The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

“why have we stopped” Jack asked walking up to where Charlie had stopped

“you will stay here until you hear the signal, to come and release all the villagers, once you have them, take them to the village hall and spread this around the boundaries” she replied handing him a bag

“I trained to fight, why do I stay here?” Jack asked

“because I told you too” Charlie replied

“I am coming with you, why should I stay here?” he said

“because here is where I say you should stay, if you get any closer to the village, they will smell human blood and I don’t need your help to face the vampires here, you stay with your friends and keep them safe, they cannot fight, if any do happen to get past me then it is your job to deal with them” Charlie said but the truth was that she didn’t want him with her, she preferred to do this alone, she did not give Jack a chance to argue just walked away from him, hoping that if she was cruel to him I would keep him at a distance.

Charlie had no fear of what lie in this village, she had seen what she had to face here and nobody here could do her any harm, they were mere children, only a few years since they had been turned, some were in the early hundreds but none could match her, she didn’t really care anyway, she would not back down from a fight and this was to be her last then so be it, Charlie just casually strolled through the centre of the village.

“who the hell are you?” Monk shouted

“who me?” she asked pointing at herself

“yes, you” monk replied

“no one, I am just passing through” she replied

“I don’t think so, no one is allowed to pass through” Monk said

“it is a good job that I am no one then” Charlie said

“will you shut up, no-one breathing is allowed to pass through this village by the order, of the king” Mock Said

“I have no king” she replied “at least not a dead one” she added

“Duke” Monk called

“what weasel?” he asked coming out from the nearest house and wiping blood from his mouth, he had just eaten, she could smell blood and the stench of death

“this human thinks she can pass through the village” Monk replied

“well, actually I lied” Charlie said, how had they not smelt that she wasn’t human

“shut up, I am talking to this idiot” Duke said pointing at Monk and not realising what Charlie had just said “you are a vampire and you are scared of stopping a silly little girl” he added

“but you said I could not eat” Monk replied

“you can be so stupid at times, there are other ways of stopping people” Duke replied and Charlie saw the look of realisation come on his face, he had realised she had said something

“back with me, are you?” she said as Duke looked at her

“what did you say?” he asked

“give me a second, oh yes that was it, I lied” she replied

“you lied about what?” Duke asked

“I don’t know now, you two have been very entertaining and I have forgotten what I came here for, maybe it was milk” she said

“milk?” asked Duke

“no, not milk, I would not have come here in the dark for milk, eggs perhaps” Charlie replied

“eggs?” Duke asked

“no, not eggs” said Charlie finding it very amusing to be winding him up

“will you stop this and just tell me why the hell are you in this village before I kill you” Duke shouted

“oh, yes that’s it” she said

“what is it?” Duke asked

“you” replied Charlie pointing at Duke

“me?” he asked

“yes, you” she replied

“”me” he said again

“yes you, why are you all so damn stupid” Charlie said

“why have you come for me?” he asked

“well not just you, I have come for all of you evil creatures that are in this village tonight, you have two choices” she replied

“and they are?” asked Monk

“you leave or you die, simple really” Charlie replied

“you think you can kill us” Duke laughed

“actually, I do, I can do it with my eyes closed” Charlie said

“we will see about that” Monk said finding some courage

“we will” Charlie said and she pulled her sword from its sheath and prepared to fight, it would not be hard as Monk would do something stupid which he did, he ran straight at her just as Duke was about to shout

“Monk” he shouted just as Monks head was detached from his body, had he realised that she was not human, “here” he shouted and they were joined by all the vampires in the village, Charlie hoped that Jack would take that as his signal to go and get his friends out whilst all the vampires were distracted by her

“what are you?” Duke asked looking confused

“that is a good question” she replied “why don’t you guess?” she added

“why?” Duke asked

“because it will be amusing for me to watch you try and work it out” she replied

“you are not human” he said

“right” she said

“you are like us” he said

“in some ways, yes” she replied

“then why fight us? when you should be with us,” he asked

“why would I be with you?” Charlie asked

“because we are your kin” Duke replied

“I have no kin, there is no one in this world that is like me and there never will be” Charlie replied

“but you are not human, why do you fight to save them?” Duke asked

“because that is my choice” Charlie replied “we all have the right to make our own decisions and to fight for the humans that is my choice” Charlie added

“if you are not human and not like us, then what are you?” Duke asked

“something that you should fear” Charlie replied

“I fear nothing” Duke replied

“you should fear me; my name is Charlie and I am your worst nightmare” Charlie said

“why do I need to know your name and I do not have nightmares” Duke said

“Because you can go to hell knowing who it was that sent you there, you and every other dead thing that walks will go there tonight” Charlie replied ““you should all have nightmares about me, for not one of you will leave here tonight and when my task is done, none that are dead will walk this earth”” she added

“As I said we fear nothing, what are you?” Duke said

“And I have given you the answer to that question or do none of you listen anymore” Charlie replied all the time watching every one of them that was there

“It matters not I will find out what you are once you are dead” Duke snapped

“How will that help?” Charlie asked

“Once you are dead, I will drink your blood and that will give me all the answers that I need” he replied

“There is no need for that, let me give you a better smell now” Charlie said and pulled her sword across her hand letting the blood run through her fingers and drip to the floor

“that is impossible” Duke said “you are all dead” he added you see a hunter’s blood smelt different to humans and other vampires

“as I am standing here it is not impossible and it would seem that your precious king lied about killing us all” Charlie replied

“what is she?” came whispers from all around

“it doesn’t matter” said Duke

“what is she?” one shouted

“she is a hunter now, move” came a voice from behind all of them that Charlie somehow recognised but it had been a long time since she last heard any voices from anyone that was not herself, she knew the voice but did not recognise who it belonged to