Chapter 5: Having a Guest for Dinner

At one-twenty-nine, a haunted house, a building hosting a brood or family of monsters which had just taken hostages, or dinner, the Hunter known as Falcon thought back to the definition. Falcon didn't want to think about anything meaningful in his life. He didn't want to talk to someone, or curl up with a pillow and cry, he wanted to kill something. He was a Hunter and that is what they do. He wanted to hunt. Falcon had never been good at the emotional crap, he was much better at acting, so here he was, in The Hole of LA, getting ready to act.

It is hard to hunt something that is stronger than you, faster than you, can smell better, sees better, and generally can kick your ass at any physical endeavor you attempt. If you consider it a competition than the Hunters pretty much cheat, the Hunter walked to the building at fifth and main, where a family of vampires had taken up residence. What is it with vampires and abandoned buildings he thought to himself as he looked at the seven story apartment complex. The windows were boarded up, and the door looked like it was hanging on its hinges. Falcon approached the door and pressed gently upon it, it swung open easily. "Base this is Falcon, engaging one-twenty-nine."

"Proceed Falcon, clear skies and good hunting."

Falcon closed his eyes, and reached deep within. "Please grant me clear skies and a good hunt." He slowly reached toward the connection he had to the great web, linking himself with it. Falcon had learned to do this during his time with the Hunters; it was not something that Hunters do however. None actually know that he can do it. With this link, Falcon was able to see ripples within the consensus. He didn't quite understand what it really was that he saw, but it somehow enabled him to see where the demons were, regardless of walls or obstacles.

Falcon silently entered the building, looking around cautiously. He unclipped the snap of his field suppressor and drew it, keeping his hand inside his duster, keeping a strong but loose grip on the handle. The atrium looked normal, no targets sighted. The Hunter moved to the stairway, hint of hunting number seventeen, never trust elevators. Carefully moving around obstructions, he started up the stairs closely watching for guards.

Falcon stood outside the doors to the second floor, he saw a familiar looking curve in the web, something beyond the door was reaching through the consensus. There was something non-human on the other side of the door. Adjusting to see the shape, Falcon watched through the door as the demon, class undetermined, leaned up against a wall, outside one of the rooms. Falcon pulled his customized service pistol from his jacket. He took careful aim, and rapidly fired two rounds, through the door, the second passing directly into the hole the first made. The demon moved to recognize the sound and fell to the floor as the second round pierced his chest.

The hunter opened the door and quickly walked over to the vampire, drawing his old fashion revolver. He didn't even look down as he walked down the hall. His arm hanging at his side holding the revolver, he fired one shot directly into the head of the paralyzed demon as he passed, scanning for ripples in the consensus as he walked.

The Hunter stopped three doors down from the fallen vampire, inside he saw the ripples of four demons gathered around in a circle. He replaced his revolver, and pulled his two suppression pistols. Marking the positions of the demons before entering, the Hunter kicked in the door, firing before the door even reached the floor. Two demons went down, paralyzed. The next closest seemed to vanish as it moved, far to fast for the eye to follow. The demon appeared in front of Falcon's face, hands sweeping down to tear out his throat. The Hunter leaped backwards, firing as he tumbled. The first two shots hit air as the demon dodged the shots. When he got up again he was facing not one monster but two. The fourth had gotten over the shock of its meal being disrupted, and was in the mood for some vengeance.

The vampires were practically feral. They had been feasting, as could be judged by the blood dripping down their fronts. Vampires are not known for their self control or humanity. The first to attack punched at Falcon with the claws of its right hand. He again narrowly dodged the wound, managing not to get scratched. He responded with a shot to the chest which instantaneously knocked the vampire on its ass. The fourth grabbed his right hand and pulled him to it, pulling his arm out of its socket.

Pain shot through Falcon as he lost the use of his right arm. He tried to pull his arm away from the vampire, but failed miserable. Vampires are just too strong to grapple with. The vampire jerked again, and the Hunter dropped both his guns. One hand on his head, the other still on the arm, the Vampire slowly displayed Falcons neck. Falcon struggled as much as he could, and seeing no other choice, pulled his killing revolver and fired a shot at point blank. The vampire leapt backwards and sailed into the air. Falcon did not take another shot. The vampire landed on the far wall, gripping it with his claws. It hissed at the Hunter, and leaped back into the fray. With the vampire close again, Falcon fired, he knew he would get reamed for using too many DKR's (demon killing rounds). The vampire slashed with its claws as the gunshot went off. Its hand carried through with the swipe, cutting into Falcon's side.

The crack seemed deafening, and Falcon could feel the gunshot in his own stomach. Looking down he realized that it was a scratch, not a gunshot. He looked back to the vampire and watched as it dissolved into flames, causing his leather trench coat to smoke. The familiar sulfuric smell hung around the room carrying with it the smell of death. On the over-stuffed chair lay the body of a woman, not quite twenty five years in age. She was covered in open cuts, flesh missing from many places. It is obvious she was being filleted when the Hunter entered the room.