An elderly gray-haired man stood in a small basement and looked angrily at a man lying in front of him on a dirty earthen floor. The old man's hands were covered with a dried crust of dried blood, the mantle, completely hiding the senile body and until recently shining white, was stained with blood in front.
“It’s impossible, it’s impossible,” he muttered, knitting his bushy eyebrows, “it’s impossible for him to know, it’s impossible for him to understand everything. Now I was able to avoid it, but now I need to be more careful, otherwise he will become too dangerous an opponent.
The man, lying on the floor and bleeding, tried to say something, but only a hoarse hoarse escaped from his broken lips. His legs and arms were broken in several places, and in some places the bones came out, bringing excruciating pain to the man; almost all the ribs were broken and even crushed, and the skin in the places of the fractures was filled with a purple-blue bruise. The man breathed heavily and hoarsely.
"Don't touch him," the crippled man hissed somehow.
"Shut up, you animal spawn!" - An old man in a bloody robe exclaimed angrily. - I despise all your brethren, and let all the gods known to me be witnesses, I will destroy you all, every single one. I'll take revenge! I will definitely retaliate!
He nodded to two burly men in leather jackets with hoods to hide their faces.
- Hang this animal on iron hooks by the very ribs, pour our broth into it so that it cannot regenerate - let it suffer until the Hunter finishes what he started.
Then he immediately left the small basement, tightly closing the heavy iron door behind him.
Chapter 1
It was deep night outside, but the girl still could not sleep, tossing and turning from side to side - various thoughts came into her head that prevented her from plunging into the arms of Morpheus. The wall clock showed half past two.
- Yes, what kind of misfortune is this? she muttered, rising from the bed. - For the third night in a row I have not been able to sleep normally, as if someone has brought damage!
Sleepily rubbing her eyes, Emily got up from her double bed, which she bought three years ago. Why did you need such a big one for her alone? The answer is simple: she really liked it then in the store for room furniture. Wide, with high white backs, decorated with carvings; soft orthopedic mattress, on which it was so comfortable to lie; four pillows were attached to it - two large and two small, also white. The only downside to the bed is the high price, otherwise everything is just great.
The girl put on a short dressing gown from the same set over a silk shirt and went to the kitchen to drink tea: now she is unlikely to fall asleep until morning. Turning on the light in the kitchen, Amy filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove. Her favorite mug appeared from the locker, and from the next shelf the girl took out coffee and sugar. Unfortunately, the tea ran out yesterday, and Amy completely forgot about it and, of course, did not buy it on her way home from work.
After a couple of minutes, the kettle on the stove whistled, and the girl, having poured herself a mug of coffee, went to the living room, not forgetting to flip the switch. She did not turn on the light in the living room: what poured from the brightly lit hallway was enough. Emily sat down on the soft, comfortable sofa and, taking the remote from the coffee table, turned on the TV. The girl mindlessly switched channels for the third time in a row, slowly sipping aromatic coffee. Unfortunately, the night air rarely spoiled viewers with something interesting, so when Amy got tired of pressing the buttons on the remote control, she opted for a news channel. At least they didn’t show ads for a vibrating massager and a dumb comedy show.
The plot was not pleasant. Some girl was brutally murdered. Presumably, the unfortunate man was torn to pieces by a wild beast. The investigation of this case was assigned to Detective Jonathan Black. Then a rather attractive dark-haired man of about thirty appeared in the frame in an ordinary black T-shirt. Raised muscles played under the fabric every time the detective began to gesticulate in time with his words.
- I wonder if he's married? - Emily asked herself aloud and immediately, smiling bitterly, answered: - What's the difference ?! Still, such a handsome man will not even look in my direction! - and with a noise took a sip of almost cold coffee ...
She is already twenty-five years old, and she has achieved practically nothing in her life! And it was so depressing for her that sometimes she just wanted to sink through the ground from all this shame. Yes, there is work, but unloved. And Emily goes to her only because she needs money to live and pay bills.
