The Hunt

Chapter Thirteen

Lucky Thirteen

            I woke up, and Claire was gone…again. My head still felt foggy. Mid-day sunlight shone through the window. I remembered what Claire told my last night with what happened between her and John, but I was having trouble believing it. I got up and changed clothes in to a pair of new jeans and a forest green short sleeve t-shirt. The house was quiet as I walked down the hall to the kitchen and seen Michael leaning on the counter drinking coffee. “He lives!” Michael said as I walked over to the table in front of him. I looked at the clock and it read 11:34am. Wow, I thought, I hardly ever sleep past ten. “Where is everyone,” I asked. “Well they’re outside getting in some practice before our hunt.” I nodded then said, “ Wait what… did you say our hunt?”  He looked at me and said very slowly, like teaching a child, “Yes Joey. Your first hunt. You’re a hunter so therefore you will hunt.”

“I’m not stupid Michael. What are we hunting?” I asked.

“A vampire.” Michal replied curtly and walked out the door. I followed him out and seen Claire and John practicing the defenses in the grass. They saw us coming and broke apart. “Joey,” Claire squealed and hugged me. I was shocked so I just stood there. She pecked me on the check then glared at Michael as she walked past him to get to the car. “Um…” I went to explain to Michael. “ Just get in the car he said, while getting in the passenger side. I just sighed and got in behind John with a feeling this was going to be a very long car ride.

~~~*~~~

I was right it was the longest car ride of my life. I spent most of the time looking out the window. The tension in the car was so heavy and uncomfortable you could’ve cut it with a knife.  Outside the window the sunny day had turned into a cold and foggy day. The rain fell heavily on the car and the sound of it was putting me to sleep. I rested my head on the window and closed my eyes.

I was dreaming we were back at the house, only it was just Michael and I. We were in the kitchen, I was standing by the door and Michael was at the sink. Suddenly Michael whirled around and looked at me with extreme angry in his eyes. “You stupid, worthless, sorry, ungrateful, son of a gun!”  He snarled at me, “ What right do you have to steal my girlfriend after all I’ve done for you!”

“ All  you’ve done for me?!” I asked. Michael walked towards me and I could see fleck of spit fly form his mouth as he said, “ I saved your freaking life!”  That again, huh? I thought. “ How long are you going to hold that over my head?”  I countered, furious at how much he used that line against me.  I knew he had a point without Michael I’d probably be dead now, but still that doesn’t mean I own him my happiness. “ As long as I have to to teach you your place!” he responded. “You know what Michael I think its you who needs to learns  your place,” I said pointing my finger at him. “ Just stay away from Claire, or else.”

“Or else what?” I asked. He narrowed his eyes at me and said, “ You’ve been warned.” I was a bout to respond when John woke me up, “ We’re here.” I blinked and looked to see where “here” is. It was dark and we were at a rundown motel who’s sign was barley lit so I couldn’t make out the name. John steped back to let me out of the car and said, “Claire you go get the room keys, I’ll get dinner, Michael Joey get the bags out of the car.” I sighed and walked around to the trunk and waited for Michael to open it. He inserted the key and the trunk popped open. I grabbed a few bags and set them down and turned to grab another bag. As I reached down to grab one but Michael  had to gotten rest out and was looking at me. “ What?” I asked. He shook his head, “ Nothing,” and grabbed the bags and followed Claire to the room.

We stopped outside of room 213 and 214, John handed Michael a key and said, “ Okay, so since there are four of us (Sam stayed behind) we have to get two rooms. Me in Claire in one room and you  and Joey in the other.” Claire looked at him, “ why can’t I stay with Joey?” John looked at her and said, “ Because I don’t trust you two…. Alone.”

Michael unlocked the door to 213 and put our bags in the room, and I took Claire and John’s bags to their room. When I came back in Michael was sitting on the bed closest to the bathroom in nothing but his jeans. “ Dude really?” “Don’t like the view don’t look at it.” I rolled my eyes and sat down by the window. I surveyed the layout of the room; there were two bed and in between them was a nightstand, in front of the two bed was a TV stand and dresser, past that was the bathroom. Beside the door were a window and a table with two chairs and a lamp against the wall. I sighed and looked in to the bag that john had given us containing our food. It was a hamburger and fries from some local diner and a few bottles of water. We ate in silence; me sitting at the table and Michael lounging on the bed flipping through thirty channels of crap TV. He settled on the local news.

“ In other news another body has been found in a local wooded area last night.” The blonde news woman reported. “ The body of nineteen year old Candice Grey was found in a shallow grave by two teens walking in the woods. The pair discovered the body after one tripped over the protruding leg that was sticking out. The two immediately ran home and called authorities. Police have yet to release a statement but those on the seen reported bite marks of the girls neck eerily familiar the ‘Vampire’ killing that started last week in Burketsville.”  Michael sat up and said, “ I don’t believe it that vampires moving faster than we thought it would.” I scooted forward, “ what do you mean?”

  “Well we figured we had a day or two to plan a strategy before the thing got here to Smithsfield. I guess we were wrong.”

“So now what?” I asked. Michael stood up, put a shirt on, and said, “come on lets go talk to John.”  We walked out of the room and knocked on John’s door. John answered and rubbed his eyes, “What?” 

“ We were watching the news. The vampire here in town, It’s already killed one girl.” “ Damn. Okay lets get ready it’s…” He looked at his watch, “ 11:25 so we’ll get nap and start looking for this thing at sunrise so about six-ish. Okay?” Michael and I nodded and walked back over to our room. “ Dude why are you shaking,” Michael asked me. “Wha-.” I realized I was shaking. “ Your nervous,” Michael said with a chuckle. “So?” He smirked and laid down on the bed. I sighed and laid on the other bed. I probably should change my clothes, I thought, but decided it wasn’t important to do at the moment. I heard Michael start snoring and I followed suit…

I screamed when a large weight crashed down on me, and I started trying to punch my attacker but my hands were pinned beside me. I opened my eyes to see Michael staring down at me, “ Are you going to get up and get ready or should I tell John you chickened out?” I looked over at the clock and seen it was five o’clock.  I groaned and said, “ I’m up I’m up.” Michael let me go and I sat up rubbing my face and yawned. Getting a new change of clothes I walked in to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I looked exhausted and my hair was sticking up in many directions. I peeled off my dirty clothed and turned on the hot water. I stepped into the shower and let the water run over head and down my back. I grabbed the soap and lathered up my body. I rinsed off and washed my hair. Stepping out of the shower I grabbed a fresh white towel and dried myself off. Getting dressed I put on a pair of black jeans and a black shirt since it would blend in better with the woods and the night. I walked out and sat on the bed to put my shoes on when Michael sat down and started to tell me some of the factual lore about vampires.

Once I knew everything he thought I should know got up to gather the weapons. “ Here,” Michael said as he threw me a small 9mm “the bullets are coated in dead man’s blood and vervane. It won’t kill a vampire but it will slow ‘em down long enough for you to stake it.”

