48: 48 The Hunt (AVOT)

48 The Hunt (AVOT)

Rhain navigated his way to the vampire sanctuary, Umbra Aeturnum, his body trembling from the exertion of self-restraint. It took monumental strength to distance himself from Daisy, to hastily dress in a random closet, and step into the unwelcoming morning sun. But he knew he had to get away. Somehow, having her so close too many times, tipped his hunger over. He felt as though if he fed on her, he wouldn't be able to restrain himself.  0

Upon arrival at the dark sanctuary, a oversupply of potential victims filled his view. Countless slender necks awaited, but the thought of holding another woman after having made love to Daisy seemed repellent. Besides, his thirst required more than a usual feed this time, so he selected a man from the crowd. 

As an old vampire, he required only modest amounts, but now, his hunger was voracious, insatiable. He tried to satiate his thirst by picking a few men, but his attempt was futile. His hunger was a wild beast, not to be placated by mere sips. It craved a hunt. 

Tiberius, one of his comrades, found him brooding in a dimly lit lounge. "You seem to be struggling?" Tiberius ventured, his tone laced with a hint of concern.

"Just waiting for the night to hunt," Rhain responded tersely, his attention still ensnared by the battle within.

Tiberius' brow furrowed. "Did you push the hunger too much this time?"

Rhain fell silent. Indeed, he had always tested his limits, relishing the satisfaction that bloomed when he finally succumbed to his hunger. Those moments brought a semblance of vitality, a fleeting illusion of his lost humanity. But he never reached this point. His limit were always gradually pushed and but Daisy shoved him over the edge without warning. 

Daisy.

A chill skittered down his spine as he considered the prospect of having to part from her. Yet, the hope of seeing Roy again provided a glimmer of solace.

Roy. His brother. His only surviving kin. Rhain's mind was swept back to a time when Roy was confined to a bed, his body besieged by a rare disease that gradually ravaged his bones, stealing his mobility and leaving him prisoner within his own flesh. 

As a child, Rhain would often find Roy watching others play with a melancholic longing that gnawed at Rhain's heart. He would often end up fighting with other children, defending his brother against their cruel jibes. The sight of Roy's crushed spirit was more than he could bear.

As children, Roy was frequently the target of callous jeers from their peers. Cruel nicknames like "Rupturing Roy" or "brittle bones" were carelessly flung his way, their laughter slicing through the air, oblivious to the sting it left in Roy's heart. 

They would often poke fun at him, even mimicking his difficulty in moving. In response, Rhain would swoop in, his youthful anger flaring in defense of his brother. His small fists would fly, marking his opponents with the evidence of his protective wrath, but he was only one, and they were many. He would often go home beaten, but Rhain knew the pain was nothing compared to that of his brother. 

The sound of Roy's stifled weeping often invaded Rhain's dreams, jolting him awake into the cold harsh reality of their existence. Roy's whispers, barely audible but harrowing nonetheless, would float towards him through the shared silence of their room. Statements like, "I wish I were dead" echoed hauntingly in Rhain's ears, chilling him more than any winter could.

Their parents' passing left Rhain as the sole guardian of his dispirited sibling. Roy would often plead with him, his voice raw with the pain of enduring the relentless disease, to grant him the mercy of death. But Rhain couldn't bring himself to comply.

One fateful day, Rhain returned to their modest dwelling to a scene that would forever be etched into his memory. The silence of the cottage was eerie, the usually flickering candlelight ominously still. There, lying in the heart of their home, was Roy, his features contorted in pain, an empty vial of poison clutched in his limp hand. The sight nearly brought Rhain to his knees, the horror of it anchoring him to the spot.

Roy survived his suicide attempt, but his health deteriorated further. As Rhain watched his brother's increasing suffering, he was engulfed in despair. He struggled with the idea of granting Roy's wish until he learned about the existence of vampires.

The initial years following Roy's transition were fraught with turmoil. Roy despised him for the perceived curse he had subjected him to, but just as Lysander said, this period of intense anger and self-loathing was a common phase among the newly turned. Even Rhain experienced it, the insatiable thirst and perpetual darkness were a nightmare he couldn't escape. Yet, as time passed, they learned to adapt to their new reality.

Rhain, in particular, adjusted rapidly to this nocturnal existence. Lysander often commented that Rhain seemed to have been born for the darkness, adapting quicker than any other vampire he had seen before. Rhain still wondered why. Was it possible that his own soul harbored greater darkness than the others? 

While Rhain was the one who adapted rapidly, his brother Roy was the one who embraced his newfound life with vigor. For the first time in his existence, once the insatiable thirst was momentarily quenched, Roy could move freely. He was no longer shackled by his brittle bones and weakening body. He reveled in the newfound strength and speed that outpaced any ordinary human. For the first time, Roy vibrated with joyful energy, a stark contrast to the weak and feeble boy he had once been.

But now, Roy lay motionless in a coffin, a fate he met trying to save Rhain. The sight of his brother's still body sent twinges of guilt surging through him. He felt an unyielding obligation to free him from his dark prison.

Rhain shut his eyes, his thoughts chaotic, a storm of conflicting emotions that only exacerbated his hunger.

"Do you need somewhere to hunt during daylight?" Tiberius' voice cut through his tumultuous thoughts.

"No," Rhain responded tersely. Daylight hunting was different, and the sun was too much of an irritant in his current state.

"You haven't asked about Roy lately," Tiberius observed, his words sending a fresh wave of guilt coursing through him.

How could he ask about Roy? While his brother lay cold and lifeless, he was selfishly spending his time with Daisy. He shouldn't, yet he felt guilt for Daisy as well. Why did it have to be her?

No. He shouldn't even ask that question. His bond with his brother spanned a lifetime, while his connection with Daisy was recent. How could he allow a woman to cloud his judgment so quickly?

Rhain reminded himself of the years he had spent in relentless pursuit of a Vessel, a sacred entity capable of resurrecting his brother. For over a century, he had followed elusive leads and pursued whispered rumors, his quest reaching the corners of the earth. Vessels were rare, a precious anomaly in a world inhabited by the supernatural. The last reported sighting of a Vessel had been seven centuries ago, making his discovery of Daisy nothing short of a miracle.

So no, he couldn't keep her after all this search and leave his brother once again trapped, helpless, confined in a coffin this time rather than a failing body. How could he live with himself, relishing in life's pleasures, knowing Roy was stuck in an eternal, lifeless slumber? The thought was unbearable.

He let out a heavy sigh. His hunger, ignored for the entire day, now demanded his attention. As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, he began his hunt. Whoever he crossed paths with tonight would indeed bear the brunt of his suppressed hunger.

In the thick of the bustling city, he prowled the shadows. His senses were heightened, every sound, scent, and movement magnified. He searched for the perfect prey, one that would satisfy his needs.

His gaze fell upon a middle-aged man staggering out of a seedy bar with his two friends. He waited until the bunch went through the path in the woods. Rhain followed them, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment away from prying eyes before he appeared, showing himself as the monster he was. 

Petrified, they all ran in different directions, stumbling on their feet in the dark. Rhain took his time, allowing the scent of fear to waft in the air before he went after them but as he finished feeding on the third one, he came to accept that this wasn't working. He had been holding back his hunger to hunt Daisy, and only hunting her would quench it. 

He strolled back home slowly, the hunter in him still leading the way. With every step closer, different scenarios went through his mind, making his gums ache and his throat burn with thirst as he thought of catching Daisy and sinking his fangs into her. 

His pace increased, the hunger leading the way. He could no longer wait!

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