Three Lefts

[Yuki]

After successfully breaking the heaters and hoarding the different genders into their respective cabins, Yuki found herself in a single cabin, surrounded by school-aged girls. Normally, the situation would not have been so bad. Children were one of the only things that made her smile. They were infinitely carefree, not like adults, especially not like those who had become involved with the supernatural.

However, on this particular night, Yuki was on high alert, and she wasn't in the mood to play games, even with a child. She needed to focus on all of them she couldn't let one slip by. They began to argue over what to watch on the projector, and Yuki internally cringed at the words Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers. Yuki hated the Disney channel. The animated movies were alright, but the ratings for the sitcoms and reality shows on the Disney channel had at times outweighed those on TV Tokyo and other anime channels. It was bad for the anime business, and it upset her that children would rather watch those vile actors over something as incredibly artistic as anime.

Finally, a woman by the name of Mindy put in a movie, The Parent Trap. It was bearable, at least. Then, Yuki's eyes widened as Mindy headed for the light switch. She menally cursed. Of course she would have to observe the girls in the dark. Of course. Mindy turned and smiled, saying they would need all the help they could get.

That's right, I'm Kisa...

Yuki gave Mindy a curt not. "It would be my pleasure," she said calmy, not removing her eyes from the audience of girls in front of her. One of the girls, whom Yuki identified as Chloe after several girls around her shouted her name, kept interrupting the film, making loud, boisterous comments. It was clear no one was content with her remarks.

The movie hadn't been on for very long, and Yuki had remained on high alert, but everything was normal, quiet. The girls were completely entranced by the film, and those who weren't were already falling asleep. Even Chloe had stayed pretty calm, after getting all her energy out. Perhaps she just...Yuki's eyes drifted to the location where Chloe had been seated, but she wasn't there anymore. Alarmed, she glanced back and forth across the room, but no sign of the girl. But Yuki had been observing the staff of the camp carefully. No child was allowed to leave the room alone, they had to go with someone, and no one had gone in or out, so had Chloe vanished?

Suddenly, Yuki caught the flicker of lights coming from the window. It was Aiden in the other cabin. Something had happened. She needed to find Aiden as quickly as possible. She had to get out of there without raising any suspicions. Biting her lip in thought, she considered saying she needed to use the restroom, but the staff probably had their own restroom, and that wouldn't have bought her much time. She needed an excuse that would explain buy her time.

"I'll be right back, Mindy, I have to make a very important phone call. There isn't any signal in these cabins, but I know I got some outside, I'll be right back," Yuki said bluntly, exiting the room before Mindy had a chance to ask any questions.

[Aiden]

Great, he'd lost track of the bad guy when he had been right in front of him. Aiden wasn't very thrilled as he stalked through the building, opening and closing each door quickly to see if they were the bathrooms. The few doors in that hall just lead to staircases, storage rooms, or linen closets. An audible curse escaped his lips, and he stopped in the middle of the hallway, gun still hidden behind his jacket, and he looked around. Through the glass panes in the door to the exit of the building, he could see a figure out in the rain, but he couldn't see any children with it. He was going to have to go outside, and if Yuki had seen the signal, she would most likely head to the boys' cabin. Great. Just peachy.

Pulling his hood up, he ran out into the rain, his clothing quickly becoming waterlogged. He searched through the darkness for the figure, and he saw it coming towards him as he moved away from the building. When it was close enough, he was about to draw his gun when he was finally able to discern some of the features on them. He sighed, out of relief and frustration, when he found it to be Yuki, just as wet as he was. He pulled his hood off, and tried to speak over the roar of the storm. "I lost him," he said, feeling the water drip down his face as he looked around. He shook his head, not knowing where to go, until he saw that large sign that read "Restrooms" on a building nearby, and nearly smacked his forehead.

Pointing it out to Yuki, he began moving over, gun drawn. "Come on," he said, the noise from their movements hidden by the pouring rain. He sought shelter under the roof of the building before he cocked the gun, held it out, and turned the corner into the guy's bathroom. No one, he found, after checking it out. "Find anything?" he called to Yuki, who had gone into the girls.

[Yuki]

Making her way through the rain, Yuki squinted to see into the darkness. She needed to arrive at the boys' cabin quickly, but the pouring water was an impediment. Aiden had probably encountered the shtriga, he could very well have been in combat with it at that very moment. And then there was the matter of the girl that had vanished--Chloe. Yuki bit her lip in thought. Chills ran down her spine. Something wasn't right.

