Ardith - A Vampire Story (editing)

Chapter 28 Hunting

Chapter 28   Hunting

The horses galloped swiftly through the dense the forest bustling with a rumbling noise as their hoves chashed over leaves, twigs, rocks and dampened soil. The Holy Germanic Empire soldiers, commanded by Edmund Wigheard, advanced into the dimness of the woodlands in the Harz region to hunt one of the most terrible and evil beings ever existed: a vampire. The more they went into the dense folliage, the darkest it was, making the hunting much more difficult.

            Leila’s white silhouette could be spotted in the distance. Her black hair flailed as she dashed with great skill and swiftness across the woods. She skipped with graceful and acrobatic movements the huge trees, rocks and everything along her way. The men on horses followed her; the soldiers eyes fixated on every move Leila made scampering into the forest in the outskirts of the Cuthberht Mansion.

            All of a sudden, the vampiress disappeared. Edmund and her men lost her track in a clear meadow in the middle of the woodlands. The soldiers and their captain formed a semi-circle mounted on their stallions. Surrounded by huge pine trees, oaks, willows and birches the placed themselves side to side, closing any possible gap that coild make a weak point for an attack. They scanned thorough the area, alert… very alert. Edmund put his index finger on his lips telling the soldiers to remain silent. Only the labored respiration of both men and beasts could be heard.

            Some twigs broke on the forest floor, behind the bushes to the left. Edmund ordered two of the soldiers to investigate. When the men neared the bushes, the plants shook violently. The warriors unsheathed their swords ready to strike. Only a hare cameo ut of the bushes. The Little animal lokked at the soldiers frightened. The men released a deep breath in relief when the little animal ran to hide in a rabbit’s burrow under a birch tree.

The two soldiers returned to formation waiting on tenterhooks at a signal… any movement or noise that could be heard. Leila must be near. Thankfully nature became their best ally. Even the breeze stopped, quieting the zephyr’s howling. A few dry leaves fell swirling from an oak tree and floated gracefully in front of one of the soldiers face. No wind at all, it resulted strange for the man who looked op to the almost lean branches. Before he could react, Leila jumped down like a fiery beast on the soldier, pummeling down the man in great assault. Both rolled over the moistened and cold ground. Leila and the soldier fought intensely for a few seconds inder the startling gaze of the squad. But the woman resulted more strong. Giving a single blow, Leila sliced off the soldier’s neck. The blood gushed bubbling out of the deep wounds. Leila buried her fangs in the man’s open flesh feeding on his blood while he convulsed in agony.

           

            Everything happened in a fragment of seconds before the rest of the squad could react. The advanced to strike, but Leila’s reflexes were quicker. Aware of the threat, the vampiress stood on her feet, leaving the poor man lying on the floor bleading to death. Leila growled like a raged wild cat and moved forward. Her eyes were bright hatred garnets; long and sharp white fangs protruded from her mouth dripping the blood she drank out of the already dead soldier on the floor.

            The men moved forward trying to close the crcle around Leila, but she moved too fast. The hellish creature made a summersault and bounced avove the soldiers’ heads. She landed elegantly behind the group of warriors. Standing straight up, the woman snarled, curling her lips up to show the menace in her lethal fangs. Edmund spotted again the dark-reddish stain on Leila’s wedding dress. The crimson blemish had grown bigger, telling him that Leila’s wound was severe.