Hellhound Read online

  I stepped out with my knives with a serious look of determination on my face when Dorin stepped out of the shadows.

  “Hunting?” he asked me and I continued to walk to the door. I placed my hand on the doorknob and he was at my side with a bit of cool air preceding him. I glanced over at him and grinned.

  “I am okay on my own.”

  “I seem to remember someone saying that hunting alone was a bad idea.”

  “That would be Gunner.”

  “And he is normally right, regardless of how much you hate him.”

  “I don’t hate him, not at all.”

  “Oh dear.” He said as he hugged me and I let him as my face sunk into his shoulder for a moment. I could have cried, but instead I backed up and straightened my shoulders up, I am a Hellhound, not a broken hearted girl.

  “I need to hunt and kill.”

  “Sounds sexy.”

  I smiled as I opened the door and stepped out, my face hitting Gunner in the chest. He raised his hands and placed them on my shoulders. His touch still sending waves through me, but he slowly pushed me back and stared at me and then he looked at Dorin.

  “What is this?” he asked as I decided to speak. He didn’t even look at me when I did.

  “I am going out to hunt and Dorin is coming with me.”

  “Do you think it is a smart idea to hunt with two hounds?”

  Dorin raised his hand.

  “She is capable, so am I Gunner. It will be fine.”

  “Don’t get killed.” He said to him as he passed me by. I raised my hands and let them slap the sides of my dress as the door slammed behind the two of us. I turned to go back in and just fucking have it out once and for all with him, but Dorin stopped me.

  “Don’t.”

  I looked at him and narrowed my eyes.

  “I have to tell him why I went to Hell.”

  “He knows.” Dorin said as I stood up straight and stared at him.

  “So what? He doesn’t care then? I mean it meant nothing to him that I went to Lucifer to try to help him?”

  “Gunner is not a man who accepts charity and that is what it was Halo.”

  “Oh I see.”

  I felt let down that it was not a jealousy thing, I know that may sound petty, but the idea of Gunner actually giving a fuck about me was appealing. I walked down the long steps leading away from the house and Dorin followed me. I stopped and looked back at the large mansion. I know this is supposed to be my home, but the reality of it not being anything close to that is really starting to wear on me. Once again I fucked up, I picked the wrong man, what sucks the most is that he is a GREAT man, one I could see myself with the rest of my life, but the only problem is that he doesn’t want me. Who knew not being wanted would end up being my fate, perhaps this is Hell for me.

  ***

  I stepped up and grinned as I saw them, a group of 3 men who were “playing” with a girl in the alley. By “playing” I mean terrifying her and it pissed me the fuck off. Being a victim of abuse pretty much my whole life makes me not have any mercy for fuckalls who do this. Why people prey on the weak is beyond me so when I encounter it now I take great pleasure in destroying the assholes who do it for sport, that of demons and vampires. Unfortunately I cannot kill humans who act this way, if I were to do that then I would take 100 steps back and my ability to dig my way out of being a Hellhound would become a distant memory. Truth is I don’t know if I will ever gain freedom and go to Heaven, in fact I am starting to feel like being a Hellhound was what I was always meant to be anyway. The only thing that sucks about it is losing Gunner in the process. I pulled my two blades from my back and gripped the handles tightly as Dorin stepped up next to me. I glanced over at him as I saw him open his mouth and his two fangs elongated inside of his mouth. I guess I am starting to get used to seeing that too, I mean in the beginning he kind of freaked me out. The whole living with a vampire thing was just as bizarre as being a Hellhound. It is funny how you learn to accept things, even those that may end up killing you. Story of my life. I lowered my goggles and could see the three for what they were, three nasty vamps that looked to be about ready to suck this poor girl dry as they ravaged her.

  “I got the two on the right.”

  “Two?” I said as I flipped the blades in my hands. I had started to become quite proficient with all of the weapons. I had so much time to practice now that I was the leper of the community.

  “Yes, you get the runt on the left.”

