The Hunt

Chapter 8

Darren:

I stare into the cell. Into the yellow eyes. So similiar to those I've seen, those I have changed, those I have hunted. Images of the vampires I let run swim into my mind. My emotions are swirling. Everything I've been taught is crumbling. The separation of vampires and people, the idea we are protecting mankind from monsters. And now this, yellow eyes gazing, pale face staring. She doesn't look like a monster.

And John. His mother. How can this be? A human child of a vampire? Is that even possible?

"How is it possible?" I ask.

Mike's still smiling. Jack is looking at me, his expression unreadable. He doesn't look comfortable. He never looks comfortable. I meet his gaze and he looks at the ground.

"Well, there's a story." Says Mike. "There's a story for sure. Isn't that right Julia?" He smiles at the vampire.

She hisses in reply, her eyes flashing, fangs bared. Whether its fear or anger I can't tell. She says nothing.

I feel my own temper rising. His attitude doesn't fit, his smugness is starting to get to me. I feel the heat rising in my face.

"Tell me what the hell's going on!" I say. My voice echos through the prison we're standing in, bouncing from the walls. I hear the malicious laughter picking up again.

"You tell him boy!" The hoarse voice drifts up to me from the cell further down.

I imagine him rocking back and forth as he was when I walked up here. A few other voices join in with the laughter.

"Hush now." Mike says, holding a finger to his lips. "Don't want to get us in trouble, do you now?"

He's still smiling. I want to hit him. Knock the smile off his face. But I doubt I'd get far, he's too much of an unknown. And the desire to know the answers is stronger than my anger.

I nod at Mike. "Tell me." I say, quietly. I hear the menace in my own voice. I let the threat linger.

"This is Julia." She hisses again as he points at her.

"In case you didn't notice, she's a vamp." he says. Sarcasm drips from his every word. I should have seen it all along. His smile doesn't reach his eyes, it never has. I think he might be more of a threat than anyone. There's something beneath the surface, something dark and dangerous. I feel it now.

He's playing with me. Pushing for a reaction. I'm not going to take the bait. I nod again, letting him know he should go on.

"Well, as it goes, Julia here took young Johnny out into the woods for a stroll. Seems she found a hole in the fence somewhere. Seems she thought they'd be safe." He pauses.

" She didn't believe there's any real danger in the forest."

He looks over at the vampire again. "Ain't that right Julia?" he says.

She steps back, looking away. I can see her eyes dulling. But still she doesn't speak.

"Anyways, as it 'appens, they were lucky in some ways. As the stories have it, they got lost, them two. Lost in the forest."

"See, although she didn't believe the dangers. She was still smart enough to go in the daytime."

"Getting lost wasn't so smart though. And then the sun started disappearin'. "

"See where we're going with this?"

I think I do, but I say nothing. I keep my gaze fixed firmly on his cold eyes. I can see the coldness now, that I missed before. It's so obvious. And what's Jack got to do with it? I wonder. I trusted Jack. Does he know about this already?