We Are The Hunted [Demetri Volturi]

Chapter 54

Chapter Inspiration: The Hunted by Snow Ghosts

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Whuphut.

The young woman took a staggering step back, trying to process what happened. Four pairs of eyes landed on her, startled, some worried. And then Kahlen looked down to find a hole in the diaphragm. The shot cleanly escaped out the back as warm blood spilled from the wound.

"Shit," her voice shook.

The pain began to set in. Crawling through her like fire before staring at the vampires again.

"Run," Kahlen breathed.

Her knees gave out, dropping to the ground and roughly landing on her back. It forced the air from the lungs as she desperately tried to regain it.

"Kahlen–!"

Another shot rang out, louder than the last. It hit the ground just in front of Demetri's feet and caused him to lunge further away. He snarled dodging another. The Volturi quickly spread out to take cover in the rocks. Forced to leave the young woman bleeding out in the open.

"What's going on?" Felix exclaimed.

But the assailants wouldn't kill her just yet.

"Kahlen Watson!" a voice shouted, echoing in the forest. No, they wanted to make sure she heard the sentence. "You've really fucked up this time." They waited years to make her suffer. "By order of the Hunter Council you are hereby charged with aiding the enemy with classified information and working alongside them willingly. After what we just witnessed, we have all the proof we need."

Kahlen's teeth clenched. One hand attempted to staunch the blood, the other gripping at the grass from the pain.

"Did you honestly think we wouldn't notice your absence? That it was a little strange you were hanging around one place for too long? That we wouldn't figure out you allied yourself with the very creatures we hunt?"

"Fuck you, Gabe," she managed out.

He chuckled as there was movement around them. The vampires watched seven hunters make their presence known from their higher vantage point in the trees. All wearing black, equipped with various weapons to their skill sets. All highly dangerous.

"You've been traipsing around Europe like you're a pureblooded hunter, and I grow bored and annoyed whenever the damn Council brings you up in conversation. Because even though you leave a bad taste in their mouth, they can't help but be 'impressed' with your level of skills, and the amount of violations you're able to get away with is almost laughable when the rest of us are forced to abide by the law."

"I am not the only wanderer who doesn't... always follow rules..."

"But they aren't tainted like you are."

One of the hunters shot at a rock when the brute tried peaking further over the edge. Kahlen's eyes flickered in his direction before landing back on the man.

"You've extended your welcome within the community, and I can't even begin to tell you how much this is going to please me to carry out this order," Gabe grinned.

"We are here on strict orders by the leaders of Volterra," Jane said. "You are operating in our jurisdiction–"

"We don't give a damn, bloodsucker," a woman shot back with a dangerous expression. "We are above you."

The blonde snarled. Her brother clasped a shoulder roughly to prevent her from doing something that would get her killed. These opponents weren't to be underestimated.

"If you knew what was good for you, you'd shove off," a man with a thick Scottish accent stated.

"We were ordered to return intact," Demetri pressed. "All of our numbers. And we have done nothing against the Council."

"You are out of line," Felix added.

"We don't take orders from you," a hunter stated.

"Then we will not hesitate to engage," Alec said.

The vampires were in agreement, preparing themselves–

"No!" Kahlen ordered, startling the Guard. "You will not engage!"

"Have you gone mental?" Demetri roared. "You are bleeding out!"

"This is my decision and this does not concern you, vampire!" The fact that the hunter addressed him by that name alarmed the tracker. "Go back to Volterra where you belong and leave this to me. They aren't after you."

"Well, not right now," Gabe smirked. "If they don't step out of line that is."

Exactly. If any of the vampires went up against the hunters now they would be hunted to the death. And she wasn't about to allow that to happen.

"Listen to me, if you fight against them you'll start a war with the hunters, and that's something you do not want," Kahlen tried to reason with them.

"Always trying to be the negotiator, Kahlen," Gabe mocked. "And how's that working out for you?" She coughed violently, blood coming through the lips. "Very well, let's all try to be civilized then! I'll give it a try. We will grant you bloodsuckers... free passage, if you will. You go quietly and the Council will forget this interaction even happened, and we'll take things from here. You can return safely to Volterra without a crack in your perfect skin."

Kahlen took a shaky breath as the silence dragged on. She prayed they would just leave. Slip away quietly. This would all be nothing more than a memory anyway in a matter of minutes or hours.

"And how can we trust your word?" Alec questioned. "We don't know you."

"Maybe you can't, but none of you have many options in this matter. After all, you are outnumbered and matched. We've been hunting your kind for centuries, and none of you were even aware we existed until this one showed up on your doorstep."

Another cough escaped Kahlen. The hand began to shake from the shock, as it pressed harder against the bleeding wound. The bleeding wouldn't let up.

"Then we are at an impasse." The young woman's breath caught in her throat. "We're not leaving without the hunter."

"No..." Kahlen breathed, though barely audible.

Gabe and the other hunters laughed sadistically. A cruel grin spread across the hunter's lips.

"I was hoping you would say that."