Page 4 of Hunt Me

“You’ll be joining me on my return trip?” Ezra asked in disbelief.

“That is correct. Unless there is some reason why I shouldn’t?” Luka curiously asked, narrowing his eyes at his advisor.

“Certainly not. I would be honored by your presence.”

“Very well. Be ready to answer all my questions regarding this little arrangement.”

“I will be. Is there anything else you wish to discuss before I take my leave?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. Please be seated.”

“Very well,” Ezra responded, accepting a seat.

“I want to discuss the blood donor shortage.”

“This is purely conjecture, but we believe the donors are being convinced or coached not to participate.”

Luka furrowed his brows in confusion. “Expound.”

“We interviewed several of our donors regarding their reasoning, and they simply said they didn’t wish to participate. We suggested pay increases, and they flat out denied it.”

“That’s very peculiar. These donors’ livelihoods depend on payment in exchange for blood. How are they feeding their families otherwise?”

“That is the question. This leads me to believe they are finding work elsewhere, someone is paying them not to donate, or we will soon be facing an uprising. Not to mention this behavior coincides with the rise of vampire-hunter-related deaths,” Ezra explained.

“So… we have two culprits: the wolves or the hunters. Perhaps they are working together. I look forward to our visit to Moonshire.”

2

The Huntress

“Tilda, this is my third time seeing you this week!” the bounty collector exclaimed with delight.

“You can thank the never-ending shortage of vampires in Night Falls,” Matilda nonchalantly replied, dropping the heavy canvas bag dripping with blood onto the desk. “Oops,” she mumbled when a head rolled out of the bag onto the floor, leaving a bloody trail behind it. “I’ll get that.”

Matilda triumphantly retrieved the head and turned it in her hands until it faced her.

“God, it’s so ugly,” she proclaimed, childishly hissing at the fanged monster, knowing damn well he couldn’t retaliate. He was a crafty bastard, and Matilda hated to admit it, but he almost got the jump on her. She had gotten bold and cocky after landing a few solid punches to his face and ribs with her silver brass knuckles. Her prey hissed from a combination of pain and annoyance, and she nearly lost her life when she started shit-talking and tripped over an inconvenient log. She fell on her back with a shriek, and the opportunistic vamp didn’t hesitate to jump on her. Matilda cried out in pain when he swiped her face with his razor-like claws. He reared back and sank his fangs into her shoulder, giving Matilda the opening she needed to stab him in his side. She stifled a cry when he tore his fangs away with a loud shriek. She scrambled for her fallen ax and climbed to her feet just in time to relieve the pesky vampire of his head.

Covered in the vampire’s blood, Matilda collapsed onto the dirt and thanked the gods for sparing her. Her father always chastised her for her arrogance in battle and warned her that she would be her own downfall if she didn’t focus. Her close call that night was the wake-up call she needed.

“Here you go,” Matilda announced, dropping the head onto the bounty collector’s desk. “What am I owed?”

“You managed to bring in two males and a female. You know the math: 50 silver pieces for each male and 25 for the woman. You receive your share of the bounty, and the rest goes to the blood donor fund. I’m feeling generous, so I’ll round you up to 20 silver pieces.”

“Thank you for your generosity,” Matilda drawled.

“Thank your sire who invented the rules.”

“I know. Please forgive me for seeming ungrateful. This is more than enough for me to get a room for the night, indulge in a fattening meal, and have a few pints of ale. I’ll work harder.”

“That’s the spirit, and maybe if you take Belzar up on his offer, then you can get all of that for free.”

“Ew. I’d rather sleep on the streets and starve.”

“Well, if you only bring in three heads, that might become a possibility. Run along, Tilda.”

Matilda snatched up her meager earnings and added them to her flimsy leather satchel that held her paltry collection of coins. Tomorrow, she would collect four heads. Satisfied with the thought, Matilda started toward the decrepit inn tucked away in one of Night Falls’s rougher quarters. She might end up with fleas again, but the food and ale were well worth the risk.