The Witch Hunter (10 page)

All the while she was exploring, she couldn't get the vision of what she had done the previous night out of her head. Losing control like that was unforgivable. She had wanted to rip apart the wolves so badly, but not until they had cornered that annoying vampire, Zac. Then she ripped them apart, into a million tiny pieces. But if she hadn't, she wouldn't have found the blood that had called her. 

She was so distracted she started when she realized someone was watching her. Without looking up from her newspaper she sent her mind out and felt the now familiar hum of blood. Zac was in the square. And in the daylight. She sensed another vampire with him, the younger sociable female from the bar and also the witch. Zac she was not sure about but the other one, she was new, how could she tolerate the sun? The witch didn't seem strong enough yet to spell a trinket for her to wear, let alone her body.

Casting her hearing out she could tell they were arguing about something. Approaching her, most likely.
We don't know who she is Zac, Trust me Liz, Be careful,
 she heard amongst the buzzing of his blood. Rolling her eyes, she turned around and glared at them. Getting up, she wandered down the closest path through the gardens to escape their gaze. She needed time to think over her options. She needed a plan of attack after the previous evening, her loss of control, among other things. The taste of Zac's blood had awoken senses she hadn't felt since before she was turned and that could be dangerous for her. Not to mention that their motives might be malicious. Others hunted her as she hunted them.

Strolling down the path, her gaze wandered to the gardens around her. The plants here were really well looked after and placed out in intricate patterns. She marveled at a display of small grey ground cover grasses that had been grown and trimmed into a simple, yet effective, mandala. 

"What do you think, miss?" she heard at her shoulder.

Turning, she found a young human man with short messy brown hair, and chestnut eyes smiling at her. From his dirt encrusted overalls and wheelbarrow full of cuttings, he must be the gardener. "Wonderful," she said. "Did you do this?"

"Yeah," he said, blushing. "At first the boss didn't like me spending so much time on them, but I used to do it on my days off. When we won first in the annual county comps, he didn't mind so much."

"Well," Aya said, turning back to the garden, ignoring the gardener’s blush. "The whole garden is wonderful."

"Thanks," he laughed nervously. "Oh, I'm Alex, by the way."

"Aya," she shook his outstretched hand, hoping he wasn't trying to come onto her. 

"Very pleased to meet you," he smiled shyly. "So, do you work around here or are you a visitor?"

"Oh," she raised her eyebrows, not sure what to say. "I've got a little bit of work in the area for a while."

"Oh, right. What doing? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

Aya winked, "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

Alex hesitated for a moment and laughed nervously, "Fair enough."

"How long have you worked here?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

"About three years. I was an apprentice builder, but gardening seemed more my thing."

"Sure is," Aya smiled.

"And you? You seem into nature, do you garden at all?" 

She laughed,
hardly.
 "No, I'm more of an appreciator. My family was..." she stopped herself short and frowned. Geesus, this Alex guy had an uncanny way of making her at ease. She had to be careful what details she revealed.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to press on a nerve or anything." 

She turned and smiled reassuringly at him, "It's okay. I was just reminded of something that happened long ago."

He sensed that she was uncomfortable and to change the subject said, "If you keep going down that way, there is a forested section, with some nice ferns and hanging moss in the trees," he pointed ahead, then gestured to the right. "That way is a cottage garden, English style, though it's out of season for most of the flowers."

"Thanks, Alex," Aya said beginning to move off. "It was really nice meeting you."

Grabbing the handles of his wheelbarrow, he smiled and nodded, continuing back the way she had come. 

Zac watched the woman, Aya, from across the square. Gabby and Liz flanked him, following his gaze, both equally deep in thought. She had, without a doubt, caught his interest. Especially after last night. She sat with her back to them on a park bench, reading a newspaper, seemingly oblivious to the world around her. He seriously doubted that.

When he had left the bar last night he'd sensed her presence on the street as clear as day until he reached that alleyway. It was as if she'd disappeared into thin air and that had never happened to him before. He was positive that she wasn't human, but exactly what she was? That was still a mystery.

"Maybe you should give it a day or two. Especially after what happened last night," urged Liz. They were arguing about who should approach her. 

"Pfft. I'm one hundred and seventy years old, and I'm already dead," he scoffed. It would be stupid to not to admit to himself that he was rattled by the gruesome end to their dog problem, but admitting that to someone else? That, he'd never do. A frenzy like that, it wasn't unheard of and the circumstances were right, but he didn't remember a thing. That was the only thing that unsettled him about it.

"C'mon Zac, if she's the one, then she's at least six hundred years old, right? That would make her stronger than you by far," Gabby wasn't entirely convinced. 

"Yeah, but I'm charming," he grinned.

Liz sighed, "If you have to, then just be careful, okay?"

"Yeah," Gabby said looking towards the gardens, "There's something strange about her I can't quite put my finger on."

