{Chapter 10}
The year progressed with little to no clues on where Calaway and the children were. Shawn and Hunter had resigned themselves to smaller hunts for the time being. Lashley had taken a few months to heal, but he was soon back on the hunt as well. With each slaying they hoped to gain some knowledge on the whereabouts of their prime objective. Needless to say their prey had been less than cooperative, though once in a while they turned up a promising lead, which was why Punk and Lashley were now huddled in the bushes near a forest clearing.
“Why are we here,” Punk asked at Lashley. “Why are those people in cages?”
“Keep your fuckin’ voice down,” Lashley hissed. “Shawn and Hunter want you to have some field experience, though Lord knows why. We all know your strength is computer shit.” Punk glared at Lashley, who didn’t seem to notice. “This is a vampire market. Those people in cages are…”
“Food,” Punk asked paling at the thought.
“Jesus Christ, kid,” Lashley groaned pinching the bridge of his nose. “If you’re gonna puke…don’t. The last thing we need is for the fuckin’ vamps to get wind of you upchuckin’ and storm us.”
“I’m not gonna puke,” Punk reassured him. “I can do this. You really think that the nanny will be here with the kid?”
“No way to tell for sure. We just gotta wait and see. Now shut the fuck up,” Lashley hissed and turned his attention back to the market.
~~~~~
“Come along, Rosie” Ariel said holding the child’s hand. Long auburn curls fell in soft ringlets down the child’s back, bouncing as she walked alongside Ariel. The raven haired vampire looked down at the child and smiled. “Perhaps we’ll find you a pet. Would you like that?”
“Oh yes, Aunty Ariel,” Rose said smiling wide, her emerald green eyes sparkling.
“Ariel,” Cherry said as she and Mickie brought up the rear. “You know that the Master won’t let her have any pets.”
“She’d probably just eat it anyway,” Mickie snickered.
Rose pulled her hand free from Ariel’s and glared at Mickie. “I’m tellin’ daddy you’re making fun of me,” she said crossing her arms across her chest. Cherry began to snicker and Rose turned her glare on the blonde. Her eyes narrowed to slits going from green to yellow to blood red. She let out an animalistic growl and lunged at Cherry, knocking the taller woman to the ground and pummeling her with her tiny fists.
“Joselyn Rose Calaway,” Ariel yelled pulled the child off of Cherry. “What has your father told you about that temper!”
“She definitely takes after the Master,” Mickie said giggling as she helped Cherry to her feet.
“Little bitch,” Cherry growled. In Ariel’s arms Rose was trying to get free to attack Cherry again.
~~~~~
“Motherfucker named the kid Joselyn,” Lashley grumbled. “Calaway is a sick fuck.”
“That kid’s gotta be about four,” Punk said unable to believe what he was seeing. “I know the research said that hybrid kids age faster, but they were iffy on exactly how fast.”
“Where the hell is the other kid,” Lashley growled looking around the market for another child.
“Maybe it didn’t survive,” Punk offered.
“Maybe,” Lashley replied. “I think we need to strike now.” He pulled a phone out of his pocket and sent a text message.
~~~~~
“Let’s go,” Ariel said setting Rose on her feet and taking her hand tightly.
Mere seconds after she had done that the marketplace was flooded with UV light. The sound of a motor racing could be heard and moments later various vampire merchants went flying as their bodies connected with the front grill of a pickup truck. They landed with sick thuds, smoking and writhing in pain from the light. The prisoners rattled their cages pleading to be set free. Lashley and Punk had left their hiding place joining Hunter and Shawn, who had jumped out of the truck.
“She’s over there,” Punk called. “The kid! She’s there with the three women!”
Ariel heard this and scooped up Rose, rushing to catch up with Cherry and Mickie, who were attempting to flee the area. Lashley was on her in mere seconds, grabbing her by the cape. She dropped Rose, who tumbled a few feet away. The child got to her feet, looking at her now scraped hands and knees and crying.
“ROSIE,” she screeched. “CHERRY! MICKIE! PROTECT HER!” The two women scooped up the child disappearing into the forest.
“Shit,” Lashley growled. “Punk! After them!” Punk nodded gun in hand and ran after the women and child. A few seconds later gunfire could be heard and Punk returned out of breath and limping.
“They got away,” he said. Hunter, who had joined Lashley in restraining Ariel. They both cursed under their breath. “I think I managed to nick one of them,” he said hopefully.
“Great,” Hunter fumed. “What were you hoping for, Punk? We could follow the trail of blood? Vampires heal fast you fuckin’ nimrod!”
“Hunter,” Lashley admonished. “You did good for your first time in the field, Punk. They could have gotten away from any one of us.” He smirked a little. “At least you didn’t puke.” Punk glared at him.
