Grand Hunt

"Oh shit! Time to go!" I said, grabbing Kathy's arm and pulling her toward the door.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

I didn't blame her. We were at her friend Lyle's Halloween party and it was still early. She couldn't see any reason why we should leave. Of course, she didn't know the attractive couple that just entered the room. I didn't either, but I knew what they were!

The couple were dressed as a Lord and Lady from the Elizabethan era and were old enough to have actually been there, and then some! I knew it from the moment I laid eyes on them and it scared the shit out of me for reasons I didn't want to think about.

"Let's get out of here," I said quickly.

"You're kidding right?" Kathy asked. "We just arrived!"

I thought as quickly as I could. I needed to get away from the couple before they recognized me for what I was! My mind seemed to work it spurts as I tried to come up with a reason to go that Kathy would accept.

"Let's go to my parents house," I said with sudden inspiration. "You'll love it there! They always have a really big party on Halloween. It's the event of the year!" Kathy looked at me oddly.

"You haven't spoken to your parents in a year and you want to stop in on them while there in the middle of entertaining?" she asked in disbelief.

"They'll be fine with it," I said quickly. "Actually, they'll be thrilled to see us! You don't know my parents..."

"And whose fault is that?" she interjected. "Weren't you the one who refused bring me home and introduce us?"

"Yes and I'm sorry about that. So let's go now so I can rectify it," I added, trying to pull her toward the door again. Kathy didn't budge.

"Not today," she said. "I don't feel right about it. Besides, I don't want to hurt Lyle's feelings by leaving this early." I saw that there was no leeway in her tone. Damn!

"Maybe we can hang out for a while and slip out early?" I asked. "You'll love my parents."

"What's wrong with you?" she asked. "You've barely talked about your family since I met you and when you have, it wasn't all that pleasant! Yet, suddenly you're singing their praises."

"They have their moments," I replied.

Kathy shook her head and was about to say something when some friends walked up. They said hello and Kathy started talking to them. I stood by her side, but didn't add anything to the conversation. I was too busy watching the couple make their way through the crowd in our general direction. I wasn't the only one looking at them. They drew many eyes.

'Okay, so it's an understatement to call them simply attractive,' I sighed to myself. The truth was that they were both beautiful. In fact, they were almost too good-looking. I shook my head and added, 'Inhumanly so.'

"How about we go into the other room and get a drink?" I asked Kathy suddenly. All three of them looked at me in surprise. I realized I interrupted Kathy in the middle of a sentence. I groaned and quickly apologized. "Sorry, I'm a little thirsty." It was lame, but at this point it was the best I could do.

"We'll talk later," she said to her friends and let me lead her away. As soon as we were alone, she added, "Maybe a drink will help settle whatever's bothering you." I didn't answer. What was I going to say? She was angry and had the right to be.

We got our drinks and I downed mine in one gulp. I ordered another. Kathy looked at me, but didn't comment. I wasn't normally a big drinker.

'What was I thinking coming out on Halloween?' I groaned silently to myself. 'I know better!'

Of course, I knew exactly why I was here. It was because of Kathy. She loved Halloween and the truth be told, I loved her. I couldn't explain why. It just sort of snuck up on me.

I looked at her now and smiled despite my concerns about the couple. Kathy was dressed as a serving wench. It displayed her assets very nicely. She caught me looking and smiled despite still being mad at me. Kathy had a very sexy smile. I groaned to myself. I wanted her very badly and had since the moment I met her, but I'd been careful to avoid any situation where we'd end up in bed together.

I know it sounds crazy to be dating a girl as hot as Kathy for over six months and not sleeping with her, but I had my reasons. Two of them were in the other room and had me scared half to death.

It wasn't fair to drag Kathy into my world. I never should have started dating her, but our attraction for each other was strong from the moment we met. I tried to stay away anyway and might have succeeded if not for the fact that I met her at my most forlorn. At first, I rationalized our dates as 'just having some fun', but I couldn't deny the truth for long.

'And now look what you've done,' I thought. 'You've put her in danger for what?' Yet despite my guilt, I couldn't regret the time I'd spent with Kathy. I loved her and the moments we shared together were the best in my life.

