The sun set, leaving behind a dark blue canvas, strewn with glittering stars. Rachel skipped down the hallway toward Daniel and Cheryl's room. Her whole body hummed with energy. Since tracking vampires was part of the job description, Hunters felt most active after sundown. And it suited her fine. She had loved the nightlife even as a human.

Chris had suggested they find a club and make the most out of their last night in Prague. Even if she wasn't a club person, with all the recent tension, dancing off the pressure would feel good. She was sure Daniel and Cheryl would want to join them.

Half-wondering if Cheryl was still alive, Rachel knocked on the door. It opened almost the second she pulled her hand back. Daniel stood before her wearing nothing but blue jeans. A black t-shirt hung off his bare shoulders and a wide grin had been plastered across his face.

"You've got to try this!" He nudged her back, stepped out, and closed the door behind him. "Doing it when you're starving is awesome."

Rachel stared at his chiseled body, hardly taking in a word he said. Memories of the feelings he'd shared with her earlier made her want to grab him and ask him to do it again. Why did she feel like jumping him? She'd seen him shirtless before. But her eyes refused to leave his body. They locked on the tattoo on his right arm – a howling wolf head in a circle. She knew he had a tattoo on his other shoulder, too, one of a sharp sword, tip down, in a circle. Identical to the silver amulet hanging around his neck.

What was wrong with her? She'd just left her reformed, lovable, hot, hot, hot boyfriend a couple of minutes ago. But, for some reason, Daniel looked hot, hot, hotter.

He grabbed her wrist. Intense pleasure coursed through her body and she almost moaned out loud.

She yanked her hand away. "Don't do that!"

Daniel's smile disappeared. "Do what? I just wanted to tell you something."

"Oh. Sorry." Rachel's cheeks burned. She reached out her hand and let him take it. Nothing came through this time.

I don't want Cheryl to hear, in case she comes out of the shower. The thing is, this was the coolest, yet hardest, thing I've ever done.

And you don't want her to know how close she came to dying.

Yeah, something like that. Daniel smiled sheepishly. We set a date for the wedding. In three weeks. She wants to have it in Paris.

Rachel hoped her own smile looked genuine. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and her stomach tightened into an uncomfortable knot. That soon, huh? She hadn't even gotten used to the idea of him getting married yet.

I know. I thought so, too, at first. But it's not like we have much planning to do. Daniel let go of her hand and pulled the t-shirt over his head. "And I don't see the point in waiting, either. She's right. We'll spend the rest of our lives together anyway."

Rachel pursed her lips, trying to keep them from trembling. She was happy for them. Crying made no sense. Things would change, but it didn't have to be a bad thing. She swallowed heavily and took his hands. The rest of her life, maybe. Not yours. Does she know?

That I'm potentially immortal? Daniel took a deep breath. I think she might. But maybe...I've been thinking about turning her. You know, into a Hunter. I'll have to ask her, but there's no rush.He smiled again.

Daniel, can we have kids?

He dropped her hands and stepped back, watching her through half-closed lids. "I don't want kids."

"I mean in general. Can Hunters have kids?" Her voice came out thick, and she wished they'd go back to mind-talk.

"I guess so. We're not undead. We have blood pumping and everything." He squinted. "Why? You wanna have little Rachels running around?"

"Chris." She looked away and wiped her eyes. "He's the one who said he wants to have kids and get married."

"Really?" Daniel grabbed her hand and turned it over. Where's the ring?

"He didn't propose. He just told me he'd always thought he'd do it before you did."

Well, I'm glad he came to his senses. I always thought you two were good together.

You sure like talking through your thoughts, don't you? Rachel pulled her hand away. For some reason, she'd expected him not to be glad that she and Chris were getting along. She didn't want the conversation to go on.

"Yeah, I'm that lazy." Daniel laughed. "After your link gets stronger, we should be able to talk like this without touching. Touching is for sharing feelings, images and memories. You're not ready for that yet."

That's what you think. Rachel smiled. She wasn't about to let him know the link was more powerful than he thought.

Daniel frowned, his entire frame suddenly tense. He whipped around and pressed the handle. It didn't work. He'd locked himself out. A growl escaped his throat and he kicked the door. It burst out of its hinges, flew across the small hall inside the room and rammed against the wall of the bedroom.

Rachel stared at him with wide eyes. "Daniel, wha—" The rest of the phrase failed to produce itself. Piercing pain shot through her temple. She shut her eyes and clutched the sides of her head, trying not to scream. Tears ran down her cheeks. She grabbed the jamb, wrapping her other arm around her stomach. These were the classic signs of vampire presence. But they'd never made her so sick and weak. What was happening?

Cheryl ran out of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy, white robe, her wet hair loose. "Danny, what's going on?"

