Hunter

Chapter Two

Chapter Two:

Alec pulls his shirt off and throws it on the grass, unable to keep it on in the ridiculously hot weather. The day's forecast is forty degrees (A/N: Degrees Celsius- they're in Australia), yet right now it's already thirty seven and it's only nine am. I roll up my shirt sleeves and undo my first two buttons. I roll up my pants to my knees and then pick up my regular practice jian. Alec lunges at me, and I have no time to reach for my fire as he pushes me harder than ever before. Therefore, I have certain distractions stopping me from doing my best, like Alec's muscular chest. Alec's sword just misses my arm as I dodge, and yet I can't draw my eyes away from him. I've known he's amazingly good looking from the first day we met, but right now I just can't look away from his beauty. There is sudden fire in my leg, and I snap out of my dreamy thoughts. Chastising myself for zoning out, I attempt to block Alec's next attack, but I can't. My leg folds beneath me, and I fall to the ground. Alec manages to catch me, and he shakes his head.

"Why can't you focus today, Kate? You need to concentrate, or you'll get really hurt. Kate? Kate!" The world goes black around me, and I allow the darkness to smother me.

***

I wake in the Infirmary, and all I can do is stare at the white ceiling while I wait for my muscles to start working. I move my head to the side, and I see Alec watching me. He frowns at me, then calls the nurse over.

"What happened?" I ask both of them.

"You fainted from blood loss," explains the nurse. Your mentor carried you in here. I healed your wound." I turn to Alec but he just looks straight ahead.

"I'm sorry," I tell him. "I should've been concentrating. I don't know what got into me." The nurse leaves us, and Alec finally looks at me. There is a deep pain in his gaze, and he closes his eyes.

"It's my fault, Kate. We should practice inside on days like that. I noticed that you were unfocused, but I didn't stop. Why weren't you concentrating?" he asks curiously, not accusing me, just wanting to know.

"I don't know..." I say, but my cheeks flame up, and he notices.

"What was it, Kate?" he asks, leaning forwards in his chair.

"Well, I was feeling fine until you took your shirt off, and then those damned hormones took over my brain." Alec slapped his palm to his forehead.

"I should have known. You are a teenage girl, and I'm around your age, but I just assumed... never mind. I know in future that I can't do that. Just remind me if I'm about to do it again." Alec shakes his head in disbelief.

"What, you don't have hormones?" I ask him, annoyed that he treats me like a child.

"Mine are slightly more under control," he replies, then opens his mouth again. "Well, sometimes. I mean..." He puts his thumb into his mouth and nibbles on his nail. "That time when I saw you practicing your archery, when I lay on top of you to threaten you, I... damn!" I laugh at his obvious discomfort, and he gives me a sharp look. "Shut up, Kate! I'm trying to be honest, and you just-" I burst out laughing, and he shakes his head. I laugh until my stomach hurts, and by then Alec has recovered. He studies me, and I can feel his gaze sweeping my face. I can feel that he wishes he could pull back the covers on the bed and see me properly. Finally, his eyes rest on mine, and he sighs.

"I'm exhausted. I haven't slept for two days, since the night before this happened. I was afraid you wouldn't wake up." Alec closes his eyes, and suddenly sleep sounds good to me as well. I close my eyes and fall into a deep, dreamless slumber.

Alec wakes me at midday the next day, and I see that he's been outside. He points to a window, and I see rain pouring down. Alec is soaked with mud and water. I grin, and he shakes his head, smiling unwillingly. I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed, bringing myself onto my feet. Alec supports me as I stand on wobbly legs, then he leads me to a closet with spare uniforms. I look down and realise I'm only wearing my underwear and a tight and quite revealing singlet.