We walked over to John and Claire’s room and knocked on the door. Claire opened it this time and let us in. John was sitting on one of the beds. Michael and I sat on the chairs at the table and since the coffe pot was there we each got a cup of coffee. “ So here’s the plan, we investigate the forest around the crime scene in a five mile radius. I doubt the thing is staying to far from the site since it seems all the attacks in the other area were with in miles of each other. So we’ll split up in to two pairs and call the other if we find something. Don’t I repeat DO NOT try to take this vampire on alone. Everybody understand?”  We finished out coffee then walked out to the car. Nobody said anything as we got in the car and drove down the road about ten miles and pulled over into the woods behind a line of oak trees. Getting out of the car John walked around to the back and opened the trunk. “Here you and Michael be careful call if you find anything.” John said handing us each a sharp wooden stake.  Grabbing two more and taking one for himself and handing the other to Claire he shut the trunk starts walking off into the woods in the direction toward the front of the car. Michael and I started walking in the opposite direction. It was hard to see since it wasn’t quite morning yet so periodically one of us would trip over a twig and weeds or walk into a branch. “ Damn,” Michael said several times while walking which gave me a hint when an obstacle was ahead of us. We walked for about an hour or so and finally the sun was up far enough to where we could see our surroundings. We walked for another hour before Michael said, “let’s stop here for a minute and rest.” I sunk down on the a fallen log beside Michael, “ it’s gonna be a cold day today don–…. Did you hear that?” I whispered. Michael held up his hand to shush me. We both stood up and we heard a twig snap behind us and turned around to see a man standing off in the distance. He was wearing blue jeans and white shirt stained with dry blood, he had dark brown hair and even from a distance you could see his piercing ice blue eyes and his sharper then natural teeth. He smirked at us and let off a screech so loud I thought my ear were going to explode. He suddenly rushed forward almost as a blur and punched Michael, knocking him out. Before I could reach my gun the vampire tackled me and straddled my chest pinning my hands above my head. This is it. I’m gonna die today. I hope Kay’s ok… I thought closing my eyes not want to see what happens. “ No hunter  look at me. I want to see the fear in your eyes before you die. Look at me!” He commanded. I peeked my eyes open to see him looking down at me. His wicked smile showed his lateral incisors and canines were razor sharp  and I could smell the blood from his victims caked on his shirt. His nails were sharp like claws and dug into my wrist. He looked to be about twenty three and had fair skin that was flawless. He started to bend forward and a loud bang interrupted him. He turned around and hisses at a barley standing Michael who was prepared to fire again. Suddenly the vampire stood up and ran off in to the woods barley making a sound at all. “Joey! Are you ok?” Michael holstered his gun quickly and ran over to help me up. “ I’m okay. I’m just shooken up.”  Michael pulled me up and then wiped the blood the ran down his cheek ,from the vampire, on the back of his hand. We heard someone approaching and both of us drew our guns. “ What happened we hears gun fire?” John yelled and we put our guns away and flopped down on the log again. John and Claire appeared behind us a moment later . “ We got attacked by the vampire.” Michael told them. Claire dropped down beside me and wrapped her arms around me. I was still in shock so I let her lay my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. “ What’d it do?” John asked.  “ It knocked me out briefly and when I woke up it was second away from making a meal out of Joey. Had him pinned to the ground and was about to bite him, but I was able to shot it. Then it ran off into the woods.”  John rubbed his chin and said, “ Okay well lets head back to the hotel and get you two into some dry clothes and then we’ll come back out.” I noticed after he said that that my back was damp from remnants of the morning dew on the cold ground. I looked at Michael and seen he too had his shirt sticking to his back. We stood up and walked back to the car it took us some time but finally we reached it and we headed back to the hotel.

 

 

Dmitri’s P.O.V

 I almost had my second meal of the day the a fiery pain exploded through my shoulder. I turned to see the other hunter aiming what appeared to be a small normal hand gun. Dead man’s blood,  I realized. That’s when I knew I had to get out of there. I ran off faster than their human minds could ever comprehend. The pain I felt was excruciating, but being a vampire my body started to heal and stopping to drink the blood of that dear had sped up the process so now an hour later I was fully healed.

I pulled out my phone and called Martin.

“Hello?” he said in a sleepy voice.

“ I thought you said there were no hunters in Burketsville.” I snapped

“ There weren’t when I was there.” He responded.

“ Well apparently there are now and I have a bullet in my shoulder to prove it!”

“ Damn it Dmitri you’re in the town for a day have already left a trail for a pair of hunters to follow.”

“ I’ve been trying to cover my tracks, but its kind of a little hard to bury a body in nearly frozen ground!”

“ Okay Okay, calm down. … You know I honestly don’t know what to tell you. Just be careful and at night fall get the hell out of there.”   He hung up and I slammed my phone shut.

I tried to sleep but I could stop thinking of getting revenge. Then it hit me. I got up and ran out to the county line where the fair grounds were. At the fairgrounds there was a complex maze of bushes or a labyrinth. I lifter my hand to my nose to catch a faint whiff of the blonde boys blood from where I broke skin from punching him.  I easily caught their trail and followed it back to a hotel. I walked up to where the sent came from, room 213 and looked in the window throught the sight area in the curtains that weren’t fully drawn. I sniffed the air and sure enough caught the sent of the other pair of hunters I had seen leave with them. Sneaking around to the back I silently opened the bathroom window and slipped in I cracked the door slightly and listened to the man talk to the girl. “Claire I don’t know what’s going on between you and Joey and Michal. Quite frankly I normally wouldn’t care but since I rely on all of you to keep me alive and vice versa I can’t have them at each other’s throats. Or worse letting the other die.” She was about to reply when I appeared be hind the man. I grabbed a vase that was in the dresser and said, “ Nighty night.” I bashed it over his head an he sunk to the floor. The girls eyes got big and she quickly reached for her gun and a stake but I was quicker. I ran over to her and grabbed her wrist she looked up at me and I back handed her across the face hard enough to knock her out. She slumped over and I slung her over my shoulder then walked out the door.

 

 

Joey’s P.O.V

Once we got back I changed and so did Michael. We turned on the TV and waited for John to call and tell us it was time to go again. Two hours passed and we were still waiting for John’s call. “ Come on Joey lets go over there.” Michael said after his repeated attempts to call John had failed. I stood up and we walk over and knocked on the door…. Nothing… we knocked again, harder this time…. Nothing. “Keep watch.”  He said and kneeled down. He pulled a thin wire out of his pocket and started to pick the lock. “Got it.”  He announced and turned the doorknob. We walked in to the room and seen an unconscious John laying on the floor with bits and shards of a broken vase around him. Some pieces of glas had become embedded on to his skin and he had dried blood caked into his hair on the back of his head. Claire was nowhere to be seen.  I hear Michael swear and he said, “ Hear help me get him in the car we’ve got to take him to the hospital.” “ What about Claire?” I asked. “Dammit I forgot about her. Um, I guess we’ll have to… ah I got it.”  He pulled out his phone and  dialed 911. “ Um yes I just discovered a man lying unconscious in a hotel room. Room 214. My name?  Its Calvin Perkins.” He shut his phone and said, Okay let’s get out of here but first grab the guns and stakes. Don’t want the police getting ahold of that.” After we gathered everything we got in the car. A moment after I shut my door a cruiser and an ambulance pulled up and rushed up the stairs to the second floor. “ And that’s our que.”  Michael said.

