Part 16
The Hunter didn't understand it. *Two*? There were *two* of them? One of her was bad enough. He paced around his motel room, scowling in anger, not understanding what had happened. Could it be, that after all of this, he had been chasing the *wrong* *girl*?
It was pretty obvious there was more going on than he had thought. Unless...they were all in on it together, they had some sort of little game between them where they thought it was fun to ruin people's lives...
They were all against him and determined to make him miserable. So far, they had been doing one hell of a good job. What had he ever done to deserve this? He had loved her! And this was what he had received. What had he done wrong?
He'd never asked for any of this to happen to him...
Whatever. He'd stopped getting weepy over it several hundred years ago. So there were two of them. So what? He'd just get them both. Twice the solace for him.
Still, it wouldn't change what he was. Just have him more of a charge to complete his task.
* * *
Juliana was nervous. Even though the boy was only a slave...
It was wrong. She shook her head, whimpering quietly. No moon shone, black clouds blanketed the sky. Juliana shook her head. "I don't want to," she whispered helplessly.
The woman in dark robes laughed harshly. "You always were the weak one." Her voice held contempt. "It is a great gift that I have given you. Use it. Take advantage of the magic, the power."
It didn't feel like a gift to Juliana. She had never felt so bad in her life. Sh didn't feel magic and powerful. She felt dirty and evil. The woman reached out and grabbed a slave boy, holding it out to Juliana.
Not *it*. He was a person! Juliana could see the veins glowing slightly beneath the soft dark flesh of his neck. She could smell his fear. Something...her *teeth*. Ohm dear God, her *teeth* were growing. They were changing, lengthening, curving into delicate points.
Moving against her will her teeth sank into the veins. The boy cried out faintly. A how, sweet liquid gushed into Juliana's mouth. The pain eased. She felt stronger than ever before, could feel the power in her fingertips. Now she understood why this was a gift....
She paused for breath before digging in again. This was the magic the robed woman was talking about. Before long she pulled Juliana away.
"Once they're dead, they're no good."
The words struck Juliana like the blow of a hammer. She stepped away from the slave, staring. "He's...dead?" she whispered horrified.
"Yes, that's how we live," the woman said, annoyed. "We live by their blood. We live by night and rule over the humans, over the witches and shapeshifters."
Juliana's mind was a blur, not listening as the woman blathered on about the secret society called World of the Night, how they were better than everything else...
Better? They were *monsters*...evil...Unholy...
* * *
Continuing the tradition Juliana woke sweating in fear. She hadn't even stayed at her own apartment. Both she and Charlene had stayed at Paige's house, feeling that they would be safer there.
Still, the visions had come back. At least this time, it hadn't taken a feeling of dying agony to produce it. Charlene stuck her head.
"You had one too?" she asked softly.
Juliana nodded. "This one was the first kill."
Charlene sighed. "Why are we getting these visions?"
Juliana shook her. The visions she used to have before were part of her so-called "gift", but nothing like this had ever happened to her before.
"I don't know," she said finally. "But I do have a fair idea where to get some answers."
* * *
The Hunter didn't understand it. *Two*? There were *two* of them? One of her was bad enough. He paced around his motel room, scowling in anger, not understanding what had happened. Could it be, that after all of this, he had been chasing the *wrong* *girl*?
It was pretty obvious there was more going on than he had thought. Unless...they were all in on it together, they had some sort of little game between them where they thought it was fun to ruin people's lives...
They were all against him and determined to make him miserable. So far, they had been doing one hell of a good job. What had he ever done to deserve this? He had loved her! And this was what he had received. What had he done wrong?
He'd never asked for any of this to happen to him...
Whatever. He'd stopped getting weepy over it several hundred years ago. So there were two of them. So what? He'd just get them both. Twice the solace for him.
Still, it wouldn't change what he was. Just have him more of a charge to complete his task.
* * *
Juliana was nervous. Even though the boy was only a slave...
It was wrong. She shook her head, whimpering quietly. No moon shone, black clouds blanketed the sky. Juliana shook her head. "I don't want to," she whispered helplessly.
The woman in dark robes laughed harshly. "You always were the weak one." Her voice held contempt. "It is a great gift that I have given you. Use it. Take advantage of the magic, the power."
It didn't feel like a gift to Juliana. She had never felt so bad in her life. Sh didn't feel magic and powerful. She felt dirty and evil. The woman reached out and grabbed a slave boy, holding it out to Juliana.
Not *it*. He was a person! Juliana could see the veins glowing slightly beneath the soft dark flesh of his neck. She could smell his fear. Something...her *teeth*. Ohm dear God, her *teeth* were growing. They were changing, lengthening, curving into delicate points.
Moving against her will her teeth sank into the veins. The boy cried out faintly. A how, sweet liquid gushed into Juliana's mouth. The pain eased. She felt stronger than ever before, could feel the power in her fingertips. Now she understood why this was a gift....
She paused for breath before digging in again. This was the magic the robed woman was talking about. Before long she pulled Juliana away.
"Once they're dead, they're no good."
The words struck Juliana like the blow of a hammer. She stepped away from the slave, staring. "He's...dead?" she whispered horrified.
"Yes, that's how we live," the woman said, annoyed. "We live by their blood. We live by night and rule over the humans, over the witches and shapeshifters."
Juliana's mind was a blur, not listening as the woman blathered on about the secret society called World of the Night, how they were better than everything else...
Better? They were *monsters*...evil...Unholy...
* * *
Continuing the tradition Juliana woke sweating in fear. She hadn't even stayed at her own apartment. Both she and Charlene had stayed at Paige's house, feeling that they would be safer there.
Still, the visions had come back. At least this time, it hadn't taken a feeling of dying agony to produce it. Charlene stuck her head.
"You had one too?" she asked softly.
Juliana nodded. "This one was the first kill."
Charlene sighed. "Why are we getting these visions?"
Juliana shook her. The visions she used to have before were part of her so-called "gift", but nothing like this had ever happened to her before.
"I don't know," she said finally. "But I do have a fair idea where to get some answers."
* * *