"If you keep looking at me that way I'm going to blush," Kathy smiled sexily.

"Sorry," I said, blushing a bit myself. "But that costume..."

"I picked it out with you in mind," she interjected, playing with the laces in front of her blouse.

I groaned to myself and took another swig from my drink. I wanted desperately what Kathy was offering and she knew it. She was teasing me more and more as the days passed. At the moment, despite the danger the couple represented and how wrong it would have been, the only true regret I felt was in not taking up her offer months ago!

I know you're wondering why sleeping with Kathy would have been so wrong for me to do, but you'd understand if you were in my situation. On the other hand, if you could see Kathy right now in her serving wench costume, you might not! I was having a hard time of it myself despite my knowledge.

My thoughts on the subject slipped away as the couple entered the room. I quickly took Kathy's arm and led her out through the other archway. This room had a lot more people in it and I navigated through them until we passed through another doorway.

'It's just a coincidence that they followed you,' I thought nervously. 'After all, you were in the room with the bar!'

It was a good rationalization. The only problem was that the couple and their kind didn't drink. I started sweating badly. Kathy noticed almost immediately.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern. "You don't look so good."

"I don't feel all that well," I replied, which was the truth, although not for the reason she thought.

"Maybe we should go home?" she suggested, obviously not wanting to go, but worried about me.

A braver man would have said no. After all, just because the couple was here, it didn't mean anything necessarily bad was going to happen. A better man would have at least tried to face his fear. Me, I took the coward's way out.

"That sounds like a good idea," I said, but felt guilty enough to add, "Sorry."

"Just let me find Lyle and tell him," Kathy said, her tone both concerned and disappointed. I watched as she left in search of Lyle. I waffled between relief and some other feeling I refused to dwell on.

"Ah, there you are Drew!" I heard from behind me. The hair on the back of my neck raised and my body stiffened despite my attempt not to show my surprise. I'd never heard the voice before, but it was pure and musical. It sent chills as I turned and faced the couple.

"My Lord, my Lady," I said with an oh so polite bow of my head. It never hurt to show their kind some respect.

"Constance's parents send their regards," the Lady smiled. This time I did better at hiding the shiver that traveled the length of my spine.

It was worse than I thought! I didn't just happen to bump into them at this party like I first assumed. They were friends of Constance and her parents. That meant they were hunting me. I swallowed hard, but tried not to show my fear.

"How are they?" I asked. "I fear they were a bit under the weather after the last time we met." My tone was polite, but my words were a warning. It wasn't one I could back up, but they were hunting me, so hopefully they didn't know that.

"Recovering," the Lord said. "They were extremely disappointed when your last visit to their daughter was interrupted so rudely."

The Lord and Lady obviously knew the whole story of what happened with Constance and her family last Halloween. I was doomed. My mouth was so dry that there was no use in even trying to swallow.

"Drew, I found Lyle," Kathy said as she walked up. "We can go."

"My, my, isn't she a pretty little thing!" the Lord said.

"Don't mind my husband," the Lady said with a smile. "He's always like this on Halloween." Kathy smiled almost dumbly in return. Their kind had that affect on unsuspecting humans.

My heart skipped a beat. As I mentioned a few second ago, I was doomed, but that didn't mean I was going to take Kathy down with me. I might be a coward, but even a coward will stand up for those he loves when he's got nothing to lose. I stepped between the couple and Kathy. I bowed politely, but gave them a look of warning. They seemed more amused then threatened.

"I'm feeling much better," I said as I turned to Kathy, grabbed her elbow and lead her away. "Let stay for a while."

"Do you know them?" she asked with a frown.

"Not really," I smiled, gritting my teeth as my fear threatened to overwhelm me.

"Are you sure you're feeling better?" she asked.

"I'm okay for now," I said, coming up with an idea. "I may leave in a little while, but that's no reason for you to miss the party. I can get myself home."

"Don't be silly," she said. "Why don't we just go?"

"No!" I snapped, surprising her.

There was no point in leaving, not with that couple hunting me. In fact, leaving would only make it easier for them. Of course, I knew I'd have to go eventually, but I wanted to do it alone. I wanted Kathy to have no part in what was going to happen.

