Hunter Maximus

Chapter 26

Maximus' POV

Isobel had managed to outsmart me. I was impressed, a little surprised and incredibly annoyed. She always had a bit of a temper and her tendencies to completely ignore everything I said were starting to rub off on Jennifer too. Now that Isobel was a vampire – she seemed more confident about her skills. Which was a good thing because she needed confidence to fight vampire hunters. However, I didn't want her to fight me.

Well, it was cute seeing her try to win our arguments, but usually I won. Not this time.

The inside of the bin was revolting – with the lid closed the smell just got worse and the air thinned out. I could tell she had run off – far enough away from me that I couldn't get inside her head and read her thoughts. Not that I'd ever tell her physical distance weakened my mental connection with her.

I try with all my strength to lift the lid, but the little brat had locked it down somehow. So I have to wait for assistance.

About an hour passes before I finally hear footsteps in the alley way.

"Hey!" I yell out, gritting my teeth because I hated to be so openly vulnerable, "Someone let me out of here!"

The stench of the bin was becoming unbearable. I couldn't even smell if the person outside was human, witch, vampire or werewolf. I hoped it was a human – most supernatural creatures knew who I was. It would be far too embarrassing being found stuck in a rubbish bin. At least with a human I could use compulsion to make them forget what they saw.

Someone bangs on the lid, a couple of times before I hear a lock break and I'm able to push the lid right open, snarling as I do so.

I jump out of the bin, shaking my hair to get any scraps out.

"Don't move," the order makes me instantly tense. I look up to see a crossbow aimed at my heart. Then I take in just who it is holding the weapon.

It was Isobel's friend; just the thought makes me snarl in disgust.

"Luke," I say with a smirk, "Thank you for your assistance." I can see the fury in his eyes and grief pulling down the corners of his mouth into a frown.

"Izzy put you in there, I taught her that," Luke says through gritted teeth, "Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you right here, right now."

"You might be one of the fastest vampire hunters," I say slowly, "But you aren't as fast as me. As for my little hunter, she –"

"She is not yours," Luke cuts me off, his finger tightening on the trigger of the crossbow, "Izzy is her own person, always has been, always will. You obviously don't respect that. You turned her, didn't you? Did she even have a choice or did you just forcibly drink her up dry and make her swallow your blood? Tell me the truth." Luke's words ignite a flame of jealousy in my heart. He obviously loved her – and she cared about him. I thought he wouldn't care about her now that she was one of my kind, but that obviously didn't change his opinion of her. That would have to change.

"She chose willingly to be turned, so I gave her what she wanted," I lie, and Luke's face drops.

"I don't believe you."

"She's mine. She needs someone to teach her how to survive her new life," I growl, taking a step closer, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you?"

Luke laughs hysterically, barely fighting back tears.

"Whether she chose to be turned or not," Luke hisses, "If you kill me, she'll never forgive you. That's why you let me live the first time you kidnapped me – you know she would never trust you again if you murdered me, she could never learn to love someone like you." I tilt my head to the side, I see his finger fully pull down on the trigger.

I dodge the crossbow fired at me and it just nicks my arm. I grab the sword out of the sheath strapped to my back and charge Luke. I grab the crossbow out of his grip and throw it to the side, and push the sword up against his throat, backing him up into the side of the brick wall.

"What a shame she can't say goodbye," I snarl and I see the fear of death lighten his eyes.

"Do it, I dare you," he manages to spit out.

"It'll be my pleasure –"

"Luke!" I turn to see a group of vampires turn into the alleyway, one of the females has called out. They all raise their crossbows.

Now was the time to back down.

"Next time," I snarl, pulling back and running from the scene just as arrows are fired at me. I manage to dodge them – barely. Most had a rushed aim as they tried to save their fellow hunter.

As I run out of range and head towards the nearest entrance to the palace – I suddenly feel angry at Isobel.

She loved Luke more than me.

I couldn't even say that she loved me at all – she tolerated me, hated me even.

I was still working on that.

I had to do something about Luke, Isobel was my apprentice hunter of vampire hunters. Luke was the very thing she would begin hunting.

Luke was irritatingly right about one thing. If I killed him – she would never forgive me.

So maybe I could convince Isobel to kill Luke.

I didn't believe she hated my guts, when she kissed me we had a fiery passionate connection. She felt something for me, I was sure.

I'd have to lure her back into a fight with the vampire hunters – I would let Luke go in for the kill, give him an opportunity to kill me. Then she would choose which one of us to save.

Of course – if she chose Luke, I would still survive.

Then I would lock her up in my bedroom and make love to her for days and nights on end until all she could think about was me.

And only me.

Isobel was mine.

One way or another – I would make her come to terms with the inevitable.

I was never going to let her go.