Hunter

XXXII

Jade sped up on the motorcycle, darting in and out of the cars.
They had left the inn over 15 minutes ago, but the lobby had been empty. That only fueled Jade's suspicions about the maze behind the wall being planned. Whoever was the son of a bitch who did this..... She bit her lip roughly, the spark of pain distracting her.
She swerved around a van, and a thought jumped into her head.
Was she acting differently? She didn't feel too different, but deep inside, she felt like she needed to do more.
She was part of this insanely dangerous world now, even if she didn't know how. She didn't know when some monster would attack her and end her life. She didn't want to die. She didn't want her life, forever feeling the sticky feeling of anxiety clinging to her like a second skin.
She need to make the most of everything.
She didn't need to be sarcastic and rude all the time..... Only when the situation called for it.
Once she got her mom back, she'd spend more time with her. She'd spend more time with Aric, and the few aunts that she had.
"Jade!"
She jumped, then realized that Aric was talking.
She calmed down, sucking in air through her teeth. "Yeah?"
He squeezed her torso, leaning to the side to avoid a truck that was driving by.
"What's wrong? I've been trying to talk to you for a while..... What's wrong?" Aric asked, worry seeping into his voice. His breath brushed the back of her neck, making her warm.
Jade shook her head, speeding past another car.
"I'm fine. Why?"
She felt him shake his head. "No reason. Just worried." His voice softened at the last syllable, like he was thinking.
Another car rushed by, and Jade cursed as the motorcycle lightly swerved to the side.
"What is with these cars? Are they freaking trying to hit us?!"
Aric turned his head, looking at the black cars trailing behind them.
Why hadn't he noticed them earlier? Shit! What the hell is in that car? Even from here, he could feel something from those cars. The heating of his wrists only confirmed his suspicions.
The answer hit him like a lightening strike, and he hissed in Jade's ear.
"I need you to move faster! Can you do that?!"
She snorted, revving up the engine. "Can you summon crazy- ass weapons and fight freaky ass lookin humanoids?" She managed to keep the shaking out of her voice. What was following them now? No wolves please. Please, oh Lord, no damn wolves! Her mental voice suddenly rose octaves, hysteria tearing at the edges of her prayers.

Aric grumbled, and Jade sped up. The creatures tailing them sped up too, gaining on them.

Jade noticed how agitated Aric had become, his teeth clenched together and his brow furrowed.

"What's up?"
He hissed again. "Vampires."
Jade's eyes widened, and she felt her biceps and torso tighten. "Hell no," she muttered. "No no no no no."
She panicked, her body acting on its own, and her fingers and feet slamming. They suddenly sped forward, wind buffeting against them.
Jade raced by the cars, swerving and turning dangerously.
She turned her head to see if there were any black cars still following them, not noticing the turn she had made on to a street.
She felt scared and brittle;  the sight of something unnatural could kill her.
She didn't notice the sudden change in temperature, because of all the sweat that had started dribbling down her body, until Aric muttered near her ear. "Where are we?"
Apparently, he hadn't been paying attention either, too focused on making a plan in case the vampires caught up to them. His fists were clenched, his fingers tugging at each other.
Jade stopped the cycle, and Aric jumped off.
Jade stepped off, straightening her back to make herself feel more confident. She could feel her prayers get louder. DON'T LET ME DIE PLEASE OH LORD FORGIVE ME
The motorcycle shrunk, melting into the band that sat on Aric's wrist.
A figure jumped in front of them, laughing.
The thing had a thick accent that was painfully obvious as it said,"Ze little venator haz a girlfriend! How cute! It haz been a vhile since I had a proper lady to eat."
The figure stepped forward, and Jade blinked.
Vampire stories and movies showed vampires as these otherworldly, too beautiful-to-behold beings.
The vampire in front of her had lips that were swollen and too full. Eyes too big, chin too sharp. Cheekbones too high. Skin too shimmery and pale. Everything about it was too much, down to the dainty needle-like fangs poking from its mouth.
It smiled, Jade guessed it was trying to look seductive.
She winced in response, and she tried to push away the image of its fangs sinking into her muscle. She swallowed thickly, and looked at her boyfriend instead.
Aric was wielding a strange sword. Instead of a blade, it had a wooden stake that was sharpened to a point.
Oh. A stake. I get it.
He lunged, pushing Jade to behind him, stabbing at the vampire's chest. Jade could feel the wind rush past him, and she took a deep breath as she said another prayer in her mind.
It quickly moved to the side, and other figures pounced down onto the two. They fought in a whirlwind of bodies and weapons that made the world feel like it was spinning.
Jade yelled for Aric, who didn't respond. She started feeling nauseous, like her guts were trying to climb out of her throat.
Frantic, she felt around the ground, hoping to find something useful.
Like a really big stick. Or a blade. Or anything really.
Apparently, God was generous that day, and Jade was rushing into the whirlwind, hefting a weapon in her hands. She needed to find Aric and then they could get the hell out of here. The tidal wave of panic was getting harder to hold back.
She swung the rod she had found, whacking unfamiliar bodies aside. She squeezed her eyes shut, and finally opened them as her rod hit air.
A vampire stepped in front of her, it's skin pasty. It's eyes roved over her, and it licked it's lips.
It grinned as Jade's breath grew unsteady, and jumped forward and wrapped an arm around her neck.
She could feel its hot breath and almost immediately, she kicked its knee, snapping it back. "No," she muttered. "No no n o." Her breath was stuck in her throat, and she kicked the thing again.
It howled, falling. And Jade swung the rod like a baseball bat, hitting a home run across it's temple. She took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes hut again and turning around.
"Jade!" Aric screamed, noticing the figure standing behind her.
She turned around too late, and the thing sank it's fangs deep into her shoulder, right through a healing bruise.