Hunter Maximus

I take a step back from the bathroom door, hesitating. If he could read my thoughts, how was I going to kill him? I take a step toward the bathroom door once more. Better not to hesitate. Just go for it and think about the consequences later.

With new vampire strength, enhanced hearing, sight, smell, and touch, at least I didn’t feel so helpless anymore.

I grip the stake harder in my hand and push the bathroom door in. As I do, I see Maximus in the two-person shower, steam filling the room and water dripping off his well-toned abdominal muscles. I avoid looking towards his other parts, because I had to keep my mind focused.

His chest. His heart.

That was the aim.

He is giving me a gorgeous smile as he sees me enter the bathroom, and he opens the bathroom door and leans out, reaching out a hand towards me.

“Come on, darling,” Maximus says with a raised eyebrow, mocking me, “Let’s not do this the hard way.”

“How can you be so calm and not feel a weight on your conscious after what you done to me?” I hiss, hating the amusement I see sparkle in his grey eyes.

“I’m glad you drank the blood I left for you, Isobel,” Maximus says gratefully.

“Don’t ignore the fact I asked you, begged you, not to turn me,” I feel tears ready to pour forth but I hold them back. I needed to be strong now, like the rest of me.

After a moment, Maximus’ smile drops off his face and he turns around to turn off the water. As soon as his back is to me, my instincts kick in to attack and I lunge forward. Just as he turns off the water he spins around, just as fast as me, but I duck and come back up on the side of him, lifting the stake and bringing it in for the kill. Maximus grabs my wrist just as the tip of the stake pricks his skin at his chest. His other hand grabs my other wrist and twists it behind my back. He is scowling at me while I grin up at him.

“Enough,” Maximus growls, “Drop the stake.”

“No.”

“Fine, you want to do this the hard way, it’s up to you,” Maximus looks into my eyes and holds my gaze.

Let go of the stake.

His voice once again echoes through my mind, and a piercing pain stabs through my brain as I resist opening my hand.

The pain intensifies and gritting my teeth, I open my palm and the stake falls to the ground. The pain dissipates at once.

“I hate you,” It comes out as a bit of a whimper, and I hate myself for sounding so weak.

“I know you’re angry,” Maximus says more empathetically this time, “But you need to drink more blood, I gave you enough to get rid of the pain you would have felt waking up, but you need more to get your emotions in check.” He lets my wrists go.

“Will you always be in my head now?” I ask in a mutter, staring at his collar bone, too angry to look into his eyes.

“Yes,” he puts a hand on my back and leads me out of the shower. He grabs a towel along the way and wraps it around his waist as we walk back into his bedroom.

“I can’t forgive you for turning me, Maximus,” I walk over to the couch by the fireplace, which is unlit. I sit down as he walks to his wardrobe to get changed.

“Eternity is a long time, darling,” Maximus responds all too happily. I can’t see him from my position on the couch, facing away from him, and I’m happy. I don’t want to see his stupid gorgeous face and those eyes that always sparkled with humour, sometimes arrogance – okay, a lot of arrogance, and mocking. Gosh, I hated how he loved to make fun of people.

“Is Jennifer and Caitlin okay?” I ask. I decide to get my mind off things.

“I’m not sure,” Maximus says, “I haven’t checked to see is the rest are back yet.”

I hear Maximus walk towards me and he rounds the couch to face me. I look at the fireplace, ignoring his presence.

“I’m going to get you a human,” Maximus says, “And for the love of god, Isobel, if you leave this room one more time, I’ll have to tie you down.”

“Whatever,” I say, still trying to ignore him, to not look at him.

“I’ll be back soon,” Maximus stands up and starts to walk to the door, “You are still weak, Isobel,” Jeez, I was weak? I felt great! “So please rest while I get you some food.”

“Mmmm,” Is my only reply.

“And don’t try to run,” he decides to add in once again, he is now at the door, about to close it, “I turned you, you’re bonded to me now, so I’ll know where you are at all times.”

He is about to shut the door and leave but I suddenly look at him, my eyes widening in curiosity.

“Wait!” I stand up, and this catches his attention, he stops closing the door and I ask, “I won’t be connected to you like this forever will I?”

“Only if I release you, sweetie,” he says with a grin, “Now just sit back and relax while I get you some food and check on Darrius.”

I cross my arms over my chest and huff out an annoyed breath. I collapse back down onto the couch in a heap and stare up at the ceiling.

He would always be in my head. He would be able to control me. Find where I was if I tried to escape. Read my thoughts.

Unless he released me.

Would Maximus ever do that?

Never, darling, this way you’ll always be mine.

Bloody hell! He was still reading my thoughts? Get out of my head.

The day I release you, Isobel, will be the day you never want to leave my side.

That will never happen! I snarl at him through our mental connection.

It’ll be easier than you think, we’re going to have so much fun together. I’m going to have so much fun with you.

Piss off.

Hmmm, don’t push me too far darling.

Or what?

Or that lesson I still have to teach you will come a lot sooner than you think.

Oh please. He still wanted to teach me a lesson? Teach me my place? Hah!

He doesn’t reply to me or say anymore. Maybe he was busy talking to someone else now.

A wave of exhaustion suddenly flows through me. That half glass of blood only helped sustain me for a couple of minutes. My throat starts to ache and suddenly I’m starving.

I was a freaking vampire.

Hey!

At least that meant I wasn’t a slave anymore right?

Finally, I have something to smile about.