A Change in Pace

A Hunter.

“Nice to meet you.” I stepped back and ran a hand threw my short blond hair. “So what’s a hunter?”

            “A hunter is someone who is stupid enough to look for weird things, hunt them down, and kill them; things like your vamp here.” He kicked the vampire’s foot like I had done only a few minutes before.

            “Huh. So you just travel around and kill supernatural things?”

            He nodded. "So how do you know about these supernatural things?”

            “Does it matter? I better get going before the rest find me. Thanks for showing me how to kill them.

            “Hold up.” He grabbed my wrist as I turned to leave and pulled me around to face him. “I can’t just let you run off with more of them on your tail. Besides I’ve been looking for their nest for days now and you’re the best lead I got and your bleeding.”

            I looked down and found he was right. My hands were shredded from my fall earlier. “Look, that’s not a good idea. You’ll be in danger if you hang around me.”

            “Sweetheart, danger is my middle name. Come one I’ll patch up your hands and buy you something to eat.” Not waiting for my answer of giving me a choice, he held tight to my wrist and hauled me down the street.

            “A hotel?” I asked, eyeing him wearily.

            “Don’t worry I wont do anything strange,” he smirked.

            “I’m not worried,” I said as I stomped ahead. “Well?” I asked impatiently. “Aren’t you going to unlock the door?”

            He chuckled and took out the key. Once inside I he instructed me to sit on the edge of the bed and pulled out a first aid kit. The room was a mess. Beer bottles and empty fast food bags littered the floor and the walls were covered in newspaper clippings. They looked reports of victims from around the city.

            “Nice place,” I said as he pulled out disinfecting spray.

            “It’s not bad.” He sprayed both my hands causing me to hiss in pain. “Don’t be such a wimp,” he said as he pulled out white gaze and wrapped my hands. “So where is their nest?”

            “Seven blocks over in an old abandon house; on the corner of sumpter and cummberlings,” I said.

“How many are there? Do you know?”

“I don’t know exactly. Five, six, maybe seven?”

“All righty then,” he said.

“Are you going to kill them all?”

            “Yep.”

            “By yourself?”

            “Uh huh.”

            “Why? You could get killed.”

            “Someone has to.” He said it so matter-of-factly, like he didn’t have a choice.

            “Don’t you have a partner?”

            “What’s with the questions? You sound like a three year old.” He packed up the kit and set it on the floor.

            “Sorry,” I mumbled. “It’s just this is the first time talking to someone who knows about those things too. It’s kind of weird to me.”

            “It’s ok,” he sighed and stood. “You stay here. I’ll be back soon.”

            “Wait, are you going to their nest now?” even I could here the panic in my voice.       “Don’t worry,” he grinned. “I’ll be fine.”

            “I’m not worried about you. I worried you’ll die and leave me here to deal with the angry motel manger. I don’t have much money on me.”

            “I’ll be back in a few hours. Just stay put. Ok?” he raised and eyebrow and waited.

            I scowled. “Ok. But don’t die.”

            “Yes ma’am.” And he was gone; out the door and off to fight monsters.