Hunted Predators✔️

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Katherine lowers the emptied bag, feeling below her ribs. The skin is smooth, almost like the bullet never was even there, save a small scar. Meanwhile Darko paces across her room. "Let's go to the cops," Katherine says, "tell them what we know."

"If you speak with cops, you'll be taken to an Institute, then I'm back to square one."

"So what do you expect me to do? I already told you everything I know."

"I have an idea."

"Oh God," Katherine says.

"The field trip's tomorrow; we could sneak away from the group and find your cave."

"What if the vampire is there?"

"Then we kill him."

"Are you insane? There's no way we could kill him."

"I've studied vampires, their weakness, the way they fight. As long as he doesn't have any blood, all you have is an overconfident-"

"You're overconfident. You're going to get us killed."

"I took you down, didn't I?"

"I let you. And for the record, I'm not helping you kill anyone."

"You'd think you'd be used to it by now."

"How did you know about that?"

"About Josh?"

"Oh, Josh. Of course."

Darko stares at her. "Who were you talking about?"

Katherine clears her throat. "If we do catch the vampire," she says, "what's going to happen? Are you going to turn me in?"

"You know what? Let's just focus on this."

"Fine."

"Murderer," Darko coughs into his arm. Katherine stands up. "I'm a vampire."

"No way."

"I could beat you up."

Darko grabs the backs of her ankles and pulls up in one swift move, causing Katherine to yelp and fall on the bed. Darko climbs over her, pinning her shoulders to the bed. "Gee, I'm so overpowered," Darko says. "I don't know what to-"

Katherine flashes her fangs and Darko jumps, tipping over the bed. When he hits the floor with a thump, Katherine bursts out laughing.

"You think it's funny?" Darko says, climbing back on the bed. "Yeah," Katherine says, smiling and shoving him. She laughs harder when he tackles her. And that's the moment Darcy chooses to open the door.

"Katherine?" Darcy says. Katherine freezes. "Adelaide?" Adelaide steps out from behind Darcy, staring at the boy on top of Katherine. "Darko?"

Darko raises his eyebrows. "Foursome?" He hits the floor for the second time that night.

...

The day of the field trip is bright and sunny, a stark contrast to the look on Adelaide's face when she sees Katherine and Darko talking.

"Our field trip is a few miles away from the mountains," Darko says. "I figure we can slip away from the group half an hour after we arrive, and then claim we got lost when we return."

"Whatever you say, Watson."

Darko blinks. "I would be Sherlock."

As they argue and plot, the landscape changes from the city to the barren highway.

"Him? Really?"

Darko and Katherine look up. Darcy scowls down at them.

"Uh, hey, Darcy," Katherine says.