A Hunter's Heart [The Hunters 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read online

  “What a pretty tit! Wonder what you will look like when I cut it off?”

  Weakly she tried to call to Matei but the vampire laughed at her efforts and inserted images of her tied across a large rock while he raped her. He pulled her to her feet and bit down on the breast.

  “Shall I make you writhe in pleasure or should it be in pain?”

  Charlotte screamed. The pain from her chest, her wrist and now her breast was overwhelming her. She hoped she would die soon, anything to stop the pain and the terrible sights in her mind.

  “Ah, you will not escape me so easily, my pretty. I can take you to the edge of death and then bring you back again. By the end of the night you will have wished you had died a thousand times over.”

  He started shouting, spittle spraying around the cave.

  “The mighty Hunter off on a wild goose chase while I bided my time to take you from him. I knew he could not get back to you in time to stop me. I listened last night as he told you his plans to leave tonight and hunt me. I knew he would be an hour’s travel away, following the crumbs I had left for him. I could take you easily while his back was turned.”

  He gloated once more.

  “You will never find me, fool!” Shaking his fists in the air, he screamed and it echoed around the cave. “I will throw her broken body on her home so you can see what fun I had.”

  * * * *

  Matei was like ice. He had forced his emotions deep, he could hear all the strigoi was saying as he began his torture on Charlotte—the strigoi was taunting Matei by using a channel he knew Matei could hear. It would not be safe if he allowed his fury to surface. He needed to be cold and calm to win this fight.

  When the vampire tore her clothing away and began to inflict more pain on her, Matei almost lost his control but he heard Michael warn him so he pushed the rage down tightly. He must ignore all that was happening to her. He had tried to bolster her mind block, but she was a novice and could not separate his mind from the vampire’s. Pain was overriding all his attempts to help her. Matei would have to allow the horrors that Vasilecu threw at her.

  Michael spoke to him. “He does not realise that he was bleeding and we can trace him. That will make him careless.”

  Matei did not acknowledge his friend but considered this would give them the upper hand. Once closer, they would cloak, land and pinpoint exactly where Charlotte and the strigoi were.

  The blood trail they were following was easy for them to see on the treetops. To their eyes, it glowed like a lighted sign. The drops were less now but it was still like a beacon leading them onward.

  They were in the mountains when Matei finally spoke to Michael. “When I saw through Charlotte’s eyes she was in a rock cave so we must be close now. Go carefully, we do not want to warn him.”

  Michael acknowledged Matei’s words as they began to search for rocky outcrops that could hide a cave.

  Michael sent a message to Louisa telling him what they intended to do and where they were. She would travel to them, waiting in safety a short distance away. They would need her help if Charlotte still lived.

  * * * *

  Charlotte clung to the vampire to remain to upright as he sunk his fangs into her breast. If she fell, she knew the fangs would rip the tender flesh and she would be in even more pain, lose more blood.

  Vasilecu laughed. “That is right, my pretty one, hold me tight.”

  He bit her neck and then laughed in her face, her blood dripping from his chin. He roughly grabbed her between the legs and pushed his face into hers, and she tried to pull away from his fetid breath, his rotting features. He pushed a finger into her slit and sneered.

  “Not excited yet?”

  He drew more blood from her neck and laughed. “We shall have much fun this night, but unfortunately you will not live to see the sunrise.”

  Charlotte could feel blood pouring from her wrist, her breast and now her neck.

  “What shall we do now?” She tried to pull away from him. “I know, you will service me in delight. I shall have you suck my cock and then scream in pleasure and beg me to let you do it again and again.”

  * * * *

  “There,” Michael said, “that escarpment. I can see several areas that would be cave-like.”

  Both men landed on the top of a tree and Matei sent out a silent search for Charlotte’s mind link. He was able to pinpoint the outcrop that had a small cave behind it where the strigoi held Charlotte.

  He sent Michael the location then told him to get above the entrance.

