We Are The Hunted [Demetri Volturi]

Chapter 53

For Kahlen it felt exhilarating to be in the field. Fighting as if there were no limits placed on her. Back to full strength in mortal form and fending off the newborns that were recently turned by a mass murderer. Easily, the young woman shifted to her hunter mode as the film appeared over the pupil. And there was no fear of having an episode either. Though that didn't mean she went overboard to test their theories. She shoved one of the guns into the mouth of a male vampire and pulled the trigger. If Kahlen hoped to escape the guard members once they neared Germany, she couldn't get sick and be a bleeding mess. It'd only make it easier for Demetri to capture and drag her back to the castle.

"Felix!" she shouted.

The hunter shoved a vampire into his waiting arm. They were crushed a moment later. Kahlen ducked as an arm passed overhead, removing a short blade from the hip to slice off the nearest leg. The vampire crumbled to the ground in pain. The tip quickly embedded itself between his eyebrows, halting all struggles. It came barreling in from the side, tackling Kahlen roughly to the ground as they rolled around for dominance. Pinning the vampire to the dirt chest first, she bent an arm back at a painful angle. The gun pressed against the temple as the bloodsucker stared up at her wildly, yet terrified.

"That was rude," she stated, before pulling the trigger.

A quick glance around the field revealed that what remained of the altercation was taken care of by Demetri and Felix. The twins had a hold of the one responsible for all of this. Alec's mist kept him in place, while Jane's gift tortured him for information. To be sure none of his children were hiding out. Pushing to her feet the young woman pulled out a small box of matches to start a bonfire for the corpses.

"Looked to me you were having a bit of trouble there for a moment," Felix teased.

The young woman rolled her eyes. "Say what you want, but I still gained the upper hand," she said.

"Did you know he was there?" Demetri wondered.

"Yes, I did." But his expression said that he didn't believe her. "Don't worry so much, you'll get gray hairs, even for a vampire. You all get rough with your opponents every now and then, I'm allowed to do the same."

"Doesn't mean I like it," he muttered, tossing another body into the flames.

"You don't have to, but that's how the hunt goes sometimes. Keeps things interesting."

Felix snickered at the two before the twins joined them with their target's body. Both ripped him to pieces.

"We have them all," Jane relayed. "Makes it easier for us."

A twitch of movement caught Kahlen's eye. A vampire hadn't quite been exterminated. She stalked over to finish the job.

"She had it handled," the brute reassured the tracker. "Have a little faith in her. Kahlen was a hunter long before you were involved."

"She wasn't sick before," Demetri countered.

"She's gotten better."

"But it's not a set cure yet."

The two ceased their talking as the young woman returned. Once the flames extinguished, they decided to travel back towards Volterra at a normal pace. Which worked just fine for Kahlen. Their cloaks billowed around them as they walked. Kahlen reloaded her guns and took inventory of supplies to pass the time.

"How close to the border?" she asked.

"Two hours," Jane answered. "We'll pick up speed once we're there."

The young woman nodded, knowing she needed to come up with some way to remove herself from the Guard. A majority of their travel passed by silently with minimal conversation in hushed tones usually reserved between Felix, Demetri, and Kahlen. Alec and Jane only commented every now and again. The farther they traveled one member gradually grew quieter.

Something felt off to Demetri. His eyes scanned the surrounding forest discreetly. It felt like they were being watched, even though they eliminated their target. An animal may likely be the culprit, but they stayed away from vampires. He couldn't smell a human either that may have decided to go on a hike. Then there was the possibility of a werewolf or shifter, though their stench would have tipped off the others as well. The low hum of Felix and Kahlen's conversation dulled in his ears, trying to hone in on this unknown presence. It almost felt familiar, being in this position before yet his mind couldn't quite remember from where.

It continued like this for another twenty minutes. His senses only became more aware of this looming presence. That something wasn't right and that caused the tracker to pause in a small clearing. The twins paused as well.

"Is something wrong?" Alec questioned.

"We're be followed, watched," he muttered.

The vampires began scanning the surrounding trees.

"What's wrong?" Kahlen questioned.

Something shifted as a crick sounded. Followed by a release of swift air. It was a noise that haunted Demetri, whirling on the hunter in absolute terror. The sound of death.

"Kahlen!"

Phewpht.