Young Writers Society

Hatred burned through my veins like a flash fire. All I could think about was my sister and her daughter, how they destroyed everything I held dear. Both of their faces consumed my thoughts, my mind constantly plotting possible demises for them. Martina was going to pay for what she did to my King. To my love. I sat at the window of the train on plush red velvet cushions in my own private car and watched as the Italian countryside sped passed me. With my arms folded across my chest and legs crossed, I glared coldly at the night outside even though it was beautiful and had nothing to do with my foul mood. To any random passerby I would seem like a tasteful, beautifully rich woman who was traveling alone. I was dressed to fit into human society: a black calf-length pencil skirt, a silk white blouse, black high heels, and diamond rings and chains adorning my fingers and neck. I looked like a human in every way. Only I wasn't human. I was far from it.

I was a Hunter, an immortal blessed with a gift from my Goddess to wipe out the werewolves from the planet.

As I stared out unblinkingly into the night, I felt the light of the waxing moon on my face and felt as if the Goddess was shining her light down on me. The glow sent me back in time, to memories long ago and almost forgotten.

***

My body was broken.

There was fire all around me, threatening to eat away at my flesh. The Union's army had swept through my beloved Georgia and burned everything until nothing but ash remained. When they came the sky had turned red and black from the flames and smoke. All my family was dead and I hoped that I would see them again soon.

I didn't know how long I'd been lying there when the figure appeared through the smoke and ash. His face was hidden underneath a cloak and all I could see was his huge tall body that came toward me. When he knelt down at my body, he placed his large strong hand on my forehead and said, “What is your name, child?” His voice was strong and deep like rumbling thunder.

My own throat was scratchy. This was something my mother would have scolded me for. Barely, my voice came out. “Mary,” I strained. “My name is Mary.”

“You are dying,” he murmured. His voice reminded me of my father's soothing tones. “Do you know that?”

Despite my knowledge that I would soon see my family again, the thought of death frightened me. A dark, final sleep that I would never wake up from. A pit of cold dampness. A neverending rest. The thought of it scared me so bad that I began to cry. Salty tears rolled down my sandpaper dry cheeks, leaving trails of wet behind that I wanted to wipe away. With my body paralyzed in place though, I couldn't even move my hands to remove them from my face. "Yes," I replied, "I know."

The man was silent for awhile, his hand still on my forehead. Tears still flowed from my eyes, like rain that refused to let up. The silence continued to settle around me and I feared that the stranger was gone, the weight of his hand that I still felt merely a trick of my imagination. The air around me was growing hotter and more dry just as if the mighty Georgia sun were shining during a drought season.

"Sir?" I begged, my voice urgently searching the air. "Sir, are you still here?"

After a moment of silence, he murmured, "Yes. I am still here." He smoothed my hair back, finally allowing me to see his face. He was an older gentleman with a somewhat wrinkly face and a head and beard of black hair streaked with silver. His eyes were large and grey and they looked at me with sympathy and compassion. Though his face was kind, he wasn't what Southern society would consider handsome. A black cloak covered most of his bulky frame, but it was clear that he was strong. His manner of speaking was a clear indication that he was a foreigner.

"Will you stay with me as I pas?" I asked desperately. "I don't want to be alone."

Moving his hand from my forehead to take my hand, the man said, "Your life is very precious to you." His voice was calm and made me feel better almost instantly. "Do you wish for me to save you?"

His question startled me. I was dying. How could I possibly live now? "How?" I asked confused. "I cannot move a muscle. How can you possibly save me?"

"I can do a great many things," was his simple reply. "Saving you is one of them."

Maybe his way of saving me was killing me swiftly. My lips formed the word "yes."

Nodding in understanding, the man said, "Hold yourself still and do not try to struggle." I was going to tell him that there would be no trouble for him to have me struggle, but his teeth were already sinking my throat. There was a short blast of pain and then a flash of blinding light. At first I thought that the world of light I was in might be Heaven. The void was calm and warm, a soft careess against my skin. I stood perfectly still and relished the warmth.

