[Ayden Cross]: 183.Hunter Story.Part 2.Part 3

The finale...


         Ayden Cross dashed into the dark forest like a demonic force. He showed no signs of slowing down, as his feet trudged through the snowy path. His eyes were completely fixed on the hooded person.

The hooded figure saw him and began to try to escape, as if they knew exactly why Ayden had been drawn to them.

“It’s you...It just has to be you...” Ayden said to himself, as white puffs of warm air emitted from his mouth.

The figure so close, Ayden just felt that he knew this person. This entire time, he was fighting to find something. No one knew what, but in actuality, he fought to seek a certain some one.

A precious person...

The dark hood gave away for a split second and Ayden saw a lock of long blonde hair. Instantly, Ayden’s resolve intensified to the breaking point. All he had been fighting for, was going to be determined. All the fighting that Ayden Cross had done, was nowhere as important as this moment. This fleeting glimpse of one person was enough to trigger a thousand emotions in the mind of Ayden Cross. The calm, cool nature of Ayden was almost shattered into fragments, as he desperately ran to catch this person.

The night was clear as the moonlight lit the forest passageway, guiding Ayden to follow the hooded figure. He burned with anxiousness. He was getting lightheaded with all the feelings that flooded his mind.

“C’mon Cross, get a hold of yourself...You can do this...” He told himself. He regained his focus, and his eyes darted to his sides. Although distracted, he still was Ayden Cross, and a vampire hunter. He noticed that behind him vampires were trailing him. In moments, they would catch him. He grumbled in irritation.

“I don’t have time for this.” He forced a groan and turned abruptly. With a dangerous look in his eye, he looked at his surroundings. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a packet of long rectangular sheets of paper. They flapped down loosely in his grasp. He held one in between his fingers and put it up to his face. He concentrated, and incantations began to appear onto the paper. The paper went rigid as a board and immense power flowed within the piece of parchment. A vampire quickly used this opportunity to leap upon Ayden, but was instantly went numb and fell onto the ground in paralysis. Ayden had thrown a piece of paper onto them and had caused a vampire to stop dead in its tracks.

The vampire had a look of the utmost confusion. Ayden then, pulled out more papers and concentrated. He threw them all towards the oncoming vampires and they all froze, their pale faces painted with looks of terror. Ayden pulled two silver stakes from his jacket.

“The paper is covered with an incantation that paralyzes vampires instantly. As you’ve just experienced, they work pretty good. I think you know what these are.” He said as he brought the sharp stake into a vampires chest. The vampire wailed a death cry, and then it fell silent.

Ayden dispatched of the vampires and got up. He gazed left and right for the hooded figure. Nothing. He punched a tree in frustration. He covered his face with his hands and sank to the ground. He rested upon his knees and breathed in deep.

To his surprise, he noticed in the snow, a trail of foot prints leading into the woods. He stood up slowly and adjusted his jacket. He brushed off the flakes of snow and gripped his sword handle.

“I’m still in this.”

The hooded figure stood alone at a clearing within the forest, almost waiting for Ayden. Ayden closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He strode up behind the figure and stood, staring. Such intense look in his eye, he was almost in a trance like state.

“You’re late.” A female voice emitted from the figure’s hood.

“...Sorry, but I’ve...been busy.” Ayden spoke, still with the same look in his eye. The figure turn around and took off her hood. She was an exquisitely beautiful young woman. With long, elegant locks of blonde hair, that shone with a golden radiance. She had a pale face, with an expression of unworldly beauty. She had long eye lashes, concealing penetrating eyes, tinted with blue, encircling a lucid silver pupil. Indeed, the strangest eyes Ayden had ever witnessed in his life. Through all the fighting and vampire hunting he had ever done, and all the strange sights he had seen, this woman had the strangest eyes. Yet, they were familiar to Ayden.

“I’ve noticed.” She spoke in a vampire tongue. She spoke in a mysterious language known only to those associated with vampires.

“It’s been...two years...” Ayden followed in the same vampire dialect that the women spoke in.

“Clair...” Ayden whispered as he closed his eyes.
“Ayden...” Clair whispered back. They stared long and hard into each others eyes. Each, penetrating with look of sorrow, until finally they embraced each other. Ayden held her tightly, feeling the warmth of her body. He took in her familiar scent, a faint memory in the depths of his heart. Clair herself felt the soft muscular build of the vampire hunter’s body. She felt the resounding pulses of his heart. She felt the blood surging through his veins, and her she felt a painful tinge of bloodlust. Yet they clung together in this embrace, long and sensuously. Both remembering the feeling that emitted when they touched. Ayden closed his eyes and gripped her even tighter, remembering all the hardship he had to endure in order to find her.

“I’ve been searching so long to find you...” Ayden spoke softly.