  “I will draw him out with a challenge. He is not expecting two Hunters, he will be focused on me and you can attack from behind him, use the water.”

  “That makes sense, my friend. He’ll know you will be close to losing control of your anger and will try to use that against you. Be careful, Matei,” Michael warned.

  Matei acknowledged Michael’s words and the two took off once more.

  * * * *

  With one clawed hand, he lifted her off the ground by her neck. Charlotte grabbed onto his arm with both hands, trying to breathe against the pressure on her throat. She was so weak from the loss of blood and the pain of her wounds. In her mind, he continued to send more pain and images of being raped and of her broken body.

  The vampire’s onslaught to her mind had sapped her will. She had succumbed to the horrors Vasilecu had inserted in her head. If Matei was still with her, she no longer knew. She knew she did not have much strength left, as she tried to kick out ineffectually against him, but he laughed and lifted her higher. The pressure on her throat increased, and her survival instinct was all but gone. Spots of light swum before her eyes as blackness threatened.

  Her blood was pooling on the floor as her life slowly dripped away.

  * * * *

  Michael peeled off and flew higher to land above the entrance to the cave.

  Matei landed a few metres away from the cave entrance, materialised and roared, “Vasilecu!”

  * * * *

  The vampire was aghast!

  How could the Hunter have found him?

  He knew he was searching. Vasilecu did not expect his location to be discovered for several hours. He had intended to kill the woman and be long gone.

  What had gone wrong?

  He shrieked in his rage and threw Charlotte angrily across the cave. She landed heavily, hearing a sickeningly snap as one leg broke against the wall. She looked down to see the bone protruding.

  Vasilecu flew out the cave in uncontrolled fury. Foaming at the mouth, with his clawed arms extended in front of him, his enemy was standing within reach and he aimed for the Hunter’s chest.

  Matei stood calmly until the last second, then vanished to reappear to the vampire’s left. Meanwhile, Michael opened his bottle of holy water and jumped down from above to pour it over Vasilecu.

  The vampire screamed in pain as the water burned into his neck and back. He turned just as Michael was about to drive a knife through the vampire’s back to stab the heart, so instead the knife cut into his arm.

  Matei drew a knife, aiming for its chest, but missed the mark also, slashing across its chest as the vampire’s momentum carried it around. Vasilecu snarled at the two Hunters and pulled a knife, trying to slip between the two Hunters, but the Hunters were too close to him.

  Both men continued to attack and the vampire was forced to defend itself.

  Normally, when threatened, a vampire would vanish, but the holy water prevented Vasilecu from doing this. He had no choice but to fight against two superior Hunters.

  Suddenly he lunged at Michael but twisted at the last minute to slash against Matei’s chest, taking him by surprise. Vasilecu stabbed at Matei’s face with the blade but Matei parried and drew another from below to embed it in the vampire’s thigh.

  Michael finally managed to stab the vampire in the back and twisted the knife in hard.

  Vasilecu howled in pain as the two Hunters systematically stabbed at him. He went down on one kn
ee under the barrage of thrusts.

  * * * *

  At last, she thought, it is over. The pain would be gone. She watched as her blood stained the earth where she lay broken. She felt calm and peaceful. Her only regret was she would not see Matei one last time. Her last conscious thought was “Matei, I love you.”

  Finally, taking her last breath, she welcomed the darkness.

  Matei stumbled as he heard Charlotte’s words in his head. He tried to reach her but all was black. He knew she was gone.

  Unable to contain his rage any longer Matei lifted his hands to the heavens and screamed with anguish.

  He began to chant—ancient words that filled Michael with dread.

  He invoked the Ritualul de Distrugere.

  “Puterea de vânt I apel, Încrâncenarea furtunii.”

  Power of the wind I call, Fury of the storm.

  Matei tore the clothes from his body then raised his right arm skyward.

  Stunned, Michael moved quickly away, not wanting to be caught in the maelstrom that he thought would follow. Fear inserted itself into him. If Matei had the strength and power to invoke the ritual, none nearby would survive.

