Wanted UnDead or Alive

Coreal enjoyed the darkness and loneliness of the night. There was something about it which made her feel right at home amongst the shadows while she patrolled and worked until almost dawn.

She didn’t mind walking along the streets of her home town – but the cops did. They often stopped her asking if she was okay, if she needed a lift home; if she was running away from something or somebody.

But she always said she was fine.

The one thing nobody knew about her most times was that she couldn’t hear them. Sound came to her in a certain way; kind of like a sixth sense way; she felt sound, more than anything else. She knew how voices sounded and knew more than anything that yes, that was a human across the road walking in from the cab which had just dropped her off… and there was a vampire following her about twenty metres behind her.

He was keeping to the shadows, thinking she couldn’t hear him.

Technically he was right – she couldn’t.

But Coreal knew he was there and ignored him until he was almost right upon her!

Turning, she was prepared for a fight!

She was prepared to put her life on the line to kill him – to watch him go ‘poof!’ … nah, not really. But she’d love to see that happen one day.

But as she did turn, she found nobody there.

Home wasn’t anything flash.

Home was a place for her to live, for her to crash when she had finished hunting for the undead, for her to hide her knives, guns, stakes and other tools of torture and yet never get caught with any of it.

Closing the front door, Coreal turned on the living room light and found him there waiting for her – her own little chew toy – the vampire she had caught two days ago. He hadn’t given up his nest’s location yet and so she was going to give it another try.

“You will never get it out of me.” He said.

“I know I will.” She smiled.

“How is it that you can’t hear me, but you know what I’m saying?” he asked.

Pulling on the long blood-spattered boots again, she walked slowly to the table just out of his reach as he hung from the ceiling with his toes dragging on a floor of pure silver shavings, “I think you’re forgetting your place here.” She tugged another fresh pair of gloves on from the container on the table and wrapped the long apron around her body, “I ask you the questions… you answer me correctly.” Picking up an ancient blade she had found in her father’s belongings, she turned smiling, “Now, tell me, you blood-sucking shit, where is your nest?”

She hated going underground.

It meant no easy way out if she had to get out.

It also meant if there were ghouls also playing games, she had to contend with them too… and they’re never fun.

The crypt looked ordinary from the outside, but it was anything but – and she knew it.

Crows and vultures hung around the place like mouldy streamers after Halloween. Their caws and cries littered the dusk sky as the sun disappeared below the horizon and street lights flickered on, casting more shadows than needs be.

Coreal still waited until it was fully dark.

She had needed help to crack this nest, as it was bigger than any other she had invaded – so she called her old hunting crew up and asked them to come on this hunt with her; and they jumped straight in eager to be on her team.

“Hey, anything to help you, Core.” Teal’s voice said over the phone, “We’ll be there with you in on this.”

But from her perspective, she couldn’t see them… it had been an hour after the time they were supposed to meet, and they didn’t show. Still, she’d do this alone – after all her life meant nothing to her – not without her family around.

A sound filtered through the darkness surrounding her and she turned as is penetrated her mind; and she could just make out Teal standing next to a tree across from her.

She wasn’t alone.

This was good… but then if she was there, why didn’t she come over and tell her where she was?  And where’s the rest of the gang?

This didn’t feel right.  But there was no time for hesitation now, as the door of the crypt began to open and the first of them stepped outside… she almost moved but stopped as Teal walked right up to this person and spoke to them!

Opening her bag, she pulled out her flask, opened it and quickly drank down the liquid inside it – finishing it. She knew she’d need it one day, as she pulled out the ancient knife and turned to find Teal walking up to her.

“It’s not a nest.” She said.

“Who just came out of there?”

“A mourner.” She said handing her phone to her, a photo of a human – as vampires don’t photograph well – and she groaned, “Since when do vamps ever tell us the truth?”

“Even under torture?” she asked.

“Come on, I’ll walk you home.” Teal offered her hand.

Before she even turned on the light inside the darkened home, both she and Teal knew they weren’t alone.

It was time to fight…

Her eyes snapped open as the sirens’ wail sounded closer. Her house was a mess of blood, bodies and looked like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was just filmed in her living room; and the crew forgot to tell her to go home.

Problem was that she was home!

Looking around, she found Teal not far away, and she rose, slipped and scrambled over to her, shaking her awake, “Hey… we have to get the fuck outa here… before they come in and find… all this.”

