Hunting the Past: Hunter Elite, #1

By J.C. Diem

Arienna Austin is a girl on a mission. Her family was murdered by vampires five years ago and she has trained long and hard to become a hunter. She finally encounters the nest of bloodsuckers who ruined her life and she intends to exact her revenge on them all.

In a horrible twist of fate, she becomes one of the very creatures she's been stalking and her entire world is turned upside down. If the hunters who took her in and trained her learn what she has turned into, she will become their next target.

A chance encounter with a sexy Scottish hunter changes everything. Connor McAllister is more than he seems. He is a shapeshifter who works for a secret organisation known as the Hunter Elite. Ari is exactly the sort of creature the team needs on their side. That is if the supernatural monster killers allow her to live. She must prove she isn't a danger to humans, or she suspects that she won't leave their compound alive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Seize The Night Agency
• Release date: Jan 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386207993

Book preview

Chapter One

COOL, DAMP MIST SWIRLED around my ankles, slowly deepening and rising as the night edged towards dawn. I ignored the wispy tendrils that plucked at me with insubstantial fingers. My attention was focused on the slaughter that I was watching through my night vision binoculars.

Adjusting the focus slightly, the greenish images of frenzied vampires sharpened. I felt regret and pity for their victims, but there was nothing I could do for them now. It was far too dangerous for me to approach the small wooden cabin while darkness held sway. Nighttime was the bloodsuckers’ domain. I would wait until the sun rose before making my way down the hill and through the woods to the doomed leeches.

A faint scream reached my ears and I winced in sympathy for the poor girl who was about to die. I knew exactly how terrified and helpless she felt because I’d been in her shoes five years ago. While I’d survived my ordeal, she wasn’t going to be so lucky. Even now, her scream turned into a pained gurgle before she abruptly fell silent.

The creature who had just drained her to death turned his head towards me. My heart jolted unpleasantly when I saw an ugly scar on his neck. My hands trembled as I shifted the binoculars and I let out the breath I’d unconsciously been holding when his face came into view. Pale as all night dwellers tended to be, his features were aristocratic and handsome. Dark brown hair framed his chiseled features. Dark eyes that were empty of any semblance of empathy or compassion scanned the area as if he sensed he was being watched.

My stomach twisted and I took a shuddering breath at seeing the face that had been burned into my memory forever. I’d finally found the master vampire who had killed my parents and little sister. I didn’t even know the name of this monster and it didn’t really matter. He and his murderous minions were going to die and it would be my great pleasure to end them all.

Hearing a vehicle approaching, I lowered the binoculars and slipped them into my backpack. It was too late to avoid being seen, the headlights had already illuminated me and had thrown my shadow onto the road behind me. What crappy luck, I muttered sourly. The cabins were isolated and I hadn’t expected to see another living soul during this hunting trip. I mentally crossed my fingers that the driver wouldn’t stop, but he was already slowing down. Keep driving, I urged him, but the old pickup truck pulled over next to me.

Too old to have automatic windows, the window descended with a squeal as he turned the handle. The driver took in my scuffed boots, cargo pants, t-shirt and dark green jacket before moving to my face. He was maybe twenty-five, six years older than me. His skin was pale and his complexion was spotty. His hair was in desperate need of a trim, not to mention a wash. He assessed me and I saw calculation flash through his muddy brown eyes. On the surface, he seemed like a nice young man, but my danger radar was telling me otherwise. He was up to no good, or he would be shortly. Are you all right? he asked.

I’m fine, I replied.

Do you need a ride?

Nope. I’m good. My tone was far from welcoming, but he didn’t take the hint to leave.

His expression became crafty and he peered around at the darkness. My car was parked a mile away from what I was already thinking of as the crime scene. A small puff of wind carried a hint of alcohol from his breath to me. It looks like you’re out here all alone. Maybe you want some company. It came out sounding more like a statement than a question.

I really don’t, I said flatly, but he was already opening his door.

Although he’d had a few beers, he wasn’t drunk. He climbed out and his build was tall and lanky. He was a full head taller than my five-foot-six. He wore a stained white t-shirt and jeans that were two sizes too big. They sagged low enough on his bony hips to tell me that he wasn’t wearing underwear. You’re pretty, he said and reached out to touch my hair. He took a few long strands between his fingers. Your hair is the same color as chocolate.

Why don’t you climb back into your truck and drive away before this turns ugly? I said and took a step back so my hair slid free from his grasp.

Why don’t you take your clothes off and lie down on your back? he countered, then reached for something in his back pocket. He pulled out a switchblade and pushed the button to make the blade pop out. If you play nice, I promise I won’t hurt you too badly.

Do you realize you sound like you’re quoting cheesy lines from a b-grade horror movie? I asked. His mirthless grin withered and died at my snarky response. He expected me to cower in fear and to plead for my life, but I was far from a helpless victim. I’d faced creatures that would make his hair turn white. He thought he was a badass predator, but he was a mere annoyance that I was going to have to deal with before I could carry on with my mission.