We pulled out onto the road and we drove off toward the area we seen the vampire. I looked at the clock and it said 3:15 . By the time we got to the site where we  parked to car last time it read 3:55. Getting out of the car I grabbed the stakes I had thrown in the floor and reached back in to the console for my gun. I threw Michael a stake and walked around to the side of the car. “Well what now?” I asked him. “ I don’t know I guess we start walking until we find a trace of it.” We started walking in the direction he took off in. We didn’t say a word while we walked, we simply listened for sounds of the vampire. However no matter how hard we listened we heard now. “ Wait Michael look an old barn.” I pointed out to Michael.

 In the distance there was an old barn than had lost almost all of it paint, had broken windows, and part of the roof was missing. We approached it with quiet caution and slowly opened the door and walked in. As soon as we walked in we could smell the strong stench of decay and see the carcass of a dead dear in the corner of the barn. We also seen a hammock, dirty clothes, and a note book sitting on a shelf. Slowly we approached the hammock, but it was soon cleat that no one was there. Michael grabbed the note book and flipped through the pages, “ Look it’s a journal. He talks about being turned and recently and about all the people he’s killed. Listen March 15, 2012 ‘ I feel the power of being a vampire flowing through my  veins. I think of the fear scent coming off of my victims when they feel my hot breath against their skin, just before I bite down and end  their lives. Like that sweet red head I found hiking in the woods yesterday.’” I scratched my head, “ wow sounds like this guy was slightly off his rocker.” Michael shook his head, “ Nah. All newly turned vampire are like that. Hey look at this last entry.” He handed my the book and my blood ran cold.

  I looked up at Michael and then down at my watch. “Its 9:39 that’s only two and a half hours.” I said. “I know we better hurry,” Michael said grimly. “ Where do you think he is?” Michael opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. He shrugged and hung his head, “ I don’t know.”  I thought about all the possible place a vampire could hide as we walk out of the barn and into the woods. It was about 9:58 when I stopped in my tracks and said, “ The maze. Michael! I got it. When we drove through here this morning I seen a sign that said Burketville Labyrinth.” Michael and I ran back to the car as fast as we could. When we got to the car the time was 10:27.  Michael turned on the car and sped off towards the county line. It took us about fifteen minutes to get there. We walked up to the entrance and right at the beginning was a map of the labyrinth.

                   “She could be in any of these clearings!” Michael said in frustration. “ I think she’s in that one,” I said pointing in the one in the upper left hand corner. “ Why? How do you know?” Michael asked. I looked at him and explained, “ think about it. It’s the one that’s farthest away from the entrance.” We stood there for a minute while Michael debated whether or not my reason made enough sense to risk it being wrong.  I looked at my watch and it read 10:59. “ Michael we really don’t have time for you to think to much about this.” I informed him. He huffed and said, “ I know. Okay upper left corner it is.”

We started in to the maze and slowly made out way around the first circle. I remembered a fact I read on the internet and told Michael  to follow the right wall. We pain staking made it through the pitch black maze by gripping the right wall. I looked down at my watch and it said 11:34. “ only twenty six- minutes.” I whispered. He didn’t say anything but I heard him pick up his pace and I did the same. I was so focused on listening for the vampire that I didn’t realize Michael and I had gotten separated. I looked up to say something and realized I could no longer hear Michaels foot steps ahead of me. “  Michael!” I yelled frantically trying to turn around and make my way back to the last turn we made. The onlygood thing was we had been walking in the dark so long I sold see the faint out line of everything. I yelled again, “ Michael!” Nothing, no response. I was panicking now. Time was running out and I had lost Michael. “ Joey!” I heard a voice yell in the distance behind me. Turning around I ran towards it “ Michael?!” “ I’m over hear –” I heard him yell, but he was cut off. I heard him yell and I ran faster. As I followed to sound I got turned around and didn’t know where I was. Finally I rounded a corner and almost tripped over Michael and the vampire – Dmitri – fighting on the ground. Well more like Dmitri on top of Michael about to finish him off. In all the commotion they had not heard me approach. I looked around and seen the stake Michael had dropped when Dmitri ambushed him. I quietly shuffled over and grabbed it. I turned around in time to see Dmitri sink his teeth in to Michaels neck. With no more time for stealth I ran up behind him and yelled, “ No!” I seen the vampire’s head shoot up and look at me with glowing red eyes. I brought the stake down into his chest and I heard his hiss of fury fade into a gurgling sound as he fell over where I pushed him off of Michael.

“ Michael!” I knelt down beside him and felt his wound, it was gushing blood. I took off my jacket that I had worn and pressed it against his neck desperately trying to stop the bleeding. “ Come on come on come on.”  “ Joey?” he whispered. I breathed a shaky sigh of relief, “ ya it’s me. Are you okay?” “Ow. I will be please tell me you staked that blood – sucking S.O.B” He said setting up. “ Ya I got him.”  Standing up he said, “ good now come on he told me where she was. “ Was I right?” “ Ya according to him you were.”

We ran towards the corner and finally came to the last turn as we rounded it we seen… an empty space. “ What?” I asked confused. “ That thing lied to me!” Michael yelled, outraged. “ The center.” I whispered. “What?”  I looked at Michael, “ The center that’s where Claire is. It’s the last place we’d look since there were so many other options.”      “ Bravo Josef.” A voice said behind me. It was Dmitri. “ but times run out. Now say good bye to your precious Claire.” And with that he disappeared around the corner. “ I thought you staked him!” Michael said. “ I did!” I yelled. “ There must be more than one.” Michael said. “  Great. The more the merrier.” I snapped. We took off running through the maze. We had rounded several corners when we heard Claire yell. “ HELP!” We picked up our speed. Finally we came around the last hedge and seen the most horrific sight I’d ever seen. Dmitri smiled wickidly as he presses his bleeding wrist to Claire’s mouth. Claire reached up and grabbed his arm sucking on his arm and completing the transformation. “NOOO!”  Michael and I both yelled together and dashed forward. We both tackled Dmitri at the same time and pinned him against the wooden pole I drabbed the rope and tired his hand and legs together and then to the pole. Michael kneeled beside Claire and I heard him sob. “ Claire?” he chocked out. Beside me Dmitri started cackling. Michael jumped up and punched him not that it affected him much. Though he did stop laughing  he said, “ You hunters think your so much better than everything else.  You act like your God’s gift to Earth,” he spat, “ but really your just filthy insects that pollute this planet. You all say we’re the monsters but really you should be looking at yourselves.” I heard the ropes snap felt his body slam into mine. I hit  the ground hard and lost my breath. I gasped for air and struggled against him. I felt his body dip and I jerked back in time to hear his teeth snap together beside my ear.  I gasped and he growled in frustration. I felt his body lean forward again, but this time I felt his teeth connect with my shoulder. I screamed in agony as his teeth broke my skin. I could feel the blood pour out of me and in to his mouth. I seen black dots at the edge of my vision and started to close me eyes. Then Dmitri suddenly jumped up as if in pain. I looked at him and his eyes were wide in surprise and he gripped his stomach in pain. That’s when Michael came up behind him and with the swipe of a blade cut Dmitri’s head clean off. Dmitri’s head fell  to the side and then his body crumpled where it stood.  I sat up and seen Michael gripping a machete. “ Why didn’t you do that sooner!” I yelled. “ I forgot I had it.” He stated. I sighed in frustration. “ Let me check your wound,” Michael said. I pushed him away and said, “ I’m fine.” I crawled over to Claire and pulled her onto my lap. “Maybe it didn’t work I.” I said almost crying. “ I doubt it. Vampires never fail at this. I held on to her for minute longer and stood up. I took barley a step when my legs went out and I fell forward. “ Whoa whoa whoa come on Joey don’t pass out on me now.” Michael said reaching out to catch me. I tried to respond but blackness over took me and I lost consciousness.