And then, through the veil of shadows, Yuki made out a figure coming towards her in the distance. Tensing, she reached for her gun in her vest and maintained a steady gaze on the moving entity before her. It could be anyone. But in these circumstances, it wouldn't just be "anyone." It was more likely that it was the enemy. And if it indeed was the shtriga, she knew that using a gun would be useless. Even so, it was a better alternative to standing by and doing nothing. Hand on the trigger, Yuki held a steady gaze, squinting to see who was approaching. Her fingers relaxed, however, and she put the gun down when she saw it was Aiden. But...where was the shtriga?

Removing his hood and talking over the noise of the storm, Aiden answered her question. Yuki brushed her wet bangs behind her ears, looking around for a sign of anyone that could be wandering the rain. "One of the children disappeared as well." The conclusion she had arrived at was not desirable. If the enemy disappears with a civilian, no good can come of it. How could she have let the child out of her sight?

Her thoughts were cut short as Aiden motioned for her to follow. The restrooms. Of course. Walking under the roof of the building, she could hear the thud of raindrops crashing above. She shuddered, chilled by the night air. As Aiden made his way to the men's restroom, Yuki made her way to the women's. She tightened her grip on the gun once again and held it front of her. If the shtriga had somehow taken Chloe...and if he had taken her to the restrooms...

Yuki opened the door to the bathroom. It wasn't long before her fears were realized. She stared at the body on the floor--Chloe's body. "Aiden!" she called out. Alarmed, she raised her gun. The shtriga could still be inside. After examining the stalls and securing the area, she saw no sign of it. It had already left. She immediately attended to the motionless girl and felt her pulse. The girl was alive, but only barely. The shtriga had taken one more victim, and this time, they could've stopped it. They were too late.

[Lucas]

"Join the game?" Lucas repeated, clearly not interested in partaking. "I'm enjoying myself here on the sidelines, thanks for the offer." He waved Scott at the boys back to the game. "Continue."

Something was off with Scott. No one should return from the pouring rain that cheerful. The kid radiated energy which should have been exhausted by the long day. While he had alot more stamina than the average human, the amount of exertion numerous small children required was completely ridiculous. The fact that Scott had this innate ability to keep up with them and at the end of the day have the same amount of energy was unnatural.

Unhuman, even. Could the Hunter's suspicions be valid?

Before he could think any further, the Director entered the cabin.

"Can I talk to all of the counselors outside please?" His dark eyes met each one of the leaders in the room. "Daimon, you can stay behind to keep an eye on the group and one of the others will fill you in when we return."

Daimon, the only red head counselor nodded and took Scott's place as referee. Lucas stood, thoughts racing. Few things would cause the Director to look that panicked. Either Teagan's discovery had been a tragic story...or another kid had fallen ill.

As he walked outside, Lucas made a mental note to find the original architect of the camp and torture him on his next stop to Hell. Why no one had thought to put a protective covering from any possible rain on the outside of the building, he didn't know. Obviously incompetency runs in the blood of the human race, he distastefully thought as he raised his hood over his head.

The Director muttered angrily as he shot a glare above the trees. "One of the girls just found another student passed out in the bathrooms. Lorena hasn't seen her yet, but it looks like this same virus or whatever that's infected the others. What this means is that tomorrow I have to call the health department, and they might very well decide to quarentine the premises. The kids tomorrow will probably have questions. Assure them that they have absolutely no reason to panic. Don't mention anything about it tonight though. I'm just letting you know ahead of time. It'd be a good idea to send them to bed as soon as you can. The less contact they have with each other, the less time the virus has to spread."

"Are there any questions?" His piercing glare sent the message across to the leaders. No questions necessary. "Good. I have to go tell the girls now. Make sure lights are out within ten minutes." The Director's boots sloshed through the mud as he stormed off.

The counselors stood in silence for a moment, no one daring to say anything within earshot of the clearly raged man. Once he was out of the way, they started to trickle back in, all bearing looks of frustration or worry.

Except for Scott, Lucas noted. His eyebrows narrowed. He was sure now that there was something off with that guy. If Aiden's suspicions were correct, he was the one causing chaos in the camp. One difference existed between the approach Aiden would take to the situation, and the one Lucas would take.

Lucas didn't care about the bad guy knowing who -and what- he was.

His hand gripped Scott's shoulder tightly before the teen could walk back inside. Scott sent him a questioning look as he turned around.