He tried to slap me, but I was ready for his attack. I blocked the blow with my forearm and jabbed my fist hard into his stomach. He grunted in pain with the wind knocked out of him. When he bent over to gasp for air, I kneed him in the face. His nose broke with a crunch and a spurt of blood and his eyes rolled backwards. He went down with barely a sound, just as I’d planned. Our little drama had been too quiet to alert the nest of bloodsuckers that they weren’t alone. They still had no idea that they were being hunted and I wanted it to stay that way.

Taking the would-be rapist’s knife away from him, I tossed it into the bushes, then searched the back of his truck. Finding some rope, I cleared a space among the junk that would be just large enough to hold his body. It wasn’t easy to drag his unconscious form over to the back of the truck and to haul him into it, but I managed it. Breathing heavily when I was done tying him up, I almost wished I had a partner for this mission. Even one other hunter would have made this task a lot easier. I’d had a hunch that the master vampire was the one I’d been searching for and it had finally panned out. Killing him was something I had to do alone.

When the young man was securely tied, I stuffed a rag into his mouth and wrapped duct tape around his head so he couldn’t spit it out. There was a chance he could suffocate, but that was his problem. I doubted I was the first woman he’d tried to attack and I probably wouldn’t be the last. It was tempting to slit his throat, but I tried to avoid killing humans, even if they deserved it.

The mist had turned into dense, pre-dawn fog by now. It lapped at my knees, obscuring my vision as I headed for the tree where I’d left a container of gasoline a few hours ago. My boots sank into a pile of dead leaves as I rounded the wide trunk. I pulled a pair of black leather gloves out of my pocket and donned them, then hunkered next to the plastic container. It wouldn’t be making the trip back with me and I didn’t want to leave my fingerprints on it.

Picking up the fuel, I grunted at the weight. Liquid sloshed inside as I carried it to the narrow trail at the top of the slope that would hopefully take me close to the cabin. The first rays of sunlight filtered through the branches overhead as I descended along the path. Birds called to each other and small animals scurried through the underbrush. I walked as quietly as I could, stepping over the exposed roots that tried to trip me up. The container was almost too heavy for me to carry a long distance, but it was necessary. I was taking no chances with this hunt.

It was easy to tell when I was getting close to the cabin. All bird and animal noises had ceased. The animals sensed danger and were smart enough to stay away. It was eerily quiet when I left the path and crept slowly towards the small house. I let out a silent breath of relief when I spotted the roof through the trees. It was easy to get turned around in a forest, but my often faulty sense of direction hadn’t led me astray for once.

The unpleasant scent of blood lay thick in the air when the rest of the cabin came into view. My lips thinned into a grim line when I saw a teenage girl lying on the ground. Her clothes were torn and stained with blood, but at least she hadn’t been sexually assaulted. Not that that was much comfort. She was unnaturally pale from being drained and her face was a rictus of pain and terror. Memories of my traumatic past tried to assail me, but I forced them away. While I hadn’t saved her, or her family, I could at least avenge them.

Listening intently, I couldn’t hear any movement coming from within the cabin. The nest of leeches would be satiated from their feeding frenzy and mistakenly believed they were safe. It had been a long time coming, but my moment for revenge had finally arrived. I took a few moments to savor my triumph, then quietly went to work.

Chapter Two

MAKING MY WAY AROUND the perimeter of the cabin, I made sure to splash gasoline over the window frames and doors as well as on the walls. The old wooden logs would go up quickly once I set it alight. It was possible that the fire would spread to the woods, but at least the other cabins weren’t occupied.

I’d been on my way to visit a team of hunters I stayed with sometimes when the news of an abduction had come over the police scanner in my car. Someone had witnessed the small family being taken from their vehicle. They’d described the abductors as being pale and abnormally strong. That had alerted me that they were vampires. The cops would probably assume they were a group of delinquents who were high on drugs.

Checking my GPS for the town where the family had gone missing, I’d only been an hour away from it. I’d sped there, parked my car in an alley and had searched for information on the area on my computer. Seeing these cabins were only a few miles away from town and that they weren’t rented out during the fall, I’d figured it would be the perfect place for a nest of vamps to take their victims. My guess had been correct and now I was about to fry them all to death.

Finished circling the cabin, I walked backwards, leaving a trail of gasoline a safe distance away. The container was almost empty when I set it to the side where it wouldn’t be in my way. This is it, Ari, I whispered to myself. It’s time to make these monsters pay for ruining your life.

Taking a box of matches out of my backpack, I struck one and crouched down, watching the flame dance. I wanted to prolong the moment, knowing I’d probably never feel satisfaction like this again. The flame guttered and almost went out and I dropped the match. It hit the ground and the gas instantly caught alight.

Standing, I backed away as the thin line of flame zeroed towards the cabin. Fire eagerly exploded to life and the building became engulfed immediately. Shrill screams of pure terror rent the air as the bloodsuckers woke up. I pulled my trusty Ruger LCP from the holster clipped to my belt. LCP stood for ‘lightweight compact pistol’, which was apt since it was small and easy to hide.

