Night Of The Hunter

Awake and Alive

33.

I gasped for air as I awoke, sitting bolt-right in the large bed. I heaved in and out as I tried to catch my breath, my eyes taking in my surroundings quickly.

The room was dimly lit and the bed felt very comfortable underneath me. I looked down at the white blanket, soft under my fingers as I slowly released my tight fists from the material. The walls were a maroon color, the off white rug on the floor. This was no shady motel room that I was used to.

I heard the shower on in the adjacent bathroom and I swung my feet over the edge of the bed. I looked down at myself. My legs, my arms, no bruises, no blood. Absentmindedly, I lifted up the white shirt I was covered in and peeked down at my stomach. I could have sworn I was stabbed. But there was no scar, not even a trace of evidence.

I inhaled deeply, looking at the clock. The bright red numbers shouting 8:15pm. The lights were bright, making my eyes squint and I looked away, standing up. My nerves felt different as I flexed my hands into fists and unclenched them a few times. But I felt calm, even though it felt like my blood was on fire. Re-energized.

Walking to the giant windows next to the bed, I pulled back the black out curtains to reveal my location. The dark sky was lit up from the bright lights that danced underneath. The florescent lights up and down the strip from hotels and casino's. My enhanced hearing kicked in as the voice of Frank Sinatra played with the dancing water fountains down below. I've always wanted to visit here, though I never thought I'd be staying in a room at the infamous Bellagio with a fountain view.

"Good, you're up."

I peeked over my shoulder to see Aiden coming out of the bathroom. A pair of black boxers was all he wore as he was dripping wet from his shower. I could feel the hot steam enter the room, the warmness coming off his body as he continued to walk towards me.

"How are you feeling?"

His question became deaf to my ears as I watched the tiny droplets of water drip down his chiseled chest. My eyes glanced over to the black inked tattoo on his side, one I've never seen before. I tilted my head to the side, without realizing it, my hand touched his skin, tracing the detailed feathers that were burned in mid flight of the phoenix. The tattoo itself was in black and white, but the artist put the faint color of the bird's feathers, as if it were on fire. Orange and yellow, with just the hint of red. My fingers slid down the entire tattoo as it covered his whole side, along with his ribs. I witnessed his skin break out in goosebumps, the sound of his heart beating harder and faster filled my ears making me instantly pull away.

"What happened?" I asked, clearing my throat as I took a step back. I ignored the emotions that were flowing through me, not knowing what was happening to me. Like I was being drawn to him all of a sudden. I looked up at him, crossing my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

He stared down at me intently, his jaw was clenched tightly before he finally spoke. "You died."

I looked down at the carpet, biting my lower lip. "Obviously not, if I'm standing here."

He huffed, tossing the towel that he held in his hand towards the chair on the side of the room. "Smart ass." He muttered to himself and took a seat on the bed. "I gave you my blood for the last two days. That's why you're standing here." He informed me with a slight attitude.

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply. Bits and parts of what happened were running through my mind in just fractions of seconds. I remembered being ambushed by Markus, Eric being in on it. I still don't understand that. I remembered getting drained of my abilities so Markus could toss me around like a rag doll. I remembered feeling the white hot pain of getting stabbed in the stomach, but that was it.

"Two days?" I whispered.

"Yeah, two days." He hissed, reaching for his jeans on the other side of the bed, where a sofa sat. "Two days you've been down, and you died. Twice."

"What?"

He stood up from the bed, zipping up this jeans. "You heard me."

I saw his baby blues glance over at me from the other side of the room as he continued to get dress. He was pissed off, I could tell, but not sure why.

"What's with the sudden attitude?"

"Attitude." He muttered under his breath, sitting back on the bed and put his boots on. "You have no idea what I fucking went through in the last two days."

"Enlighten me then." I hissed back.

If he wants to give me an attitude, then I'll give it right back to him.

He huffed once again, shaking his head. His feet stomped on the floor as he fit his feet into the boots and tied them up before standing and looked at me once again.

"I watched you die in my arms. I heard your heart give out, I heard you actually give up on me." His face twisted up in pain as he looked up away and let out a breath. "I took you to the hospital as quickly as I could. Being in the middle of nowhere. I was able to revive you on the way there, but you were hanging on by a fucking thread."

His voice cracked at the end but he covered it up by grabbing his jacket.

"By the time I got you to the hospital and they were able to stitch you up, you died on me again. Heard your heart once again go flat." He put on his jacket but kept his back to me as he kept talking. "They got you back though, but you weren't going to make it. You were in a coma for a few hours until I finally got a chance to sneak into your room and did a blood transfusion. I started seeing some good results from you so I got you out of there quickly before Brooks men started to sniff our trail."

Hearing his name made me flinch. It had to be Brooks behind all of this.

"You don't have to give me an attitude, okay." I said lowly. "It's not my fault and I thank you."

He turned around, walking towards me again. "You don't have to say thank you. I'm used to saving your ass, anyway. And it is your fault." He hissed. "It's also mine." He grabbed his keys and a wallet from the table next to me. "Stay here." He ordered and headed for the bedroom door.

I instantly followed him out, seeing the living room just outside the bedroom as I followed him to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Out." He opened the door and I pushed it closed making him look at me.

"I got that much. Where?"

"Didn't realize I have to give you a play by play of my every move."

I curled my upper lip in anger. I just woke up and he was giving me an attitude. I didn't deserve this at all. I went to shove him, but he caught my wrists quickly and pinned me against the opposite wall, stretching my arms above my head. He pressed his body against mine as his head dipped down to my level.

"Just because you have my abilities right now doesn't make you stronger than me, Callahan."

"Fuck you." I growled.

"Maybe later."

I saw the ghost of a smirk that played on his face before I looked away.

"Relax yourself, you're still weak and your body hasn't moved in two days. I'm just going to grab us some food since we're both starving, okay?"

I ignored him, waiting for him to let me go. He paused for a moment before slowly releasing his grip on me and pulling my hands down to my sides. His fingers grabbed my chin and turned my head to face his.

"Okay?" He asked again, raising his eyebrows, waiting for my confirmation.

I clenched my teeth tightly, nodding my head in his hold. He let go of my face and leaned down further, pressing his lips to my forehead before backing away. "Don't open the door for anyone."

"Yes, daddy." I said, rolling my eyes.

His face scrunched upon disgust as he opened the door. "Don't say that." He shook his head lightly and left.

The door shut and locked quietly, leaving me to let out a soft laugh as I leaned my head back against the wall.