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Dhampir Hunter - Chapter Nine
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The four travelers gazed up at the darkened castle. None of them spoke but they were all thinking along the same lines. They would have all rather been someplace else.
I do not want to be here thought Shifter, averting his gaze from the dark monolith before him. He glanced around at his companions in an attempt to read their expressions as he did so. Arcane wore an expression of silent excitement. She struck him as the kind of person that enjoyed confrontation. Cirrus was giving Arcane side-way glances, his hatred for the dhampir clearly visible in his eyes. Eve was the only one who Shifter had trouble reading. Her face remained passive.
“All right,” said Arcane, finally breaking the silence. “I suggest you three wait out here. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for your deaths.”
“Can you handle it alone?” asked Eve, in a low voice.
“Such little faith in my abilities, Eventide?” she asked in response, laughing a bit. “It shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll be back as soon as possible.” She strode up to the closed drawbridge. She could clearly see the small demons crawling across the walls of the castle. Disgusting. In a clear and authoritative voice she called out. “I am the hunter Arcane. I have business with the Barbaroi.”
After a beat of silence the bridge was dropped, landing with a loud and echoing crash that instantly shattered the thick quiet of the dying day. When the dust cleared, Arcane stepped forward and crossed into the castle.
“My money says she never comes out again,” murmured Cirrus.
Eve glared at him. “Oh shut up.”
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Arcane forced herself to keep her gaze straight ahead, only watching the lurking demons out of her peripheral vision. They swelled like water, bloated bodies dragged languidly across the floor while shiny, black shelled creatures scurried about around their larger counter parts, their shells glinting in the dim light. Now I remember why I stopped coming here she thought as she struggled to keep the disgust off her face. It was enough to make any dhampir’s flesh crawl.
“Arcane, I see you’ve returned to me.”
Her eyes settled on the Barbaroi’s small stature, offering him a small bow of respect. “Sir, I was hoping you might be able to help me.”
The Barbaroi grinned, his cold eyes traveling over her. “At least you have not lost your sense of respect. As for help…well I suppose that depends on the help that you seek.”
Without hesitating, Arcane explained her situation. “For the past many months I have been harassed by low-ranking demons searching for information on a certain vampire hunter. Their obvious ineptitude told me immediately that they could not be from your well-trained ranks, but I was hoping you might be able to give me some sort of explanation as to why these demons feel I am involved and who this vampire hunter, this dhampir is.”
“Your blood, girl.”
“My blood?” she asked, echoing his words.
The Barbaroi sighed, his patience wavering slightly. “Your blood is the blood of the dhampir, as is the hunter you seek that, and something in your past, links you to him. The vampire Talus also seeks him. He thinks to gain a lost knowledge from him. That is all I am willing to share of my knowledge.” He wheeled around and started away from her. “Now be gone. I cannot hold my pets back for long.”
Arcane easily took his meaning, and left.
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