The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
Acting human

Charlie had just reached the edge of the village when Jack caught up with her and grabbed her arm

“what the hell was that?” he said turning her around

“I am sure that I have no idea what you are talking about” Charlie replied yanking her arm away from him

“you know exactly what I am talking about” Jack snapped

“I do not” Charlie said

“you could have been a bit more sensitive when you told Jane that her son was dead” He said

“I just did” she snapped and then Jack saw that she was holding her side

“why are you holding your side?” Jack asked

“I strained my side that is all” she said and then when Jack looked closely, he saw the blood running through her fingers

“what the hell?” Jack asked going to look

“I’m fine, leave it” she shouted

“the amount of blood I can see running through your hand, you are definitely not fine” Jack said

“it’s just a graze” Charlie replied

“if that was just a graze then there would not be so much blood, let me seal it before you die” Jack said

“again, you forget what I am, it will not kill me and I will be fine now go back to your friends and leave me in peace” Charlie said sitting down in front of a tree

“they do not want me” Jack said

“stop making excuses and go” Charlie said

“I am not making excuses, you heard them I am nothing but a trouble maker to them and they do not want me” Jack replied

“they are in shock Jack, when they get over it, they will be fine and they will have some questions” Charlie said trying to get rid of him

“and how do I answer those questions?” Jack asked

“the best that you can” Charlie replied

“and what if they asked about you?” Jack asked

“do not tell them what I am Jack, not many people would be as understanding as you and the way they reacted tonight telling them what I am will only send them into a riot” Charlie replied

“as long as you will be okay, I will come back for you at dawn” Jack said

“I will be fine now, go” Charlie said and watched as Jack turned around and walked back to the village, finally she thought, she could finally have some peace, she took a flask from her bag and poured herself a cup of tea, it was nettle tea, it would help her heal, she didn’t know how it worked it just did.

When she first reached the cabin, nettles were in an abundance, so she made tea from it, it was only when she cut herself and sat down to clean it, she drank some of the tea whilst cleaning it and watched it heal so, every time since, when she would injure herself, she would drink it.

Whilst Charlie sat there drinking the tea, she thought about the boy Sam, no one had found a body, what if Duke had turned him, if he had been turned and let go from the village, he would seek out the king and tell him about her, tell him that there was still someone in the world willing to fight for humans but did it really matter if he found out, not really she thought, he would replace out soon enough anyway, when his men did not return.

Charlie was thinking about the King trying to figure out who he was, why had all the vampires decided to follow this one person, never in all of her life, had she heard such a thing, all following one person yes, they had their set groups but never all in one massive group, Charlie drank her tea and fell asleep with so many thoughts running through her head.

It was an hour past sunrise when Jack walked from the village to go and replace Charlie, as he got closer to where he left her, he saw she was up and already training although he didn’t understand how.

“how are you alright and training?” Jack asked walking up to her

“I told you I would be” Charlie replied

“but that wound it should have killed you” Jack said

“I am not human” she said still training

“but I don’t understand” Jack said

“there are many things in this world that you will never understand but this should be easy” Charlie replied

“what should be?” Jack asked

“I am not human, a wound that would kill you will not do the same to me, being what I am I Recover and heal a lot faster and that is all I will say on the matter” Charlie replied

“fine” Jack snapped

“we need to start” Charlie said picking up her bag

“what is the plan for training them?” Jack asked

“I don’t know yet, there is a lot of things I need to teach them in a few days” Charlie replied

“what can I do?” Jack asked

“as you are told” Charlie replied

Charlie started to walk back to the village and decided that she would teach them to fight and to make the potions but not magic, most people do not except the fact that magic was real and would not react well to it so, it was easier not to show them, also it would save all the stupid bloody questions they would ask.

“do you remember what it was like to be human?” Jack asked

“why would you ask that?” Charlie asked

“because you don’t act like it” Jack replied

“why would I act like something that I am not” Charlie replied “I have not been human in 440 years” she added

“are you not more human than vampire?” Jack asked

“in some ways” Charlie replied

“so, you are more human” Jack said

“so” she snapped

“you were cold and blunt” Jack said

“so” she said again

“I think that you have been in your cabin for far too long and have forgotten how to talk to people” Jack said

“and” Charlie said

“you have forgotten how to be nice” Jack said

“I do not need to be nice I have a job to do” Charlie replied

“if you want people to trust you and to help you then you need to learn how to be nice” Jack said “and human” he added

“listen closely this is the last time I will say it I am not human humans do not live forever were as I do, I will be here long after you are all dead, I do not have time to be anyone else but me” she replied

“I did not mean that how it sounded, it is just that you are very cold towards everyone and act as though you do not care about anyone, it has taken you four days just to use my name” Jack said

“it looks that way because it is that way, I do not care, I do not need their help, I do not need anyone’s help, I am stronger and better than any living person, I do not need to get to know or be nice to anyone, most of you will not survive this anyway and will be dead before this war is over” Charlie replied

“so, it is like that is it, what is the point in any of this, if you don’t need us then why don’t you go straight for the king and forget about us, why don’t you just leave us all to die” Jack said

“that is not what I meant” Charlie said

“it is what you said” snapped Jack

“maybe I could have worded it better but you humans do not understand, I fight for you because you are what is meant to be on this earth, you have beautiful lands, you can walk in the sun, you create new life and yet you let those foul things take over, it is my job to save as many of you as I can but we are not friends” Charlie replied

“why are we not friends?” asked Jack

“because getting close to people is a weakness and will get you killed” Charlie replied

“why?” Jack asked

“because they will replace out every shred of information, they can about you, even who you care about and use it against you so, it is best not to care for anyone or anything” Charlie replied

“that must be a very lonely life” Jack said

“lonely doesn’t come into it, Jack, I have a job to do and I cannot be distracted by thinking about people that I care about, if I don’t care about anyone I will have nothing to worry about and nothing to fear being taken from me, I learnt long ago that if you have people you care about will get you killed, I got changed into what I am because I cared” Charlie replied

“but would it not be better if you had friends along with you to help you with your job?” Jack asked

“no, if I am to defeat this king, I do not need friends” Charlie replied “I need people who can help fight them but I don’t need friends” she added