I cursed myself, not for the first time, for getting involved with Constance the year before. I knew better, but I was angry with my parents and convinced I could prove them wrong. They told me that our kind and Constance's could never make peace, but I had to try anyway.

I forced myself to think about something else, but it wasn't easy. After a while, I slipped out of the party through a back door. I'd only gone a few feet before Kathy caught up to me.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Just getting a bit of fresh air," I smiled, gritting my teeth in frustration as I led her back inside.

The party was getting crowded and I was surprised by how many people I knew, even more so by the fact that so many of them were like me. I bumped into one I knew while leaving the bathroom.

"Drew! Great party!" Sam grinned.

"What are you and the others doing here?" I frowned. "You know better than to come out on this night!"

"We figured why not?" he said, obviously drunk. "You know, you're not the only one who doesn't get along with his parents and likes to do 'the dangerous'."

"You weren't invited," I said, more to stall for time than anything else.

"Please!" Sam laughed. "This party is so big that a few more faces won't be noticed."

I sighed as I looked at my friend. He seemed so innocent. Of course, he hadn't been the one who barely escaped with his life from Constance and her parents the year before. I came to a decision. I didn't want to scare or panic Sam, but I had to warn him.

"They're here," I said in a tone that got through his fogged brain. There was no need to explain who 'they' were. "Hunting me. You'd better leave and tell the others to go as well."

"And leave you alone to face them?" Sam frowned as he paled considerably.

I smiled despite everything. Sam went up in my estimation a great deal. I was momentarily tempted to ask him for help, but I didn't. He was showing me a friendship that I had to return by insisting he go. Besides, he and the others weren't strong enough to help much in the end anyway.

"Sam, they're a pair of the old ones," I said. "Despite my parents, you know I'm not strong enough to face them, and nothing you or the others can do will help all that much. Thanks, but get everyone else out of here." He nodded soberly and disappeared.

The party moved with both painful slowness and ridiculous speed. I'd tried to slip away a couple more times, but Kathy refused to let me out of her sight.

I noticed the couple on and off again. They were obviously enjoying their little game. I was so focused on them that it took me longer than it should have to notice the others. I probably still wouldn't have if Sam hadn't literally bumped into me again.

I frowned at him and was about to ask why he was still here when he nodded toward the nearest exit pointedly. That's when I finally noticed the others. None of them were as frightening as the Lord and Lady, but all were far more than they seemed. They were guarding the doors, not letting Sam or the others of our kind leave.

"So much for slipping out of the party," I sighed.

"Good luck," Sam said, his fear obvious. I slapped him on the shoulder.

"You too," I smiled sadly. He nodded and drifted away. We both knew the odds. There was no point in dwelling on it.

Any hope that I would survive the night was dwindling fast. There was only one possibility with this many of the couple's kind and my own in one place. This was to be one of the Grand Hunts.

Normally we left the pure humans out of our battles, but with so many here, there were bound to be causalities. I looked around the room and all the laughing people and took a moment to mourn for them.

"This is your fault you know," the Lady said from behind me. I surprised myself by not jumping again.

"You mean without me you wouldn't be out hunting tonight?" I asked in disbelief.

"Of course we would!" the Lady laughed. "It's Halloween, the Night of the Hunt! Good and Evil will battle this very night!" I shivered at the zeal in the Lady's eyes.

"Then what do you mean?" I asked, before she could continue what obviously threatened to be a rant. She looked at me and I saw the fire leave her eyes, but the hunger remained.

"You should have left the party as soon as you saw us," she replied. "You knew we were hunting you. It would have saved lives, something Constance says that you profess is important to you."

She was right and I knew it, but I couldn't help it. Kathy wouldn't let me slip away without her and I refused to sacrifice her. Of course, in the end it was all for nothing. I hadn't counted on the fact that despite my weakness, I'd draw the younger, rebellious ones of my kind to me. Once the Lord and Lady saw them, a Grand Hunt was the only logical option for them.

It never stopped amazing me how such beautiful beings could be so cold and cruel. They were born hunters who enjoyed nothing more than the hunt and the kill. The truth was that despite her words of great battles between Good and Evil, usually Halloween was more a night of slaughter.

