Crimson River by Wulfshard (bts books to read txt) 📕

quick, flowing movement. Then he rushed at her, acting like he was going to hit her left thigh. Just when he was a few feet away he raised for a right-side waist slash. And his face hit the floor. The weapon was jerked from his arm as both were twisted back. It was to his neck.
"How the hell do you expect to get anything done doing that shit?" Aria growled in his ear. A shiver went down his spine. She was so close to his neck...
Aria released him. Vince let himself cool down before getting up.
"You'd be dead twice now." She hissed at him. "How the hell do you stay alive out there?"
He shrugged. "We're in teams."
"Fine. I'll show you how to hunt with a vampire. Since you guys are cowards now and don't know how to fight anymore...you're staying with me."
"So...I'm getting hunting lessons...from a vampire?"
The irony...

She smiled. "You'll enjoy it. Because you'll be around me. Now here. Let's try that again."

It was an hour and a half before Aria was even slightly pleased with Vince's performance.
"That should be good enough." She growled. "Simply because the people you have to really worry about will avoid you because of who I am and the fact that we'll stay in my territory, I'm sure you'll be fine. Most of the people who you will be killing

I will have seen before and have a problem with. Now, get your stuff and let's leave. I'm hungry."
Vince heard the impatience in her voice. It sparked a fire to hear her talking about feeding on somebody else again, but he didn't have a chance to argue; she was gone. Vince packed his stuff and headed for the door, aware of her in the shadows just beyond human sight.
I have a feeling my lessons haven't ended for the night.

******

It was a nice night for hunting; a new moon and a crowded street. I knew the bars would be a good place to hunt, but...he wasn't old enough. I walked in the shadows just out of human sight. A group of teens spotted him and waved, looking relieved to see the velvet uniform.
"Is that you Vince?" They were girls from school. He paused and approached them.
"Hey guys. It's been a while, huh Rose?"
She nodded shyly at him. She was a short girl with dark brown hair and light green eyes. The smell of the group's blood was revolting. Only one person's blood made my throat burn, and he was too weak for me to feed.
"We were starting to get worried. Your dad said you were out on your own now as a hunter. But we've not seen you! We thought you'd died on the job or something!"
If he were a slayer I could see that. But the world isn't as dangerous for his type. Most of those he hunts laugh and walk away - without letting him know they were even there.

"No. I just got roughed up." He shrugged it off. "Since I can hunt again, I'll be happy to walk you girls home. Maybe I'll go to school tomorrow."
"We want to stay out late tonight, though."
I couldn't take it; I revealed myself to the humans. Everybody but Vince jumped. He just looked irritated.
"Common, Aria. Not here..."
"They want to stay out late." I remarked, starting to get anxious. "Why don't you introduce me?" I slightly enforced the idea through our bond.
"Look, girls, this is Aria. She's not the type to hurt you."
The group actually relaxed.
"Are you friends with her?" The only guy of the group asked. He was taller than Vince, with an emo hair style and chains on baggy black pants and no shirt.
Kids these days...

"More or less." I answered for him. "I'm showing him a few things about hunting the baddies."
"She's the vampire who keeps other vamps out of this area."
"You mean this is her turf?" Rose became tense. "Does that mean she's hunting...um...you know..."
Vince looked like he was about to loose his temper.
"Yes." I replied again, watching him closely. "But I don't take unwilling blood. Vince here has agreed to let me without tagging me as long as we live together and always help one another out - so he can keep an eye on me."
If I don't feed from him he'll start feeling the repercussions. Maybe I do need to take some from him...after I've had enough to control myself.

Rose looked interested. "You know...I've never been bitten before."
Her friends looked at her like she was insane. "Ever? You've never