Her eyes open slowly, take in the sight around herself, and suddenly, she was alert: “Fuck… Coreal, let’s get the fuck outa here.”

Grabbing what they could, they shagged ass out the back door of the place and run – fear replacing bravery, tears of horror and shock replacing what they had just done to those vampires; and the blood bath the police have to walk in on.  

Where do they go now to hunt vampires, to save the Human Race? She wished she only knew. With Teal by her side, she only hoped that he would be there to help her.

Jumping onto the next train out of town, they find their way to the back of an empty cargo carriage to huddle together, hoping the police don’t stop the train to search it before the next town.

“Teal.” She said.

“Yes?” her arm slid around her shoulders.

“What happens now?”

She hesitated, “I don’t know, but I wish I did.”

“Some vampire hunter I am… I fucked up.”

Teal sat back, looking at Coreal, “No, you didn’t… they found out what you were doing and found you.” She grimaced, “Coulda happened to anyone.”

“We’re fucked.”

“We’re Hunters… we’re fucked anyway.” Teal snorted.

“True… but that hunt should have been a quickie in-and-out kind of deal… and it wasn’t.” Coreal said.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get them next time.”

“I don’t think there will be a next time.” The Hunter muttered.

“You’ll be okay.”

Coreal started to cry as she sat in the darkened train carriage, “You don’t get it… you just don’t…”

Teal turned her around to face her, “What don’t I get? Come on, we’re in this together now.”

She looked up at the dark-haired woman sitting next to her, “I just killed my family… they were turned into vampires and I hunted them all down and killed them. I’ll be wanted for murder, not for killing a nest of vampires.”

Celine

Chuck has us writing about a character this week... only 250 word this time. I made it to that number - or there abouts.

Enjoy!

Celine isn’t the kind of name you’d think of when you came into the Bounty Hunter circles.

No.

Celine. A lithe redhead with skills of any kind from Karate, Kung-fu to Ballet to Ballroom Dancing; and yet she’d be packing heat under that tutu or hot little number of a dress during her undercover work. All the while, she’d be outsmarting the guy she’s been assigned to work with.

Celine is an artist.

She can show up in a city, do her work and leave in a somewhat seamless way that by the time the authorities have shown up, she’s vanished from their radar and signed back in at Headquarters.

Yes, she is a very well-qualified Bounty Hunter.

The question you have on your lips right now is: do you want to dance with her, work with her, or have a hot night of sex with her?  Either way, you’d wake up alone, surrounded by cops and government agents asking you what you know about her…

… and you’d know almost nothing because of who she is.

And she is… Celine.   

After The Third Peeling

It's X meets Y this week; and Chuck has us using a d20 generator or just picking out what we'd like to use... me? I picked out two I thought would mix well: Inception and Teen Wolf.

enjoy

Cold night air.

My senses reeling.

The moon… oh my god… that moon which fuels my energies!

Wait!... what’s that?

A heart beating not too far away – two blocks maybe? Three? Who cares – I’m after it!

Ears back, tail twitching… I don’t see or know anything else but this next delicious morsel – and all I need from them is… oh there they are!

Yes, run you bipod… I’ll catch you in one, two… three leaps!

‘Good morning, San Fransisco! And what a beautiful morning it would be if we didn’t have to report another murder in our parks district late last night!’  the radio woke me from a deep slumber but I didn’t miss that report from him.

Murder, what murder?

Pulling back the covers, I find I’m naked – again!

How does this keep on happening? I go to bed dressed and wake up in my birthday suit! Seriously, I just don’t want to know. And so, I get ready for school.

For a good part of the day, I just can’t keep my eyes open, every perfume anyone is wearing drives me nuts (and I start sneezing) and I feel as though everyone is staring at me for some unknown reason.

I feel like I’m losing my mind – but I’m not sure why.

In the beginning of the lunch hour, I head off to the toilets to see if anything shows that I’ve missed anything.  Looking in the mirror, I see my hair is okay, my hormones are playing up with my skin (what’s new?) and my make-up is as good as it’s ever going to look.  I just feel so … so… charged.

Something is wrong with me, but I’m not sure what.

The rest of the day passes and I keep to myself; which the teachers find weird, as they try to call on me unsuccessfully. They catch me staring out the window or my eyes are glued to my pen – looking as though I’m really not interested in anything.

I am.

