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Night Hunt

By: Nightcaps



Tyrus sipped his beer in the dimly lit pub and muttered under his breath. He was hungry, restless and moody. It had been three days since he had last had a taste of human blood, and even that had been dismal. 

He cringed as he remembered the smell of the unconscious, homeless man he had been desperate enough to drink from. The blood had not sat well with him. The man was practically dying, and his blood was tainted with far too much alcohol for a human to possibly survive. It left a sour taste in his mouth.

The two hundred year old vampire surveyed the slim pickings from his corner of the dingy bar. Two old men were sitting in a back booth, talking about how they had escaped their wives for a night. Along the pub's only window, a large group of married couples sat at a table, laughing loudly at some joke made by their fat and balding friend. The regular bartender was sitting in a corner, looking bored.

Tyrus sighed. The rules of the supernatural community had gotten stricter in recent years, due to a sudden influx of young vampires who had gotten careless and complacent with their hunts. Now, any risk of exposure to the community was dealt with strictly by the Governance. It was hard to come by any good opportunity for a satisfying morsel. 

He recalled the feisty young blonde he had cornered in an alley two weeks ago. He licked his lengthening incisors as he thought of her fresh, warm blood spilling down his throat, as her curvy body writhed and bucked against his.

It had been difficult to stop himself from draining her dry, but he had done it. He'd licked the tiny puncture wounds on her neck, healing them, and wiped her memory before sending her back out into the street. 

He sipped his beer again, and tried to convince himself that the flat, cold, drink was the warm, deliciously spicy taste of young blood.

A scent came to Tyrus just before his sensitive ears picked up the sound of the pub door opening. It was intriguing, making his nostrils flare, and light amber specks glow in his pupils. He turned slightly and caught the sight of a woman, possibly in her late twenties, walking to the bar stool a few seats down from him.

Tyrus drew a stealthy, long, deep breath. And then he smiled to himself. She had come alone. There was no scent of anyone else on her. He watched has she ordered herself a double shot of scotch.

Alone and out to get drunk, he thought. Perfect.

She didn't have much makeup on, and her long, silky brown hair was tied up in a ponytail. Still, she was beautiful. Long lashes framed large, dark brown eyes. She had such fair skin, and high cheekbones. 

His eyes wondered down to the outline of her nipples pushing against her T-shirt, bra-less, down to the curve of her hips, and traced the length of her long legs hugged by her tight skinny blue jeans.

Her full, pink, lips pressed softly against the scotch glass as she downed her drink in one go. Tyrus became aware of the familiar stretch in his crotch as his felt himself harden. He was surprised. He was not usually aroused so quickly by a human. He shifted in his seat, disarmed.

She put down her money, smiled at the bartender, and got up to leave. A ball of excitement grew in the pit of Tyrus' gut. He was ready for this hunt.

Using all the willpower he had, Tyrus waited a full five minutes after she left before he quietly got up and headed for the door. Outside, the moon stayed hidden behind the clouds, and the only light came from the dim streetlamps that sparsely lined the street.

The night air was cool, and a light breeze brought to him the intriguing scent once again. Tyrus followed it, calmly moving along the trail in no particular hurry. His footsteps made no sound. As the scent grew stronger, he melted into the shadows, making sure he was hidden. He turned a corner just in time to see the woman enter an old apartment building.

His eyes followed her up the lighted stairwell, visible from the street. Third floor. He waited until he saw a light go on in one of the windows. A light leap, and he was up the fire escape, looking in. Silently, he watched as she moved from the living room to the bedroom.

Her jeans came off first, revealing tiny black lacy panties. They were see-through, and he let himself indulge in the sight of her moist little cleft through the flimsy cloth. Tyrus groaned softly as he felt his erection pressing hard against his jeans.

She went into the bathroom and washed up. The bathroom door was still open, and he could see her brushing her teeth. He waited till she started washing her face, and tried the window. A gratified smile reached his lips as he felt it slide smoothly open. It did not take two seconds for him to enter and close the window. 

He waited, out of sight, in the corner of the bedroom, away from the bedroom lamp, which was the only source of light in the room. He felt intoxicated by her scent, which filled the entire room. Her back was to him, her smooth, perky ass pushed outwards as she bent down for her face towel. He caught a peek again of her fold, teasing him through the sheer black lace.

She re-entered the bedroom, and, in one swift move, he closed the distance between them. His eyes made contact with hers before she could scream. His hands held her steady at the waist. His hungry pupils flashed bright amber as his mind held her in place, preventing her from making a sound.

Her body relaxed then, and he watched as her eyes took in the sight of him. He was turned when he was thirty, and he knew she would see the fair, young face of a dark haired man with a strong jaw and hooded eyes. 

He knew that the transition those two hundred years ago had enhanced his features, making him attractive to his prey. She stood still, looking entranced.

"Who are you?" she asked in a low tone, her voice steady.

"You're not afraid?" His lips were only an inch from hers.

She shook her head, "I am terrified, but... There's something about you."

He moved his hands to her shoulders. He felt her leaning against them, accepting them. He didn't know what it was, but he suddenly felt like she had a power over him, too.

He hesitated for a moment. He looked at her, not saying anything. He marvelled at the deliberate calm she was putting on, even as he smelt her fear.

As he studied her face, a feeling came across him that he could not identify. His hands trailed down her arms and slid back to her hips. He let them travel upwards slowly, watching her face for something, but he was not sure what it was. 

Permission? 

He was startled by the thought. Never in his two hundred years had he not taken something that he had wanted. But yes, that was it. He wanted her approval.

His hands moved tentatively higher, gliding gently over her ribcage. He stopped when his thumbs reached the bottom swell of her heavy breasts. He looked at her. Her face was still impassive, not inviting him but not rejecting him either. 

He moved higher, letting his thumbs trace lightly over her nipples. She let out a gasp as he felt them stiffen to his touch. For a moment, her eyes closed, and the two of them stood still.

When she opened them, it was as if a switch had turned on. She pressed herself against him and closed the distance between their lips. 

It was as if a fire had been ignited. They moaned as, suddenly, they were gasping for each other, lips and tongues exploring each other. He let her push them onto her bed.

He pushed her shirt up over her head and found himself facing a pair of soft, full, breasts with light pink nipples. They were beautiful. He licked them, relishing the feel of the stiff peaks against his tongue. She moaned, arching her back, driving him to suck and nip at them fervently.

She tugged at his shirt and he complied, raising his arms so she could pull his shirt off. Her lips traced his neck and moved down his chest, heading slowly but most certainly towards his jeans. He let out a growl. She looked up, startled, but the look on her face changed once again as he unbuttoned his jeans, removing them quickly along with his underwear.

His erection was huge now. Her eyes widened greedily as she placed her fingers on his cock. It took all his restraint to lie back and let her stroke his shaft. His breathing got heavy, ragged. He could not remember a time when a woman's touch had undone him so easily. 

His hands grabbed at her ass, squeezing and stroking, and he found his fingers at her cunt. He almost lost it when he realized that her panties were soaked. Letting out a feral huff from his throat, he pulled at the thin material until he felt a satisfying rip. 

By then, her tongue had found the tip of his cock and she was doing something with it in the most pleasurable way. He felt shivers go through him as she took him all the way into her little mouth, and sucking and teasing him, keeping eye contact with him the whole time.

He let his thumb circle her clitoris, enjoying the feeling of her moans against his shaft, which was now practically embedded in her throat. 

Without warning, he thrust his finger deep into her, making quick, stroking motions inside of her pussy. Her moans grew louder until she finally came, shuddering uncontrollably against his hand.

He got up and pushed her onto the mattress, on her belly. She was panting heavily now. He stood behind her and spread her legs wide, drawing her thighs toward him. He thrust into her, hard and deep, over and over again, holding her down. He lost himself in the wetness of her pussy, feeling it wrap tightly around his cock, milking him.

As she came to another shuddering orgasm, his release came with it, sending wave after wave of pleasure through him as he felt his hot cum fill her pussy.

Finally, spent and satiated, he pulled her body close to him. He kissed her neck, and then, when he found the throb of her artery, he bit deep and drank from her. He knew what would happen next. He felt her body tighten once again as another orgasm shook through her, the pleasure of the feed coursing through both of them.

He stopped himself long before the feed would take her life, and licked the puncture wounds, sealing them. They both collapsed onto the pillows, falling into a deep sleep in each other's arms.

Night Hunt Ch. 02



The first rays of sunlight peeked through the window, revealing the two sleeping forms. Tyrus awoke the moment he felt the slightest heat on his skin. Immediately, the night's events came rushing back to him.

He looked at the woman lying across from him. Her face looked so peaceful, he felt sorry that he had to wake her. It was time to erase her memory and leave her behind. He had not even intended to fall asleep here, but he had wanted to hold on to the night for just a bit longer.

She shifted in her sleep, her bare chest turning towards him. The golden morning light fell across the curves of her body, from her perky, full breasts, to the dip of her waist, and that delectable ass. He drank in the view, taking his time to admire every inch of her. 

He fought the urge to take her there and then. Impulse control had never been a vampire's strong suit. He wanted so badly to feel his cock inside her once again, to feel her wrapped around him, writhing in ecstasy. 

He lay there for a moment, listening to the calm rhythm of her heart beating as she slept. He remembered the taste of her blood. It was like the most exquisite liqueur, the smoothest honey. He had never tasted anything like it.

She moved once again, but this time, she was stirring. She blinked, her eyes blurry from sleep. When her eyes fell on him they snapped open with a sudden clarity.

He effortlessly held her still with his mind. He willed her vocal cords not to move so that she could not scream. He smelt her fear, as he had last night. He felt sorry that he had caused it. The thought crossed his mind that he could still take her, but the moment passed as he felt her mind struggle against his.

He prepared himself to wipe her memory of last night away. He did not want to do this, but he had to. No human could know that he existed. It was the law of the supernatural world. He got up, facing her, but kept her in place. 

A minute passed, and then two.

He knew he could not do it.

****

Anya looked at the beautiful stranger in her bed, sitting across from her, somehow holding her down without touching her. She was acutely aware that she was naked. She was also acutely aware that he was naked. It was hard to make out any sort of sense through her panic.

How had she gotten to this point? She recalled the intense lovemaking of the previous night. A blush crept to her cheeks. She felt the soreness between her thighs and she knew it that it could not have been a dream.

It was not like her to have sex with a stranger. In her twenty-eight years, she had only ever been with two men in her life, and both had been serious relationships. 

She had not even gone to the bar looking for anything. She'd done the same thing she did on that date every year for the last four years, which was to have a drink alone on the day that her best friend had died in a car accident.

She could not explain what had come over her. Only that she had felt like she was in a trance, from the moment his eyes had connected with hers. Maybe a part of her had not even believed it was real. 

She had been tipsy, vulnerable, and lonely. Last night, she had come out of the bathroom to find herself face to face with the most insanely gorgeous male she had ever seen. When his hands had touched her skin, it was like an energy had pulled her towards him, and she had come alive. She could not have resisted it even if she had wanted to.

And what had really happened at the end? She remembered feeling a sharp pain at her neck, and then... she struggled to recall the rest, but it was like stumbling through a fog.

He was staring intently at her now. Something dark was brewing behind those eyes. For a moment, she felt as though he was pushing at the edges of her consciousness, but then the feeling stopped. 

If I let you go, can I trust you not to scream?

Did she see his lips move? She was sure his voice was inside her head. Her heart began beating fast. She was finding it difficult to register what he had said. What was happening?

Can you promise me? The voice sounded urgent, insistent. 

Breathe. If you do this, I will explain everything.

She forced herself to take a deep breath. She felt a million questions popping up in her head, but she felt her heart rate slow down a little. The weight over her body lifted.



Night Hunt Ch. 03



For a moment, both kept still, neither one sure of where to start. Anya moved first. She sat up quickly, grabbing at her blanket as she did so, covering her nakedness. She did not dare to move any further, afraid he might take it as a sign that she was trying to escape. What was this man capable of?

Not that it made her feel any less exposed. She was well aware of the way he was looking at her. His eyes were intent, hungry almost. They seemed to see right through her. 

She clutched the blanket feebly to her chest as her mind sifted through the questions in her head.

"What's your name love?"

His voice was rich and deep, seductive without even trying. Her heart thudded in her chest.

"Anya." She was surprised at how steady her voice sounded. 

"Anya," he repeated silkily, her name rolling smoothly off his tongue.

A gentle throb was starting at her clitoris. Why was this man having such an effect on her? She tried to ignore his incredibly lean, muscled chest, and kept her gaze to his face, willing herself not to glance south. 

"You said you would explain yourself, you had better start now," she said, crossing her arms, then quickly grasping at her blanket as she felt it slip downwards an inch.

She thought she saw him twitch. His demeanor changed, almost imperceptibly. For a moment, a dark look crossed his eyes, but it disappeared with a blink.

He sighed, closing his eyes. She studied his long lashes, trying to read his expression. Was he trying to come up with a lie? A story to make sense of last night? If only she knew what he was thinking.

There was a minute or two of silence. Finally, he spoke.

"My name is Tyrus. I was born in 1798 and I died in 1828. I have lived as a vampire since that day."

He paused, watching for her reaction. She gave away nothing, but her heart was thudding harder now. There was nothing on his face to show that he was joking. Crazy or not, he believed what he was saying.

He continued, "I can imagine what you must be thinking. We vampires have worked very hard to cover up our existence over the past few centuries. We are now nothing but myths, stories in popular fiction and movies. Nothing for our prey to worry about or even suspect. 

"Whether or not you believe me, you must know that I am risking a lot by telling you this. I do not wish to harm you, but if you so much as whisper a word of this to anyone, I will have to kill you."

There was a gravity to his tone. She nodded, unable to speak. It was absurd and yet, a part of her started to wonder if it could be true.

"Why tell me then?" Her voice was barely a whisper now, any pretence of bravado was gone. 

"If I am honest, I do not know. I had meant to take away your memory of last night," he answered. As he did so, a slight smile crept to his lips, "but it would be a pity to forget all of what happened, wouldn't it?"

Anya felt her face flush immediately, as her stomach did a somersault in response to his mention of their night together. A memory of them intertwined, caught up in their passionate tryst, entered her head without warning. She frowned, remembering something else.

"You did something to me, didn't you?" Her hand rubbed absently at the smooth, unbroken skin of her neck. She could have sworn he had...

Her eyes widened in shock. He had said that he was a vampire. And he had just indirectly said that she was his prey. 

She jumped up and off the bed, not caring that her blanket had fallen to the floor. She needed to get as far away from him as possible.