"Can I talk to you for a second Scott?" Lucas asked, clearly not giving Scott a choice in the matter.

Scott's face remained annoyingly cheerful. "Can we talk inside? It's a little wet out here."

"No, out here works fine. And I'm sure neither of us want this echoing for the world to hear." Lucas waited until the last human had returned to the commons room. Then, in a flash, he grabbed Scott's shirt and threw him against the wall. Gripping tightly, he lost all pretense of politeness. "I know what you are, and I know what your game is. Answer me this: where is Teagan?"

Scott's eyes widened, caught off guard. "Lucas! What the heck are you talking about man? Let me go!"

"Don't lie to me, 'buddy'" he spat. "I'm not interested in games. You might be though. Here's an interesting tidbit of information: we're not the only players on the board. Did you know Teagan's not the only Hunter at the camp anymore?" Lucas threw Scott against a tree, emotionless as he watched the counselor's head collide with the hard wood. He bent down until he was straight in the face of the creature. "Or did you think you could take out a Hunter in training and not expect anyone to follow up on her disappearence?"

Scott's expression turned from one of shock to one of spite. "The in-training part sounds spot on. I suppose you're the savior of the world who taught her?" Lucas mentally gave Aiden a point. He had been spot on. Scott no longer looked like a stringy surfer from the west coast. A dangerous glint in his eyes and set face indicated something more dangerous.

"Me? Hunter? Don't make me laugh." Lucas let his eyes flash black, a trick that commonly indicated the presence of a demon. To those who knew what they were looking at, anyways. "I'm not someone to be messed with."

"You know you can't hurt me, cursed one." He noted a trace of fear wavering at the edge of the creature's voice.

"I don't care about you," he rose, black eyes not leaving the figure on the ground. "In fact, I don't give a damn about your little operation here. That doesn't concern me. What does though is the hunter girl. You could've existed peacefully doing whatever it is you do and I wouldn't have battered an eyelash. The kids here are certainly annoying enough. I'm sure their parents would thank you for your services. But the moment you touched my prey, you crossed the line."

Scott's eyes grew hard. "What's your point, demon?"

"Let's make a deal."

"A deal? Why on earth would I make a deal with you?" The teen laughed, obviously not understanding the severity of the situation.

"That Aiden kid that claimed to be Teagan's cousin? Yeah, not quite related. Unless factions count as families these days. I'm surprised you fell for the lack of resemblence. See, he's the one who's teaching her how to hunt. He's been doing the job for years. Thoroughly bred for it. Lucky for you, he hasn't been able to peg the mess on someone yet. But I'm sure he's close by now. And itching to find his ward." Lucas grinned. "Imagine how much easier he could do that if someone let it slip that-"

"Alright, fine," Scott interrupted, a sour look painted across his face. "What's the deal?"

Finally. They were getting somewhere. "Give me Teagan by tomorrow evening, and I'll ensure that the Hunters are off your tail. You can leave and continue your gig elsewhere. Easy, no?"

Silence consumed Scott as he debated his answer. Lucas wiped away raindrops that were making their way into his eyes. "You should hurry before I change my mind. This rain is quite annoying. Do we have a deal or not?"

"Deal," the counselor hatefully responded. "She'll be back by dinner tomorrow."

"Good," Lucas frowned at the pitiful figure in front of him. "Now get up before someone walks by and wonders what you're doing. It's indecent." He turned to head back inside, but after a thought, sent one final warning to Scott.

"Oh-and try to tip anyone off to the demon factor and you will feel the entire wrath of hell for the duration of your existance." To prove his point, he nodded his head to the left and sent the creature crashing back into the wall. Blood mixed with rain drops as Scott lifted himself up.

Minor amounts of blood shed (but shed it was nonetheless), Lucas continued inside, feeling very pleased with himself. Hunters really had the harder life. Threats were so much more productive.

[Teagan]

The dinner bell sounded in the distance, and for the first time for the entire duration of the camp, Scott sighed in relief. He turned to the campers practicing archery next to him. They all had terrible aim. Two of them couldn't get the arrow to go anywhere but near his head. "Alright guys! Retrieve your arrows and let's head back for dinner!"

"One more shot, pwease!" One of the second graders pleaded.

"Sorry kid, save it for tomorrow." Hell no, that kid did not deserve to touch a bow ever again.

Speaking of Hell...the arrangement he had set up with the demon he night before returned to the forefront of his mind. It had plagued him a majority of the day and any time he thought of it his pulse would quicken. No one made a fool out of him like that. Not even a demon. Especially not a demon.

