Legacy of Darkness (6 page)

“How do you mean hone” Summer asked puzzled

“Well a lot of your skills come naturally, though some more natural than others. So we are here to help fine tune those skills that need… well erm… fine tuning.

“How long have you been watching me and my family” Summer asked simultaneously concerned and angry

“I haven’t been watching you” Price replied candidly “The truth is I wasn’t sure if the Demon Hunters were even still around, I mean I lived in hope and made sure I continued my peoples work as did my Father and his Father and so on. But we always feared the Demon Hunters had all but gone. That was until Jessica Folds murder and then when Abigail was killed I knew for sure the Demon Hunter’s had survived through the ages. There’s no mistaking those green eyes and red hair, trademark physical traits of the Demon Hunter.”

“So I am guessing you managed to trace Abby back to me via our surnames and likeness” Summer cut in growing more interested in Price’s exposition.

“More or less” Price admitted “You should also know I was contacted by certain members of the government to help solve their Vampire conundrum.”

“You mean the government know about Vampire’s?” Summer asked distressed.

“Of course they do. Its one of many bits of information they choose to conceal from the general public. Their scared it would cause mass panic if people knew that their bed time horror stories were indeed a reality.”

“So they hired you as a kind of Vampire specialist”

“Precisely” Price smiled “But make no mistake my priorities and loyalties are to you, the government is just a means to an end.”

“How do I know I can trust you?” Summer queried still uncertain

“You mean other than saving your life? The answer is you don’t, I will have to earn that trust”

“Good answer” Summer mused aloud “How did this Demon Hunter malarkey come about then”

“I have no idea” Price explained “I’m afraid that information has been long lost and forgotten in the annuls of time”

“I guess that isn’t important right now. So why are the Vampires after me and my family?”

“I can’t be sure you understand but I believe they are planning an uprising. Sick and tired of living underground feeding on scraps, they have spent the last few centuries hiding in the shadows growing their ranks getting ready to make their move. Apparently the only thing left to do is eliminate their only threat, the Demon Hunters.”

“Or me basically” Summer added “So what next”

“We make sure you are ready for the next attempt on your life, because you can bet your bottom dollar that the next Vampire they send after you will be stronger and faster than the last”

“Your just a beacon of good news and delight aren’t you” said a sarcastic Summer.

“I do my best” Price joked “But seriously I need to see if the Hunter has truly been released and see what you are capable of.”

“How and where do we do that?”

“My house. I had my basement converted into a gym slash DoJo in anticipation for these exact circumstances has.”

“So you want to take me down into your basement? You know how creepy you sound right” Summer joked

“I am aware” Price said dryly. “But the fact of the matter it’s important we know your ready and we need to know as soon as possible”

“Agreed” Summer conceded as she walked over to a draw and took out a pen, using the pen she scribbled her own note on the one Steve had left, informing her man that she was going out for a bit to see a friend. A small lie but she knew she could hardly put the truth, with that done she left the house and followed Price to his car. Summer Richards was about to start a whole knew chapter in her life and she had no idea what to expect.

Chapter Ten

Giles Price’s white BMW Series 5 pulled up outside a rather large looking detached house that was situated in the posh side of town.

“This is your house?” Summer asked from the passenger seat trying her best not to sound over impressed

“This is my home, yes” Price said trying to sound modest but failing miserably as he drove into his paved driveway and stopped the car.

Climbing out of the car Summer had to admit that she was impressed, the house was huge and when you factor in the BMW Giles Price was either born into privilege or was paid a handsome government salary. Summer’s awe was only elevated once she was invited inside the house. The interior of Price’s home was adorned with the most luxurious furniture money could by, from a leather suit to the finest lament flooring, expensive looking art hung on his white walls and he had the largest television set Summer had ever seen. Summer continued to follow Price through the house and into a large dining room which sported a large round oak dinning table, through the dinning room and into a kitchen that was so clean and white it almost dazzled Summer’s eyes. Giles had large Aga stove as well as a top of the range fridge freezer with a built in radio and digital temperature display.

“Ho do you afford all this?” Summer asked in amazement

“Lets just say I come from a wealthy family Price said obviously unprepared to give away too much so early on in their arrangement.

Price pulled out a key and inserted it into a small white door that was so well camouflaged in the wall which it was sat it was almost invisible. “Just down here” he told Summer as he walked through the open door. Unsure what to expect so keeping her senses sharp and wits about her Summer followed Price down a cold stone stair case. As she rounded a spire in the stair case and came to the bottom Summer couldn’t help but be impressed once again. Like he had told her earlier Price had converted his entire basement in to a dojo slash gym. The room had a large punching bag hanging from the ceiling, weights and other excise equipment including a rowing machine and treadmill, he also had a large collection of melee weaponry affixed to the walls, swords, battle axes and weapons Summer couldn’t even name.

As Summer admired Price’s home made dojo the man himself walked up to a particularly expensive looking set of Japanese swords that sat on a very fetching looking mount. Giles Price picked up the largest sword from the display turned around and tossed it into the air towards Summer.

“Well caught” he congratulated as she plucked the weapon out of the air catching it by the handle. Summer swished the sword around in the air and noted how it felt so right in her hand, it was if the sword had been made specifically for her.