Daniel gazed around the room, his jaw set. "Rachel, get Cheryl out of here."

Get her out? Rachel couldn't even move properly. Cheryl's face slid in and out of focus as her stomach twisted. Cold sweat trickled down her back and her temples throbbed.

Something hard slammed against Rachel's back. She flew forward and smashed into the open bathroom door, tearing it down. Her left shoulder and cheekbone cracked. Cheryl yelped and jumped away.

"Shit," Daniel said. "Cheryl, run!"

Cheryl knelt on the floor and wrapped her arms around Rachel, trying to help her sit. "Are you okay?"

"Damn it, Cheryl! I'll take care of Rachel." Daniel pulled Rachel to her feet and gave Cheryl a nudge toward the door. "Get out of here!"

Rachel tried to stay upright, but her legs crumpled under her, as her entire body shook. Only Daniel's grip held her in a vertical position. Someone swished past her. A vampire stopped behind Daniel and punched his side. Daniel groaned and fell over, Rachel on top of him.

Cheryl screamed as the vamp grabbed her, swept inside the room and stopped on top of the bed, holding her in a headlock. He was unlike any vampire Rachel had encountered: crimson eyes, fangs visible through pressed lips, sallow skin that clung to his bony features. He was the epitome of stereotypical vampires even down to his wardrobe: tight pants, knee-high boots, tunic and waistcoat. His brown hair reached his shoulder, flanking his sharp features and thick moustache.

Daniel darted out from under Rachel. She spun on the floor, her whole body aching.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The vampire grinned, placing one claw-like finger to Cheryl's neck. She stared at the nail with tear-filled eyes, trying to hold back her sobs.

Daniel froze in his tracks, his frame shaking with repressed anger.

"Much better." The vamp's eyes sparkled menacingly, his fangs tiny knives too close to Cheryl's skin. "I didn't think I would have this much fun. This pretty girl is worth the trip."

Daniel lunged toward the bed. The vampire pushed Cheryl to the floor. His arm shot out and caught Daniel in the chest, flinging him against the wall. A picture frame fell to the floor and shattered, shards of glass littering the carpet.

"You stand no chance against me, boy." The vampire grabbed Cheryl around the waist just as she'd begun to scramble away. He lifted her and pressed her back against his chest. "You brought this upon yourself. You've been looking for me. So here I am."

Rachel pushed herself up on her hands and knees. Her blood froze in her veins. "Vlad." The word came out shaky.

"Your partner already figured it out." Vlad nodded at her. "You've killed many of my minions, Paxton. I'll have none of that." He pushed Cheryl away. She shrieked as she landed over the shattered glass.

Daniel rushed to her, but Vlad intercepted him and stuffed a punch in his stomach.

Daniel groaned, but stayed on his feet. He wrapped his arms around Vlad and slammed him against the wall. The vampire snarled and tore himself from Daniel's grip, then grabbed his wrists and rammed him against the bed's headboard.

"No!" Cheryl got to her feet and jumped onto the bed, springing from the mattress onto Vlad's back.

Shaking off her nausea, Rachel crouched and lunged for Cheryl. Vlad tossed Daniel in her path. The two of them smashed against the mirror on the opposite wall. It shattered and needle-sharp shards fell over them. Every muscle in Rachel's body tightened into a painful knot and seemed to paralyze her.

Vlad clutched the collar of Cheryl's robe and pried her off his back. She whimpered as he pressed her against his chest.

"Let. Her. Go." Daniel rose, his knees shaky. Blood dripped out of his cuts, down his arms. "She's human. No threat to you."

"And what makes you think you are a threat? Oh, no, no, no." Vlad tutted, shaking his head. "I did originally come here to kill you, but I've found something so much better. This little morsel will make a wonderful bride, don't you think?"

"No!" Daniel charged, his arms outstretched.

The vampire swatted him away with the flick of a wrist, as if he were an insect. Daniel hit the desk and broke it in two.

Holding her by the hair, Vlad tilted his head and sunk his fangs into Cheryl's neck. She groaned and shuddered.

Heart thumping wildly, Rachel stood on trembling feet. She had to stop Vlad before he turned Cheryl into a bride. She launched herself toward the vampire, but her legs gave in, and she hit her head against the foot of the bed. Stars erupted in front of her eyes.

Vlad bit his tongue and licked the fang marks on Cheryl's skin. She let out a piercing scream as the vampire's blood entered her body.

Daniel pushed the reminder of the desk off him, and got to his knees. His eyes widened and his entire body quaked.

Vlad ran his hands over Cheryl, from her chin, down to her hips. "I'll be waiting for you, my love," he whispered, then threw her aside as if she were an empty wrapper.