The campers trampled off the field, leaving Scott alone with his thoughts. It was almost time to grab the girl, but he had to make sure that he wasn't followed by the Hunter scum that had try to tail him the entire day. Lucas was right; the kid was close. But by the time they finally found Teagan, he would be long gone.

And no one would be able to find him once they discovered the final trick he held up his sleeve.

He grinned, amused with the fortune fate had granted him. He double checked to make sure the last child was firmly out of vision before making his way through the forest in the opposite direction. Instead of taking the straight path to the cabin, he broke off of the trail, twisting and turning to ensure he wasn't being followed. Throwing caution to the wind at a time like this indicated stupidity.

By the time he approached the dingy cabin hidden by overgrown trees, he was fairly certain anyone trying to follow him would be lost. Anticipation growing, he reached for the brass knob.

[Aiden]

Chloe, one of the female campers, was discovered in the bathroom by Yuki. They made up some lame story about both having been in the building at the same time, but the camp director wasn't too concerned with their alibi; now the health department was to be called in, parents would be even more upset, more money lost, more credibility lost. Nothing in the camp supported a sickness, so Keith was very overwhelmed as Aiden walked back with him in silence to the guys' cabin. He took a stop in one of the empty rooms to change, and knowing that no one else would be going out anytime soon, he could keep an eye on Scott, who had somehow gotten back before him. He kept a wary eye on him, but was still subtle about it, probably so much so that the suspicious demon would think Aiden had given up for the night.

The next morning was hectic, and Aiden and Yuki had been thrust off to the side while the health inspectors came in and tried to diagnose the children. They too, of course, were baffled by the lack of evidence, how these kids just slipped into comas. Aiden wore some baggier clothes, concealing his gun, and guiding Yuki around the camp with him, trying to follow Scott. If Scott could have picked a better day to be so busy, Aiden wished that it could be the next. No matter where they went, Scott was either leaving, running an errand to some other building, or preparing for lunch in the cafeteria, where the health inspectors kicked them out since they weren't camp personnel.

Finally, Aiden took a break, finding an abandoned table, and sitting with Yuki outside under a tree. "We've got to get this guy," he said, watching the doors to the cafeteria. More time passed, food was eaten, the sun moved overhead. More trouble getting to this guy. Deciding to take a different approach, Aiden studied the map he found in Teagan's room, and made note of the path to the cabin. Scott finally emerged, now running over to the archery range. Not moving himself, Aiden waited ten minutes before he and Yuki made their way to Scott, but out of earshot and sight. It was a boring, tedious wait, but it finally paid off. The kids started leaving, but Scott didn't follow after them, and the path to the cabin was nearby. "Let's go," he hissed at Yuki, and took off into the forest.

While Scott took the long, indirect path, Aiden was quick about things and cut straight there. He rushed himself, Teagan's life was surely at stake, and when the sight of the dilapidated cabin came into view, Aiden felt his insides lurch. Now was the moment of truth. He pushed against the door, gun at the ready, and was met with nothing but the dusty interior. He motioned to Yuki to remain silent, and then silently moved through the building, shifting his weight from each foot to remain noiseless.

He moved towards a door, and turned the handle, sweeping into the room with his gun. There, on the floor, was Teagan. She looked like she was unconscious...or dead. He knelt beside her and found a pulse, weak, but there. He turned his gaze to Yuki. "We don't have much time. Hide in that doorway over there," he said, pointing to what was the storage closet off the room, "and I'll stay in here. Don't move until he changes form, and watch your shots," Aiden said, moving into the cellar and crouching on the steps, the door open just a sliver. Sure enough, a few minutes later, he heard footsteps in the cabin, and he held his breath as Scott entered the room.

[Yuki]

Everything happened quickly after they found Chloe. The camp was sent into a frenzy, administration was irritable, and the children were solemn. Yuki herself was angered that they had not stopped the shtriga in time. She should have been paying more attention. How could she have let her guard down? How could the child have escaped her view? She knew how dangerous the situation could get, she should have been more observant. Then maybe Chloe would still be among those who weren't one of the monster's victims. But it was too late now.