"Hello, my dear," an angelic and musical voice murmured. Turning slowly, I saw a woman of unnatural and beauty standing directly behind me. Her skin was pale milky white. A head covered in silky honeysuckle colored hair sat on her swan-neck and he piercing blue eyes looked kindly at me.

Shock surely covered my face. I gasped, "Who areyou? Are you an angel taking me to God?" My voice was laced thick with wonderment.

"No," she said, amused. "I am no angel. I am Arianya and I am the goddess of the Hunters."

"The what?" I asked in bewilderment.

"The Hunters," she answered patiently. "The man who bit you-my son, William- is a Hunter. He is one of my many children. And my children, each and every one of them, are very special tome. Hunters are ancient creatures who have walked your world's lands for many centuries. They are similar to creatures of your legends-"

"Vampires?" I interrupted. "Are they like vampires? Because I've read about them in my books and they are very frightening!" My voice had sped up with excitement. When I saw the Goddess' face of irritation my head snapped down again. "I'm sorry." I felt like a small child again, being scolded by an adult.

She laughed. "My children are immortal and to turn others they bite them. That is the only similarity between legend and the truth. Now, my children are very special to me, as I have already told you. I gift them with three things: a unique ability of their own, a Coven to be their family, and the gift of immortality. And in return I ask for only one thing," she continued. She ended with a twinkly smile.

I looked at her closely, studying her every graceful movement. "What do you ask for in return?" I asked softly, my voice shaking. A gift so generous was bound to come with something as equally as generous in return.

She smiled again. "In return for my gifts, I ask that you kill the Wolves. The Wolves are vicious, terrible creatures that will feed from anything they come in contact with, even you. They are Hunters' most mortal enemy. You and your family work to erase their existence from the planet."

Her face began to change greatly as she kept talking. "If you disobey me and stray from my will," she began dangerously, "I cannot take away anything from you but your Coven. As soon as immortality and your gift enter your soul, they cannot be taken away. I can only turn your Coven against you." She placed her hand delicately on my cheek and I felt a rush of fear down my spine. Her palm was cool against my too hot face.

With her featherlight voice, she said, "Do you wish to become my child? Do you wish to become my child?"

My first instinct was to say "yes." To be able to live forever and see the changes in the world, to see more of the world. To be able to stay the way I was forever. It sounded so much like the world I'd only read about it novels. A sparkle of doubt flickered in my stomach. Hadn't I just been excited to see my family only a moment ago? Wasn't I praying for death only a short while ago?

"You hesitate," the goddess observed. "Why is this?" Her eyes seemed almost cold as she asked. It was as if I'd already refused her offer.

Of course I was hesitant to respond. Would this be my salvation? Could it be what would make me happy? Could I be so selfish to live when my family had no choice for this because they'd been burned to death in our house?

Before thinking anymore on the matter, my lips moved and I said, "I will become you child and I will do your will on Earth..." My voice trailed off.

The dazzling smile filled her face again. It was as if the sun had just come out from behind the clouds. "So be it," the goddess whispered. Seh brought her hands to me and put them on my head. A burst of warm, comforting light filled my chest cavity and the light grew all over my body until it was so bright I couldn't see anything. When the light died, I saw myself as I normally looked: unblemished and unmarked.

"You, my daughter, I give you the gift to show people anything you wish, so long as you are touching them," the goddess said. "You are immortal now."

***

Hopefully this wasn't too confusing. My novel isn't posted on YWS because it's so big, but I wanted to get some short little spinoffs put up. This one was the turning of the villain Valeria who gets turned into a Hunter during the Civil War. HUNTERS ARE NOT VAMPIRES! They are just similar with biting them to turn. They don't drink blood, they can go out in the sun, and they definitely do not sparkle. Please comment and give constructive critique! Let me know if you have any questions too.