THIRTY-EIGHT| OUT OF THE FRYING PAN

"Hunter," Ry snarls, confirming my suspicions as the woman grins.

"And you kids are Wolven." It's not a particularly kind look she's giving us. "Lucky me, three Alpha pups." She rubs her hands together, licking her withered lips.

My stomach churns as I catch my breath. Ry is focusing his full attention on the woman now, and even Paris seems concerned by the appearance of the lady. They must not have been able to sense or smell her coming. The thought has my own Wolven senses going berserk. *If two highly trained Wolven weren't able to sense her, what other tricks could she have up her sleeves?*

"You're outnumbered, Hunter. Leave now, and we may just spare your life." Paris growls at the lady. I feel like I'm disconnected from my body, watching only, unable to move.

"Cocky little things, aren't ya?" The Hunter grins, straightening slowly. Her brown eyes seem to glow slightly, eerily, though she smells like any other human. "Good, I haven't been in a decent fight in years."
There's a tense silence, then the silver chain from her torso suddenly drops to the floor. One end is in her left hand, the other begins slithering across the ground of it's own accord. My stomach churns, the memory of the vision reminding me of how bad this going to end - but I can't move.

*I have to warn them. I need to tell them-

"Ry, call for backup." Paris hisses, crouching low in a stance I know too well, her eyes trained on the Hunter before us. They begin to glow an eerie electric blue, her pupils dilating, and breathing quickening - but also deepening.

"*Parri*-" Ry's voice is both a warning and clear hesitation.

"Do it, Ryker. That's an order." She barks in a distorted voice before he can say anything more. Then she's gone, a blur of bright red and electric blue. The chain follows her like a magnet, the Hunter dodging easily as Paris tries to attack her. Each of my cousin's blows are blocked by chains, and soon the smell of burning flesh has permeated the air. Ry is growling into a cell phone, probably talking to Craven or Ivy.

"Dance, puppy, dance!" The Hunter cackles, moving like a dancer despite her age, smooth and graceful. Paris pauses, deep slashes crisscrossing her face and arms - one long slash across her chest. Her left arm is dangling awkwardly at her side and she's visibly limping.

"Is that all you got?" She spits at the woman, taunting her. Shut your big mouth, Parri! I beg in my head, unable to do more than whimper. I know what's next.

"Oh, so you want to see what I've got, eh?" The Hunter grins manically, her right hand moving to her pocket and pulling a fistful of bright purple powder.

Paris' face goes pale, her eyes widening as all the false bravado drains from her face.

"Cover you mouth! Don't breathe!" She yells, just as the Hunter opens her palm to expose the powder and blow the dust from her hand. Just like before in the vision, I close my eyes and hold my breath, ducking to hide as much exposed skin as I can as the powder fills the air.

Wolfsbane.

"Paris!" Ry shouts, and I hear him running, ignoring her words. My eyes flash open - watching as time seems to slow. Ry tackles Paris to the ground - but not before the Hunter strikes with her silver chains.

Ry's blood splatters across the wall. I forget myself, gasping as my cousin crumbles to the ground, taking in a lung-full of the deadly dust. It's like I'm being burned from the inside. I try to scream - make a sound - but my lungs aren't working. Blood coats my lips, spurting up and drowning me. I can feel them seizing up, spasming and trying to heal - trying to eject the dust that's practically roasting me alive. I fall to my knees, gripping my throat, the world getting hazy-

And then everything is doused in red. My head drops to my chest, hands falling to my sides. Just like before, pain lances through my lungs, burning up my throat, and making my teeth throb. I let out a hiss, my fingers digging into my palms. The smell of my own blood wafts up to my nose, stinging my nostrils more intensely than the wolfsbane.

Then I'm on my feet, standing over the Hunter.

The Hunter's eyes widen as I hover over her, my hand at her throat, the silver chains burning my arm. It stings, but my skin is still intact.

I'm calm, like before...but now, with the cloying scent of blood in the air there's something else. A thirst so deep, I begin to lose my grip on the bits of control stopping me from draining the human in my grasp. I can feel her veins pulsing under my hand. *Fast. Alive*.

I wonder, not for the first time, what it'd be like to drink someone's blood. I don't have any memory of the first person I killed when I was thirteen. That experience was scrubbed from my mind by Hale. *Stolen*. I find myself stroking the side of the Hunter's neck with my free hand as I debate on my next move, ignoring the voices in the background and only focusing on the prey in my grasp.

The craving to drink this human dry, to swallow every last drop of thick, hot blood, is almost too much to bare. My body begins to tremble as the last shreds of my control slip and a devilish smile tugs at the corners of my lips, exposing my teeth to the Hunter.

"What the hell are you?" She rasps, her look of horror echoing the feeling deep inside my own body. I screech at her, unable to voice any words, and her expression morphs into one of absolute terror.

*Bang*. Fire shoots through my right shoulder, and I drop the Hunter. I look up to see a hooded figure coming closer, my vision clearing enough so that I can see the familiar shape of their body.

*Bang*. I let out another hiss as another bullet lodges into my right knee, making me fall to the floor. Shock shudders through me as the vampiric haze subsides and I look up - and into a very familiar face. His face is an unreadable mask. Eyes cold and unfeeling. A stab of emotion rips through me - hurting more than the bullet wounds in me - trying to heal.

My attacker stands above me, eyes bright silver - just like the gun he's holding. *Bang*.

And the world falls away.