Hunter's moon

[Tigers]

Isabel

Isabel adjusted her grip on the man's neck. In one smooth movement she slit his throat with her nail and elegantly dipped her head to drink from the fresh fountain of blood. She maybe living in a world full of human savages, but there was no reason for her to behave like one.

It had been days since she'd last eaten, or maybe weeks. At her age and with the state of this world there was no telling, but she was thankful for the control. This uncouth loud mouth hater was on the receiving end of centuries of Isabel's dislike for human's. Yes, she'd come along way since her days with Viktor as one of his coven members, but you can not change what you are, only your behavior. And since these nasty creatures had declared war on her kind and coven, well, Isabel would return the favor.

She drank her fill and tossed the body to the sewer floor, turning her attention to the well manicured nail that had opened up his life vein.

"This just won't due." She spoke to no one at all.

Pulling the dagger from the inside of her leather jacket, she cleaned the drying blood from just beneath the nail.

"No reason to act unladylike just because the world is falling apart."

With a tired sigh, she sheathed the blade and pulled the letter and photo from an inside pocket.

"Damn you Angelique, if I did not love you as much as I do, I swear I'd hate you. And I most certainly would not be playing your little hunter." She replied with a false exasperation.

Now, let's take another look at that beautiful young lady you gave me a picture of."

Isabel had begun to talk to herself as of late. It had been a year since hell had opened up it's gates to swallow their kind whole. Well, a vampire's version of hell...humans. They were being scattered like cattle, and slaughtered just about the same way. Now days it was safer to travel alone or in very small groups. Bloody humans.

Isabel shivered with a warm thrill and a chilling disgust. She'd spent so long sickened by the mangy dogs they called lycan's that she was now revolted by the feeling she got just looking at some of them. It was like her love hate relationship with Angelique, it thrilled and disgusted her at the same time.

Her long nail caressed the face of the young woman, or rather lycan she reminded herself.

"For gods sake Isabel, get a grip old girl. Have you been that long without company that you're drooling like a mutt after this little lycan girl?"

With another glance at the photo and another brief look at the letter, Isabel stored the items safely back in her leather jacket.

"I have to admit Angelique, this little girl you have me chasing after has done very well. Viktor would be rolling in his grave right now." Isabel laughed.

"Poor Viktor, I won't feel that sorry for you. You lucky bastard, you have no idea the mess your missing."

"Well, no rest for the wicked I suppose. Back to hunting your lost little ones, you owe me Angelique."

It had been a year after the massacre had begun. The compound that Angelique and many of her friends occupied had been raided. Many had died, and for the survivors it had become a year of living hell with no reprieve in sight. Families had been separated, children from parents, husband's from wives, mated couples, friends, it was a mess.

Checking her appearance as if she were going out to high society social, Isabel brushed the invisible dust from her leather pants and picked back up on the trail of the missing children.

"Well, young Anya, let's hope your luck continues to hold out with your little pack until I can get to you." Isabel said to herself.

"It would be such a shame to miss out on getting to know you." She finished as the sound of laughter unfitting for such a place echoed down the sewer tunnels.

[Tigers]

Isabel


"I don't understand why you live in that desolate place. Staring out into the cold tundra day in and day out, I'm surprised you have not lost your mind." Isabel replied in French.

"Safety?, You know as well as I there is no such thing, especially in that large group. You would all do well to break up into smaller groups to keep yourselves from being easy targets. This is insulting Angelique, you send the remnants of us across Europe and the America's for what?"

Isabel paused, listening to Angelique on the other end of the phone while she smiled at the young woman who poured her a drink she would never touch. She thanked her in Portuguese and waited for her to walk away before responding.

"I have not survived this long without being the better predator. There are whispers across the world from the types of organizations you do not want to draw attention too. Leonardo, Anne Marie and many others are pulling back and going underground. Something horrible is going to happen, my skin has been crawling for days and that has not happened since the early days of hunting those savage mutts. No offense to Stephan. Of course."

Isabel sat at the small cafe in the quaint town of Guarda. Always dressing to the times, but with her own air of elegance. Not like those fools that kept watch over the sleeping Viktor and Markus all those years ago. Their overconfidence with opulence and superiority cost them not only those two, but Amelia as well. Do not get her started on the betrayal.

These days, vampires as old as she were rare and from the looks of the fools around her it was likely to stay that way. Looking at her, you would not know that she was a predator of the night, likely stalking her next meal. She looked like any other woman of Spanish/Portugal heritage spending a beautiful day out.

Watching in silent disgust as humans masticated the meat in their mouths, like they were not the hypocrites they were. Killing a whole entire animal to feed their greedy selves and yet her kind were the monsters. Yes, sometimes they killed their prey, but they did not always have too. Humans, they did the same thing to eat and survive without any thought to what they killed and destroyed. Isabel scoffed.