Of course, it was hard to grow up alone. At the age of ten, she lost both parents at once, whom she loved very much. As she was told, they crashed on a plane. The parents were just returning home. It is not known why, but there was some kind of malfunction in the plane on which they were flying, and they simply collapsed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. And where to look for them there is unknown.
Fifteen years have passed since then, but Emily will probably never forget how she was told about this. And then the guardianship authorities came and took her to an orphanage. It is good that this house was left to her by her parents, otherwise she simply would have nowhere to return. But his parents acquired it shortly before his death. Prior to that, they rented small housing, but did not stay anywhere for a long time, moving from one place to another. It was not the easiest time, but ... It was with relatives, whom Amy sometimes misses so much.
Tiredly rubbing her red eyes from lack of sleep, Emily got up and headed back to the kitchen to carry a cup of cold and therefore already tasteless coffee, but then some indistinct movement on the street attracted her attention. The girl carefully placed the mug on the coffee table and approached the window. Two small yellow lights burned behind the glass.
“Just some kind of reflection,” Emily reassured herself, but then these lights ... blinked.
The girl screamed in fright and recoiled from the window, because in front of her, looking straight into her eyes, stood a huge animal. A moment, and it disappeared, as if there was nothing.
Emily, completely shocked, rushed into the hallway to check the locks to see if they were locked or not. Locked up, she thought with some relief, but fear still hindered her mind from reasoning. Trembling all over from the anxiety filling her soul, she ran to her bedroom and huddled in the farthest corner of the room - dark and invisible. Amy, curled up into a small, trembling ball of fear, waited. It seemed that time dragged on for an infinitely long time, one minute grew into another, and the echoing ticking of the clock filled the deaf silence of the room - nothing happened. The girl was about to crawl out of her hiding place, when suddenly...
The door was hit with unimaginable force. It seemed to Amy that her door creaked from such a forceful onslaught and if it was hit again like that, it would crack, even though the front door was iron. But there was no blow. As it turned out, it would have been better to hit than what followed him: the gnashing of metal and a roar. The roar of the same beast!
She was barely breathing in horror and broke out in a cold sweat. Her heart was beating, striking with pain against the girl's ribs, like a bird driven into a cage, trying to break free. Scary? Yes, not the right word: Amy experienced real horror of the unknown.
After a while, the grinding stopped and there was a long pause. It was quiet. Probably five minutes passed, although these moments seemed like an eternity for the girl, and then ...
- You know, my girl, and you have a good door. It usually doesn't take me that long to eliminate them, but here... I'm pretty stressed out. Well, nothing, I still got my way, - it was a man's clear and pleasant voice.
Emily held her breath and didn't dare to move.
You don't have to hide, I can still smell you. And believe me, my little one, you have a wonderful smell.
The voice of this man inevitably approached the place where the terribly frightened girl was now sitting. She was afraid to make at least some unnecessary movement, if only this man would not find her, her fear was so great.
Listen, you have a nice house. I would, of course, redo something here, but don't worry, I'm not that picky.
The stranger was silent for a while, then to quietly say:
- Well, why are you sitting in this corner, come out, I won't harm you. Don't be afraid.
Emily sat in her little hiding place and tried not to move, but curiosity overcame her, and, carefully peering out of her corner, she began to look around - strangely, the man who was talking to her was nowhere to be seen. "I don't understand how he knew I was sitting in the corner? Guess?" she thought frantically as she retreated back into her makeshift hiding place.
But a rough and authoritative male voice said:
- I told you to get out. Or did you not hear me?
Before Amy knew it, the man pulled her out of her makeshift hiding place with one sharp tug, and she found herself standing in front of this stranger who had broken into her modest abode. She raised her eyes to the man and froze.
A completely naked man stood before her. Tall, strong, muscular, with a broad chest. Dark, slightly long, shoulder-length hair, a strong-willed chin, a straight beautiful nose, high cheekbones and eyes ... those same yellow eyes that not so long ago looked at her from the window. "So it's him! He's a beast!" This conjecture plunged her into even greater horror, and now her eyes looked at him not in amazement, but in fear.
- W... who are you? she asked in a stammering voice.