Now I just had to wait for the inevitable. Only one thing frightened vampires more than the sun; fire.

Moments later, a window shattered as a fledgling threw herself outside. Proving how deadly the sun was to her kind, she instantly burst into bright silver flames when the rays touched her. In seconds, she became a small pile of ash.

More and more vamps tried to escape to the dubious safety of the woods, but the cabin was now surrounded by sunlight and there was nowhere for them to hide. One by one, they burst into flames and died.

I circled the cabin, waiting for their creator to appear. He was old, but not even a master could survive fire. Just when I thought he must have perished inside the fully engulfed building, he burst out through a window. Far smarter than his minions, he was wrapped up in a blanket. He sprinted towards the trees, but he didn’t move fast enough. My bullet hit him in the back and he lurched a step. Aiming for his legs next, he went down beneath my barrage. I reloaded my Ruger as I ran towards him.

Already healing, he dragged himself towards the shade. Silver bullets were ejected from his flesh, but the wounds would take a few hours to heal completely. I didn’t intend to give him that much time. He would be dead within seconds.

I kicked the master over so he was lying on his back and yanked the blanket away from his face. Instead of dark eyes and dark brown hair, he had blue eyes and black hair. He laughed up at me, fangs gleaming whitely in the shadows of the trees that shielded him from the killing rays of the sun. You should see your face, he taunted me and mimicked my surprise by gaping at me in false shock. My master is going to tear you to pieces, he said with a sneer.

Yeah? Well, you won’t be there to see it, I replied, then aimed at his forehead and pulled the trigger several times. His face went blank as his brain became scrambled. He could eventually heal, but I wasn’t going to allow that to happen. I dragged him by his feet out into the sun and watched as he became immolated.

Waving floating specks of ash away from my face, I saw movement from the corner of my eye. Before I could lift my gun, a figure crashed into me. I went flying through the air, then hit the ground and dropped my Ruger. A boot caught me in the ribs and I was airborne again. I crashed into a tree and coughed up blood when I landed.

Spying my gun, I tried to crawl towards it, but legs encased in black jeans came into view. Lifting my head, I followed them up a tall, lean body clad in a black t-shirt to an expressionless face. The master I’d pursued for the past few years stared down at me with empty, soulless eyes.

He hunkered next to me and examined my face. I know you, he said in an inflectionless accent that sounded European. His hand went to his neck were the scar of a cross still marred his otherwise flawless flesh. One way to tell someone was a vampire was from their perfect, pale skin. Even vamps with darker skin were paler than usual. Death drained the color from them all.

I’m going to kill you, I said hoarsely, but it was an empty threat. From the agony deep inside me, I knew I had severe internal injuries. I tried to pull the cross that I’d used to fend him off with the last time from beneath my shirt, but he grabbed my arm and twisted hard. I screamed when my wrist broke and fell onto my side, cradling my arm to my chest.

Reaching into my shirt, the master gingerly grasped the silver chain, being careful not to touch the cross and yanked it free. He tossed it aside, then wiped his fingers on his jeans. Even that small touch of silver had caused him pain. Your faith will not save you this time, girl, he said. You have destroyed my entire nest and nothing will interrupt my wrath now.

His fangs descended and he pushed me onto my back. I shrieked in pain when his teeth tore into my throat. My vision blurred as horrible sucking noises sounded. In a last-ditch effort to save myself, I weakly lifted my head and bit his arm. Thick, foul blood flooded into my mouth. He squeezed my ribs hard enough to break two of them and I involuntarily swallowed.

My sight began to fade and I felt strangely weightless when he pulled away. Blood coated his mouth and dripped from his chin. His hollow eyes stared at me as he took in my condition. It would be too quick and painless to drain you completely, he told me. Your internal injuries will result in a long and agonizing death. It is a fitting punishment for your crimes.

If I’d been able to, I would have laughed in derision. He’d killed my entire family, not to mention countless other people over the centuries, yet he thought I was deserving of punishment. He was the worst type of monster there was and I had once again become his victim.

He picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder and I moaned in pain when my broken bones grated together. Staying in the shadows, he raced through the woods. He moved so quickly that I saw only flashes of the ground.

When we stopped, we were standing next to an old graveyard. He dropped me and I let out a weak cry of agony when I landed on my broken wrist and ribs. Curling onto my side, I prayed my death would be swift rather than prolonged like he hoped. Yes, he said as he looked around. This is a suitable place for your bones to rot for eternity.

He couldn’t step onto hallowed ground, so he dug a shallow grave next to the cemetery and placed me in it. I slipped in and out of consciousness as he loosely covered me with dirt. Even when it was covering me completely, I could still hear his voice when he spoke. Tell the Devil that Alakay sends his regards. With a sound that might have been a rusty chuckle, he left me to die.

Chapter Three

EVERY BREATH I TOOK felt like