"Nothing lovely. Just reminiscing about how much I despise the food walking around here."

Isabel laughed.

"Touché, Angelique! Always as sharp with the tongue as the blade. Yes, yes...I am well aware, but it does not change the way I feel. It's not as if I've actually decided to be the bigger hypocrite, lend me some confidence."

Pushing her sunglasses slightly up the bridge of her nose, Isabel laid money on the table for her bill and walked down the street. It still amused her to this day the heads that turned her way as she strolled along the old cobbled roads.

The conversation had taken a turn and the two were revisiting the emergency plans on where to meet if hell finally did break loose. Stephan and Angelique had already made plans to meet at one of the newly made safe houses with their child and a few of the others. Isabel had a lot of her own personal opinions of this "group," they had an alliance with, but at least they had some leaders who had their heads on their shoulders and were trying to always stay one step ahead of the human world.

They were expecting it, but not that very moment. It wasn't quite what Isabel thought she might expect, but the sounds of screaming, explosions and gun report in the background, followed by the curses from Angelique's mouth before the line went dead was enough to still Isabel's blood.

You would have never known what was taking place in her mind at the moment, as she casually stepped into the driver's seat of her car and dialed several numbers while heading to the airport. Isabel's day went from a nice leisurely stroll to the world exploding around her. Several calls and one small phrase, "It has begun," was all that was needed. Isabel was headed to Kyoto, Japan.

[Tigers]

Isabel, Angelique & Stephan


The flight would have been a nightmare if Isabel had had to travel with an airplane full of people. As it was, there were several private planes available to the immortals with a history so protected, it would take someone years to track the aircraft's back to the true owners. And even then, it was no direct lead back to any of the immortals.

Landing on a private airstrip, Isabel was whisked away in a nondescript car to a hidden coven in the heart of Kyoto. Through a secret passage in the Fukusoji Temple a series of underground tunnels spread out through the hills unknown by the general populace.Several temples connected through this spider web of tunnels throughout the valley and mountainsides. Perfectly hidden in the quaint villages strung throughout the picturesque valley, an enjoyable ride if it were not for the circumstances currently facing Isabel and those in her life.

The car pulled up outside the temple and Isabel stepped out, greeting the monks of the temple as she was led to the inside like a visiting tourist. No one gave a second look as tourists came and went most days and this was not an unusual or uncommon site. Isabel followed silently as she was led to the secret passage into the mountain side. Bowing in respect, she stepped through the passage to be greeted by Stephan and Angelique.

"Well, this is a much needed improvement to your daily view Angelique. Why on earth you didn't choose this location first is beyond me."

Angelique gave her long time coven member a long look, as if searching for something.

"And my dearest Isabel, I see you haven't lost your ability to dismiss current events with your droll humour."

"Forgive the sarcasm Angelique but you did not invite me for a day of frivolity or to enjoy the hospitality of the local monks. I'm one of the few remaining hunters that have survived the destruction of the three covens. And please, do not associate me with those "Death Dealers," It is an insult to the core of my being."

As they walked the tunnels to their destination, Isabel gave a side glance to Stephan.

"This look suits you, is Angelique beginning to rub off on you? Despite how far she tries to run from it, you can remove the woman from being a princess, but you can not remove the princess from the woman."

"Beings change Isabel, as apparently you have too. In the few interactions we've had, I've never known you to be sarcastic or negative."

Isabel stopped dead in the tunnel, anger boiling to the surface.

"This would not be happening if Viktor were still in charge, and you know this Angelique. In all of your centuries when have you ever known men not to rain distruction on what they do not understand. Viktor was a lot of things, many of which we did not agree with, but he kept us safe and out of the eye of humanity. THIS is the result of humans."

It was an argument that Angelique fought within herself, especially after Danielle was taken from them. But wasn't Viktor and Markus male, it was a male trait to be warmongering, but Isabel wasn't entirely wrong.

"Do not forget betrayal my dearest Isabel, something many of us can understand. Humanity has many undesirable flaws, but when we return our actions in kind, we are a much bigger monster. It is a male trait, not just human, we have a chance to usher humanity into a better future. Our goal now need to be survival and as a whole decide whether humanity is ready for us, or if we go back into obscurity."

They began walking down the corridor again. There were moments of silence, but they were more contemplative than awkward.

"Who is it you need found." Isabel replied.

"Our future my dearest Isabel, follow me and I will show you and give you all the information we currently have." Angelique replied.

"Shigure has been kind enough to reach out to his eldest daughter for this place of haven. He and Violet cannot attend, but he sends his greetings. They have taken Arrah and Sasha's daughter Annelie deeper into safety and away from the violence taking place."

Isabel followed the rest of the way in silence, pondering which elder was missing, which important leader was in need of rescuing that Angelique would send her out on the hunt. She would be rather startled at the truth when it was revealed.