Chapter 171 - Joining The Hunt

"Are you sure you found the right information?" came the voice of Conner's father. 

"Yes, it's positive. Six hunters have gone missing from the checkpoint in the South," informed her father, and Melanie watched the vehicle being pulled to the front as if they were going somewhere. "Nobody has seen or heard from them. We should be able to find something if we look now. 

Conner's father nodded his head, and he said, "The vampires must be hurdling out from their den in pain. The security in the hospital has been raised so that there won't be any possibility of compulsion."

"That's good. I see you are bringing Conner with you," said her father, and Melanie's eyebrows furrowed. She moved to the other side of the window, pushing the curtain again to notice Conner walking and coming to stand next to his father. He had worn a jacket to resist the cold, his hands empty. 

"I thought it was better to have him join us from today than wait. At least he will have a basic idea of what to do and see how a vampire is killed," said Conner's father, who turned to look at the young man. Conner's father placed a hand on Conner's back, looking at him proudly. "Today is the day where your eyes will open and you will see a world that has been shielded by us hunters for years now."

Conner looked a little unsure as if it hadn't been his idea to tag along with them. 

Melanie heard her father say, "We should get Mel to join us too. I am sure they will enjoy the hunt together." 

"Doesn't she need training? I think it will be too much for her and too soon," said Melanie's mother. 

"Melanie is old enough to handle things like these. She will do much better than the most in our circle. See if she's asleep," said Mr. Davis and Mrs. Davis nodded her head before stepping inside the house. 

Melanie left the window, making her way to her bed and closed the laptop and checked her phone, which was running on ten percent battery. How did she miss charging it? She questioned herself, and just when she put it in charge, her mother knocked on the door and entered her room. 

"Good that you haven't gone to sleep yet, Mel. Wear your coat or jacket. We are going out," said her mother and Melanie raised her eyebrows. 

"Where are we going?" she asked. Even though she had overheard bits of conversations outside, she asked it. 

"To hunt, dear. You will finally be able to see the truth that you doubt," said her mother, "Hurry along now. We have somewhere to be." 

Melanie wanted to argue that she wanted to stay in her room instead of heading out, but she wanted to see what kind of stunt was going to be pulled in bringing these so-called vampires. Seeing her mother not leave the room, she picked up her jacket and then her phone, which didn't get time to move more than one percent. 

When both Melanie and Conner met each other outside the house, Conner offered a smile to his friend, and Melanie gave a small nod. 

"Alright then, let us leave. The others will be joining us later," said Mr. Davis, and they got inside the jeep. The streets were mostly empty, the people in the jeep quiet. Melanie held the sides of her hair when a gust of wind blew, and she tucked behind either side of her ears. "Conner and Mel, stick close to us adults. We are better when we are together than being alone." 

Melanie asked, "So what abilities do these vampires have? Speed? Strength? Hearing abilities?" 

"Yes, they have a higher ability with respect to us humans. But more importantly, they will suck the very blood out of you, and it will be too quick. But we hunters have weapons, weapons made out of silver," her father explained to her. "Tomorrow when your training starts, you will one day be given guns or weapons to protect yourself and the other humans from the vampires."

"What's the success ratio of a human overpowering a vampire?" questioned Conner. 

Mr. Davis replied, "It depends on if the vampire is a dull or smart one. Also how strong and smart a hunter is. It is not always about strength but also wits used."

"Where are we exactly going again?" asked Melanie. 

"It's the forest near Valtown," her mother answered her question. "There has been an increase in the number of vampires, and we have been having more bodies being found which are being covered up to avoid bringing attention that can cause panic." 

"We hunters are working together to bring down these damn blood suckers," Melanie heard Conner's father comment, and she looked at the quiet road they continued to leave behind. 

When they reached the forest, torches were turned on, and Melanie noticed that there was another group of hunters who had already arrived before them. 

"How does it look?" asked Mr. Davis to one of the men. 

"Not a single drop of blood that we could detect, but then it is dark and hard to find the spots. We don't see any bodies or severed heads hanging around the place. We aren't able to find the members," answered the stranger. 

"Was there any communication? Before they completely disappeared?" asked Mr. Davis, but the man shook his head. 

"We didn't get much information, except that one of my men mentioned that they spotted a witch," said the stranger and Melanie noticed how her family and Conner's father raised eyebrows. "We thought they had gone extinct, but it seems like they still exist." 

"So we now have not one but two creatures to hunt," Mr. Davis sighed, a grim expression on his face, before he said, "Let us take a look too and see if we can be of any help." 

The person who had been speaking to her father from the other group, his gaze shifted on her and Conner, "They experienced?" 

"They are learning," informed Mr. Davis, and the man nodded his head. 

Melanie followed her father and mother, while Conner followed his father. Even if they were going to bring a dog to sniff the place, nothing would be found even though six people had died there. It was because the Corvin had cleaned up the place without leaving a piece of a crumb behind. 

"Maybe they have been held as hostages?" her mother asked her father. 

"Or maybe the death took place elsewhere. This spot seems clean," answered her father and Melanie, who had been following them, looked around the place, where she noticed the slightest movement and shadow behind a bush. The breeze was strong, and it shook the leaves and the bushes, making her wonder if she caught something. "We should go check the other side as we'll only be wasting time here." 

Just when a soft sigh escaped Melanie's lips, they heard a scream erupt from the opposite side they had come from, alerting the hunters. 

Before they could reach the spot, two vampires suddenly jumped in front of them, and one behind Melanie. Her eyes went wide on seeing the creatures, whose faces were slightly twisted in appearance, and fangs that looked large with hints of blood on it. 

"Shit," whispered Melanie.