge with a raised brow.

"Hello, Mr. Echidna. The usual?" The bartender asked, wiping the glass. "Oh, who is your guest?"

"A new friend. Rouge the Bat. And the good news is, Espio is unharmed and went back with Vector. I'm sure I'll hear the story sometime later." Knuckles said.

"That's wonderful! Two drinks coming up!" The bartender said, walking away.

"Knuckles, who is Rouge? Your new girlfriend?" The female echidna asked.

"No. We just met." Knuckles said. "Rouge, this is my second in command, Shade."

"How do you do?" Rouge asked, smiling a bit.

"Very well, thank you." Shade said. Rouge doesn't know why, but Shade keeps staring at her. Like she is studying her. It made the bat nervous.
Rouge drinks her wine as she is listening to Knuckles' story of how he wanted to become a vampire hunter in the beginning. Knuckles was trained hard to be one a few years back, and then he is the leader. He catches the vampires on sight many times before, but didn't kill them until the next day. They must be tied up to the stakes and be burned alive in the sunlight in front of the citizens. It wasn't a pretty sight, but the mortal mobians will know that vampires must go. If only Rouge could tell Knuckles and the other hunters that not all vampires are bad. They are some good ones.

"Thanks to the young fox's invention, we could kill those monsters faster." Knuckles said.

"You mean the Bullets of Garlic?" Rouge asked.

"Yes." Shade said with a nod.

"Shadow...told me about them." Rouge said, rubbing her chin. Knuckles and Shade turn to her.

"You mean Count Shadow?" Shade asked. "He hardly comes around town!"

"How else had he heard?" Rouge asked them with a shrug.

"Best he knows." Knuckles said. "Maybe someday we could visit the castle of the count's."

"No!" Rouge said loudly. The mobians flinched when she yelled. Rouge cleared her throat and look at Knuckles. "No. You...can't. Because...the count is...busy with his date. With Lady Marianella Robotink. Someday those two will tie the knot."

"Lady Maria? But, I thought she was going to marry Lord Antoine D'Coolette?" Shade asked.

"They're not engaged. And besides, Count Shadow might be the first choice Maria will marry." Rouge said with a smile.

"Is that so?" A voice spoke from the doorway. Rouge and the others turn to see Antoine standing there with a smirk. He walked inside the bar. Behind him are Scourge, Fang, Bean, and Barker. Rouge had her eyes on the wolf. Could he be the one who bit Espio and killed Knuckles' wife? "Come in, gentlemen." Antoine said. His crew walked in. Rouge could smell them.

'Oh no...' Rouge thought.

"Sorry for interrupting, but I couldn't help but overhear you." Antoine said, walking towards Rouge. "Oh, how rude of me. I am Lord Antoine D'Coolette." He took Rouge's hand for her to kiss, but Rouge pulled away.

"Likewise, sir." Rouge said. "I've heard of you."

"Lord Antoine, what do we owe the visit?" Knuckles asked.

"Nothing, monsieur. We were in town and drop by and then this lovely lady mentions that Lady Maria might be choosing Count Shadow over moi?" Antoine said, smirking.

"She might." Rouge said, trying not to sound challenging. "Those two have been seeing each other a bit often."

"Oh, do not worry, my lady. I will be seeing Lady Marianella tonight at her manor. I've been a bit busy lately, and now I have the time to see her." Antoine replied.

"I hear that Lady Maria is loaded and the most beautiful hedgehog in town." Barker spoke. Rouge stared at him with a sneer. "I say that she and Lord Antoine make a wonderful couple."

"What if she isn't interested in marrying you, Lord Antoine? What then?" Rouge asked, turning to the coyote. "Surely you wouldn't force her to marry you so soon."

"Of course not." Antoine chuckled. "I'd give her a month to fall in love with me. If her feelings kick in, we will marry." Rouge was about to protest, but a male mongoose walked in. He approached Knuckles with worry and fear.

"Sir, forgive me for interrupting your break, but I'm looking for someone." He said. "I'm Ash. I'm looking for Mina the Mongoose." Antoine stared at the male mongoose in silent.

"Mina? Never heard of her or seen her." Knuckles said. "Why me? Didn't you see the detectives? Espio is back."

"Well, no. I'm so worried, I couldn't even think. She's so beautiful and mean so much to me. We met days ago and...I've already fallen in love with her." Ash said. "Thank you for your time, sir." The male mongoose left the bar.

"That was strange." Shade spoke, finishing her drink. "Has this Mina gone missing?"