  “I can handle all three.” I said as I ran forward, Dorin sighed and shook his head. Okay, maybe I am becoming a bit cocky; taking on three vampires was not exactly smart on my part. Demons are bitches to kill, but vampires move fast and are vicious, sometimes even worse than demons. They tend to not care about anything but survival; demons think they cannot die so they are not as bad to destroy. Vampires, on the other hand, enjoy immortality and they do not appreciate the thought of it being taken away. When we kill vamps they do not go to Hell, they turn to dust. Sometimes demons return to Hell, it depends on whether Lucifer is actually paying attention when they fall. He is impossible to read, as if I would want to.

  I ran towards the three of them as one grabbed the girl around the neck and jerked her backwards; the other two stepped forward and hissed at me. I grinned as my blades felt light in my hands and ready to slice through each one of them, but as the thought of killing entered my mind, the one on the right darted off like a soul sucking cockroach. I could not worry about it, I still had one in front of me who acted like he wanted to play and it was making me happy.

  “Dog.” The vampire hissed at me and I nodded.

  “That is right.” I held my blades out in front of me as the vampire slid behind me like the tricky fuck that he was. He wrapped his arms around me and I ran forward and up the brick wall, flipping over and breaking his hold on me, I stabbed forward and sliced through his side from behind as he screamed and darted upward. I watched him climb the wall like a spider as I rolled my eyes and took a few steps back. I slid the blades into the holsters on my back and ran forward, jumping up and hanging onto the wall. I started to climb almost as quickly as he had as I looked upward and saw the vampire reach the top; he peeked over the edge and hissed at me, spitting venom as they are known to do. Some of it landed on my shoulder and made my skin smoke. I looked over and gritted my teeth as it burned, but not too badly.

  I reached the top and looked everywhere, but did not see him. I looked down over the edge and saw Dorin as he battled the two vampires, he seemed to be holding his own. He was a badass and I did not have to worry about him, especially with other vampires. He knew what they would do, and could keep up. I backed up and then turned as the vampire was suddenly in my face, he grabbed me and tossed me across the roof and I hit on my side and slid until I slammed into the small wall that was around the edge on the roof. I moaned as my back cracked the brick and a couple of them fell from the building and tumbled 4 stories below us. I then looked up as the vampire flashed to me and held onto the wall with two hands, he reared his black boot back and then preceded to kick me in the stomach, at least 20 times. At first it hurt and then as he continued on I started to get pissed. I remembered when Travis used to do this shit to me, he did it many times before the night he actually died and killed me along with him. It was a fucked up and humiliating thing to do to someone. To kick them in the stomach over and over again is ridiculous and a show of weakness on their part, like doing this was a show of power they so desperately wanted to prove. I then grabbed his foot and he screamed as I twisted the fucking thing all the way around and tore it off. He hopped back as I stood up with his foot in my hand and I grinned at him. I shook it and then tossed it behind me off of the roof. It fell to the bottom with a splat.

  “Oh shit, sorry about that.” I said as he hissed at me again.

  “Fucking bitch!” he yelled at me as he turned and started to run, his stump made him hobble and I simply walked behind him, pulling my blades and na
rrowing my eyes. He reached the edge and then turned back to stare me down.

  “We can go easy or hard, your choice.” I said to him as he started to laugh at me. In fact he laughed so hard he doubled over for a minute and then stood up straight, wiping the bloody tears from his eyes and then licking his fingers.

  “I will not be killed by a bitch, a fucking female. You are weak and unworthy, in fact all you are good for is sucking dick and being fucked in the ass…so how about you get on all fours dog and let me give you what you deserve.”

  I stepped forward as I smiled at him, cocking my head to one side. I then thrust one blade through his dick and as he was dealing with that pain I waiting, just a few moments and then I shoved the other blade through his gaping mouth. He stopped screaming of course as I severed his ability to make any noise at all.

