Pushing open the heavy wooden doors of the Tepes Manor, Caleb paused as he gazed around the foyer. Andrew and the Five had delayed him , hopefully not long enough to put Chase and Aaron in danger.
"Caleb!"
Caleb glanced at the balcony overhanging the foyer. Standing upon the deck was Wyatt Tepes, the vampire lords eyes a blood red as he glared at the hunter.
"Wyatt." Caleb replied.
"What are you doing here Moreland?" Wyatt growled.
"Looking for my baby brother and his friend," Caleb stated. "ran into the Five and your boy on the way in. They wouldn't let me pass, had to force my way in."
Wyatt's expression faltered, the vampires eyes going wide in horror.
"Where is my son?" he asked, his voice tense. "What have you done to MY SON?!"
"He's alive," Caleb bellowed. "Which is more than I can say for you if you don't give me the right answer. Now, where are Chase and Aaron?"
A grimace formed on Wyatt's face as Chase, Aaron, Andromeda, and Nyx now joined him. While Wyatt's daughters look petrified, both Chase and Aaron seemed sheepish not making eye contact with Caleb. Noting the numerous wounds on the two young men Caleb grunted in anger as he glared at Wyatt.
"What happened?!"
"A test Caleb," Wyatt snarled. "Your...family wished to join mine. I merely tested their resolve."
"THAT'S BULLSHIT!" Caleb yelled.
"Is it?" Wyatt smirked. "Or could it be that after all the terrible things you have done in your life, karma has finally caught up with you?"
Wyatt now began to chuckle, his laugh echoing through the foyer. Seeing his nemesis so crestfallen at the idea of his brother and apprentice joining him brought the vampire joy. It was part of the reason he was willing to allow his daughters to date Chase and Aaron. The idea of the pair of hunters forming a relationship with the Tepes family would be a stake in the veteran hunters heart.
"How does it feel Caleb," Wyatt grinned. "To know that those you would risk your life for, would choose me over you?"
As Wyatt's laughter increased, Chase and Aaron looked at one another. It wasn't their intention to turn on Caleb. They were still hunters, they couldn't help who they had fallen in love with. Was Wyatt using them to get back at Caleb? Peering down at him, they could see his expression darken as Wyatt continued to laugh.
BAM
A single shot and numerous screams now echoed through the foyer. Wyatt lunched backwards, a bullet hole in his forehead as Caleb held a smoking gun.
"It feels better than that Wyatt."
"Daddy!!"
Nyx and Andromeda rushed to their father's side, his eyes glossy as he stared unblinking at the ceiling. Both his daughters now went, Chase and Aaron flabbergasted by Caleb's actions.
"What the fuck have you done?!" Chase exclaimed.
"Shutting Wyatt up for once in his life." Caleb answered, holstering his weapon. "He'll live. Probably talk with a slur for a minute but it was worth it."
"Worth it?!" Chase yelled. "Caleb you just shot my girlfriend's dad in the fucking head!"
Caleb now furrowed his brow, glaring at his baby brother.
"About that," he growled. "Were you gonna let me in on that little detail or were you saving it for the wedding?"
"I didn't tell you because I worried you'd do something like this!" Chase exclaimed, pointing down at Wyatt. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
"Wrong with me?" Caleb replied, his face twisting in rage. "What's wrong with you baby brother?! What were you thinking? A Moreland and a vampire? It won't work Chase, it never will work! Neither family is gonna budge on that. Now quit acting like some spoiled little shit and leave! You've embarrassed the family and dad enough for one day."
Chase looked struck, the man's face twisting in pain. Caleb had not held back, calling out Chase. Saying that their father would be embarrassed by him struck a nerve, Chase's eyes growing damp with tears. He had no comeback, he felt like a failure. Would their father feel like this too?
As Chase stood quiet, Caleb watched as a dark haired girl lept from the deck. Landing she now glared at Caleb with inky black eyes, baring her fangs at the hunter.
"Nyx!"Andromeda wailed.