However, though Yuki felt guilty over not having protected the girl, the situation wasn't without its benefits--the attack that night led to rather conclusive evidence that hinted that the culprint was in fact Scott. He had disappeared from Aiden's sight at the same time Chloe had vanished. Though it seemed more than merely coincidental, they had decided to follow him to ensure that their suspicions were correct. Their intention was met with difficulty. The camp was absolutely hectic with everyone running to and fro, and the place was littered with officials as well as restless and crying children. It made the task of following Scott very tedious, as they would lose sight of him often, or run into the impasse of gaining access to certain areas of the camp.

Yuki remained quiet the entire time they were following him, her senses on high alert, and her vision focused. If he was indeed the shtriga, she would not let him carry on with this. She would not let another child fall comatose. At the archery range, Yuki observed him cooly. Filthy creature, acting as if everything is alright, as if nothing had happened. It took all of her force to restrain herself from drawing the gun safely in her vest. Finally, when he began to head into the forest, Yuki and Aiden got up in pursuit. He was going to the cabin. And was taking an intricate route. If he knew they were following him, then he was clearly trying to lose them. If he in fact didn't suspect them, then they would retain the element of surprise, at least. Moving swiftly through the forest, Yuki followed Aiden silently--he knew a direct way to the cabin, one that was quicker.

They arrived at the abandoned site presumably before the shtriga. If Scott was trying to avoid a fight with them by taking the longer route, it was in vain. A battle between the two hunters and the shtriga was inevitable, and if it had to happen at the cabin, so be it. It was useless to try and delay the match. The two hunters entered the cabin cautiously, guns at the ready. Yuki wondered what they would find inside. Would Teagan be there? Would she still be alive?

The room of the cabin was dark and musty. Yuki wrinkled her nose. It didn't smell pleasant either. But there was nothing there to attack them. Scott wasn't there...and neither was Teagan. Still leading the way, Aiden began opening another door. Yuki nodded, indicating that she was ready. As they stepped inside, the girl was there--they had found her. After a quick glance around the room, Yuki rushed over to her. Aiden was already checking her pulse. She was still alive.

Getting up at Aiden's instruction, Yuki curtly nodded and headed over to the doorway. All hunts were dangerous, but this was going to be exponentially hazardous. Scott was going to come back. If he fed upon the girl, it could drain the little life force she had left. They had to stop him as soon as they could, but they also needed to wait to make sure he was feeding. It was all about timing. Then, she heard footsteps advancing towards the room. Yuki held her breath, remaining as motionless as possible, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

[Teagan]

No longer resembling a shaggy youth, Scott stepped into the back room of the cabin, dark cloak flowing behind him. It was time to alleviate this mess he had created. Never again would he make the mistake of saving a hunter-child for an occasional snack. Too much red tape when things got messy.

He silently closed the door behind him before facing his young victim. The deal was to return her back to the camp and he would be free. The immortal carefully analyzed the girl. Her face neared an unnaturally pale hue that deeply contrasted with her dark hair. Chapped lips were slightly parted, allowing Teagan to breathe shallowly, if at all. She was still bound, which meant anyone who examined her might discover the circulation had been cut off at some point.

Not that it would matter. Lucas had only said to return her. He hadn’t specified in what condition.

A deep hunger echoed within him. Soulless was a perfectly acceptable condition. And it would serve them all right. Sure, they’d get the girl, but only a body never to awaken again. By the time the demon or hunters discovered that, Scott would be out of state. Country too, if he could pull the right strings.

He’d start all over. A new camp in England. Bunch of little Brits waiting for the picking. Yes. That would work.

Instantly he closed the gap between himself and the girl, unable to contain himself any longer. It was time to finish the job and get the heck out of this town. Forcefully he gripped her shoulder, propping up her head with his other hand. Her eyes dully opened, but instead of the lively pair that had greeted him a week ago, a vacant gaze unfocused on anything in the room. So she still had something in her, did she?

It was time to feed.

[Aiden]

It was a good thing that Teagan was out of it, because that would make it easier for Aiden and Yuki do get a clear shot at Scott. If Teagan had been coherent, she might have given them away when Scott came in. He hoped that she would be smarter than that, but someone fearing for their life in a situation where your life force was almost drained changed the circumstances.

His breathing was silent before Scott entered the room, and his mind was racing. This was their chance, now they could end it all, save Teagan, and get the hell out of the camp. If Aiden hadn’t been so short tempered and so fast to kick Teagan out due to her version of ‘fun,’ she wouldn’t be near lifeless on the floor, and Aiden and Yuki wouldn’t be shoved in some closet, watching for the slightest movement, fingers on the triggers of their guns, ready to strike.