even offered?"
Her cheeks became red. "Well...n-no..."
Relief washed through me. She wouldn't need convincing. "How about we find a place for just the three of us, then? I'll show you how my fangs feel."
I saw a shiver of fear and excitement passed through the girl. Taking her hand, I nodded the lead to Vince. He would know the best place to go at this time. I just used my place, but he wanted to hunt some of those that took from me.
We moved down the block toward an apartment complex I knew had a few vacancies. Rose became quiet as she allowed me to lead her away from the company of her astonished friends. I heard them talking about being worried, but none of them moved; they were too afraid that maybe Vince wouldn't be able to protect all of them if something went wrong.
Not even he was a match for me. Even they knew that.
As we walked down the street a girl and her dog paused. They watched me carefully. Both of them stank of death. The energy of souls flowed around them. Vince blinked. He looked a little confused, and I realized that our bond would allow him to feel that power.
"What's wrong?" Rose asked quietly.
"Nothing. Vince...can you deal with this mongrel?"
He nodded.
"Just remember that the shadows aren't your friend in this case. I'll be right there."
"What are you talking about?"
Rose sounded confused and frightened.
"Never mind. We'll take care of it. But right now you and I will need to go off on our own."
I grabbed her into my arms and kicked off the ground. The Necromancer growled in frustration. Before she could react, Vince had knocked her off her feet. I heard her cry out in surprise a moment before I hit the air current. Choosing a flat roof quickly, I put the hunter's friend down.
"W-why are you leaving him alone?"
"I need to feed before I'm useful." I told her quickly. "And I need to hear you agree to me biting you."
"Of course."
Taking her wrist, I knelt down and sank my fangs in. She tried to jerk as she called out in pain. Blood, hot and high in oxygen flooded my mouth. It took all my might not to pull away; my body wanted Vince's. But the fire in my throat, the weakness in my limps, told me there was no way around it. I gulped down several mouthfuls before pulling away gently. Her eyes were wide.
"W-why would anybody like this?" She demanded. I could see she'd started to cry.
"I'm sorry, Rose. I needed that. Normally I'd take more, until you became light headed, but I can't give you that. Vince needs me."
She looked confused. "You mean they get high off it, and that's why?"
I laughed. "Exactly. Try it with a vampire who isn't protecting a human and you'll see the difference."
The scent of Vince's blood stirred the need. He was cut. I felt his pain.
"Look, I'll be right back. Rest here for a moment."
Then I rushed back to the fight in time to pull the Necromancer off the boy; he'd somehow ended up on the ground with a cut along his arm. The dog lurched at me. Vince put a holy bullet through the dead animal's skull, sending it flying as I pinned the little death-keeper to the ground.
"What the hell are you doing on my turf, Necromancer? Did you fucking ask me if you could collect souls around here?"
She was shaking. From the smell of her she'd not been doing this long.
"I-I didn't know a vampire walked these roads! I'm sorry!"
I pulled myself off her. "Mess with my bonded again and I will fuck you up."
She picked herself up and went over to her animal. I felt her use magic to heal the body and bring the animal back. He would be tangled into her soul, and therefore very important to her.
"I won't bother you the hunter, alright? I just need souls! They're dead already."
"Kill a single human, Necromancer, and your death will be slow and full of agony."
Her and her dog ran off into the night. I doubted she'd come back here for a while, just in case. Turning to Vince, I helped him up.
"Are you alright?" I asked quietly, trying to keep my eyes away from the wound.
"Yes. I think that dagger was poisoned."
Looking at the wound alone told me it was. I knew how to solve that, but it wasn't something he wanted to hear.
"Why are you looking at me like that? This fucking hurts!"
It took me a minute to locate the mind I wanted. Once I did, however, I sent the pulse command.
"Sit down; Kane will be here in a minute."
He did. I looked around warily. There was a group of teens that I knew for a fact were demons. They were watching us warily. One in particular looked anxious to be away from my glare. The group could kick our asses, but stayed back. Demons didn't work together often, and were probably here for a reason that didn't concern me.
Still...this isn't free grounds. I'm getting tired of the demons picking off the humans and it getting blamed on me. They may just be here to dine.

Kane was there in five minutes. He sniffed the wound and gave it a lick.
"Ouch! Hey -"
The wound healed completely. The wolf looked at me. I pointed at the demons. "Take care of them for me, would you?"
There was a gleam of excitement in his eyes. The wolf raced across the street. Half-way there the bones cracked and shifted. By the time he reached the demons the beast was a powerful wolf that stood like a man. I relished in their screams as I fetched Rose.
I leaned down and began to kiss Vince's neck.
"Please don't tease me..." The hunter told me quietly.
"I'm not teasing."
Then I bit deep. Waves of his pleasure washed through me. He laid onto his back. The sound of a girl running away told me Rose wasn't sticking around. The blood was refreshing; full of a power I understood was from the blood of the Fae. It was so good...exactly what I wanted, what I needed. His moans only encouraged me.
I forced myself to stop before he was weak. It was enough to last me for a few days.
"Did you use your magic tonight?" I asked quietly.
"No. I don't understand how."
"You could kill her easily with that magic of yours."
"I didn't want to kill her."
It was strange to hear him say that, being a Fae and human. Necromancers were the nemesis of both his races. But he didn't know that. Picking up onto his feet, I signaled for Kane to come back to me. My werewolf