The road to Wind City proved to be empty, but as they swung around to the south they both sensed something to the east.

"Hmm. No cities out there," said Mack.

"No. And I've never quite gone this way before. I wonder..."

"It's not moving."

"No."

"Lair?"

"Probably."

"Pretty strong, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I'd guess eight."

"Think we can take them?"

David grinned, his fangs sharp and bright in the moonlight. "Oh yes. I can take five myself, so you only have to keep three of them busy long enough for me to kill a few."

"Let's go then."

They sprinted towards the sense of vampire presence. And as they did, and the vampires in the distance sensed them, the source started to move.

"Looks like they might be coming out to play," said Mack.

David laughed. "Good. It means some of them might scatter and survive, but it also means that we won't have to go down into unknown territory to get at them. I bet they're thinking of Cottonwood. That's good. Nervous vampires are much easier to fight."

The distant group moved a bit more, then stopped. Soon David and Mack were drawing close. They slowed their pace, not wanting to run straight into the waiting pack. They topped a rise, and saw the other vampires standing on a low hill, with a shallow gully in between. David had been off by one, there were nine. As David and Mack paused at the top of the rise they could begin to sense individuals. Most of them were weak, but one was much stronger. A male, standing in the center of the group. He carried a sword. It was a straight, very long, two-edged blade; quite unlike the single-edged sword that David used.

"Is that trouble?" asked Mack in the softest possible whisper.

David answered, just as quietly. "Maybe a bit, but he's holding it like it's a shovel, or a stick or something. I'm not too worried. Just... keep as many of them as busy as you can."

"What do you want?" asked the obvious leader.

David said nothing. Mack just grinned.

There was a murmur of confusion among the group. They had expected the Hunter, in broad-brimmed hat and cape, and here he was. They had not expected his companion. Either this wasn't the Hunter, and they were safe, or it was the Hunter with an ally, and was that much more dangerous. And yet... there were nine of them. The two figures opposite them were so small compared to the crowd on the other side.

There was a long moment of tension. David waited, knowing that the more nervous the group was, the more likely they were to do stupid things and give him openings. Mack followed his lead. Finally David stepped forward. With a steady, almost casual pace, he walked down the slope. As he went, he drew his sword. The hiss of steel on steel as it left the scabbard was very loud in the near-silence. A couple of the pack fell back a step. Their leader glared at them and they stepped forward again. He hefted his long sword. And then he started forward, his pack behind him, his sword held high.