 

 

I woke up from the worst nightmare  I’d ever had. In it my parents died my sister almost died and monsters were real. Then I fell in love but she died. I opened my expecting to find the comforting navy blue walls of my room, but I was looking at the cream beige colored walls of a strange room. I sat up fast and gasped as a sharp pain shot across my shoulder and chest I looked down and seen white bandages going across my shoulder and under my arm. I was in just my jeans. I lifted my head to look around the room despite the pounding headache at my temples. “Agh.”  “ Hey look who’s up.”  I stared stupidly at the blonde boy about my age that stood in the hall near what I guessed was a hotel bathroom. It was the same guy from my nightmare. Then I realized my parents  were dead, Kay was dying, Claire was probably dead, and Michael was real. It wasn’t a dream it was the sad reality. I sighed and swung my feet over the bed an walked to the bathroom after I relieve myself I walked back out to the hotel room. I noticed that it was a different hotel then where we had been before. “ Where are we?” “Beckley, Wv.” “ Where’s Claire?” “ She didn’t ingest enough blood to make the change so we took her to the local hospital.” I breathed a sigh of relief. At least she was still alive, and human. Just then the door opened and a woman walked. “ Here I brought you guys dinner,” Cassidy said as she set down a bag that smelled of Chinese food. “ What is she doing here?” I asked Michael. “ Nice to see you to Joey.” She said. “ Well you passed out on me Claire we out cold, and I knew I couldn’t get either of you back without leaving one of you behind cause I’d never find you again so I called for help.” Cassidy smirked and said, “ If it weren’t for me either  you or Claire would be dead.” She turned to Michael, “Well I better get going I have demons to hunt, monsters to kill, and idiots to find.” “ Okay, Bye.” Michael said locking the dead bolt behind her. Michael sat own beside me and handed me some beef and broccoli. “So what happened after I passed out?” “Not much I tried waking you but you wouldn’t wake up so I called Cassidy and waited. She showed up and I carried you back to the car and she got Claire since she was lighter and easier to carry. We checked in here and she fixed our shoulder. What I want to know is what happened before you passed out.” I swallowed the food in my mouth, “what do you mean?”  Michael sat his food down and said, “that vampire reacted to you as if it had swallowed something poisonous.” I thought back to the vampires reaction my me and I shrugged, “I don’t know I was just as surprised as he and you were. Wait where’s John.” “ John’s fine he had a minor concussion and should be released later tonight he’s going to get a car and meet us here. Then we’re gonna wait for Claire to get better and head home. But for now me and you are kicking it here tonight.”

 I finished my food and asked Michael if I could take off this bandage yet to shower. He told me he had extra and he could rewrap it. I took of my jeans and stuff and then started un reveling the bandage from my torso.  I had a big bite mark that was still swollen and long scratch marks his nails that went from the top o my left shoulder beside the bite mark across to my right side that ended just below my shoulder. They didn’t look deep enough to cause any real damage.  I didn’t even remember him scratching me but I must have been more focused on the pain in my shoulder. I got in the shower and scrubbed of the dirt and grime the had coated my body and the grease that was in my hair. I took a clean washrag and carefully cleaned the scratches and bite mark with warm water and soap. I got out of the shower and leaned over the sink to peer into the mirror I had bags under my eyes and a small scratch un my right cheek. I closed my eyes and pictured the vampires face after he bit me. I seen the pain in his red eyes and him grabbing his stomach. I finished drying off and walked back out to the main room. Michael insisted on wrapping my shoulder again just to be safe even though I told him I was fine. Eventually I gave I and left him do it. Afterward he turned on the TV an started flipping through the channels.“ Hey look The Vampire Diaries,” he teased. “ I think I’ve had enough vampires for now.” I retorted. He laughed and turned the channel. I looked out the window and  by my estimate we were on the seventh floor. I then got a drink of water and laid down. I was still exhausted even though I had just woken up this evening. After looking at the clock which said 9:15 I rolled over and watched TV with Michael who had settled on Godzilla. I watched as the giant monster destroy Tokyo in black and white until I drifted off to sleep.

 

~Authors Note~

Woohoo! Chapter 13  finally after 4 months!!! (^.^) This one is extra long (9 Pages instead of the usual 4 or 5) I hope you like this and I’m sorry it took so long to finish. Thank you for reading this. Hopefull the ext update won’t take so long. In fact look for an update every Sunday. P.s. it like 11:40pm so I this is an unedited  but I will look over it tomorrow 10/07/2012 so if you see mistakes I will fix them then. Thanks!

                                                                  ~Jayfeather1997

Welcome To Hell : Chapter 1

Welcome to Hell

            “I’m just saying its improbable for God  not the exist.” Amy countered while crunching on a potato chip. “ And I’m  just saying  it’s improbable he does.” I said getting annoyed with the whole argument.  Every so often  we have this argument and the only thing that  comes out of it is one of us sulking about for the rest of the day ignoring the other. It always starts simple with a tiny reference to the almighty that I just can’t refuse to comment on, and boom a fight erupts.

               We were sitting in Morgan Valley’s High School cafeteria eating lunch. We were looking out the window at a jasmine flower tree and Amy said, “ God makes the most beautiful things.”  Me being me I couldn’t resist arguing, “ No nature makes the most beautiful things.”  So ten minutes, five cuss  words, and two pissed off teens later , here we are still arguing when Josh cuts in, “Guys you have different beliefs so you’re never going to agree. Now that that’s been established… Can you both just drop it?” Amy glared at both of us and pursed her lips then mumbled, “Fine.”  I shrugged and continued to eat my PB&J.  The rest of the lunch period we sat in a heavy unbroken silence. 

            When the bell finally rang I stood up and walked away. I was glad to be away from a seething Amy but also sad to go to class. My next class was Philosophy. I’ve always been told that science can explain everything so me and Philosophy don’t mix well, and since I have block scheduling  I’m stuck with our crack-pot teacher Mr. Jones, for  ninety minutes.

            “Watch where you’re going bitch!” Melanie Gordon snapped at me as I bumped in to her walking down the hall. Melanie was the cliché queen bee, from her platinum blonde hair to her fake tanned skin. I doubted anything about the girl was real, except maybe her eyes, maybe.  She had sky blue eyes that everyone – including me – was jealous of.

            I ignored her and kept walking to class. I rounded the corner and walked in to class.  “ good afternoon Miss Young.” I put on a fake smile and sat down. I was always the first one to class since I carried my book with me to lunch and had no need to go anywhere else. More people started to come in and eventually Mr. Jones came in and started teaching.

