Warmth of the Sun

Part 9

TW: Leg injury, blood, gore, slight body horror

A howl screeched from Clifton's lungs and wracked through his throat making it raw before ending with a pained yelp as he clutched his wounded leg. A searing pain shot through it, feeling like something sharp was clamped shut around it. Fighting through the pain, he blinked through his blurred vision looking down to see it was a rather large bear trap that was clamped down in the middle of his leg, cutting through skin and muscle almost hitting the bone. He made the mistake of yanking it but the tug of the chain that was tightly screwed into a nearby tree sent more pain up and down his leg causing him to throw his head back, gritting his sharp teeth. Once pulling on the chain didn't work he tried to get the jaws of the contraption unhinged, placing his clawed fingers in between the clamps only to pull away in a hiss, looking at his fingers to see burn marks on his skin. Confused he looked back at the trap only to freeze, seeing that the metal teeth of the trap were lined in silver, now realizing that the fire pain that he felt was the silver. This caused Clifton's blood to run cold, realizing that this wasn't just a normal animal trap. This trap was made for him. The trap was placed there by-.
 
"Well look what we have here, boys." He heard a malevolent voice say, along with the sound of laughing soon after.
 
He slowly turned his head his eyes going wide when he saw three men dressed in camo green jackets, staring down at him. They all carried guns and had holsters with various wooden stakes and rather large silver knives to their sides, all of them looking at him with a vile grin, aiming their guns at him. Clifton's lips pulled back to reveal his sharp teeth, realizing that they were monster hunters.
 
"Looks like the trap did the trick," The middleman said, using his gun to point to the trap on Clifton's leg before aiming it at his claws. "And look at that... We caught ourselves a werewolf."
 
A low growl escaped Clifton as they laughed more, cursing to himself for getting caught, his eyes beginning to glow yellow as fur began to sprout up his arms. But even through his anger, he still felt terrified because he was injured, in a trap, and surrounded by three armed monster hunters.
 
And he was all alone with no help.
 
...
 
Viago zoomed through the trees, floating a few feet in the air as he sniffed, trying to find Clifton's sent. He heard his howling in this general direction so any second he should pick up his scent and follow that. To his luck he quickly halted when he got a whiff of Clifton, sniffing the air and turning his head, finding it was getting stronger to the north but his eyes grew wide when he smelled something familiar. He was able to smell Clifton's blood, knowing it was his by smelling it before when he cut his finger on the beer can. If Clifton was bleeding, that means he was injured. Not only that, he could smell others, smelling like they were human... along with the smell of silver.
 
Anton was right... It was Hunters... And they were with Clifton.
 
Viago's eyes narrowed as they began to glow silver, beginning to zoom through the air at inhuman speed, his form turning to mist as he followed Clifton's sent.
 
Clifton kept his eyes on the hunters who for some reason weren't killing him. Two of them paced around him and trained their guns on him in case he made any sudden moves. The other had a walkie-talkie in his hand, bringing it up to his mouth as he spoke into it.
 
"We got one," The hunter began as he was eyeing Clifton, a look of disdain on his features as he spoke. "You were right boss, the sightings here were correct. One got its leg clamped shut on one of the traps I set."
 
"Good work Ned. Are there others with it?" Clifton heard a voice say on the other side of the walkie. 
 
"None so far but its pack shouldn't be too far behind. Might want to bring Nigel and Jack," The hunter, named Ned said as he began to look around. "Might need more guns in case the pack has numbers. Might even snag ourselves an Alpha werewolf this time."
 
"If that's the case you'll all might even earn your badge. We are about a mile out now. Stay vigilant and we'll see you three in just a sec."
 
"See you in a bit, Chauncey. Over and out," Ned placed the walkie to his side, his eyes on Clifton as he walked toward him causing the werewolf to move back with a wince, trying to slide as far from him as possible and pressing his back into the tree as he glared at the hunter who began to speak in a mocking tone. "Aww don't give us that look. You knew this day would come for you eventually." 
 
Ned then scanned the area before looking back down at the trapped werewolf, slowly leaning down next to him and eyeing him up and down. "So where's your pack? Werewolves don't stray too far from the others where it's safe. How many are in your pack?" He then leaned forward with a grin. "Is your alpha with them?... Alpha werewolf fur makes a pretty penny."
 