  “Looks like this female just fucked your shit up, huh?” I said as I jerked the blade from his mouth and then from his dick. He stood there swaying on his one foot and stump. I smiled and then he did something I did not expect, he started to try to whisper and I leaned in to hear what I did not want to… “Amelia says Hello.”

  My eyes widened as the vampire started to laugh and I spun on one foot, cutting off his head, then I kicked his body off the edge of the roof. I ran back to the other side of the building and looked down into the alleyway, the girl was lying on her back, throat torn out and no vampires in sight, no Dorin either and I was suddenly sick to stomach as I knew this was a trick, an ambush and that Dorin may be in serious trouble. In fact, everything in me told me that he was. I stepped back and jumped, not knowing if the fall would harm me, but knowing I would have to take my chances. I landed, with my blades out and simply crotched down and stood up.

  “Huh.” I said as I started to run, happy that I now knew that jumping was not an issue for me at all.

  I ran out into the street as I suddenly had to skid to a stop. I walked slowly as I saw him, Dorin, on his knees. His head hung low and I was not willing to wait and negotiate for shit as I then saw Amelia standing next to him. She had one hand on her hip and wore a black lace body suit. I would love to say that she could not pull that shit off, but she could. Her body was perfect as I would assume most vampires were. I mean they are sexual machines, built to seduce and eat. She reached down and grabbed Dorin’s hair and jerked his head up. I could see that his face was beaten and his mouth was extremely bloody. He tried to look calm, but I could tell that he was in terrible pain and it hurt me, this was my friend and regardless of what he was by nature, I cared for him deeply. I stopped walking and she smiled at me.

  “Hello, Halo Bay.” She said as I watched her tighten her grip on Dorin’s hair and he hissed, his eyes rolling in his head. I could then see that his mouth was bloody for a reason as Amelia smiled and held her hand out, two long fangs sat in it, pooled in a small amount of blood.

  “No!” I screamed as she suddenly tossed them to me and I looked down as I saw Dorin’s fangs at my feet. It was as if she had castrated him in a sense. I looked up at her, my head low and my eyes filled with hate and anger. She smiled at me and let Dorin fall to his side, she walked towards me as she swung her hips back and forth.

  “My my, you are a special breed Halo, Lucifer said you were, but it was not until now that I see what he is talking about. I mean my brother is a vampire! Your loyalty to him should end when he is not in battle by your side and yet you act as if he is your friend.”

  “Dorin is my friend and I love him.”

  “Ah! Oh no.” she said as she placed her hands to her ears and shook her head, I was actually tricked into thinking that it hurt her in some way until she lowered her hands and started to laugh at me. This only fueled the fire inside of me.

  “Love? Oh please, there is no love, no real compassion. I mean even you kill, Halo, this is not out of love but a sense of survival, you are an animal just as we all are and I am shocked that you have not set aside this foolish Hellhound thing and simply strolled into Hell. I am sure Lucifer would enjoy that.”

  I gripped the handles of my blades until my muscles ached in my hands and arms. My hatred was welling up in me and it made me feel more powerful. It was a tricky thing as hate was not what I needed now; it was compassion as it was the only thing that made me any different than Amelia or any other demon for that matter.

  “I am not like you at all, and neither is Dorin.”

  She glanced behind her and saw her brother lying on his side.

  “You think so? I bet you that Dorin never told you why he was became a Hellhound, did he?”

  “I know that he killed a killer.”

  “Oh! Is that what he told you?” she said as she laughed and it echoed in the street.

  “Dorin was a killer, he was Vlad’s right hand, his only ally in a world of traitors. Dorin was in love with him and when Vlad took his young bride Dorin did the unthinkable and killed her, yes…he was the one who told her that Vlad had perished in the war before Vlad could return. It was because of Dorin that Ilona died!... of course he hid this from Vlad, he would never tell him, but when Vlad renounced God he became a vampire, the FIRST of us and Dorin begged him to change him so he could be with him forever. After quite a few years Dorin finally revealed his love to Vlad and Vlad laughed at him, mocking him for being gay, Dorin killed him out of jealousy and his curse was to be a Hellhound, call it a twist of fate by God himself, he forced Dorin to protect and live on forever with the knowledge of Vlad being gone. Of course I visited Dorin on his death bed, as he starved himself to death and refused to feed. I made him bite me and give me this gift! Of course I know what it means to me, I know what I am and how humans are simply toys to fed upon, Dorin, on the other hand, has been poisoned with this noble sense of loyalty to dogs.”