            Class went by pretty fast and I actually liked it. We discussed reality  and perception for the whole period. When the bell rang I stood up and bumped in to Damon Porter. “Sorry excuse me,” I said to him. “Nah, don’t worry about it your fine.”  I  just smiled not knowing what to say.  He started to walk away then turned around, “ Hey I’m having this party tonight. You wanna come?” “Can I bring some friends?” I asked knowing Amy and Josh would kill me if I didn’t. “Sure anybody you like.” “Thanks I’ll be there. Where is there exactly anyway?”  He pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a number on it, “ he text me I’ll give you the details. See ya.”  I smiled to myself and tucked the piece of paper into my pocket.

            I caught a lucky break by finding Amy and Josh at My locker waiting for me. “Guys guess what!” I said full of excitement. “What?” Amy said with mock cheerfulness ,” you’re ready to admit your wrong?”

“Forget that, we’re going to Damon Porters party!” I squealed. Amy – momentarily forgetting she was mad at me- stared at me with her mouth hanging open and Josh said, “ what?”  I smiled and nodded, “ I got us invited to Damon’s party.” 

            We walked out of the school and got in Josh’s old Ford Mustang. It was green with black racing stripes, and the inside was white upholstery. I sat in the back seat and Amy sat in the passenger seat.  I put my bag beside me and pulled out my phone. I typed a new text message and entered Damon’s number.  I sat there looking out the window and waited nervously for his reply.  Part of me worried this was some trick or set up, but I pushed those thoughts away. “So how exactly did we get invited to this party?” Josh asked. “Um… I kinda bumped in to him… Literally… and he invited us to his party.” Amy and Josh looked at each other and Amy bit her lip like she does then she thinks you’re lying.  “ Are you sure this isn’t some trick or something to humiliate us? I mean we aren’t exactly Damon’s favorite flavor” “ We have a flavor?” I asked. Amy turned in her seat and glared at me, “You know what I mean” I was about to reply when my phone buzzed. I looked at it and smiled a little. It was Damon’s number. 

Hey! Parties at 319 Columbus Avenue @9:00.

I smiled and replied okay. Josh dropped me and Amy off at my house and drove off, “ See you  at eight.” We waved and walked in to my house. “ Okay so what are we going to wear?’ Amy asked. I shrugged and bit my bottom lip. “ I guess what I’m wearing now.” I said. Amy’s eyes got bug and she shook her head, “ like hell you are. You have to make a good impression.”  “ Why,” I whined stomping my feet. “ Come on,” She ordered and drug me up the stairs to my room. I sat on my bed while Amy when threw my closet. “ Ah ha!” She held up a dress in front of me and said, “ no, no, just no.”  It was a  red cocktail dress I had from some party my parents drug me to every year. I stopped just above my  knees and had short sleeves that barley cover my shoulder.  She laid the dress on the bed and picked up  a pair on white pumps “ you have got to wear these with it!”

In the end I wore the dress and the shoes and Amy did my make up with a copper color eye because it would ‘enhance’ my eye color and a nude lip. I have to admit I looked good with my hair curled. My hair was so brown it was almost black and ended half way past my shoulder blades. Usually I leave it straight and just brushed it.

Amy wore a white strapless dress that ended right above her knees and black stiletos. Her blonde hair was scrunched and she had a red lip and natural eyes. Josh wore a black polo and jeans. We got in his car and drove off . I was worried about sticking out, but when we got theref I knew we wouldn’t. Almost everyone there was dress in the same manner we were.

We exited the car and walked up to the mansion status house. We stopped at the door and rung the doorbell. “Hey. Jaden and company. Come in.” He stepped aside and let us through. I looked around the room and thought,  Oh this should be fun……..

Welcome To Hell : Intro

Hell. What is Hell? Is it a fiery pit of misery, full of souls of the damned?  Or a word that people say when they ‘re angry. Or is it an alternate universe where evil runs the show? Or is it more complicated and harder to understand. Or what if Hell really wasn’t Hell at all?

Some people will never know. I’m Jayden Young. My parents are Atheist so I didn’t really know much about heaven or hell. I knew that heaven was a place when Christians believes they go once they’d die to live in everlasting peace with God, and I knew Hell was a place where the evil and corrupt when to burn for all eternity.  That’s about it as far as I could tell you.  I learned all that from my friends Amy and Josh.

My friends Amy and Josh are both Christian. They respect my views, but Amy all way references the Bible when she can. Josh is a little more lose with his beliefs.  I try not to argue religion with them, but occasionally a fights bound to happened. I guess that’s where my story starts , during a fight with my friends about religion. Well maybe it starts a tad before that.

Here’s my story,

Welcome to Hell…..

P.S. I will be posting The Hunt Chapter 13 later today

Hello Peoples,
  I haven't posted in so long and I'm sooooo sorry I just have had writers block so ill try to continue soon! Sorry

***ATTENTION***

MOBILE READERS, DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE CUSTOM BACKGROUND I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE MOBILE TEMPLATE TO A DIFFERENT PICTURE. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE OF THE LAST POST. HOPEFULLY I HAVE FIXED IT. I WILL BE POSTING THIS MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS AND COLORED IN CASE THE MOBILE SITE IS NOT FIXED. EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS AT Jayfeather1997@aol.com    

The Hunt: Claire's Tale (Claire's Vs. Cassidy)

Claire’s Tale

(Claire’s POV)

            I woke up with my head on Joey’s arm. He was asleep; some of his black curls had fallen in front of his eyes. He looked so…peaceful. I stared for a minute at his face. It wasn’t the hard line of high cheekbones and jawbones like Michael’s face, but softer around the edges though still very defined features.

             I got up slowly trying not to disturb Joey. The bed creaked at I stood up. I winced at the sound of the metal springs, which Joey thankfully ignored. I walked to the door and prayed that the floor and door didn’t creak to loud. It didn’t; at least not until I got outside the room.

            Michael was setting in the kitchen. I walked in, and got a cup of coffee. “ What’s up, babe?” 

            “Not now, Michael. Not ever.” I said. That awful jerk thinks I will just forget what happened. Any way, I’m with Joey now. Ish. “So. Cassidy huh?”  I asked. Michael took another sip of coffee, “What about her?” I almost expected sympathy, but he wouldn’t know what had happened. I grabbed my coffee and walked back down the hall. I opened Joey’s door.  He was setting on the bed his hair was ruffled. He looked so…adorable. I smiled and so did he. My brain instantly reacted to compare him and Michael. He was easy to be around while Michael was so intimidating. “ Morning,” he said drowsily, “I thought you left.”

            “Nah, just went to get coffee.” I sat down on the bed beside him. It was silent for a few minutes, but it was a comfortable silence. “Mind if I turn the radio on?” I asked. “What radio?” he said looking around.  I pulled a small portable mp3 out and turned it on. “Well?” I inquired. He looked at me, “ Oh, ya sure.”  I turned it on and tuned a station. ‘Rockstar’ by Nickleback came over the speakers. “I love this song,” I said. I stood up and dance around. Joey watched me and I stuck my hand out. “ Wanna dance?!” He took my hand and I pulled him up. After a while of twirling and laughing, we plopped down on the bed. As we tried to catch our breath Joey managed to say, “ So, why do you hate Cassidy? If you don’t mind me asking.”

