The Hunter

By Tom W. West

Leeches. You know them as vampires, they seem to be normal people. Except the fact that they have ivory skin and blood red eyes. They try to hide in the normal world, but people like me, we can tell the difference. I’m a hunter, one of many. We’re all over the world. Right now, they’re looking for something, something that would destroy the human population withing days. I must stop them. I must save the human race. Even if it’s the last thing I do.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Feb 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9781398406711

Tom W. West

Tom W. West was born in Yeovil, Somerset in 2001. He began writing on 2020 after finding a love for putting himself in the shoes of other people. He finds inspirations from the simple things in life, from the darkening hill in the new forest to the busy streets of London. He hopes to give inspiration to others who have the dream to become an author.

Book preview

About the Author

Tom W. West was born in Yeovil, Somerset in 2001. He began writing on 2020 after finding a love for putting himself in the shoes of other people. He finds inspirations from the simple things in life, from the darkening hill in the new forest to the busy streets of London. He hopes to give inspiration to others who have the dream to become an author.

Dedication

Dedicated to Sarah and Dan, two people who always stood by my side throughout all. The best parents a man can ask for.

Copyright Information ©

Tom W. West 2024

The right of Tom W. West to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398406704 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398406711 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2024

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

Thank you to all the team at Austin Macauley Publishers, to all of those who put hours into the production, proofreading and editing of this work. Thank you to my parents who had never doubted me. Thank you to all my friends who supported me and always told me I would go far.

Prologue

The night her parents died was arguably the darkest night of the year. Deep blues and purples saturated the sky, pinpricked diamonds of white stars burning millions of miles away. Not a single cloud disturbed the bright constellations above. The howls of predators alerted their prey to their presence, sending shivers up the spine of Frank Jackson. He was stood on the porch of a small cabin, hidden away in an uninhabited part of the state. Not a single house, farm, town or city dotted the clear view all around. They were completely alone. The creak of floorboards caught his attention, he turned to see his wife step over the doorframe clutching two steaming mugs.

What are you doing out here, Sal? he asked softly. It is far too cold out here, let alone dangerous. His wife, Sally, passed him one of the mugs and gave him a soft smile, hiding the brief flicker of fear behind her crystal blue eyes.

I thought you could do with the company, she said, her glasses steaming up from the drink. Besides, I’ve just put Cleo down for a nap, I’m sure she’ll wake up in an hour or two. I could use the quiet. She looked up to the polka-dot sky and sighed. Anything going on out there?

No. pretty silent. I think Archie’s warning was a false alarm, he said raising the cup to his face allowing the steam to coat his thin framed glasses. I won’t risk letting my guard down though. Never know who’s waiting in the wings. She put a hand on his upper arm and gently squeezed.

Sweetie, I don’t think it was, she said. He was attacked by them and now they’re coming for us. He set the mug down on the wooden fencing hard enough that a drop of the coffee inside splashed out and ran down the outside of the mug.

Don’t, he said sharply. We’re safe here. This is the safest place for us. There is nowhere for the demons to hide out here, I’ll see them coming. He turned his gaze back to the open fields and took a sharp, short breath. Sally followed his line of sight.

Sweetheart, what are you… Then she saw it. A dark figure looming against the darkened sky and grey-scale ground. As the couple stared, three more figures seemed to grow from the cold, heavy air. Frank slung his weapons sash across his chest and moved to the front steps.

Stay here, he grumbled. Protect Cleo. He started down the steps and into the dark fields beyond, slinging a coat over his broad shoulders to hide his weapons. As he walked, the figures stood still like statues erected from the damp packed earth beneath their feet. Frank placed a hand on one of the wooden tools strapped to his chest where, below skin, muscle and bone, his heart raced and threatened to shatter his ribcage in an attempt of escape. He stopped around ten feet from them the shadows. Up close he could see exactly what they were. Their pale rose skin, blood red eyes and ink black hair gave it away before frank had a chance to spot the needle-sharp teeth poking from between their slate grey lips. Each of them regarded him with a predatory gaze as he tightened his grip on the wooden stake. Vampires. After what felt like an age, he found his voice, starting by clearing his throat.

Hello, Frank said cautiously. What can I do for you, gentlemen? Seeing the expression from the figure on the right, he added, And lady as well. One of the men stepped forward a small smirk on his face.

