A Cruel Jest?

39

"So Nocturne tells me that you have wagered that you both can beat me at hunting." Mori just waits for their confirmation before she gives them the rules of the game.

"You two will be hunting me and I will be hunting you. The last one standing wins. It shouldn't take more than an hour. Oh and if you draw blood you lose. If I smell your blood I might just forget about the game and take my fill," Mori's words give them a chill.

Mori takes a step back and says, "The game begins now."

The vampire's quickly lose sight of her and Nocturne hides his amusement at their consternation. "How the hell does a human mask her heat signature?"

Nocturne smiles, "There are hot springs around here, but I'm not entirely sure that's how she does it. Oh, by the way she won against me both in day light and at night."

That gets both of the vampires to look at him in horror. "Good luck boys. We'll be waiting by the hot spring, join us when you're done."

"Hot springs Nocturne? I've been here several times and not noticed them," Terrance was saying as they walk to the path towards the springs.

"She beat the king in the hunting game?" One of the vampire's says in awe.

"Both at night and during the day?" The other says swallowing nervously.

The one vampire takes to the air the other tries to follow Mori's trail by scent.

The vampire is soon lost on the unfamiliar trails and suddenly finds a hunting knife held to his throat. "If you move to make me draw blood I will lose but so will you." Mori whispers the words to the young vampire.

"I concede." The vampire is quick to let go his hunting knife and raise his hands.

Mori purrs in his ear, "Now that's the smart thing to do. Go sit with Nocturne and Terrance at the hot springs. Just follow this trail north and it will take you there." Mori removes her knife and the vampire does as he's instructed.

The other vampire takes his time flying above the forest land, looking for any trace of the human. He notices his friend walking towards the hot springs and comes down.

"Giving up already? Jekon that's not like you." The second vampire says.

"She found me and easily could have killed me, but she only held the knife to my throat," Jekon replies without shame.

"That human female? You've got to be kidding me," the other vampire replies not buying it.

"I'm telling you Karl, that human is a better hunter than any vampire I've ever gone against," the first vampire, Jekon responds.

"He's right." Mori holds her knife up against Karl's throat. "Nah uh uh. If you move to make me draw blood to lose, you'll lose your life. This knife is what I usually use to kill my prey with and I keep it very sharp. I'd really hate to have to apologize to Nocturne for killing one of his vamps during our little game." Mori says it all so coldly that Karl freezes where he stands and lets drop his knife.

"I concede, Lady Mori wins," Karl says in defeat.

"Come on, I would like to take a dip in the hot springs now. Let's go join the other two shall we?" Mori doesn't really give them a choice.

As they come into the clearing where the hot springs are Mori says, "I've asked this before and I'm asking it now. Just how the hell did the vampire's take over the world? Damn you three were so easy to take down. Nocturne, didn't you say that vampires are hard to kill? I haven't seen that yet. Is there no vampire that could give me a run for my money? There are humans here that could do better than you three."

"Mori these three are loyal to me, therefore to you so they won't say anything, but if other vampire's found out that there are humans that could hunt us as easily as you do or even more easily then I wouldn't be able to stop them from coming here and killing everyone. So please stop bragging about how easy it is to hunt and kill us."

Mori shrugs. "They would come and try to kill us. You do realize that I've trained most of the people in this valley how to hunt right? There would be deaths, but it wouldn't be a one side wholesale slaughter either. In the end you might kill us all, but," Mori looks at the two newest vampire's, "We'd show the world that vampire's aren't that hard to kill after all. Then who do you think would die?"

Her words strike terror into all four of the vampire's that surround her. "Don't worry kingy, as long as we are left alone, we'll leave you alone."

Mori changes her sight to the two newbies, "I suggest you keep this information to yourselves. Of course if you want to be responsible for the fall of your kind go ahead and broadcast it."

Mori looks back at Nocturne, "I want to take a swim, are you going to join me or go off sulking elsewhere?"

She turns to Terrance, "You are welcome to join me as well."

Nocturne growls and makes sure they understand that Mori isn't going to be unprotected.

"And just what are you going to wear while swimming Mori?" Nocturne asks with more than a hint of humor.

His smile is wiped off at her reply, "I hadn't planned on wearing anything."

She is definitely becoming more and more vampiric. "You will wear a swim suit." Nocturne growls that out.

"I don't have one with me and I'm not going back to the cabin to find one. If I even have one, I haven't worn one for years." Mori says rolling her eyes at his possessive nature.

Nocturne makes a gesture and hands her a swim suit. The other vampire's turn to give her some privacy while she changes. Nocturne watches to make sure that everything he wants covered is.

"There satisfied Nocturne?" Mori's tone is sarcasm personified and the two new vampire's flinch from her sharp tone.

"No, but it will do, and Mori?" Mori turns to face Nocturne.

"Watch your tone with me. I let you get away with a lot when there aren't others around but I need you to show me more respect when there are." Nocturne hisses out his displeasure.

"As you wish master." And like that Mori retreats into herself once more.

"Dammit!" Nocturne stomps away from the spring and takes to the air.

The two new vampires turn to Terrance, "She is our queen?"

At Terrance's nod Karl says, "She's terrifying."

Jekon nods in agreement. Terrance closes his eyes and smiles. "She will make a wonderful queen won't she?"

The other two look at each other then nod. Then they both smile, they can't wait for the court to meet her.