Richie Chance: The Chaos Hunters

44 Pages·0.284 MB·English

by  Dusk

Dusk - The Chaos Hunters - Part Two
By Richie Chance
ISBN - FRVMBR0000055
Copyright 2012 Forever Amber
Forever Amber/Raked Leaves eBook Publishers, LLC
Erotic Romance Series Line
~~~*****~~~
Additional Copyright © 2012 by Richie Chance/Raked Leaves
Published by Forever Amber eBook Publishing, LLC
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or
otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright
Act. All rights reserved under this copyright and unlawful use will be prosecuted.
About the Author
Richie Chance moved to LA from New York City to work on a Saturday morning cartoon.
His experience in the Hollywood scene has lead to several best sellers. He now moves into
erotica and his first book is based on his own life experience.
Dedication
Eric, Jamie and Joey who helped gather the information for this book. Their research has
been invaluable.
Author’s Acknowledgments
I want to thank the team of Forum and Advisors, some who ask to remain anonymous. Peter,
Michelle, Jack and Jon and especial Katie with her complete optimism, I thank you for reading
and editing this book several times over and all the people at Forever Amber and Raked Leaves
eBook Publishing that put in as much time as I have — thank you. Your input is more valuable
than I could ever express.
Creative Group and Editorial
Senior Project Editor: Jon Buchman
Acquisitions Editor: Jack Martin
Copy Editor: Peter Varallo
Technical Editor: Michelle Davis
Layout and Graphics: Onion Design Studio
Proofreaders: Peter Varallo
Indexer: Roxanne Indexing, LLC
~~~*****~~~~
Chapter 1
7pm - earlier that evening.
Grim silence settled between Tristan and me as he drove towards the house of François's
friends in his dark SUV. I didn't have to glance at the speed to note he was speeding and resisted
the impulse to urge him to drive faster, but getting pulled over by the cops for speeding wouldn't
get us there any faster even with Tristan to use vamp tricks on him, so I gritted my teeth and
willed us there.
I could feel anticipation, alert readiness and a waiting stillness coming through the silver
cord that bound me to my mate, short for soul mate, so I knew nothing had really happened yet,
but I knew as well as any Twilight does that we can spring hell in a moment.
I fingered the trio of knives, one blade silver, one wood, and the last iron-veined steel; I had
them in my lap from the weapon collection we kept in a secret compartment in the SUV's boot.
Tristan calls me a reckless, impulsive fighter, my enemies a thug as I tend to favor fighting in my
enemies faces, as a bobcat or with my fists, shuriken or my knives, I prefer to look my enemy in
the eye when I kill him.
It was the bobcat in me and something inbuilt in my personality; I went in with nothing but
will power, blood lust, my strength and a knife or small throwing star. It was probably going to
be the death of me one day, but as long as I take my enemy out with me when it's my turn to face
Death then I'll go with a grin.
We pulled off the road opposite the driveway that led up to the house François was staying
in and Tristan parked in a small sheltered area behind some trees. We were about thirty minutes
drive south of Paris in a semi-rural area. I could see the glow of lights in the distance showing
the presence of a few other country or farmhouses but there were very few people out here. The
driveway up to the house was long enough that we couldn't see the house from the road or the
cars belonging to our enemies.
We got out of the car without a word and immediately I began stripping off my clothes, it
would be easier to go in as a bobcat. Tristan opened the back door of his SUV and opened the
weapon compartment to pull out his own preferred weapons.
I heard a subtle rustle from the ancient naked apple tree next to us and spun around to see it
was only Pierre. He was shifting back to human behind the ancient tree, he might be a powerful
white falcon, but falcons weren't so good in a fight at night.
"About time you guys got here." He said, as he emerged fully clothed in a pair of white
vaguely feathery pants and shirt from behind the trees.
As Tristan opened his mouth to defend us, I dropped down to my knees and released the
bobcat, immediately feeling the familiar mix of pain, tension, and release as my body changed. It
felt like I'd released a firmly bound bowstring as agony and the ecstatic energy, the freedom, of a
shift swamped me, as the bobcat slid over my skin pushing, squeezing, and shifting my bones,
muscles and skin. I rocked forward onto all fours releasing a growl as my eyes changed,
sharpening to their mix of grays, black and white.