I’m wondering why I was so interested in everything only two days ago, and now I’m not interested in anything at all.

I don’t look different – but I feel different.

I walk the seven kilometers home from school, vouching to miss the bus because the stench of them all makes me want to puke.

Mum makes a roast and I go back for thirds – something my Dad just can’t believe because he struggles through his second-helpings.  I also devour dessert as though it’s nothing, whereas he skipped it and had a cup of tea.

They’re wondering what’s wrong with me; watching me carefully as I head up to bed by 10pm, after all my homework is done. From my bedroom door, I hear them make a phone call:

“Yes, I think it’s happened… we had hoped it would have skipped a generation – but I’m afraid to say it hasn’t.” My Dad’s voice is clearly picked up from a part of the hallway where I normally can’t hear anything – not even the television.

I knew it… they know there’s something going on.

Turning, I find my pajamas I thought I had lost the night before neatly folded on my bed, “I found them outside.” His voice whispers from the door.

Spinning, I stare at my Dad, “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Sorry, shoulda knocked – you’re all grown up now.” A blush heats his cheeks, but he doesn’t leave, “And sweetie, we know what’s been happening, why you walked home from school today… the kids at school smell, different now.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong.” I start looking for a way out but find he’s blocking the door, “I had a weird dream.”

“You tracked down somebody by their scent and attacked them?” he asked sitting down at my desk, clearing the way to the hall, letting me know I could leave if I wanted, “Am I right?”

I didn’t know what to say, so stay silent as I sink onto my bed, touching my pajamas, “Exactly where were these?”

“Below your window in the back yard.” He replies waiting for me to figure out what he already knew.

“What… who… wha…?” I didn’t know how to ask my own father about my screwed up identity, “Do I go to school tomorrow?”

“No. We have placed you into a private school for teens who are just like you – well almost. They are kids who don’t fit into society because of their genetic make-up; and you’re one of them.” He said, “I was wondering if you had to be enlisted into the place or not.”

“Were you?”

He grimaced, “I only wish this place was around when I was kid.” He slowly moved next to me and put his arm around my shoulder, “Lisey, you are special in more ways than one… you are from a pedigree family of werewolf. This means, you don’t have to get bitten to be turned, you have it all in your genes. But you can turn people; which I don’t think you should do.”

“So, what happens if I meet somebody I want to be with?” I wasn’t sure if I want to believe my Dad.

“It doesn’t work that way… you’ll sense another pedigree around you and you will both know if you’re meant to be together.” He says, “It’s not all that complex.”

Suddenly, I can’t handle it anymore, all this information I had only thought was crap supernatural shit I’d seen on television and read in books. I burst into tears, “Oh God, Dad, I think I … no, I couldn’t have… please don’t tell me I’m the one who…”

Dad holds me close as his silence confirms what I asked was true: I had killed those poor people in the parks in the city over the last three nights.

“Oh sweetie, we tried to lock you in, but you broke out every night.” Mum says from the door, “Now, the authorities want you … um…” she couldn’t tell me that the police wanted to kill me. Instead, she looks to the floor as she pulls a tissue from her pocket and dabs her eyes.

“When do we leave?” I ask.

“Tonight.” Dad says, “We pack up all you gear after you go with me to the place and you’ll be safe there.”

It looked more like a prison than anything else. We drove along the road outside it as the sun set behind us, but Dad didn’t stop the car; instead he kept on going.

“What’s wrong?”

“They were supposed to meet us at the gate – there’s nobody there.”  He said, “We’ll go further around the see if there’s more instructions to wait for.”

The top spun and wobbled on the table as she slept on in the hospital with her folks watching on.

“How’s she going, doc?” I hear Dad’s voice warble through my sleep.

“Good, good.” He says in a low voice, “The top is wobbling… she might be coming out of her third level of dreaming yet.” He checks off a chart he holds in his hands, “Your daughter is the best candidate we’ve had so far… but she has a ways go yet.”

The car pulls up and Dad looks at me, “Now, you have to run.”

“What?” I ask.

“Lisey, you have been sleeping… this isn’t real.” He leans in closer to me, whispering, “Make the top fall over and wake up.”

The wooden top suddenly falls off onto its side as my eyes snap open and I find myself in a hospital bed, “What the hell.” The top to my right is swinging on its side as it stops and I reach over and pick it up, sit up and look around. The spun rosewood is pretty and old… and… the door opens and the doctor is standing there looking at me, shock on his face, “No.”

