Hunted Read online

  Hunted

  Matt Mememaro

  For Pia

  Contents

  Map

  1. Fruits of Etia

  2. Dangers of Etia

  3. Depths

  4. Ascent

  5. Sins of the Father

  6. The Wilds Once More

  7. The White Ghosts

  8. Mistrust

  9. The Pack

  10. Hidden Valley

  11. Chasing Nightmares

  12. True Intentions

  13. The Shrine

  14. Strife

  15. The Infected One

  16. Rubbed the Wrong Way

  17. Madness

  18. Flight

  19. Spark of White

  20. Etia Again

  21. Bestial Rage

  22. Old Foe

  23. Once A Friend

  24. The Lock

  25. The Betrayal

  26. Drenched

  27. Impregnation

  28. The Doctor

  29. Escape

  30. Rebirth

  31. Interrogation

  32. The Wedding

  33. End of the Road

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also By Matt Mememaro

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in this work come wholly from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  ©Matt Mememaro 2018

  This book is copyright. All rights reserved.

  Apart for fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without the written permission of the author. Extract may be used for the purpose of reviews.

  Created with Vellum

  1

  Fruits of Etia

  The bustling city of Etia, capital of Alilletia, spread out below Gareth as he rose over the lip on the cliff seated upon his horse, body swaying gently with the beast. His face was covered by a Hunter’s cowl, and his arms were cold, exposed to the harsh winter winds of Alilletia. The snowcapped black jagged pillars of the main Citadel rose far above his head, and sentries lined every wall, further sending another chill down his spine. Each man stood close to seven foot in height and carried either a crossbow or longbow. Gareth could see the furs the Alilletians were famous for, draped over their bear like shoulders as they patrolled every inch of the wall. He was out of range of the crossbows, but should the longbows fire upon him, Gareth would not be defenseless. The skills he had acquired after many years of training in the Renori Huntrey and the automatic crossbow on his back would allow him to escape.

  While the cliff face was within bow shot of the city itself, Gareth needed to travel down and through numerous deep valleys and caves. Taking the wrong one meant he could be trapped for days in the wilderness. The Alilletians had designed and dug out the landscape surrounding their city in order to trap and slow any enemies approaching, enabling them to set ambushes and weaken the enemy before they arrived at the gates. It was a pain in the ass for travelers such as Gareth, but the Alilletians thought it necessary to keep themselves safe.

  Gareth turned his horse’s head, a typical Hunter’s horse infused with Vampire blood. He clicked at the dire wolf that was crouched in the long grass nearby. The gray shadow, called Mandel, never left his side even in times of crisis. Dire wolves were loyal to their bound Hunters until they died. Over their lifespan, both Hunter and dire wolf grew closer than any others and the wolf kept up to pace with the horse.

  At long last he had reached the main gate of Etia. Like the Citadel, the gates were black and so was the mood of the guards on duty. Gareth had always thought he was Alilletian; he shared their considerable bulk even before he was trained as a Hunter. The only thing that set him apart from the average Alilletian was his height by a few inches. He was almost a man now and was now entering his prime, both physically and mentally. The years of training at the Huntrey had prepared him well for the outside world.

  The guards walked over to him, long pikes drawn, easily able to get him off his horse. Mandel raised his hackles and bared his teeth, getting closer to Gareth. The dire wolf would attack from the slightest signal that Gareth gave him and would not be bought down easily. They were bred for war.

  “Halt there, Hunter,” the closest guard said. The statement was redundant as Gareth was no longer moving. “What business do you have here in Etia? Our scouts spotted you hours ago but we hoped you would move on.”

  “Not a chance, I’m on a hunt and if I have killing to do it is going to get done,” Gareth said.

  “What about your animal. It will have to stay outside the gates at all times,” the guard said. He eyed Mandel suspiciously.

  “Mandel will come with me or I will lay waste to you and your patrol here,” Gareth said. “And don’t think I won’t be able to do it.”

  The guard laughed. “Your beast would be able to do more damage than you. You’re just a boy, what do we have to fear from you?”

  Gareth had just about enough of the ignorant guard when he could see a Captain approaching from the battlements. A stern man, who had seen many years of combat, wrapped in his warm furs that marked him as an Alilletian.

  “What’s the issue lads? To me he looks like a lost soul, ready to return home even if he is dressed like a Renori Hunter,” the Captain said. He made note of Gareth’s short sleeved trench coat variation on the standard Hunter uniform. “Whatever he brings to our city I doubt it is harmful, and the lad is probably only here to seek out a target of his. Let him pass.”

  A lot had changed since the eight years following the assassination of Councilor Renor inside his own arena at the hands of a group of Hunters from West Anacore. In Renor, Hunters had become the hunted in towns and settlements with the Huntrey being their only safe haven.

