Vortex:Chapter 1

I’ve decided to post a chapter a week of my old novel(2011) Vortex. I won’t be editing the story to keep the authenticity of this sharing experiment. You’ll just have to enjoy my young raw developing talent as is.

Copyright © by Jamila A. Stone. Do not copy or repost any parts of content.

There is blood everywhere. The secluded market area near the docks smelled of rotten flesh, sulfur, and death. I look around on guard two long blades in each hand prepared for an attack. The foul smells water my eyes but don’t slow me down, I’m use to death. Only twenty six and I have been around death since I was twelve and learning how to defend myself since seven years old. Tracks of blood, pools of blood direct me in the direction of a dark corner of a paint shop. Its pitch black but I must go where the blood leads. I walk into the darkness not scared of the dark or of dying hopping if there is an existence after leaving earth that I’ll be with my parents again.

“Ahhhhh! Please let me go!”

I snap out of my thoughts as I hear a woman scream. I run towards the woman’s terrified voice and her cries. I run down a street, dead bodies slowing my sprinting to a fast jog. I couldn’t afford to stop and look at the bodies torn apart or say a little prayer over each one wanting to make sure the woman doesn’t share their fate. I finally get to where the woman is and see a werewolf foaming at the mouth advancing on her.

“Hey mutt, fetch!” I toss one of my blades at the head of the beast using it just as a distraction knowing killing the beast won’t be so easy. “Run, Run, get out of here!” I yell at the woman while I charge full speed at the werewolf who had easily dodged my blade and has its attention on me. I move out the way of a swipe and jump off a garbage can to kick the werewolf in the face. Damn thing is almost six five if not taller when on its hind legs. Rolling out the way of another swipe I grab my fallen blade and with one in each hand I match the werewolf’s claws with my blades trying to find an opening. The blood soaked ground messes up my footing and the werewolf hits me into the wall to the left of us making me fall down into the large alley trash can and fall off it to the ground. I get up adrenaline masking my pain enabling me to charge the beast while my shoulder is out of socket. The werewolf grows and moves towards me its jaws open ready to rip my head off. The dumb beast sees me charging at him but isn’t able to quickly turn as I side step and slash his back. I kick him in his back leg bringing him down enough so I can jump up and slash his throat. After the thud of the werewolf’s lifeless body I stumble two steps backwards trying to catch my breath.

I stand still for a minute gathering myself and putting my blades on my hip holster and make my way back to the opening where the markets are side to side. Adrenaline going down and me not being in a rush I notice the dead bodies I passed, look at their faces, separated body limbs, and insides out. I stop, one dead man eye’s still bright blue starting directly at me. Though his face is dirty and has blood on it he reminds me of my uncle who I found dead as a teen. His face and eyes looked directly at me when I was only sixteen and my life started to move too quickly. I went on the move with my parents and one by one I lost them. I throw up at the memory and from the thick stench in the air. I lean on my arm against a light pole as I heave tears of sorrow flowing gently down my face. A small smile tries to form as the tears on my face reminds me of the soft caress of my mother’s hand on my face when she in her rare moments allows for us to talk about feelings and how hard our lives were. I straighten my back shoving the thoughts away and break into a wine store pouring the multiple bottles until empty over the dead bodies and all the way to the werewolf and take out my lighter setting the beast on fire. I stand here watching him burn and the fire quickly spread over the other bodies. After I make sure the werewolf is burnt to the point where no traces are left I leave not wanting to be here when the fire department gets here.

I ride my motorcycle back to the place I’m staying at while in the city with two other hunters. It’s far from home, I haven’t had a home since I was a baby and even that didn’t last long. I arrive at the front door ready to crash in the bed but will need either Lance or Zeke my roommates so to speak to pop my shoulder back in place.

