Chapter one - The Hunt

The trees are still. The feeble breeze isn't enough to even sway them. The leftover raindrops fall from the leaves, leaving the air feeling damp. My footsteps are barely heard, covered by the noises of the post rain forest. That's the way I like it. Unheard. Unseen. Deadly. My footing is careful. I make sure the pine beneath my feet is silent as I creep over it. I never flinch. I've done this before, many times. Keeping an eye on every part of the woods, I search, listening for any clue of movement.

The smell of prey cuts across my senses, stopping me in my tracks. My eyes dart around the scenery. I must stand still. And then, it falters. The flash of brown is almost too quick to notice. For any normal person anyway. My feet are moving before I even tell them to. Fast. The adrenaline is almost overwhelming as I hone in for the kill. Hand closing tighter around my dagger, I quicken my pace, leaving no space for error. The blade leaves my hand at what seems to be a hundred miles an hour, penetrating deep into the skin of deer. I hear it cry out in pain, but it has little time to suffer. I pull the knife out and slit it's throat for good measure. Now, satisfied that it's good and dead, I clean my dagger and store it back in my scabbard. There is no remorse or sympathy as I look upon the beast.

I sink my teeth into its neck, prising the sweet liquid from it's veins. My strength is increasing with every moment the warm blood runs down my throat. I know I mustn't linger. The smell of the fallen animal will spread quickly through the forest, attracting more competition for the corpse. I don't need that. No. Feeling I've had enough to sustain my strength, I pull the beast over my shoulder and begin to track back through the forest. I need to be careful not to awaken the senses of any waiting hunters. But I'm careful enough. Quick, nimble. As I approach the opening of the woods, I need to drop my pace, making sure my footsteps are small and silent.

I see no one. The road is empty. Now is my chance. I throw the deer further over my back. My pace is fast, just like my heartbeat. If I get caught, there is no knowing of the consequences. All I know is that, I don't like to imagine. The house isn't far from the forest, almost directly across the road, and in the middle of nowhere, it makes it easier to hunt. But you can never be certain, that is one thing my father always taught me. It's the careless ones that go first. Never assume you are alone. Strange and dangerous creatures roam these parts, on the outskirts of the woods. And hunters. They never relent. They are the most dangerous of all.

I approach the house, feeling the sun beating down on me. The house is cool, almost like it's refrigerated. I find Flint in the kitchen, his face is dull and sleep deprived. I can tell he yearns for blood. We all do. I throw the deer on the table, and he looks me in the eye, but I see no sign of happiness, or appreciation.

“You hunted?” He shows no emotion, but the way he scoffs makes my smile fade.

“We needed it, you know we did” I defend my decision to go out alone. I know it's dangerous but we can't live on dust and air.

“Rookery, I've told you before, it's too dangerous to go alone” His voice doesn't exude anger, but it rings with exhaustion. He's told me too many times. I know he has, but I won't let us all waste away.

“I'm a good enough hunter, you know I am! And anyway, I didn't get caught.” He grows tiresome of my disregard for my own safety.

“I didn't say you weren't a good hunter, but those woods, they're infested with all sorts of deadly creatures, you must be more careful” He turns his attention to the deer. The blood has seeped out onto the table from it's gaping wounds.

“Call the others, it won't last much longer” I nod, and leave the room.

The hallway is long, darkness pours over every inch of it. It's bare. Completely. It has no trace of life in it. No pictures on the walls. No flowers sitting on tables. You might guess the house had been deserted for many years. Many people do think this. Occasionally, we find a daring young person. They come knocking on the door. But of course, we can't reveal ourselves. That's when we transform. Hide in the attic or the cellar. Of course they find the house creepy, but nothing more than that.

The cellar is the coldest room in the house. I enter it and automatically feel soothed. The coffins are spread around the room, five of them. Two are empty, but the other three are closed, occupied by my brothers and sister. I push two fingers to my lips and make the sound that signals their awakening. Soon enough, I see them emerging from their sleep. The coffin lids rise carefully, and I am standing looking at three more of my kind, all pale, weak, in need of blood.

“Sister!” Freda approaches me with her usual unnerving happiness, throwing her arms around me.

“That sleep was truly glorious” She twirls around, smiling wildly, her blonde hair flying beautifully.

“Dreaming of more humans?” Scoffs Roderick, the hint of a smile on his face. He always is so condescending towards Freda. He finds her obsession with humans is something to be laughed at. He himself looks slightly intimidating, especially in comparison with myself and Freda. My hair is a deep auburn, and my face, though usually unsmiling and focused is softer than his. He has jet black hair, which makes the pale of his face all the more shocking. His eyes are also black, though sometimes red, and make him look quite fierce.

“Humans. What a disgusting race.” I see Gregory approaching, as usual he is swaggering. Gregory is my only actual sibling, unfortunately. His hatred for any human disgusts me to the point of repulsion at him.

“Oh, no, they really are most fascinating!” Freda is not at all bothered by either of the boys attitude

towards humans. I have to admire her in this way.