"You insult my sister's boyfriend," she snarled. "Hurt my brother?! Try to kill my father!! You're about to learn the hardest lesson Caleb Moreland. I..am the last Tepes you want to anger."
Nyx lunged at Caleb, the hunter blocking the dhamphir's attack before delivering a thunderous knee to the young woman's midsection. Nyx collapsed, gasping for breath as Caleb withdrew his pistol.
"Getting real tired of vampires."
Nyx gasped, her eyes going wide in fear as she stared down the barrel of a gun. Caleb Moreland was going to kill her. Holding her breath, she prayed for a miracle to save her life. Instead, a red flash now appeared kicking Caleb out of the way. Blinking, her eyes now focused on the red kintaro reaching his hand out.
"Nyx, are you okay?" Aaron asked softly.
Caleb groaned, grasping his ribs as he stood. Aaron had blindsided him, kicking him in the ribs. "Aaron what the hell are you doing?!"
"Enough Caleb," Aaron yelled. "There's no need to fight and..I won't let you hurt her!"
Caleb scowled, rising to his feet as he glared at Aaron. "You would betray me like this?" he said, his voice rising in anger. "I took you in, trained you, treated you like a SON! And YOU would turn on me! To side with the family that has done NOTHING but hurt mine!!!"
Aaron fidgeted, assuming a fighting position as he stood between Caleb and Nyx. "I'm not going to let you hurt her Caleb," he said. "I'm sorry about what's happened, but she had nothing to do with it. If you try, I'll stop you."
Caleb chuckled softly, slowly removing his duster. A sinister smirk on his face as he glared at the young kintaro. Aaron was the one he was most proud of, the one he felt could continue the line. Chase and Charlotte were good, but Chase's immaturity was a liability and Charlotte it seemed had other aspirations. If someone were to carry on the tradition instead of his children...it would be Aaron.
"Kid, I taught you everything you know," Caleb growled. "Not everything I know. I'm about to teach you a hard lesson...for breaking my heart. Let's dance."
Aaron gently pushed Nyx back, assuming a fighting position similar to Caleb. Growing up, he had watched the veteran hunter carefully, enamored by his fighting style. It seemed more brutal, more practical some of the other styles he had seen over the years. It was why The Raid was his favorite action movie.
He recalled first watching the movie with Chase when he was 11 and Chase was 10. They had snuck downstairs during a sleepover, accessing Mrs. Moreland's streaming accounts. Turning on the film, Aaron gazed in awe at the action on the screen. The main character fought like Caleb, he fought like him. If a single man could take down an apartment building full of drug dealers, imagine what he could do when he grew up.
Now, Aaron was putting his skill to the ultimate test. Caleb was a master, yet Aaron was no slouch himself. Punches, kicks, elbows, each blocked with efficiency. In his kintaro form, Aaron may have been stronger than Caleb, but Caleb was used to fighting stronger opponents.
Blocking a strike, Caleb now grabbed hold of the scruff on Aaron's neck, viciously slamming his head into the wall. Momentarily dazed, Aaron could do little as Caleb struck him in the ribs and head. To finish the combo, the hunter now delivered a roundhouse kick, sending the young kintaro soaring backwards.
"Stay down, final warning." Caleb grumbled.
Aaron winced, spitting out blood as he glared at Caleb. "I'm not finished," he growled, once more assuming his stance. "Make your move."
Caleb sighed, the look on his face telling Aaron everything. He looked like a disapproving parent, Aaron thinking of the phrase; this is going to hurt me just as much as it hurts you. Moving to attack once more, Aaron now blocked the attack, punching Caleb in the face. It did little to stop the hunter, who landed a quick succession of blows to the kintaro. Caleb now grabbing Aaron by the throat and slamming him to the ground.
Dazed, Aaron tried to stand, only for Caleb to grasp his forearm snapping his elbow. Aaron screamed, kicking Caleb back as he cradled his now useless arm.
"I told you to stand down!" Caleb bellowed, wiping blood from his mouth.
"No," Aaron replied, his face grimacing in pain. "I'm not going to let you hurt Nyx!"
