Hunter

Chapter Twenty

"She's here."

"What are you talking about Yau who's here?"

"The girl in your picture. I saw it you're always staring at it. I figured she was someone important. Someone from your past. She's here and I think she's looking for you."

I zoned back in shaking my head at the conversation I had a few minutes ago with Yau. Mel was here. And this time I didn't stop Xerxes when he took over. I let him do it. I told myself I wouldn't run this time. At least not away from her. I was going to run towards her. I'd get to her and maybe she could fill in the blanks. Answer some questions. Maybe I could corner her and get her to Alistair.

Titus, that's what Ximena called him, tapped his fingers against the Jeeps steering wheel. He was way too calm for a human in a car with a predator. What was I saying? Its not like I was going to eat him.

"We could. Mel's scent is all over him and this car. And he's wearing one of her bracelets. Maybe he's not even human." Xerxes said. He had calmed down and let me take over once he saw I was on his side.

"We're not eating him." I said.

"So, Ximena said you're not originally from around here. Where are you from?" He asked.

"Canada." I answered. He chuckled to himself shaking his head.

He didn't know me. If he did he would have said it. He would have called Mel immediately. Or hinted at my presence when she called him. She had called him. She had sounded on edge over the phone despite how casual their conversation was.

"That's cool. Did you have a pack. I was told all wolves have packs except rogues."

"I'm not a rogue if that's what you're asking."

"No of course not. You're too calm to be a rogue." He said turning onto the road that lead to the diner.

"Where are you from?" I asked trying to get a read on him.

"Brooklyn." He said.

"He could be a hunter. New Yorks filled with them. The bracelet is probably a protection charm. He's human that's for sure." Xerxes said.

His phone rang from where it was mounted on his dash. Mel's name flashed across the screen a picture of her smiling face and Titus in the background watching her with a raised brow. It looked like she had dragged him to take the selfie. He had a frown on his face like he would rather be anywhere than beside the happy girl holding the phone.

"Hey Mel. We're on our way to the diner. Should be pulling up in about a minute." He answered.

"Actually we're not there anymore. My dads lawyer called saying there was an emergency so we took a portal." She said after a few seconds.

"Alright. I'll drive down and find you guys there."

"Are you leaving now? I guess you should drop Ximena off and start heading here."

"I left Ximena at the garage. I'm with one of her brothers. He was heading to the diner too so I guess now I'm just dropping off." He said. There was a pause on the other end of the line before she spoke again.

"Okay. Drive safe. If I wake up Friday morning and you aren't here I'm hunting you down."

"Its a 21hr drive Mel. If I make just one stop tonight I should be there before you go to sleep tomorrow." He chuckled.

"Okay." She sighed. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

I tried to swallow down the jealousy that was threatening to burst out of me all whilst keeping Xerxes calm. I swallowed and looked out the window.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"No. She's a friend I guess." He said furrowing his eyebrows.

"You guess." I asked.

"I'm not really sure what we are. A month ago we were more enemies than anything else."

"Huh." I said. He parked in front of the diner but didn't kill the engine.

"I guess I should grab a few stuff from the store then head down to NYC."

"Guess so. Thanks for the lift." I told him stepping out of the car.

"Don't mention it."  He smiled before driving off.

"Thirty minute head start?" Xerxes asked.

"Ten. We'll track him by scent."

...............

I sighed leaning my head against my seat as I watched Titus walk around the gas station. I was parked across the street. Hidden by the darkness. He'd been in there long enough for me to actually catch up to him. It had been ten minutes since I found him meaning he had been here for twenty.

It was a five hour drive now from here to New York. He had spent the night at some run down motel. No phone calls had been made or received. I had waited ten minutes again when he left this morning. And here we were now. I could see him from here. Could hear him too. I could hear the sound of the cashier chewing her gum and flipping her magazine. I could hear the fan, the radio and him. He was humming along to the song that was playing. Firework by Katy Perry.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts. Contemplating whether I should call Dardanos or not.

The sound of the door opening had me looking up as Titus left the store a bag of Doritos in his hand.

"He's been here for twenty minutes for one stupid bag of chips." Xerxes growled.

"You've got to be kidding me." I sighed pinching my nose.

He climbed into his car and closed the door. And then it happened. Barely a second after the sound of his engine starting reached my ears the black jeep went up in flames. The explosion setting off a bigger one when the flaming debris hit the fuel tanks.

The whole gas station was up in flames as I stepped out of my car.

"Shit." I said pulling out my phone and calling Dardanos.

"There goes our lead. Not even we would have survived that." Xerxes said.

"Alexander?" Dardanos said picking up on the first ring.

"I know where Mel is. I'm gonna need your help finding her."

"I'm on my way." He said before cutting.

I pocketed the device and got back into the car. When I started my car Katy Perry blasted through the speakers. Seemed I was on the same station they had been on. I drove away from the chaos heading towards New York as the song ended.

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon.

...................

Four chapters in a day. I'm proud of myself. Maybe I can do six