Hey peoples! I decided instead of leaving you with a cliffhanger, I was going to continue this story! This is going to be PART 2 of the Hunters story. Instead of starting a new story, being Part 2 is shaping up to be a little too short for a full-blown story, I've decided to keep the story as one with two parts. I hope you enjoy this and thanks Prairiefire, L. Byron, Lunatic Pandora1, edward taylor, Queen of the Red Skittle, StormRaven333, Justox, anon, and iconofcoolness for the reviews! You guys really keep me going here!

PART 2

Chapter 12: Discoveries

Tarn'se felt the slight thump as his small transport docked with the main ship. Gathering his things, he activated the door.

Stepping out into the docking area, Tarn'se smiled when he saw Jaelre waiting for him at the entranceway. Moving forward, Tarn'se greeted Jaelre, who grinned at him, "I was wondering if you'd ever come back. You're almost a day late. Some thought you had gotten yourself killed, but I knew otherwise."

Tarn'se followed Jaelre out of the hangar and asked, "Really? Why did you think I was late?"

"I knew you'd be having too much fun to pay attention to petty things like when you're required to return to the ship. Leader Macre is rather… annoyed."

Tarn'se sighed. Leader Macre was, for lack of better words, and complete and utter grouch. Many wondered why such an ornery being would want the position of a hunt leader when the position entailed much social interaction; of course no one mentioned this thought to the warrior's face. The brave soul who did would most likely wake up with a broken arm and a terrible headache.

"He wants to see you, but you're already this late. What are a few more minutes?" Jaelre turned his full attention to Tarn'se, "How was your hunt? All you thought it would be?"

"And more," Tarn'se smiled, "Let's say this hunt was much more… exhilarating that any other I've been on."

Jaelre raised his brows, "That successful?" He scanned Tarn'se's trophies which were in a bag hanging from his belt, "I only see three skulls and a few human weapons. They must have been a challenge."

"The two humans were actually almost too easy," Tarn'se stated.

Jaelre stopped, "Two humans? You have three skulls in your bag."

"Who said they were all human?"

Tarn'se unhooked the bag and handed it to Jaelre. Jaelre looked in it and stared at Tarn'se like him was crazy, "These are all human skulls."

"Look closer."

Jaelre proceeded to pull out the two human skulls, then the vampire skull. He paid close attention the skull, probably attracted to it by its' lack of imperfections. He ran his finger over the fangs and glanced at Tarn'se, "Alright, what kind of skull is this?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Tarn'se said mysteriously, taking back his trophies. He smiled inwardly at the look of curiosity and frustration that crossed Jaelre's face. Tarn'se loved confusing his friend. "First, I have to set up a meeting with the Elders about my hunt."

"A meeting with the Elders!" Jaelre barked, "Why?"

Tarn'se paused, wondering how much he should tell his friend, "All I will say for now is I believe I've found a new prey more deadly than the most dangerous human."

With that, Tarn'se left Jaelre confused in the hallway.

"My most sincere apologies, Leader Macre. My lateness was due to special circumstances that arose on my hunt."

"Special circumstances," Macre snorted, "Did it ever cross your mind that we may have had to leave early and your special circumstance may place us in a potentially dangerous position?"

"Yes, leader, the thought did cross my mind," Tarn'se replied. Macre glared suspiciously at Tarn'se. He had just admitted he purposely ignored the scheduled return time, something no smart warrior would do lest he had a really good reason.

"What were these special circumstances that distracted you?"

Tarn'se reached in his trophy bag which was still hooked onto his belt and pulled out the vampire skull.

"I have no interest in how decent of a trophy you received," Macre snapped.

"Leader, I must ask you examine this more closely."

Macre snatched the trophy out of Tarn'se's hand glancing at it for a moment. Within seconds, Macre was nearly touching the skull with his fluttering mandibles as he examined it. Raising his eyes to Tarn'se the look in his eyes went from angry to solemn, "Explain this, Warrior Tarn'se."

"I met what I believe to be an almost mutation of the human race. They are known as vampires. They have strength and speed equivalent to our own, some mental capabilities and other… powers I have never seen in any other race. They have a few weaknesses as well and many peculiar traits about them. I stayed and killed one of their leaders and returned with the skull and quite a tale of my battle with it. I wish to set up a meeting with the Elders upon our landing on the Home world."