I felt the bobcat's instincts gain strength as I twitched my tufted ears, sitting back on my
haunches. I am a large bobcat easily the size and weight of a big German Shepherd with long,
strong legs and big furry paws. My coat had automatically taken on its winter thickness and
coloring, and is a tawny-grey with faint brown spots and a white belly and chest. In summer my
coat is not as thick and is a deeper tawny-gold with darker brown spots
My shift was fast enough I have to watch impatiently as Tristan shut the SUV door, his
favorite weapon a Spanish fighting stick in his hands. It was a beautiful weapon made of dark
oak with runes carved into it and both ends sharpened into wickedly sharp stakes, with one end
silver tipped.
I heard more then saw Pierre finish loading a third 9 mm semi automatic pistol with a mix of
silver, wood, and iron bullets. I knew both of them would carry extra knives for me and knew
both of them carried spelled swords over their shoulders as back up weapons for when their
primary weapons failed them.
I growled again to hurry them up as I spade to my feet and paced forward, they could hang
around out here if they wanted to. I could hear but not see the other Twilights, we needed to be
moving, and I headed out. We were lucky that tonight was not a full moon and that we were
downwind in the little wind that there was, the moon was barely a dim crescent in the dark sky
above us and the gathering dark clouds hid the stars.
It looked and smelled like the rain wouldn't hold out on us long, good and bad as it would
wash away tracks and scents, ours and theirs. I kept to the shadows underneath the bare cherry
trees and frost damp tall grass that boarded the sides of the gravel driveway as I made my way
stealthily towards the sounds and growing scents of our prey.
I am a cat so instinctively I stuck to the cover but looked for a piece of higher ground to use
to spot our prey. I could smell three vampires, an enchanter, two werewolves, and a cougar
shifter and finally spotted a cherry tree up ahead that had convenient low branches that I could
use to climb up for a view. I might not be able to climb a tree in a hurry or use it to hunt from but
when I have to, I can get up a tree as a bobcat and did so.
Sticking to the sturdy branches, I climbed up high enough that I could see but still stay
shielded by the tree's branches. From my perch I looked for our prey; they had come in two black
SUV's and I could see both SUV's were parked in front of the lit up house, they were empty,
which meant they were probably either in the house or somewhere around the house.
I smelled Tristan as he came to the base of my tree and I heard him crouch down. I felt more
than heard Pierre come up and pass us on the opposite side of the driveway as he continued
towards the house, sticking to the available cover.
“Looks like our buddies have come on cliché today. I see two black SUV's, empty, but I
smell and sense at least three vampires, two 'wolves and a cougar. There's an enchanter out there
somewhere too.” Tristan relayed to me, I knew by his tone he was passing the same information
on to Pierre at the same time and guessed I smelled or spotted the same thing. But it never hurt to
share anyway.
“I can see the enchanter and one of the vampires, don't recognize either, but can't get a
visual on the rest yet and I don't see or hear anything from in the house.” I passed on as he held
open the telepathic connection between us.
I did see a young looking blonde male vampire leaning on the garage wall in a shadowed
corner, watching the front yard and the front door. The enchanter was a young female, red haired
and curvy, as she leaned against the front bumper of the farthest away SUV, cleaning her nails
by the look of it.
“Shifters and 'wolves are too good at hiding themselves, they won't be obvious.” I added
after another slow, thorough scan visually and audibly of the area.
There was a long pause and at the end was a wordless confirmation that Tristan had spotted
the same two I saw.
“Pierre has spotted another vampire and a 'bat. He can't see Paul, the other 'bat or the
cougar.” Tristan relayed as another long pause stretched between us. “He says he is taking care
of them, you take out the enchanter and vampire. I'll look for Paul, François, the missing shifter,
and 'bat.”
I felt Tristan hear my acceptance and felt him shut down the connection between us and I
heard him slip away from underneath my tree. I stayed up my tree for a minute or two as I
figured out the best way to approach and take out my targets. I also gave him a minute or two to
get away and then climbed down my tree. Once at the base of my tree I noted that Tristan had
brought the black pants and long sleeved dark t-shirt I wore on the job and I quickly shifted back
to human.
I pulled on the clothes, strapped three knives one wood, one silver and one iron lined steel to
my forearms and pulled on old running shoes with no socks. While my feet were tough, it was
wiser to wear shoes so I could run faster and not tear my feet up. The clothes were also a further
weapon as they were made from cat hide, which meant when I shifted the clothes, would shift
with me. Sounds a bit gruesome but it was hide gained from my enemies and I noticed it was
something Pierre did too judging from his white clothes.
