Catherine Kos – Author

Greetings, sorry it’s been so long. Here is the next chapter from An Empty Grave, part two. Read and enjoy. Happy Hunting!

Chapter Two

Bianca

“Yo, B! It’s time to go,” Hayden shouts from the bedroom. She hits the door twice to emphasize her words.

I look at myself in the bathroom mirror once more. I don’t recognize myself anymore. The person staring back, isn’t me. My hairs pinned tight underneath a black wig. My make ups heavy and dark, my outfit almost nonexistent. But “I guess that’s the point to become completely unrecognizable.

Taking a deep breath, I turn to the door and pull it open.

Hayden and Killian stand near the front door of the hotel room, both of them waiting impatiently.

“It’s about time,” Killian mutters.

“You look good enough to eat, B.” Hayden says with a grin.

“That’s the whole point,” I reply, strutting over to the door and stepping through it.

Killian goes to the drivers side if the Impala parked before us, sliding into the drivers seat. Hayden squeezes into the backseat and I sit next to Killian.

“You’re sure your friend is going to be there?” I ask for about the third time tonight.

Killian gives a short nod. “I’ve been assured we’ll find exactly who we’re looking for.”

“Good,” I tell him. “Because I’d really hate to have to hunt him down and kill him.”

Killian looks at me, and I meet his eyes to show him how serious I am. I trust Killian, I don’t trust his so called friends.

He breaks contact first, turning to stare out the windshield as he starts the engine. None of us speak as he pulls out of the parking spot and heads to this party.

The whole point of tonight, of being in this tiny little town is because Killian’s contact is supposed to be here. He apparently can tell us where the witch is that Killian thinks can perform the spell to kill the Aldinn. According to Killian, this is a very old witch who performs only dark magic. But her location is kept quiet, only a few know it.

Killian drives us down old back roads until we come to an abandoned mansion in the middle of the woods. I say abandoned because the windows are all broken, and graffiti lines the siding. Neon lights flash from the inside, shadows moving in and out. Killian parks the car and we climb out.

“Be on the lookout,” I tell them both before we walk towards the old building. We step onto the porch and through the threshold, finding a litany of people. Some are dancing, some are drinking, and some… some are feeding.

Killian moves past me walking to the far wall of the room where a couch rests – the only piece of furniture in the room. A man sits on the couch, a woman draped over his lap, his head in the crook of her neck.

“Connor,” Killian calls.

The man snaps his head up and grins, blood dripping down his chin.

“Killian!” He cheers. Connor looks to Hayden and then me. “And who do we have here?”

“Townies,” Killian replies. “Found them last night. They like to be fed on.”

Connor nods, thoughtfully. Then he nods his head to the staircase on the right wall. “Let’s talk.”

He stands, heading to the stairs and Killian grabs my hand before following after. I glance back at Hayden. She meets my eyes and nods.

Together, Killian and I follow Connor up the stairs, down a hallway, and into the last room on the right.

Connor turns as Killian closes the door behind us. He raises an eyebrow, and Killian shrugs when he turns back around.

“Just in case I get hungry.”

The Killian turns to me, placing a hand on my neck, he looks into my eyes and says, “You won’t remember this conversation.”

Compulsion doesn’t work on me, but I play the part and nod. “I won’t remember this conversation.”

Killian smirks and turns back to Connor.

“So, the witch. Where is she?”

Connor nods. “Why do you want to see her?”

“I heard she knows of a cure.”

“A cure?” Connor laughs. “That’s bull if I’ve ever heard it, but what if she does have it? You want to take it?”

“Maybe, It doesn’t matter why I want it. What matters is where the witch is.”

“I can’t tell you,” Connor says simply. He clasps his hands together and leans against the window sill of the far wall of the room.

“And why not?” Killian asks, sounding irritated.

“Because she said so. You think you’re the only person who wants to find the witch? Lots of people do, and I call the witch, tell her who wants to see her and she tells me if she wants to see them. And she doesn’t want to see you,”

“I – ” Killian starts, but I cut him off.

“I think you misunderstood the question. He didn’t ask you how you contact her. He asked where she is. Now answer the question or I run a stake through your heart.”

Connor meets my eyes and chuckles. “And you think you can really do that? I’m a five hundred year old vampire, and a townie slut doesn’t scare me.”

I smile. “No? Does this scare you?” I pull out the knife hidden in the waistband of my skirt and wave it in the air.

He crosses his arms over his chest, seeming smug. “A knife should scare me?”