We’re looking for a couple of people, he purred. A male and a female. I heard that they have taken sanctuary out this way. Have you seen anyone out this way besides yourself? Frank knew that they we’re playing with him, so he decided to play along, stall for as long as he could.

No, nothing, he answered. Out here, it’s just myself, my wife and our daughter. We don’t see many other people out this way. If I had, I would’ve definitely noted it down. Unsavoury people use these parts as an escape route, the vampire chuckled to himself and flexed his fingers, the bones cracking under the pressure. Frank winced at every crack.

Well, that’s unfortunate for you then, isn’t it? The female vampire purred whilst checking her nails casually.

And why is that? Frank countered.

It may seem that you and your wife, the ones we seem to be looking for, the first vampire said, the smirk still playing on his face. Aren’t you, Frank? The other two men stepped forward and frank launched a stake from inside his jacket. The metal tipped weapon pierced the skin of one of the men. It sent him crashing down hissing and hollering in pain. Taking the other creatures surprise as a release, Frank took off and ran back towards the house where his wife and sleeping child waited for his return. He took a quick yet cautious look back to where the creatures were standing. They still hadn’t moved. When Frank burst through the door, his daughter began crying, her screams echoing though the otherwise silent shack.

Is it— Sally started.

—Vampires, Frank finished, his breath slowly returning to his burning lungs. We need to get moving. Now. He moved to the stairs when the first crash struck the door, rattling the door on its hinges. Frank grabbed his wife’s arm and pulled her with him up the stairs. A second crash struck the wooden door, splinters of wood hitting the floor. Get her to the safe room. It won’t take them long to get through. Sally raced along the hall into the far room where she placed her daughter in her crib and hid her behind a disguised metal door.

It’s okay, baby, she said calming the screaming child, gently rocking the cot. Everything is going to be okay. She put the only thing she knew would calm the child in the cot beside her daughter before stepping back and closing the door. As the door locked, a third crash echoed through the house as the door caved in and hit the ground. I love you, Cleopatra. My queen of the dessert.

Sally, hurry up, Frank yelled from the hall. Get the stakes. She rushed to the family painting and swung it away from the wall, revealing a cacophony of metal, wood and plastic stakes, as well as holy water and a large number of religious symbols. She grabbed a metal stake and a vial of holy water. When she returned to her husband, he was staring at one of the make vampires who stood opposite him, flexing his fingers in an attempt to be threatening.

Ah, the wife, the creature said, sounding as if he were breathing the words. Hello, Sally, how are you? You are looking well. She looked him up and down, a fire burning behind her eyes. The creature stepped toward Frank, who instinctively thrust his stake toward it. The man swerved the blow and raked his sharpened nails across Frank’s side. Blood welled against his pale shirt, dying it a dark scarlet red. He cried out as the vampire slunk around him ad stalked towards sally, who was tightly clutching her weapon.

Step back, she said firmly. I will end you, monster. The vampire laughed and plucked the stake from her shaking hand, throwing it aside. Sally took a step back and found her way blocked by a second man. She looked to her husband, who was being held up by a female, a hand wrapped around his throat.

This has been fun, the man said, leaning towards her ear. If he had breath, he would have easily moved her hair with his words. But we can’t play forever. We have work to do. Just tell us where to go.

I won’t tell you anything, Sally spat. The man behind her wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing and restricting her airways. The vampire in front of her tutted and shook his head.

That was the wrong answer, he said and looked to the woman holding up her husband. She smiled viciously and raked her sharp fangs along Frank’s neck, blood escaped the shallow cuts in his pulsing throat.

The woman looked to sally and smiled, blood coating the tips of her teeth.

Don’t, please. Don’t, she begged.

Too late, the woman said and sank her fangs into the side of Frank’s neck. He spasmed and cried out weakly as she drained his body of blood. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and when she let him go, he dropped to the floor lifeless. His skin pale, lips blue. Sally cried out as she watched her husband’s last trickles of blood run along the wooden floor, staining the grey rug. The puncture wounds on his neck dark in comparison to the rest of his skin.

That wasn’t needed, the man said, his ruby red eyes piercing into her own. She could feel tears running down her face. You can still live though. Tell me where to go. Tell me where I can find the blood stone.

No. I will never tell you where it is. So, you are going to have to kill me, she spat, each word acting like a punch to the face for