            I sighed. Might as well tell him right? “ Well mostly because she’s to… two-faced.”  Joey looked confused ( typical Cassidy. Make everyone think she is a nice incredible person. I thought) “ Well , when John started hunting he was only around 17. He was an inexperienced novice. Well after a while he got better but still was an amateur, as was I. Well not long after we ran into each other about a year or two after he started hunting. We had been hunting together for a few months now, best of friends. Then one night a demon showed up. Me and John tried everything we could think of to fight it. Then Cassidy showed up. Out of nowhere dirty, sweaty, and bloody. She looked at the demon just as it had pick John up without touching him. ‘Hey ugly! Over here!’ The demon turned and dropped John. She exercised it. John thanked her and offered her a place to stay for the night. I liked her at first, she stayed awhile so we were like sisters.” I paused.

            “So what was the problem?” Joey asked. “John. She ...I …we view him differently. I seen him as like a brother or maybe even fatherly. However Cassidy liked him as well a boyfriend. So she was extremely jealous. I mean me and John were very close. We’d been living together for months now. Well Cassidy thought we were more than friends. So she decided to put an end to it.”

            “She would do little things at first. Like hide silly things. Things that I was in charge of and that I should have known where they were. Like one time I was in charge of the knife sharpener. I had put it in the hall closet- don’t ask- and when I went back it was gone. John was upset, but not mad mad. Then Cassidy came in and opened the kitchen cabinet and there it was! I knew I hadn’t put it there, so when the same thing happened with some holy water during a hunt I was suspicious. Especially when Cassidy happened to have a bottle handy. My bottle. Well it kept happening, I tried to ignore it.  By now Cassidy and John were a thing. I didn’t know it though, not until I seen them kissing in the kitchen one morning. They didn’t know I was there and they were making out on the counter. I was only like 15 so I just stood there and stared. They kissed for about five minutes and then broke apart. That’s when Cassidy seen me. She looked in my eyes and scowled. I could tell I was blushing, and then John turned around and seen me. His face turned tomato red.”

            Joey broke in, “You caught John  and Cassidy making out on the counter?! Ew! I get food off of that!” He was laughing. He had a nice laugh that made me laugh too. Michael’s laugh was cold and always sounded fake. I liked Joey’s better. I shifted my position to continue the story, “ Cassidy looked at me and said, ‘Do you mind?’       I shook my head, spun around and went back to my room. Thst when they officially became a couple. About a month later we were hunting a Djinn and needed silver dipped in lambs blood. Gross I know. We got the knifes and went in, knifes with the blood in the sheaths. See we cover them in blood so the blood will stay on when we pull them out of the holders. Any way we got in there and were looking around. Well me and Cassidy went one way and John went another. Well Cassidy was looking under the stairs and the Djinn came up behind her in the dark. He grabbed her and his hand turned blueish-green and he tried to touch her head. She screamed and started to fight it. ‘Claire. Don’t just stand there help me!’ She yelled. I reached for my knife only to find it wasn’t there. So I stood there not sure what to do. That’s when John ran in and stabbed it. He shoved the dead Djinn off of her and pulled a shaking Cassidy in to his lap. He looked at me…” I broke off and realized I was crying. So had Joey, and he pulled me closer to him and I laid my head on his shoulder. “ His eyes were filled with worry and fear for Cassidy and hatred for me. I stood there thinking about how did I lose my knife. When we walked out Cassidy bumped into me and yelled, ‘get away from me!’ When we got outside John said, ‘Claire! What was that, you could have got her killed!’ I told them I didn’t have my knife that I must have dropped it. John’s face got so… angry and pointed to my sheath ‘ what is that then?!’ I gave him a look that said what? I felt for the knife and sure enough it was there. When we got home Cassidy and John stayed in the kitchen and talked. I heard bits and pieces about me but I was crying so I didn’t pick up much. The next morning John woke me up and said let’s go for a ride. He looked… upset, but determined. We drove down the road then pulled up near my mom’s house. ‘what are we doing here’ I asked. John looked at me and said, ‘Claire… I … We… Cassidy and I think  that you should go home. You’re only fifteen and your hardly trained enough to take care of yourself let alone help on a hunt. I’m sorry, but you’re just too young for this. Go home live a life.’ I started crying, ‘but… John.. I –‘  but he broke me off and said, ‘Claire , just go. Get out of the car. Don’t make this hard for yourself. Okay? Bye.’ I got out and stood there. When I walked in the door my mom asked me what the bleep was I doing back? I just shook my head and walked past her up the stair and in to my old room.” I told Joey. I was still sobbing, but not much. “What happened then?” he asked. “ I was there for about three weeks before one day as I was walking home from school, and I seen John parked outside, I walked over and said ‘What are you doing here.’ He said, ‘Claire I need you to come back. Cassidy left and I need my buddy back.’  I couldn’t believe his nerve. I almost punched him in the face. ‘and why would I want to come back John. You told me I was useless. That I weigh you down!’ He told me he didn’t mean all that.  I decided to go back because I didn’t want to go home and he told me Cassidy had left but not why. I didn’t care. She had turned John against me. And that’s why I don’t like her.”

            Joey was so quiet I thought he was asleep. “ Joey?” I asked. “I’m here Claire. I just can’t believe John would do that, I mean…”

            “ I know it doesn’t sound like him, but it was.” I told him. We laid back down and just laid there.  I was glad to get that one problem off my chest but there were still problems on the list. “Joey, what are we going to do about Michael?”

            “ Um… I don’t know Claire. I really don’t know.”

The Hunt

Chapter Twelve

Serious Jokes

          “Let me get this straight,” John said while pacing in the kitchen, “ You and Claire were here in the kitchen –”

“No I was in the kitchen and Claire was in her room. Do you want me to start from the beginning again?”

He nodded, so I took a deep breath and began, “ Okay Claire was eating dinner when I got out of the shower. I came in to find out where you guys were. She told me you had went out on a hunt. Then she went to bed. I few hours later I heard something in the kitchen. I came in and it was Claire getting some water.” I looked over at Claire. Both of us were still on the floor against the cabinets. The others had only been home about ten minutes. 

            “Then she went back to bed. I looked out the window, and seen something move at the edge of the trees. That’s when the demons walked out.”
            “Wait, Demons? Plural?” Michael asked.

I nodded. “ Plural. Three. Anyway, Amy talked at me for a few seconds. I yelled for Claire and she came down possessed as a demon. Flung me across the room. Claire took over for a second. I ran into the living room. She came in same drill different room. Then Claire took over again and told me about the exorcism paper. I ran in, the demon followed, trapped me against the counter, but I could still see the paper. The demon ranted about how stupid hunters are and then I exercised it.”
            Michael laughed, “Wonder what you’d have looked like is she didn’t fight the demon.”

 I just rolled my eyes at him, and stood up. “Well I’m going to bed.”

“Me too.” Claire said. She got up and Michael went over to her, “ Let me help you.”  She shook him off and walked away.  “ You did good, Joey.” John praised. “Michael do me a favor. Clean up this mess.”

“I didn’t make it!” Michael complained.

“ I don’t care. Clean it. Now.” John said. “Please.”

 “Hold up, Joey.” Claire said outside my door, “ Let me check your head.”

I had forgotten about hitting my head on the fridge and again on the wall. I still hurt, but I had ignored it. Now it was throbbing bad. I turned around and Claire parted my hair. “ Wow, you have dark hair.” She felt around my head. Once she touched a sore spot I winced and pulled away. “Ouch.”