  His heart broken, Matei called on the gods. He implored them to grant him death for his enemy. Implored them to take him into the earth.

  “Da-mi putere, Cu furia mea ar fi născut.”

  Lend to me the power, With my anger be it born.

  Michael was frightened.

  Never in his life had he known a Hunter to call down this wrath. The Ritualul de Distrugere was spoken of in tales to scare children, none believed it was really possible to do.

  Tales had it that once the vampire was dead, pandemonium would follow, and Matei would also be destroyed if he did not stop the ritual. Michael feared if Matei were able to call down the curse, what would follow if the invocation was complete would mean he and Louisa would be in danger of being killed in the final explosion of energy.

  He raced into the cave to find if Charlotte still lived. It was the only chance, if she lived so would Matei. If Matei lived then so would he and Louisa.

  * * * *

  All the grief, all the rage, all the anger Matei sent skyward in an instant, he was lost inside his despondency. Vasilecu cowered in fear. He knew none could escape a Hunter in the thrall of rage. But now he trembled. If the gods granted the Ritualul de Distrugere the entire area would be destroyed. It had only been spoken of in whispers, none had seen it and lived. None knew if it was merely a tale. Vasilecu tried to crawl off panic stricken, as Matei finally called on Mother Earth to accept him, to take him to her breast.

  Matei was terrible to behold.

  He stood as a naked giant, one fisted arm raised to the sky. His hair was loose, it crackled and flared around his body in the charged air as he roared the ancient words. The tattooed spells written on his body began to writhe and twist about.

  “Va indemn Mama pământ să acorde pledoaria mea, Bratele purtăm mi sa se odihneasca vreodata cu tine.”

  I beseech Mother Earth to grant my plea, Your arms enfold me to ever rest with thee.

  The sky boiled, thick purple-black clouds rolled across it, lightning arced back and forth. A ferocious wind rose from nowhere. Howling, it whirled and spun, threatening to uproot the trees as they cowered against its power.

  Suddenly, bolt after bolt of lightning struck his upraised arm, still he stood solid. Then, pointing the other arm at Vasilecu, he channelled it through his body and into the vampire.

  As Vasilecu exploded into dust, Matei sent bolt after bolt into the ground where he had been. The earth erupted into the air, a tornado of wind and debris. The smell of ozone, almost overpowering, as Matei expended his fury.

  “Charlotte!” he screamed.

  Finally drained, he slumped to the ground.

  Finally, he thought, it is done. Now Mother Earth can cradle me in her arms for eternity. Once he could stand again, he would complete the ritual. He would call down the forces of nature once more and take them into himself. He would not live in this world without Charlotte.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Michael entered the cave fearful of what he would find. When saw Charlotte’s body crumbled against the wall, he let out a gasp of horror and raced to her side.

  Her bloodied clothing was in shreds and the ground around her drenched with her blood. He could see bone sticking through the flesh on her leg. There was no sign of life, he could not hear her heartbeat. He called Louisa to come quickly but warned her to take a wide berth to avoid Matei. He told her to come in from above the cave for her own safety.

  If Matei completed the ritual, Michael hoped the cave would offer them some protection.

  Desolately he knelt and took the undamaged wrist in his hand, uselessly listening for a pulse. Louisa was in his mind sobbing as he listened. There, softly, he thought he felt a faint pulse. He put his head to her chest and listened. Thready and very weak, he heard her heart beat once. He sealed the wounds at the neck and her wrist where the blood flowed freely.

  “She lives, Matei! Charlotte is alive!”

  He shouted to Matei. Louisa joined the mind merge and added her voice to try to get through to Matei.

  Lightning streaking across the valley lit the cave. He could hear it striking the ground, smell the air filled with ozone. Somehow, he must reach through Matei’s rage to let him know Charlotte was still alive before he destroyed them and himself.