Anger surged through Clifton at the mention of his friend, his claws growing out. He let out an inhuman snarl as he tried to slash at the hunter's legs. Sadly, the hunter jumped back onto his feet in time glaring down at Clifton in slight shock and then anger before using the butt of the gun to hit the werewolf on the side of the head, causing him to fall back into the tree with a yelp.
 
The hunter grinned as the others laughed at the werewolf's pain, he reached up to feel his now bleeding head, blood dripping down the side of his face and dripping on the front of his shirt. Ned spit at the ground with a growl before he walked back toward Clifton placing a foot on top of the trap and pressing down causing the werewolf to grit his teeth and squinting his eyes shut. He put a dog-like whine clutching fistsfull of grass on the ground at the burning pain from the silver teeth the skin around his leg beginning to smoke a bit. Satisfied, Ned took his foot off the trap before aiming the barrel of his gun at the werewolf's head pressing it to his temple. He grinned as Clifton froze, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Now, you're gonna tell us where your pack is. Or this silver bullet is going into your skull, you hear me?" He then pulled away stepping a few feet from him but his gun was still on him. "So tell me. Where. Is. Your. Pack?"
 
"I'm not telling you shit!" Clifton snapped through gritted teeth trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his head and leg as he glared at the hunter who did not look satisfied by his answer.
 
The hunter shook his head in mocked disappointment, cocking the gun in his hand with a loud click before aiming the gun at Clifton once more causing the werewolf to stare at the weapon in horror. "Wrong answer, mutt."
 
Clifton looked from the gun and then back to the hunter holding it, his look of horror turning into a scowl. If this was his last moment he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of being scared. However, something else caught his attention his eyes trailing down at the hunter's feet seeing movement on the ground below him. His scowl shifted into a look of confusion at what he saw.
 
Noticing Clifton's confused look, the hunter looked from Clifton to the ground. His angered look vanished when a grey mist began to form around his feet. "What the-?" He whispered as he lightly kicked the mist with his foot but it wouldn't budge beginning to swirl around his legs.
 
The other hunters saw the mist also, both of them backing away as the mist began to rise swirling around the hunter's legs. "Uh, Ned... What is that?" One of them asked aiming his gun at it in slight worry.
 
"Where did fucking mist-?" Ned growled trying to swat it away as it crawled up his legs. However, the more he swatted at it, the more mist took its place. Annoyed and slightly worried he glared at Clifton still trying to swat the mist away. "Is this your doing?!"
 
Ned watched as Clifton shook his head with wide eyes, which angered him more. He aimed his gun at him once again, thinking that it would end if he killed this werewolf. "Don't lie to me you fucking-."
 
Suddenly the mist took human form, revealing that it was Viago who pushed the gun to the right and let out a hiss as he glared down at Ned. Anger was clear in his silver glowing eyes, which made the hunter freeze with terror. Before Ned could react, Viago grabbed him by his head and shoulder and sank his long sharp fangs into his neck.
 
Pain surged through Ned's neck as he let out a blood-curdling scream. His finger twitched around the trigger of the gun making it go off with a loud bang. One of the bullets hit the hunter to the right of Ned in the left arm causing him to let go of one side of his gun now clutching his arm with his right letting out a scream in pain. 
 
Viago felt as the hunter in his arms dropped his gun and tried to pry his hand off of his hair. But he kept a vice grip on his head, holding his hair so tightly his scalp began to bleed. The smell of the blood only made the vampire bite down harder, holding the human's shoulder so tightly, the bones in his shoulder began cracking under the vampire's grasp. 
 
Clifton's eyes widen at the scene in front of him, his gaze unmoving on Viago as the vampire was drinking the hunter dry. He watched as Ned's skin turned pale, his arms were slowly going limp as the light began to leave his eyes. The werewolf then heard hard breathing breaking his focus on Viago as he looked to the left seeing the other hunter stare at the scene, eyes wide and panting with fear as he backed up near the injured werewolf. Clifton's own eyes went wide as he watched Hunter fumble, trying to aim his gun at Viago. So he acted quickly, using one of the moves Stu taught him. Once the hunter was within his reach, Clifton used his good leg to side-swipe his feet causing the hunter to fall over hitting his head on the rock and knocking him out. 
 