In a split second he was standing in front of her, amber eyes blazing. She had not even seen him move. She froze, knowing there was no escape. His strong hands were on her shoulders, holding her still.

His lips parted, and she gasped as she found herself staring at a pair of mean looking fangs. She shuddered. Hopeless or not, she knew she had to get away. 

She pushed against him, but it was like trying to push against stone. At the first sign of her struggle, his nostrils flared. He took a deep breath. 

She watched in amazement as his fangs shortened into human incisors, as if they had never been there. His eyes seemed to dull from the bright fire they had been just a second ago.

She stopped struggling, more from shock than anything else. She felt her knees go weak. His grip on her shoulders kept her from sinking to the ground.

"Calm down, Anya," his deep voice commanded, almost hypnotically, "I have already told you, I do not wish to harm you. Last night was pleasurable, was it not? I made sure of it, even as I fed from you.

"I do not kill humans, unless I have to, to protect my own kind. We do not need to take lives in order to have our sustenance. And I disapprove of those who do it for sport."

She nodded. She did not know what else to say. Her legs felt like they would not support her for a moment longer. 

He seemed to know it too. Gently, he lifted her into his arms and carried her back to her bed. She became acutely aware of the heat between their naked bodies as he held her.

He was not immune to it either, she realized. He had a huge erection pressing against her side as he laid her down.

Without thinking, she laid a hand on his chest. He stiffened, watching her. She felt herself calming down. Something about their close contact, and the way he held her, was dissipating her fear. She believed that he would not hurt her.

"Last night... did you control me in some way, to make me sleep with you?" She asked, although she knew the answer. The impulse had been her own.

"Anya, I may have supernatural powers, but I cannot control your will." 

He was leaning over her now, his face only inches from her own. Her body was responding to his proximity in a very different way from a couple of minutes ago. The same electricity from last night was pulsing through the air between them again.

She was having trouble forming any thoughts. All she knew was that she wanted to close that gap between the two of them. He seemed to read her mind. 

His body covered hers, his hands holding her arms above her head. His knee came between her legs, forcing them apart. She wrapped them around him, her body arching in anticipation. 

He kissed her deeply, making her head spin. His lips trailed across her chin and down her neck. This time, he went straight for it. She felt a brief sharp pain at her neck, and then... her body came alive with pleasure. 

She writhed against him, grinding her hips against his crotch. He took his time to feed, ignoring her need. She could feel his hard cock against the slick wetness of her pussy. She rubbed against him impatiently, eager to have him inside her. 

He had freed one of his hands, the other still keeping a grip on her wrists. His free hand roamed her body, stroking and caressing her curves. He grabbed at her breast, rubbing her nipple against his palm. Gradually, his fingers kneaded her pliable nipple into a hard bead, causing her to gasp and pant with each twist.

Just when she thought she could wait no longer, he slid into her with ease, her pussy now dripping and ready for him. She took all of him, shifting her hips so that he filled her completely. She rocked slowly, pumping his cock until he groaned with pleasure. His hips thrust in rhythm with hers, driving his cock deep within her.

Slowly, he released her wrists and leaned back to grab her ankles. He stood at the edge of her bed, pulling her towards him as he did so. She was still on her back. He lifted her legs over his shoulders, granting him fuller access to her. He grinned at her cries of ecstasy, thrusting hard into her in his excruciatingly slow rhythm. 

"You are irresistible, Anya," he said, licking his lips seductively, "The view from here is incredible."

Every thrust sent a wave of pleasure through her. Her hair was a tangled mess, framing her face and neck. Her back was arched high now, thrusting her heavy breasts forward. Her nipples were stiff pink peaks, sensitive from his touch. 

He brought her legs back down, wrapping them around his waist. Then, in a move too swift for her to register, he scooped her up in his arms. She felt her back being pushed against the room wall. He was now face to face with her. Her arms had wrapped themselves around his neck. His hard cock was still buried deep inside her.

They kissed. For a minute, the thrusting stopped. They were too engrossed in their lips and tongues, exploring each other. They broke apart, gasping for air.

Their eyes locked. His amber eyes were alive, as if they were two bright flames. For that moment, she felt as though she could see right into him. She gazed at him in wonder.

"Do you feel it?" She whispered.

He swallowed, not speaking. He nodded. She felt her heart skip a beat.

They resumed their lovemaking, this time with an urgency. The thrusts came harder now, quicker. She marveled at his strength. She could feel the coil of his taught muscles with each thrust. Her thighs were tense, her toes pointing out, then curling. She let out a loud moan, urging him on, grabbing at his back with her hands.

Their breaths were ragged, panting hard. He was so big, so hard. His thick cock was throbbing, getting impossibly larger inside her. She accommodated him, stretching her pussy as wide as it would go. She had never had sex like this in her wildest fantasies.

He leaned in for another kiss. When his lips touched hers, she came hard, exploding around him. She came over and over, with an intensity that she had never felt before.

He followed soon after her, shuddering with the intensity of his own orgasm. A primal sound escaped his throat. She felt the heat of his cum spill inside her, sending another shiver of pleasure through her.

He withdrew and carried her back to her bed. He laid her down and stood, watching her. As he did so, an unreadable expression flashed across his face. He looked down, and it was gone. His mouth formed a hard line, and his demeanor had gone cold. A wall had come up, she thought, as she tried to look into his eyes. He was no longer letting her in.

Anya reached out for his hand, but he flinched and shrugged her off. She felt a swish of air, and suddenly he was standing by the window, fully clothed.

"Wait! Tyrus..." She stopped, not knowing what she wanted to say. She had gone through so many emotions in one morning, she had no idea what she was feeling now. Her body was still humming from her orgasm.

The vampire's head turned quickly at the sound of his name. He looked back out the window, as thought it was painful to look at her. 

"Tell no one about this," his rich voice was emotionless, nothing like it had been earlier. "You never know who is listening. I must leave you forever, Anya. To stay with you would be risking your life. Goodbye."

Suddenly, Anya found herself alone in her room. She shivered as a gentle morning breeze blew through her open window. She got up to close it, squinting at the street below. It remained empty, with no sign that a vampire had ever been there.



Night Hunt Ch. 04



A week had passed. Tyrus had tried to distract himself all week, but he could not run from his thoughts.

Anya.

His chest tightened even at the thought of her name. He thought of her warm body, remembering how good it had felt against his. She had intelligent eyes that saw right through him, a feeling that left him disconcerted. 

He had been watching her, on and off, enough to gather that she was a loner who worked from home. She was always on her computer, her hair tied up effortlessly in a messy bun, looking sexy as hell. 

Unlike other humans her age, she was hardly on her smartphone. Although she went out to run her errands, she had not been with any company over the past week. He wondered if she had any friends.

Once, he had seen her masturbating alone in her bedroom. Fascinated, he could not tear his eyes away. As she lay naked on her bed, touching herself, he wondered if she was fantasising about him. 

What was happening to him? Nobody, human or vampire, had ever had any effect on him like this.

His thoughts tormented him. He'd caught himself wondering what would happen if he could be with her again. But every time he entertained the thought, reality clamped down on him. 

If he continued to see her, and his kind found out, they would kill her. Or worse. The Governance had a tendency to make examples of those who broke the rules, a warning to all the others. It wouldn't have mattered if he were the one to pay for it, but he could never let them near her.

Besides, what could he possibly have with her? There was no happily ever after for a human and a vampire. It occurred to him that he could change her, make her like him, but it was not something he would ever wish on anyone. He recalled his own change, how his life had been taken from him against his will. No, he would not do that to her.

He had to forget her. Still, it had taken everything he had to reject her, after having had his taste of her. That morning, she had looked so inviting, flushed and naked on that bed. He could have gone for many rounds more. He had had to switch himself off, he could not even look at her. When he left, it felt more like he had fled.

He hated the desperate, mopey person he had become over the past few days. All he had been feeling lately was weak and stupid. He avoided his kind, afraid that those who knew him well would realize that something was up.

One night, he had stalked a woman whose hair reminded him of Anya. He had followed her home and fucked her, then wiped her memory before he left. It had been a bad decision. The woman had been dull in bed and her blood had tasted bland. It had only made him crave Anya even more.

He decided that there was one other thing he had not tried. It was time to pay someone a visit.

****

"Good to see you again Tyrus," a young vampire said in greeting as he opened the door, although his tone conveyed that he thought otherwise. Tyrus gave a curt nod in response. He recognised the vampire as one of the newer additions to the undead community. He was a minion, a subordinate of the one Tyrus was seeking.

"Is she in there, Tomas?" He asked, gesturing to the room above the staircase of the large two storey penthouse. The tall double doors were closed.

Tomas nodded. Experience had told him that it was useless to try to stop Tyrus from doing as he wished. It was better to suffer the wrath of his mistress than to cross Tyrus. Although, half the time, Tyrus left his mistress in a good mood for days.

Tyrus headed up the stairs at a deliberate pace. He had a purpose. He hesitated at the heavy doors. There was no turning back now. He flung them open. 

An alluring sight greeted him. Satine was sprawled across a large velvet sofa in the middle of the room, her legs open. She was wearing a sort of leather garment that looked more like a harness than a bra. It covered nothing, but instead, accentuated her ample breasts. Large dark areolas the color of chocolate surrounded her tight, hard nipples. 

She wore matching leather crotchless panties. His acute sense of smell picked up the sweet scent of her juices, oozing from her hairless cunt. A human male was on his knees, naked, licking fervently at her clitoris. A heavy chain hung from his neck, joined to a leash in Satine's hand. Her other hand held a black leather whip. 

Fresh red marks decorated the male's back and buttocks. Despite his current circumstance, the male was obviously enjoying himself. His larger than average cock bulged from between his thighs.

"New toy?" Tyrus asked nonchalantly.

"Acquired him from the slave market last week," Satine replied casually, her eyelids half lowered. The male continued to eat her pussy, ignoring the intrusion until his mistress gave him further orders.

Slaves were the only exception to the 'no humans' rule. They were handpicked from the human world, people who would not be missed if they disappeared. They were usually prostitutes, or runaways, with nobody to account for them. Slaves were owned by their masters, and exchanged between masters through trade. 

Tyrus moved behind Satine and rested his hands on her shoulders. Her usually sleek, long, platinum blonde hair was pulled back into a severe bun. He slid his hands downward across her chest, and began fondling her full breasts. A soft sigh escaped her lips.

"Leave us, Jake," Satine instructed. The male scurried out of the room, his leash dragging along the floor. In a flash, Tyrus had closed and locked the door.

"What brings you here, Tyrus?" She purred.

"The same thing I always come for," he responded, keeping his voice low. He moved a hand further down her body and slid his finger along the length of her slick cleft. He felt a stir in his groin as she moved against him. Slowly, he circled the engorged bump just below the hood of her lips.

"Mmm... It's been a while since I've had a visit like this from you Tyrus," she remarked huskily as he swirled a finger inside her pussy. "My, you're eager today."

He shed his clothing, and proceeded to pull her hips towards him. He lowered his head and kissed her thighs. His hands grabbed and pulled at her ass roughly, turning the pale skin a light pink.

Satine grinned, stretching out her body like a cat waiting to have its belly stroked. She allowed him to continue on for a while. Then, without warning, she pushed him onto the sofa with her inhuman strength and straddled him, pinning him down against its plush cushions.

Tyrus snarled. He felt the week's worth of pent up frustrations rising to the surface. He needed to get lost in her body, to forget everything that had happened in the past week. 

He pushed Satine onto the floor, flipping her onto her stomach. He grabbed her by the leather straps on her back and pressed his now hard cock against her ass, ready to take her.

"What has gotten into you today, Tyrus? Someone's already gotten you all riled up," Satine asked, panting. Her tone and and wet pussy betrayed her excitement.

"No questions," he muttered gruffly. He knew she wouldn't ask any further. After all their history together, he didn't owe her any answers. Over the years, their relationship had gotten far less complicated than when it had first started. She was, after all, the one who had turned him, taking his life and everything he loved with it. 

Time had appeared to heal most wounds, and now they paid each other visits similar to this one, with no expectations or explanations after.

He teased the first inch of his cock into her, wanting to feel her squirm and beg for it. She tried to push herself back onto him, to take more of him, but he denied her, holding her down. She struggled against him and he relished in it, keeping his grip with his powerful arms.

"Please," she begged. He rewarded her with another inch. She began to rock as best as she could, trying to increase the friction.

"Please Tyrus," she mewled, "take me."

He obliged then, slamming his cock into her. She cried out in pleasure, causing his cock to twitch in response. He continued to slam hard into her, his balls slapping against her ass repeatedly.

In minutes, she was screaming her release, tightening around him as she convulsed in ecstasy. He pulled out, still hard. Before she could recover he turned her onto her back and shoved his cock into her again, pumping fast into her. His teeth and tongue teased her breasts, nipping and licking at her nipples. 

She was so tight, the friction was incredible. He gave her no mercy as he pumped her, moving at the rhythms he liked. After what felt like a good while, Satine burst into another round of orgasms, screaming and gasping at the intensity of it. He felt his cock tighten, close to his own release. Her chest was heaving now, her hard nipples riding up and down as she panted in satisfaction.

He trailed his wet cock up her body, enjoying the sensation against her skin. He shifted till he was kneeling over her face, his cock at her lips. She kissed the swollen head, sending tingles through his thighs. He dipped his shaft into her mouth, watching as her lips enclosed around it. 

He began moving his cock in and out of her mouth as her tongue worked him. She sucked him, licking at her own juices still coating his cock. He pictured Anya's lips on his shaft, imagining that it was her sucking on him. The fantasy drove him over the edge. He came hard, spurting hot cum down Satine's throat. She swallowed all of it, sucking until she had drained every last drop.

"Come back more often," she called huskily after him as he turned to leave.

He headed out of the apartment, wishing that the image of Satine, sticky cum dripping from her lips, could erase his memories of Anya from his mind.



Night Hunt Ch. 05



Anya frowned at her computer screen in annoyance. She had spent the past afternoon searching for all she could find on vampires, but all that her efforts returned were goth forums with vampire wannabes, plus a seemingly endless stream of movie reviews and fanfic stories.

She sighed and clicked the browser closed. It was the same every time, yet she kept trying. Whenever she stopped work, her mind wandered to Tyrus. Their brief encounter had left her with a desperate need for more. She didn't even know him, but somehow she had felt such a strong pull to the enigmatic vampire. 

What would it mean to be with a vampire? How would it work out, with him being immortal and her growing old? She didn't have any of the answers, but she knew that she wanted to find out. How could she accept that she would never see him again? It seemed unfair that he had the final say in the matter. 