With a yell, Aaron lunged forward, dodging out of Caleb's way before delivering a spinning kick. Caleb's hat now flew off, the hunter stumbling for a moment. Now was the kintaro's chance. Using one of his tails, he now wrapped it around Caleb's neck, slamming the hunter into a wall before delivering a knee to the ribs. Caleb grunted, the sounds of ribs breaking audible through the hall.
Both combatants were now hurt. Caleb trying to regain his breath as Aaron cradled his broken elbow. While the kintaro would heal quicker, Caleb was still a dangerous opponent. Aaron had seen firsthand what Caleb could do with injuries far worse than a busted rib.
Noting Aaron's determination, Caleb now altered his tactics. A straight up fight wasn't going to solve this, he needed to get dirty. Dodging another attack, Caleb now did something he never thought he would have to do. He decided to use a weapon.
Unsheathing his Bowie knife, Caleb now slashed Aaron across his thigh, causing the kintaro to help in pain before sinking to a knee. Seeing an opening, Caleb kicked out Aaron's good leg, the kintaro collapsing in a heap as Caleb moved into a mount position. From here, he now rained punches down on Aaron's face.
"Do you think I want to do this?!" He yelled as he continued to punch Aaron. "Do you think I wanted to hurt you like this? No, I never wanted this, YOU forced this! You and this goddamn vampire family!"
Aaron tried to block, Caleb's blows coming to fast to mount a credible defense. "You broke my heart Aaron," Caleb cried, his face a mixture of rage and pain. "Now... I'm going to show you why you never break the hunter's code. And I'm finally going to do what I should've done years ago....take out the Tepes family once and for all."
"NOOO!"
Aaron screamed, his eyes going wide with rage. Roaring, Aaron now found himself tapping into his latent magic, striking out at the man he had idolized his entire life. As the spell ended, Aaron's face went from rage to fear as he stared at Caleb.
A massive ice spike now protruded from the left side of Caleb's chest. The hunter grasping the spike in confusion as he stared at Aaron. Blood now began to trickle from the hunters mouth as he limply reached out.
"Aaron?"
"No," Aaron whimpered, catching Caleb as he slumped to the ground. "No, no, no, no, no, CALEB?!"
Caleb was convulsing, his eyes appearing glazed as he stared up at Aaron. The hunter reaching up with a blood covered hand towards Aaron.
"Caleb I'm sorry," Aaron yelled, tears falling down his cheeks. "I'm sorry Caleb. Please..I'm sorry I...I didn't mean to. Please...please be okay."
"Aaron," Nyx whispered.
Slowly the dhamphir reached out towards her kintaro boyfriend. Aaron was shaking, clutching the dying body of Caleb Moreland. In defense of her, Aaron had critically wounded the famed hunter. Aaron had lost control, lashed out, and done something he immediately regretted. As she gently touched his shoulder, Aaron's head whipped around, his eyes wide with grief.
"Get Away From Me!" he bellowed.
"Aaron?"
"No, GET AWAY, YOU DID THIS!" Aaron screamed. The kintaro looked mad, disconnected from reality. He couldn't fathom his actions, blinded by his grief at hurting the one man he viewed as a father. Gently lowering Caleb to the floor, Aaron stood, his body shaking.
Without another word, Aaron screamed, the sound echoing through the foyer. It was a sound of pure, unadulterated pain. Turning away from the others, Aaron now cast a spell, ripping a hole between the vampire and mortal realms before leaping inside. As the portal closed, Nyx Tepes could do little more than cry quietly. The man she loved, the man who came to her defense was gone. All that remained now was Caleb Moreland's broken body.
Chase and Andromeda came rushing over to Nyx and Caleb's side as Chase went to check on his brother and called out for help for his brother as Hanako rushed over to Chase's side to help him with his brother.
"Nyx?" Andromeda said to her sister.
"Just go with Chase, I'm sure he won't blame you for this." Nyx cried towards her sister as she got onto her knees. Andromeda wanted to say something to her sister, but she left her alone.
Nyx now truly felt alone once again.