For Aiden, this wasn’t just about Teagan, either. The kids had suffered enough, seeing the pained look on the children’s faces when they found out that yet another one of their friends had fallen to this monster, the vacant depth of the victims’ eyes, the stressed camp personnel. No one messed with kids as much as this around Aiden and got away with it. It was wrong, it was unfair, and they were defenseless. They needed a hero, and Aiden would be just that.

He heard the knob turn, and his breathing stopped. Gun already cocked and ready, he moved to the crack of the door to see Scott. Part of him felt relieved when he saw that he had already changed form, and after waiting just a few seconds longer and for Scott…or rather for it to get closer, Aiden sprang out from behind the door with a bang. “You’ve got the same weaknesses as us now, right?” he said, and then squeezed the trigger. Head, head, head, chest, chest, abdomen, and 6 rounds left in the clip. He stood, face tight, body still rigid as he waited for the aftermath. Hopefully Scott had been all the way changed, and six shots hadn’t been wasted…that would be bad.

[Yuki]

Having finally found Teagan, and being assured that she was still alive, it was conflicting that they couldn't come to her aid. Yuki felt highly impatient to return her to stable condition. It was true that the girl was rambunctious, immature, and foolish at best, but she didn't hate her. As a matter of fact, the girl and Aiden were perhaps the closest things she had ever had to companions, and she felt an odd sense of protectiveness over them. She wasn't about to become the best of friends with the two hunters, but she wouldn't sit back and watch them get hurt. It was in her instinct to defend. Instead, the girl would have to lay vulnerable to the shtriga that was now only footsteps away. They would have to put her life in further danger, and it was the only way they could go about defeating the being. It was the perfect chance. But it also put their teammate's life at even more of a risk. Were she in good health, perhaps Yuki wouldn't be worried. Or rather, she would have been worried about Teagan messing up. But in this case, Teagan had no say in the matter. Unconscious, she lay there silently, not having a clue that the same being that had drained her life was now back for more.

From the closet, Yuki observed as "Scott" approached the girl's body It put his hand under her chin, and then smirked. Yuki felt her grip tighten on her gun, and a wave of hatred washed over her for the creature. The way it had looked at her, the face he--or rather, it--had made. It was vile, animalistic, cruel...and Aiden and Yuki could do nothing but wait. How would they know when the time was right? How would they know if it was too late, or if it was too early? There would be little way of signaling to each other without getting caught.

However, the dilemma that Yuki faced was resolved when six gunshots--she had counted--were resonated throughout the room. Resisting the urge to interfere, Yuki remained within the confines of the closet. She had to maintain the element of surprise. As far she knew, the shtriga didn't know for sure if she was there. And if he did indeed know, it wouldn't know where. Had Aiden gotten it? Was it dead?

All was still for what seemed like hours, but Yuki knew that not even a minute had transpired from the time of the gunshots. Peeking carefully from outside the doorway, she saw the shtriga standing there, motionless, but still standing. After all those bullet wounds, surely it had to be dead. It had to be.

And then, she saw it move. It wasn't dead. It hadn't been feeding completely. And it was charging for Aiden. Swiftly, she exited the closet, lifted her gun, and aimed at the shtriga. She knew that if the six shots Aiden had fired did not affect it, her bullets would do no harm. It was still in its immortal state. But she couldn't stand by and let her teammate get attacked. She had to do something. "Hey!" she shouted, and fired once at its chest. There was no sense in wasting bullets--one would be enough to catch its attention. It whirled around angrily, visibly seething. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?" she hissed frigidly.

[Teagan]

Right as he opened his mouth to begin, the trap door slammed open to reveal that he was not alone. In a quick response, Scott jerked toward the distraction. The hunter boy? How on earth had he-

The sudden introduction of six small, hard objects to his system caused him to stumble back. He froze for a moment, analyzing the damage. Had the boy timed it right? Scott mentally sighed in relief. The only trouble from that would be a rather uncomfortable feeling as the bullets nestled beneath his skin. He'd have to take them out later.

First off though....

He raised his head to meet Aiden's eyes. Rage he hadn't been able to release toward the demon situation now directed itself at the puny mortal before him. This one would DIE for interrupting him. Would DIE for attempting to harm him. The death would be painful, and Scott would enjoy every moment of it. His mouth nearly watered at the thought of feeding on this one. He would do it slowly. Let the child scream and struggle as his soul ripped from his body.