She had never had any experience even close to what had happened last weekend. She wished she had someone to tell about it, but she had no family left, and since her best friend had died, she'd slowly let herself drift from everyone else, sick of their faces of concern and their failure to understand that she was okay being alone.

She'd shied away from any form of a social life, and eventually got used to the peace and quiet of her home. Now, four years on, she found herself a recluse. Her only human contact was her boss, a university lecturer in linguistics who saw her once a month, and allowed her to carry out her work as her research assistant at home.

Recently, her boss, Julia, had gotten married, and was currently on a mission to find a partner for Anya too. Anya had just found out two days ago that Julia had signed on to a dating website on Anya's behalf. Despite Anya's vehement protests, Julia had used the account to set Anya up on a date.

"I know you can make it, you're never out! Look at him," she coaxed enthusiastically over the phone, "he looks nice! What's the worst that could happen? It's just one little date. If you really need to get rid of him, you can text me, and I'll call you away for a 'work emergency'."

For every excuse Anya could think of, Julia had a comeback. Eventually, Anya had decided that it was less effort to give in to the date than to argue with Julia.

The date was for tomorrow evening, on a Saturday. One week from when she'd had mindblowing sex with Tyrus. She really wasn't in the mood for more male company. She groaned inwardly. How had her love life, if you could call it that, become so eventful? 

She needed a cold shower. 

****

The evening went smoothly enough. Anya had to admit, Julia had done her a favour. Her date, Luke, was handsome in a boyish sort of way. He was twenty seven, just a year younger than her. He was tall, with cropped, sandy blonde hair. His bright blue eyes creased cutely whenever he smiled. His clothing was a thoughtful combination of smart yet relaxed, in a crisp blue shirt and khaki chinos. He looked a little too preppy for her taste, but she decided that she could overlook that.

Luke had picked a small, family run Italian restaurant for them to meet. Its warm and cozy ambience had put her at ease, and after a glass of red wine, she was chatting freely. She learnt that Luke was a dentist, working in a private clinic with a handful of colleagues, with the hopes if branching out on his own in the future. He enjoyed hiking during his time off, and often went on trips to nearby mountains with his friends. 

He was obviously attracted to her. He kept a flirtatious tone, finding excuses to brush his fingers along her arms as they talked. Although he tried to hide it, she noticed him checking out her body in her tight black dress. It was a staple in her closet for times like these, on the few occasions where she needed to dress up. She'd forgotten how short it was, revealing more of her legs than she'd intended. The neckline seemed more scooped than she remembered, and whilst it remained modest enough, still showed a bit of cleavage.

She'd let her long brown hair down for a change. It fell around her shoulders in soft waves. She'd put some effort into her makeup, making her eyes dark and smokey and choosing a soft pink lipstick to match. She wasn't a vain person, but she knew that she looked good tonight.

She realised that Luke had been keeping her mind off Tyrus, whom she'd only thought of twice that night. Maybe Luke was what she needed, some normalcy instead of the confusion and mystery that surrounded the vampire, who had made it clear that she would never see him again.

Who are you kidding? She asked herself. She knew that ever since the dark haired vampire with glowing eyes had entered her bedroom and her life, she was doomed. That was the first time that she truly understood what passion should feel like. His touch was electrifying, and his lips had melted her in the instant they met hers. Now, anything else she found would feel like she was settling.

"...what do you think?"

She smiled politely as she tried to recall Luke's last words. Had he noticed that her mind had drifted? She thought he had mentioned something about meeting his friends later that night. She thought of how empty her apartment had been feeling lately, and shrugged. She certainly didn't need another night alone with her thoughts.

"Convince me," she said, trying to mask the fact she was trying to dig for the details that she had missed.

"It's at that nightclub, Le Bastille. It's been around for ages, but it's still really popular. I've never been there myself, but my friend is a member. He'll get us in easily. It's just three of them. My friend, his girlfriend, and her brother, who is in town for the week. We'll drink and dance.. It'll be fun!"

She thought it over, looking down at her plate in contemplation. It did sound like fun, and she had been keeping things friendly all night, afraid that she was leading Luke on. She did want to go out, and it wouldn't just be the two of them. She looked up and smiled, "okay, okay, I suppose a drink wouldn't kill me."

Luke grinned like a boy who had just blown out the candles on his birthday cake. He called for the bill and ushered her to the door, casually resting his hand on the small of her back. They stepped out into the crisp night air. She shivered, and he moved closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. It felt nice, she decided, but stepped away quickly. She didn't want to give Luke any ideas. 

They waited for a taxi. He had not driven, having planned beforehand to meet his friends at the club after their date. Fifteen minutes later, they were at the entrance of the club. 

Le Bastille was housed in an intimidating looking building made of dark tinted glass, situated in a prime area of the city. The building was many levels tall, keeping in height with the surrounding skyscrapers in the area. Anya wondered what else the building was used for, there were no signs or indications from the outside walls. 

It was still fairly early for clubbing, but a long queue had already appeared, snaking around the building corner. The muted sound of a heavy bass beat could be heard from outside. Anya felt intimidated by the chic and attractive crowd. Every single person looked like a model or movie star compared to her.

At the front of the queue stood two bouncers in expensive looking black suits. They looked alert, scanning the crowd for any possible misconduct. One was fair with black hair and a scar on his upper lip, the other was olive skinned with dark, glimmering eyes and a hard set mouth. When they moved, it was obvious that both were well-built beneath their smart clothing. They had a seriousness about them, never smiling as they let people through. She had never seen two more scary looking men in her life.

Luke looked about as intimidated as she felt. His preppy outfit looked a little out of place in contrast to the glamorous people waiting in line. He gave her a nervous grin as he dialled a number on his handphone.

"Alex? Yes, we've arrived," he spoke into his handphone, scanning the queue, "oh there you are!"

An attractive man in a tailored white shirt stepped forward from the side of the building, an equally beautiful blonde girl in a short, silky green dress on his arm. Following behind them was another man with blond hair in a smart black shirt and jeans. When he came to stand by the girl, there was no doubt that the good looking pair were siblings. Luke quickly introduced them as Alex, Jenna, and Jude.

Jenna took a glance at the Luke and Anya and smiled, amusement in her eyes. 

"Luke, you didn't say you were bringing a friend," she exclaimed, causing Luke to look away shyly, "I'm glad you haven't scared her off by now."

She turned to Anya, extending her hand, "I'm not sure where his manners have gone, he's forgotten to introduce you! What's your name?"

"Anya," she blinked, not used to the overt friendliness that Jenna exuded. She took Jenna's hand and immediately, the girl pulled her towards the club. 

"Come on," Jenna coaxed, "we've been waiting long enough. I want to daaance!"

Alex stepped forward, leading the group to the front of the queue. He presented a gold coloured card to the bouncers. They nodded and, after scrutinising it for a moment, passed him through. 

"They're with me," Alex gestured to the rest of them, waiting hopefully on the other side of the bouncers. Anya thought she saw the black haired one take a sniff at them. She figured it was just her imagination. One night with a vampire and she was already getting paranoid. 

The bouncers looked at each other, and the black haired one nodded. They let the group through without any further discussion. 

The inside of Le Bastille looked like a mixture of old and new. It had high ceilings and a large, spacious dance floor. The place was already filled with people. Sexy electronic dance music was pulsing through the club. A spectacular laser light display would go off across the space at regular intervals, in time to the music. The DJ booth was above them, on an upper level, where the DJ could watch the crowd dancing. 

Ornate, black marble pillars provided detail to the dark walls, with plush, velvet sofas and chairs lining every available nook and cranny. The tables were of a sleek modern design, made of glass with dim lights on their underside. The decor looked mysterious and luxurious at once. There were private booths off to one side, shielded by translucent gauze-like curtains. Anya could barely make it out, but she saw shapes moving within them, indicating that they were occupied. 

"I'll get drinks," Alex yelled above the noise, "go ahead, I won't be long." He gave Jenna a playful push towards the dance floor before disappearing into the crowd. Jenna laughed, taking Anya's hand and pulling her along.

"Come on, let's show the boys what we've got," she said, winking mischievously at Anya.

Anya had no choice but to follow, with Luke and Jude in tow.

****

Tyrus sat in the club, watching the men and women gyrating on the dance floor, oblivious to the fact that not all of them out there were human. His companion, Connor, had picked up by now that he was in a foul mood, but had yet to figure out why. 

The werewolf was on the verge of leaving Tyrus alone with his thoughts, except that Connor was the one who had coaxed him to come out in the first place, and so had decided to make the most of the night with his miserable company. Connor sipped silently at his beer, wondering what could have caused this change in his friend.

Tyrus sighed to himself. Never one to follow conventions, he had befriended Connor amidst tensions between the different species of the supernatural community. They had met at a time when there was little respect for rules governing the supernatural, just after the Governance had been founded, as a joint attempt across species to keep the peace and prevent detection by the human world.

Connor had come from a fairly conservative pack who had strict traditions and no freedom for its members. He'd been a werewolf by birth, and had had no say in who he was in the hierarchy and what he wanted out of life. He was practically a pup then, rebellious and head strong, and yearning to break free to find his own identity.

When he'd met Tyrus, they found that they had a lot in common. Both were trying to deny what they were, and were looking to start anew. They'd become fast friends. Now it was almost eighty years on. Connor had found a new pack, and Tyrus remained, well Tyrus.

Tyrus didn't know if he could tell anything to Connor. He wouldn't even know where to begin. After he had left Satine's apartment, all he could feel was disgust. After so many years living the way he had, he'd confused what he needed for sex. He wasn't sure if he was ready to admit to himself what he was really missing. He realised now how empty his life had become. 

He contemplated how it had come to be this way, sinking deeper into his reverie. He hadn't always been like this. As a human, he had lived for simple pleasures. He'd been a farmer, having lived on a farm all his life. He had worked hard, and had married a girl whom he'd thought was the most beautiful girl in the world. 

Tyrus closed his eyes at the painful memory of Charlotte. He had fallen hopelessly in love with her. They had married at eighteen, and she bore him two lovely children. They were the light of his life.

One night, a pair of Vampires passed through the small town and caught sight of them. The male, which he later learned was named Degare, took a fancy to his wife. Satine was his travelling partner, and had decided that she wanted Tyrus for herself. 

For a whole week, Tyrus had been unaware of the presence of the two vampires in the village. He recalled how he had come home one night to find Degare in bed with his wife. From the looks of it, she had let him into their bed willingly, and was screaming out her passions when he arrived.

The betrayal had driven Tyrus into a fit of rage. He'd gone after Degare, but quickly learnt that he was something other than human. Degare injured him badly, and left him within an inch of his life. It was Satine who had found Tyrus and turned him into a vampire, wanting to keep him around for her own selfish reasons. He awoke into his new life, confused and hurting.

He found his wife and children dead, killed by Degare and Satine, for the simple reason that they did not want to leave behind any witnesses. The discovery was more than he could bear. Degare, unconcerned with the aftermath of his actions, left for another village, already bored with what had transpired.

Satine remained determined to change Tyrus' mind about her, but he'd refused her advances. She'd taken that as a challenge, wanting to convince him to choose her. He'd never understood it, but, thinking back, she'd always had an interest in him. She took Tyrus back to her home, keeping him a prisoner there against his will.

For the first ten years Tyrus was inconsolable, having lost faith in all that was good. He'd had to deal with his loss, and come to terms with what he had become, all at the same time. He was repulsed by himself, his need to feed, and the other creatures of the night around him.

Eventually, he tolerated Satine's presence. He allowed her to teach him everything there was to know about their kind. He knew that if he stayed with her, his knowledge, and therefore his powers, would continue to grow. For the next few years, he plotted his revenge, all the while keeping his intentions hidden from Satine. His heart had turned cold, changed forever by betrayal and anger. 

He eventually let her into his own bed, seeing it as an opportunity to bring her guard down. One night he saw his chance, and he placed his fangs to her throat, ready to rip it out.

However, he had underestimated the centuries old Vampire. The moment she realised what he was doing, she overpowered him. She controlled him with her mind, and forced herself onto him, letting him know how much more powerful she was. He was helpless as she took away his dignity, coaxing his body to respond to her, even as his mind resisted. 

They never spoke of that night again after that. Tyrus shut himself off from then on. Bitterness took over, and he gave in to everything that the monster inside him craved. He took pleasure in his human feeds, and allowed sex to become an instant gratification of his desires. Satine saw the change in him and was pleased. She encouraged him, opening up her world even more to him.

Eventually his powers did grow to match, and perhaps surpass Satine's, but by then he had lost the motivation for revenge. He split from Satine, ignoring her displeasure, and set out on his own. That was when he'd met Connor.

Although his friendship with the werewolf had brought him much relief, Tyrus felt as though he had barely been living. For the past century, he'd felt as though he'd been going through the motions from day to day, moving from one worthless distraction to the next. 

That is, until Anya had entered his life. One kiss from her and he remembered what it was like to feel again. That look that she had given him, that had looked right through him, seemed to have awoken something in him. He had a connection with her, he knew. No one, not even his wife in his human life, had ever come close to what he had felt that night.

Maybe it's love.

His own thought taunted him. Love? As if he knew anything about love. After all he had been through, was he even capable of it? So much had changed since he had turned. He'd shut himself off for far too long.

"So it's about a woman huh?" Connor's voice caused him to jump. As far as he could tell, werewolves could not mindread. In fact, only the strongest, most ancient vampires had that skill. He looked at Connor, wondering how he had done it, feeling caught.

Connor laughed, "I knew it! It was a stab in the dark but I had to ask. You have that lovesick look on your face, like a wolf who has scented his mate but hasn't figured out how to ask her for a lifetime commitment yet."

Tyrus growled. If he had let his guard down, then Anya had a stronger grip on him than he cared to acknowledge.

"Which vampire has gotten you in this state?" Connor asked, his eyes dancing.

Tyrus shot him a look.

"Werewolf?"

Tyrus shook his head.

"Don't tell me she's a witch? Or a succubus?" A frown was starting to show on Connor's face.

"Human," Tyrus muttered beneath his breath, just audible enough for Connor's sharpened hearing to pick up. He'd decided that he might as well tell his old friend. If he couldn't trust him, there was nobody else for him to turn to.

The hard line that formed on Connor's lips was confirmation of what a bad situation Tyrus was in.

"You know that it's..."

"Forbidden, yes." Tyrus clenched his jaw, controlling his frustration, "I've tried to leave her alone. That's all I want, to have her safe and away from this life. I need to forget her, but it's proving more difficult than I thought it would be. She's special, Connor."

"She must be, my friend. I've never seen you like this before. What can I do to help?"

