The Hunted - The Hunt #2

6. Speed of Light!

"Please, wake up!"

Daniel could hear Michelle's frantic pleas. They sounded as if he was trapped under water. He wanted to reply, to take away the terror in her voice, but he couldn't find a way out of the crushing numbness. Whatever was used to hurt him, it had strong lingering effects.

"Please, you've got to help me!" Michelle asked again. Daniel's heart was breaking. All he wanted to do, was help his mate, be there for her. It was torture, worse than when Michelle had used her magic on her. "I can't keep carrying you, you're too heavy for me," she added. That little comment jolted her brain. Why was she carrying him? He forced his body to work, using all his strength to push away the fog. At first it hurt, everything was on fire. Then, the heat died down and he could almost move his body. At last, there was a jolt of electricity that shocked his system. As if his body was some kind of a computer that had been restarted.

Daniel opened his eyes and saw the ground. Michelle was indeed trying to carry him. He was tangled over her left shoulder.

"Stop," he whispered. His voice was so hoarse and it hurt to speak. Michelle heard him, though, and stopped moving. She planted his feet on the ground and steadied him before taking a step away from him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, clearly not sure how to proceed.

"No," Daniel answered honestly. He'd never been less okay than at that moment. "What happened?"

Michelle looked uncomfortable, rubbing her left shoulder. She seemed uncertain, not prepared to answer that question.

"Micah shot you," she finally replied. Short and to the point.

"That I understand. Why was I effected by it though? I've been shot before, nothing like this," he explained.

"We have special ammunition for you and your brother. The hunters have been preparing for you to turn bad, they needed a solution," Michelle answered, tears slowly running down her beautiful doll-like face. Daniel stepped closer to wipe them away. His mate should never cry. Not because of him.

Michelle leaned her face more into his touch. The bond was so strong already, all he needed to make it permanent was mark her. He had to swallow the need to do just that. It was not the place or time to become intimate again. Being close to her clouded his mind. He shook his head to clear it.

"What's wrong?" his mate questioned. She looked confused and hurt when he stepped away from her.

"I am trying not to give into my natural instincts. Touching you is making it very hard for me," he responded honestly. He promised to be always honest with her, something he decided years ago. His mate would always know what he was thinking.

"What instincts?" she seemed confused.

"Both of my sides want to mark you as mine." His honesty shocked her, it was clear in her eyes. "But don't worry. I will not do that until you tell me it's okay and you are ready. If you are ready."

Michelle was quiet. She looked into his eyes and her emotions were complex, too confusing for Daniel to understand what was going on. He could feel them, but his understanding of them was hard to come by. The numbness from being shot was still lingering in his body.

"How would you do it?" she finally asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"I will bite you right here," he gently brushed his fingers across the nape of her neck. "I will probably turn you, because the werewolf bite takes time and my vampire side will use it to push my venom into your body. You will change into a vampire, just as your friend warned you. I will not do that to you, unless you ask for it. But as time goes on, it will become painful for me to be around you without claiming you. My father marked my mom as soon as she agreed to be with him. It's a strong impulse to let everyone know you are mine."