That Which Lies in the Dark

5

(TW- Death, Gore, Implied Childrens Death)

Roman woke up with a start, clenching his shirt tightly, as his heart pounded in his chest. He didn't know why he bothered to sleep. He never needed it and his dreams never let him sleep for long. He glanced over to see his brother curled up around his pillow beside him and he smiled, before sitting himself up and kicking his feet off the bed.

Remus groaned in his sleep, mumbling something about dorks or... did he say dicks. Roman wasn't quite sure and frankly, he didn't want to know. He sighed as he pushed his hair back glancing over at the window to see the Moon peering through. He couldn't see any of the stars out at night, since the light pollution was so bad in the city.

He pushed himself off the bed, just staring out the window at the moon. It was moments like this when he felt like he could breathe. And yet simultaneously felt suffocated... his heart squeezed in his chest... as if some god of repentance had him in their grasp and refused to release him from his agony.

"May the Moon's light wash over her children and protect us from evil." Roman sighed as he leaned against the windowpane, his hair tumbling forward as if shielding him from the moon's sight. "May she watch over us even when her grace is outshined by the sun, and welcome us when the darkness falls again."

"Forgive me, Mother." Roman whispered up to the moon, before shaking himself out of his head and grabbing his pants off the floor. He quickly got himself dressed, ignoring how his brother obviously moved to see what he was doing having woken up despite how quiet Roman was trying to be. Remus didn't bother to stop him. He just sighed and laid back down as Roman grabbed his sword and tied it to his belt.

"Do you have to?" Roman stopped in his spot as Remus just watched him from the bed. "There hasn't been any mention of humans being hurt. It's just speculation and rumors."

"That's why I'm going to test them."

"And if they are Selen?" Roman frowned as he shot his brother a very clear look. "If they haven't hurt anyone..."

"Monsters deserve to die, Remus." Remus sighed, knowing full well there was no getting through to his brother. "We kill them now so that no one dies later."

"But who's to say that those we kill are really the bad ones?" Roman growled making Remus's eyes flash white.

"I have a job to do Remus. Just stay here." Remus sighed as he watched his brother storm out of the door. There was just no getting through to him... Not anymore... not since that day.

Roman held himself firm as he walked the street at night. He had the rumors of a possible vampire hiding in town and of course, he followed the trail here. He didn't have much of a choice. He was a hunter.

He killed monsters.

Roman hesitated a bit, his eyes latching on to the reflection of the half-moon as if the Moon was trying to speak to him. And like usual, Roman chose to ignore it and continued on his way. Turning his back on the Moon once again, as he had done so many times throughout the 17 years he had to survive since that night.

Roman stopped again, this time staring at the cobblestone pathway that led to this lonely house in the corner of town. Lights were up on the trees and fences, chancing away the shadows of the town, and yet Roman could still spot how the house itself held very little.

Roman sighed, hearing the obvious sound of frantic movement, before pushing him onto their property. Almost instantly Roman tensed feeling the malice burst around him with clear intent. He pulled his hood up and drew his blade before even stepping foot on the steps.

Roman slowly stepped forward, listening to everything around him as he gently pushed the door open to find it in complete shambles. His eyes narrowed as he focused in on the air around him, smelling the scent of blood slowly wafting in from somewhere.

"YOU FUCKING HUNTERS!" Roman jumped back with ease, dodging this large man who jumped down from the ceiling, fangs and claws bared. "Why can't you all just die?"

"If we don't exist, then monsters like you will live unchecked killing innocent lives-..." The man just laughed as he flexed his claws before lashing out in a fury.

"AS IF YOU WOULD KNOW INNOCENCE!" Roman easily sidestepped slicing his blade through both of the man's wrists severing his hands clean off. The man wailed in pain, tears brimming his red eyes as Roman stood there covered in his spraying blood with an unaffected expression.

"For a being that feeds off the blood of humans... I think I would know more than you." Roman retorted only making the man furious. The feeling of malice only grew stronger as the vampire started to transform, bones shifting and breaking as large bat wings grew from his back.

"You hunters... You will never learn." The man hissed as he spread his wings wide in rage. "You're the real monsters!" Roman sighed seeing as the man went to attack, using his wings as both a weapon and a means to travel faster. To Roman, he was a snail. Roman blinked, suddenly appearing behind the Vampire, whose eyes were wide in horror, before his head rolled off his shoulders. Blood sprayed in every direction mudding the hunter's senses but it didn't really matter much to him. He pulled out his flint igniting the vampire's body in flames before quickly moving further into the house. He could still feel malice coming from somewhere.

"D-Do you thing..."

"Shh... Emery, you must be quiet." Roman's face dropped, his eyes completely empty and devoid of everything.

"B-But Father..."

"Shh... love, Dad told us to be quiet." It was times like this, Roman was glad he did his best to not involve Remus in his hunts. It was over in a blink. The malice died as the last vampire was killed and fire devoured their bodies. Roman walked out of the house that was slowly turning into embers, glancing up at the moon that seemed to grow a little darker. A new star seemed to be glowing brighter and Roman shook his head, making his way back to the hotel.

He was a hunter.

That's all there was to it.