Viago kept his fangs latched onto the hunter's neck feeling as his grip on him grew weaker and weaker with each gulp. Energy was bursting threw him as the human's blood finally satiated his growing thirst and hunger. Once he felt the hunter go limp, letting go of his wrists, and feeling his hands floppled to his side, Viago unlatched his fangs from his neck and let out a sigh of satisfaction, his fangs longer as blood dripped down them and onto his chin. The whites in his silver eyes were now red and blood shot which happens when a vampire is angry and right now, Viago was impassioned with rage.
 
Suddenly, the vampire heard a scream of agony which broke him from his blood frenzy haze, his head snapping toward the noise, seeing that it was the other hunter who was still clutching his bleeding arm. His anger only grew as he threw the body of Ned at a tree with a brute-like strength, able to hear his spine snap between the bark of a tree and begin to stalk forward. His eyes trained on the hunter like a cat prowling a mouse, watching as the hunter looked at him, his eyes wide with fear. 
 
The hunter tried to lift his gun with his bleeding arm to shoot him. But before he could even aim the weapon, Viago was in front of him with lightning speed, snatching the gun from the hunter snapping it in half between his knees, and throwing the broken weapon to the side.
 
The hunter looked from the gun to Viago with his mouth agape, the blank expression on the vampire's face sending a shiver down his spine as he fumbled to reach for a wooden steak. "No... No stop... STOP PLEASE-!"
 
The hunter's pleas were left unanswered as Viago grabbed the sides of his head and twisted to the right with a loud sickening snap, feeling him also go limp in his hands. He let go of the hunter and watched as his lifeless body fell to the ground with a loud thud at his feet.
 
Clifton watched the whole display in deathly silence. His wide eyes focused on the vampire that continued to stare at the body below him. He could only see the side of his face but what he could see was a blank expression on Viago's face but his bloodshot eyes were bleeding with rage. The werewolf felt like he couldn't breathe at the sight of him, afraid that if he let out a single breath the vampire's attention would be on him and he didn't know how he would react to him during a blood frenzy, especially with a bleeding leg and head.
 
But eventually, he did find his words to speak, pressing his back further into the tree as he spoke in a whisper. "Vi-Viago?"
 
His breath hitched in his throat when Viago's head snapped toward him, his eyes widening at what he saw. The vampire's red and silver eyes bore into him, swearing that if he didn't have night vision, the vampire's eyes would be the only thing he could see in the dark and that thought alone unnerved him quite a bit. Blood was dripping down Viago's chin onto the ground below him hitting a blade of grass like crimson rain, the blank look remaining in his features as he glared right at Clifton. 
 
He stared at the vampire before him for what seemed like hours and Viago stared right back at him. Clifton almost couldn't recognize him at the moment, finding it hard to believe that this was the same Viago that would look at Anton with so much love, the same Viago that looked at him with worry when he had a panic attack, the same Viago that was laughing and smiling with the other pack members. For a second, he feared that he was right about Viago from the start, fearing that he was going to attack him next right then in there.
 
But suddenly there was a switch in Viago, his eyes snapping shut for a second before opening them again, revealing the big brown doe eyes that he had before, concern forming in his features as he looked at Clifton with a gasp.
 
"Clifton, Thank goodness," Viago whispered walking up and crouching right in front of the shocked werewolf, before turning to the hunters. "I thought those hunters would surely end you. Glad I made it just in time," he then turned back to the other looking him over. "I smelt your blood. What has-," Viago paused his eyes going wide in horror as he looked at the side of Clifton's head. 
 
"Your head!" He gasped reaching an attentive hand to Clifton's head only for the werewolf to back up in shock. While he did that the vampire heard the chains from the trap rattling causing Viago to look down eyes widening once more. "Your leg!"
 
Clifton could only stare at Viago in stunned silence while the vampire checked his wounds over, trying to process what the fuck just happened. A second ago, Viago went on a blood frenzy, killing these hunters without batting an unblinking eye, and now like a flip of a switch, he's looking at him like a worried mother tending to their child. 
 
"We need to get that clamp off of you," Viago whispered rolling up his puffy sleeves before reaching for the bear trap. However, as soon as he touched the teeth of the trap, he pulled back with a hiss cursing in German as he looked at the burns on his fingers before looking at the trap with a grimace. "Silver, of course. You poor thing. It's no wonder you didn't take it off."
 