The first thing I smell is his scent as his heartbeat fills my head, “You… smell… so good.”

He turns away from me, thumps a red button with his fist as I break the restraints on the bed with an inhuman strength I feel as though I always had and jumped on his body, “Please… don’t hurt me.”

I just love it when they beg… 

The Soul-Sucker

This week, we didn't get a prompt from Chuck. But that's okay. I've had a story idea rattling around in my melon for a few days - and here it is now.

Enjoy!

It’s an addiction, you know… sucking souls that is.

I’ve been tracking him for years and have yet to catch him; and yet I’m always too late to the party when I do get close – finding his leftovers in the empty warehousese where rages have been held, or worse still, huge gatherings of people where he’s just shown up and ‘snacked’ on around fifty people and left their corpses laying around.

Real nice for the police to have to let the families know of their loved one death, when all they did was innocently go out to a rock concert.

I’m often left with a lot of paperwork in the end – and it’s getting too much. My boss isn’t pleased and he’s thinking of replacing me with somebody better, more efficient and less likely to be left behind.

But really, it’s not like that… he doesn’t understand how it all works. It’s not as though I’m letting him go on purpose, he’s always just out of my grasp.

“I don’t want to hear it, Raphael, do your job or I’ll get Michael to do it.” His thunderous voice pounded above me as I prayed in the church.

“Yes, Father.” I’d whispered, feeling guilty and horrible that I had disappointed him yet again for letting the Soul-Sucker escape me yet again this week; rising from my knees, crossing myself as I turned to leave the lines of pews.

I was just another parishioner to them; not a vessel being used by an Angel on a mission to save their souls.

There were others out there who didn’t have any souls – I could spot them – but they weren’t on my most-wanted list at this time. I wasn’t allowed near them right now.

The Soul Sucker was enemy number one and he was stealing and devouring as many souls in a day, as a vampire was turning humans in a month – and that’s a lot.

But now, I was getting closer to him than anyone ever did. I was attending parties, concerts and music festivals where I knew he’s take up his position to devour human souls. And I had to be there to make sure he was stopped for good.

The music pounded through the warm night air as everyone was enjoying themselves. Food smells wafted through the air, and I walked around in a pair of jeans, concert t-shirt and a denim vest without shoes on; my feet dirty with mud and grass. It felt good to be connected with the Earth so much. But I was there to work.

A scent cut the air and I knew it was him… and I followed it around the place to where he was.  He didn’t know it was me until I looked straight at him, “Hello, Lucifer.”

“Raphael…” he grinned casting an eye over the sixty or so people he had chosen to suck dry, “I knew Dad would send you… his Healer… but you can’t heal this, can you?”

“Smart-ass.” I muttered, “You know what you’re doing is against the Natural Order.”

“Yes… but I love the high it gives me.” He grinned as the Humans turned to him, one by one. They all seem to be attracted to him in some way, “And they love me.”

“So, you drugged the air with something addictive – something they can’t say no to.” I said.

Leaning in close to my right ear, his voice filled my head, “Yes, and neither can you, because you’ve taken over a Human vessel.”

“But you have a soul.” I looked at him.

“No, I don’t … Dad took that away from me on the way out of Heaven.” He said, “So, the more souls I grab, the stronger my hold over this puny little planet.”

“You’re a disappointment.”

“So are you.” He took a deep breath as he opened his mouth and took in all the souls one by one and I watched helplessly as all the humans dropped to the ground, dead like flies. Before he was finished, I had handcuffed myself to Lucifer and he found himself stuck as the cops showed up, “What are you doing?”

“Being the disappointment.” I smiled at him, “You see, I may not be able to heal any of this … but,” I laced the fingers of my hand with his and we traveled quickly to the holding cells of Heaven, “…I was sent to pull you in.”

The guards quickly grabbed Lucifer and escorted him inside the cell as Father stood by my side, “I am proud of you, Raphael” his voice whispered, “Go about your duties on Earth as required.”

“Yes, Father.” I nodded and returned to Earth where I positioned myself outside a frat house where a party was just starting up. Lucifer was right about one thing: soul-sucking was addictive. And just standing next to him at that concert got me hooked from one sitting… I had suckered in three souls while I was there – without knowing it until we were in Heaven – and now?

Now… I want more.