"Does that matter to you, honey?" he asked her, grinning with his snow-white teeth.
Amy just nodded in response.
- My name is Jack, but, as I believe, my name will not tell you anything, therefore, my girl, do not fill your charming head with information that is not necessary for you yet.
- You... You will kill me? - Amy asked in a voice trembling with panic and wild horror.
What crazy thoughts are in your head? Jack chuckled. - Let me fall in love with you.
In front of the man stood a small, thin, thin, like a reed, girl in her dressing gown, which was now open. In the neckline of her silk shirt, a very attractive high chest was visible.
Amy, born with fiery red hair, was now like a light that flutters in the wind. Brown, fear-filled eyes, sensual, slightly parted lips, a thin graceful neck...
“You are very beautiful, Emily,” the stranger said with some hoarseness in his throat. He approached her closer: against his background, she looked just like a child - she was too short in comparison with him. The man leaned closer to the girl, inhaling her scent deeply.
- You just have a heady aroma! So I want to feed on you. Such an appetizing girl. I'm already salivating: I just want to sink my fangs into your tender body.
The stranger noticed how the girl immediately shrank all over and closed her eyes in fear. He just grinned and, walking around her, stood behind her, took a long lock of red hair and brought it to his face, inhaling her scent again.
Amy stood motionless. This huge man with the eyes of a beast looked at her like a hungry wolf at his prey, which he had driven into a trap and was about to pounce on her. To say that she was very scared would be an understatement. It seemed to her that she was about to faint: her breath hitched, and her heart was pounding like crazy.
Jack walked around her and inhaled her scent, clearly enjoying it. She felt him lift her hair up, bring it to his face, and breathe in the scent of her hair again. Then he takes more strands and carefully removes them from the neck, leans towards her and does the same again. Every movement the man made caused panic in Emily. And he kept circling around her, like a predator, driving its prey into a trap. However, why "as if"?Jack touched the girl's neck with his slightly rough hand and carefully, so as not to scratch her delicate skin, ran it from top to bottom.And then ... with one sharp movement of his hand, he pressed her small, supple body to his muscular and strong chest, and with the second hand he slightly pulled her head to the side and ... Amy felt a strong and burning pain on her neck. She felt two sharp fangs pierce into her flesh and this man begins to sip her blood, how it gets into his mouth and with what pleasure he drinks it. From the burning piercing pain, Emily scre
And Jack all the time was just silent and watched this scene with genuine interest. As did Nick.- You all go to hell! If you think I'm going to give up so easily, then you are deeply mistaken, - she hissed, like a disheveled cat.Mike growled and took a couple of confident steps towards her. Amy kept her angry gaze on him as he drew closer and closer. The man's eyes lit up with yellow fire. When Mike growled again, the girl saw his fangs, but still did not look away. And only when he came close to her, she closed her eyes and prepared for inevitable death. A long minute passed, but nothing happened. Then Emily opened her eyes and saw that Mike was standing and smiling, and then he turned to Jack and said:- You're right! That's her!Nick got up from the couch and looked at his friends in bewilderment:- Not understood. What is the meaning of "she"? He looked questioningly from one to the other. - Is there something I don't know?"I'll explain to you later," Jack told him.- What, now
There was a time outside when it was not yet morning, but it was no longer night either.Jack still held Amy's arm as he led her out of the house. The four of them - he, Amy, Mike and Nick - walked through the yard, heading for the Gelendvagen, which was parked outside the gates of her house.Black, powerful, daring - he completely suited his owner - Jack.“So,” Jack said, turning the girl to face him, “now you calmly get into the car and don’t utter a sound, otherwise you know what awaits you.”Emily just nodded in response. She did not want to talk at all, and there was no point in it: no one would listen to her anyway.The girl was put in the back seat, Mike sat next to her, Nick sat in the front passenger seat, and Jack drove. As soon as they were all inside, Jack immediately pulled away, causing Amy to scream. The men just chuckled.Gelendvagen raced through the still sleeping night city at breakneck speed. Behind the glass of the car, everything blurred, preventing the girl from