Scott had started charging when another shout rang out from behind him, followed by another gunshot to his back. A second hunter? Who would DARE?! He swung around, ignoring the boy. He was greeted by the outraged oritental girl Aiden had dragged along with him to the camp. Of course she would be in on it as well. He hissed at her. Someone his own size? Neither of them were ANYWHERE near his league. In a flash Scott covered the distance of the floor and knocked the girl's weapon from her hands.

In her moment of shock, he grabbed her shoulder and easily threw her aside. She landed headfirst against the old fireplace with a satisfying thud. One problem out of the way.

Scott turned his attention back to the boy. It was his turn to learn the price of interference. He moved toward the hunter, arms reaching toward his throat.

[Aiden]

Time slowed as Aiden watched each shot connect with where he aimed. It should have been more than enough to kill the being, but when it glanced down at its wounds like it had been poked, his grip on the gun tightened. "Shit," he hissed to himself, realizing he'd been impatient and rash, and had acted too quickly. He hadn't been fully feeding yet, so he had wasted half of his clip, all so he could piss off the thing that was about to kill his friend. Great. Perfect. Peachy keen. Here Aiden had come and set up the perfect plan, and then he had gone and ruined it because he hadn't been paying full attention to the situation. Yuki was so going to chide him for this.

Crouching slightly into a defensive stance, he was about to spring out of the way when it started to charge at him when he heard another gunshot. Yuki. Aiden jumped slightly when her bullet actually exited the shtriga, and barreled through the wooden wall next to him. While he appreciated Yuki saving him, it hadn't been the smartest thing to add salt to the wound. Now the shtriga, "Scott," was going to be more angry, and Aiden wasn't fast enough to prevent it from reaching her. As her body flew across the room, Aiden cringed when he saw her head hit the fireplace.

"Yuk--" He was cut off suddenly by a strong, but decrepit force around his neck. The shtriga had caught him, and rose him into the air, the tips of Aiden's toes barely scraping against the wooden floor. Trying his best to conserve his air, he gripped the gun tighter, carefully aimed, and let off a round into the being's head. It would let go, a natural instinct, and when Aiden dropped, he gasped for air--before dropping him, the grip had turned into a vice clamp around his neck, and his throat now burned as he tried to recover from the blow, trying to find a way to soothe his throat, and let air flow easier. He sputtered for air, laying on the ground and reaching for his gun--it'd dropped when he did.

[Teagan]

A shriek emitted from the being as the insolent hunter managed to fire another shot into his head. Enraged, Scott leg go to make sure his vision had not been affected. His anger increased as he watched the now useless bullet fall to the floor. The fool child would pay for that!

With a snarl, he jabbed the boy in the side once more with his foot. Satisfied he was writhering in enough pain, Scott surveyed the room to ensure no other threat hid within the shadows. The elder hunter girl lay motionless by the fireplace and this one begged for breath at his feet. The room looked clear for the moment.

Scott took the opportunity to reflect on the situation. How in the world had the hunters found him in the cabin? No one at the camp knew of its existance, and he sure as anything didn't mention it to anyone. And how had they known to find Scott there and at that specific time? The demon, Scott realized. Of course the demon would tell them. He had a gamble running, with money placed on Scott's failure.

Not acceptable.

But what could he do? Immortality assured him that he would never die, but that didn't provide any leverage or force over a demon. They tended to have powers that were, as many happened to be, unhuman. Unnatural. Scott had nothing he could do to kill the thing. Demon's souls tasted rotten, so that killed any idea of getting a supernatural treat.

His eyes fell on Teagan, who lay undisturbed against the wall. Perfect. She would be the key. As he had thought before, Lucas had never mentioned what condition the girl should be returned in. Dead was a condition. And one that would cause a Hell of a lot of problems for the being. Pun intended. Scott could not only strike a blow to the underworld, but he could also punish the hunters in one fell swoop.

This time, he would not be delicate. He would not be slow, cautionous or attempt to cover up any inflicted pain the victim might have received. This time, he would finish her off for good.

Scott leaned over the girl and opened his mouth. A faint, light blue glow emitted from the back of his throat, calling out to the remaining light within the crumpled figure. The sweet aroma of life -a blessing to be received and a curse to never have again- rose to meet him, leaving home for the last time. The girl let out a faint moan as her final breath clawed its way out. It would be over at any moment. He would be stronger. Faster.

And more importantly, he would have his revenge.