  Gareth nodded his gratitude to the Captain, glad that he wasn’t categorized as an exile here. The other guards manipulated the pulleys in order to open the gates just enough to allow Gareth through. The young Hunter found himself on the main street of Etia, that lead high up above him to the Citadel. The Citadel dominated most of the skyline in Etia, save for the mountains that surrounded it. He was tired from the journey, so Gareth ducked into the first tavern he saw. Tying up his horse, Mandel stayed knowing when Gareth left he was to stay at all times, unless his master said otherwise. The huge wolf slumped down beside his master’s steed.

  Inside, the tavern was rowdy, as was the custom for Alilletians who began drinking well before most other people in Taagras, even at this early hour. Gareth approached the bar and sat down at the last remaining wooden stool. It was just in time as the most beautiful woman he had ever seen came into sight. She was wearing a simple serving gown that marked her as the bartender.

  The woman wore her silky blonde hair long, swaying down well past her shoulders. She could have been no older than her mid-twenties as her soft angelic face was slightly matured and showed signs of several hard years.

  “May I take your order?”

  Gareth jumped, startled. It had been several seconds before he realized he had been staring at her.

  “Umm, yes of course. One Highlander rum on ice.”

  “Certainly.” The girl smiled at him. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

  “A warm bed and a hot meal would be delightful,” Gareth said. “If I could have it bought to my room? That is, if you have any to spare.”

  “Yes, we have two rooms left. Room seven and eight, but I’ll put you in lucky number seven.” The girl winked at him.

  “Any chance of me getting lucky later on?” Gareth asked.

  The serving g
irl looked him up and down. “If you’re lucky. You’re pretty.”

  They both grinned and went their separate ways. Gareth took the key to his room and gently unlocked the creaking wooden door. Nothing in Alilletia was elegant as everything always had a rough finish to it. Even the bed wasn’t soft. Gareth felt his back crack as he flopped upon it. The ride had been tiring and now he needed to rest.

  Gareth had barely closed his eyes when the door to his room creaked slightly open. Something knocked against the wooden frame, quickly followed by a blonde head. It was the serving girl bringing his meal.

  “Ouch, sorry. Should I just leave this in here,” she said holding out a wooden tray.

  “Yes, of course anywhere will be fine,” Gareth said.

  “I was also hoping I could steal five minutes of your time.” She smiled warmly opening the door fully and walking in.

  “I don’t see why not.” Gareth moved over on the bed. “I could use the company. It’s been a hard road.”

  “I wonder if something else is just as hard. I’ve always wanted to see wanted to see what wonders a Hunter could perform on a woman,” she said.

  “In my home country it is tradition that we at least learn the woman’s name before performing any wonders,” Gareth said.

  “This is Alilletia, Hunter. Your Renori traditions don’t work on me here. If I want to fuck without knowing your name, I will fuck you,” she said.

  “All the same I’d like your name, sweetheart,” Gareth said.

  “It’s Selena,” she said.

  “Aren’t you meant to be working, Selena?” Gareth asked.

  “If you’re paying, I’m working.” She rolled back on top of him with a smile.

  “How much?” Gareth asked. His armor was getting uncomfortably in the way between him and this beautiful woman.

  “Depends what you want, what I feel like and how long you last for, pretty boy.” Selena bit her lip in anticipation.

  Gareth let out a low growl and began tugging away at Selena’s serving dress trying to rip it off her as quickly as possible. Nobody had shut the door and it was still wide open.

  “Yeah you want to fuck me, don’t you?” Selena asked, trying to tear off Gareth’s armor.

  “Come here,” he said. He flipped the serving girl over onto her back.

  Selena let out a small cry of delight. “You Hunters are strong.” She giggled as Gareth began running his lips across her neck, taking in her sweet unusual fruity scent.

  Gareth’s paused, briefly lingering over it before moving on. Selena noticed the pause and frowned. “What is the matter, Hunter?”

  “Nothing, you smell exquisite,” Gareth said. He leaned forwards to bite her neck.

  Selena let out a low growl that sounded different from how she had before. Gareth paused again, his hands rested on her shoulders. Something wasn’t right, Selena wasn’t a human.

  2

  Dangers of Etia

  “Mandel!” Gareth screamed at the top of his lungs.

  Selena was completing her transformation from Human to Vampire, but her hands were still wrapped around Gareth. He tried to break free, however the Vampire held his hands in its iron grip.

  “Let go of me, bitch,” Gareth said still trying to wriggle away. “Mandel!”

  He could hear the Dire wolf growling from the stable but he wasn’t getting any closer. Someone must have locked him in, which meant there was more than one Vampire within this establishment. Selena had finished her transformation and roared in Gareth’s face covering him in spittle.

  Selena’s claws dug into Gareth’s exposed skin, keeping him close as the Vampire tried to bite his neck. The young Hunter screamed, yet nobody ventured up or down the hallway to investigate the disturbance. Gareth had taken part in the Blood Ceremony like all novices did, giving him extra strength to combat Vampires, however this one was stronger.