“ Did that hurt?”

“ No, it tickled,” I said sourly.

“Well it looks like you just have a bump and a cut. You’ll live.”

I went into my room and sat on the bed. I looked out the window. Nothing, no demons, just nothing. I pulled back the thick blanket and laid down. The last thing I remember was looking at the clock. 12:58.

                                    (Later that night…)

Cackling… That’s what woke me up. I was having a peaceful dream about a family cook out with my parents when I was awoken by a loud, freaky cackling. I jumped out of bed and checked the window and door for salt lines. All were in place so I breathed a sigh of relief.  I looked at the clock again. 3:27. I wanted to lay back down but I was wide awake. I decided to go outside for some air.

I walked out of my room and went to the kitchen. I grabbed salt and a silver knife – just in case – and  walked out to set on the broken wooden bench out front.  It was nice out. Well nice for Mid-October. I sat there quietly looking out into the  woods.

“It’s a little chilly out here tonight, isn’t it?”

I jumped up, knife and salt in hand. Ready for whatever was behind me.  Claire was standing there in forest green flannel pants and a black jacket. Her blonde hair was tied up into a messy bun. I put the knife away and sat back down. “Not really it’s kind of nice out here.”

 “ Couldn’t sleep?” She asked.
“Is it that obvious?”

“No not really. It’s just I couldn’t sleep and I seen you out here so…”

I nodded. “Did you hear the cackling.”

She was quiet for so long I thought she had snuck back in. I was about to turn around and look when she said. “ Ya. Oh and by the way iron, salt and silver won’t protect you against a demon.”

I laughed bitterly, “ Ah, well. Worth a try right?”

“ If you say so. I guess.”

She sat down beside me and handed me a necklace. “Here it’s an anti-possession charm.”

“A what?” I asked holding the thin gold chain in my hands.

“ It’s a necklace with a pendant charm that stops a demon from entering your body.”

I undid the clasp and put it around my neck. I tried to re-hook it but the tiny hook slipped from my hands. “ Here let me help you,” Claire offered taking the necklace. I turned slightly so she could put it on. She moved my hair back out of the way with her cool hands. Her soft touch made my hairs stand on end and I shivered. “Sorry, it’s kinda cold out here.” She mumbled.

“It’s okay,” I replied. I turned back around so I could face her. We looked at each other for a few minutes.

I seen a tear slide down her cheek. “What’s wrong Claire?” 

“I… It’s just…” Her voice faltered, “Everything is… slipping right out of my…my  hands.”  She started sobbing and shaking. I grabbed the jacket I had brought out and put it around her shoulders. “Hah, hard to believe I’m the same girl who pinned you against a wall a few days ago, huh?”

“ Maybe, Well not really I mean then you didn’t know me. I guess you don’t know me real well now, but I’m not a complete stranger anymore.”

She nodded and wiped her eyes on her sleeves, “ True very true.”

Claire, big, bad, scary, hard, mean, Claire. Wearing my high school baseball jacket and sobbing in the middle of the night. I never thought I’d see her break down… again. She looked at me, “ Do you get what I’m mean? Probably not, no one does.”

“ I think”, I said as I reached over and wiped a stray tear off her cheek. “ That Michael can be a real arse to you sometimes.”

“ Ya. Sometimes. You know he didn’t even ask me if I was okay. He just wanted to walk me to my room and… never mind.”

I raised an eyebrow and said, “ Uhhh…”

She smiled and shoved my arm, “ Not that pervert.”

I laughed. At least she was done crying, hopefully. “ What you said it not me.”

Smiling slightly she looked away. After she looked into the woods she said, “ It doesn’t make sense. Why didn’t the demon let the others in. It’s like it was afraid of them, me, mostly you.”
“ Nah, it had to be afraid of you. Not little ol’ scrawny me.” I said. I didn’t really want to talk about the demons. “ No, Joey. It was afraid of you.” We sat there for a while longer. Eventually, rays of bright sun shine broke through the deep blue black sky.

            “ Well we better go in.” Claire said breaking the peaceful silence. “Ya probably.” I agreed. We both stood up.

            “ Oh… ah…Joey. Thank you for.. um.. saving me.”

“Ah… ya no problem.” I ran my fingers threw my hair, a nervous habit. She hugged me and said, “ I mean it.”
            She leaned back, but didn’t let go of me. “ Uh, Clai – ” She leaned forward and her lips met mine. For a minute I was shocked, but if she noticed she didn’t care. I closed my eyes  and put my hands on her shoulders. Almost as fast as it had happened she pulled back. She was blushing around her cheeks and then she ran in the house.

            A cold burst of wind blew through and felt like needles on my bare arms. I turned around to grab my jacket. Only to remember Claire still had it on. I shook myself and walked back toward the house. What the heck just happened, I thought as I walked in to door. No one was to be seen so I went up stairs and fell back asleep.

The next two weeks passed without incident. I trained with Michael every day. I was getting good to. I could hold my own in a fight and then some. Only problem I had was, Claire. Here lately since that night outside, she has been finding reason and excuses for us to be alone for a few minutes. The first time after that night I hadn’t thought anything of it. We were In the storage building looking for some arrow fixing equipment, when she walked over and grabbed my face. Before I could say ‘wtf’ she had pressed her lips to mine. Then grabbed the tools and ran out when I just stood there. After a few more awkward encounters I quit trying to avoid it.

            “ Claire what is going on with you?” I had asked.  “Nothing it’s just a kiss. No biggie.”

“No biggie? Claire, no biggie? It’s kind of a biggie!” I snapped. “ Don’t pretend you didn’t like it.” She spat at me with her same old fury she had the first night I had arrived. “So what IF I DID like it!?”

“Uh...well… I ..uh then well…” she sputtered.

“ What, no come back Claire.”

“No ‘Michael junior’,” she sniffled, “ No come back.”

“Oh come on I am not like Michael.” I said.  Claire wiped her eyes and said, “ fine whatever.” She walked toward the door. “ Claire…wait…I’m sorry.”  She walked over. “Do you like me? Honestly.”

“Claire… I… well.. your beautiful and all...” She looked at me with big vulnerable eyes. “ Yes, Claire, okay yes.”  And then again an ambush of kisses, but his time was different. I kissed her back.  Michael will skin me alive, I thought, then again I don’t really care.

            After we broke apart our tangle mess of arms, lips, and hair, we stood there trying to catch our breath.  “Claire …uh,” I breathed. “No Joey, don’t… even… say a…word. If you say anything I swear to god I will kill you myself.”

            We stood there holding each other in an easy hug. I heard, or thought I heard, a bush rustle. We broke apart and I looked around. Empty. We went our separate ways looking over our shoulders.  I checked my watch 11:43 . Time to practice more with Michael.

            I walked through the house, and out to the front yard. Michael was setting on a mat by the car. “Morning,” I greeted him.  He had been warming up when I walked over. “ Morning,” he said while standing up. I got on the mats he had laid out. “ What are we doing today?”