I walked out from behind my tree, edged into the centre of the drive way and crossed to the
far side, being careful not to let her see me moving but I need not have bothered. She was clearly
bored and more interested in her nails then in looking around her. Bad mistake but it played right
into my hands and allowed me to stalk on silent feet right up behind her pulling out my iron
laced knife. Reversing it, I used the iron laced handle to rap her smartly on the temple.
She dropped to the ground like a stone, the iron lacing was enchanter poison and delivered a
much harder blow, and then my gesture warranted. She would have a hell of a headache and feel
very sick when she woke up. I crouched behind the SUV noting that the noise the enchanter
made dropping to the ground had alerted the blonde vampire. I kept my eyes on him as he came
towards me but made sure to keep my senses open to the whereabouts of our missing prey.
I waited until he was almost right on top of me and had crouched down to feel along the
downed enchanter's neck for a pulse, before I jumped out from behind the SUV and tackled him
to the ground. We cursed and swore at each other as we wrestled on the ground as we both
grappled for the upper hand.
He hissed at me his blue eyes shining silver and his fangs out as he snapped at me, his teeth
making an audible click as he attempted to bite me. Technically as a vampire he was much
stronger than me and if he had any telepathy could knock me out cold, he could also try and bury
his fangs in me as he was trying to do or simply over power me with brute strength, but he was a
clumsy fighter.
Clearly he either didn't have telepathy, was very inexperienced in a fight for I didn't feel the
kind of knockout blow I know Tristan can deliver. He did manage one good solid blow to my
wrist and I heard a faint snick, as pain and weakness shot up my arm telling me my wrist was
broken or fractured. He lunged up underneath me and I felt the scratch of his teeth along my
throat.
I swore at him allowing my nails to grow to sharp, killing claws and dug them into his
shoulder, gauging out deep groves in his flesh as hard as I could, ignoring the throbbing pain
from my broken wrist. I felt him wince and hiss underneath my claws but he lunged at me again
this time I felt the sharp piercing pain of his teeth. I screamed a bobcat's infuriated cry and hurt
wrist or not I grabbed the sides of his head in an iron grip and ripped his teeth out of my neck.
I felt the pain of torn flesh and the warm rush of blood as it flowed from the wounds.
Through a mix of sheer anger and will, I punched him in the face hard, once and then again. I
hauled out my wood bladed knife and shove it into his right shoulder. I could hear the low angry
growling coming out of me as it blended with his hiss of pain. I pulled the knife out and shoved
it back in his chest.
"Nobody bites me." I growled at him as he went limp under me and I yanked my wooden
knife out.
I got off him and crouched down, cleaning my knife off in the frost damp grass as I shifted
back to bobcat, my furry clothes changing with me, knowing it was the fastest way to help heal
my injuries and gritted my teeth as that peculiar mix of pain and freedom rushed into me with the
shift.
Once again, I was a bobcat and I growled to myself again, glaring at the downed vampire. I
could hear and see the faint breath and knew I'd just knocked him unconscious; neither blow had
been a killing blow, yet. Wood poisoning might still kill him but that wasn't my problem. My
shift instantly healed the bites in my neck and my wrist, only silver created a problem and
delayed healing, could kill, seriously injure, or poison me.
My next problem hit me with the force and speed of a striking whirlwind; he bowled me tail
over ass. I went sprawling in the damp grass with a cougar streaking after me and scrambled up
with a scream to echo his. I threw myself at him screaming again and smacked at him as hard as
I could, putting all my speed and strength behind it. He was a bigger animal then I was, but I was
strong and seeing the red of true rage.
We sprang apart, crouching in the grass, glaring at each other as we eyed each other up, a
mere yard between us, our chests heaving with effort, fury and adrenalin. He charged into me
again with a scream of his own and I reared back, charging forward and up into his charge,
whacking back with hard blows of my big paws. The strength, ferocity, and speed of my attack
forced him backwards and flipped him over showing his vulnerable belly.
He flipped back over with a cat's speedy reflexes and leapt away; I jumped at his back,
claws out and swatted at him hard, forcing him away from me and drawing blood. He spun back
around to face me with those same quick feline reflexes and backed away, I followed charging
into him as he hit back at me as he now defended himself, landing a good blow or two and
drawing blood from my face and shoulder.
We separated again, growling at each other, he charged at me again forcing his way past me
and the hard blows of my paws as he retreated back into the trees he'd come from heading back
up the drive.
