Slay

Cara walked up the spindly path with a dedication, a determanation she usually reserved for dealing death. But a Vampire's layer was often filled with traps, and they put the in the strangest places. She wouldn't be at all surprised if their wore dozen's of deadly traps on the path to the manor, and then nothing inside the house. Aside from the vampire, that is. The house was in front of her, and the sun was behind it. The vampire could have been looking out at her right now, sheltered from the sun.

The manner was surrounded by a black fence, left redundant by the open gate. Or so it would seem. This is where the vampire wanted it's unwelcome visitors to come. It would be trapped. She knew that the long, winded paved path could lead her to her death. But she also knew that of the barren and lifeless trees that surrounded the manner, many would seek life, and try to kill it. She had a higher chance going by the path. She hoped.

A tree, just ten meters to her left, leaned violently towards here, branches grasping like an outstretched hand. Living trees. Rare, dangerous, but rarely fatal. Still, it was strange to have one so far away from the path.....

Unless it was the trigger.

Cara dived to her left and rolled into a crouch as a huge crossbow bolt flew at her from the house. It came like a black bolt of lightning, cracking and chipping the pavement. Clever. Cara would have seen the tripwire on the path. To have it on the tree...Genius. Vampires were like that. Cara stayed where she was, crouched down, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She waited, counted to ten, and then rose. She heard a soft swishing, and another bolt came, aimed directly at her head. Cara threw her feet behind her and landed on the soft of her belly, dodging it. The swish of the crossbow string came again, and Cara rolled back onto the path to avoid the bolt. It was certain now. The Vampire was taking aim.

Cara pushed the ground hard with her hands, and she rose quickly. She slid her feet under her, then swerved to the right as two bolts flew at once, both curving away from each other before curving back and crossing paths. They smashed into the stone, and Cara tucked in her shoulder as a chip sailed by. Another bolt flew, but the aim was off, and it smashed the pavement behind her. Cara took cover behind a barren tree, which, luckily, was of the rather dead and unenchanted variety. She tucked all her limbs behind the thin wood, and surveyed her surroundings. Many of the trees around her were moving, clawing at her, but unable to reach.

A sharp pain hit her back.