Clair pulled herself out of the embrace. Her expression was that of sorrow, her eyes lowered and stared at the ground. Her blue eyes caught the light of the snow and illuminated an eerie glow.

Ayden stared long and intensely at her face, her features, and her expression. “You...haven’t aged a bit...”

“Well...I am a vampire, y’know.”

“That’s not funny...” Ayden shook his head sadly.

Clair eyed him up and down and poked him his side. “You’ve gotten bigger. My, you’ve grown.”

“Yeah...I guess.” Ayden shrugged gently. He just continued staring at her. It continued until she almost couldn’t stare back. She averted her gaze from him and spoke softly.

“I know you’ve been looking a long time, Ayden. You gave up any chance of happiness doing what you do. I’ve heard stories about you, becoming a hunter, and I was the only person who ever did know why.”

“Clair, I-” Ayden began.

“Please- my name is Renee. I changed it after... I got bitten. It was so I could lose all my ties to the life I once lived...” Renee explained sadly.

“Renee...I like it.” Ayden smiled slowly.

“It means ‘reborn.’” Renee said with a look of melancholy. She adjusted her jacket and breathed in the cold winter air. Ayden stared at the long white wisps of smoke that escaped from her mouth.

“Fine, Renee. But I don’t care if you wanted me to find you or not. I...need you. All I needed was you. I searched for you because, I wanted...to say I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything that happened to you. It was my fault you got bitten and became a vampire. It was my fault, because I was too weak. I was too weak to protect you, and not brave enough to come get you.”

“I never blamed you for an instant, Ayden...”

“It doesn’t matter, I still couldn’t protect you...I didn’t have the courage to go find you...I was so frightened, and so ashamed of my own weakness...”

Renee stared deep into his eyes. Black eyes, deep and desolate. They were lucid, but only because they had seen a countless number of battlefields. The eyes of this killer, were so hurt, and injured that Renee had to come closer to speak.

“You’re here now, are you not?”

Ayden nodded, but was unsure of what she spoke of. She smiled so serenely and with such warmth, it was hard to imagine that she of all people was a vampire. She saw Ayden’s confusion and began to giggle, as if his predicament was as simple as a child’s problem.

“You found me today, proving that you do have the courage. Proving you are strong. Proving that...you’re not weak.” Renee assured him quietly.

“The past and the present are two different things. I’m not the same person anymore.” Ayden refused again.

“But the present is happening now. The past does not concern me at the moment.” Renee pushed, but after seeing Ayden’s denial yet again, she closed her eyes and smiled. Opening them, she spoke.

“What if I forgave you?”

Ayden’s look of surprise was only covered up by his immediate confusion. “Surely, you can’t forgive me that easily...”

“Why not? It is my forgiveness to give.” Renee said with an arched eyebrow.

Ayden sighed and gave in. He smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Tell me, Renee...Why did you leave? And then tell me, why’d you come back and let me find you?” Ayden inquired softly.

Renee’s eyes glazed over like she was in a trance. Ayden knew why, a flicker of memory told him that her eyes did this whenever she remembered a distant memory. He waited for her thoughts, and listened patiently as she spoke.

“When I got bitten, I was so shocked and afraid, that all I could do was run. There was so much confusion about what happened...I just couldn’t face you. I was scared that...you might’ve hated me. Your own racism against the vampire race, made me scared that you wouldn’t want me anymore...I was afraid that everyone in the village would exile me and...I didn’t want that. Your life is changed completely when you become a vampire, Ayden. I’ve doomed innocent people to a fate like mine, just to survive. I hate having to drink blood, having to bite someone’s neck, and having these two horrible fangs!” Renee cried. Ayden watched her cry, but couldn’t move. His face held an expression of shock and regret.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. I understand that things didn’t help when I became a vampire hunter. I was so devastated... when you left, I focused all my anger on the vampire race. I thought...that it was their fault for taking you away from me, and leaving me with all this pain. I was so miserable with myself, that I wanted revenge. So one night, I armed myself with a sword and left home. I searched for days to find the vampire that changed you. I found him, and...killed him.” Ayden recalled softly.

“...Count Magnus?” Renee asked taken aback.

“The same.” Ayden replied with closed eyes.

“He was so powerful....How did you-” Renee began.

“He was very powerful...and very old. I came into his castle, amidst all his creatures defending it, I found him in his labyrinth. Fought him and killed him. I don’t know how. But there’s just something about gripping that sword, and staring into the eyes of the Count. I realized in my past life, I would’ve never been foolish enough to ever take on a vampire. Especially one as powerful as him. But the thought of you, and my hatred for him, stirred something inside of me. It made me unimaginably strong, and gave me the strength to kill him.”

“So that’s how it started. After that, you became a top notch vampire hunter.” Renee realized.

“Yeah...it’s how I started.”