Macre nodded curtly and handed the skull back to Tarn'se, "I'll alert the Elders of this and make sure they are ready to meet you when we arrive in a few days. We will leave the humans' world's orbit in a week; we must wait for another ship which is dropping off a few hunters. You are dismissed."

Ravyn woke in an unfamiliar place. She leapt up in the small bed and was rewarded with searing pain throughout her head. Lying back down, she remembered where she was: the Ice guild house.

Lying in the bed Ravyn stared at the ceiling thinking of all the things that had happened. The Ash Guild house now better resembled its' name. The damage was extensive and Jonathan said it was yet to be determined whether or not they would have to find a new guild house. Her long-time nemesis, Nacht, was dead, after a long and painful battle, aided by an alien. And, finally, they had captured the cure for vampirism.

It had been a long week indeed.

There was a soft knock on her door. The room she was in was little bigger that a storage closet, but it was better than sleeping on the floor in the large living room where most of the homeless Ash Guild hunters were.

Ravyn called out for the person to come in. Ivy stuck her head in and entered quietly, toting a small leather handbag-like case.

Sitting down at the foot of the bed, Ivy smiled at Ravyn, "How are you feeling?"

Ravyn sat up and shrugged, "Better I suppose. How long have I been asleep?"

"About two days, give or take a few hours. You're healing really well." Ravyn heard the dual implications of that comment. It meant she was going to be fine, but it also meant her transformation may be speeding up.

Pausing she looked at Ivy seriously and asked, "What about the cure… is it a dud?"

Ivy's face tightened and Ravyn bit her lip. It was a fake… all of that hope only to be dashed down.

"It's real as far as we can tell," Ivy said softly, "There's nothing to suggest it is anything otherwise. It is very complex but I've already started working on it with test cells and it is has worked."

Ravyn's narrowed her eyes, "But…"

Ivy's eyes seemed to sparkle like she was holding back tears. Meeting Ravyn's eyes she took a deep breath and said, "One of the key ingredients is the blood of the vampire the person was turned by… in your case, Nacht."

Ravyn sat in shock. Her enemy that she had wanted dead for so long was her cure. And now she was dead, ash on the wind and bones in the earth.

She leaned back and sighed, "Well, we're going to have to find a loophole now, aren't we?"

Ivy wiped her eyes and smiled, "That's my girl. But for now, I think it would be wise to continue your injections."

Ravyn's gaze when to the handbag Ivy was carrying. Ivy breathed in deeply and opened the bag, pulling out a syringe and a small bottle filled with the serum. Ravyn shuddered. She never liked shots and these ones were particularly painful.

Sucking the serum into the syringe, Ivy grabbed Ravyn arm and readied herself. Glancing at Ravyn, Ravyn gave a sharp nod, shutting her eyes and preparing for the sharp pain of the needle piercing her skin.

She felt the needle pierce the skin, but Ravyn felt something else this time. She could feel the serum going into her veins. Ravyn gasped as a wave of pain washed over her and it felt like molten fire was flowing through her. She felt he body go rigid and start convulsing.

As the pain escalated, Ravyn couldn't hold on the consciousness and let herself fall into the black abyss of a faint.

"Ravyn! God, Ravyn, wake up!"

Ravyn's eyes snapped open and she found herself still on the bed, but the sheets and blankets were on the floor and Ivy was looming over her, shaking her shoulders, tears in her eyes.

"I'm alright! I'm alright!" Ravyn shouted, "Just stop shaking me!"

"God, I am so sorry!" Ivy gasped as she let go of Ravyn suddenly, like she was afraid touching her too long would hurt her further.

"What happened?" Ravyn glanced at her arm and yelped. The place the needle had entered at was black, turning the skin around it gray and seemingly lifeless.

"You had a reaction and started convulsing… I though you were going to die…" Ivy said, the look she as giving Ravyn was one of pity and fear.

"That means I've got about two weeks," Ravyn murmured. About two weeks before becoming a fully fledged vampire, the infected person would start having severe allergic reactions to the serum. This meant no more injections, which also meant the transformation would have nothing stopping it from changing her body completely.

"Two weeks to find a loop hole." Ravyn smiled in spite of Ivy's worried look. Brooding and worrying about a problem never helped anyone.

She would find a cure for herself or die trying.

Don't worry, there'll be more action soon. Please review!