"Nothing," Tyrus sighed, "There is no way for this to end well."

They sat in silence, neither one of them knowing what else to say. 

A familiar scent reached Tyrus, causing him to look up sharply, scanning the dark club. His heart twisted when he spotted her, looking more beautiful than he remembered. She was dancing with a group of humans, laughing and carefree. He saw that more than one other supernatural being on the dancefloor had noticed them, a hungry look in their eyes. He let out a slow exhale.

"She's here," he whispered, his face turning white.



Night Hunt Ch. 06



Hi guys, so... I hope you can forgive me for being away for so long. I know I left things at a cliffhanger for a really REALLY (and utterly inexcusable) long time. The only explanation I can give is that work got really out of hand, and then when I tried to pick up the story again, I had a bad case of writer's block. However, the characters have never left me, and eventually I felt I had enough push to carry on with Anya and Tyrus again. Believe me, I still have a story to tell and potentially lots more in store for the two of them. 

I'm pretty anxious that the momentum is lost now, but I hope that the story still makes sense to you readers, and I hope that I haven't lost my original readers. Your comments were so encouraging and meant a lot to me! I can't promise that I can get the next chapters up in a reasonable amount of time, but I will most certainly try. A warning before you read this: this chapter is more about developing the plot, and might raise more questions than give any closure from the last chapter. PLEASE forgive me for staying away from writing for so long, and I hope you enjoy reading this! 

*****

Loud music continued to pulse through the club. Strobe lights flashed, the trick of the lights making it look like everything was moving in slow motion.

Tyrus cursed under his breath, contemplating his next action from his seat in the hidden booth. He had to make a decision fast. He knew the predators on the dancefloor were not going to wait much longer. Goodness knows how long they had been marking out the group of humans. To go to Anya would reveal his interest, but to stay away would be to leave her at their mercy. Not everyone had respect for the laws that ordered them to leave their prey unharmed.

His eyes fell on Anya, drawn by the sway of her hips. He didn't think he had ever seen her so relaxed. Her hands trailed from her neck, down her body and to her thighs, moving in time to the music. The tightness of her dress on her perfect figure did not go unnoticed. Black high heels lengthened her already long legs, making them seem endless. 

The man dancing across from her took her hand and spun her around. She smiled shyly at him as they danced. It was all Tyrus could do not to lunge forwards and force himself between them. He had to remind himself that she was not his, and he had intended to stay away from her. Every time the man touched her, Tyrus felt a pang of jealousy reverberate through him. If only he could offer her what this man could, to be human and to live out a full human life.

He studied them closely, wondering what their relationship was. No, they did not seem to be lovers, despite what the nagging jealousy tugging at his chest told him. She was too careful with their distance. Whenever he tried to draw her into his arms, she would find a way to move away. The observation appeased him a little. 

"Tyrus, you are staring," Conner's voice broke through his thoughts. The werewolf was grinning, "I can see why though. She is just your type."

Tyrus let out a small huff of indignation from his throat. He knew that his friend was right. It wasn't just her long dark hair, or her full lips. She was effortless in her beauty, and carried herself in a confident yet unassuming manner. He knew that there was a lot more going on beneath that prettily packaged exterior.

He shrugged in defeat. 

"Careful there Tyrus. If you do this, you're never going back."

"I know, Conner," Tyrus responded. He felt on edge, restless. Every instinct in his body told him to go to her. His demon wanted to claim her all over again. He recalled the feel of her soft curves against his body. Her faint scent was calling to him, enticing him. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out.

Leave her alone. She'll be fine. You'll put her in much more danger if you are with her, Tyrus tried to reason with himself. The others know the rules. They are not going to do anything more than feed.

Who was he kidding? He knew there was much worse that they could do. He had done much worse to his prey.

He cleared his throat, "I need some air."

He got up and pushed past Conner, ignoring the warning look on his face. Conner knew him well enough to know that he had made up his mind. Without looking back at his friend, Tyrus walked silently to the dancefloor.

****

Anya smiled politely as Luke placed his hand on her waist. As the music slowed down, she somehow managed to maintain her distance as Luke attempted to pull her close. Cute as he was, she just wasn't that interested in him. She didn't want to give him any wrong signals. 

Other than having to watch her proximity to Luke, she had to admit, she was enjoying herself. The music was good, even though she didn't recognise any if the songs. The beats were infectious, and the tunes catchy. They made her feel as though she could dance all night long. 

Luke's friends were good company too. They kept her included, even though they had just met. Jenna exuded confidence and energy, injecting life into the group. Jude had a wicked sense of humour, and Alex was charming and eloquent.

Anya realised that it had been a long time since she had let herself relax like this. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard, or felt so carefree. At least, not in recent years. If it meant swatting Luke away every now and then, she figured she could deal with it.

It was a couple of songs later when Luke reached out for Anya again. She turned away for a moment, in a move that forced him to remove his hand without her having to push it away herself. As she spun, she thought she saw a familiar face in the crowd of clubbers. 

Her chest leapt as she recognized Tyrus, his intense eyes glowing as he looked directly at her. She turned back, trying to act nonchalant, even though her pulse was racing. What was he doing here? 

She turned again, but he was gone. She frowned, scanning the crowd for him, but the club was dark. 

"Anya? What's wrong?" Luke asked, concern in his voice.

Anya plastered a smile on her face and shook her head. "Nothing, I just thought I saw someone I knew," she said as evenly as she could.

Too many questions were clouding her head right now. She wanted to confront Tyrus and force some explanations out of him. Hadn't he said that he would never see her again? Was he stalking her? Was this some sort of game for the vampire?

She felt a tiny burst of anger at the last thought. She had to get to the bottom of this. He was here now, and she wouldn't let him get away without some answers. She certainly wasn't the sort of person to fall for mind games, and she hated the way she had been over the past week.

"Hey Luke, I'm just heading to the Ladies. I'll be right back," she said to Luke, who let go of her reluctantly. She disappeared into the crowd, heading straight for the spot that she had last seen the mysterious vampire.

When she was sure that Luke and his friends could not see her, she turned around slowly, scanning the club as she did. Where had he gone? She bit her lip in frustration. The club was a big one, and it was packed with people. It felt like an impossible task. She had to find him. This was the closest she would ever be to getting any answers.

She headed off the dance floor, in the direction of the bar. She thought she caught a glimpse of the back of Tyrus' head. He was moving away from her, shifting easily through the crowd. She pushed past the crowd, picking up speed. She was closing in. Just a few more steps...

Suddenly, her body froze, her feet stuck firmly to the ground. She tried lifting her arm, but it was like trying to lift a ton of cement. She was trapped. An arm slid across her waist and draped itself on her hip. 

Her heart thudded. Was this the vampire's idea of a joke? Why couldn't he just talk to her like a normal person? 

"Hello there darling," a male voice reached her ear. It was deep and gravelly, not at all like the rich warm tones that she remembered from her encounter with Tyrus.

Alarm prickled through her body. Something was wrong. She tried desperately to move but her body wouldn't budge an inch. 

"You look simply delicious. I can't wait to taste you," the stranger's warm breath hissed against her ear. Chills ran up her spine.

The arm around her waist nudged her body against the stranger's. It felt hard, muscular. Even without his mental control over her, he would be much stronger than her. She racked her brains for a plan to escape, but nothing came to mind. 

"Come along with me," the stranger said, as if she had a choice. Her feet started moving, as if being pulled by invisible strings. They were heading towards an exit sign in the side of the club. To anyone watching, she probably looked like she'd had too much to drink, and he was supporting her out of the club.

She fought against every step, willing her body to resist the forces pulling at her. She could see the exit sign looming nearer. In about ten more metres, they would be out of the club and away from help. Her mind was frantic as panic rose in her chest. 

A part of her snapped, knowing that she would not survive if she let fear overtake her. With all the willpower she had, she forced herself to calm down. She needed to think, to find a way out of this. Despite the fact that her limbs were still moving, her mind stilled.

"There, that's more like it," the vampire purred. 

She was surprised. She had no idea that her mental resistance had any effect against the powerful creature. Maybe if she concentrated a little harder...

Too late. She saw a thick arm push the exit door open. The cool night air hit her. She was outside now, away from all the people.

They were in a dark alley, sandwiched between the huge skyscraper that housed the club, and the back of another equally large building. From what she could see, there were no windows nearby and no chance of anyone spotting them. The street was nowhere in sight, meaning that they were probably in a secluded corner at the back of their building. She didn't know how far she would have to run to get out.

The stranger turned around to face her. He was a well-built man, with young, handsome features. He had a strong jaw, high cheekbones, and short cropped blond hair. As she glared at him, his face twisted into a cruel grin and his incisors lengthened into sharp fangs. 

Her heart was pounding. So he really was a vampire. He was still keeping her in place with his mind. It has only been a week, but now she found herself in a predicament that was all too similar to the one she had been in just those few days before. Except, she doubted that this one was going to end in quite the same way as the last one.

Without warning, strong arms pushed her in place against the building's concrete wall. She gasped as she felt her back hit the hard surface. Still, she didn't struggle, her mind quiet, watching out for any opportunity to escape.

He eyed her quizzically, "you're a quiet one aren't you?"

She didn't respond. Her mind was working now, searching along what felt like some sort of mental barrier. She couldn't explain how she knew this, but somehow, her instincts told her what to do.

The vampire leaned roughly against her, sniffing at her neck. It made her skin crawl, but she ignored it. She felt his breath just below her ear, followed by two tiny sharp pricks, and then the warmth of his mouth on her.

A warm, pleasant sensation settled in the pit of her belly. It calmed her mind, made her feel as if there was no danger. She knew it was his doing, somehow, and ignored it. His body was relaxing against hers, gradually, as he started to feed. If there was any opportunity she had, it was now.

Anya could feel the invisible hold on her weakening. Could she really break it? She didn't even know what she was doing. She breathed as evenly as she could and counted to three in her head. On the last count, she reached deep into herself, and pushed with every last ounce of mental energy she had.

The vampire stumbled back as if he had been struck by an invisible force. A stunned look crossed his face.

"What the- "

He never got to complete his sentence as Anya lunged at him, delivering a firm kick to his groin. He doubled over, hissing through his fangs. His eyes were flashing a cold, steely blue, as if they were lit from within.

Anya turned and ran, letting out a scream as she did so, hoping that there was someone nearby who would hear her cry for help. Her heels hit the concrete hard as she scrambled around the corner of the building. 

Her heart sank when she saw the dead end. She ran to the wall anyway, scanning for any ledge or crevice that she could use to get her away from her attacker.

Suddenly, she felt herself being pushed from behind, against the wall. Strong hands held her in place, trapping her arms against her body, with her facing the wall. She struggled, but found that he had once again taken control of her movement with his mind. Her entire body felt like lead, frozen in place. This time the force wrapped around her so tightly, she felt the air being squeezed out of her lungs.

"You'll pay for that, bitch. I don't know how you did that, but you're never going to do it again," he snarled in her ear.

A searing pain tore through her neck. He had bit down hard and was now sucking viciously through the wound he had created. Anya tried to cry out but her vocal cords would not cooperate. Tears streamed down her face.

The night was silent, except for the sound of the vampire feeding. His lips and tongue were making slippery, squelchy sounds that made Anya feel sick. Her head was getting dizzy, and she was finding it difficult to form her thoughts. She was losing blood fast. Her mind raced to try to find a way out, but she had used her only chance, and now she was going to die.

From behind her, Anya heard a low growl. The pressure around her lifted suddenly and air rushed into her lungs. Something yanked the vampire backwards, pulling Anya with him. She staggered backwards before her knees crumpled beneath her. She landed in a heap on the ground.

Snarls and growls erupted around her, filling the air. Anya struggled to turn her body, wincing as a sharp pain shot through her neck and down her spine. She was too weak to push herself off the ground. Rolling onto her side, she lifted her head just in time to see her attacker on the floor, and a familiar figure straddling him, a hand gripping the vampire's neck in a choke hold. 

"Tyrus?" She whispered, not daring to believe what she saw. Moments ago, she had thought she was taking her last breath.

"What the fuck?" Her attacker's faint, strangled voice was laced in shock, his eyes darting between Anya, still crumpled on the ground, and his angry captor, "She knows you?"

Anya watched as Tyrus stiffened. She couldn't tell what it was, but something seemed to have snapped in the vampire. He looked caught. He remained silent, regarding the helpless vampire beneath him.

The vampire took on a pleading tone, "Dude, I know she's not yours. I didn't scent any mark on her... she's not a slave. What the fuck are you doing? She's my hunt, my prey!"

It seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Anya felt as though she could see the menace rolling off Tyrus' shoulders in waves. She shuddered involuntarily. He was scaring her. The other vampire sensed the change too. He started to flail hard against Tyrus' grip, attempting to escape.

Slave? Mark? What the hell is going on?

"Tyrus?" She hated the way her voice was shaking, "What's he talking about?"

Tyrus didn't look at her. Instead, he kept his attention on his victim. The other vampire glanced over at Anya, understanding dawning in his eyes. Tyrus' grip tightened, leading to an increase in the other vampire's desperate struggling. 

"Y-you... You didn't wipe her... m-memory.." his voice was barely audible now, "Please don't... don't kill me.. I can keep your secret. I-I won't tell anyone I promise..." 

There was no answer from Tyrus. Anya couldn't look away in time. She heard the sickening crunch of cartilage and bone being crushed. She drew a heaving breath. It didn't end there. In one swift motion, so fast that she could barely see what was happening, Tyrus plunged his hand into the vampire's chest and ripped out his heart.

Anya froze, not believing what she saw. Before she could form any thought, the body on the ground and the heart in Tyrus' hand burst into dust.

Tyrus stood still for a moment, looking down at where the vampire had been. A few seconds passed. Anya realized that she was sobbing.

She saw Tyrus turn towards her. The menacing look on his face was gone now, replaced by an unreadable expression in his eyes. He reached out to help her up, but she shrank back before he could touch her.

"No!" she couldn't keep the terror out of her voice.

"Anya.." The sound of his voice came as a shock to her. It was the first time she had heard him speak since the time he had been in her room. It sounded pained now, hurt by her reaction. 

He dropped down to his knees, cautiously keeping his distance. Slowly, he extended his hand towards her again.

"Don't you dare touch me!" she shouted.



Night Hunt Ch. 07



Tyrus stared at the terrified woman in front of him. She was trembling, her eyes wide and rimmed with red. She had seen too much. Now she knew the monster that he really was. What was he thinking? She was a human, and belonged in the human world. All this was more than she could handle.

