Escaping the Hunters

The Club

We were born in the mid 1500's. Were together when we were turned in 1577. Our parents didn't survive, and they left their growing empire to Paul. He was the son, the eldest as well. And while we pretended to grow old, have children... but yet, we never got married, we kept the factory, and later factories in the family. We made clothes. First cotton dresses, then pants, and ties and other things for dressing up. Top hats, shoes, gloves.

I was the main designer. Paul just handled the money and the people who worked for us. Which is why, he was now dead.

He was working late one night, and a slayer, some righteous vampire hunter, killed him. He was alone, fixing the books, and I was making us dinner. I waited 3 hours, knowing that he could take that long when we had a busy or bad week. But half an hour later I knew something was wrong.

So, I went to his office building. I used the key card and walked to his private elevator and took it all the way up. I got to his office, saw it in a wreak and there were ashes and blood on the floor. I saw a note, not in his handwriting for sure, and it said that I was next.

I went on the run. I hid around town until I could find someone who could take care of business. I took time in town to scrounge up contacts, and money before leaving to the big city. I knew staying out of it would make it easy for the slayer to find me, but being in a big city like New York... it gave me a chance to hide for as long as I was paying in cash.

Which could be up to two years. I had that much cash stowed away in a large apartment that was actually a very good deal. I didn't need to pay for my blood, since the 'good' vampires, would send it for free since they were trying to help me, and the eventual food I had to eat every now and then to actually make me look human, at least in the face, came out of pocket.

And I was still getting paid for my sketches I was doing for the company. It was going into an account that was paying for the resources of the vampires trying to help me find the slayer, and his little clan or whoever he was working with.

I stayed inside every day, I drew Paul more often than not. I drew our old family home. I drew the happiest memories. I signed each one. I wrote a little detail on the back. I felt like I needed to share these with someone... like I used to share with him.

I was lonely. I was tired. I was slowly shutting down. I didn't want to go on eating alone everyday. I didn't want to go on walking around this tiny apartment drawing the past knowing that I could never have that again with my own flesh and blood.

It hurt too much to think about my brother, and how all his life he took care of me, and I couldn't even have been there for him in his last moments and protected him. Not like I could do much. I didn't know how to fight. I didn't know how to protect him like he would have protected me.

I cired myself to sleep every night. Wishing I would wake up and hear him laughing at me for falling asleep on the couch and making fun of the imprint on my cheek from the leather. I wished I would wake up to his apologizing for worrying me and for being late.

I wish I would wake up and have not only him, and my life go back to normal.

But I knew none of that would happen. And sadly... I was ready to join my family in heaven. I walked within the distance of the apartment one last time before I decided it was time to get some human food, and go out to the small market.

I got to the other side of the apartment, gabbed a twenty then my purse and finally my jacket before heading out. I didn't need keys since this was such a crappy apartment. It was protected and all that but I had a deal with a witch that no one would be able to actually get into my apartment without my permission. Just like a vampire isn't allowed in unless invited.