"Either that or she's been attacked by a vampire." Knuckles said. "Well, time for us to head back out. Break time over." He turned to Rouge. "Allow me to escort you out, my lady."

"Oh, no thank you. I don't want to impose. But, I would like to see you again. I will find you around." Rouge said. Knuckles smiled and kissed her hand before leaving with the vampire hunters.

"What can I get you, gentlemen?" The bartender said to Antoine's men who came up to the bar. Rouge walked over to Barker with a look in her eyes. The wolf faced her and smirked.

"It was you, wasn't it?" She asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You bit Espio that night and you gave him your blood so he could turn. Didn't you?" Rouge asked. "Not only that, weren't you the same vampire that killed Knuckles' wife?" Barker scoffed at her.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. And how is that chameleon fellow? Surely he must quit the detective job." Barker said.

"No. He didn't. And let me tell you something, you big bad wolf. You keep this up, one of us will come after you and you won't live to see another day." Rouge threatened, her eyes turning red. Barker chuckled at her.

"Clever vampire. But, you won't be able to stop me. Or any of us." The other vampires turned to Rouge with smirks, their eyes turning red, but the bartender didn't notice as he was busy making drinks for them. Antoine grabbed Rouge by the arm, giving her a warning glare.

"If I were you mademoiselle, I'd keep that pretty mouth shut! You wouldn't want one of us to expose you as a vampire. You don't want your new mate to know who you are, don't you? Funny that he is a vampire hunter and you are a vampire yourself. What a pity." Rouge pulled her arm away. "Stay out of our way, and no one gets hurt." Antoine said.

"No promises on that one." Scourge said.

"We had to feed." Bean spoke, but got hit in the head by Fang. "Ow! Quit it!"

"...What are you?" Rouge asked narrowing her eyes at the coyote. Antoine turned away, not answering her.

"Just remember my warning." He said. Rouge didn't say anything. She turned away to leave the bar. Antoine grabbed his drink and chuckled evilly to himself. "Fool."


'Being a vampire isn't easy. Lying to Vector is unlike me, but I had to hypnotize him so he could believe my fake story of how I left the hospital.' Espio thought to himself.

"Go! Scram!" A voice yelled from the bakery. Espio looked up to see a young badger run away with a basket of roses. "Don't come back, you thief!" A male rabbit yelled, shaking his fist in the air. "Gypsies! Nothing but rats!" He growled and went back inside his bakery shop. Espio shook his head in pity and walk pass the shop.

"Hey, Espio." Silver called from across the street. Espio turned to see Silver and Blaze walk up to him. "You holding up okay?"

"Fine." Espio replied. "Hard to get used to this."

"It'll be easy." Blaze said. "That's why we're here."

"Hey, you guys!" Honey yelled from ahead of them, holding the bouquet of roses. "I have roses for Count Shadow! For his future bride!" Blaze sighed and approach her. Silver shook his head, chuckling a bit.

"That girl is still thrilled about Shadow's mate." Silver said.

"Here's my question. When will they marry? And how does it work? Shadow has to turn her as well?" Espio asked.

"Of course. But, Maria isn't in love with him just yet." Silver replied. "One day she will and if she is ready to become a vampire, Shadow will turn her."

"What about you? I've been told that you and Blaze were together and she never-"

"She refuses." Silver said sadly. "Believe me, I want to be with her. Blaze just...worries about me."

"I see. So, a vampire has a choice if a mortal is ready or not." Espio said, crossing his arms. "Blaze is keeping you waiting until she says she is willing to turn you into a vampire."

"I did tell her to turn me into a vampire, but every time I ask her, she gave me the same answer. For three years, she hasn't touched my neck." Silver said. "I can't keep waiting while I age. I'll grow old." Espio stared at the white hedgehog in silent. He felt sorry for him. Blaze will have to turn Silver at some point or it'll be too late.

"Guys!" Rouge called, rushing towards Espio and Silver. She lands next to them as Blaze and Honey came by. "Glad that you are here. Where is Shadow?"

"Shadow is with Maria in the woods to be alone." Honey said. "Why?"

"I saw Antoine and his men at the bar, and...Antoine is a vampire." Rouge said.

"A vampire?!" Honey cried out. Everyone around the streets gasp.

"Shh!" Blaze hissed at the young cat.

"Let's go to the castle. We'll talk there." Rouge suggested. So, they are all leaving the spot to get to the castle. Little did they know, Barker had listened and watched from the corner of the alleyway. He smirked and disappeared in the shadows.