His gaze fell over the wound on her neck. It had stopped bleeding. The enzymes in the vampire's saliva had sealed off the worst of it, but it would take a while to heal. A nasty bruise was forming on her leg, but she hadn't seemed to notice it yet. 

His chest squeezed as he remembered how he had found her, in the hands of the young vampire, so close to death. If he had just been a couple of minutes later...

If only he hadn't turned his back when he'd seen her in the club. He thought back to the moment, not even ten minutes ago. He had been making his way to her on the dance floor when she had turned around and spotted him. 

The look on her face had stopped him in his tracks. For a second he couldn't remember who he was or what he was doing. The loss of composure was a first for him. The feeling was unsettling. He had never felt so unsure of himself since he had been turned.  

He'd realised that he hadn't thought through what he was going to say or do. And it had occurred to him that she could reject him. The possibility was something that he hadn't been prepared to deal with, so he had turned around and walked away, if only to sift through his thoughts for a little while.

The next thing he knew, her scent had disappeared. He'd turned back to look for her but she was gone. It was impossible to track her with all the competing scents in the club. 

He's gone back to find her friends but they were still dancing, unaware that Anya was missing. When he heard the scream, imperceptible to the human ear, it was enough for him to guess where she was, and to know she was in trouble. None of the other creatures in the club had reacted. They had long learned to ignore any signs of trouble.

He'd sauntered as unhurriedly as he could to the exit door, trying to mask the panic he was feeling inside. 

The rage that he'd felt when he saw the other vampire had blinded him, catching him completely off-guard. The vampire had been no match for Tyrus. Given how quickly Tyrus had overpowered him, he was probably quite young into his vampire years and nowhere near skilled enough to defend himself from Tyrus' fury.

As soon as the vampire had realised that Tyrus had broken the rules, Tyrus knew that he would have to kill him. The past two centuries had taught him that nothing should be left to chance. If the Governance ever found out what he had done, Anya was dead and so was he.

Despite his rationalisation of his actions, Tyrus was unsure if he could ever erase the look from Anya's eyes as she regarded him now. His heart twisted when he saw the fear there. No doubt she thought he was a monster. 

She was right, though. He was a fool to think that he could ever deserve love.

Love. There it was again. Was that really what he felt for Anya? It couldn't be. It was way too soon, and he didn't even know the first thing about love. Two centuries had taught him nothing but pain, violence, and self-preservation. He pushed the thought aside. He had a more pressing matter now, which was what to do with Anya, and how to account for a missing vampire.

He took a deep breath. 

"Anya, I'm sorry you had to see that. I don't take it lightly, but it was a necessity. He knew about you and he would never have kept it a secret." 

He tried to keep a soothing tone, "We have to go now. Before anyone finds us. Please, trust me. I would never hurt you. Anya you're safe now. Please, trust me."

He repeated the last line hoping that it would convince her, desperate for her to just reach out and take his hand. They really were running out of time. The club had ears, and cameras, and they needed to go.

To his relief, Anya finally spoke, "What happened to him... He's really gone, isn't he?"

Tyrus nodded. By the way she was looking at him, there were still many questions she wanted to ask. There were no more tears now. She was thinking, contemplative.

"Why do we have to go? Who will come looking for us?"

He paused for a second, thinking about how to explain the intricacies of the supernatural world to Anya.

"There are many creatures living amongst humans. We didn't always blend in. In the past we were seen as the enemy. We were hunted, whether or not we caused any harm to humans. We may have been strong, but we were always outnumbered. It became obvious that we could only survive alongside humans for as long as they remain oblivious to our existence. 

"Centuries ago, a council called the Governance was formed to keep the order. They created certain rules to protect our community. Their strict enforcement of these rules have led to us becoming nothing but myths and stories in the eyes of humans.

"I broke the rules when I met you. You were never supposed to remember me after our night together. I never expected to see you again. I never thought you would ever come here, of all places.

"You were in danger the moment you stepped into this place. It is a hunting ground, owned by the Governance. If that vampire hadn't come after you, someone else would have. If they had killed you, it would have been against the rules, but not everyone knows what they are getting into when they break the rules. 

"Or like me, not everyone uses their head when the temptation to break the rules arises.

"The Governance will see my 'crime' as worse than killing you. I risked the exposure of our world. They will not let you live, just like I could not leave any chance that that vampire would not speak."

He bowed his head, chagrined. He was in a mess now. He didn't know if anyone had seen them, and he knew they'd never be able to outrun the Governance. They had eyes everywhere.

"Wipe my memory then. I won't be able to tell anyone a thing if I can't remember it." There was a rustling and he knew she was on her feet.

He looked up, surprised. She was calm and resolute, despite her wounds and the obvious effort it took her to push herself off the ground. 

Somehow, in the span of a few short minutes, she had overcome the fact that she had almost been killed, witnessed a vampire's heart being ripped out, and told that an old council of supernatural beings were about to hunt her down.

He could still hear her accelerated heartbeat, and smell her uncertainty, but her face was alert and her eyes were focused and ready. Her expression was calm as she weighed out her options.

He shook his head in disbelief. She was a lot stronger than he had thought. 

No wonder he was falling for her. 

His heart skipped a beat again, a feeling he was beginning to get used to. He might as well admit to himself that she had gotten under his skin. 

"I'm sorry Anya, that is not going to work anymore. I don't have the skill to isolate your memories. It would mean wiping your memories for the whole week. It will take chunks of your mind with it, and I don't think you could survive it."

He thought back to the many stories he had heard of vampires who had done what he had done, and tried to correct their mistake. Not many humans survived. The 'lucky' ones that did ended up in various asylums and institutions, their minds changed forever. There was not one case of any human making a recovery from that. 

"I'm never going back home, am I?"

She had come to the same conclusion that he had. There was no way that she could return to her old life. She would be out in the open, and too easily tracked.

"Anya, I am sorry I brought you into this. I promise, if you stay with me, I will protect you," he said, grimly.

Anya stood still, biting her lip, thinking.

He forced himself to wait and give her time to think. His demon was already on edge, riled up by the tumult of his feelings earlier and then the fight. It wanted to force her to make a decision. 

Not just any decision, it wanted to claim her as his. The urge to grab her and take possession of her body then and there was nearly overwhelming. He felt his groin swell against his jeans. The rational part of him fought to control his demon. Now was not the time or place.

To his surprise, he sensed that his demon also had a strong desire to protect the human. He had never known his demon to feel protective over anything. He appealed to that part of the demon, placating it by reminding the other side of him that he needed to get her out of danger first. Although, he had no idea how he was going to stop his demon if he managed to get Anya alone in a safe place.

Finally, Anya's stance shifted, and her mouth was set in a tight line, determined, "Fine, where to?"

He almost smiled. Almost. They were not out of danger yet. 

He reached out to take her hand but she flinched away. So, she hadn't made up her mind about him yet, just about what she needed to do. He understood her sentiment. He had not lived for centuries by trusting people easily.

A pang of emotion hit him. What would it take for her to accept him again?

Focus Tyrus. He chided himself. He needed to get his things, maybe some weapons, and then head to somewhere far away. Now the question was if he could do it without the Governance realizing what he had done and finding them. 

He sniffed the air and listened. Nothing. It was a risk he had to take.

"This way", he said, walking back towards the door to the club. It was dangerous going back in, but he had no choice.

Anya followed.

****

Anya stayed close to Tyrus, trying to look as nonchalant as she could. She had covered her neck wound with her hair, hoping that the dark of the club would hide the rest. She tried to ignore the odd stare, realizing that those whose gaze lingered were probably not human, and could probably smell the blood on her as well. Most times, they took one look at Tyrus and glanced away, feigning distinterest.

Her mind was spinning. What sort of world was she in? Had she really put her life in the hands of the one who had gotten her into this mess in the first place?

She could never go back to her old life, although a part of her wondered if she would even miss it. She wasn't particularly attached to her boring job, or her lack of friends, but now that that life was taken away from her, she wasn't sure what she felt towards it.

She wished that she could have had a choice. 

It was your choice to sleep with him. Twice. You felt the connection. You understood when he had said it was a night he didn't want you to forget. How many times did you hope that he would come back again for you? 

She tried to keep the scowl off her face. It was true. Her actions had some part to play in where she was now. Had her heart already chosen Tyrus?

She shrugged her thoughts away, not ready to deal with them yet. That was too big a question to answer right now. On the one hand, he was sexy as hell, obviously powerful, and sure of himself. On the other, he was a killer, intruder, and someone who fed off humans.

She needed to know more before she could trust him. At the very least, she knew that he had saved her life. Right now, he was her only hope of survival, if things were really as he had said. She was used to fighting for herself. Her past had not been an easy one. She treated this as yet another situation she was going to get herself out of. 

Whatever else, especially something as implausible as a relationship with a vampire, could wait.

Strobe lights continued to flash through the dark club. Anya could barely see where she was going. Up ahead, she could make out the bar. It seemed that Tyrus was headed to an opening at the end of the bar, towards another part of the club. 

She had an okay sense of direction, but she wondered if right now she was wrong. He seemed to be leading them away from the club's exit and even deeper into the building.

Uh oh.

Luke and his friends were up ahead, sipping on drinks and laughing. She had forgotten about them. She tugged on Tyrus' arm, but it was too late, they had passed right in front of her friends.

She smiled at Luke, trying to remember what relaxed looked like. Next to her, Tyrus stiffened, realizing his mistake. He stood beside her, silent, waiting for her next move. Anya didn't dare look up at him, afraid that she wouldn't be able to keep up with her façade of control if she did.

To her puzzlement, Luke glanced at her with an awkward smile, as if they were strangers. There was no recognition in his eyes. She made eye contact with the other three. They too, returned the same looks of unfamiliarity.

"Hey Luke!" She said brightly, wondering what was going on.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

She was stunned by his reply. She struggled to come up with a response, but she was exhausted, frightened, and not ready for yet another surprise that night.

"I'm sorry, I was mistaken. Never mind," She mumbled. She turned sharply and moved away from the group, frowning.

A glance up at Tyrus got her even more worried. He had watched the whole exchange, and was now looking around the club, his whole body on alert.

He froze, his gaze fixated on a man in a suit coming towards him. The man looked like he couldn't be more than twenty-five, but had an air of authority that belonged to someone much older.

"Maarav," Tyrus greeted the man guardedly. 

"Tyrus, please come with me. Bring your friend."

Even though his words were phrased as a request, his facial expression and tone carried the undercurrents of a threat if they did go with him.

Anya followed the men as they walked through the opening and into a large, carpeted tunnel. They didn't even turn around to see that she was behind them, but she wasn't fooled into thinking that they wouldn't know if she tried to run away. If Tyrus' speed was any indication, she didn't have any hope of escaping if she tried.

The tunnel twisted and turned a couple of times. They passed by a few closed doors. Anya wondered briefly what was behind them, but decided that she would rather not know. 

There was an elevator at the end of the tunnel, guarded by two large men in smart black suits. They nodded at the man called Maarav, but eyed Tyrus and Anya suspiciously. One of them flared his nostrils briefly, and then raised an eyebrow when he spotted the blood on Anya's neck.

The elevator doors opened and they got in. There was a doorman inside, waiting. When Maarav gave him a silent nod, he pressed a button and they descended. The doors opened again, six floors below ground level.

They stepped out onto black marble floors, into a short corridor ending at a pair of large metal double doors. The doors were open, as if waiting for them. Maarav gestured for Tyrus and Anya to enter ahead of him. Tyrus protectively stepped in front of Anya, his hands balled up into fists, body tense. Maarav walked in behind them and the doors closed automatically after him.

They were in what looked like a boardroom. It was lavishly decorated, with a few expensive-looking, tasteful paintings on the wall, a large heavy ornate table in the middle, and a massive projector screen at one end. The table had nothing on it except for two thin folders on the far end. Four figures sat at the head of the table, facing them, ignoring a video playing on the screen, of what looked like a grid of nine different boxes. 

The images were dark and grainy. Anya realized with a jolt that it was a security feed, showing different locations around the club. One of them was the area where the vampire had brought her, outside the club. Based on the time stamp on the feed, it was live, showing the empty area as they had left it from a while ago.

Maarav ushered them to the seats closest to the door, at the other end of the table. He moved to join the others at the head of the table. 

Anya studied the faces across from her. There was a man with grey hair, looking significantly older than the rest in the room. However, despite his age, he had bright, intelligent eyes, and a lithe, muscular build. Next to him was a middle-aged woman with auburn hair, tied up in a tight bun. She looked elegant and proper, in a blouse with a high, buttoned collar, pearl earrings with a matching pearl necklace, immaculate red nails and matching red lips. 

In contrast, the woman next to her wore a tight, low cut black leather dress that showed off her ample cleavage. She had dark smudgy makeup on and her long blonde hair fell around her shoulders in big loose waves. She was leaning on one elbow, studying her nails. Her beautiful features were arranged in an expression of boredom. She looked like the youngest in the group, but Anya figured she couldn't depend on appearances to tell her their age.

The fourth person was a man in a flamboyant white suit and a half-open navy shirt. He had light brown wavy hair and piercing blue eyes. He was leaning back slightly, an arm draped casually over the empty chair next to him. All five figures regarded the pair of them gravely as they entered. Anya had never felt so small.

"Tyrus, you know why you are here."

The blonde woman had broken the silence.

"Yes," Tyrus said simply. He gave nothing of his emotions away.

"You know the rules. Stealing another vampire's prey and killing him, we might have overlooked. But to knowingly risk the exposure of our community? I'm disappointed Tyrus. You've never caused trouble for us. I've known you for... how long now? Almost sixty years? You know that we don't take this lightly. Maarav here has known you for longer, and he has spoken in favor of you. If you have any explanation, we'd like to hear from you."

The other woman leaned forward then, looking sternly at Tyrus, "Choose your words carefully. You are only given this chance. If Maarav hadn't spoken up for you, you would be dust now."

Tyrus looked at them directly, shoulders squared.

"I regret my actions. I understand the gravity of what I have done. There is nothing that I can say to justify my actions. What I did was due to a moment of impulsivity and nothing more. I will accept the punishment that you give me, and I hope that you will spare my life in consideration of the work that I have done in the past for the Governance."

There was a pause. The auburn-haired woman spoke again.

"We have heard your defense. Now give us a moment to deliberate."

To Anya's astonishment, she drew a candle from her lap and placed it on the table. She lit it, murmuring as she did so. The candle's flame gave a little puff and turned green.

The five leaders began talking intensely, but Anya could not hear any of the words. 

"The spell works both ways. They cannot hear us," Tyrus said, breaking the silence. He didn't turn to look at Anya, but kept his eyes steadily on the discussion at the end of the table. 

