We Are The Hunted [Demetri Volturi]

Chapter 55

Chapter Inspiration: After The Titanic by The Eden Project

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Kahlen watched horrified as the Guard moved from their hiding spots to engage the armed hunters.. They weren't going to win, even if they studied her fighting style after all these months during training. These hunters liked to play dirty and were sadistic killers. None feared death, but absolutely loved the thrill of the extermination processes. And it wouldn't be a quick death either. The vampires would die, slowly, painfully. There would be nothing left of them.

The free hand pulled from the grass, to fumble around looking for a weapon. But her hands were trembling so bad she couldn't gain a proper grip on the handle of the gun in the holster.

"Shit..." she barely managed out. Every time she attempted to roll over the more it hurt.

Someone was screaming. Kahlen caught sight of Jane utilizing her gifts on a female and male hunter. They withered on the ground in agony, clutching at their heads in a desperate attempt to make it stop. Apparently, their assumption had been correct. Not all hunters were immune to vampire gifts.

There was a loud crash as dirt kicked up into the air where Felix slammed back first into the ground, taking the hunter with him as they tumbled about. Another rough cough escaped her chest. The blood nearly choked her this time. A blur of movement rushed by only to come to a violent halt feet away. Demetri. And Gabe had him pinned.

"Are you watching this, Kahlen?" the male hunter mocked. "Some Volturi Guard you've allied with. I've heard stories of them and hoped for more of a challenge. But at least tonight we know for certain who the strongest is."

With a snarl the tracker flipped him off and they gave chase once more. The guard members wouldn't last.

"Rip them to pieces," the Scottish hunter shouted with a laugh.

With a strangled cry the young woman finally managed to roll onto a side, spitting up the red liquid in the process. She was struggling, and hated feeling weak, useless, and vulnerable. But then she saw Demetri with a fierce, unwavering determination facing off against the sadistic man. His courage and leveled head broke through her growing fear and worry. There was no use arguing. Clearly the Guard wouldn't leave her behind no matter how much she begged. But they weren't going to escape this unharmed and in one piece.

"And if he were gone forever, I'd tear whoever caused that to happen apart limb by limb, slowly and painfully."

And with blood staining clenched teeth the white film instantly formed over the pupils. Adrenaline rushed through her feeling stronger in an instant, body trying to counter the wound and heal it faster. The young woman pushed to her feet slowly, much to the surprise of those around them.

"What the hell?" a woman shouted.

A shot to the body with that much damage, even an experienced hunter wouldn't be able to stand that quickly. Or even attempt a hunt in order to fight.

"Kahlen, just stay down–!" Demetri ordered.

But the words got caught in his throat at the murderous look in her expression. None dared to speak against her next course of action. She lunged with such speed it caught one of the hunters nearby off guard. His head jerked back by the hair as a blade pressed into the skin before ripping it open. There was no time to pause as her blade clashed with another, and no time to be distracted as Demetri engaged Gabe once more. Before the hunter could attack the young woman. They went rolling, twisting, and turning in a blur, ripping up everything in their path. At times snapping trees as if they were mere twigs. There were many close calls in their encounters. And now Felix sported a crack to his own skin from a near fatal attack from the Scottish man feet away.

Kahlen had her opponent pinned to the ground, a man who thrashed wildly trying to stab the young woman with his blade. A fist slammed into his jaw so roughly it knocked the hunter unconscious. But it wasn't enough. Kahlen positioned the short sword high overhead to finish the job when something flew through the air. The attack forced Kahlen to cartwheel out of the way as three arrows landed in the area her body once occupied, just missing the hunter on the ground. Glaring up at the trees the young woman's eyes landed on the man. The only one who hadn't climbed down as he notched another arrow. She scooped up a discarded weapon on the ground and threw it through the air with deadly aim. The hunter swiftly rolled to the right behind the tree trunk allowing Kahlen to scoop up another. Predicting his movements the next blade went hurtling through the air. The tip embedded in the unsuspecting enemy's forehead as he peeked around. Instantly, his body went limp and fell from its perch to the forest floor.

To the right, the young woman took notice of a wall made of black mist, being sure to not venture inside. Kahlen threw back an elbow without warning. It cracked against Gabe's jaw as he swooped in on her position. The force sent him flipping before hitting the ground roughly. Demetri didn't hesitate to lunge on top of him.

A screech in the air drew Kahlen's attention, whirling on the ball of a foot. It was Jane, who lay on the ground with half her arm already torn off at the shoulder. A male hunter's blade sat embedded in the hard skin and continued to peel it off as a foot pressed into the vampire's spine. The same one that had once been withering on the ground. Apparently, their other assumption on the matter of a vampire's gift had been correct as well. Kahlen wasn't the only one that could adapt and be virtually immune to gifts.

The hunter watched with sick satisfaction as he ripped into one of the witch twins slowly, painfully, gaining his revenge on the blonde. The other hunter continued to lay on the ground from the lingering effects, screaming like a mad woman while clawing at the dirt. Suddenly, then the air seemed to shift around them, feeling as if he was no longer in control of the situation. As if he were being hunted. Eyes widened realizing that Kahlen stood in front of them. She ripped him off Jane, face slamming into the ground so harshly the skin broke. Pulling up the hunter by the back of the shirt he was tossed back into the chaos. Swallowed up by the black mist that drew closer. Felix struggled to hold the upper hand over the Scottish man. Meanwhile, the hunter that had been knocked unconscious pushed himself up, head shaking. They wouldn't get anywhere without taking out the leader, who grappled with Demetri.

Kahlen stalked towards them, the tracker noticing this out of the corner of his eyes. If Gabe realized the approaching danger or not he couldn't tell. He quickly looked away to be sure not to give away the young woman's position. There was one way to distract Gabe further. Watching his movements in a calculating manner before his gun came around, Demetri shifted out of the way of the bullet. It grazed an arm and he grunted in response. A dagger then buried into the opposite shoulder to the hilt. The action forced the vampire to a knee, glaring up at the hunter who seemed more than pleased by the outcome. Gabe pressed the barrel of the gun to the guard member's temple.

"You're no tracker," Gabe mocked. "I would have hoped you'd last longer. But maybe that was wishful thinking. It's been years since I've had a decent challenge. I'm very disappointed–"

A scream tore from his throat as the hand holding the gun was sliced off. The hunter found himself ripped away from Demetri, flipping through the air. The man landed roughly on the ground bouncing to a halt. There wasn't time to recover. A hand gripped him violently by the hair to pull, back pressing against Kahlen's chest while her other hand had a firm grip under the jaw.

Gabe roared in anger and frustration. His nails dug into the skin of the nearest arm, yet Kahlen's grip never faltered. She held him in place.

"I'm the strongest," she snarled in his ear. "And I will always be stronger than you."

With a swift jerk his neck snapped causing the man to instantly fall limp. Kahlen shoved him away, stumbling back a few steps to stare at the corpse. Her breath sounded heavily in the ears realizing she had indeed won. The hunter ripped through their forces and eliminated most of the threat alongside the Guard. The film on the eyes flickered for a moment and disappeared completely. The young woman collapsed once more and stared up at the gray sky.