  Suddenly, he felt the ground quake and knew Matei had destroyed the vampire. Michael was worried. It seemed as if Matei was blocking him and did not understand Charlotte still lived.

  Outside Matei was trying to stand, to call down the wrath once more and complete the ritual. He heard Michael and Louisa but did not understand their words. Heartbroken, he was lost in his mourning for Charlotte.

  Louisa was frightened. If they could not make him understand, he would be lost to them and to Charlotte. Michael called to Charlotte, trying to reach her mind. If she could send just one word to Matei, she may have a chance of breaking the enchantment.

  He knew she would suffer if he compelled her to consciousness. She was hovering between life and death but he was forced to wake her, if only for a moment. He knew the alternative would be to lose Matei and all of them.

  “Keep talking to Matei, Louisa. I will enter Charlotte’s body, and bring her around. Are you close to us?”

  “Above the cave. Matei is lost to us, Michael.”

  Louisa sobbed as she rushed into the cave, and then stopped as she saw Charlotte. Biting back a sob, she looked at Michael. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Wait until I see if I can wake her. Keep talking to Matei.”

  Michael felt other Hunters adding their words to Louisa’s. “She is alive. Charlotte is still alive. She lives.” Every Hunter in the world who was awake knew what was happening. They joined in the fight.

  Michael quickly centered himself and then entered Charlotte. Without hesitation, he ordered her to wake, ordered her to call to Matei.

  She was in a sea of pain, sinking deeper and deeper as her heart struggled to beat. She had lost so much blood, Michael was amazed she was still alive. He saw a rib had punctured her lung, and there was a small tear in her heart. Her heart had almost stopped as he watched.

  Still he forced her to rise from the darkness. She resisted him for a moment then screamed one word in burning agony, “Matei!” before sinking back down into the depths. Her heart faltered once more then finally failed as she died.

  Michael quickly began to pump it while he repaired the tear, forcing what little blood she had through her heart. She needed blood so desperately, he was amazed she still lived with so little in her body. He closed the tear and waited apprehensively to see if her heart would beat. He told Louisa to breathe for her until her heart could beat. With a stutter, then a hesitant beat it began, albeit with difficulty, but still it was beating.

  Now he needed to replace some of her blood. He withdrew from her b
ody and tore at his wrist. He held it to her mouth and commanded her to swallow. If he could get enough blood into her, she may have a chance.

  * * * *

  Matei fell back down to the ground in wonder. Had it been Charlotte he heard?

  Louisa’s voice was still in his head and, at last, he listened to her shouting that Charlotte was still alive.

  He listened to her words in disbelief.

  “She is alive? Charlotte is alive?”

  Through her sobs, he heard Louisa answer him in relief, “Oh, Matei, she is alive but she is hurt, she is so badly hurt.”

  Matei struggled to his feet and like a drunken man lurched into the cave.

  He bit back a sob as he saw her broken body. He fell beside her and tried to stop Michael from giving her his blood but Michael shook his head.

  “Louisa, can you give Matei blood? He has expended most of his energy killing the strigoi and invoking the ritual.”

  Louisa nodded her head and knelt beside Matei. She tore at her wrist and thrust it at his mouth. “Drink, brother of my heart.”

  Matei turned his eyes to her. Louisa was shocked to see them so fiery red and angry, at his face so shrunken. His hair so wild. He murmured his thanks and drank from her deeply then licked her wrist.

  “Thank you.” His voice was gravelly, barely a whisper.

  “Your chest, Matei. We must stop the blood.” She reached over to seal his wound.

  Matei nodded his thanks. Michael spoke to him. “Her leg. We must repair the break. We cannot move her until it is stable.”

  Though he was still weak, Matei entered Charlotte’s body, set the bones in place, and repaired the torn flesh. They worked on her in silence, fearing their efforts would be in vain. Louisa repaired the puncture wounds on Charlotte’s breast and the tears and lacerations that the vampire had inflicted elsewhere on her body.