‘There are two young people camping beyond my land,’ Kane began.

‘How do you know?’ Lyra interrupted with an air of confusion.

‘I arranged through Harlon to have them put there by Nicolas,’ Kane explained. ‘Nicolas operates a very specific facility should we ever run out of food or require supplies for any reason.’

‘What do you mean, facility?’ Lyra queried.

‘You will meet Nicolas in due course and then you will understand more.’ Lyra tipped her head back.

‘I really don’t understand. Do you mean like a human farm?’ Kane noted the disgust in her tone.

‘You must forget that you were ever human. To do otherwise would be detrimental to your very existence.’

‘But that’s what you mean, isn’t it?’ Lyra snorted.

‘These are not good human beings, Lyra. I promise that once you have made your first kill, all will become clear.’ Kane tilted his head to take in the shape of her face and ordered, ‘You will obey me in this, Lyra.’ The creature sat up. ‘Get dressed, it’s time.’

Both dressed in the darkness, and Kane attached his knife and replaced his mask.

‘How do you make these people come here if they are in a facility?’ Lyra badgered as she zipped her boots up.

‘I told you to just obey for now,’ Kane replied curtly. Lyra tutted under her breath, causing Kane to stop dressing and stare at her through the mask.

I told you, all will be explained later, his mind snapped. Lyra yanked her top over her head. Some are just tourists who trespass on my land. They are warned with all fairness. Others are offered time away from the facility, but they are not good people, Kane summarised.

‘Death camp for the wicked,’ Lyra replied sarcastically. Kane nodded humourlessly.

You can collect your jacket on your way, he added, examining his woman standing in just a shirt.

‘My knife?’ Lyra asked meekly as she recalled throwing it into the lake.

Harlon will fetch that tomorrow before your kill. I suggest you don’t leave your belongings lying around again, Kane subtly ordered. All you have to do is watch.

Susan sat close to the crackling fire, her highlighted brown hair tied back in a bun and her body bunched up in a dark green sleeping bag. The glow of the fire illuminated the orange hue of the small tent and warmed Susan’s hands as they perched over her bag.

‘Do you think this means we will be getting out soon?’ she asked her twin brother. A lad with the same round face and sky-blue eyes snored on the ground next to her. Susan gave him a playful kick. ‘Dan?’ she snapped, causing the boy to snort himself awake.

‘What?’ he groaned.

‘Do you think this means we will be let out soon?’ Dan shrugged.

‘I don’t know. Guess we are on good behaviour though.’ Susan smiled.

‘I heard that when Dr Farrell lets people go on excursions, they don’t come back; they go home right after.’

‘Never really thought about it!’ Dan replied, stretching as a breeze of wind blew his fringe from his face. ‘People come and go so often I don’t really take notice.’

Susan wiggled closer to the fire as the cool wind scraped her face.

‘Well, I do, and people sent on these survival trips are given early release,’ she giggled excitedly.

‘Whatever you think,’ Dan replied, poking the fire with a stick, ‘but I don’t think we’re getting out two years early.’

‘Why not?’ she snorted. ‘Ed and Emily got out early!’

‘Because we’re not Ed and Emily,’ Dan snapped. ‘They were in for a lot less.’

‘I heard they moved to Michigan!’ Susan replied.

‘Probably did, probably growing a whole farm of weed right now!’ Dan dropped the stick in the fire and lay back down.

‘Well, good luck to them,’ Susan snapped playfully, throwing a handful of sand at her brother.

Lyra pulled her jacket from the branch and put it on.

Don’t speak, hunters don’t speak! Kane instructed. Lyra tutted. They don’t make any noise at all. Kane pulled up the zip on her jacket, and his eyes locked on hers. He raised the mask and bent down, placing his mouth over hers. Lyra allowed him to explore her mouth. He pushed her against the branch, allowing her to feel his rising hardness as his tongue meshed with hers. Then, with perfect self-control, he pulled away and stood tall, lowering his mask. Each kill must be planned meticulously, each trap prepared if needed. If you intend to drive your prey, then know the route. Lyra composed herself, still reeling from his lips.

You enjoy this, don’t you? she asked, fearing that she may not have the same taste for blood.

I already told you that I have an insatiable bloodlust, but everything must be planned. Lyra scratched her head thoughtfully.

Did you ever plan to kill me?

Hurt you, yes. Kill you? I don’t believe so, the creature reassured, stroking his woman’s cheek. It’s always easier if you separate the humans. It allows you to frighten and confuse them. Lyra half-smiled, unsure of her own ability to manage what was expected of her. Lyra, you are only to watch. Do not intervene in any way. Do you understand? Lyra nodded slightly and reminded herself that she was now a separate species.

‘Where will we go if they release us?’ Susan asked her brother. Dan shrugged.

‘Away from here, new start and all that.’

‘It’s beautiful out here, isn’t it?’ Susan asked, staring at the lake’s edge and following the beach up to the woods. ‘So peaceful?’

‘Yeah! It’s great; cold, bats, bugs! What more could you ask for?’ Dan sniped.

‘Well, I think it’s beautiful. Makes a change from looking at four walls!’ she quipped.

‘I’ll give you that, it’s better than looking at four walls and a load of crazies all day!’ Dan sat up and moved closer to the fire, leaning in to warm himself.

‘They’re not crazies. They are no different from you or me,’ Susan corrected.

‘Like I said, crazies!’

Kane watched from the treeline, and Lyra watched Kane from a high branch of a patchy white-barked beech tree. He looked magnificent; tall, sturdy and a true predator. Kane snapped a branch in his gloved hands and stepped behind the wide trunk of an oak.

‘Did you hear that?’ Susan’s voice echoed up from the beach.

