She spins around, throwing her leg out in an attempt to trip me. Well that’s not going to happen. I jump over, narrowly missing being sent sprawling to the floor, and lash out with my left arm.
She’s not quick enough, which is surprising. She should have super speed. And strength. Basically, I should be screwed, and not in the way I like. She’s not really my type for that either though.
“You bitch!” she screeches. Well that’s not very nice, is it?
“Says you,” I mutter to myself, spinning around and catching her on the other arm. She makes a weird keening noise that hurts my ears. Probably to distract me. It almost works too.
The woman swipes at my hand, and to my surprise, manages to knock one of my sai away. Shit. That doesn’t happen to me normally. Come on, Ashryn. You’re
better than this. Except that, right now, I really don’t feel like I am. For some reason, I’m really out of it.
My distraction is all she needs, and she knocks the other sai out of my opposite hand. Looks like I’m down to using stakes then. Let the clichés continue.
I withdraw one of them from the holster around my waist, thankful I didn’t decide against bringing them. Really, I wasn’t allowed not to, but I like to think I have a choice in the things I do. Even if that means lying to myself almost daily. Okay, definitely daily.
I spin the stake around in my hand, showing off in a vain attempt to instill fear into her. Believe it or not, sometimes it actually works as well. And this time is no exception. I see the panic cross in front of her eyes and smile to myself in satisfaction. Yes, she’s mine.
I lunge forward and grab hold of one of her wrists, giving it a tug so she lands smack, bang, against the side of the wall. For the first time, our eyes lock. Kills children for fun. The thoughts flash through my mind as I see her deepest darkest truth. There’s not going to be any guilt killing this one then. I don’t waste any time, and slam the stake straight through her heart, years of practice mean my aim is true, and she crumbles into dust almost instantly.
That’s one thing I’ve always thought about vampires. Their deaths are all so anti-climatic. You’d think after a big fight, there’d be some kind of dramatic death. But no, instead they just go poof. Must be a nightmare for the cleaners.
I holster my stake and dust off my hands, turning so I can go and retrieve my sai. I don’t like not having them on me, it makes me feel naked. More so than when I’m in bed with no clothing, actually. But that could be cause I sleep with them under my pillow. One of the things they teach us at the guild. Vampires could strike at any point in time. Particularly those inclined towards revenge. So, all of them really. They weren’t particularly complicated if you ask me.
I bend down to pick up one of my sai, slipping it back into its home against my skin. No outside holsters for these bad boys, I can’t face the thought of losing them. It’s when I turn to collect the other one that I realise I’ve made a massive mistake. Namely that I forgot I was here to deal with more than just one vampire. I’m a fool. This is why even I should have been sent with a team of three. Alone, there’s no one to watch my back.
The vampire is right in front of me, eyeing me up like I’m a juicy steak. Guess I am to him, really. I’m human after all, albeit one with a few extra abilities.
I try to back away, but someone grabs hold of my arms from behind. Oh shit. This is not going well at all. I begin to struggle, trying to reach for any of my weapons. I’d even take the holy water vial strung around my neck right now, and that wouldn’t really do much. Maybe distract them for a few moments because something was in their eye, but I had my doubts on how much the holy bit would make a difference.
“Not so fast,” the vampire in front of me growls, lunging towards my throat. Shit. This is it. I’m going to die, and it’s going to be by vampire. Well, really, I suppose that’s the most likely way for a vampire hunter to go, really, but even so. I’m not ready to die.
I struggle against the man behind me, but he’s not leaving me very much wiggle room. Regardless, I kick out, trying to hit him in the shin so he’ll leave me be. This really wasn’t my plan for the day. Failing that, I throw my head forward, trying to headbutt the man in front of me. It’s not elegant, but sometimes the simplest solutions are the best, and it’d hopefully stop the hungry look in his eyes as he stares at my neck. It’s probably not helping that my pulse is pounding either. I should try and put a stop to that.
“Will you hold still,” the man behind me growls.
“Fat chance,” I reply, struggling all the more. I need to stop them from doing whatever they are planning to. It can’t be good for me, whatever it is. Nor is it good for others either. With me out of the way, Lord knows what they’ll go on to do.
Amazingly, I manage to get one of my arms free. I wonder why he’s let that happen, but ignore the thought. Now is not the time. Not if I want to live.
Before either of them fully register I’m free, I rip the cord from around my neck and smash the holy water into the face of the vamp behind me. He lets go of my other arm almost instantly, screaming in pain. I turn around while they’re both distracted and withdraw my stakes, no time for my preferred weapons anyway. His face is bubbling, I guess that’s confirmation that holy water does in fact do something, and he’s crying like a baby, but I can’t let that stop me.
I plunge one of the stakes into his heart, kicking out behind me at the same time, and hearing a satisfying grunt that lets me know I’ve hit the other man too. It’s not a deadly blow like the one my stake just made, but it’s a start at least.
The man in front of me turns into dust, but the other one grabs me, and instead of messing about with all the intimidation tactics this time, he just sinks his teeth straight into my neck.
It doesn’t hurt nearly as much as I expect it to, but it does make me feel particularly hazy. Like I can’t focus on anything. My stakes drop to the floor as I forget how to hold them.
Everything looks fuzzy.
Everything sounds fuzzy.
“What do you think you’re doing?” a loud, male, voice demands. though maybe it doesn’t. Maybe the voice is just in my head. I don’t think that would surprise me given the circumstances. It’s not like I’m thinking straight or anything.
My head lolls to the side. Okay, really not good. What’s going on again?
Oh yes, vampire. Blood. Leaving.
I can still feel the teeth in my neck. The sucking as the blood leaves me. The world turns to treacle to my senses. Slow and thick and not at all great.