He Came From the Dark

Ch. 10: A Snatcher Encounter

On my way home, I heard strange noises behind me. As if my path was being echoed.

I swooped to the ground and my wings disappeared. I looked around the sky before turning and running.

I was almost home when a masked creature swooped down in front of me. Towering over me, he revealed a menacing grin that would've made any other creature shudder. His eyes were pitch black, his teeth sharpened to the point.

He wore a long black cloak, and he drew his hands from his sides, flashing his long claws. Capable of piercing your chest, ripping your heart out, and crushing it to a pulp.

His skin was pale, almost completely white. Only his head and neck were seen, besides his hands.

He opened his mouth and revealed a long, black, pointed tongue. Realization hit me.

He was a Snatcher.

I lowered my head and smirked at him.

"I see the CJES has learned my whereabouts yet again. Yet you still underestimate me," I said lowly.

The Snatcher began to speak. Snatchers speak in snakelike hisses, but I could understand every word.

"Hero, Cassius wishes to see you. He sent me here to fetch you, he says you've been up to no good lately," he said.

I laughed. "You tell Cassius that he's going to have to catch me himself. Sitting upon his throne and sending his little pets out to do his work won't do him any good."

Cassius was a man who's personality matched his name: empty and vain.

Alongside him were two other members of his herd. Tacitus, and Vladislav. Legend says that they used to have another member called Casimir, who rebelled against them and began his own army.

Cassius, however, was said to be a very manipulative man. Or being, I should say.

He accused many of our kind of fraud, and had many of them killed.

Or so father says.

"Don't play games with me! I was sent here to do a job, and you will obey or I'll have to punish you the hard way myself.

I felt my fangs poking my tongue and my scalp itch. My eyes turned cloudy for a second and I grinned widely. The Snatcher looked at me in shock and I threw my head back and laugh.

"Go ahead. Try me," I growled.

He lunged at me and I slashed his cloak with my claws.

He growled at me as he reached out for me again. This time I grabbed his hand and flung him against a tree. I then began to claw at him viciously.

I suddenly clawed his face and he shrieked, the sound echoing through the forest.

I flashed my fangs as I grinned.

"Wait until Cassius finds out. He'll be thrilled to know you're still alive. And that you're a hybrid," he says smugly.

"Oh really? And what exactly does Cassius have to go against a hybrid?" I fired back.

He growled. "This isn't over, Hero. The battle has already begun, and you can't count on your brothers to help you this time."

With that he flew away, and I rushed home.

I ran to the Great Hall to find my brothers all having dinner.

"Hero! We heard you were with a friend, so we already had dinner. We left you some, don't worry," Jiyoung said.

"No, that's okay," I said.

"Hero, is everything alright?" Micky asked.

"Yes, everything is fine. Actually, can I speak to you? All of you?" I asked.

They all nodded and followed me to the Center.

"What's going on, Hero?" Xia asked.

"I ran into a Snatcher earlier," I announced.

"And you're still alive?" Max asked.

"Oh, give it a rest! He knows he's a hybrid," Yunho snapped.

"He said the battle has already taken place. He's going to tell Cassius I'm still alive, I'm sure," I continued.

"Cassius?!" Xia said in shock.

"Yes. He said you can't help me, which means this battle is between me and the CJES, specifically Cassius," I answered.

"No! You need our help," Micky said.

"I have to do this alone. It's the only way to ensure father's safety, and to make sure nothing happens to any of you," I explained.

"What about Lia?" Xia asked.

"How did you know about that?" I hissed.

"I followed you on your first day of school. I watched you and Lia, along with Hyejin," he responded.

"Why?" I asked.

"I was curious about humans. I wanted to know what it was like to be one," he admitted.

It suddenly hit me as I looked at each of their faces after his response. They were miserable. Isolated from humanity.

But of course, life as our kind wasn't bad until father disappeared and Cassius sent his army to threaten us.

"Guys, everything is going to be okay. I'm going to confront Cassius and the CJES and bring father back and everything will be fine," I said.

"How can you be so sure? You say that like its so easy," Yunho pointed out.

"I understand that, but I can at least try to convince Cassius to leave you out of this," I answered.

"But again, what about Lia?" Xia asked.

"She's sick right now, so I'm going to take care of her. I'll make sure she's safe, Hyejin too. No human should be harmed because of this," I said seriously.

"And father?" Micky said.

"He'll turn up. He's been in my thoughts lately. Wherever he is, he's doing fine," I explained.

They all nodded and we went our separate ways.

That night, we didn't sleep. Vampires didn't need to, after all. But we had all sensed something was wrong, and we stayed alert throughout the night.

Max stayed with Jiyoung while she slept, Yunho stayed outside, watching the perimeters along with Xia and Micky.

And I....well, I stayed in the Center. Anyone who knew of the secrets my father had kept from the CJES would do anything they could to get to them.

After all, his knowledge was more valuable than his own life.

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