We reconvened for early dinner after a
day of tasks. Aidan and I had worked through the market, gathering
supplies and rumors. Brenna had spoken with the town guard again,
Chen explored the outskirts, and Dirk continued to stare at his maps.
Brenna took an enormous bite of bread,
and started speaking around her food. “That young one, Simon,
finally gave me a little more on the stories. Says it's really only
travelers and strangers that disappear. Townsfolk and regulars seem
untouched.”
Dirk shook his head, only barely poking
at his food. “We're as strange as can be, and we haven't had even a
hint of an encounter. Nothing that even whiffs of monster, let alone
a vampire.”
“There is unease amongst some of the
merchants, especially the older wives.” Aidan mopped at his food,
looking up at our leader as he spoke. “I think they know something,
but they do not want the town's reputation to flounder. They don't
want to scare anyone off, won't respond to direct questions. They
don't even like to answer hints or acknowledge that we've brought the
killings up.”
Chen shrugged slightly. “Perhaps we
should just put Brook out near the docks, see who finds her.” He
was only partly joking.
We'd used that tactic before; let the
lamb stroll down the lane, all lost and helpless, and just delectable
as could be. The rest of the hunters would watch while my presence
lured our target to the slaughter, the monster unable to care about
anything but having me in his clutches.
“Don't think that will be feasible.”
Brenna took a swig of her ale. “There isn't exactly a curfew, but
the guards will certainly notice an unescorted girl, will try to make
sure she's okay.”
“And that will either drive off our
target, or get the guards hurt in the fray.” Dirk took a deep
drink, knuckles white with tension. “This is bullshit.”
“Maybe we should move on,” Aidan
said.
Our entire group fell silent, no one
making eye contact. I'd only hunted with them for a few years, a
fraction of the time they'd been together, and I'd never seen them
back down from anything. There had been a few times they'd asked me
to stay out of the way, especially in the first year, yet danger had
never deterred them.
Dirk was like a terrier once he caught
scent of his prey. Relentless, driven, tenacious. Unstoppable.
Determined. There was nothing he wouldn't do to win.
“There has to be another way,” I
said. I might not understand what was going on between us, but Dirk
was my second father. It was my duty to defend him, to make things
easier, to be a supportive daughter. “There has to be something we
haven't thought of yet.”
Dirk shoved away from the table and
rose to pace. “Only thing we haven't thought of is that the town is
protecting him.”
Brenna laughed, then took another
drink. Aidan muttered a prayer, and Chen shook his head. I frowned at
each of them, my gaze finally settling on Dirk. “That happens?” I
certainly had a lot to learn about hunting still; why would humans
protect a vampire?
After a moment of silence, Aidan
finally spoke. “It's been known to happen, but rarely in a town of
this size. When it occurs, it is normally a very small village or a
hamlet, isolated, struggling, and they see the vampire or werewolf
pack or lich as a savior. He promises to help and protect them in
exchange for the...”
He wouldn't say it, but I could draw a
conclusion. “Occasional sacrifice? Meal?” My family had been a
meal, and I knew how it worked. It's why we hunted.
“Something like that.” Brenna
poured the last of the ale into her glass. “We need a refill.”
“I'll go,” I said, rising. I needed
to clear my head, let them talk things over. Plans involving me
usually went better if they didn't have to look at me while deciding
about my bait status. Grabbing the flagon, I left our suite and
headed downstairs.
The inn was bustling, and I had to wait
at the bar for a few minutes before the keeper came to me. His smile
was large and generous, and I wondered if he was the kind to feed
little girls to monsters. Did he know what was happening? Maybe he
wasn't even aware of the years of murders occurring, all the lives
lost to some monster.
A chill presence surrounded me, and I
stiffened as a voice filled my ears. “I believe you're looking for
me.”
