Chapter 14 SQUIRREL HUNT
LILIAN POV
By the time my shift at the café ended, my hands smelled like espresso and sweats.
I wiped them on my apron, clocked out, and stared at the glass door like it was the gateway to hell.
Because, in a way, it was.
The night outside was quiet, thick with mist, Streetlights buzzed like dying bees.
And somewhere out there was Seraphine waiting and probably grinning.
“Okay,” I muttered to my reflection. “You got this, It’s just one night one lesson, no big deal.”
The reflection didn’t look convinced.
I found her leaning against a lamppost across the street, dressed like a vampire straight out of a fashion magazine with all the black coat, red scarf, boots sharp enough to kill someone vibe.
She didn’t even shiver in the cold which caused me to roll my eyes.... figures.
“You’re late,” she said when I crossed over to her.
I rolled my eyes “It’s called having a job. You should try it sometime.”
“I’ve had plenty,” she replied smoothly. “Most ended… badly but of course am currently your teacher that's a work right ?.”
“Not surprised.”
Her lips curved into that faint, irritating smile. “Come on, Lilian, tonight we .... hunt.”
“Yeah, sure,” I muttered already bored, “Bambi’s cousins, right?”
She gave me a look that could curdle milk “Squirrels, Lilian, We’re starting simple.” before she starts walking into a funny looking road.
“Simple, she says,” I grumbled, following her down the dim path toward the park. “You know what’s simple? Drive-thru.”
The park was almost empty, just the hum of insects and the rustle of leaves. The moon hung low, silvering the grass.
Seraphine moved like she belonged here, silent and effortless. I, meanwhile, stepped on every damn twig in existence.
“First rule,” she said quietly, crouching near a tree. “Patience.... you listen, you watch then you wait for the heartbeat.”
“Heartbeat,” I repeated flatly. “Of a squirrel.”
She glanced at me. “You're mocking me and yes squirrel has a heartbeat, you’ll hear it eventually.”
“Sure, maybe after I die of boredom.”
She ignored me and motioned for me to kneel beside her. Reluctantly, I did. The earth was damp, and my jeans were going to hate me for it.
“Close your eyes,” she said softly.
“Why?”
“Because your sight lies, your other senses don’t.”
I sighed but did it anyway. The darkness behind my eyelids pulsed faintly.
“Now,” she whispered, “breathe in through your nose, slowly Let your instincts find the sound.”
I tried I mean i really did, But all I heard was the blood rushing in my ears and the distant rumble of a passing air.
“This is ridiculous,” I muttered.
Seraphine didn’t move. “Again.”
We stayed like that for a while me half-freezing, her completely unbothered until I thought I caught something.
A faint thump-thump, quick and light, like a skipping rhythm.
“Got it,” I whispered.
“Good,” she murmured. “Now focus on direction.”
I turned my head slightly, following the sound. My pulse quickened.
Something darted up a nearby tree a flash of gray fur.
“There!” I hissed.
“Then move,” she said.
I lunged and promptly slipped on wet leaves, landing face-first in the dirt.
Seraphine’s laughter echoed softly through the trees.... yeah she thinks it's funny.
“Oh, hilarious,” I said, spitting out a leaf. “Glad my humiliation’s tonight’s entertainment.”
She was actually smiling an honest, amused smile. “You’re funny you know, I’ll give you that.”
“Yeah, well, enthusiasm doesn’t catch squirrels.”
She tilted her head. “Neither does whining.”
I glared at her, wiping mud off my hands. “You know, for someone who’s supposed to be my mentor, you suck at encouragement.”
“I’m not here to coddle you, Lilian. I’m here to make sure you don’t end up draining another human.”
That shut me up real fast. The memory hit me hard the man in the alley, the guilt that still crawled under my skin.
“Fine,” I muttered. “Round two.”
The next half hour was a tragic comedy of my very own errors.
Every time I got close, the damn squirrels outsmarted me leaping to branches, vanishing into holes, mocking me with their fluffy tails.