Ariel was laughing now as Hunter restrained her. “You think I’ll tell you anything,” she hissed. “You can go to hell.” With that she spat at Lashley.
He wiped the saliva from his face and glared at her, reaching out and grasping her chin roughly. “You’ll talk, bitch,” he said lowly. “Or I’ll break every fuckin’ bone on your body.”
Meanwhile Shawn had turned the lights off now that the marketplace was cleared and was releasing the prisoners from their cages. He had just helped a young blonde woman down from her cage when she hugged him tightly sending the air out of his lungs unexpectedly. He managed to pry himself loose and send her on her way before heading to the final cage which contained two young men.
“Please,” the dark haired man begged. “My friend needs help. He’s wounded badly.” He held up his hand, which had been on the back of his blonde companions head. It was coated in blood. Tears shone in his hazel eyes. “He needs medical help.”
“Hang on,” Shawn said shooting the lock off the cage. “We’ll get your friend some help, son. What’s your name?”
“Paul London, sir,” he replied sniffling.
“And your friend,” Shawn asked opening the cage door and helping London out. He leaned in and with London’s help got the other man out.
“Brian. Brian Kendrick,” London replied.
“Punk,” Shawn called motioning the younger man over. “Call John. Tell him we got wounded comin’ in. Take the pickup.” He tossed the keys to him. Punk nodded helping London carry Kendrick to the truck.
“You’ll never get a thing out of me,” Ariel screeched as Hunter fastened her to the nearest tree. Cold liquid was splashed onto her, dousing her hair and clothes. She screeched as it began to burn her flesh.
“Talk,” Lashley said holding up the large bottle of holy water. “Or I’ll dump the whole damn thing on you.”
“Never,” Ariel hissed, her burns already healing.
Hunter lit up a blowtorch a sadistic grin on his face. “Maybe this little baby will persuade you to talk.”
“If you burn me you won’t get the information you need, dumbass,” Ariel cackled. “Are you amateurs? Ric Flair hunted me. Do you think that you scare me? You couldn’t even hold his jock.”
Her head snapped to the side as she was backhanded. “Lyin’ bitch,” Shawn said glaring at her. “Ric was our mentor. If he hunted you, you wouldn’t be here right now. You’d be a pile of fuckin’ dust.”
Ariel began to laugh, spitting blood out of her mouth. “What a disappointment you must have been to him,” she said moments before Shawn backhanded her again.
“Cut her loose,” Shawn said, his voice deathly calm.
“But Shawn,” Lashley protested.
“I said cut her loose,” Shawn repeated.
When neither Lashley nor Hunter moved he grabbed the large hunting knife from Lashley’s belt and slashed the ropes. He caught Ariel before she could fall to the ground. With his free hand he snatched the bottled of holy water from Lashley and jammed it into her mouth. Ariel’s eyes went wide as saucers as the offensive liquid was forced down her throat. She struggled against Shawn, but he held her firm.
“Where’s Calaway,” he demanded removing the bottle from her mouth. She coughed and sputtered, smoke billowing from her mouth. She scratched at her throat, feeling the holy water eroding her esophagus. “No smart quips now, huh bitch? Where is he?”
“I’ll…never…tell…you,” she choked out, coughing up blood.
Shawn jammed the holy water back into her mouth, forcing her to swallow it. She coughed and wailed in pain as the liquid began to burn her from the inside out. She struggled against Shawn, but it was futile. He finally removed the now empty bottle, dropping her to the ground where she coughed and sputtered, gagging on her own blood.
“Where is Calaway,” he demanded. “WHERE IS HE?”
“Shawn,” Hunter said, not used to seeing his friend in this state. “She can’t answer you.”
“She’ll talk,” Shawn said grabbing her by the hair and holding Lashley’s knife to her throat. “Tell me where Calaway is or I’ll slice your fuckin’ head off.”
When all Ariel could do was whimper Shawn grunted a string of expletives before slicing her head off with one fluid motion of the knife. The head and body went in two different directions disappearing into piles of dust when they hit the ground. It all happened so quickly that Lashley and Hunter couldn’t stop him.
“FUCK,” Lashley roared kicking the tree.
“Damn it, Shawn,” Hunter growled, grabbing his friend and pinning him up against the tree. “What the fuck were you thinkin’? She was all we had!”
“She wasn’t gonna to tell us anything,” Shawn said shoving Hunter off him. “The bitch was a dead end.” He looked from Lashley to Hunter, seeing how pissed they both were. “Let’s go see how that wounded kid is doing.” With that he tossed Lashley back his knife and headed off toward Lashley’s hidden car.
“He’s a fuckin’ loose cannon, Hunter,” Lashley growled as he slid the knife back in place on his belt.
“I know,” Hunter replied with a sigh. “I think hunting Calaway all these years has finally gotten to him.”
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