Hunting Love

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

After I finish getting ready, I make my way towards the kitchen. The first thing that hits me is the extremely strong, metallic smell of blood. I stop dead in my tracks as the aroma hits me and I struggle to keep my fangs up and away. Looking around, I see many servants holding blood bags, pouring them into jugs, and some are making normal meals.

Sweet mercy I need help. Clearing my throat to get their attention, I say, "do any of you know where I can get the list of animals that I need to hunt?" I ask, shifting from foot to foot. A girl points towards the fridge but I don't make a move to get it. I know what's inside the fridge and I don't want to take the risk of losing my control. "Can you bring it to me please?" I ask, trying to sound as nice as possible.

One of them glares at me before walking over to the fridge and practically ripping the note from it. He walks over to me and hands me the note, still glaring at me. Slowly, I take the note from him with a grateful smile. "Thanks."

He scoffs before walking away. Wow, I guess they were serious when they said that hunters aren't well liked by the other slaves around here. As I'm walking away, I overhear one of the chefs call me a 'spoiled brat who's too good to get the note myself'.

I'll admit, that hurts a little. No actually it hurts a lot. As I'm about to walk out, I feel someone tap my shoulder, causing me to turn around. There's a small girl, no more than ten, holding up a bag for me. I notice a bandage around her arm along with a few small cuts. Without saying another word, she places the bag on the ground before running away.

"Come back!" I call, watching her disappear around the corner. I wonder who she is. I pick up the bag and look through the contents. Inside is a bow and arrow along with two daggers. Smiling, I gently run my fingers through its length. The tip is much sharper than any other dagger that I've ever touched before, and the steel is better formed than the one that the town blacksmith made for me.

Since I still have the one that I brought with me, I now have three daggers. I place one in each boot before hiding the other inside my pants. Once I'm sure that the daggers are securely places where they won't accidentally stab me, I pick up the bow and arrows.

Unlike the wooden arrows that I've been using, the tip of the arrows I'm given is made from steel, making it easier to pierce through tough skin. The bow's design is also impressive, and I can tell that hunting will be much more easier with it.

I place the arrows in the quiver before putting the strap of it around me. I hold the bow in my hand while looking through the list. Wait a second, all it says is one deer. That's all they want me to hunt down? If it's just one prey, how come they didn't just tell me? There really wasn't any purpose in writing it down.

Shrugging to myself, I place the note in my pocket before walking out of the castle. It's still early morning, giving the forest a pretty glow to it. I smile and look behind me at the castle. It's then that I notice that all the windows are tinted very dark. Oh, so that's how they can walk around even during the day.

After looking around, I notice that there's no other kind of security other than the roof guards here. It's also fairly easy to leave the castle, all you have to do is walk out the door. I remember Maybelle say that they shoot anyone outside the royal family who goes out that isn't wearing the hunting uniform, but what if it's the daytime? I wonder why none of the slaves try to escape if it's noon since no vampire would be outside at that time.

I continue towards the forest line and look to see what the guards are doing. I can tell that they definitely saw me, but they don't do anything. Huh, so it's true that they won't shoot down hunters.