Hunting the Hunter (Second in Lone Wolf series)

Chapter Seven

　

Brendon waited until nearly dawn up on the same roof he had sat on the night before but the vampire, Ella, did not leave her home. This ensured Brendon had plenty of time to think.

Ella did not fit the description of any other murdering vampire he had ever hunted.

She killed men, but only men who were treating women badly. She spent her days visiting with orphans. She was seemingly scared to death of her own shadow and so very very sad…..

Why was she sad? Brendon wanted to know. He wanted to make her smile. He figured she’d probably have a pretty smile.

He shook his head to clear such foolish thoughts. He was a Hunter. It was his duty to kill whoever the council sent him to kill. It didn’t matter how badly he wanted to help her, it was his job to end her life.

But could he?

Of course he could. He’d been a Hunter for centuries. He was one of the best, despite his slightly rebellious nature. He was damn good at what he did and if killing her is what he had to do than he would do it.

And he’d have to do it soon so he could make it back to the council before they sent someone after him. After the stunt he’d pulled with Grange, they would not tolerate him staying gone.

Whatever this strange tenderness he felt for this vampire was, it was time that Brendon forget it. He would kill this vampire the next time she went out to kill a man. That was just what had to be done.

His mind resolute and set to the task he had to complete, Brendon climbed down from the roof and made his way to the hotel to get a few hours of sleep.

When he woke it was breakfast and he made his way to the diner to eat and then went for a walk to the edge of town to check the house where Ella lived. He walked close to the house, noticing the cracks in the log construction and wondering why no one thought to fill them with mud.

It was clear that his house had been constructed before the sawmill had been built, before the city had grown and expanded.

He scented the air, searching it for the her scent and while it was thick in the air here since this was her home, he could smell it stronger, more concentrated in an upstairs window.

She was still at home.

Brendon breathed deep through his nose and clenched his fists tight, fighting the urge to go to her.

Brendon had never felt a pull like this toward a woman before. He wanted to take care of her, which was odd since Brendon had never been the caretaking type.

He’d been trained to be strong and independent and just assumed that everyone else should have to be the same.

So why then did he want to protect and take care of this vampire? This vampire that he was sworn to kill?

The vampire with haunted eyes that were so light green they were nearly translucent when they gazed back into his own appearing almost dead and expressionless.

This vampire who could ruthlessly kill a man one night and then visit orphans the next day?

It didn’t matter, Brendon decided. Whoever she was, whatever this was that Brendon was feeling, it could not be. He would do the job he’d been sent to do and then he would get back to the council and hopefully be put back on their good list.

Brendon’s mind went back to the orphanage and the little girl, Maggie. He had promised the girl chocolate, though he wasn’t sure why since he didn’t normally take to children. He liked them and their innocence, it was just that they were so fragile… Brendon did not like becoming too close to anything that could be so easily destroyed.