"By the way," the Lord said as he joined us. "Don't expect your parents or their friends to save you again this year. They'll be too busy elsewhere fighting for their own lives tonight. Constance and her parents are seeing to that."

I shrugged uncaringly as the last of my hope disappeared. I hadn't even realized that I was holding on to it until it was gone. I didn't always see eye to eye with my parents, but I loved them. I found myself more concerned for them then myself.

"What I want to know is how you could be foolish enough to be out on your own again this year after what happened last year?" the Lord asked.

"I've been wondering that myself," I sighed.

"Love," the Lady smiled knowingly. "I don't mean pure love, like what we feel for our master, but the twisted, sad kind that humans feel for each other that causes them to do the stupidest things in its name. It's a shame you let yourself be infected by it."

I shuddered silently at the mention of their master. His wraith was legendary, and as bad as the Lord and Lady were, I was glad their master did not take part in these hunts. Of course, I didn't say any of that. Instead, I smiled bravely, or at least not fearfully.

"Don't underestimate love's power. It's been the cause of both the creation and destruction of civilizations." I said, surprising myself with how calm and confident my voice sounded. It was almost as if my fear of them was gone, almost.

"Perhaps," the Lord shrugged. "But it will have no affect tonight."

He smiled and I felt myself shudder. He was extremely handsome, as I've said before, inhumanly so, but the hunger for the Hunt in his expression ruined the heavenliness of his looks.

It was time to address my biggest concern more directly. I knew it was a waste of time, but I had to try.

"I don't suppose we can make a deal for Kathy's life?" I asked.

"No," the Lord answered. There was no give in his tone and I had nothing to offer in bargain.

"She has no part in this," I said despite the futility of it.

"That's not quite true, is it?" the Lady asked. "She allowed herself to fall in love with one of your kind and must be dealt with."

"But she has no idea of what I am," I argued.

"It doesn't matter," the Lord added. "She is tainted and must be cleansed. Thus orders our master."

"I notice he didn't come to the same conclusion last year with Constance," I said pointedly.

"She came to her senses even before her parents interceded," the Lady said.

"True," I said, remembering the pain and betrayal briefly before pushing it away.

I tried to accept Kathy's death sentence, but it wasn't in me. The couple and their kind infuriated me. My people and theirs had fought for millenniums. We were their children and yet they hunted us. To them, we were evil and must die. My anger at my kind's fate blossomed until I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Then heed my warning," I said with surprising calm. "I will kill whoever tries to harm her." I seriously meant it, but deep down I knew that I had almost no way to back my words.

"Please!" the Lord snorted. "If you could do that, then last year Constance would have been dead by your hand instead of wounded by your father's."

"And what's with 'heed my words?'," the Lady asked. "That's sounds more like your father than you."

"I am my father's son," I smiled confidently, and then added pointedly, "A lot can change in a year. I am not the innocent I once was."

"You're kind are never innocent!" the Lord snapped.

"Exactly," I smiled coldly. I was reward with a momentary look of doubt on the Lord's face, but the Lady was too smart to fall for my empty posturing.

"You have a little time left," she said, changing the subject. "Why don't you go and get yourself drunk? It may help with what is to come." It sounded like she was offering a kindness, but I knew that wasn't the case. She just wanted the Hunt to go easier.

I turned away from them. I could feel their eyes like cold daggers on my back. I ignored her suggestion to go to the bar and made my way to Kathy instead.

"What was that all about?" she asked. I knew she'd been watching me while I spoke with the Lord and Lady.

"Nothing," I smiled, decided to enjoy the remaining time I had left with Kathy. "Let's dance."

"Are you sure you're up for it?" she asked, her concern still plain to see in her face.

"I'm fine," I insisted, and then grinned before adding, "Let's go dance and drive the other guys crazy! I love it when they all stare at me in envy for dancing with the hottest girl at the party!"

"There are plenty of more attractive girls than me at this party," Kathy said. "Planning on dancing with someone else tonight?"

"Only you," I said, pulling her into a kiss. I think she was surprised by the passion I put into it. I was a little surprised myself.

"What was that for?" she asked afterward, panting slightly. I could have answered seriously, but I wanted to keep the mood light.