In a low, hushed tone, the vampire continued, "They are a sub-council appointed by the Governance to watch over this city. Maarav and Therese, the blonde over there, are vampires and old friends of mine. I have done many favors for them and I know they will speak on my behalf. The old man, Joseph, is a werewolf. He is an elder who is much respected by the community and will decide fairly. 

"Karina, the other woman, is a witch. She and I have crossed paths a few times, not always under friendly circumstances. The last one is Dimitri. He is a demon. I do not know much about him, except that he is from a wealthy demon clan that has been around a long time." 

"Anya... I'm sorry to have brought you into this. But to be honest, if I were in the same situation again, I do not know if I could have done things differently. I... Fuck it. I might die, and so I must say this. In two hundred years, I have not met anyone like you. You have my heart, Anya."




Night Hunt Ch. 07



As he spoke, Anya felt Tyrus reach under the table and grab her hand. She let him grasp it, interlacing his fingers with hers. Her heart was thudding in her chest now. Confusion clouded her head. She still feared him, but she now also had an overwhelming desire to turn around, reach up, and kiss him.

Before she could respond, though, she saw Karina lean over the candle, mutter, and blow out the flame.

"Well, I can't say I'm happy with the decision," Karina declared coldly, "Tyrus, you may live."

She paused, pursing her lips, "But, for your actions, you will owe the Governance a favor, which we will call in immediately. There have been some disturbances in a town two days' drive away from here. Our investigations show that a small group of vampires are forming a rebellion against the Governance. They seem to think that we should start a war against the humans and stop living in secret alongside them. 

"They are gathering supporters to their cause. They have been flouting our rules, and have killed four of our enforcers. So far our people have been able to disguise their actions to the humans as petty crimes and animal attacks, but the humans are getting suspicious.

"You will go there and stop them. Do not come back until all four of them, and anyone else they have gathered, are killed. We will link you up with our people over there."

The punishment felt like a death sentence to Anya. Surely they didn't expect him to win a fight against four vampires. It sounded like they wanted to use him to do their dirty work, without caring if it cost him his life.

"I accept your punishment," Tyrus answered flatly. 

"Oh, and one more thing..." Dimitri, who had been silent until then interjected, a corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk, "Kill your human. Don't let your mistake go any further."

Anya felt Tyrus' hand tighten around hers. He hadn't let go since he had taken it.

"She'll stay with me," He declared through gritted teeth.

The five of them looked stunned that Tyrus had answered back. 

"You're already sending me on an impossibly dangerous task. Let me take her along with me. What do you have to lose? Check her records. 

"There is only one person who might come looking for her, and that is her boss. A simple email tendering her resignation should take care of that. Apart from that, she has no friends or family who will notice that she is gone."

His voice was calm as he said his next sentence. 

"I claim her as my slave."

Panic and fear rippled through Anya. Was this the vampire's twisted way of showing how he cared for her? Claiming her as if she was some sort of commodity to be owned? Had he been stalking her? He knew way to much about her personal life.

She pulled her hand away from his, pushing out of her chair and stumbling backward, trying to get as much distance between her and the vampire as possible. 

"Stop right there, Anya," Maarav commanded. 

Anya was stunned. He knew her name? She felt the familiar sensation of an invisible force holding her in place. She struggled against it for the second time that night. 

This time, she found the edges of the barrier much faster than she did earlier. She didn't hesitate. She pushed against it with everything she had. To her amazement, she felt the barrier lift and Maarav take a step back, looking as if he'd just been slapped.

There was a collective gasp in the room.

She turned to the double doors, but Maarav was already in front of her. She knew she didn't stand a chance. He'd crossed the room in less than a second. He reached around her and grabbed her arms, twisting her to face the room again, gripping her hands behind her back. She stopped struggling, waiting to see what would come next.

"You smell like a human, you're weak like a human, yet you were able to break my hold. Only a supernatural being can do something like that! What are you?" Maarav asked gruffly, shaking her.

"Stop, Maarav," Joseph, the old man said, "you saw the report. She has a clean record. She's an orphan, she's not committed any crimes or caused any harm to anyone. She has not lived on the streets, has paid her own way through school, and scored average grades. She's had a stable job since graduating from community college, and pays her bills on time. Hardly sounds like a threat."

Anya trembled when she heard his words. Who were these people? They had dug up her past and summarized her life in a matter of a few sentences. How had they gotten all that information together so quickly?

Karina got up from her seat and walked over to Anya.

"Allow me."

She took one of Anya's wrists from Maarav, and opened up Anya's palm towards her. She placed her own palm over Anya's and closed her eyes, muttering in a foreign language. 

Anya felt a warm heat start from her wrist and creep up her arm, until it seemed her whole body was heated from within. It didn't hurt, but wasn't a pleasant sensation either.

She felt the heat intensify, and then stop. Karina opened her eyes.

"She's under a cloaking spell. It's hiding her true nature. This spell is a very powerful one, elegantly written," she couldn't hide the admiration in her voice.

"I'm afraid only the one who cast the spell can break it. There's no use questioning her further, the spell hides the truth even from its wearer," Karina stated before she let go of Anya and moved away.

Every pair of eyes in the room stared at Anya. She had their full attention now.

Her mind was spinning. Her true nature? What could that possibly mean? A spell? Someone had cast a spell on her? How has she gone through her whole life and not known any of this?

She thought back to her earliest memories, her painful childhood, getting tossed from foster home to foster home, always feeling like she didn't belong. Was this the reason why? Did she actually come from this world? She'd been told that she was found on the doorstep of a social work facility when she was a baby. Whatever it was, she was pretty sure that she'd grown up her whole life feeling human.

Maarav and Karina exchanged a look. 

"Take her with you Tyrus," Maarav said decisively, "and keep her alive. At least, until we can figure out what she is and where she came from."

Dimitri got up and walked over to Anya, circling her, sniffing as he did so. 

"Mark her anyway, Tyrus. Human or not, she certainly smells mortal. Wouldn't want her causing any more... Mishaps," the demon looked at Tyrus as he drew out the last word.

He chuckled at the deep growl that emanated from Tyrus' throat, "Good luck doing it, she's a feisty one. Better make sure you mark her well... I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

Therese was at Tyrus' side in a second, her hand on his shoulder. No doubt she had anticipated what Tyrus wanted to do to Dimitri. His eyes flashed a bright amber as he bared his fangs at the demon.

"Let it go," she said quietly.

Maarav sighed, "Dimiri is right, Tyrus. You'll need to claim her. To anyone else, she is a human, and we can't account for any free humans walking amongst us."

Tyrus stood slowly, showing obvious restraint. He moved to Maarav, who silently released Anya over to him.

The vampire didn't need to say a word. Anya followed him on shaky legs as he stormed out of the room, bristling with anger.

They crossed over to the elevator. When they got in, instead of returning to the ground floor, Tyrus pressed the number "23". Anya wondered where they were going now, but didn't dare to ask the brooding vampire.

The ride up was silent. It gave Anya time to think, which was the last thing she needed right now. Questions buzzed through her head. Could she really not be human? Who had done this to her? Why did they need to use a spell to hide her for almost thirty years?

She was tired of surprises. She didn't think she could handle much more of tonight. Human or not, she was definitely defenseless in this world. She decided not to try to define herself right now. Whatever she was, she at least knew who she was, and she could leave it at that for now.

She needed to focus on what was going to come next, although she had no idea what it would be. She could only guess at what Tyrus was thinking. She knew there was no point trying to run away. However, dangerous as he seemed, it looked like he was still her safest option right now. 

The vampire was lost in his own thoughts. His body was turned away from her, as if he didn't want to be reminded that she was there. She sensed that it wasn't a good time to ask him questions now.

Anya watched him warily, confused. He'd gone from declaring his feelings for her, to wanting to claim her as his slave. Now, he seemed angry at the thought of being stuck with her. Maybe it was something to do with what Dimitri had said. 

Fear struck her as she thought about what marking her might entail. Her mind was spiralling now, wondering what dark acts these creatures had come up with to mark their slaves.

They reached the twenty-third floor. It looked like an apartment complex. There was a long corridor, with heavy doors spaced out at regular intervals with unit numbers on them. Based on the size of the entire building, Anya guessed that each unit was pretty large.

Tyrus walked past all the doors to the unit right at the end of the corridor. It was further apart from where the other doors were, in a corner of the building. Tyrus placed his right thumb against a pad just above the door handle. A light on the pad blinked green followed by a soft whirring sound and a click.

He let them both in. The door quietly swung shut behind Anya. A click told Anya that it had locked, trapping her here with the vampire.

A sigh escaped him. He turned around, gesturing to their surroundings, "Welcome to my home," he said softly, finally acknowledging her.

"As you can tell, this building houses a lot more than just a club. I've been living here under the protection of the Governance. Many of those like me prefer it. There's much less risk of exposure living away from prying eyes."

Anya looked around in astonishment. They were in a large loft, with floor-to-ceiling windows taking the place of one of the walls. The place was elegant. Tyrus had decorated it with dark walls and dark furniture, with silver and glass trimmings. Small sculptures and interesting artefacts decorated its surfaces. 

They were standing in the living room, just in front of a luxurious black leather sofa with a rich textured rug stretched out in front of it. On their left was a small bar. Expensive-looking bottles lined its shelves. It looked like someone's dream bachelor pad. 

Tyrus strode over to the bar and poured himself a drink. He gulped it down in one motion and seemed to relax a little.

He stared at the empty glass in his hand, lost in thought. It was as if he was wrestling with something within himself.

Finally, he grabbed another glass and placed it on the bar in front of him. To Anya's shock, he brought his wrist to his lips and bit it. As blood began to seep from the wound, he placed the glass under it, catching the dark liquid. He stopped when half the glass was filled.

He brought the glass over to Anya, placing it in her hands.

"Let me make one thing clear," he started, his eyes turning amber as they stared into hers, "You will not be my slave. At least not in any real sense of the word. I'm sorry I spoke of you like that in the boardroom. To the others, it is what they need to see and understand. A free human in our world is unheard of. This is the only way I can keep you here with me. 

"I will mark you, but even though you are under my claim, you are free to do as you wish."

"I am sorry there is not much choice to our circumstance right now. I never imagined that I would ever see you again, much less see you stumble into my world. My mistake is something I will live with forever. But I promise to keep you safe and alive for as long as I am around.

"If you drink my blood, you are marked. Others will scent it and know you are mine. There are not that many who will dare to challenge me. It is how I intend to keep you safe. 

"The mark will fade. You will have to keep drinking my blood every few days in order to stay marked. If you do not, you will be left vulnerable for anyone to claim."

Anya looked down at the glass she was holding. That was it? Drink it and she was 'marked'?

She lifted the glass to inspect it, but stopped when Tyrus cleared his throat. He seemed uneasy.

"Anya... There's something else I should tell you. Vampire's blood, it's like a drug to humans. Your body will start to crave sex with uh- with me. I will become irresistible to you."

His shifted his feet awkwardly, looking down.

"Humans eventually develop a tolerance towards it, but it takes about a month or so. We still don't know what you are. I don't know how you will react to my blood, but given how you've reacted to my venom before, I doubt you'd be immune."

As he spoke, Anya saw his fangs lengthen. His looked up at her, eyes blazing. She could see desire in them as he looked at her.

She recalled the intense pleasure she had felt when he had bitten her on their first night together. If a small bite had done that to her, what would drinking his blood do?

She shivered at the memory, feeling a slight twinge between her legs. Her stomach did a flip. No matter what she apprehension she felt towards the vampire, she was definitely attracted to him.

"It is my last intention to take you against your will, Anya. However, I do not know if I will be able to stop myself when my blood takes effect on you. Not with the way I feel about you."

Anya bit her lip, understanding fully what he was saying. Maybe it was how surreal the situation was, that it felt like it could only be a dream, or maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through her from surviving everything tonight, but suddenly she really, really wanted to take the drink and see what would happen. 

A part of her still demanded some answers though. There were questions that her mind simply wouldn't let her forget.

"Tyrus... How did you know so much about me? Were you following me even before we met?"

He shook his head, "the first time I laid eyes on you was when you went into that bar alone. I go there from time to time when I... hunt.

"After I left you the next morning, I intended never to go back again. I didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to you. I told myself I had to forget you and never see you again.

"But I simply couldn't stay away, Anya. I went back a few times to see you, but each time, I forced myself to leave. I've learnt a lot about you this way. I saw that you didn't seem to go out to meet anyone. 

"I must admit, it did occur to me that I could offer you an arrangement like this one, so I checked into your background to see if it were possible. It was not something that I thought I would really act on, though. I didn't want to take you away from your life.

"I was not given that choice with my own life, and I wanted to respect that with you. I've only just met you, yet staying away from you was the most difficult thing I've had to do."

Anya realised that she was no longer afraid of him. She wasn't sure what had changed in those few minutes, but she felt that she could trust him again. If she were honest with herself, she felt exactly the same way about him. She hadn't stopped thinking about him ever since he had entered her bedroom.

She felt lost and defenceless in this world, and she still had many questions she had left to be answered. However, one thing that she felt she couldn't deny any longer was her feelings for this vampire.

He watched her, waiting. She saw his uncertainty, and the hope in his eyes that she would take the drink willingly. She realised that he had no idea how she felt about him. It amazes her that she could have any effect on someone like him.

She swallowed hard, preparing herself for the words she was about to say before she could change her mind.

"I want you, Tyrus. I want you to know that before I take your blood."

He looked as if he couldn't comprehend what she was saying. She reached up on her tip toes and kissed him. Electricity sparked from where their lips touched. She let her lips linger for a moment, pressed against his. 

She stepped back, and before he could speak, downed the contents of the glass in her hand. 

It tasted like nothing she had ever tasted before. The liquid was warm and thick, pooling at the back of her throat. It was sweet and spicy at the same time. Its taste curled around her taste buds before shooting straight to her brain.

Her body came alive.



Night Hunt Ch. 08



Tyrus' mind had been preoccupied. He'd been thinking about the task that the sub-council had set for him. He wasn't surprised that there were rebels going against the Governance. Resentment against their laws was common, and some of the younger ones simply did not understand the delicate balance that allowed predators to coexist with their prey. It wasn't going to be easy, and he should be making preparations for the journey.

At the same time, he was also bothered, and intrigued by the revelation of Anya's cloaking spell. Who would go to such lengths to hide her? Why would they need to hide her true nature? After everything that had happened, and all the guilt that he had placed on himself for taking her away from her human life, it turned out that she was from his world after all. 

