The Hunter's Vampire {Re-writing}

Chapter 24 What are you thinking?

Adam had cleaned up the dishes after they all ate while Lexander tidied up the mess of blood-stained bandages and torn clothing that they couldn't have bothered with the night before. Leeland took to taking care of Marissa and making sure that she had healed properly from her fall. Once he had made certain that her head was okay, he offered to bring her back home. "So, I could walk you home if you feel too scared about going back by yourself."

"You'll do no such thing. I'll see to Marissa's safe return home." Lexander hissed and appeared by Adam to shove him back against the counter, keeping a hand to Adam's chest. "Keep quiet. The boy is more than capable of taking care of himself and young Marissa. He can take her home, or at least walk her to the village where she can return on her lonesome."

Adam began to protest but Lexander covered his mouth and looked back to Leeland. "You may walk her home if you so desire, wolf."

Leeland held back his quip at the Vampires' attempt to remove them from the house, so he could ravage the hunter. He scoffed at him in a cheeky fashion and turned back to Marissa. "It would be my pleasure. Let me get your basket, then we can head back to your village." She nodded her thanks, her cheeks tinting pink slightly before she approached Lexander who had been pushed away by Adam. She twirled her Auburn tendrils around her finger, eyes trying to keep off of Adam behind him. "T—thank you, Lexander... for saving ma life." He chuckled at her.

"Well, you are quite welcomed. I'm just happy that you are much better and that you've recovered quickly." She let out a soft laugh, something mixed with anxiety and envy at what she now knew about Adam and the Vampire.

"I won't turn into a Vampire, now, will I?"

"Only if you die." She froze where she stood and he grinned, eyes darkening along with the veins under his eyes, as he showed his fangs in a toothy smile, then he was back to normal. "I'm kidding. You'll be quite alright. Just make sure to eat something when you arrive home and be sure to get plenty of rest." She didn't move and he thinks he may have gone too far. "What the bloody hell, Lexander?" Adam snapped.

"Oh hush, I was only poking fun." He threw over his shoulder. "Marissa, don't forget, to tell your parents that Adam's ward found you wandering during the night and kept you safe here at the cabin after the warning signal went off." She nodded.

"I—I won't forget." She turned on her heels in haste then stopped and shot the Vampire a glare. "Your jokes are not funny. Scaring a lady half to death is nothing to laugh about." She whipped back around and hurried off outside. Lexander's face fell, shocked. "Wow."

Leeland snickered. "She told you, Lex."

"Oh, shut your mouth mutt before I muzzle you." The wolf ignored him as he pulled on a pair of boots that Adam had given him a night ago and left to follow after a frazzled Marissa. "You just had to scare the poor girl." Adam began nudging Lexander's shoulder. "Don't you dare start or I might rethink not devouring you when I had the chance."

Adam scoffed. "You, devour me?" He shook his head. "You can't." He said walking off to his room. Lexander beat him to the door and hissed, his eyes pitch black. He pushed Adam back and retrieved a chair so that he fell back into it with a grunt and a thud. "Look here, a hunter... I can do anything that I damn well, please. You are not my master and I am not a slave anymore." Adam's eyes frowned and Lexander was perplexed, why wasn't he challenging him? Why wasn't he making a retort? "What—what is that look about? Spit it out!"

"Lexander," Adam brought a hand up to cup his cheek, making Lexander swallow a lump that tried forming in his throat, "I could never torture you as your captors did. You're not a slave here... I was joking, and I think you knew that too... but I think I may have triggered something painful with my words. Forgive me." Lexander was shaken, he didn't know what to say, he, he had never had someone look on him with pity—no! With sympathy... the hunter looked hurt as well by what he said, not meaning to harm him in anyway. "Lex, please talk to me." Adam stood from the chair and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Lexander shook his head and he hugged Adam back, his body trembling as he felt the burn of tears slipping from his eyes. He hadn't realized what he had just said. "I'm sorry Adam." He shook his head. "You have no right to be sorry. I should be the one apologizing." He pulled back and looked at the Vampire that he couldn't believe he was intimate with. "There is so much about you that I don't know. Why don't we talk about it?" Lexander searched his eyes, trying to find the trick in all of this, but finding nothing but true concern and a need to understand.