"... Viago-?"
 
"Hold on let me see if I can find something to pry it off," Viago whispered as he scanned the area. He needed something to pry the trap open but he knew that a stick wouldn't be strong enough. Maybe the hunters had something on them that could help. So he got up to his feet and walked up to one of the bodies crouching next to them and looking them over.
 
"No Viago, You need to leave," Clifton gritted out, as he looked around in a panic. "You need to get Anton and the others now!"
 
"They are on their way. I just got here faster because of my vampire speed. Might take them a bit to get here. You wandered pretty far from us you know," Viago lifted the jackets of the hunters, a smile forming on his face when he saw a metal crowbar. He took it off the hunter as he stood to his feet, clutching it with both hands with a toothy grin. "Bingo!"
 
He then walked back up to Clifton kneeling in front of the trap and placing the crowbar between the teeth of it. "This should help," Viago then began to try and pry it open, causing Clifton to bite back a yell which made the vampire wince with sympathy in return. "I know Clifton but your leg won't heal if it's clamped like this," Viago began to push down again with a grunt. "Just. Need to... pry it open-."
 
"Vi you need to get away," Clifton whimpered out ignoring the pain in his leg as he looked at the vampire. "Go to the others. There are more coming!"
 
"Not until I get this off of you," Viago argued, trying to pry the trap off with all his might. But it wouldn't budge, finding that it was a lot stronger than a regular beartrap.
 
"You're not listening Vi. More are coming! They'll kill you as soon as they spot you. Go to the pack where it's safe!"
 
"I don't care. I'm not leaving you to deal with them on your own-."
 
"Why?! Why are you trying to help me?!" Clifton snapped in desperation, shaking his head as he motioned to the vampire in front of him with his hands. "Why are you risking your life for me after everything I put you through?!"
 
Viago paused from prying, slowly looking at the werewolf in front of him. A frown formed on his face at Clifton's words. He looked into Clifton's eyes and saw so much confusion and pain in them, remaining silent for a few seconds before he broke it. "Because Anton loves you and I care about you," He watched as Clifton's features softened, so he continued, shaking his head as he spoke. "I know you think I don't or at least thought I didn't but I swear to you, I do... I know we got off to a bad start and you've done things that hurt me but I know you did it because you care about Anton. You were worried that I was gonna harm him, even if it wasn't true. You were just trying to protect him. You were doing it out of love and I admire that in a way. You're loyal and caring to your friends and you love Anton and the pack dearly... But please know that I love him and the pack too... Including you... So I'll be damned a second time if I'm gonna leave you here in pain like this."
 
Clifton stared at the vampire before him for a long time, beginning to feel even more like shit. He had gotten Viago all wrong from the start. Viago was never going to harm Anton or the pack, this act alone was more than enough proof. This vampire wasn't like the others he encountered in the past. This one was kind and caring and somehow warm for someone who had cold blood. How could he not see it before? 
 
"Now let me try and get this off your leg." Viago then went back to trying to pry the trap off with the crowbar. 
 
The werewolf snapped out of his thoughts looking at the vampire in worry, shaking his head as he spoke. "No Vi, please go!" He then looked around hoping to not see any hunters coming. "They could be here at any minute. You need to find Anton and-," Clifton froze when he heard a groan looking over to see that the knocked-out hunter was beginning to stir moving his head with a groan.
 
Viago rolled his eyes with a huff, sitting the crowbar to the side as he began to prowl toward the groaning hunter. "Maybe draining this one also will give me more strength." He whispered watching as the hunter's eyes fluttered open before going wide when he saw him trying to reach for his gun but Viago quickly kicked it away, stomping the same foot over his chest knocking the wind out of him and keeping him pinned to the ground. About to reach for him when-."
 
"Viago! Look out!" Clifton suddenly snapped looking behind the vampire with wide eyes. 
 
The vampire quickly turned, seeing three hunters standing next to Clifton, all of them looking at him with wide eyes. Viago mentally cursed himself for not hearing them coming as he turned to the three, trying to act fast but they acted faster.
 
"Jack, trap him!" The one that sounded like Chauncey to Clifton snapped. 
 