I spun around and began to give chase when I heard the loud sound of a gun going off once,
then twice, from the opposite side of the front yard. The cougar dropped like a stone, much as
my enchanter target had earlier and I spun around with a growl of irritation.
Pierre was standing there smoking gun in hand, calm and unruffled, eyes cold and
calculating as he eyed the downed cougar and me.
"Never mind that you'd better follow me inside." He said in reply to my growl as he turned
around and headed back towards the house, not waiting for me to follow. "The two 'wolves have
been taken care of."
A note of urgency ghosting his quiet, in control voice had me following him with some haste
as we circled around behind the house and approached the back door. The back door was frosted
glass and was standing wide open showing the way the intruders had got into the house, a
converted Victorian barn.
The scents of blood, tears, pain, and piss found their way into my sensitive nose along with
fear, grief, and ugly hatred. I shuddered under my thick fur coat not looking forward to what
would face me. Sure enough I didn't like it one bit and couldn't stop the growl from escaping as I
came into the open plan living room and kitchen.
Two people a white man and a Spanish woman I didn't recognize lay still and dead on the
living room floor. A third, François was moaning quietly in pain, clearly in a bad way judging
from the blood on his abdomen and left thigh. Tristan was crouched over him, his cell phone to
his ear as he spoke to someone on the other end, clearly ordering healers in.
I noticed his weapon was propped up against the wall nearest him, one end the sharp
wooden tip bloodied, I also noticed there was a healing bruise or two on Tristan's face. A fourth
person, a young male half Latin fox shifter stood guard with one of Pierre's pistols trained over
an unconscious Paul who was confined to an arm chair.
I saw Paul had a sluggishly bleeding cut on his forehead, a swelling black eye and I saw a
bleeding hole in his left shoulder. Moving up behind Tristan I shifted and touched his shoulder as
Pierre moved to the exposed corner of the room next to the bay window, where he stood facing
it, arms crossed over his chest, patient, watchful, and still.
“He's not looking too good. We might not have got here in time.” Tristan said to me regret
and anger coloring his words as he opened his mind to me as he hung up his phone to press a
wadded up towel to François's bleeding abdomen harder in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
I sighed crouching down beside Tristan and touched François's shoulder.
“I smell iron. Did he shoot or stab him?” I asked Tristan evenly, managing with sheer will
power to keep the seething rage out of my voice and expression.
“The bullets are both iron.” Tristan responded back angrily.
"Hey ami, not a good night huh?" I greeted François with a grin.
"I've had better." He admitted with snort.
"You're hurt." François whispered with a wince as he nodded at my neck and face.
"It's nothing, I'll live." I whispered back realizing as I reached up and touched it, there was
dried blood on my neck and face. I'd forgotten it.
"I had a feeling you'd come and you did, thank you." He whispered just as softly.
"Didn't know you were French though, aren't you American?" He questioned with a faint
smile, his words so soft only sharp hearing would have picked it up.
I managed a smile not realizing I'd reverted back to my native accent, as we heard a loud
knock and a bang as the healers, two enchanters arrived totting black doctor's bags. They two
women shooed us away from François's side and took over with the peculiar fussing and bossy
manner of women and healers.
"What do you think we should do with him?" I asked Tristan with a dark glare at the
unconscious Paul.
He was a handsome guy, I could easily see him on the front cover of a glossy magazine,
with his wavy dark brown hair, dark green eyes and square, chiseled face but then all Twilights
were stunning.
"Killing him would be too nice and not a good thing for François. So I made a call to Lord
Michel, he's sending down his best enforcers to bring him in to the holding facility." Tristan
replied quietly.
"He'll be held until such time was he sees the error of his ways." He added and we swapped
sardonic, bitter smiles.
We both knew Twilights who were taken in and held in Dusk cells rarely chose to change
sides and merely rotted there. It was the best alternative we had short of killing him and Tristan
was right, as much as killing the son of a bitch was my preferred option, we couldn't do that to
François. The loss of an ami was a shock, on good days, it drove you mad or you lost the will to
live and on bad days, you died with them.
I glanced around the room, seeing the trashed, messed up state of it and the poor, dead
people on the ground. I sensed the Spanish woman was a fox shifter, like her son and the man
was human. I felt troubled for the needless, useless loss of people. Judging by their positions
sprawled over the floor closest to us, they'd probably opened the door to Paul and his buddies, let
them in and paid for it with their lives, they'd been shot execution style to the head and chest.