The Hunters Ch. 03

"We suspect that the target has taken her. If she has been killed, her body should be recovered soon. I am only giving the assigned hunter a week to track her down. After that, the Order will decide on the next course of action."

Richard kept quiet. He didn't know what to say anymore. He could only watch in silence as Connor walked over to the balcony, tipping his hat down as a signal for his departure. In a blink of an eye, the Elder was gone into the night; only the howl of the wind as proof of his presence.

***

Kyros had barged into the Coven of the Nobles the moment he reached Manchester. He had left Aurora in the car under pretenses that he had a short meeting to attend to. She had been very cooperative since he altered her memories; showing no signs of resistance. Still, he was worried. Seeing that he was unable to look into her mind to determine how many years of her memories he should erase, he had erased close to 2 years worth of her memories. There would be repercussions, he knew, but it had to be done.

Putting thoughts of her aside for a moment, he gazed lazily at the Vampires heading the Coven of Nobles. He knew that they met once a week in this building in Manchester, using their companies as a front for the actual meeting. Some would call it a meeting of the board of directors, but he knew what they actually did.

Apart from planning mergers and takeovers, they also planned strategic locations for feeding of the newborns and the setting up of new blood banks all over the world.

"My Lord!" he heard some of them gasp in surprise.

"I am here, because I want to know what it is that you have been hiding from me."

"My Lord! We could never hide anything from you!" said one of the Nobles.

"It seems I have been mistaken. Well... what are you waiting for? Submit!" he said, practically bellowing at them.

The group of twenty four Nobles started to get on their hands and knees, bowing to the Pureblood before them. They feared him and his kind; in fact they owed him their very existence, for the Purebloods were the ones whom, through breeding with humans had given birth to the Noble class. As such, they were very much aware of the far greater power that the Purebloods had and never shown resistance unless they had no fear of death.

Kyros was scanning the minds of all the Nobles before him. These Vampires certainly think too much. He could hear too many pesky details of no interest to him until he heard the word 'kill'.

"Who's trying to kill me, Elizabeth?" he asked in a cold voice. The room immediately turned silent as everyone turned their heads slightly to the woman in question.

"No... no one is trying to do anything, my Lord... please have mercy..." she begged but Kyros was already striding towards her. Grabbing her by her throat, he lifted her high up and stared into her mind, sifting away at all her memories and information. Shock registered on his face when he was given privy to the orders regarding his assassination. His eyes glowed red with anger and his fangs began to elongate.

Putting her down slowly on her feet, he asked her in the gentlest of voice,

"Is there anyone else in this room who knows this information?"

Elizabeth, who was shaking by now, shook her head. She had no need to lie to him now.

"Very well then." The other Nobles resumed their bowing position and simply waited for the sound of Elizabeth's head hitting the floor.

"Filthy blood," he muttered before raising his hand in a gesture that pulled all the other Nobles unwillingly to a standing position. They could feel as if they were being choked even when his hand was not touching them.

"Let this be a warning... No one kills a Pureblood except a Pureblood. I will not hesitate to wipe out everyone in this entire room if I find out even a single idea of treachery in your mind. Is that clear?"

"Yes my Lord," stammered the Nobles.

Kyros calmed down and returned to his normal form as he exited the room. Calling out to one of the female nobles, he gave her instructions to dispose of the body and headed into the lift to the lobby.

Elizabeth was just a tool. She had been given privy to information regarding the Order of the Hunters so that she could act as a spy to extract information regarding the Purebloods. Kyros was aware that she was the secretary to one of the richest Purebloods in England and was no doubt positioned there to spy on them. The Pureblood held regular balls and dinners and he had no doubt that she had been trusted to plan them and had even mingled intimately with the Purebloods.

It was time he set out to dig up more about these Hunters. He still did not know who or what they are and who was giving them orders.

However, his worries seemed to dissolve when he entered his town car and saw Aurora waiting for him. She was truly stunning, even out of her gown and in normal clothing they had purchased during transit.

"Darling, when will we be going home? I feel so tired and restless," she said, placing her hand on Kyros's face.

"Soon my love..." he replied, taking her fingers and planting a kiss in the middle of her palm.

"I love you," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Kyros couldn't help but feel sad. He knew that she loved him because of the fake memories he had incepted into her mind. He had thought that making her believe she was his wife would make his decision to sire her, an easier one. But on hindsight, every word she said, every action she did would not be hers; it would be a reflection of what he wanted her to say or do. Was life with a woman who loved you because you told her to love you worth it?

As the car turned into his driveway, Kyros forced himself not to think about it too much. He would have to settle Aurora in and then make a small social visit to Lord Caden, the richest Pureblood in England.

***

When they entered the house, Kyros was greeted immediately by his head butler, Sebastian.

"Call all the domestics and tell them to meet me in my study in half an hour," he said silently to Sebastian's mind.

The butler nodded and helped his master carry his suitcases up. If he was curious about the woman with Kyros, he certainly made no mention of it. The privacy and secrets of their Pureblood masters were very valuable and domestics guarded these with their lives.

Kyros trusted Sebastian, even though he was a common level Vampire. Although it meant that they had no special abilities whatsoever apart from conversing in their minds, he found them most loyal and reliable.

After leaving Aurora in his chambers with instructions to rest, he headed down to the study. He gave a smile when he saw his domestics already gathered.

"The woman that had just arrived with me is someone very special and dear to me. She is now the Lady Russell and as such, she should be accorded with all respect and loyalty. Is that clear?" he said.

"Yes, my Lord," they answered in unison.

"I trust all of you to keep her safe at all times. If she wishes to go out, I expect no less than two maids and two bodyguards to accompany her at all times. Sebastian, you will make the arrangements. Also... most importantly... if any Noble comes to this house, asking for Lady Russell, you will deny her existence and inform me immediately."

