The second day; it was spent tracking that scent through the forests of Dahlia. It was spent with her nose to the ground trying to figure out where exactly this second bloody smell went. The fight from the prior night had been fierce and had drenched her in blood but it paled in comparison to the scent that she followed. It made her wonder just how many that this being had slaughtered and fed upon. It made her sick to her stomach in a way. How many families did this one take? How many people said that they would be home later only to never come back at all?

She felt her grasp around her spear tighten at that thought and a breath of cold air rolled out of her mouth. She had found that lately that the necklace had imparted some gifts she couldn’t explain; couldn’t quite figure out what was going on with them. It made tracking the vampire kind of strange because there was that strange flicker of being able to see the tracks left behind not by their scent or by the foliage that they broke… but the heat behind it.

The lack of heat behind it really; but it was an ability that she didn’t quite understand or fully control. Slapping her head with a hand she’d focus more on the matter at hand. Night was fast approaching and she had a limited window to find the roost without being upset by the roamers that would be out during the night. Vampires often didn’t want to be out in the sun; even if it didn’t outright kill them it was still uncomfortable.

The closer she got to the roost; the more the tell tale signs of activity lent themselves to her experience. She’d kneel next to a set of tracks and note that… It all led to a small abandoned town not too far from dahlia itself. It would be a good spot for werewolves and vampires to interact so it made sense that it would be where they roosted. The werewolves would keep watch during the day and the vampires at night. A parasitic relationship if she ever did find one.

It was amusing to her; she could hear the conversations on the wind; the worry. The wonder. The paralyzing fear. The fear that they felt wondering if a group of hunters had made their way to dahlia. It was amusing that they thought that there needed to be a group to hunt them. To cull them. To kill them where they stood.

It was almost amusing; almost pitiable. Almost something that most would likely let them be for. But not her; not now. Not ever. She’d stride up the worn path; her ears flicking to n fro. The scent that she got from this place was steeped in the blood of thousands. The souls of the creatures here far more twisted than humanity should have to bear. These creatures had at one point been human or had been born this way. But rather than use their abilities to help humanity and fight against the darkness or the worst of the world. They instead added to it.

The amount of vampires here numbered nearly two, maybe three dozen. But the masses weren’t what she really was worried about. It was their leader; sequestered off in a church on the hill with its symbols gone. It’s protection to the land averted. She’d bite her inner cheek with thought and she could hear the mumbling again in the walls around her. Was she here to help them? Was she with the pack? The questions kept mounting and with a flick of her wrist she found one of the buildings half collapsed practically on a whim at her discretion. Amusing really how they recoiled at the sight of light; a paltry few that put up no fight; no resistance. How could they?

It was like that that she made her way through town, breaking their hiding spots. Rooting out their ‘evil’. She knew that they did it to survive; that they hid away like this because they realized that they were monsters. But they were too afraid to take the steps needed to be better. Some realized their errors too late; or seemed too disingenuous to trust.

Lucretia hated how she couldn’t give them a chance; knowing that they only saw their true wickedness at the last few moments of their unlife. Their true frustration in the last sparing instances. She only was glad that there were no children among them; none that were in training or the sort that were too ‘innocent’ to realize they had been tricked into leading a different life than they could have wanted.

Compared to the werewolves that she had fought this coven was pathetic; it was absolutely disgusting to her and eventually she would make her way to the church once every inch of the town had been scoured one way or another. The light here was her ally and the last dredges of it would be giving itself to the night as she made her way up the hill. She could hear the frustrations of those within. A paltry few compared to the dozens she slaughtered during the day. Their strength… was negligible and she earnestly wished that she could have imparted to them a different meaning rather than that of treating humans like cattle.

The sun sank in the sky to the point of where it was hidden against the mountains far away; the soft wailing of those within reaching her ears. Her icy blue eyes took in the church as the doors opened for her. Those left were a simple three; two servants; both wearing false worship garb to perhaps trick those that would stop here… or to give hunters pause. It did her neither and she’d glare at them with the full disdain of their work.

They’d flinch away from her; barely worth her effort or time. The lead however? He stood at the podium; reading something that she couldn’t see and would look up in surprise. He seemed to think something else of her.

”Did the deal with the pack not suffice? Was the gold not good enough?”

”I think you misunderstand what I’m here for.”

A single swipe was enough to end the two that stood by her; their pathetic wailing did nothing to reach her ears and her mind. She harbored no resentment for what she did and the surprise on the lead vampires face was enough for her to know that he understood what she did for a living.

’You’re… not with them.”

”No. I’m not with any of them. I’m here to hunt. To protect those that you would treat like cattle.”

”You’re a fool then. The gold and the titles you could have if you worked with us…”

Lucretia felt her anger rise, her rage, her inner wolf, nay her pride rise up to meet the challenge of this vampire. She felt her spear lash out as though on its own. The vampire was nothing to her; the only things that this group had rather than strength was cooperation. Stuff that would go well against the masses but poorly against a creature of her strength. She felt next to no resistance as her spear pierced straight through it’s chest. Punching it’s heart out and skewering it; she could see the shock and the surprise on it’s face.

”I don’t need titles. I don’t need gold.”

Gold was something she enjoyed, it brought many boons but what brought more was the hope that she got to see in the eyes of those that she protected and the hope of seeing another sunrise. She could feel the body of the vampire start to still and she could tell it wouldn’t be long for this world.

”If it’s any consolation. The pack is dead too. So is your coven. Maybe someday the people will come back here when they no longer have to fear the kind of darkness.”

She’d sigh a little bit; noting that the ‘light’ was quickly fading from their eyes. She knew that it wasn’t long before they would be gone. Gone for good.

”Maybe in the next life you’ll be able to see the good that came from this.”

She’d draw her spear back, watching the body crumble to the ground before it started to turn to dust. Vampires often were dead for so long that it was just magic holding them together. Much like ancient skeletons or draugr. She’d stand there amidst the church and note that the holy memorial was laying on it’s side. Stepping forward she’d hoist it back to where it was. She felt a slight ripple in her fur as she did that. Like it was the right thing to do. Or maybe something approved of her action. Regardless she’d collect the dust of the vampire; knowing that they’d come to check the town when she told them of what transpired. It’s not like anyone would question why she was carrying around a sack of dust. She wasn’t known to be a liar and she really doubted that anyone would be so bold to say that to her face. Hell if they wanted to she could just prove them wrong by going out and letting them watch her kill another coven or another pack.

But around here.. Her words meant something. Her honor meant something. Her strength and willingness to do what was needed meant something. And that along with restoring the ‘right’ in the world was well enough of a reward for her.

[1610/1600]