“Well, I came back when I heard that you were looking for something. I just knew you were looking for me. But whether or not it was to kill me, was something I had to risk.”

“Why would you ever think I would hurt you? Even if so...why would on Earth would you risk it?” Ayden asked anxiously.
“Well, you have a long track record of hating them. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to find me and kill me. But, if it was a chance to see you, I would gladly take it. Even if it meant death.”

“Renee...” Ayden whispered gently.

“I’m not afraid to die, Ayden. I’m at the end of my rope. I wanted to see you again.” Renee responded with a smile.

“Why...? Why would you do such a thing? ...I’ve been searching to find you. All I want is to be with you. I’ve been alone for the past two years. And I don’t think I want to be alone anymore.”

“Ayden, it couldn’t happen. It’s so much more complicated now.” She said as she stared at his neck. Her gasped as signs of her bloodlust were emerging.

“Your bloodlust is taking control of you. I’ve killed enough vampires to know.”

“I could turn you into a vampire. We’d both live together, forever. Cloaked in the shadow of night, we wouldn’t have to worry about what happens next. As long as we were together.” Renee said with her blood craving showing up even more. Her eyes became a bit intense, and her veins appeared through her skin. Her knuckles went pallid white as she fought off the urges.

“I’m sorry. It’s just...the vampire race hates me. I’m called Ayden the Executioner. There wouldn’t be a place for us...And yet...the human race would forsake us. They already have...I’m looked at like I am a vampire. I’m hated everywhere. I don’t have faith anymore. But...I can see your eyes...Renee, your bloodlust is reaching its peak. If you were to bite me right now, I wouldn’t stop you.” Ayden said, as he pulled his jacket collar down, revealing his neck.

Renee felt her fangs enlarge and her bloodlust take control. She exposed her long white fangs and moved in closer to bite Ayden. Closer, she moved...Ayden closed his eyes. Her teeth moved in gracefully to break his skin...Ayden felt the pointed tips of her fangs gently push onto the surface on his skin. He felt her warm breath on his neck, and braced for the sudden bite. He waited...But nothing came. He suddenly felt cold air where the teeth were a moment before. He opened his eyes, and saw Renee holding herself back, and her face turned away.

“I...I can’t, Ayden. It’s not a life. It’s a shell of an existence. I wouldn’t wish this fate on my worst enemy. So I can’t possibly let it happen to you, Ayden. If I bit you, I’d couldn’t face you. I’d hate myself forever. I love you, Ayden. I love you enough to let you go.” She whispered at his side.

Ayden looked at her, but couldn’t see her face. She sounded in such pain. Her breathing grew coarse and strained. Ayden quickly became confused and anxious.

“What’d you mean, Renee? I-what are you planning?”

Renee’s voice seemed to travel off with each word she spoke. She was having a hard time concentrating due to the bloodlust. “You deserve better...I don’t want you to be hung up on me. I want you to move on. To find another girl you can love and give your heart to. You two will grow old, have children, and die together...I’d be so happy...”

Ayden suddenly became angry. Although his face was clearly scared, his voice filled with anger. “Renee, what are you saying? I love you. Only you. I won’t ever love anyone else as long as we’re alive.”

Renee smiled a gentle smile and spoke, “Unfortunately, they may have to happen soon. You’re better off forgetting about me, even if that’s not what you want. I can feel the bloodlust in me, and if I don’t do something soon, nothing will ever be right. Good bye, Ayden.” Ayden had a look of confusion, and failed to notice Renee pull his sword out of its sheath.

The sound of a sword entering a body was heard. Blood stained the white snow on the ground, and Ayden Cross had a look of horror on his face. For there in front of him, the girl he had loved, had impaled herself on his sword.

Ayden dropped to the ground and caught Renee as she fell. His sword hilt protruded from her heart. She had seconds left to live. Tears flowed freely from the two lovers, but Renee’s blood covered everything.

“No! Oh my-Renee...You can’t die...Not now-just when I’ve found you...What am I supposed to do? Renee...” Ayden panicked as the tears poured even heavier.

“...Don’t call me that. My name is Clair.” She whispered through gentle breaths.

Ayden smiled as he stared into her eyes. “Clair...I love it. It means...bright.”

Clair then nodded, and in her final breaths mouthed, ‘I love you.’

Just then, a group of vampires came dashing at Ayden in a frenzy. Appearing out of nowhere, and separate from the battle taking place not too far. Ayden saw them in the corner of his eye. He held onto the body of his deceased lover, and whispered softly into her ear.

“It doesn’t matter if they come...I’m finally where I want to be.” He smiled, as he closed her eyelids and kissed her forehead.

He retrieved his sword and glanced up at the vampires. He gripped his sword handle tightly and blinked his eyes. The only expression on his face was a smile. Her smile.