"My Lord, if I may ask; What if a Pureblood were to come and visit and ask for her?" asked Sebastian politely.

"Then contact me immediately and ask the Pureblood to wait in the sitting area. Have I made myself clear?"

He watched them nodding, even as their faces portrayed their surprise and curiosity.

"One last thing- make sure that the Lady of the house feels at home. Tell her your name without waiting for her to ask you. If she needs anything, please help her out if it is within your means. If you are unsure about anything, clarify with Sebastian or me. That will be all. All of you are dismissed."

When all his domestics had left his study, Kyros sat in his chair, massaging his temples. What exactly had he gotten himself into? He was making Aurora into some kind of fugitive. He was very sure that her real name wasn't Aurora Hamilton but it didn't matter right now. She was Aurora Russell now and her real identity would be revealed in time, he was sure of it.

Taking his coat from his coat hanger, he decided it was time to pay a visit to Lord Caden at Salford City, west of Manchester.

It might seem silly that despite being a Pureblood with excellent apparition skills, their kind always made it a point to visit each other using real transportation. It was courteous and respectful to do so instead of arriving unannounced.

When Kyros's car reached the gates of Caden's mansion, he was immediately let into the compound. The butler that greeted him showed him into the waiting room where the maids had already prepared fresh scones and tea.

When Caden himself walked into the room, Kyros stood up and gave a nod of his head. Even though they were both Purebloods, Caden was much older and had considerably more say in the Pureblood family.

"Ah, my boy... what can I do for ye?" he asked, gesturing for his guest to sit. "Tis been so long since I saw ye. Ye were a young lad back when yer father and I used to trade together," he said, the accent in his voice apparent.

"Please excuse my urgency, Uncle Caden, but I fear that I may have stumbled upon some distressing information. I assume that you being very wealthy would have more access to information than me."

"Oh please my boy! Just say what ye mean! I am old. Information, rumours, gossips- they're all the same to me. Just ask what ye want to know and I'll try to answer ye."

"Have you ever heard about a Hunter?"

"Why'd ye wanna know about hunting? All those shootin' and killin', it just ain't our style my boy," he replied.

"No... No I'm talking about an organization. They call themselves the Hunters. Apparently a Hunter was sent to kill me."

"Kill ye?! Oh my..." said Caden in genuine surprise. Kyros tried to look beyond his physique but he knew that it was pointless to try and break through the guard of a Pureblood.

"Uncle Caden... I have one more thing to ask you. Your secretary... Elizabeth? Did you notice anything strange about her these past weeks?"

"Who? Elizabeth? Beats me my boy. The company called me to say she's decided to go back to Aruba or somethin' about her Ma dying. I tell you, she's a fine lass that one and I ain't like the new one they sent."

"Who's your new secretary, Uncle Caden?"

"Cas... Cassie was it? I can't remember now. I know it's a Cas-something. I ain't good with names.Now what about my secretary I hear?"

"I'm sorry Uncle Caden. I had to kill her for she was a threat to our existence. She was aware of the orders to kill me and I have a feeling that she was spying on us Purebloods."

"Spying! Why that treacherous little mutt!" exclaimed Caden, enraged.

"Uncle, may I know when did she begin her services as your secretary?"

Caden considered the question for a while and tried hard to think.

"I think April or so last year. I heard she got a promotion in the Coven and so I offered her a job. Was that a bad move, my boy?"

"I don't know Uncle. So... you don't know anything about these Hunters?"

"I wish I knew my boy... but I am of no help to ye at all. I will try to ask around discreetly of course... but ye be best on yer guard."

"Thank you, Uncle. I should be on my way now. Please let me know if you have any news."

"Very well my boy... I just hope you'd find whoever's hunting you down and kill her."

Kyros stilled. Pretending he was not shocked, he turned and smiled at his uncle.

"I already have, Uncle. Elizabeth's dead now isn't she? I'd better be on my way now. Send my regards to Aunt Ellie."

Kyros made sure he was at out of Salford City before he allowed himself to consider his uncle's words. His uncle was the only Pureblood who is able to hear a thought even a few miles away.

His uncle knew about the Hunters but he was unwilling, or perhaps unable, to tell him about them. He had known that the Hunter sent after him was a female. Most people would assume that a killer would generally be a male; especially one that would want to kill a prominent Pureblood such as him.

***

"Connor, it seems that we have a problem."

Connor simply kept quiet and was admiring his newly manicured nails lazily.

"My nephew is not dead." Connor's head snapped up, looking directly into Caden's eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"The assigned Hunter has failed. But that's not all. He's aware that he was being pursued, Connor. He asked me about the Hunters."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I told him I knew nothing."

"Very good. I assume that he killed Elizabeth then?"

"Yes, he did."

"Mmm... did he kill Aurora?"

"I was not told if he did but I have a feeling that he has killed her. My nephew is not one to accept treachery."

"Very well... we will meet again with the rest by the end of this week. I am putting my faith in the second Hunter I sent to search for Aurora's body or whereabouts. I have a feeling she's not dead..."

"Why do you say that?"

"If she was, Anya would have sensed it and abandoned her mission by now and return home crying. Twins..." he added, giving a small chuckle. "You know what, Caden... you might have just given me a very brilliant idea..."

Caden looked at the senior Elder with trepidation. It had been difficult enough when he was told his nephew had to be killed for the greater good... but it would be more difficult to hear the order a second time.

***

NB: Whoa!!! I totally enjoyed writing this chapter! I hope it satisfied some of your queries regarding the Hunters. Stay tuned for more! Thank you so much for all the votes and comments!