“Hey Zeke, how’s your night going?” Walking in I see Zeke cleaning his shotgun on the sofa, his dirty blonde hair messy obvious he hasn’t cut it in a few weeks. I throw my jacket off onto the incliner and kick his feet off the table to sit on the arm of the sofa near him.

“Same as usual, but I see your night has been eventful.” Shaking his head at the fact I always want to go out alone on a hunt instead of working as a team to help ensure safety. He puts his gun on the table and walks behind me.

“Man, I won who cares about little bruises, it’s part of the gig right?”  I sigh exasperated not wanting to have the same conversation with him. I know he cares and being thirty four a seasoned and great hunter he grew up with hunters his whole life and thinks it’s a sin not to hunt, stand together as one unit but it is too much like a family and I don’t want one.

“Looks like more than bruises.” He pops my shoulder back in place. I gasp in pain then thank him before going to my room not asking where Lance is at knowing his wild self is probably still out partying, searching for trouble to get into. I don’t want a family but these two are the closest I’ve had to having brothers and though I don’t express my emotions well we have a good way of communicating and would in a minute have each other’s back.

I can only sleep for six hours before I wake unable to fall back to sleep. It’s near seven in the morning and I have no job or school to get to. I get up and go through my morning work outs before cooking breakfast for me and the guys. Lance is on the couch when I go to the kitchen but I don’t wake him knowing the smell of food will get him up quicker than the place on fire. While stirring the batter for the waffles I turn around to find Lance at my side trying to get the bacon out the pan. Neither the popping grease nor I could get him away.

“Lance go and wait man, geeze at least until the food is on a plate” I push him away from the stove a stolen piece of bacon in his hand.

“Alright, alright but I’m starving.”

I shake my head as I go about finishing up cooking the food. The only time we were like a family was when we ate together. We had our own ways of communicating even if to the outside eye we were strangers. Each of us would have each other’s back no matter what. Being emotionless and cold hearted was part of the gig. If you have a heart it is sure to be ripped out.

“Ok boys breakfast is ready.” Yelling out, I put the last serving bowl out on the table and sit as Lance and Zeke come into the dining room which is really still the living room. The floor plan is large but no wall separates the two areas so after the guys leaving food around and spilling stuff by the TV area I thought it best to buy a table for us all to eat at.

“Eliza there’s another case to do but I think we all need to do it together. We should hit up the hunters bar later to get more details. There’s something about some master vampire coming to town, that’s why the werewolf was so far from their territory. Werewolves and demons are scattering like roaches when the light comes on.” Zeke talked in between bites.

“Yeah, Angel at the club I was dusting some vamps I overheard them talking about some guy like he’s the shit and all. I’m telling you they were…” Before Lance could finish his sentence as he reaches for a sausage off Zeke’s plate, Zeke smacks him upside his head making me chuckle.

“What? I’m hungry.” I chuckle again at Lance while he shrugs and continues eating his thought process gone.

“You’re always hungry boy. We all heard rumors but if a master was in town wouldn’t there be a lot more going on? That werewolf I took care of was the only one we spotted so close for about two months. But eh, you can never be too sure I guess.” Shrugging I pick at my waffles before ripping a piece off and tossing it at Lance’s mouth trying to soot it in. It annoys Zeke some when I encourage Lance’s childish ways but in all the uptight hunters it is refreshing to have Lance around.

After breakfast we all head to the hunter bar ran by two hunters, a hang out spot for us. I sometimes don’t like to go in there because it’s mostly guys in the place and they’re always either hitting on me or saying how they’re stronger because they’re males. I order a beer and try talking with the few hunters that are there before nightfall to see if I can get more details on this master vampire hunters and vampires are talking about.

