Chapter 2 - Daniela

I don’t have the time or energy for this shit. But what should I expect sitting at a table in el Amanecer Silencioso or The Silent Dawn to the English speakers? Certainly not quiet.

 

If I wanted quiet, I would have stayed in my apartment. But sunset came, and I needed to dispose of last night’s meal. A tasty morsel of A negative in an unsuspecting murderer who foolishly thought I was his prey.

 

I made sure to leave him in a place where eventually, the police would find his body and be able to close the cases of his multiple murders. I got my meal, the victims' families will get closure, and the streets of Guaymas are a little safer. A win for all.

 

Well safer from murderous humans. Still plenty of my kind lurking in the shadows looking for a meal. But on the whole, we tend not to kill our dinners. Just eat what we need, wipe their memories, and move on.

 

I’d considered just heading back home or checking out a bit of the nightlife when Diana Ruiz called me saying she had some news I would want to hear. She asked to meet here, so now I’m waiting, swirling my glass of O negative blood, enjoying the scent.

 

This had better be good. Diana's already an hour late. I don’t plan to stay in the city long, and for the past month, I’ve been back. I’ve done my best to avoid all vampires… especially him.

 

The last piece of trash I want to cross paths with is the ruling vampire of the clan in this state. Sure, most vampires don’t want an audience with Ductus Toño Chávez. It’s been forty years since I saw the monster that sired me.

 

“I am so sorry I’m late, Dani.” Diana apologized, out of breath, as she slid into the seat across from me.

 

I narrowed my eyes, taking in her disheveled appearance. That’s out of the ordinary for her.

 

Diana isn’t the most pristine and put-together vampire in this city, but she doesn’t show up with her clothes askew like either she got laid between her home and here or got into a fight.

 

“What happened? What trouble have you gotten into?” I questioned, sipping my blood.

 

“It’s nothing. I lost them. You’re safe. I wouldn’t bring trouble to your feet.” Diana assured me as she fixed her blouse.

 

“Diana, do not lie to me. Just explain yourself, quickly.” I sighed.

 

“Fine. Alright, I came across a couple of Ductus Toño’s Halcones. They know I keep tabs on all the happenings in Sonora and specifically within Guaymas. So they were looking for info I wasn’t going to give.” She rushed to explain, reaching and taking my glass as she gulped the rest of the blood.

 

“One that was mine. Two, what kind of information did my padre’s halcones want? I’m sure he knows I’m here. Is he trying to pinpoint where? Is that why we are meeting here?” I questioned, leaning forward and keeping my voice low.

 

“Well, I’m sure he’s looking for you. When doesn’t he look for you and Mariana when he senses you close?” Diana rolled her eyes.

 

Okay, she makes a good point. Toño’s always trying to find ways to dig his nails into us, to force us into his clan to be his good ‘little princesses’ and a source of power. But fuck that. Fool us once, and we’re done.

 

“Fine, so if they didn’t rough you up with questions about me, what is this about?” I inquired.

 

Diana paused, glancing around the bar before leaning closer to whisper. Whatever this is, she’s trying to keep it under wraps. If it’s something so important, why is she sharing it with me?

 

“They were asking what I know about the hunter.” She whispered.

 

I blinked. Diana has to be fucking with me. Hunters do not come to Sonora, period. And they’d have to be suicidal to come into Guaymas.

 

“Are you shitting me?” I arched my brow.

 

“No. A hunter is on his way to Guaymas. He may already be here. There was a big stink on the American side of the border, and several bodies had turned up. Hunter kills. But well, it’s weird….” Diana frowned.

 

“What’s weird? And you said one. Why would a hunter try to make a solo run on Sonora?” I shook my head as this wasn’t making any sense.

 

“The kills, they weren’t all vampires. Most of them were other hunters. I think this one is on the run from his own. But the fact he’s gotten this deep into the territory has Ductus Toño on edge, sending his men looking for him.” Diana explained.

 

A hunter being hunted by his own? Well, shit, what could he have done to cross his people? Mistake one of a supernatural creature? It’s still not adding up. And honestly, beyond adding avoid the hunter to my list, I don’t see a reason to care.

 

“If you know where he is, why not just tell the halcones? What do you care if they torture and bleed a hunter dry?” I prodded.

 

She has to have a reason she’s covering for this hunter. And if she tells me it’s because she saw him and thought he was hot, I’m going to hit her.

 

“Well…” she bit her bottom lip, shrugging.

 

“Diana…” I used my warning tone, narrowing my eyes.

 

“Don’t give me that look. Okay, yes, the hunter is good-looking. But I only know that because he unintentionally saved my life while I was on one of my information gathering trips.” She confessed.

 

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Diana has a steadfast rule of thumb that she will repay you if you save her life. It’s how I ended up with her. She’s been trying to repay me for the last fifty years.

 

“Where did you stash him?” I sighed, knowing she was hiding him.

 

Diana chewed her lip again, unable to meet my gaze. Oh, this can’t be good.

 

“Diana, where did you stash him?” I repeated.

 

“Um… I asked you to meet here cause…. I may have put him in your house.” She winced at her confession.

 

My eyes went wide. I’m sure my eyebrows are at my hairline. It’s probably the most emotion I’ve shown in decades. And it’s taking all my control not to flip this table or start shouting at Diana.

