A Girl in the Shadows

Chapter Ten

"Where are you?" I said, my voice echoing throughout the open, circular room as I drew my knife. "Show yourself, you pussy! Let's see what you've got!"

Across the floor, the drape that hung over the one of the massive windows was moving. I took a step forward and quickly put in my earplugs. The drape made a larger motion and a figure emerged from it. I saw the stout body of a man, the green beam of his night-vision goggles glowing in the blackness. His chest also had a green glow. It was some type of pattern on his shirt that had the appearance of armor. Underneath his shirt, his torso seemed to bulge, hinting at a bulletproof vest.

There was a grin on his face. The most terrifying of it all: his weapon. From my little gun knowledge, all I could say was that it was a killing machine. He was holding a massive rifle with a laser. You don't feel so smart right now Tali, do you?

"You're good as dead now," he said in a husky voice.

As he aimed the gun, Kai grabbed my arm and threw us under one of the tables. Bullets started hailing from above. Move, you idiot! Move! The footsteps were coming. Kai's hand was still around the knife. I bolted, running in a zigzag towards the drape closest to the balcony. The stairwell was only accessible from the hallway.

"Over here! Over here!" Kai shouted.

All the bullets went in the other direction, giving me an opening. The drape was a little slippery, but climbable. Two men with guns, but much less armor, were waiting for me in the balcony, but still distracted by Kai, who was screaming and running around the room. As a Slayer, we knew she'd be far too fast for them to hit her. I jumped from the drape to the railing, then flung myself over it with my feet landing in the torso of the first hunter. He stumbled but didn't fall. I charged him, my knife plunging into his neck as the other hunter shot and missed. I stabbed and stabbed, the hunter eventually falling. I looked over to see the other hunter bent over, covering his ears. Kai used Slayer Frequency, the high-pitched noise they could make to deafen prey.

Kai ran past me and towards him with her knife ready to go. I didn't think she had it in her to scale the drape.

"I'll take this one. You go," she said.

Bullets were flying through the balcony. I could see the earmuffs on the attacker below. Do something you fool! I closed my eyes and dove, smashing one of the tables, then diving under the one next to it. My heartbeat filled my ears. His footsteps were getting closer and the table was flipped. When I looked up, I was staring at a green figure and the barrel of a gun.

"Say your prayers, you Dracula piece of shit," he said.

My body felt as if it was put on autopilot. I grabbed the gun and pulled before he had time to counter. With the heavy weapon in my hands, my first reaction was to throw it so he couldn't get it back. Right when I was about to fling it, I stopped myself. I had the advantage now. A grin made its way across my face as I pointed it at him. My attacker was back a few feet, reaching for a handgun that he had in a holster by his waist.

"The second you touch that gun, you die," I said to him.

"It's not a gun," he said.

He lunged forward, and I didn't have time to pull the trigger. He threw me to the ground, holding the real object that was in his pocket: a machete. I tried to hold his arm as he brought it closer to my neck. He knew me. He knew actual knowledge of vampires. The school hired someone who knew the breeds. He was going to cut my head off unless I did something.

Part of me wanted to let go of his arm. Death would finally mean the end of this life. Then again, if I was going to die, it was not going to be like this. Not by a hunter that was hired by the dean. He's about to kill you. What are you going to do?