Lunation of Fate

The amused bloodhunt was staring at her. He then blurted out a laugh, “ahahahahaha! What did you just say? Free me from human thralldom?”

The bloodhunt’s expression was wide with interest. Chastine, although scared, held her

ground to speak clearly to the captive bloodhunt.

“Yes. I can see that you are a prisoner too in this town. I can set you free, but you have to help me and my friend escape this hellhole.”

“Haha, you don’t know what you’re saying young lady. If you release me now then I might bleed you dry right after my release.”

“And who says I will unchain you before I make a deal with you, hmm?” She let out a confident sneer and her brows met at the middle.

The bloodhunt contemplated for awhile what Chastine just said.

He then revealed his current predicament to her, “I got cursed before I even came here. If you set me free from that curse, I might help you and your friend escape this town.”

She got curious about the bloodhunt’s long-time problem. “What’s the curse?”

“That I can’t kill anyone, else I’d die.”

“Ha, serves you right.”

It nerved the bloodhunt so he arched his brow. He then lunged at Chastine and her face met his at an uncomfy distance before she even bat an eye.

“You have an uncouth mouth, young lady, I should say,” he hissed while his shackles prevented him from further getting near her, “my fellow vampirekind put me through that curse!”

Chastine was sh*t-scared about what just happened. The hair on her neck down to her spine began to stand up straight. She broke out into a cold sweat.

The bloodhunt noticed it.

“Heh, serves you right.” He then stood up and held his wrist with his other hand, as if comforting it from some kind of pain.

Chastine was breathing heavily and staring out at a distance. She wasn’t really sure if it was a good idea striking a deal with this threatening bloodhunt.

She thought she was gaining the upperhand, but it turned out that the bloodhunt was smarter than her.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

All of a sudden, the bloodhunt spoke, “You’re different from your kind. Scared-yes, but quite amusing. Young lady, you have spunk.”

The bloodhunt bit his fingertip and began to scribble something on the ground with his own blood. “Witborn, what’s your name?”

She looked at what the bloodhunt was doing. “Chastine. W-why?”

“No last name?” While writing on the pavement, the bloodhunt arched one of his brows.

“Yes, just Chastine.”

He mumbled something that she thought she heard about being a slave, and then looked at her. “Chastine, I’m making a pact with you…”

“What pact? What kind of pact?” Chastine grew inwardly alarmed.

He sighed. “Let’s just say that you’ll release me from this curse by saying some words, then spill your own blood on this mark.”

“What are those words?”

“Free me from my curse, something something, you make up the rest-I don’t care-say what you want. What matters is your blood and your willing agreement anyways.”

The bloodhunt then smiled at her.

But Chastine’s also smiled, and her grin was wider than the bloodhunt’s.

—

*BANG!*

The swinging of the prison gate was quite loud, but they were not heard outside because of the commotion that was going on.

Chastine and the bloodhunt got out of the prison. They went their way towards the town square.

“Maximillian isn’t it?” Chastine called for the then imprisoned bloodhunt.

“Quite right, nailed my name the first time. Though I prefer the name Maxill. It’s shorter.”

“Ok, Maxill, do what we’ve agreed to.”

“Yes, yes. So you’re with the fellhound who’ve I felt tried to shadowcast huh?”

“You were working for these men?”

“I was enslaved. Vampire-kind dumped me here.”

“Actually it wasn’t him. It was Scion, the one who’s chasing us.”

“So let me get this straight, your fellhound boyfriend tried to get away from his clan to runaway with you and they’re trying to catch you both, is that it?”

Chastine’s ears and face turned crimson. “He’s not my boyfriend!”

Maxill glanced at her and chuckled at her expression.

As he looked at her with enough lighting, Chastine noticed Maxill to be one handsome bloodhunt.

He’s also taller than Juste, and with his long black hair flowing in the wind, Maxill looked sophisticatingly stunning.

Noticing Chastine staring at him for long, he responded, “Thanks, Chastine. I know, I’m handsome.” Maxill grinned and brushed off his locks.

She didn’t protest as she agreed to what he said. Chastine then looked in front of them and remarked, “Heh, you’re one cocky bloodhunt, Maxill.” She also smirked.

Maxill’s words weren’t rubbing her the wrong way. In fact, they both come at an understanding that they were going to click, whatever their relationship would be.

Juste was about to be lynched by the townspeople, and Chastine and Maxill needed to save him before he gets hanged.

When they arrived at the edge of the square, Maxill began to perform his dark magic arts towards the people.

In one swift motion, he stood in front of the platform where Juste was about to be hanged.

“Hi.”

Before the townspeople could react, Maxill quickly released his mind control skills to those who were staring at him.

“Sleep,” he told those people. The people fell on the ground and went into deep slumber.

Maxill pursued those who escaped his gaze, touching them with the tip of his forefinger and they fell asleep on the spot.

When we finished, Maxill went towards Chastine. “There. Young lady, it is done.”

Chastine quickly hurried to Juste’s side and untied the unconscious fellhound. He fell on the platform and began to wake up.

“Ow, what just happened?” He looked around and saw Chastine. Then he saw the bloodhunt at a good distance.

Juste felt a rage in his gut. He then lunged straight at Maxill to attack him.

“Juste, wait!” called Chastine, as she reached out his hand towards the young werewolf. “He’s not enemy!”

But Juste didn’t hear Chastine’s words. Maxill defended himself against Juste’s attack.

“You ingrate b*stard!” Maxill hissed at Juste.

“You freak of nature!” Juste wasn’t sure if he spilled out the right words. After all, he was still a fellhound.

“Juste!” Chastine called out his name as she was gasping for air. “Stop! He’s the one who saved our lives.”

“W-what?!” He couldn’t believe what he had just heard from Chastine.

Without warning, Maxill punched him in the face, and he got knocked out on the ground.

—

Juste’s eyes began to slowly pry open. He sat up and looked at Chastine and Maxill, who were standing in front of him.

Wiping blood off his mouth, he then said, “Chastine, explain. What’s a bloodhunt doing with you? You do know they bleed you humans dry, right? They crave your blood.”

Chastine sat beside Juste. “Juste, it’s gonna be alright. Maxill and I made a pact with each other.”

“And what is that pact all about?! Tell me, Chastine.” Juste was growing concerned.

“I release Maxill from his vampire curse, as long as he doesn’t harm me and do what I tell him to do.” Chastine’s had enthusiastically explained the pact to him.

“You think he’ll honor it?” Juste was doubtful of giving trust to the old bloodhunt they’ve just met. “Do you know they’re a bunch of turncoats?!”

“Listen fellhound, I don’t give a d*mn if you don’t like me. But I’m not like my kind. In fact, I abhor my kind.” Maxill’s eyes narrowed at the mention of ‘abhor’.

“Juste, it’s ok. He’ll be with us now. I think he’s useful, he’ll help us.”

Juste stood up began to size up Maxill from toe to head, staring at him for a long while. Maxill held his ground, him looking cocky and fierce.

Juste then turned his back and began to walk towards the town’s exit.

“Let’s go, Chastine,” he said while walking away, “and no resting in a human village anymore, ok?”

“O-ok, one sec.”

Chastine then talked to Maxill.

“Maxill, come, let’s go.” She was tugging at his sleeve.

Maxill just got released from a 5-year imprisonment. With nothing else to do, he decided to tag along with Chastine.

Maxill walked with her as they head out towards the town’s exit.