He could only guess at what she could possibly be. Nothing that he had ever encountered seemed to fit. She tasted and smelled human. But then again, that could have been the spell. 

What confused him was that his blood and venom affected her as if she were human too. He didn't know if a spell could hide someone's nature to that extent. How could she have broken Maarav's mind-hold on her but been so easily overpowered by his strength? It was without question that she still needed protecting, even if she proved more resilient than she appeared on the outside.

And then he had marked her. 

When the thought of claiming her as a slave had first come to him a few days ago, he hadn't taken it seriously, even after he'd realised that she met the criteria for him to take her. It simply went against what he believed in, especially after his past with Satine. He had never taken a slave since becoming a vampire.

Anya's response had stunned him. She wanted him. He still couldn't believe it. He had barely processed what she had said when she'd taken the glass and drank everything. He'd never dared dream that she could want a monster like him. She didn't know even half of the things that he had done. He still had the image of her shrinking away from him, and the pain of her terror when she saw his true face. He shook his head. 

She should be running from him by now. Instead, she was standing in front of him now, the empty glass in her hands. Even though Tyrus knew what his blood would do to Anya, he wasn't prepared for the effect that she would have on him.

The hint of her arousal that he had picked up earlier was now hitting him at full force. No doubt she was wet and ready for him. Her scent filled his nostrils, triggering his own arousal.

He felt his thoughts take a backseat to what was happening in front of him. 

Anya gazed at him through her long lashes, running her tongue over her lips. The move was... sexy. With a glint in her eye, she slowly peeled off her dress, drawing his full attention. Black lace dropped to the floor, revealing a skimpy matching set of a black satin bra, and panties.

Screw it. The rebels and the subcouncil could definitely wait. 

Tyrus felt his teeth lengthening into fangs, crowding his mouth. His predator was rising. And so was something else.

He stared greedily at her curves. Her full breasts were pushed up provocatively by her form-fitting bra. Creamy mounds of flesh threatened to spill over the edge of their satin constraints. She had a flat, narrow waist that expanded into full hips. His eyes travelled downward and he felt a surge in his groin. Her cunt was barely hidden by the tiny strip of cloth that she wore. 

Her delicious scent, now carrying the mark of his blood, rolled towards him in waves. Even though he didn't regard her as his slave, the scent of his possession was really turning him on. It overwhelmed his senses, causing him to draw a sharp breath.

She pressed her body against his, practically purring as he wrapped his arms around her. He felt her tug at his shirt until the hem came apart from his jeans. Her forwardness was so different from the Anya he had first met a week ago.

Tyrus hesitated. He knew that the change in her was due to his blood. He wondered if he should have given her more time to process what was going on. Although he had heard her words, he still found them hard to believe. It had all happened so quickly. The noble thing would be to wait out the effects of his blood, refuse her advances, and talk to her again when she was sober, when the worst of the effects wore off.

Small hands slid under his jeans and groped at his hardness, making him lose all coherent thought. 

His demon coaxed him to forget his doubt, telling him that this was the right thing to do. It definitely felt right, holding her in his arms. For two centuries he had taken everything he wanted, and he had never wanted anything as badly as this. Forget nobility. He let himself go, allowing his demon to take over.

Anya's fingers had proceeded to pull on his shirt buttons, nearly ripping the shirt fabric. Her pretty features twisted into a frown of frustration as she tried to undo the buttons as fast as she could. 

Stifling a chuckle, he helped her remove his clothing, following her eager hands as they worked on each article and pushed them, one by one, onto the floor.

He reached around her back. With a quick flick of his fingers, her bra came undone. It dropped to the floor, releasing her gorgeous, perky, full breasts. Pink erect nipples greeted him. They were nothing short of perfection. He lifted her easily and carried her to the sofa, placing her on his lap. Gently, he took each nipple into his mouth and sucked them, occasionally stopping to flick his tongue over the sensitive tips.

She went wild at his efforts, grinding against his crotch and pulling her panties to one side, trying to slip his thick rigid cock into her.

"Slow down, Anya. Enjoy the ride," he grunted through his fangs. 

He had waited too long for this to rush through it now. He gently held her by the hips and pushed her aside, but not before dipping a finger into her pussy. He felt her slickness as he traced a line slowly upwards along her cleft to the little nub beneath the hood of her lips... So wet.

"You're much too delicious to wait, Tyrus," she replied breathily, gasping from his touch.

Anya climbed back onto his lap, straddling him. Her lips trailed little kisses along his jaw and neck, slowly working her way down his body.

"Not... yet," he groaned, though enjoying every soft peck that landed on his shoulders and chest.

Gently, Tyrus placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her face to him. He leaned in close, but stopped just before their lips touched, pressing his forehead to hers. They were both panting from the anticipation. He felt the warmth of her breath mingling with his as he closed his eyes, listening to the quickened rate of her pulse. The scent of his mark was intoxicating.

"Anya, what are you doing to me," he whispered huskily.

He closed the gap between them and covered her mouth with his. He explored her mouth, pushing roughly past her lips with his tongue. She opened up for him, pushing back with her own eager tongue, deepening the kiss. His undead heart thudded hard. Her fingers tangled in his hair as his hands roved the smooth skin of her bare back.

He broke off the kiss to press his lips along her cheek to her ear, aiming for her neck. She moaned with each contact, low and sexy. His nostrils flared when the scent of dried blood reached him. He had forgotten about her wound from the fledgling vampire's attack, covered by her hair. 

Something was strange, though. Tyrus froze.

What the fuck?

He pressed his fingers to the wound. Anya's eyes flew up to meet his in surprise. There was no pain. The wound had healed over. Yet another little mystery.

"Anya... Has this ever happened before?" He asked.

She shook her head in shock, "I can't recall ever getting hurt before. I've never had any scrapes, or cuts, or bruises. I always thought I was just lucky. I guess, I've always managed to stay out of trouble somehow, so I never questioned it."

He ran his thumb lightly over her unbroken skin. He knew that the wound had been a bad one. It hadn't started to heal immediately, the way that his own body could. Still, it was good to know that yet again, she wasn't as vulnerable as she appeared.

"Sooner or later, we're going to need to figure out what you are."

"We won't learn anything new tonight," she said firmly. 

"Besides," she continued, a mischievous tinge creeping into her tone, "there are other things I would rather do right now."

She reminded him by pressing her body against his, leaning into him to nibble on his earlobe.

Tyrus could only groan in agreement as his cock hardened again. He didn't think he'd ever been this easily aroused before. His demon growled with anticipation. They resumed their kissing, beginning slowly at first, then with an urgency as their need grew. His hands roamed her body again, reaching up to thumb her nipples.

Anya rocked her hips against him, trying once more to coax him into her. He grinned and shook his head. He had other plans for her. Without warning, he flipped her over onto her back. She tried to push up off the sofa to straddle him again, but he held her down by her waist without any effort.

"Come on Tyrus," she protested impatiently.

"Let me taste you first..." He said, unable to keep the lust out of his voice.

His gaze fell on the scrap of cloth covering her pussy. It was already soaked through with her delightful juices. Impulsively, he reached with his fingers and ripped the fabric off, finally getting rid of the last piece of clothing between them. Her pussy was now bared to him, glistening with her slick juices and swollen with arousal.

Smiling through his fangs, he lowered his head and ran his tongue over the outer edges of her moist folds. She sighed happily as he moved inwards to her centre, making sure that he tasted every part of her most sensitive area along the way. Her thighs tensed as his tongue stroked leisurely at her sex. He relished in the taste of her. He felt her squirm in pleasure as he delved his tongue into her core, seeking for more.

"Mmmm- Fuck, don't stop... Tyrus you feel amazing," She gasped.

Moving his hands to cup her ass, he brought his attention to her clitoris. He flicked his tongue tip repeatedly over it, tracing different shapes each time. Her moans grew louder as she bucked against him, her back arching. He knew she was on the edge. He slipped his finger into her, stroking upwards in time to his tongue. As her body continued to tense, he sucked on the little bud, still keeping pace with the strokes of his finger.

It only took a minute. She came apart, her entire body shuddering against his hand and mouth as she cried out in wave after wave of ecstasy.

With every cry, his desire to be inside her intensified, until he could wait no longer. He positioned himself over her, lining up the head of his cock against the slickness of her pussy. She was still panting hard, her eyes unfocused from the intensity of her orgasm. She looked so beautiful, flushed and naked on her back.

Without waiting for her to calm down, he plunged deep into her, relishing in her gasp of pleasure. 

"Yeesss..." He hissed, heat pooling in his groin. His demon swelled as he claimed her.

He began thrusting, moving his entire length in and out of her pussy at his own deliberate pace. She felt so good, so tight. She grabbed at his back, digging her fingers into his skin as he quickened his pace, her hips rocking hard against him.

He spread her legs further, pushing them up and over his shoulders, seeking deeper access into her core. He was merciless, pounding into her exactly how he liked it. She rocked her body in time to his thrusts, matching every move. He lost himself in her body, her scent, their rhythm... his own moans of pleasure mixing with hers.

Her eyes met his, eyelids half-lowered, filled with lust and excitement. He wondered what she would do if the control was hers. In one swift motion, he sat up on the sofa and re-arranged her on his lap, facing away from him, allowing her free reign to do as she pleased. She knew exactly what he wanted. Placing her knees on either side of his thighs, she guided him into her again. She began rocking her hips in a seductive rhythm, her motions carving out repeated figure eights against him. 

He enjoyed the sight of her ass as she rode him, and the view of his cock pistoning in and out of her pussy. His hands roved her body, moving over her stomach and fondling her breasts. He kneaded them roughly, using his fingers to nip at her taught nipples. She moaned loudly as she rocked against him faster.

It was not long before her body was tensing again, her pussy tightening and creating the most pleasurable sensations through his cock. He was so close. A wild growl escaped his throat. He grabbed her hips, thrusting into her from below in unison with her wild rocking. She cried out his name. Without further warning, she came hard, her contractions milking him.

"Oh yes... Ohhh Tyrus, come with me!"

Hearing his name on her lips pushed him over the edge and he came, hot spurts of cum releasing deep into her pussy.

They stilled, panting, his softening cock still embedded inside her.

"Tyrus, that was incredible," she gasped, breathless.

"Yes it was, love," he whispered huskily, gently pushing her hair aside to kiss her neck. She shuddered, releasing a soft moan of pleasure.

He leaned back onto the sofa, catching his breath. His entire body was humming with the intensity of his orgasm.

Anya stirred. She turned around on his lap, straddling him yet again. Her nipples were still hard, the stiff peaks brushing against his chest. She put her arms around his neck and nibbled at his earlobe.

"How about another round?" she murmured against his neck.

"Baby, we're not nearly done," he replied, grinning, already feeling his cock twitch. 

His hands wrapped under her ass as he scooped her up, standing from the sofa. She giggled and wrapped her legs around him, her wet pussy pushing against his groin. Chuckling, he carried her to the bathroom. Washing up would be fun.

****

Tyrus sat across from his bed looking at Anya's sleeping form. He didn't think he had ever felt like this about anyone. He didn't know what to make of it either. He had no experience to tell him where to go from here. His one and only relationship had been a sterile and predictable one, with a marriage that had happened because it was the next logical step to take. 

It had been safe, and he'd been contented, but only because he had no idea that it could be any different. It was nothing like the fireworks that had started the moment he'd first laid eyes on Anya. As far as he was concerned, when it came to her, he was well and truly fucked. 

His felt a deep ache in his chest as he watched her sleep, her face peaceful. He hoped he had a chance with her. Right now he didn't know how much of what she did was from the effects of his blood. They had made love for hours, all over the apartment. He looked out at the kitchen, the bathroom, and the living room floor, recalling every delicious act they had done in each spot. There were a few times where he'd been tempted to feed from her, but he had resisted, given how much blood she had lost. He didn't quite dare to test her boundaries just yet. Finally, they had ended up back in his bed. When he had sated her need, she had at last collapsed into a deep sleep.

He wouldn't need any rest tonight. There were things he had to do. Moving silently, he left his bedroom, closing the door in case he might wake her. He went to his study. When he reached his large bookcase, he ran his fingers lightly below one of the bottom shelves until they reached the concealed button there. 

With a click, the bookshelf rearranged itself to reveal its hidden component - a wall filled with weapons. His eyes fell over the extensive and varied assortment. His collection had been acquired over many years. Some were ancient, used in times long before he was born. Many were from recent years, and made of lighter, more durable materials. They were also modified to kill the sorts of creatures he hunted. Silver bullets, enchanted blades, sacred wood... he had them all.

Grabbing a black duffle bag from the bottom rack, he quickly stuffed in the weapons that he knew would best serve his purpose on this trip. He grabbed a second bag, closed the bookshelf, and continued to move about the house, packing the essentials that he would need for the trip. Who knew how long it would take.

He paused when he remembered Anya. She would need her things. They could pick them up on the way out of the city. There was one last thing that he needed to do. He picked up his phone and opened his speed dial. 

"It's me. Meet me here first thing in the morning."

****

Anya awoke to voices in the hallway. She sat up with a start, looking around at her unfamiliar surroundings. She blushed when she recalled where she was and what she had been doing all night. She couldn't believe that she had been so wanton with lust.

Her body responded to her memories, wetness pooling between her thighs. Although Tyrus had warned her of what his mark would do to her, she was amazed at how horny she still felt. Tyrus had been a skilled lover, knowing exactly how to pleasure her with his mouth, hands, and cock. She didn't want to think about the years of practice that got him to be so good. She had come so many times that she lost count. Yet, it felt like he had only dulled the effects of his blood slightly.

It didn't help that he was gorgeous. No man should ever have cheekbones and eyes like his. His unbelievable body was chiselled to perfection, as if he'd been sculpted by Michelangelo himself. And those beautiful lips... Her nipples peaked and her clitoris throbbed with need as she thought about him.

She couldn't believe that she'd just had the most amazing night with someone who looked like he did. It was just physical attraction, right? Sure, he'd declared his feelings for her when they were in the club, but he'd also thought that they were going to be killed.

She knew she was in trouble the moment she felt her defences come up. It meant that she really liked him. She'd always found it difficult to let men get close to her. She didn't need a shrink to tell her that growing up an orphan had given her some serious abandonment issues. The more she fell for them the more she pulled away. It was part of the reason her past relationships had always failed in the end, no matter how hard she tried. She didn't know if it could be different this time with Tyrus.

She groaned and rolled over, trying to distract herself. She didn't want to have to deal with her feelings for Tyrus, mixed up as they were, at- what time was it again? She peered at the sleek digital clock on the nightstand. The numbers read as six a.m. She frowned. Why would Tyrus have a visitor at this time? 