[Aiden]

His fingers twitched along the wooden floor of the cabin, and for a few moments, everything became hazy. A dark, fuzzy border closed in around his field of vision. He felt another blow to his side--luckily, it was just below his ribs, so any further damage had been scaled down, and once he caught his breath, he'd still be able to fight. Mental note to self: Shtrigas have vice grips, don't let them choke you, he thought as his lungs finally stopped protesting, and started to reabsorb the necessary air. He rolled onto his back, taking in a deep breath, and then forced himself up. This would end, now. This creature, this thing deserved to die, needed to die, and Aiden would kill it. It was...he couldn't think of the proper word, but he remembered the look on the faces of the children, and he saw Yuki and Teagan now.

Rolling over again into a prone position, Aiden shakily rose to his hands and knees. He reached over for the gun, and when he saw that the creature was now standing over Teagan, he leveled the gun at its spine. He could see the glow of the life force flowing into his mouth, and luckily Teagan was flat on the floor. One, two, three, four, five. Most of the rest of his clip was emptied into the spine of the shtriga, only three missing the mark by less than an inch. With the nerves severed off, control over its body was lost. And less than a second later, his last shot, his last round in the clip, was fired, clear through Scott's head.

Dozens of small lights burned on the surface of the shtriga, and then they darted this way and that, out through the door jambs and small crevices in the wood of the cabin. Aiden let himself fall back down onto his back, breathing in slowly. Finally. "Yuki?" he wheezed, tilting his head back from his position to look at her. "You alright?" He let the gun fall sideways onto the floor, and then sighed. It was over, Teagan was safe, and now it was time for Aiden to prepare his apology to her. Most. Awkward. Moment. In. His. Life.

Coming back into the camp with Teagan in his arms, he reported that he and Yuki, or rather Kisa, had been trying to clear their minds and their grief by taking a walk into the woods, whereupon they had stumbled upon the cabin, and upon further exploration, they had found Teagan, emaciated as she was. The camp officials also looked very, very, very, very much relieved, as they said the kids were starting to improve, and a few had already come around. It wasn't long before Teagan was being treated in the medical building, and Aiden and Yuki were treating each other's wounds in an empty room.

After examining a cut on Yuki's head from her collision with the fireplace...oh, sorry, she had fallen over a thick root...Aiden let her treat it and fell back on the bed, his tee shirt riding up on his stomach slightly, but he made no effort to tug it back down. "I have no idea what to say to her. Part of me wants to say I told you so, but another part of me feels bad," he said, tucking his hands beneath his head. "I suppose we should head over there, huh?"

[Lucas]

Lucas leaned against the wall of the infirmary, quietly observing the sole patient left in the room. The serene look on her face made it seem as if she was sleeping, not unconscious from an assault. Rope burn around her wrists were the only sign that anything unnatural had happened to her. Her gaunt, dehydrated look had faded at some point in the night.

And what a night it had been. A half-hour after dinner, news that nearly all of the sick campers had awakened spread like rapid fire throughout the cabins. Counselors, staff and students alike all felt an immense amount of relief as the health officials puzzled over why nothing out of the ordinary could be found within the now lively children. The next thing Lucas knew, Keith had called the counselors to another quick meeting, letting them know that the hunter kid and friend had discovered Teagan in an abandoned cabin in the woods. The Rangers suspected Scott, whose mysterious disappearance was being translated as a villain fleeing from the crime scene.

Immediately a majority of the counselors lost the hopeless look that had dominated the past week. Things were finally going back to normal, they all agreed. Not believing that version of the story, Lucas made a few inquiries and learned that the hunters (plural now, since obviously Kisa was a part of this as well) were both being examined themselves for injuries they had sustained during their "grief walk".

A few minutes of eavesdropping revealed the true story. Scott had been a soul eater? That would explain the sickness floating around. And why Teagan had been unable to get to help.

Whatever. As long as Lorena was right about Teagan making a full recovery, he didn't care what had happened. Lucas's plans were still right on track. This bump in the road meant nothing. Eventually, this one would lead him unknowingly to the person he was looking for. All he could do was bide his time unti-

He caught a slight movement in front of him. Looked like she was finally waking up. Teagan's hands slowly balled up as she started to frown. The peaceful look suddenly disappeared, and the girl shot up with a shout.

"No!" she screamed, throwing her hands above her head. Lucas stood motionless as the IVs ripped out of the girl's arms. Really? The kid was out of danger and still panicking?

He reached for a roll of bandages on the counter beside him before approaching the makeshift bed. "Careful, you're going to hurt yourself. Lay back down."