“Hey Angel, heard about the werewolf you killed. Nice job.” Eric one of the hunters I get along with says as I’m walking over. I sit at the table he’s at smiling at him. Few people call me Angel. It started with a guy I tricked into thinking I was his girlfriend in order to get close to him and his operations and when the time was right me and my team ruined his huge drug deal and set his place on fire not before killing his gang. I saved his death for myself. He fought and when I beat him to his knees he looked at me in shock while my pistol was on his forehead asking me why I was doing this and that I was his Angel and begged for his life. I shot him without a care and the hunters that were in the room listening laughed at how serious the guy was calling me his Angel. How he was enthralled by my beauty and they teased me for a long while about how high class and womanly I was during my time undercover. I never admitted to anyone but I was shocked at how fluidly it was to be like a model, a seductress. Now the name is more of a nickname of respect and remembrance of a high status mission succeeded so I don’t mind it now. Lots of people who I save or destroy know me only by Angel and not my real name.

“Thanks Eric. You know anything about this master vampire that’s supposed to be in town? My boys and I keep hearing about there being one but there aren’t any actual details.”

“Yeah I keep hearing about this master too. I gathered so far that the guy is a real sadistic bastard, real old and has his stuff together, he’s a smart one if the rumor of him being responsible for the death of the hunters in Detroit is true.” I look at Eric not believing one vampire is the cause of the death of so many hunters. There was a hunter gathering in Detroit a few months back and they all were brutally murdered. I always thought they were outnumbered. If it’s true this master vampire did it, he’s defiantly no joke.

“Shit I hope the rumors aren’t true. Going to ruin my plans to just dust him in an hour and make a flight to the Bahamas for vacation.” Eric chuckles at my joke waving his hand at the bartender for a refill of his shot glass.

“Naw missy you going to need serious back-up, but word is he’s just coming in town visiting and isn’t staying long so no smart hunter is going to bang on death’s door.”

“Well I must not be one of those smart ones, cause banging on death’s door and cleaning the place out sounds good to me.” Danger always seems to excite me, the challenge of being the best and surviving. This master vampire surly makes me not rush to get his address but I’m not going to allow some master vampire to come here and feast then leave to go somewhere else and kill. I am a true hunter. I go after evil I don’t wait till it shows up at my door step. And I never met a master vampire before either and the thought of being able to fight and kill one when not many hunters have survived meeting one is too good to pass up. When you hear about a master vampire dying at the hands of a hunter it’s usually a group effort and the master wasn’t very old.

“Just don’t do anything rash Angel until more information on this master is known. Then when it’s time to cut his head off you get back up.” Eric voice holds concern and I understand it. No hunter wants to lose another. I clasp hands with him then move on to the pool table and rack them up. I only get to play one game before Zeke and Lance come over and give me the info they found out.

“Eliza good news the master vampire isn’t supposed to be here anytime soon but the way territories are being moved it looks like everyone is getting ready for him to get here, and stay.” Lance leans against the pool table. I didn’t except the vampire to plan a long term stay.

“You need to work on your good news”

“Only good part is we have time to plan. It’s caused problems already with other supernatural beings they might be scattering around but they’re getting bold. Already a few hunters have been running into more and more cases.” Zeke folds his arms and we all look at each other knowing it’s a big problem. New York is too big of a place holding too many for all supernatural to run around.

“The other hunters here are aware and handling their own spots. We’re going to pick up any big case and get the team together to make sure these bastards don’t forget us while worrying about the master. What’s the newest occurrence going on now?” Master vampire or not I’m not going to let my city get even darker.

I play a few sets of pool before going back home. Later on I’m getting ready to hit a vampire club I know of. I don’t tell Zeke and Lance where I’m going knowing if I do they’ll try to stop me or follow me and I need to go alone.

