I can feel their hunger. The longing they feel when they see my pale skin reflecting in the moonlight. Their want glows through yellowed eyes, grows with every flash of their fanged teeth, and they think now only l how they will go about my demise. But what they do not take into account is that I think too. That I have played this game hundreds of times and never tasted defeat. That I am not the prey, I am the hunt.

And it will take a lot more than three fledgling girls to be my end.

From my waistband I draw my blade, long, thin, and silver coated. One of the three girls, the oldest it seems, backs up at the sight of its glow. The only one smart enough to now recognize the danger they may be in.

The leftmost girl jumps down from the rooftop, her face unchanged, cold and unfeeling. Ready to feed. The other two follow in suit, moving closer with every second. They close the gap slowly but surely until the distance between them and my blade is mere feet. I hold it up, pointing up passed my head and up into the sky like the temple of a church.

Ahead the doors of homes remind me of the reason I am here. The reason I fight. If I fall in this night then every light in the window becomes dark.

But before they can approach all three grow suddenly still. They feel something, and I think I can too. Something powerful. Something ancient. A chill shoots down my spine and I spin, following my blade in a wide arc. A shadow leaps back into the dark with surprising agility.

"Apologies" The shadow speaks from the darkness in a deep and sharp voice. "I'm really quite sorry for the trouble." It steps out of the dark and into the moonlight. A fourth vampire, this one much taller, larger and with a face that shows great experience. His reddened eyes are not filled with hunger, but shame.

"Apologies? What for." My words are demanding but my voice falters. I tighten my grip on my weapon.

"There is no need hunter. You may sheath your blade." I do no such thing though. I know the power of a vampires suggestion, any sign of falter and I will comply whether I like it or not.

"I see, you are a cautious man. There is no need though, truly, I am only here to collect my children. They can get...overzealous."

"I wouldn't call trying to drain an entire village overzealous. Id call it evil."

"Maybe, hunter. But then again you already think us to be so I am not here to change your opinion. Only to collect my children." At the gesture of his hand the three girls meet him at his sides.

"And if I don't want them to?" I speak, digging deep to sound as if I have intention, a plan.

"You have no say in the matter, Grayson. Though I'm sure that you would try. Now, sheath your blade." This time I can feel the suggestion fighting. Rooting in my brain as if normal thought. Though I struggle my hands move on their own, planting the blade back at my waist.

Across from me the vampire rubs his temples in annoyance. "Now was that so hard? Thank you, hunter. We'll be on our way now. Quite embarrassing the whole ordeal." He turns to the three girls. "What were you thinking, tomorrow you have studies! Sneaking out, what will I do with you three."

"Sorry, dad", one of them mumbles in shame.

And just as they came they left back into the darkness of the surrounding forest. I let out a deep sigh and fell back into the grass, knowing I'd just come into contact and threatened the most powerful father in existence.