Hunter’s Orders by S. K. James

 

Hunter’s Orders

By

S. K. James 

Garrett stood with his back to the tent entrance, yet he could still tell who had just come into his tent.

“You wished to see me, Father”?

Garrett turned to the second of his full grown children, Hunter. “Yes, Hunter. Tell me how your search for Ryder is coming.”

“We’ve found and surrounded him, Father. In a forest not far from here. And there is something else,” Hunter added after a moment.

“What?” Garrett gave his son a hard look.

“There is a young child traveling with them.”

Garrett raised an eyebrow at the news and gave a small nod. “I see,” he said. “Kill the vampire. Bring Ryder and the child here, to me.”

Hunter looked at his father, not quite understanding. “What do you mean?” Hunter asked.

“Exactly what I said. Bring Ryder and the child to me.”

“Wouldn’t it be simpler to just kill the child along with the vampire?”

Garrett glared at his son. “Hunter! These are your orders: bring Ryder and the child to me!”

There was a glaring contest between father and son. Finally, Hunter gave a stiff nod.

“As you wish, Father.” With that, Hunter stormed out of the tent.

Garrett paced the interior of his tent, agitated with his son’s arrogance. As soon as he had calmed down he strode out of his tent and through the werewolves’ camp looking for someone.

“Rachel! Come!” he called, gesturing.

“Yes, Father?” she asked as she drew level with him.

“Walk with me.” He waited until they were out of earshot before continuing. “I need your help, Rachel. Hunter has orders to bring Ryder back here to me and to kill that vampire, Scarlet. But he has given me some troubling news. There is a young child traveling with them,” he said. Rachel gasped in disbelief.

“Do you think the child is theirs?” she asked.

“I do not know. Maybe. Hunter was told to being the child to me, along with Ryder, but I fear that he will attempt to kill it.”

“But, Father, what could I do? Hunter—“

“—must be kept from killing the child. I want you to follow him, keep the child safe if necessary. Just make sure it comes back to me, ALIVE.” Garrett gave his daughter a hard look. “You must not fail me in this, my dear. Something tells me that this child will end up being very important to all of us. Go now. Observe your brother and follow him once he leaves with his team. KEEP THAT CHILD SAFE.”

Rachel nodded.

Garrett watched his daughter change into her wolf form” a dark coated she-wolf, with bright eyes. He turned his head away as she bounded off back toward the camp, but Garrett continued on his now solitary walk. Could this young child be the product of a werewolf and a vampire? he wondered. Could such a thing be possible? If it is, this may just be the most powerful creature to walk the face of this Earth.

For some reason this last thought troubled him. Little did he know that the child was the daughter of his son, Ryder, and the vampire, Scarlet, and that this one small girl would end up changing the world…forever.