Chapter 4

Terrified beyond belief, we see a figure in the shadows of the walk. It looks female, it all happens so quickly I do not have the mental ability to process the speed at which she attacks, I hear Eliza screams shortly and disappears into the shadows of night.

“ELIZA!!!”I scream for her until I hear laughing. I could not believe my ears. How could this have happened to us? “That takes care of that wench! Do you know how long I have wanted you, watching you, and couldn’t do anything because she was always around!” I am staring into the darkness, mortified, praying for my beloved's safety. I have a heart-shattering feeling that she is lost to me forever. I hear her voice as if she can read my mind “Yes, Hunter, she is lost to you, she was never meant for you! You have always been mine secretly!” I am so enraged. “Show yourself, wench! I swear on this day, I don’t know what you are but, I shall make you suffer for what you have done!!” She laughs, and steps into the light, my heart is hammering in my chest, I am staring at her terrified with recognition.

I cannot believe my eyes, Somehow I knew, she was dangerous, I never should have let Eliza near her! “Mrs. Morris?!” I cannot believe my eyes, this is my neighbor and Eliza's so-called best friend. “Hello hunter, my love”. I stare at her in disgust, dubious of her sanity.

“Ugh! I am not your love!” The nerve of this woman! If I can even call her that! To claim me as her love? Preposterous! I noticed the red liquid on her lips, the foul stench of blood is in the air, my stomach rolls at the stench, while my head is screaming as I begin to realize what she is and what I realized happened. My heart breaks with grief. I know what she is, I feel like I have known this whole time but, refused to see the truth. 

She smiles “Oooh, I love it when they realize what’s about to happen, the screaming. The fear in the eyes, not you Hunter, not you, I will not hurt you, you are special, and you’re mine!” I tremble in fear, as futile as it may be, I try to run and scream. She just stands there in the night, watching me like a fierce predator waiting for the kill. My eyes strain and catch sight of a still shadow laying on the ground in the distance, I know it is my love is lying in the dark pathway lifeless, her soul has already gone on to God and left me behind.

Just as I believe I am escaping; she is in front of me grabbing me. “Oh! My love, never run from a vampire!” She laughs “Oh I love it when they run, makes everything more enjoyable” She licks my neck. She starts kissing and sucking while stroking my length. I feel so ashamed and wish for death. "Come for me Hunter" she purrs as I wait for her to kill me, suddenly, she stops and she is ripped off me. I hear a loud thud, she groans as I imagine she is thrown into something, possibly a wall.

“Hunter, Oh my God!” I hear Garrett’s voice with a sudden sharp gasp, it sounds like he mumbles something in a language I am not familiar with. My body lay weak before him,

“Bathilda! What do you think you are doing! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!” Garrett screams. I can only imagine that he somehow has noticed my wife’s body.

“Garrett! Please, kill me!”

“I cannot, I love you too much my friend”. I cry in agony.

“Eliza! My wife, my love, she is gone! I cannot go on without her!” Garrett looks at me with pity. “I know this is hard, I lost everyone before my human life was over, I assure you, it is difficult but possible. Eliza would want you to carry on”. Shaking my head, I do not know how to. 

I start to wonder, is he just like her? will he hurt me as well? He answers my unspoken thought. “No. I am not the same as that fiend over there, Bathilda loves hunting, she loves the thrill of the “game”, and she’s hated your wife for years. She is so deranged, Eliza wouldn't harm a fly". I stared at him in shock. We have never done anything to warrant this behavior, I could not believe it. “You didn’t do anything; she’s been hunting you for a decade. She saw you in town at your store one day. You did not notice her, I did, she followed you and found the house next to you for sale. She moved in to watch you both, biding her time”.

Before I was aware of what happened and before Garrett could stop anything. I was ripped away. “BATHILDA!” Garrett screamed.

I am pinned against a wall, it feels like “Hello my love”, I hear her purr into my ear as I feel the sharpness of her fangs, I feel her teeth sink into my neck. Everything goes black as I feel my blood being drained from me. I felt liquid pour into my mouth. Right as I fall to the ground, exhaustion, and pain overtaking me, I heard Garrett gasp “Oh God! You killed a pregnant woman! As twisted as you are, that is low, even for you!

"She laughed, “That bitch shouldn’t have interfered with my Mate!” I felt like I was being boiled alive amidst the all-consuming rage that filled me. My Eliza was Pregnant! Both had been taken from me by this fiend. Everything is darkness, in the middle I hear his voice. I hear Garrett growl viciously, then, there is a sound like boulders clashing. Bathilda snarls then, I heard her laughing. After a few minutes, there is a whooshing sound, I feel as if I am thrown to the side. I hear her scream at my friend.

“Back off! Don't touch him! He’s Mine!” Garrett snarls, “He was Never yours! He was happily married, long before he ever met you”. She growls out a response. “No! I recognized my mate!” Garrett scoffs, “You are delirious! Do you have any idea about this man! I have known him his entire life! This will not end well for you! He may be a quiet man but, in his soldier days, he knew blood and death as much as a vampire. I did not realize Garrett knew this about me. He must have heard it from my father. “What are you saying? You know what pisses off, Garrett, you are a fucking joke! I am taking my mate”. “Touch him and I will hunt you down to kill you”. Garrett snarled at the woman in fury.

Bathilda hisses at Garrett, and he growls in return. I hear a scuffle, and it sounds like she is being dragged away from the scene, a loud crash sounds in the distance then, all is silent. I lay here praying and hoping that I am dying, silently I know that there is no help for me, no turning back, while my entire body morphs into something else entirely.

“Hunter! Hold on, fight to endure this night, and you will rise again! You will have your vengeance!” Upon hearing his words, I knew I had to. I will myself to endure, to rise again, in Eliza's memory, and all I once loved. I promise myself I will hunt her to the ends of the earth!