She got up, searching for her clothes. 

That's right you little minx, they're still outside on the living room floor where you left them, after your little strip show.

Her cheeks burned as she silently chastised herself, even as her body betrayed her by dampening further. She felt torn between an intense desire to satisfy her urges with her own fingers, and her mind's need to retain some modesty and normalcy. Her mind won, for now.

She glanced around the room, looking for something to cover up her nakedness. She opened up Tyrus' wardrobe. It was neat and filled with expensive looking shirts and sweaters, color-sorted and arranged by sleeve length. She blinked, not expecting what she saw. She grabbed a shirt, hoping he wouldn't mind. It was just long enough to reach her thighs. 

Cautiously, she opened the door. Tyrus was standing at his bar, talking to a petite woman with long honey-blonde hair. They were standing close together, speaking in hushed tones. At the sound of the door opening, they both turned around to look at Anya. She was not prepared for the wave of jealousy that hit her.




Night Hunt Ch. 08



The other woman was stunning. Then again, it seemed that everyone is this world was unnaturally blessed with good looks. Her light makeup showed off her beautiful features. Bright green eyes sparkled as she smiled at Anya. She looked like she was in her early twenties, but who knew how to tell age around here.

She wore a simple white tank top with a black bra underneath, skinny jeans, and converse sneakers. Even though her outfit was unremarkable, her clothes clung tightly to her body, highlighting her slender figure the way that clothing did on a Victoria's Secret model.

"Morning Anya. Sorry to wake you this early. This is Samantha," Tyrus introduced, his eyes darkening as he took in Anya's choice of clothing. His gaze travelled up and down her body in unabashed appraisal.

Anya tried not to squirm under the intensity of his scrutiny. She realised with embarrassment that he could probably smell her arousal. Could his friend tell too? She wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

"Hi! You must be Anya. Just call me Sam, everyone does," the blonde said warmly, moving forward to shake Anya's hand.

Anya took her hand stiffly, too distracted by the way that Tyrus was looking at her.

"Are you a vampire too?" She blurted, then mentally kicked herself. She didn't know the etiquette around here, but that certainly sounded rude.

"Elf," Sam replied without skipping a beat, still smiling. 

Anya gave a tentative smile back, relieved that Sam didn't appear offended.

"Sam is my housekeeper, and a close friend. She'll look after this place whilst we're gone."

"As the stereotype goes, I do love cleaning spaces and mending things. It doesn't hurt that I get paid for it too," Sam turned, looking at Tyrus, a gleam in her eye, "Though not nearly enough."

Anya tried to picture Tyrus doing housework and keeping the place as neat and spotless as it was now. She couldn't. It did make sense that he had a housekeeper. One who was an elf. She stifled a giggle at the ludicrousness of it all.

Tyrus growled at Sam, but his expression was a playful one. It was obvious from the way they interacted that the two of them were very familiar with one another. Again, a punch of jealousy hit Anya.

Whilst we're gone? She finally processed what Tyrus had just said.

In her haze of lust and sex, Anya had forgotten all about the mission that Tyrus had been given, as his punishment for not wiping her memory of him when they first met. She wondered if he regretted his actions. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. It was pointless looking back. She'd learnt long ago that regrets got one nowhere.

Sam frowned, stepping closer to Anya and interrupting her thoughts.

"Tyrus, you marked her? After all that you've told me she's been through? I would have expected much more from you," disappointment flooded her voice.

"I was just getting to that part," Tyrus said, his face turning serious, "Anyone who meets her will see a free human. Anything could happen to her. My scent marks her as mine, and by the law of the Governance, I can challenge anyone who dares to lay a hand on her. I'll make it clear now though. Anya is not a slave."

An odd look crossed Tyrus' face for a second, and then disappeared as if some decision had been made. He was at Anya's side in a couple of quick, purposeful strides. His arm snaked possessively around her hips. She automatically leaned into him, her heart thudding from his proximity.

Sam glanced between Tyrus and Anya, her eyebrows quirked, a slight smile tugging on the corner of her lips. Anya blushed, as she saw Sam draw her conclusions about what had happened when Tyrus marked her last night.

The elf nodded slowly, then looked directly at Anya, "has he been treating you right?" 

Her tone was neither probing, nor teasing, but one of genuine concern.

"Yes," Anya replied as evenly as she could, surprised. She decided that she liked Sam. She was usually not wrong at reading people, and Sam looked like someone with a strong sense of honor, and respect for others. She instilled an immediate sense of trust in Anya, which almost never happened.

"Baby, I'm going to load up the car and check on a few things before we leave," Tyrus said softly against her ear, his breath sending goosebumps up her arms.

Anya couldn't believe what his voice was doing to her. Usually, when she heard the word 'baby' she cringed, but when Tyrus said it, it sent a heat straight through to her abdomen.

"Will you be alright to go in about an hour? It's a two-day drive if we stop somewhere overnight to rest. I've already received a text from Maarav asking me when we're leaving."

She nodded.

"We'll stop by your place to pick up the things that you'll need," he continued, "I don't know how long this trip will take, but be prepared to be out there for more than a few days. We'll need to sort out your resignation with your boss too, which you can do from here. When we get back, we'll get the rest of your things and move you in here with me."

She didn't miss the uncertainty in his voice at the last sentence. He was still unsure of her acceptance of the way that things had turned out, she realised. They hadn't even gone on a first date, and now they were moving in together.

To Anya, the whole situation still felt surreal. Was she really leaving her entire life behind? Strangely enough, she didn't feel much loss. This world was quickly becoming more real to her the longer she had the time to wrap her mind around it. She wondered at how she could feel more at home here, than she had ever been anywhere else, with a two hundred year old vampire and an elf who was also a housekeeper, in a building that secretly housed supernatural beings.

She looked up at Tyrus and tried to covey what she felt, to reassure him that she wanted to be here. She could figure out what was going on between them later, but she belonged here. She placed a hand on his arm.

"Okay," she replied, not knowing what else to say.

"Sam, could you help show Anya to my computer so she can get to her email? I'll be back in about twenty minutes."

When Sam nodded, Tyrus moved to leave, but not before giving Anya a smouldering look and then a gentle peck on her forehead. Anya's stomach did a summersault. He let go of her, picked up a couple of duffle bags from the floor, and was out of the door before she could react. She did her best to ignore the fresh arousal pooling between her thighs as the door swung shut. It was hard to process her own feelings when all her body wanted to do was jump him.

"Wow, I've never seen the man look at anyone like that before. That was hot!" Sam whistled low.

Anya blushed furiously. "I'm sure he must've had an ex or two before meeting me," she mumbled, trying to divert Sam's attention from her.

The elf's eyes widened, "No... He hasn't been with anyone since he was turned. I mean, if you're talking about meaningless sex, of course he's had plenty. Being supernatural means that your senses are heightened, which also means that you're horny like, all the time. Around here, everyone sleeps with everyone. Can't judge anyone for that. But... I've never seen him like this before. He has it bad for you, believe me."

Anya wasn't sure what to make of the frank way that Sam spoke, or the way her heart was pounding at the thought that she could really be that special to someone like Tyrus. Surely he must have had opportunities with many other girls. 

Maybe he was this way with all girls after a night together. How would Sam know for sure that last night wasn't just about sex- albeit incredible, mind-blowing, send-you-to-the-moon sex- to Tyrus? She was an adult. She knew what a good morning after could be like for two people who found each other physically attractive. It didn't mean that Tyrus was in love with her, like Sam's tone seemed to imply.

"So... He's never even had a girlfriend before?" 

"Well not as a vampire, no. Some shit happened when he was a human, and then he got killed and turned, and it screwed him up real bad for a really long time. You'll have to ask him about that yourself one day. It's not my story to tell," Sam sighed, a sad look in her eyes.

Curiosity sparked in Anya. She wondered what could have shaken up someone like Tyrus. He looked like he was someone who got other people hurt, not the other way around. Then again, she'd seen the other side of him when they were alone.

"I can see that he means something to you too. Take care of him, will you? He looks tough, but deep down... Well you know," Sam said ruefully.

Anya was afraid to tell Sam just how ill-equipped she was for what she was asking. 

"Have you ever... With Tyrus?" Anya was almost afraid to ask, but she simply couldn't help it. Sam sounded like she really cared about Tyrus, and she had to know.

"Me and Tyrus? No, never. He's seen me grow up and I can only see him as a brother. I've known him practically my whole life. It's hard to see him any other way. He's not really my type anyways. You've got nothing to worry about babe," Sam replied with a wink.

"Besides, I've got a boyfriend, Enrique. I met him last month on my holiday in Europe. He's from Spain, but he was backpacking through France, like I was. He's an Incaendo demon. Wicked hot. I'm really falling for him, like, head over heels. Ohhh my god, the sex is incredible. He's got a dick the size of-"

"Hey Sam, weren't you going to show me Tyrus' computer?" Anya interrupted before Sam could go into details. 

Not that she minded Sam's open sexuality. She'd gotten used to talk like that, with her late best friend Lara, who had died in a car crash four years ago. Lara had been a lot more outgoing than Anya, and had no shortage of men lining up to ask her out. She'd been carefree, vivacious, and a magnet for trouble. It was refreshing to hear girltalk like that after so long. 

She just found that talking about sex now, with Tyrus' mark on her, was getting her uncomfortably turned on. She also still didn't have any underwear on. A glance at the living room floor reminded her that Tyrus had shredded her only pair of panties in the place. 

"Oops, TMI? Come on, I'll show you the study," Sam said, changing the subject, thankfully unaware of Anya's predicament.

Anya breathed a sigh of relief as she followed behind the petite blonde to the computer. She glanced at the large desk, deciding not to tell Sam about what she and Tyrus had juust done on it a few hours ago. She forced herself to focus, clearing her mind as the computer started up.

Once logged on, Anya learnt that you could quit your job of two years in only five minutes. Her finger trembled as she clicked the 'send' button. It was final. She had just severed her final tie to her human life.

Sam laid a hand on Anya's shoulder, "that's it, huh. How do you feel?"

Anya shrugged. She bit her lip, trying to sort through her emotions. In the end she decided that it was pointless to try to settle on just one.

"Anxious. Excited. Scared. Free," she blurted, the words tumbling out of her mouth. She was surprised that she was opening up to Sam about this.

"And hungry," she added as an afterthought, hoping vampires kept food around in their kitchens.

Both of them laughed.

"When was the last time you ate? Trust Tyrus to forget about feeding his guest. I keep his kitchen stocked with some staples in case he ever feels like cooking. Let's see if there's something I can whip up for the both of us."

Anya shut down the computer and they left for the kitchen where Sam got busy, opening cupboards and pulling out jars and boxes and a frying pan. She moved with speed and grace, humming to herself whilst seeming to do everything at once. Anya watched in awe, mesmerised. It wasn't long before freshly squeezed orange juice, two omelettes, and a massive stack of pancakes appeared on the table in front of her.

"Coffee or tea?" Sam asked cheerily.

"Coffee, please. Sam, this is incredible!" Anya gushed.

Sam winked at Anya, her green eyes sparkling, "glad to be of service. Now dig in!"

Anya complied happily, stabbing at the pancakes with enthusiasm. The first bite had her sighing in appreciation. She hadn't had homemade pancakes in years, and this was the best pancake she'd ever eaten. When she had downed a couple of them, she moved on the omelette. That too, was just as good. Anya wondered how Sam had gotten so much flavour into such a simple dish. 

Sam had sat herself down across from Anya and was attacking the pancake stack with equal fervour. Anya was glad that Sam wasn't one of those girls who didn't eat. For a while, the kitchen was silent except for the sound of chewing. Soon, the plates were empty, and Anya groaned from the new fullness in her belly.

"Oh my god, that was sooo good! Thanks Sam. Tyrus is really lucky to have you working for him," she mumbled around her last mouthful of pancake.

"Yes I am," a deep voice chuckled from beside her.

Anya's heart skipped a beat as she turned towards the sound.

Tyrus was standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the fridge, a smirk on his face. She wondered how long he had been there, wishing she hadn't just stuffed such a big mouthful of pancake into her mouth. She tried to discreetly wipe the maple syrup that had landed on her chin, flushing. 

Here she was, looking like a slob, and he was standing there looking perfectly together in his fitted black t-shirt and jeans. She wished his lean, muscled frame didn't look so obvious from where she was sitting. She wondered how he managed to look so good even without any sleep. Her libido was suddenly kicking into overdrive again now that he was back.

"I can take over from here Sam. Thanks for feeding my girl here."

Anya's heart skipped a beat. He had called her his girl, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She looked at him, and blushed when she realised he was watching her, checking for her reaction. She glanced away, avoiding eye contact. She didn't know if she was ready to move this fast yet.

"My pleasure Tyrus. Keep her safe, will you? I think I like her," Sam replied with a wink at Anya, apparently oblivious to what had transpired.

Sam did the dishes even quicker than she had prepared breakfast, waving Anya away adamantly when she had offered to help. 

When she was done, Tyrus turned to Anya, "ready to go, love?"

"Almost," she replied, "just let me get changed first."

She should have felt embarrassed that her clothes were on the living room floor, but her time with Sam had relaxed her. She just knew that Sam wouldn't judge. She left the kitchen to gather her clothes, then ducked into the bathroom. She peed as quickly as she could, and shrugged out of the shirt she was wearing, exchanging it for last night's bra and dress. She would have to remain without underwear, given that it was still shredded to bits. She was out again in less than 5 minutes.

Tyrus was standing near the main door, waiting for her. Sam saw them out, deciding to stay to tidy up the place whilst they were gone. Before they left, she looked at Tyrus, her forehead bunched up with worry.

"Seriously Tyrus, be careful. These rebels don't sound like your usual disgruntled bunch. Don't worry about things here, I've got them covered. Watch your back and don't go looking for more trouble than you need to, okay?"

Tyrus reached down and, to Anya's surprise, gave the petite elf a quick hug and an affectionate squeeze to her arm.

"You know me Sam, I don't take chances. Those rebels are the ones who need to watch their backs."

"Alright," Sam conceded with a sigh, "you take care, big guy. Sure you don't want to leave Anya here with me?"

Tyrus shook his head, "you know she's safer staying close to me, with my mark on her."

Sam nodded in agreement. She gave Anya a little wave as they exchanged their goodbyes, and then all of a sudden, Tyrus and Anya were out the door and standing alone in the hallway.

Tyrus let out a slow exhale, his face grim. He took Anya's hand and laced her fingers with his. He stared into her eyes for a long moment. She waited, not wanting to break the silence. He broke it first, taking a step forward.

"Here we go."