Hunter Maximus

Chapter 49

Isobel's POV

I have to run out into the road to get Luke and Charlotte to stop for me – because they were coming so fast. I run to the middle of the road, waving until they slam on the breaks to stop for me. Luke is driving and I run up to the driver's side, where he winds down the window.

"What the hell happened?" he asks.

"Can I get in the car before I explain? It's freezing out here," I say, and Luke instantly nods in agreement.

"Charlotte, can you drive? I'll sit in the back with Izzy and get a blanket for her from out of the boot."

Before she can even open her mouth to reply, he puts the car in park and lifts up the hand break before jumping out of the car to open the back door for me. I hop in as he goes to get a blanket from the boot and Charlotte climbs into the driver's seat. Let's just say her look wasn't one of great sympathy as she stared at me through the rear view mirror.

"Are you okay?" she asks in a monotone.

"Couldn't be better," I reply sarcastically, still a little emotional that Maximus had kicked me out of the car.

Luke opens the door and gets in next to me, throwing a blanket over me as he settles into the seat next to mine as I sit in the middle... my eyes were tearing up already.

Right now, a friend was what I needed and Luke was that friend. He grabs me in a hug that I gratefully accept, burrowing my head in his shoulder closest to me. Charlotte starts to drive.

"It's okay, Izzy, tell us what happened," he says gently.

"I don't want to talk about it," I mutter, sitting back in my seat and watching Charlotte glancing at us every second or so as she drives us to the city.

"You chose to leave with the leech," Charlotte adds in, "Why did we find you on the side of the road?"

"He is human, so he isn't a leech," I explain, not really understanding why I was still sticking up for that asshole, "But he soon will be one again..."

"He is rushing back to his friends to get turned into a Hunter again, isn't he?" Luke asks, trying not to sound like he cares that much.

"Mmhmm," I mumble, "I want to make sure he can never find me again."

"Did you decide to get away from him at the last minute and jumped out of the car, or...?" Luke asks.

"He kicked me out," I say quietly, instantly regretting the words coming out of my mouth. Now they would both want to hear the rest of the story.

"Oh?" Charlotte asks, a bit too excitedly.

"What the fuck is wrong with him?" Luke snarls, grabbing me close to him, his arm around my shoulders holding me tightly, "How could he do that to you?"

"It's his idea of fun. Look, I don't want to talk about it anymore –"

"Clearly he is messed up," Luke interrupts, "Don't worry, you're my apprentice hunter, and there is no way I'm ever letting you out of my sight again. Do you hear me? I'll protect you."

"Thank you," I smile at him warmly, but I can't talk so openly because I didn't feel comfortable or know Charlotte that well, "So you two...?"

"Luke and I have been together for a week," Charlotte gushes out as soon as she has the chance, "It's pretty recent, it's not really official yet..." she starts giggling and I give Luke wide eyes.

"How did you guys meet?" How did you meet and decide to date this annoying, stupid, envious chick?

"Oh ah..." Luke blushes a bit and then quickly says, while looking at Charlotte through the rear view mirror, "Charlotte's actually been a vampire hunter for a year or so, but she lived in a different state until she moved down here a month ago. We met in a bar, we were both quite drunk and well... you know –"