Hunting Her

Chapter 23

Hunter lifted his fists in the air, guarding his face. "Come on, English, show me what you've got."

I scanned him carefully, noting his balanced stance, his hands and feet positioned just right. He had been trained, and well. I threw out my left hand, and Hunter danced around it with ease, his movements fluid and confident. A smirk crept across his face, a look of pure arrogance that made my blood boil.

Who was this man?

I swung again, this time forcing him to dodge right. I watched as he shifted his weight to his right leg, his foot poised for a counterattack. Seizing the moment, I hooked my foot behind his and pulled, causing him to stumble back. He was caught off guard for a second but quickly readjusted, his smirk never faltering.

"You forget I already beat you once," I said, smiling, waiting for him to make the next move.

"From what I remember," he started, sending a punch my way. The speed of his attack was surprising, especially for a man his size. I barely had time to dodge before his other hand connected with my jaw. The force of the blow made my head snap back, and his eyes gleamed with a predatory light as he watched me recover. "You cheated and then ran."

"How's that stab wound, by the way?" I touched my jaw, the skin already hot to the touch, throbbing with pain. 

"Is this you kicking my ass?" Hunter teased, his voice dripping with mockery. "Because I've got to say, I'm disappointed. Especially after all the things I've heard about you."

I smiled, adrenaline surging. Moving on instinct, I sprinted at him, using the wall to launch myself into the air. He managed to block my knee before it collided with his face but didn't see it coming when I landed and kicked him square in the jaw. His lip split open, blood trickling down his chin, and he touched his mouth, the ghost of a smile appearing.

"I'd hate to disappoint a fan," I said, relishing the taste of the fight.

Hunter advanced on me, his pace faster now. He swung and hit my side—the side that never seemed to have the chance to fully heal. I winced but twirled away from his next punch, narrowly avoiding it. He caught my wrist as I moved, pulling me towards him. Instead of resisting, I used his grip to flip him over. He landed flat on his back, and I quickly straddled him, pinning him down.

"What do you want from me?" I demanded, staring down at him. Hunter smirked back, that infuriating expression still plastered on his face. "And what the fuck are you smirking at?"

"The view," he said smugly, his smirk growing wider, revealing a small dimple.

I looked down to see my jacket had unzipped slightly, revealing far too much of my chest. I scrambled off him quickly, adjusting the jacket as I did. He got to his feet at the same time I did, and I only saw him wink before a knife was launched at me. I moved but not fast enough, and it sliced my cheek as it flew past, embedding itself in the wall behind me.

Before I could react, Hunter shoved me against the same wall, closing the space between us. He pinned my hands to my sides and leaned in close, his face almost touching mine as he whispered, "Made you look."

"Get off me," I growled, squirming under his grip.

"I think I prefer you this way, English," he said, his smirk growing. "Much less violent."

I rolled my eyes. "Was 'English' really the best nickname you could think of?"

He tilted his head slightly, smiling as he did. "I think it suits you quite well."

"Because I'm English? Wow, I can only imagine the intellectual things that go on in your head!"

He laughed, moving close enough that his breath danced across my lips. "You couldn't handle what goes on in my head."

Before I could reply, a loud wolf whistle sounded from one side of the alley. We looked in synchrony to see Hercules standing there with his arms crossed.

Well, now I knew who wolf-whistled at me last time.

"This just became a lot less interesting," I spat, launching my knee up into Hunter's crotch. He groaned and loosened his grip, allowing me to push him off.

I reached for the knife on the floor only to have Hunter's giant foot kick it out of my reach. He wrapped his arms around me, lifting me into the air. I snapped my head back into his face, and he groaned in pain.

"That's gotta hurt, man," Hercules shouted through muffled laughter.

"English, you're making this harder than it needs to be," Hunter seethed through his teeth, still holding onto me.

"Crazy that I'd resist being kidnapped," I retorted, kicking my legs wildly, trying to hit any part of him.

"I guess we have to do this the less fun way," he muttered to himself before I felt a pinch in my neck. I tried to see what it was, only to find him injecting a mysterious liquid into my vein.

My heart raced. I couldn't do this again. I couldn't be taken to Dominic. Hunter placed me on the ground, thinking me not to be a threat anymore.

I couldn't feel my legs. My breathing quickened as I looked for something to help. Then I spotted Hunter's knife. I grabbed it and moved to drive the blade into my chest.

Hunter dove to stop me, managing to divert the knife to just below my collarbone instead. His eyes were wide as he stared at me, speechless.

"Why would you do that?" he asked, pressing down on the wound. "Help!" Hunter yelled to his friends.

I felt more people gather around me, their voices blending into a cacophony of concern.

I didn't feel the knife. I couldn't feel any part of my body. "Don't do this," I whispered, my eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

And then I was asleep.