“Believe me when I tell you that that sword is your knew best friend” Price told her.

“It’s a Katana a very deadly yet elegant weapon that was utilised by the ancient Samurai warriors. As you can already tell the leather hilt is designed for the up-most grip and comfort the blade itself is made from the hardest steel and is sharpened to an inch of its life. It will cut through bone like a hot knife through butter. But its not just weaponry that’s important everything is vital even down to how your dress. Jeans for instance can be tight and constricting greatly reducing your speed and movement. You may want to consider wearing sweat pants, shorts or legging’s as these are all good apparel for allowing greater flexibility and movement. You need every advantage you can get when fighting Vampires”

“All sounds like good advice so far” Summer commented as she listened to Price absorbing all his information.

Finished with his lecture for now Price turned back around and reached up for another Katana this one was resting on wall brackets and looked to have a solid gold Scabbard. Sword in hand Price quickly spun round un-sheaving the blade and taking a battle ready stance.

“En Garde!

Sensing hesitation in his foe Price came at her again, this time fainting to her left but striking from the right. Summer telegraphed the move and blocked again, but Price was obviously a well trained swordsman and he wasn

Like an elaborate dance Price and Summer moved gracefully around the empty cellar duelling at speed, each searching for an opening, the tips of their blades nothing but a silver blur as they continued to engage in combat. Price eased off slightly and stepped back hoping to draw Summer in and force her into a mistake. Miss-reading her opponents cunning for cowardice Summer lunged in recklessly looking for a winning blow to end the fight, only to be left surprised when Price parried the attack with ease. His opponent still reeling Price knocked Summers sword out of her hand then brought his up placing it mere inches away from her neck.

“That was good” Price said lowering his sword and moving it way from a trembling Hunter in training. Though he couldn’t make up his mind if she was shaking out of anger or fear and was even less sure which he preferred.

“That was just a test” Summer growled angrily “I thought you were trying to kill me”

“Of course not” Price chuckled “I just wanted to see what you were capable of and for a novice who has never held a sword before let alone wielded one that was very impressive.”

“What if I had killed you”

“Then we would have known you were ready” Price said dryly.

Summer rolled her eyes and shook her head in response Price was a cocky son of a bitch but at least he knew what he was doing.

“As I thought you are a natural” Price continued ignoring his students gestures. “You won’t require much training at all just a few tweaks here and there to improve your technique and you will make a fine swordswomen

“

“

Summer took up a similar stance holding her sword up in an offensive position. Using what he had learnt from moments ago Summer went straight on the attack bringing her sword across prices torso, only to have her blow easily intercepted.

“Your will have to do much better than that”

“

Summer decided the time for playing nice was over and mustering as much strength as she could Summer launched into an attack. Such was her power that when Price attempted to block the attack, the sheer force of Summers blow took his weapon clean out of his hands. Thinking fast Summer kicked her unarmed opponents legs out from under him sending Price crashing to the floor. Keen to take advantage Summer went in for the killer blow, but as she prepared to bring her sword down in what would be the finishing blow, she failed to notice Price on the floor reaching for a dagger he had strapped to his ankle. As Summer brought her Katana down, in what she thought would be a fatal blow Price moved with incredible speed and agility grabbing his dagger and then delicately pressing the blade against Summers stomach.

“

Summer nodded in agreement knowing she had learnt a valuable lesson.

“So how do you kill these Vampires” Summer asked desperate to learn the information that would allow her to defeat her supernatural enemies.

“Ah yes a very good and intelligent question” Price said “The only sure way’s to kill a Vampire is decapitation or a wooden stake through the heart. Holy water and crosses are useless, just the stuff of myth and legend I’m afraid. And although they prefer the dark of night sunlight doesn’t really hurt them either.”

“What about bullets and fire?”

“While they won’t kill a Vampire outright they will certainly hurt and wound them and fire will definitely slow them down, but they will recover and heel from their wounds eventually”

“So staking and decapitating it is then” Summer stated. Still high from the adrenalin rush from sparing with Price, Summer began to wonder if she could get used to this whole Demon Hunter gig, if nothing else it was certainly exciting.

It had been a six days since Steve had asked Summer to move in with him and her chance meeting with Giles Price. Since then Summer had divided her time between training with Price and packing up her belongings ready to move into Steve’s home. Today was the day for the big move and all of Summers worldly possessions were ready for transportation. Though excited about her big move she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of guilt for keeping the training sessions a secret from Steve. But what was she supposed to say, oh by the way I am a Demon Hunter who has a target on my back and I have to go and train so I can fight the Vampires. He would think her insane and would probably get her committed. So for the time been she no choice but to keep the truth about her new situation from her lover.

Summer had also returned to work in that last few days and found that the Murder case involving Jessica and Abby had been closed. Adam had found a suspect from another investigation and had pinned the killings on him to make sure he went down for the crime he had actually committed. Yes it was morally wrong but it was a killer off the streets and it also brought the grieving families a little closure. A necessary evil that Summer didn’t completely agree with but didn’t completely disagree with either.

Though she couldn’t help but wonder if