Another revamp: House in the Woods

John groaned when he set his foot down. The sharp, stinging pain he had been used to was now reduced to a mere dull aching throb. Something which, while an improvement, still hurt like a motherfucker.

Damn that drunken idiot. If they had just looked where they were going, he'd most certainly still be using his leg right now and be out preparing for the raid on a pack of werewolves, a skinwalker, hell, even a wendigo! But no. The damage was irreversible.

His days as a prodigy hunter were over for good.

Lauren hadn't failed to rub that in with every waking moment. And now that Mia had finally left him just over two months ago...

He couldn't take it anymore. That's why he was out here, deep in the woods, surrounded by trees and the songs of the birds. It cleared his mind of all the hurt and pain he'd endured for the last six months. Here, he felt only peace.

More than once, the idea of staying here, by himself, had crossed his mind, and it did so with an ever greater pull each time. He remembered reading a story once. About a man who loved trees and was loved by them, until eventually, they claimed that man for themselves.

John couldn't help chuckling. In all the time he had been a hunter, living trees was not something he had ever encountered. It seemed so silly now...but he would give the world if he could maybe, just maybe, live that life again.

"Snap out of it," he muttered, shaking his head to expel his longing. He had been a hunter. Had. Yes, it had been a promising career with many note-worthy endeavors, but it was in the past. He shouldn't dwell on it. No, he should look to the future.

And when he decided to glance forwards, he stopped dead in his tracks.

In a small clearing was a house. It was made of red brick and grey stone, two stories, with a chimney that seemed like it belonged in Victorian London. All the windows had their shutters closed, preventing John from getting a good look inside from this distance. There wasn't any cars or other signs of transportation nearby, but there was a shed just behind the house, connected to it by a few black wires hanging overhead.

Several questions ran through John's head as he took in the sight. Questions which he decided would only be answered by further investigation.

First off, he had to take stock of what he had with him. He knew he had a hunting knife in his pocket in case anything went wrong, and the cane he was using for support was made of some solid stuff, easily capable to leaving a mark if used right. His backpack had more than a few charms in case of anything supernatural, as a precaution. That's what he had told himself, anyway.

Along with his food and water, he was fairly certain that these would get him out of any trouble.

Cautiously, he slowly advanced on the house. Okay, so this was unknown territory, but he was sure he could handle it, he had done so before.

Just not with a broken leg.

His foot slipped out from under him and he cried out in surprise. He hadn't noticed the sharp incline and was now tumbling down it at almost record speed, rolling over and over across rocks, roots, through stinging vegetation and scratching thorns. By the time he stopped falling, he was laying on the ground, covered in bruises and cuts, his leg screaming in pain as his vision dimmed. There was a throbbing in his head which he couldn't focus on, only able to faintly register the sound of a door opening as he blacked out.

When he came to, John was laying on a plush, antique couch. He blinked once, twice, a third time before he realized he was bare chested. Groaning, he sat up, wincing in pain.

Then he felt a hand gently press against his shoulder. It was cool, smooth and soft, giving him an instinctive comfort. Then he heard the whispering voice of a woman right next to him and instantly turned his head.

His eyes found themselves looking into the dark green, almost brown eyes of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had pale, almost alabaster skin, practically flawless. Her body was slender and willowy, painted by a black tank top and pajama pants that clung to her curves and highlighted them wonderfully, as well as showing off her not unimpressive cleavage. Her face was framed with scarlet red hair that had been pulled back into a ponytail, so deep it was color of blood, and her features were delicate yet enticing. High-cheek bones, a perfectly sculpted nose and pink lips formed into an affectionate smile.

"Hey, hey," she said slowly, urging him to lay down, "take it easy, you had a nasty fall. Just relax," she said as her hand gently stroked his face, "and let me take care of you." Her voice was warm and soothing, John relaxing like she asked. Her smile widened.

And then John saw her two, sharp canines, poised and ready.

His rescuer was a vampire.