The Human Hunter

The Hunter

(This is a girlxboy/vampire-like story I've had for a long time. Formally published as Widow Maker. It has been drastically rewritten and edited. After getting some private messages to reload it to my main account, I decided to do so. This book has no update schedule since it's complete, but I don't want to spam. If you want a chapter, just ask a bit after one is uploaded lol)

Spider warning. One is adorable, the others... spiders. Lots of them. 

"Alright, are you ready for your first day of kindergarten?" Emma asked her little brother with an encouraging smile. She got a shake from Salem's head as he frowned in response. Emma grinned and reached forward, pinching one of her brother's chubby cheeks before tucking a wisp of soft blond hair behind his ear.

They had quite an age gap between the two of them, but her parents had told her that it had just been difficult to conceive. Even with nearly thirteen years separating them, Emma couldn't have hoped for a better brother. "It'll be okay, sweetie. You're going to have a great time at school, I promise. You'll make all sorts of new friends, and when you come home, I'll want to hear all about them," she said as she carefully shifted her black messenger bag so that she could lift her brother up into her arms. Once he was comfortable they headed out the door. It was a nice day as far as temperature went, but the clouds overhead were definitely foretelling of a storm in store for the afternoon or late evening.

"Emmie?"

Glancing down, Emma smiled at her brother as she slipped through the small gate in front of their house and turned onto the sidewalk, then began heading for the bus stop at the corner.

"Yes, Salem?"

He looked down, remaining silent for a moment before glancing back up.

"Emmie will be here when I get back?"

"Yes. I'll be waiting right at the corner when you get off the bus," she said reassuringly. Salem didn't seem too convinced, but when Emma gave him an extra-big smile, his little body relaxed and he gave her a hesitant nod as he held up one hand.

"Pinky promise?"

He put up his tiny finger, making Emma chuckle quietly as she carefully moved him to her left side and reached up to wrap her pinkie around his.

"I promise."

She was going to be late. Emma darted down the sidewalk as fast as her two feet could carry her. Her class had run over, and to make matters worse, she'd had to stay afterward to get her exam back since she'd missed the previous class due to taking Salem to a pediatrician appointment. Now she was running in an attempt to make it to the bus stop on time, doing her best not to check her watch every other second and accidentally trip herself. It wasn't that she thought her brother wouldn't be able to get home from the bus stop on his own. They'd reviewed the quick walk several times in case of emergencies, but a promise was something she always took seriously and never, ever broke. Especially not to her little brother.

Right as she was turning the last corner toward home she felt an abrupt yank on her left pant leg and tripped. Lucky for me, the sidewalk broke my fall. She pushed herself up, licking at her stinging lower lip and tasting blood. Nothing like starting off a new semester looking like you got into a cat fight with a piece of concrete.

Well, technically she was already two weeks into the semester, but it had basically just started. Her teachers didn't seem to understand that, though, because she'd already had an exam. Shaking her head to clear it, she tucked her long blonde hair back behind her ears and brushed off her faded blue jeans, silently noting the small tear across the knee.

Fashion. Check.

"Okay. Now let's get to the bus stop without another uncomfortable meeting with the sidewalk," she mumbled to herself as she checked her watch and winced when it flashed three thirty back up at her. It was also dangling, the strap hanging by a thread from the abrupt fall. Instead of dwelling on it, she just tugged it off and slid it into her bag.