  “Submit to me little Hunter. Your life is worth nothing to me,” Selena said.

  “Your life is what gives mine purpose, Vampire. You will die as the others I have killed,” Gareth said.

  “What three of my kind? All minors? You couldn’t kill me even if you wanted to boy,” the Vampire said.

  Gareth continued to struggle, reaching for a weapon as Selena toyed with him. She now had both of his hands gripped in one behind his back while the other controlled his head.

  “He couldn’t, but I could,” came a booming voice from the doorway.

  Selena’s head snapped to the newcomer. No sooner than she had opened her mouth and begun to scream, a silver crossbow bolt appeared between her eyes. The Vampire instantly vanished from sight.

  “Lois!” the older Hunter called out down the hall. “There’s one vanisher in here!” He was a bulky man, no older than his mid-twenties at the latest. He wore a long-armored trench coat of Tyrainian design, with a leather ten-gallon hat that made him look even bigger.

  “Three more out here,” called a woman that sounded very similar to Selena.

  “You alright, mate?” the Hunter asked.

  “Yeah, I’m fine thanks,” Gareth said.

  “You’re young. From Renor by the looks of your uniform. You’ve done well to keep yourself alive there especially after what I did there a few years back,” the Hunter said. “What’s your name?”

  “Gareth. What’d you do in Renor?”

  “Killed a couple of Councilors.”

  Gareth gasped. “You’re Abner Toldar?”

  “Yep, that’d be me. And you’d know why we are in Alilletia,” Abner said.

  Gareth nodded. “The White Ghosts.”

  “And why is a Hunter alone in Etia, I wonder? Nobody came on your hunt with you?” Abner frowned looking Gareth up and down.

  “Tracking down a religious cult run by Vampires somewhere in the city. I’ve been looking for them for months. I’ve lost my partner,” Gareth said.

  “I have a proposition for you. Hunt with my people and not only will we destroy this cult in Etia, I will take you on as one of my own. Do you want a chance at the big stuff?” Abner asked.

  “Absolutely,” Gareth said.

  “Who’s this you’ve got?” Lois asked looking Gareth up and down with a smirk. “He looks no older than you did when we left the Huntrey.”

  “Desire tried to kill him, it looked just like you, Lois,” Abner said.

  “Your wolf was locked in the stables and that’s why it couldn’t help you. There was more than one Vampire here. You walked into a hornet’s nest. Even if you killed that Desire in there, you wouldn’t have come out alive,” Lois said.

  At her feet were dozens of Vampires, either burned or without their head. The barkeeper was among them.

  “How did you know they were all Vampires?” Gareth asked. “Nothing about them raised suspicion.”

  “We know how to look, and Lois is a seeker. That’s where you’ve gone wrong,” Abner said. “It was a basic error you made. Never walk into somewhere without your Seeker, unless you’ve got the sight. Geez, you Renori Hunters have really gone to shit in the last few years.”

  “They demanded Mandel remain in the stables. I had to comply, or be evicted from the city,” Gareth said.

  “You’re a Hunter, you make the rules,” Abner said.

  “Hunters in Renor have been chased and imprisoned ever since your exploits there, Toldar. Nobody trusts us anymore and it seems that’s beginning to spread throughout the rest of Taagras. Those that know of us don’t trust us because of how you turned on the Councilors,” Gareth said. “Unlike you I haven’t been living with my head under a rock, things are starting to change.”

  “Watch your tone boy,” came a deep voice from the corner of the tavern, next to the bar. “You’re talking to Abner Toldar, of the Tyrainian Huntrey. He’s the one that’s saved your miserable life just now, and mine on more than one occasion. I believe you owe him an apology and you need to show him some respect. He’s done more in the last year than you’ll ever do in a lifetime, boy.”
r />   “Come on Gunner, he’s young. Let it slide,” Abner said.

  “I like having your back, you know that,” Gunthos said.

  “He’s the reason why the Huntrey is falling apart at the seams. We all know it was parents that started all this,” Gareth said.

  “Not my fault,” Abner said. “I’m trying to correct whatever wrongs my mother did with the Red Sky. And I’m trying to track down Tal’davin as well. What more do you want me to do?”

  “Pay for what you’ve done,” Gareth said. “That way the rest of us wouldn’t be at risk of being prosecuted.”

  “If that’s your opinion, Gareth, I’ll let you hold it,” Lois said. “I was there too, but Abner has done more than enough to repent. What do you want to do with Abner?”

  “I offered to take him with us,” Abner said.

  “Just what I need. Someone to carry the bags as I get older,” Gunthos said. In recent months Abner noticed that the olive-skinned Hunter did appear to be getting older. His hair was beginning to thin and gray.

  “You’re getting fat as well,” Lois said. The group laughed.

  “Said the one looking like she’s carrying a child!” Gunthos said.

  “Gunthos, come on, I’m working on it,” Abner said.

  “Sorry, Ab. I was just trying to have some fun. You know me.”