Hearing that Viago turned to the hunter named Jack trying to get him first but the hunter aimed what looked like a net launcher gun right at him. He quickly pulled the trigger which caused a net-like rope to shoot out. Suddenly Viago was engulfed in rope with two weights at the end of them, making them tightly wrap around his arms, bringing them to his sides. Then the other hunter aimed at his legs, shooting ropes around them as well which caused him to fall face-first to the ground.
 
"VI!" Clifton called out watching as the vampire fell. He pushed himself off the tree, trying to crawl toward him but the chain of the trap kept him from crawling any closer. He was a few feet away from Viago, which caused his fear to spike.
 
Viago began to squirm on the ground trying to snap the ropes off but he hissed as pain shot through him,  realizing that the ropes were laced with silver as well along with being drenched in holy water. He grits his sharp fangs as the exposed skin on his arms begins to sizzle smoking lightly at the exposer of both silver and the water.
 
"Fuck, it got Ned and the newbie," Chauncey growled looking at the two bodies before turning to the fallen hunter and watching as he got up. "This bloodsucker did all of this?"
 
"Yes, boss," The hunter growled, glaring at the squirming vampire. "Asshole got the jump on us."
 
"Did he now?" Chauncey then looked back down at Viago, using his foot to flip him onto his back by his shoulder, grinning as the vampire glared at him in anger, his fangs exposed for them all to see. "Well, look at the fangs on him."
 
"Damn, he's a looker," Jack commented, looking Viago up and down causing the vampire to shiver in disgust. "Shame he's a fucking bloodsucker."
 
Viago's eyes turned silver once more as he glared at the hunter, his fangs growing as he let out a hiss. But his hiss was cut short when Chauncey pulled out a crucifix and aimed it right at Viago. His eyes instantly started burning at the sight of the cross causing him to shrink away. His hissing turned into whines, squinting his eyes shut as they began to water. His body was burning in the presence of the holy object along with the silver. 
 
"Silence you wretched demon!" Chauncey snapped watching as the vampire turned his back to him, curling in on himself as best he could like he was trying to hide from the cross.
 
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Clifton barked out, his eyes glowing yellow as he pulled against the trap, ignoring the pain in his leg as he growled at the hunters, who all looked at him in shock.
 
"Interesting," Chauncey grinned as he finally put the crucifix away ignoring the vampire let out a sigh going slightly limp on the ground. He then walked up to Clifton who glared at him, his growl growing louder as he approached. His ears began growing into a point as fur sprouted around the nape of his neck. "A werewolf and a Vampire protecting each other? I never thought I'd see the day... I thought your kind were enemies with his kind. Figured you'd enjoy watching this bloodsucker suffer."
 
"You let him go right now!" Clifton demanded ignoring as the others began to laugh at his command. "It's my kind you want right? He has nothing to do with this!"
 
"Let him go? After what he did?" The hunter questioned before he crouched right in front of Clifton resting a hand on his knee as he spoke. "I can't let him go after that. Besides I wouldn't have let him go anyway since we're both Werewolf and Vampire hunters. I got both badges to prove it."
 
Clifton's eyes trailed down to the hunter's jacket his lips pulling back into a sneer at the sight of the two badges in question. He let out a growl as he glared back up at Chauncey, realizing that this must be the leader of the group, the one who ordered to have the traps set here in the first place. It was all him.
 
"You know, I should have you put out of your misery immediately," Chauncey began, grinning as Clifton let out a growl but he raised his hand, causing the werewolf to go silent. "But I'm a generous man and I know that not everyone wants to become a werewolf. I can tell just by looking at ya that you didn't ask for this and I know you can't control being a feral beast every full moon. You can't help it... So I might let you go just this once if we take him."
 
He watched as Clifton's sneer softened, looking up at him in shock as he spoke. 
 
"I mean look at what he did with his own free will?" He then motioned to the two bodies of the hunters before turning back to Clifton. "They are all heartless cold-blooded killers and their sole purpose is to drink people dry or make more just like them. It's in their nature... It's all that they are good for."
 
Clifton frowned at the familiar words, now realizing how vile they sounded when he wasn't the one saying it. He looked from the hunter to Viago who paused, also looking at the hunter but his eyes were full of hurt in his comment. But the vampire then looked right at him, with a look that broke Clifton, eyes full of hope, like he hoping that Clifton didn't believe the hunter's words.