  I stood there and tried to absorb all of it. I could not believe that Dorin was a killer once or that he allowed himself to fall prey to such an evil thing as Vlad had become. I guess, if I really took the time to understand it all, I would have to say that Dorin and I were very similar in that way. I had always wanted love and I could never receive it. He had suffered the same fate and ended up just where I had. I mean if Dorin was cursed then I almost saw it as a blessing. I know him, I know his heart is good and that he truly can feel.

  “Dorin is nothing like you, you are an abomination and deserve to become dust. Dorin has saved and protected so many.”

  “You are a foolish little girl.”

  I raised my blades and tilted my head at her.

  “I am no girl, I am a Hellhound.”

  I then lunged at her, jumping into the air and coming down to slam both of my blades into the asphalt of the street, it splintered the road and I jerked them both upward as small chunks of it flew out to each side of me. Amelia had simply darted to the side and out of my way, she was inspecting her nails when I turned to face her again.

  “You really should save your strength.” She said as she glanced behind me and suddenly the two vampires who had been in the alley before, lunged at me. I screamed as one wrapped his arms around me and the other bit into my neck, cutting flesh and burning my blood like it was fire coursing through me.

  “Fuck!” I screamed as the vampire backed up and grinned at me, my blood dripping from his lips. I struggled and broke free of the vampire behind me and spun to kick him but I missed as my leg suddenly felt heavier and my head was light. I stumbled and turned to see Amelia walking towards me.

  “Feeling strange Halo? You must know that a vampire’s bite is venomous, even to a dog like yourself. In fact we are built to kill anything. It is a simple little fail safe that we have.”

  I swung my blades at her as she leaned back and laughed at me.

  “Even now? I have to say you do impress me. You truly do. But…” She stepped forward and took both of my blades, turning one and then shoving it into my stomach. I coughed and stared blankly as the burning sensation consumed me. Blood started to seep from my lips as she leaned into my ear.

  “
You should be more careful, now I need to give my brother what he deserves.”

  She let go of me and pulled the blade out. She licked the length of it and then dropped it at my feet as I looked down and I saw two of them, my vision becoming worse by the second. The vampire venom was ruining me from the inside out and the blade to my stomach was killing me. I was sure of it. I turned and held my stomach as black blood started to turn to red. I took a breath and tried to walk, my feet heavy and my heart slowing in my chest. Amelia stopped and snapped her fingers; the two vampires jerked Dorin to his feet as I continued to walk towards them. He then looked into my eyes as Amelia took my other blade and stepped up to Dorin, I could not see all of him, but I did see the look on his face as she stabbed him with it. He looked as if the world was fading from him and he started to slump, the two vampires let him drop at Amelia’s feet and I fell to my side, my head hitting the asphalt with a loud crack as I watched feet fly past me and the two vampires were decapitated quickly. Amelia screamed and it sounded like an echo, but she faded as did Dorin into fire. I blinked a few times as I then saw him, almost as I had when I first died.

  Gunner walked up to me and picked me up, holding me close to his chest. I could hear his heartbeat against my ear, strong and steady as my own slowed and with it I lost consciousness and everything faded to black.

  ***

  Gunner stood at the elevators entrance and stared at it as I lay on the floor behind him. Finna was holding my head and Ari had his hand on his shoulder. My eyes fluttered and then opened as I saw Gunner hug Ari and they said a few words to each other, but it sounded muffled to me. I then tried to sit up and he glanced behind him only for a second but not lingering on me too long. I fought to stand up as Finna spoke to me, her words echoing at first but then I started to hear her clearly.