Hellbound With You

The mischief and playfulness on Alex's face slowly faded and his eyes became serious. He somehow felt warm and he unexpectedly loved it when she hugged him this way. But he really didn't like hearing the obvious fear in her heart. He despised it and he didn't know why. Maybe he just didn't like that someone or something was scaring her?

He grabbed her hands and forcefully pulled them away as he looked at her despite her protest.

"Tell me, why are you acting like this?" his gaze was suddenly intense.

Abi's heart skipped a beat at his question and that look in his eyes. The look that was filled with curiosity and suspicion made her swallow. But then, her eyes looked around again because the witch was scaring her more than Alex's suspicions.

"Please, Alex, let me –"

"When did you start thinking that I am some weakling you need to worry about this much?" He sounded displeased and his eyes turned cold and hard. There it was, the scary Alex was showing up.

Abi could only grit her teeth. What should she do? She wasn't acting like this because she thought he was weak. It was only because she knew that he was prone to manipulation by a witch! And that was something she would never let happen to him!

Alex finally stood up and faced her still holding her wrists. He bent down to look Abi straight in the eyes.

"You. are. my. maid." He stressed, word by word. "Stop acting like you're a soldier or my bodyguard. Understand?"

Abi pressed her lips tightly. She didn't like what he said. Why couldn't she act like his soldier? Why couldn't she act like his bodyguard? Was it so wrong for her to want to protect him once in a while?

Gritting her teeth, Abi violently pulled her hands off him. But then, the moment Alex let her wrists go, she wrapped her hands around his waist and hugged him. No, she was trying to tie him on her.

"Please don't push me away and let me do my job and stick to you. Let's go back to the hotel, Alex. This is my fault, I shouldn't have dragged you out," she whispered, pleading. "Let's leave now, please."

Alex stared down at her. "Little lamb, have you forgotten that we're here to hunt? We're the hunters here, not the prey. And I am here with you. Tell me where she is and I'll catch her in a blink of an eye."

He was serious as he said it but what he said had only made her more scared. No, that was not the plan! Zeke said he needed to be there to protect Alex during the hunt.

What if something happened? What if the witch succeeded in manipulating him instead once Alex touched her? Or the moment she saw him?

Abi still didn't have that much knowledge about vampires, let alone witches. She didn't know much at all except for the few things that Zeke had told her. That was why she had to rely on Zeke's instruction. She knew that Alex was strong but after seeing what happened yesterday, Abi couldn't ignore the fear in her heart - that something bad would happen to Alex.

"Please… I'm scared…" was all she could utter, because she truly was. She wouldn't feel like this if Zeke was around. She wanted to catch the witch too, but she didn't want to risk Alex's safety. Where the hell was that prince? Why did it seem like he just disappeared and left them in this place to fend for themselves?

Gladly, she felt Alex let out a sigh - although she didn't know if that was a sigh of annoyance or surrender.

At that moment, a waiter girl approached them for the bill Abi had called a while ago.

"Sir, ma'am, here's the bill," the young lady said. Abi was glad she was human. She wouldn't know how to react if the one who approached them was the owner of that heartbeat.

Alex gave her a bill and before the waitress could tell them to wait for the change, Alex picked Abi up and then smashed through the glass window and like lightning, he jumped up to the roof with her, shocking the people inside the cafe as they looked at the broken window. The waitress was the only one who saw what happened but the others didn't because it had happened too fast, as if someone just threw a rock at the glass window and it broke.

Alex lightly landed on the roof and he jumped again, carrying her like a princess, while Abi held onto his neck.

"Alex… what have you done?" her eyes wide, shocked with what he just did because he flew off in broad daylight but even smashing a glass wall?!

"Don't worry, I left more than enough money to compensate for it."

"That's not… Why did you do that?"

"Weren't you desperate to leave? You were so terrified to death so I could only do that to leave the place as fast as possible."

Abi was speechless. Wasn't he just showing off? To show her that he was strong and she didn't need to worry?

"Can they follow us this way?"

"Don't worry, little lamb, they are basically powerless during the day. They can't fly like us unless they turn themselves into birds. And they can only do that when it's dark."

Abi was finally relieved after hearing that.

After another moment, Alex landed on the balcony of their hotel room.

"What a scaredy cat. You don't really need to be that scared. Witches are nothing compared to us. All you have to do is point out who the witch is and I'll smash her head in one go. There's no need to shiver in fear like that," he said as he put her down.

Abi was about to drag him inside but Alex's hands already trapped her in between himself and the door. His eyes were incredibly serious again as he bent down and whispered with narrowed eyes. "Or… was it because you were scared about something else? Explain yourself, Abigail. Why were you so protective of me like that? Aren't you just my maid? Why would you care so much?"