Vampire Hunter D: Bound Fate

Officially Meeting

A/N: So here is the beginning of the sequel for Stolen Sunlight. I did think about making this a one-shot, but I have decided to continue it. That doesn't mean I will have time for a while. Even so, I hope you enjoy D and his son meeting finally. Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think!

Chapter 1

There was a village nestled at the base of a few rolling hills. It was one of several in that part of the region. Each of them was placed to take advantage of the weather converters that made this area one of plenty. Each town had its own specialty—one that kept sheep for the wool and another surrounded by farms that all had plentiful harvests, among others.

The whole section of the Frontier was as close to idyllic as a person could ask for. Still, things were rarely what they seemed on the surface, especially in the Frontier. This group of villages was no different. They hid a darker secret that none liked to talk about. Most even pretended it was nothing more than old wives' tales. After all, they had seen nothing but peace for more than a hundred years. At least, until recently.

Though, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end—even a century of peace and prosperity. That doesn't mean the citizens were willing to give it up without a fight. They tried to use exile the first time a tragedy came to light. They even thought it had worked since there was no more trouble in the last decade.

Unfortunately, the peace was not destined to last. There was more going on in this tiny section of the wilderness than even the locals knew. The coalition of mayors that ruled these villages all got together and finally decided enough was enough.

That was why there was a cloaked man currently riding through one of the quiet towns. He ignored the looks from those he passed. Most were glares at the sight of someone so blatantly used to violence. It was a stark reminder that their peace was fragile. There were some, however, that caught the vision of the young man's face. Those were frozen in place with looks of awe.

None of it made a difference to the young man as he passed through to the village head's house. That was where the notice said to go. It did not take him long to make his way inside.

The maid that led him to the mayor knocked once and let him in. The man behind the desk barely spared a look up. When he saw who was standing in front of him, he scowled. "What do you want? I already told you that a quarter of the reward will have to be enough up front. You'll get the rest when you bring the girl back. Dead or alive and untouched."

Something passed through the young man's eyes before he lifted a brow. His voice was smooth and caught the mayor off guard. "I believe you may have mistaken me for someone else."

The mayor somehow managed to shake off his awe quickly as his scowl returned. "No, I don't think so. Don't think yo-" It was at that point that the man behind the desk caught sight of the hunter's eyes. His widened fractionally before he spoke once again. "Well, I'll be damned. It wasn't you. Though that other fellow could have been your twin. Only difference was the eyes. His were brown. Huh. You related?"

The only indication of the man's surprise was a slight widening of his eyes. That, too, was quickly erased as he spoke. "That is irrelevant. All I need to know is if the job is still open."

The mayor huffed a bitter laugh. "You're cold like him too. Hmph, whatever. I already gave all I'm giving out today. You want the reward; you're welcome to go get the rest of it. I'll give you the same terms. Bring the girl back. Dead if she's been bitten."

The vampire hunter was used to this treatment, so it did not faze him at all. He ignored it as he continued. "Do you have any other information? Was it just one girl? Where might the Noble be located?"