Nine o clock and dressed in my tight leather pants and red tank top I grab my leather jacket and ride to Hypnotic a vampire club in the back of a theater house. It’s a hot spot and if a master is in the area this club is one of two places he or she would go. I ride my motorcycle there and walk to the entrance full of confidence though I’m a human and humans only get in there as snacks or slaves. As always there’s a vampire going in at the same time so I get my flirt on acting as if I just left my last master he not being able to please me or tame me. The young vampire takes the bait and escorts me in. I take a look around looking for any easy exists but there are no windows, and the place is packed. The large ballroom turned gothic red velvet lounge is actually my kind of place besides the feeding going on and the vampires around. I unattached myself to the vampire I tricked into letting me in giving the excuse of wanting to dance. I get on the dance floor and dance flaunting my assets, seductively moving my hips, sliding my hands along my body and doing the forbidden dance with a few vamps on the dance floor. Teasing a vampire I’m dancing with forgetting why I was there for a moment and just enjoying toying with the vampire making him weak in the knees just by my body movements. I grin noticing his erection against his pants. Lots of vampires look hungrily at me and some grind up on me but using my strength I keep them at a distance letting them touch then shove them away. Not only do I have protection from the vampire I came in with, other vampires don’t snatch others meals but I am wearing the necklace of an old vampire race if any vampire gets out of hand I can show it to him or her and say I’m owned by a powerful vampire then get my tail off of there.

While I am amusing myself brining vampires to their knees, one literally. The hairs on my arms and back of my neck stand up and a chill goes down my back. Someone very strong is behind me. I am torn between curiosity and fear to turn around but it doesn’t matter the hands of a man slides around my hips pulling me against him. His touch is gentle yet holds so much power and I know without turning around this is the master vampire everyone’s been talking about. Though the music is a fast beat I move my hips slowly and turn around sliding my hands up his chest slower than planned captivated by his dark beauty. He’s six two approximately with broad shoulders, a muscular built, and hazel eyes. My kind of guy but I quickly snap out of it knowing he’s a vampire and very dangerous and I need to find a way to get a little info and run for it.

“What’s a human like you doing here unattended and unmarked?” The master speaks to me his deep fluid voice making it hard not to want to kiss him. He seems to be mixed with black but I’m not too sure. He has an ascent that I cannot pinpoint.

“I’m not here alone I’m with a vampire but he isn’t pleasing so I came out onto the dance floor.” I smile as we slow dance others making sure to get out our way. He dips me then lifts me off my feet effortlessly pulling me tight against him.

“Lots of these vampires in here are weak, unable to please a real woman when they were human so I’m not surprised you aren’t satisfied.”

“Hmmm…and I’m guessing you’re not one of those vampires?” Smiling I move my hand closer to his neck caressing his collar bone over his shirt with my thumb.

“Defiantly not, I was born a vampire dear. What’s your name?” His voice grows darker informing me he’s not like other vampires, his voice turning prideful mentioning he was born a vampire. I am torn at telling him my real name or even my nickname not wanting him to get whiff at all that I am a hunter.

“You can call me Angel. What’s your name?” I decide going with my nickname not seeing how he would connect me with being a hunter. After getting his name I know I need to get out the building though his seduction is holding me here. He’s a master and the power he’s protruding right now worries me that he has the ability to read minds and I’ll surly be fucked then.

“Michael.” Michael’s hands lower from the middle of my back to the base. I see the vampire I came into the place with and quickly see my way out and take it.

“Well Michael thank you for the dance but it seems my date is lost without me.” I step back from him and give a nod to where my escort is looking on.

“Too bad his ass should have been keeping a fucking eye on you instead of leaving his woman all alone.” Michael’s dominate voice shocks and thrills me as he grabs my hand, keeping me from leaving.

“I’m not his woman and I’m not yours either so you don’t have to be upset over a simple human such as I.” I pull my hand out of his then step back some. “Thank you for the dance my feet need to rest but I hope to see you again.” I quickly move into the crowd then out the door and get on my bike driving at full speed shaken that I just went up into a vampire club, met the master vampire and got out alive. I race home too freaked to care about police catching me. I make sure to cover my tracks moving around so if I’m followed they won’t know where I live. I park at an apartment building and go inside deciding if someone follows me they’ll think I live there then go through the emergency exit in the back and head home.