"You got that right, Tabitha," he used one of his favorite nicknames for her. "Have you ever heard of a vampire with white eyes?"

Gabby frowned at this, "No. What makes you say that?"

He shrugged, "Last night, when the wolves came in, I swore her eyes changed."

Gabby looked at Liz, who mirrored her confused expression, "I've never heard of it. But it's a clue, at least."

"Hmm," Zac murmured, lost in thought. "Stay here, I'm going to see what I can get out of her."

"Whatever, Zac. I've got to go back to work," Gabby started to walk away, clearly over it.

Liz smiled knowingly at her as she turned to follow Zac, determined to keep him in line, "We don't know who she is Zac."

He turned and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from following him, "Trust me Liz."

"Be careful," she said, firmly.

Zac smiled wryly, he'd do whatever he wanted. He always did. Catching sight of Aya speaking with the human gardener Alex, he moved closer so he could listen to what they were saying, determined to expose her.

Aya continued around the path in the direction Alex had pointed out to the forest. This area of the gardens was beginning to remind her of her home. No, the place she was born long ago, it stopped being her home once it had been defiled. She could almost imagine her brother climbing amongst the branches, teasing her from above, the warm yellow light filtering through the canopy dazzling her, making it harder to spot him. She closed her eyes and sighed. That place was long dead. 

Lost in her memory, she hadn't noticed Zac approach from the opposite direction. She stared at him, her expression as unreadable as she could make it. He sauntered down the path, his blood buzzing like an annoying bee circling a flower. Grinning he said, "Hello, Miss Aya."

"Zac," she nodded curtly, hoping that he would go away. Her thoughts were still scattered.

"Beautiful day for a walk in the gardens," he said with a wink. The fact that he had appeared down this path made her understand that he had been spying on her conversation with Alex and she was relieved she hadn't said too much.

"Do you enjoy following young women to dark corners, Mr. Degaud?" she said exasperated, all tact flying out the window. She wondered then, how many women he'd stalked in dark alleyways, how many he'd killed in his desire for blood. All vampires did it, it was folly to deny it.

Zac narrowed his eyes and she knew she had struck a nerve. "My brother works here," he shrugged, disregarding her cold question. 

A vampire gardener. She snorted at the ironic notion. In the distance she could see the young woman he was talking with earlier, the one he had called Liz. She was trying her hardest to look elsewhere, to remain casual, but her body was tense and angled towards them. "Your girlfriend is staring at us," she nodded in Liz's direction. "What's her deal?"

"No, she's not my girlfriend," he said looking away, "That's my brothers girl."

"Looks like it bothers you," she stared into his eyes, making him visibly
uncomfortable
.

"We're not talking about me," he said curtly.

"And what are we talking about?"

He smiled wryly, "I'm much more interested in you."

"What's new soon becomes old, you know. Give up while you're ahead," she said, sighing with annoyance.

"I'd much rather chase pretty girls around for the rest of my days than give up. With all the women in the world, there's a new one for every day," he laughed. "I'll start with you."

"Very smooth, Mr. Degaud." A player in every sense of the word.

"Just keeping the old world charm alive."

"So, what do you want?" she raised her eyebrows, cutting to the chase. "Do you want me to join your super secret cult or was there something specific you wanted?"

He laughed again, running his hand through his messy hair, "It's hardly a secret I want something." 

She looked at him, waiting for him to say something else, feeling the uncertainty radiating from him and that
annoying
hum. Looking across the park, she saw Alex look up from his work. As their eyes meet, he mouthed, "Hi." She smiled at the casual gesture.

"You're blowing me off for Alex?" Zac feigned disgusted surprise. "I'm much more handsome than he is."

Aya looked at Liz this time, who was still pretending not to notice them. She looked bothered, worrying the hem of her t-shirt with long pale fingers. "Shallow, much?" she laughed at him.

"Ouch," Zac said, mockingly. "Are you always this brutal?"

"Only to the ones who deserve it," Aya raised her eyebrows when Zac didn't move. "That's your que to move along, Romeo."

"Fine, fine," he raised his hands and gazed at her pointedly. "I know when I'm defeated. I'll see you around." 

He backed away a few steps and turned and walked towards Liz, looking back at her with a lopsided grin. 

Catching movement out the corner of her eye, she turned as Alex jumped over a low box hedge at the side of the path, "Was he bothering you?"

"Yes, he is bothersome," Aya sighed. Zac was someone who was used to getting his own way and doing whatever it took to get it. She knew his type all too well. He reeked of recklessness and that could mean trouble for her if she wasn't careful.

"He's the brother of a guy who works here," Alex cocked his head towards the direction Zac had disappeared, confirming what the vampire had said earlier. "Don't worry too much about him. It's mostly bravado," he stated. "If you want me to have a word with him..."