 

“Tell me you are lying. Tell me you didn’t put a hunter in my house. I don’t need to attract that kind of attention. I’m trying to keep a low profile. Remember?” I whispered through clenched teeth.

 

“I know, but I figure it could work if you hide out in the same spot. He agreed to protect you during the day if you shelter him.” She sighed.

 

“And you have to admit having someone to watch your back when you’re asleep is good. Ductus Toño has more than just the clan to do his bidding. Plenty of humans work for him. Humans that could come sniffing around for you when you’re at your most vulnerable.” She explained.

 

I dislike that she’s making a point. But that doesn’t mean I trust this hunter. He’s on the run from his people. I don’t need hunters banging down my front door.

 

I was going to tell her where she could shove her hunter, but she was giving me the pleading puppy down look. Caine damn her. She knows it works on me. The moment I sighed in defeat, she brightened up.

 

“Come on. I’ll introduce you.” Diana beamed, putting money down to pay for my drink before half dragging me out of the bar.

 

I have this sinking feeling that having this hunter around will cause me nothing but trouble. The trouble with Toño, the clan, and the hunters after him. I don’t know if the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks.

 

We stuck to the main streets, sticking to the crowds of humans, letting their overwhelming scent cover ours. Plus, most vampires in this town will stick to the fringe areas or inside very crowded clubs searching for victims that can quickly be culled from the flock.

 

We’d gotten about a block from the house I was staying in when our luck ran dry. Diana's steps quickened as she gripped my arm.

 

“They are closing in. We can’t lead them to your home. But I don’t know if we can fight them all.” She whispered.

 

Caine love her, but she’s not much of a fighter. Her skills are more suited to that of a spy. She’s excellent at it. This means if this comes to a fight, I’d be the one doing it. I am an artist, and the blood of my enemies is my favorite type of paint.

 

“How many?” I questioned.

 

“Twenty.” Diana whimpered.

 

Fuck! I don’t think I can take that many down myself.

 

My paralyzing gaze only works on one victim at a time. So that’s a no go with these kinds of numbers.

 

Fifteen is usually my make for how many I can affect with my psychic assault. But it also drains my energy when I reach that limit. I would be useless against the remaining five.

 

And I know Diana can’t hold her own to give me time to go into my trance state where I could take on forty if needed. We’re fucked. We need to find a way to bottleneck these guys. Then I can control how many I fight at a time.

 

I glanced around, looking for any space that would work, but it was mostly an open area the closer to my house we were getting. No narrow alleys to lead them into. We’re fucked.

 

“What do we have here? It looks like we are going to get a big payday. Ductus Toño will pay a hefty fee for the return of one of his daughters. And we were already sent for the keeper.” A taunting laugh echoed to my left.

 

Pulling Diana close to me, I turned, keeping her behind me to try and protect her from them. I need to stop saving her life. It’s going to get me killed one of these days.

 

“Run… I’ll hold them as best as I can.” I instructed, nudging her in the direction of my house.

 

“Get the keeper! Ductus Toño wants to question her! We’ll capture the Princess.” The leader of this gang of morons sneered at me as he stepped into the light.

 

I rolled my eyes as a familiar face came into view. Teniente Ernesto Lucas is one of my padre’s lap dogs. He is always looking to move up the ladder at the expense of everyone around him.

 

“Ernesto…. I see your face healed after the last time we crossed paths.” I sneered.

 

“Get her!” Ernesto commanded, touching the eye patch over his left eye.

 

The last time we fought, I took his eye. I should have ripped out his whole head instead. I watched as they rushed me. I don’t have any weapons, but that never stopped me in the past.

 

I sent out burts of my psychic assaults, focusing only on at most five at a time to maintain my energy while I fought off the others the best I could in hand-to-hand combat.

 

I hissed with anger as one of them managed to grab me from behind. I was wrinkling my nose as I was forced to look at the smug expression on Ernesto’s face. I’m running low on energy, so I can’t use another psychic assault. I need to find another way out.

 

“Think the Ductus would mind if I had fun with her before turning her in?” The creep behind me chuckled, sniffing my hair.

 

Yes, you read that right. The fucker was sniffing my hair. Men can be such creeps.

 

I was about to make a witty quip, but someone beat me to it.

 

“Not happening, scumbag.” A commanding voice declared right before the vampire behind me suddenly wasn’t.

 

All it took was a glance to my right, and I saw the man’s head rolling. A black boot kicked it like a football aimed at Ernesto’s head. I blinked as the severed head slammed into Ernesto’s face.

 

“Get behind me and close your eyes.” A man, a human man… this must be the hunter, instructed as he placed himself in front of me.

 

I didn’t have time to question. I just ducked my head and covered my eyes. I heard the bang, and even with my eyes covered, I could tell something almost as bright as the sun was just used.

 

“Dani! Dani! Are you alright?!” Diana shouted, shaking my shoulders.

 

I blinked, trying to get the spots out of my eyes. I didn’t answer Diana.

 

I just turned around, taking in the sight of the carnage. Almost everyone one of the attackers was on the ground, looking like they had just stepped into the sun.

 

“Holy shit…” I exclaimed as I looked at the hunter as he put some weapon back under his jacket, turning to look at me.

 

I don’t know if that comment was because hunters have a weapon that powerful or because Diana was right. He is attractive.