At one point, I actually cussed at one. It ran back like it was laughing.
Seraphine leaned against a tree, arms crossed, clearly fighting a smile.
“I swear,” I said, panting, “they’re doing this on purpose.”
“They’re prey, You’re just bad at being a predator.”
I threw my hands up. “Well, excuse me for not being the queen of carnage!”
She chuckled softly. “You’ll get there.”
“I give up,” I groaned, collapsing onto a log. “You win, nature wins..... Squirrels win. I’m so officially done.”
Seraphine approached slowly, crouching beside me. “Giving up already?”
“Yes,” I said firmly. “You try chasing rodents for two hours and tell me if you don’t lose your will to live.”
Her silver eyes glinted. “Hunting isn’t about success, it’s about restraint about learning your limits.”
“Pretty sure my limit’s right here.” I tapped my muddy shoes. “Zero patience.”
She smiled again, faint but genuine this time. “You remind me of myself when I was turned.”
“Let me guess,” I said dryly. “You also sucked at squirrel catching?”
That earned me a low laugh. “No i went straight for wolves.”
I blinked my eyes ... “Of course you did.”
We fell quiet for a while, yhe forest buzzed softly around us. I watched the moonlight shift through the branches.
“Do you ever… miss it?” I asked suddenly. “Being human?”
She looked up at the sky. “Sometimes, but missing something doesn’t bring it back.”
“Thats so comforting.”
She glanced at me, eyes softer than usual. “You’re not cursed, Lilian... you’re changed. There’s a difference.”
“Feels all the same.”
“It won’t always.”
The sincerity in her tone almost threw me off. I didn’t know how to answer, so I didn’t.
Eventually, she stood. “Come on, one more try.”
I groaned but pushed myself up. “If I miss again, I’m blaming evolution.”
She ignored me, motioning toward the trees. “Slow this time. Listen.”
I did and there it was again the flutter of a tiny heartbeat closer this time.
I crouched, inching forward. The squirrel sat at the base of a tree, twitching its tail.
My body moved on instinct quiet and very careful.
Then, in one motion, I reached out too fast for thought and caught it.
It squeaked, struggling in my hands, small and terrified that i froze.
“Now,” Seraphine said gently, “control it.”
“But I don’t want to hurt it,” I said quickly.
“You don’t have to just… listen feel the pulse and learn when to stop.”
The creature’s heartbeat fluttered against my palms, wild and fragile. Something inside me stirred the hunger, sharp and electric but I clenched my jaw and fought it.
For once, I won when I finally let it go, the squirrel darted up the tree, alive and unharmed.
I turned to Seraphine. “See? No murder, can we go home now?”
She smiled, and for the first time, it wasn’t mocking. “That’s progress.”
“Progress?” I scoffed. “I’m covered in dirt, I smell like acorns, and I almost had a panic attack over a rodent.”
“Yes,” she said. “Progress.”
We walked back through the quiet park. The mist had thickened, curling around us like smoke.
“You did well tonight,” Seraphine said after a while.
“Define ‘well.’”
“You didn’t kill anything including yourself.”
I laughed softly. “High praise from Satan’s intern.”
She smirked. “You’re getting bolder.”
“Or just too tired to care.”
When we reached the edge of the park, she stopped. “Same time tomorrow?”
I groaned. “You’re serious?”
“Completely.”
I threw my hands up. “Fine but if I turn into some feral squirrel whisperer, that’s on you.”
“I’ll take responsibility,” she said, and somehow it didn’t sound like sarcasm.
I started to walk away, then hesitated. “Hey… thanks for not, you know, biting my head off.”
She tilted her head. “I’m learning restraint too.”
Our eyes met for a moment silver and brown, predator and prey.
Then she turned, fading into the mist like she was never there.
I walked home under the flickering streetlights, exhausted but weirdly lighter.
For the first time since this nightmare started, I didn’t feel completely out of control, Just mostly tired.
“Great,” I muttered. “I’m a part-time vampire with a squirrel internship.”