“ Two on one Defensive. Warm up.” Michael ordered while walking to get him a bottle of water. I did the stretches Michael taught me the first week I got there. Once I was loosened up, Michael came over and started talking.  “ Okay, so as you know Demons and Monsters don’t always play fair. In fact they hardly ever play fair one on one fights.” He paused, “ Often demon team up in groups of two to four and attack a hunter or two… So today we will try your defensive training against two ‘demons’ Which will be me and John.” “ Remember which parts of the body do you want to protect most?”

“The face and stomach.” I answered. Michael nodded indicating I was right. “Okay so no Dirty Fighting which mean no biting, spitting, eye poking, or between the leg kicking. Understood?” I nodded and John came closer. I was nervous. I wasn’t too gifted with fighting, I had gotten better. But it’s not like I was good enough to take on Claire let alone a Demon.   Claire. I thought, Jeez, she sure is different than from when we first met. She hated me. Now she can’t get enough of me…

Michaels fist connected with my jaw and my head snapped painfully to my side. “Ouch!”

“Earth to Joey! We’re kind of in the middle of something here in case you forgot.”

“Sorry. Okay I’m ready.”

Michael ran at me and I dodged to the side. Luckily I seen Johns leap at me and I hit the mat flattening myself in to it. John soared over me and landed on outstretched arms and gracefully rolled to an upright position. Michael did a front flip and prepared to bring his elbow down on my side. I rolled quickly and kicked out at him when he landed. My foot connected with his chest, but not hard enough to cause damage, and he lay winded for a moment. John hopped over him and came at me lie a linebacker. I waited a second and stuck my leg out to trip him. As he fell he grabbed my arm and pulled me down with him. I landed on all fours and tried to stand. John grabbed my ankle and yanked it so I fell to the side. Michael stood over me and slammed a foot down on my chest. “ Oof,” I said as the air was shoved out of by lungs. “Not bad,” he smiled. “ I am an awesome teacher,” he boasted. I quickly grabbed his leg and twisted it inward. Michael grunted in surprise and fell face forward in to the mat. I tried to twist my way out from under John who was pinning me by my legs to the mat, but he just tightened his grip on me.

We were still wrestling on the mat when a sleek black ford mustang pulled in to the drive way. We all stood up. Michael and I stood tense behind a surprisingly relaxed John. “ No way,” John said to himself. Michael and I exchanged looks that said, who the h-e- double hockey sticks, is that. The car stopped. I girl, maybe nineteen stepped out. She had brown hair that seemed bronze in the hot sunlight. She wore a plain green t-shirt and dark wash jeans. She had strong build which made me think of Claire. Not now Joey ,I chided myself. I could daydream about her later.  

            John ran over and the girl squealed, “OMG it’s been for ever John! How have you been?!” She yelled while hugging him tight.  We stood there staring at John quietly. Finally he turned around and said, Guys meet my old hunting friend, Cassidy Edmund.”

We all went into the house. Claire was setting at the table, but when she seen Cassidy she frowned and walked away upstairs. Cassidy just rolled her eyes and sat down. Michael at down across from her and I sat beside him. John sat beside Cassidy and said, “ God Cassie where have you been.”

She smirked, “ Oh you know, here and there.” John smiled and sighed happily.

Michael being Michael, looked at her and said, “ are you a hunter?”
She turned her feather gray eyes on him and said, “ Ex – Hunter.”

Michael frowned, “ No such thing. Once you start hunting you never stop.”

“You poor naïve boy. It’s very possible just not probable. John have you taught him nothing.”

“ Info is on a need to know basis.” John replied.

She rolled her eyes, “ Anyway ya’ll want to hear about John’s first hunt…”

A few hours later Cassidy said, “Well it’s getting late I better go check into a hotel.”
John stood and said, “ Okay but just wondering, why are you here?”

She sighed, “ Um..”
“Don’t lie to me Cassie,” John warned.

“Fine. I caught wind of a hunt. A jokester to be exact.”

“What’s a jokester?” I asked.

Michael furrowed his eye brows, “ They’re demi-gods who like to give jerks there just deserts right?”

John shook his head, “ Close but no.That would be a Trickster. A jokester usually is part demon and likes to mess with people for others entertainment. They are usually born out of or summoned for revenge.”

“See a Trickster will play some messed up sometimes fatal jokes. But usually they only target jackarses. Jokesters on the other hand like to mess with any one. Everyone is fair game, you, me, anyone.”

“ So basically they are just bullies?” I suggested. “ Exactlly big ol’ giant bullies who like to play some seriously bad jokes on normally innocent people.” John said.

“So anyways,” Cassidy said, “ I figured maybe we could hunt it together. Like old times.”

Michael smirked, “ Thought you were retired.”

Cassidy met his smirk with one of her own, “ I was. But you know what they say once you start hunting.. you can never  Really stop.” She then got up, brown waves of hair bouncing around her cheek bones, and walked out the door got in her car and drove off.

            John turned to me, “ Well Joey get some rest you start your first official hunt tomorrow…”

Oh joy, I get to fight a bully that happens to be part demon. What could possibly go wrong with that,  I thought sarcastically. Well I got myself into this. Time to see it through. I then went up to bed. When I went up to bed, Claire was sitting on the edge of the bed facing the window. “Is it gone?” She asked. “ Um… Cassidy? Ya she just left.”

“ Good.” Claire said crossing her arms.

“ So what’s up?”

“ Nothing just…uh… relaxing.” She said laying down to look at me.

“In my bed?” I raised an eye brow.

She blushed faintly, but said, “ Yes. In your bed. By the way your bed is comfy and smells nice.”

I smiled and sat beside her. “ So what’s up with you and Cassidy?” “ Long story.”  I knew that was code for, I don’t wanna talk about it now…maybe later… So I dropped it and laid beside her. “So apparently we are hunting a jokester.”

“We?... as in they are letting you hunt now to.” She said with mock astonishment. “Don’t sound so surprised. I totally kicked Michaels butt today...sorta.”  She rolled over to face me, “ You did what?”

“Beat Michael in a training fight.” Claire growled, “ Urgh, and I missed it! I always miss the good part of training. Crap.” I smiled. My eyes were heavy. I tried to yawn and talk at the same time, “you know, ooo ud’ve um to traying,” Is what it sounded like.

Claire smiled, “ Good night Joey.” She kissed me and then laid her head on the spare pillow. I was going to say something but I fell asleep with the words on the tip of my tounge.

Oh well, I thought, tomorrow is a new day.

***************************Authors Note************************

                        Dear Readers,

 Thank you for the time you spend reading my story. I really appreciate it. The main reason I am righting this note is because I feel I have a few loose ends to tie up.

1.)     Joey no longer attends regular school. He is homeschooled by John.

2.)    Kay is still alive, but in a coma.

3.)    They are still looking for the Shtriga

4.)   They action will get better I just want to write a smooth transition from normal teen to Demon Hunter

5.)    Sam and John are still important characters. I just haven’t wrote parts much with them yet.

6.)   I want to hear your suggestions so please E-mail me or comment it.

If you have any questions please feel free to comment then on a post or email me at  Jayfeather1997@aol.com. Or check the Contact Me page.

                                                                

                                                     Carry on,

                                                                 ~  Jayfeather1997