“No,” I say innocently. “The knife itself shouldn’t scare you. But what I can do with it should.”

I launch the knife across the room, and it slides through his left ear, sticking in the wood behind him. He jerks away, touching his ear where blood leaks from the cut in the middle. He looks to the knife and then back at me.

“I’m going to kill this bitch,” Connor growls out through clenched teeth. He rips the knife from the wall and walks towards me.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Killian warns.

Connor grins, but comes closer.

“Where’s the witch?” I ask.

“I’m not telling you shit,” he growls, getting in my face. “You’re dead.”

I place my hands on his chest like I’m about to plead for my life, then fists the material of his shirt. I swing my head back and then forward as hard as I can. The crown of my head hits his nose, sending him stumbling back a few feet.

“Actually, in this room I’m the only one really alive,” I say, following him closely. He starts to lift his head, and I raise my fist, hitting him in the corner of his eye. “And that wasn’t the correct answer.”

I hit him again and his body drops to the ground with my knife falling next to him, then I land a kick to his stomach.

Slowly, I bend down and pick up my knife and tuck it back in my waistband.

“Where do we find the witch?” I repeat.

The door bursts open and three men step into the room, their eyes going all over and taking in what’s happening.

“Boss?” One calls.

Connor pushes himself up from the ground.

“Take them downstairs,” he says, nodding to us. “And be careful. She’s the Huntress.”

The men’s eyes widen, and two of them come towards me. I try to reach for my knife but they reach me before I can, each one pulling my arm straight, holding me immobile. They pull me from the room and back down the way we came. As we descend down the stairs I see the majority of the people have already left save for about ten men with Hayden amongst them.

As we reach the group, the men holding me shoves me towards Hayden. I catch my footing just as they shove Killian to us.

“Working with the Huntress?” Connor asks. “I never thought that would happen, brother.”

“I’m not your brother,” Killian spits. “We just want the location of the witch.”

“I don’t think your in the position to make demands,” Connor says, grinning once again.

I glance at Hayden, meeting her eyes. She nods.

Bending down, I reach into my biker boot and pull out my thin stake. Then I pop back up and slam it into the chest of the vampire next to me. He bursts into ashes within a minute, catching the attention of every other vampire in the room. They all stare at me.

“What?” I ask, widening my eyes. “I don’t know what happened.”

Nobody chuckles. Instead, I turn to the next vampire, raising my arm to do the same thing to him. He beats me to it, blocking me and throwing a fist into my stomach. I let out a choked breath and try to recover quickly, blocking his next punch. Grunts sound through the air and I know that Killian and Hayden are doing there own fighting.

I throw my fists out in front of me, hitting the vamp in the throat, then I raise my leg, kicking him in between his. He hunches over dropping o his knees. I grab a handful of his hair, yanking his back straight and then stab him in the chest with the stake still wielded in my left hand. He turns to dust and I turn in search of the next vampire.

An arm wraps around my waist, yanking me back against a hard chest. I struggle, throwing my elbows back, hitting flesh but whoever’s holding me doesn’t let up. A hand winds into my hair, yanking my head to the side.

“I’ve never killed a Huntress before,” Connor murmurs into my ear. “This’ll be a delight.”

Before I can think of a witty remark or land another blow, Connor’s fangs sink into my neck. I let out a groan at the sharp pain the explodes through my body. I raise my free hand and try to shove his face away but he doesn’t budge. Then I remember my knife. Moving through the feeling of fatigue as the blood leaves my body, I raise my hand holding the stake and slam it behind me. It make’s contacts with Connor’s body because he rips his mouth from my skin, letting out a roar. He drops me, and I stumble forward. Spinning, I see I hit Connor right in his thigh, the stake imbedded two inches into his flesh.

Reaching forward, I pull it out before stabbing his other thigh.

He screams, falling to his knees.

I look around, finding Hayden and Killian staring at me with worrying in their eyes, their chest heaving. All the other vampires have turned to dust.

I reach behind me and pull out my knife.

“Where’s the witch?” I ask once more.

“I’m not going to tell you,” Connor sputters out.

“Then I’m going to kill you.”

“You’ll kill me anyways,” he breathes out.

I nod. “You’re right.”

Leaning down, I reach into the pockets of his jeans, searching for his phones. Once it’s in my hands, I toss it to Killian.

I don’t waste any time. I raise my hand with the knife and slam it into his chest, making sure to drive it deep and hit his heart. I watch as he turns to dust, and then suddenly I feel weightless.

“B?” I hear a voice call out.

And then there’s just darkness.

The end.