Tears stung Rachel's eyes as she watched Daniel scurry across the floor to Cheryl's body. Her frame shook as if she'd been electrocuted.

"Danny," she moaned.

Vlad raised his right hand and his fingers turned into talons. He strode to Daniel, claws at a ready, but even if he threw the vampire a fleeting glance, Daniel turned his attention back to Cheryl. Rachel tried to move, to cut Vlad's path, but she could hardly budge.

Vlad stopped a few inches away from Daniel. He retracted his claws, a mad grin on his face. "You know what? You're not even worth my time. I'll leave you to your fiancé. She will suffice." In the blink of an eye, he was on the windowsill, his coat flapping in the evening breeze. "This should be fun." He laughed, then jumped.

The screaming pain in Rachel's head subsided. The room came back into focus, color and definition sharpened. Though she wished it hadn't. The anguish on Daniel's face sent a fresh wave of pain through her.

"Danny." Cheryl's voice was weak and raspy.

"I'm here, sweetheart." He kneeled beside her and took her hand. His eyes shone with tears. "Don't worry. It'll be over soon."

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too." Daniel stared around the room. He grabbed a shard of glass from the floor.

"It hurts...it really hurts..." Cheryl screamed. Her body tensed as if it were about to snap.

Daniel held the shard against his wrist and sliced. Blood flooded out. He raised Cheryl's head and stuck his wrist to her mouth, forcing her to drink.

Rachel sighed with relief. It would be okay. Daniel was turning Cheryl into a Hunter. If he'd managed to save her, he would save Cheryl as well. Then why was his entire body shaking with sobs?

"Daniel?" She shuffled toward him.

"I'm going to find that bastard and kill him if it's the last thing I do." His words came out bitter and filled with pain.

"Isn't she going to be alright?" Rachel crawled closer to Cheryl's body, but Daniel flung his arm out to stop her. It caught her in the chest and sent her flying against the wall. The red in his eyes nearly engulfed his entire iris. His fangs were showing.

Cheryl screamed and thrashed in agony. Daniel grabbed her shoulders and pinned her in place. "There, there, sweetheart."

Rachel sat up. Okay, stay away. Got it. "Why isn't she getting better?"

"I managed to save you because the vampire's poison was weaker than mine. In Vlad's case, not even both of us would be enough." He tightened his grip on Cheryl's shoulders. "He knew..." He sunk his chin into his chest, his whole body trembling. "He knew I wouldn't be able to help her. He knew that I'd have to..."

Rachel's breath caught in her throat. She'd desperately wanted Cheryl to be okay, so she'd ignored the real consequences of Vlad's attack. Cheryl would become a vampire. Vlad's bride. Their enemy.

Which meant they had to kill her.

A dull ache settled on Rachel's heart, but she knew what had to be done. Urging her exhausted body to move, she got to her feet. "Daniel, get out of here. I'll take care of this."

He took Cheryl in his arms, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger. She'd stopped screaming and moving, and now only seemed asleep. "No, I can't." His voice came out horse, raspy, distorted by pain.

"I have to do it now, before she wakes and puts up a fight." Rachel wanted to put her hand on his shoulder, but changed her mind. If any of his feelings broke through, she wasn't sure she could face it.

"No, no, no..." He rocked back and forth, cradling Cheryl's body.

Rachel bit her lip, tears making their way down her cheeks. She didn't want to fight him over Cheryl's body. Nausea and the headache returned. Her body was already reacting, repulsed by what Cheryl had become. It was over. Vlad had won. And by the way Daniel sank his face into the crook of Cheryl's neck, sobbing, Rachel was sure he knew, too.

"You don't have to see this. Just go." Rachel balled her hands. Her instincts wanted Cheryl dead, but she couldn't ignore the years of friendship. Her heart tore at the thought of killing her. There was no other way. If she woke up, Cheryl would live to serve Vlad and nothing more.

"No." He raised his head. Dropping all pretense, he let the tears pour down his face. "I-I told you I'd never let you do this."

He looked at Cheryl's body. Her skin was paler than before, and she had developed a sort of surreal beauty. She no longer looked like an angel, but a dangerously attractive demon. Still holding Cheryl, Daniel reached for his open suitcase and pulled out the silver tipped stakes.

Rachel shook her head. "I can't let you do this."

"I have to. I owe her that much. I can't let her become a monster." He picked Cheryl up and headed for the window.

As he passed, Rachel put her hand on his shoulder. Pain seared through her body, so intense it brought her to her knees. Daniel didn't seem to notice. Rachel watched him, her heart beating out an uneven rhythm. For the second she'd touched him, she'd wished she were Cheryl, that he would kill her and she could leave this painful world behind. If that was how Daniel felt, how could he still walk, breathe, live?