‘Yeah, so?’ her brother snorted.

‘So? There’s someone out there!’ Dan shook his head.

‘Just some animal or another.’ He turned his hands to warm the other side. Kane sidestepped from the oak and marched with heavy feet to the birch looming beside it.

‘There’s someone out there, Dan, I’m telling you! Go look,’ Susan whimpered.

‘You and your overactive imagination,’ Dan laughed. ‘If it makes you happy, I’ll go and see what mysterious creature is so terrifying.’ Kane trod heavily back to the birch.

Dan climbed to his feet and marched to the treeline. He scanned the forest but was unable to see in the darkness. He hurried back to the tent.

‘Gonna need a torch to hunt this badger,’ he quipped, leaning into the tent. He pulled out a small, black torch and flicked it on and off a few times. Kane snapped another branch.

‘That’s not a badger,’ Susan muttered.

‘Well, whatever it is, it’s gonna get its ass kicked!’ Dan shouted as he strutted towards the forest.

‘Be careful,’ Susan called after him, hunching further down into her sleeping bag.

Dan entered the forest, climbing up a small slope and veering between the ivory pillars of two birch trees. He shone the torch about and ventured further into the woods, waving the torch around him as he moved. Kane moved silently about the oak, allowing Dan to pass him by. He then waited patiently as the lad marched further into the trees. Lyra glanced back at Susan, who was nervously staring at the treeline. Kane waited until he was beyond the range of the torch’s light and moved stealthily in the shadow of the trees. Lyra followed, climbing from branch to branch. Once he had strutted some distance, Dan stopped, shrugged his shoulders and spun around with the intention of going back to the beach to mock his sister’s paranoia.

He had barely time to advance before he was stopped in his tracks. A giant masked monster of a man stood in his way.

‘Hey, pal, you scared the…’ Kane drew his machete from the scabbard and raised it so that the blade glinted in the torchlight. The lad’s eyes widened. ‘Fuck that shit!’ he yelled and ran back in the direction that Kane had been driving him. Lyra dropped silently from the trees and followed the monster. Once satisfied that the lad was headed in the correct direction, Kane opened a trapdoor cloaked under a barrage of leaves and dropped down into the tunnels. He waited briefly for Lyra to reach him, and then strode through the passageways with his woman following.

Lights shone through the forest and Dan rushed towards them, his feet skidding in the mud as he ran.

‘Help! Someone!’ he yelled, panic-stricken. He jumped onto the porch and banged loudly on the door. ‘Help me, please,’ he called urgently. ‘There’s a madman out here!’ No one responded. Dan pushed the door open. The front room was messy and unkempt, but a small light glowed in the corner. ‘Hello!’ he called. No one answered. The front door blew in the wind and thudded several times before forcefully shutting behind him. His heart jumped, and he ran into the rear corridor. A trapdoor sat wide open, revealing a dark basement. ‘I don’t think so,’ he muttered, edging away from the drop. As he turned, an arm locked about his neck. The lad’s back arched and he let out a horrific, agonised scream as the machete blade burst through his chest. Blood poured from the lad’s mouth and he shook before flopping forward. Kane snatched the knife from his back and pushed him down the hole, flipping the trapdoor shut. Lyra stepped from the shadows behind him. His hand touched her forehead.

Is it so bad? Lyra remained motionless, unsure as to how she felt, until the bloodied blade was lifted to her lips and she sampled the life fluid.

Susan climbed from her sleeping bag, her fear replaced with concern for her brother.

‘Dan?’ she called, heading towards the woodland. ‘Dan?’ Nothing moved, and the torchlight had long since vanished into the thick of the trees. Susan listened for Dan’s footsteps, but could hear nothing but the breeze and the soft patter of rain that hit the lake. ‘Dan? Please answer me,’ she shouted desperately. Feeling a chill, Susan hurried back to the beach and climbed inside the tent, zipping it up. The rain’s beat increased, and she shivered, having left her sleeping bag outside.

A movement flittered past the canvas. Then another, followed by a rustling. Susan crawled backwards, rearing up against the flap. In the glow of the fire, a giant shadow emerged; the form of a man holding a sword or something similar. Kane raised the machete and sliced through the canvas. His hand took a clump of the woman’s hair and dragged her kicking and screaming from the illusion of safety. He dragged her down the beach and placed one foot on her chest so that she could not escape.

Lyra, come here, he willed.

You told me not to interfere, Lyra responded obediently.

And you won’t, Kane confirmed masterfully.

Lyra stepped from behind the tent and walked slowly past the flames that were dying out in the growing storm. Susan caught sight of the woman and reached out a hand.

‘Help me?’ she cried. Lyra remained still, watching. ‘Please, help me,’ Susan begged fruitlessly. Lyra looked up at Kane. Her expressionless face gave a hint of a smile, and Susan realised that her cries were worthless. Kane released his foot and allowed Susan enough space to crawl and back away from him. Once there was a sufficient distance between them, he swung the blade over his head and ran stealthily, burying the knife in her skull. He raised his boot and forced her body to the ground, pulling his machete out as he did.

Kane signalled to Lyra and she stepped forward obediently, dropping to her knees in front of him. He stroked her forehead tenderly and ran the blade along her tongue, allowing her to swallow every drop of fresh blood until it was cleaned. He then sheathed the weapon and commanded Lyra to wait for him in the growing storm. The body was lifted over his shoulder and carried off into the trees for disposal in the tunnels. Lyra waited, knowing that Harlon would provide a good feed from the night’s hunt. Kane soon returned from the forest to find Lyra still on her knees. He bent down to her, lifting her into his arms, and carried her to his cabin, eager to sate another need.