36 hours before recent events.- Hey Blake! To the challenge! Urgently! shouted a short, stocky man in a police uniform.- What happened again? said the young man. Dark hair, above average height, very muscular.- You won't believe it: we have murder again!Blake sighed heavily.- This is the fourth one this week. At this rate, I will soon form a blockage.- Don't worry, you're one of the best detectives in our district! So pack up and let's go!"All right," he said doomedly, rising from his chair. - Do you know anything about the victim?- Nothing, except that it's a girl again. Fourth girl this week. I wonder who needed to kill them in such a cruel way?- I do not know. He shrugged, spreading his arms slightly out to the sides.The men left Detective Jonathan Black's office. The best in the business. On his account there was not a single unsolved crime for all four years that he worked in the police.Many of his colleagues were surprised: how does he always manage to find the culpri
Houses, only houses around - old, abandoned, many entwined with ivy, overgrown with moss; around the houses everything is overgrown with weeds, so much so that you simply cannot get through it.And John was drawn to one of those houses.Strange, but he had not experienced such sensations for a long time. For a long time he did not want to do something in spite of everything. In his mind, he knew perfectly well that in the house to which he was heading, there would hardly be anything worth his attention. Black is unlikely to find anything: a clue, at least some, to say nothing of the evidence!Five minutes later he was already standing at the building he needed. An old house, abandoned, dilapidated, with broken windows, rickety shutters, a leaky roof and a broken chimney. The dwelling in which people once lived, looked after this structure, was now absolutely unsuitable for life. What could have happened here that made people leave this house? And in general, all the houses in the dist
- Come on, John, wake up! Yes, wake up! - Steve was trying to bring his partner to his senses. - Your mother, Black! Yes, come to yourself! Come on, partner, come on.John groaned slightly and opened his eyes."Steve," he said softly.“Well, thank God, you woke up,” Cole breathed with relief, helping his partner to rise and seating him so that his back could lean against the wall.What happened here, Black? Steve asked.But instead of answering, John asked:- Give me a cigarette.His voice was hoarse and his breathing heavy.But you don't smoke! - John's partner was surprised at such a request.- And I don't get punched in the ribs every day. And even more so, I don’t remember that at least someone broke them for me."Yeah, that's true too," Cole replied, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his trouser pocket. - Hold on.John tried to grab the pack to get a cigarette, but one wrong move and his side burned with pain."Steve, maybe..." He nodded at the pack.Yes, it's probably better for
John lay on the bed, not believing what had just happened to him. He remembered! It... It was incredible! Yes, it hurts, but this pain was worth it so that his memory finally returned to him!So many years! A little over a century! Incredibly, for more than a hundred years he did not remember his life! Now to understand more, how it happened to him?Black got out of bed and stretched his whole body, checking if there were traces of that terrible pain that he experienced not so long ago. But no, everything was just fine! And he felt just fine. The body was filled with strength and energy, I wanted to immediately do something, for example, go and thin out some wool for these wolves! You just need to pick up your blades!Yeees! Great hunting coming up soon! It is necessary to finish off the very clan that could not be exterminated last time. "Night Shadows"! The clan was strong until John wiped out most of it. There is not much. And that snooty guy is Jeremy Willow! Puppy! In vain he wro
John was enveloped in pitch darkness, not allowing him to see anything around him. But this darkness lasted until, for just a fraction of a second, he closed his eyes and said:- As'sha! - "I see!"And in an instant, everything around acquired shape, color and even smell.A spacious room, in which there was nothing but a very ancient altar that was split into two parts. Not very high ceilings with rotting beams, but stone props.There was no electricity in the room. At all. No light, not even candles! Everything was plunged into darkness.But not for someone who was a Hunter. After all, the Gift that he received at the initiation, and the knowledge of the Alrian language allowed him to see in the darkness.And now Black saw in front of him an elderly man who, by ordinary human standards, could have been eighty years old, but in fact he was already well over a thousand years old! One of the oldest and strongest Coven Hunters!Elder! Short in stature compared to John, about one hundred