"What's going on?" Chris stopped in the doorway. His wide eyes took in the mess, the broken glass and blood on the floor. "Rach, are you—?" He froze in the process of reaching his hand out to her. "Where's Daniel going with Cheryl? And what are those things in his hand?"

Daniel climbed on the windowsill. He hesitated a moment, his hands shaking, then jumped.

Chris rushed to the window. "Rachel, stop him! He's out of his mind!"

Rachel took hesitant steps toward him and stopped by his side. Daniel landed on the roof of the restaurant, three floors below. She didn't zoom in on him, and wished her hearing were normal. Chris surely couldn't hear Daniel's sobs and low murmurs of 'I'm so sorry.'

"Why are you just standing there?" Chris yelled.

"There's nothing I can do." She stepped away, trying not to crash in a heap and start crying.

"What do you mean there's nothing—Ack!"

A powerful crack echoed in the night. Rachel cringed. She knew it was the sound of Cheryl's sternum breaking as Daniel sank the stakes in her body. Daniel's heavy, uneven breathing also filled her ears. She'd thought she could handle this, but it tore her apart. The pain in her chest threatened to smother her.

"He's killing her!" Chris grabbed Rachel's elbow and pulled her deeper inside the room. "Rachel, we have to get out of here."

She scowled and yanked her arm free. She did her best not to thump him. "He has to do it."

"Are you out of your mind? He could come back any moment and finish us off. If he's crazy enough to kill his fiancé..." Chris didn't even bother to finish the sentence. He clutched her wrist and tried to drag her across the room.

Rachel held her ground. "I'm not going anywhere. He needs me."

Chris froze, his mouth hanging open. "Needs you? After what he's done, you stand by him?"

"Chris, he's my best friend," she pleaded. "And this isn't easy for him."

"Easy? He's probably gonna eat her!"

"What?" Rachel tried to keep her tone in check. She didn't want to lash out on Chris. "Hunters don't eat people. Cheryl's a vampire now. We have to kill her!" She shouldn't be so angry. She should take the time to explain everything properly. But after what happened to Cheryl, half of her wanted Chris to flee and never look back. At least that way, he'd be safe.

"Oh, sure, and that's a great comfort to—Holy shit!" Chris ran back to the window and stared down at the flames now flickering into the foggy air. "Did he just set her on fire?"

Rachel took a few steps toward him. Her pain reached unbearable levels. She didn't want to explain now. She just wanted to go to Daniel and get him back on his feet. She hated seeing him on his knees, his arms around himself, rocking back and forth, whimpering and staring into the fire.

"Chris, please understand. If Daniel didn't kill her, she would've attacked all of us." Her words came out blank and meaningless. Who cared about vampires now when Cheryl's death broke her best friend into pieces?

"Who turned her? Was it Daniel?" There was a note of fear in Chris's voice. He stepped away from the window as though Daniel might attack him, too.

"No. We can't turn people into vampires. Vlad found out we were hunting him and came to kill Daniel and me, but Cheryl..." She couldn't finish the sentence. Images of Cheryl jumping on Vlad's back to protect Daniel zoomed in front of her eyes. Oh, Cheryl.

"So, this Vlad could come after me next?" Chris whispered.

Rachel nodded.

"And then you'd set fire to me, too."

She hesitated for a second then nodded again.

"Rachel, it doesn't have to be like this." Chris marched to her and took her hands in his. "Let's run away, leave all this behind. We could be happy. Vlad would never find us."

"No, I can't." Rachel pulled her shaking hands out of his grasp. "I can't leave Daniel. I can't run away."

Anger flashed in Chris's eyes. "So, you choose him over me?"

"Chris, he's the reason I'm alive. My kind." As much as she loved Chris, she couldn't even imagine life without Daniel. And she was sure Chris wouldn't understand.

The hatred in his eyes burned holes in her. "Your kind. Monsters. Criminals. I was a fool to ever think you could feel something real for me. You're probably right. If I stick around, I'll end up like Cheryl. Dead."

Rachel dropped to the floor and sunk her face in her hands. She didn't want this anymore.

"Goodbye, Rachel."

The stomping footsteps died out when Chris reached the end of the corridor. Rachel stared at her hands. She had to get to Daniel. He needed someone by his side. But her heart was so heavy, she wasn't sure she'd ever stand again. The last half hour played inside her head like a horror movie. It culminated with Chris fleeing. She couldn't blame him. It was probably for the best.

"Run. Run and hide. I'm strong. I'll be fine without you," she murmured, laid her head on the floor and wept.

🦇🦇🦇

Thanks for reading another chapter of Hunters. Hope you had fun! Leave a comment or vote in case you enjoyed it. And thank you for your support!