“There's a deer in the kitchen. Flint says it won't keep long” I explain

“Oh and of course, we mustn't disobey Flint” Gregory rolls his eyes, his annoyance apparent. Flint is head of this household, we all know that. For one of us though, this must be accepted with a pinch of salt. Gregory. His egotistical nature does not permit him to be accepting of someone else being in charge. He yearns to be the leader of our pack, to be able to make decisions, to have people in his control.

When we enter the kitchen, Flint is preparing the area for the skinning of the dear. Gregory dives straight into the deer’s stomach, sucking all the blood he can hold. He looks particularly vicious when he's devouring prey. Roderick joins in the massacre and places his teeth on the same bite marks I made earlier. Freda surveys the animal with a certain disdain, but after a couple of minutes her lust for blood overpowers her moral. I expect Flint has already fed, as he seems to have little interest in the deer anymore, only in skinning it and preparing the meat. He looks noticeable replenished, stronger. Not happy. If anything else, he's never happy.

“You two went out hunting?” Gregory is surveying Flint and I with a deadly look. Now that he has sufficed his yearning for blood, he can question its source.

“No, I didn't. Rookery did.” He nods in my direction and I see Gregory's eyes dart to me.

“Alone? How utterly stupid” He seems uncaring again, almost as if he find this thought funny.

“I got that didn't I? Maybe I'll just leave you sleep next time. I'm sure with all your expertise, you can fend for yourself” He sees this as a challenge and rises out of his seat.

“I could actually! You'll see! Tonight, we both hunt! Then we'll see who has the expertise!”

“Sit down, Gregory” Flint puts a hand on Gregory's shoulder, pushing him down, his voice firm.

“No. Leave it alone” He looks at us both, knowing all too well that where my brother is concerned, there is no refusing a challenge for me. My eyes keep firmly on my brother, and his on me. Intimidating each other.

The night was coming. The sun was fading behind the rolling hills of the English countryside.

The darkness brings with it hunting time. There is a shadow of black over the roof, and we sit there, awaiting the black night to allow us prey. I can feel Gregory. His eyes bear into me like lasers. His mouth is curled into a cruel smile. We both know that once the hunt is on, the game is on.

I know that Flint was right. It's dangerous enough without us competing against each other. He mustn't know. The sun is almost completely hidden now. We all ready ourselves.

As the last of the light disappears into the ground, I look to the others. Roderick is already looking at me, and I attempt to decipher his expression. He shakes his head gently, and I squint in confusion. His mouth moves softly and the word “Don't” is silently signalled. But it's too late. My adrenaline takes over my whole body as Flint's hand moves to his mouth to signal a start. It's time to transform. I sweep my hand from my feet and over my head, feeling my wings appear. I see the boys and Freda fly in front of me, now not recognisable to any other person. Their bodies have disappeared and have been replaced by tiny black bodies, wings replacing what was their arms. Bats.

I take a leap and head for the woods, surveying from above, looking for prey. Then I see them. A group of campers. Gregory is near me, he always hunts at the part of the forest nearest to the town. And he always takes a human, should one be careless enough to wander onto our territory. I prefer to hunt game. Should there be the choice, I would rather hunt deer or even a rabbit. I look down to see him, in his usual form again. The campers back away, obviously cautious. Everyone in the village has heard the stories. Nonsense of course, they all say. I swoop down and position myself on the branch of a tree, just above the campers. There are only three of them, middle aged, two men and a woman. They all look wary, but not particularly terrified.

“Good evening” They all back away, silent.

“Lovely night, isn't it?” They stay silent, and he smirks, amused.

“Well, that's awfully rude now. I don't really like ignorant people” He advances on them once more, this time they back away with fear, realising what he might be.

“Just you stay away boy!” One of the men speaks up, moving in front of the others, pointing a shaking finger at Gregory. His smile fades.

“What did you just say to me?” I can see his black eyes glinting with red, his anger now shining out of him. The man flinches slightly and puts down his finger, but he doesn't relent.

“I'm warning you boy, just keep away” I watch from above as Gregory's finger twitch around his shuriken. A horribly cruel smile spreads across his face, but the man has only a moment to figure it out. The shuriken is released from his fingers and before the man can avoid it, it pierces his skin. The blood utterly spews from his throat and he falls to his knees, to the screams of the woman.

Gregory kneels down next to the man, his finger running through the blood. He licks it, causing the woman to nearly fall backwards. This is all he needs. The taste of the blood changes him. The other two take a chance, and run. Gregory immediately takes off after the man, but the woman runs in the other direction. She's my job now. No one can live after seeing us. No one. I must finish her. 

Reviews

[quixotic_rose]

hm, I'm not sure how i feel on this yet. intrigued definitely. I would like more, i know that as well. the description is intensely awesome and the story so far is pretty good. so more :) peas and tanks!

[Summer'sBreeze]

Wow, this was amazing twist to the word "vampire". :)
You did wonderful with your discription, and it held my attention all the way through.
Please, you must tell me when you have chapter two out!
Once again I must say, wonderfully done. :)))

[Ian H Morrison]

love it written so very well with imagination and thought you come across with a lot of passion and i have enjoyed reading this very much