Hunter Maximus
Chapter 16

“So, what’s your name again?” The stranger asks me as he dances closer.

“Isobel,” I reply, smiling.

“Are you out of school yet? You look a little young to be here,” He asks, having to lean in close, his lips next to my ear so he can be heard over the music. He is moving in closer with every sway of his body, which makes me want to step back to get more space, but I didn’t want to take too many steps backwards or Maximus would see me too soon.

“I dropped out of high school,” I lean up on my tip-toes to reply, and place my hands on his chest. I push him backwards further into the crowd and step to the side so I can glance at Maximus and the other girl he is with, who is now running a hand over his jawline. He still has his hand on the small of her back and is looking intensely at her neck. He smiles at her and his fangs glint.

He wouldn’t drink her blood, would he?

I can tell he is considering it, but his eyes move up and scan the crowd once more.

We lock eyes.

I break contact the next instant.

The stranger puts a hand on my shoulder to get my attention and leans down so his face is closer to mine.

“Hey,” he says, “Stop looking at other guys, you’re dancing with me, aren’t you?” The guy seems a little annoyed at me now, and I glare back at him.

“I don’t even know you,” I snap, he thought after knowing me for 30 seconds that he had the right to have my complete and utter attention?

He gives me a funny look when I brush his hand off my shoulder. I look to the side and see Maximus pushing people aside to come get me.

I quickly dodge to the side where there is a small gap between two people and I abandon the guy, who yells something rude out to me. He was the last guy on my mind now.

I find another gap in the crowd, I’m at the edge, and I’m about to start running to the exit when Xavier literally steps out of the shadows, into my line of escape and I run straight into his chest.

He grabs both of my arms. He is highly unamused as he looks down at me. I gulp as I stare back up. I was just under the average height, and he was most certainly taller than the average guy. He was probably just taller than Maximus.

We don’t exchange words, I just try to jerk out of his grasp but his hands are too tight around my wrists.

The next moment I feel a strong, warm, hard chest behind me and hands on my waist, and hot breath next to my ear, it immediately sends shivers down my spine, and my hair stands on end. My heart rate increases, two vampires so close to me was making my instincts go on high alert.

“Take her home,” Xavier orders Maximus, “I’ll get the others.” Xavier disappears and before I can turn around Maximus reaches down, puts a hand under my knees and sweeps me off my feet.

Before I can yell out or protest he is running with vampire speed out of the club, down the street and into the alleyway we were in before.

He stops and drops me to the ground. If I didn’t have good reflexes I would have fallen flat on my ass, but instead I land on my feet and one hand. I stand up properly and push away from him, but he doesn’t come after me or try to grab me.

I pull down my dress which was up above my thighs and I glare angrily back at him.

He simply stands there, staring down at me with furious, hungry, passionate eyes.

“Run along now,” Maximus says slowly, cocking his head to the side, “Go on, run.”

“I don’t understand,” I snap, “You just caught me, why do you want me to run? So you can prove to me I can’t get away?”

“You have to run as fast as you can, my little hunter, because that is exactly what I’m going to prove. However, if you can get away from me, you’ll be free,” Maximus eyes my neck, “But if I catch you…”

“This is ridiculous,” I say, “And hardly fair, I’m wearing –” heels.

Heels! That’s it!

“I’ll give you a 30 second head start, you’re wasting time, little one,” his tone is mocking, still with a hint of anger. No amusement.

I’m leaning down, taking off my high heel, I snap off the end and throw the shoe aside. The knife attached to my thigh strap wouldn’t kill him, but this wooden heel would.

“I’ll kill you if you come after me,” I threaten.

“You better start running,” Maximus snaps, fed up with my act of defiance, “You’ve tried to escape, been with a complete stranger in front of me, and now you’ve threatened to kill me.”

“Look who’s talking!” I scream back at him, “I hate you!”

“I don’t treat you badly,” Maximus says, exacerbated, “Why would you hate me so much?”

“You kidnapped my best friend Luke! You kidnapped me!” Maximus shrugs.

“I’m a vampire who gets what he wants, Isobel, and I’ll be getting what I want tonight.”

“I’ve had enough of you, once and for all, I’m done.” Maximus laughs dryly.

“I’ve had enough of you being a rebellious, defiant human,” he says it so honestly while simply standing there, being so bloody hot and bare chested in those freaking stupid black leather pants.

I crack it.

He was completely and utterly infuriating!

“Rebellious? Defiant?” I scoff, mocking him back. He narrows his eyes at me as I continue “I want you out of my life! It’s about time I became a vampire hunter for real!” I kick off my other high heel, now bare foot.

I rush straight at him, heel clasped in my hand, raised towards his heart.

Maximus grabs my wrist so hard it hurts and he twists it behind my back. I’m forced to drop the heel and he brings his other arm up to his mouth. He bites into his wrist, walking me backwards until my back hits the brick wall of the alleyway.

“No! Don’t!” I scream, struggling as best as I can but his grip only gets impossibly tighter on my wrist. With my free hand I grab his forearm and try to push his arm away but he just pushes back.

Without much effort he pushes past my resistance, and I look to the side, trying to get away from his open wounded wrist.

“You need to stop disobeying me. You broke the promise,” Maximus growls.

“I will not be turned –” It’s as I say the last word he manages to push his wrist into my mouth and forces me to swallow some of his blood.

It’s only for a few seconds and then he takes his arm away.

“I don’t want this!” I yell, now facing him, furiously meeting his cold grey eyes once more.

“It’s too late now, darling,” Maximus says, looking deeply back at me, “After I’ve turned you, you’ll always be mine,” he leans in and gives me a quick kiss on my lips, tasting his own blood on my lips.

I’m surprised at how gentle the kiss is.

“We have to get that frown off your face,” he says seriously.

“I hate you,” I repeat, glaring up at him as his eyes slowly go to my neck.

“That’s okay, darling” he says, “We’ll have an eternity to work on that.”

His leans down to my neck and places a light kiss on my skin. I close my eyes, gritting my teeth.

“Relax,” He says more calmly, placing another two kisses on the side of my neck.

Hah, ‘relax’, as if that would make it hurt less.

“How much blood are you going to take?” I ask, scared.

“All of it, darling, now shut up so I can drink,” Maximus growls back at me.

He then pauses for a moment.

But it’s only a moment.

His fangs sink into my neck and he starts drinking.

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