Cursed

Chapter 11: You Again?

The picture of the brunette standing under the arm of the Vampire King, a small man with a very strong presence, was still burning on my eyelids. Her smile and auburn hair were so similar to the girl in the woods that it made my stomach squeeze once again. Probably for the hundredth time by now. I had gotten myself in some situations that were rather questionable for a Hunter, but this was beyond anything I could ever have imagined. Yet, her eyes were exactly the ones that had been replaying inside my head ever since the ritual. The ones I had dreamed about nights in a row, not knowing who they were from. How did I not realize it back in the woods? I hadn't known it was her, but now that all the pieces fell together, it made sense. I certainly didn't want it to make sense, but they did put her blood in my body. And I did have powers that were very vampire-like.

I shook my head, violently.

With a heavy heart and a racing mind, I had made my way back to Rider's Square. Not entirely sure whether I was lucky or not, Ura found me in a matter of seconds. Her mouth was already spitting hard words about ignoring our mission and leaving her behind with an incompetent human. She was angry, and I got that, but I also wasn't in the mood for her scolding and constant disappointment in me. Because for once, I agreed that I had failed.

It's not that I would've killed the princess per se, but at least I would've asked her why she let her people kill so many innocents. Perhaps I would've fought her as well, simply because I could and quite honestly, I felt betrayed. She pretended to be someone she wasn't, and for what? What did I even tell her? I already forgot and my nerves were growing the longer I thought about her. What had I done?

My thoughts were rudely interrupted by a bone-chilling screech. Like wildfire, a crowd formed on one side of the market and the atmosphere changed from relaxed to one of tension. Murmuring and shouting filled the air, my feet were already on its way before Ura could stop me.

With calm and controlled hands, I pushed my way through the crowd. At the center kneeled a man on the wet cobblestones, they were painted dark from the blood seeping through his fingers. Spatters covered his face, both from dirt and blood. His hands and arms were holding his abdomen in a tight hug while he coughed between his words.

"More," cough, "they need help," cough.

The man fell forward into the hands of a young woman covered in ink. Her hands took over from his and she pressed down on the still bleeding wound.

Without thinking, I stepped inside the circle and knelt down before him. My sleeve was torn off before I could think twice about how I would explain this to my superiors. With my knife, I cut it in half and pressed it against his wound.

"Someone get me a fire," I shouted to no one in particular. Some shuffling behind me told me enough for me to redirect my attention back to the injured man.

"What happened?" I asked.

The woman who had looked impressed until now, frowned angrily at me. "What does it matter right now? Save his life."

Not taking her words personally, I met her eyes and calmly explained. "Until I have a fire, I can't do anything more than what I'm already doing. He just said there were others, so," I looked down at the man, his eyelids already half closed. "If you tell me what happened, maybe I cannot only save you, but your friends as well."

"They're not my friends," he coughed. His voice was only a simmer of what it had been just a moment ago. His survival chances were dropping with the second, but I tried to stay calm. I could still save someone else.

"We're merchants," a new voice joined the conversation. It was a much younger boy, perhaps sixteen, if he was already that old.

"Tell me."