We Are The Hunted [Demetri Volturi]

Chapter 34

Kahlen didn't remember losing consciousness. Upon opening her eyes she found herself in the medical wing of Volterra. The stonewalls were a comforting sight, sighing heavily. Her escape hadn't been a dream, groaning when trying to move. That had been a bad idea. She was in bad shape, just couldn't see it due to the white bed sheet covering her body. Eyes closing the young woman willed it to go away with little success when a cold hand suddenly touched the side of her head and forehead. Lids opening groggily, Kahlen expressed surprise to see Aro.

"How are you doing, my dear?" he questioned.

"I've been better..." she spoke, throat still dry.

"I must admit... I am rather surprised to discover that you have returned to us still as a mortal."

"I guess the feeling could be mutual." The hunter breathed out heavily. "It looks like I owe you a great deal of thanks for searching for me. Even though I'm only an asset to the Guard for the time being."

Aro stared at her. "You are a very important member to us, even if you don't realize it yet."

A brow cocked. "Never thought I'd hear those words from a vampire."

The brother smirked. "You have orders from the medical ward. No missions for the next few months, and you are to remain here for a week. During your recovery minimal activity on your feet for the first few weeks is important."

"I'm not a normal human, Aro. I will heal faster."

"All the same, you will take things slow to be sure."

Removing his hand he felt disappointed. That the brother couldn't see what happened in the forest during her time as a prisoner. He wanted to understand what she went through. What Makar did. The chart created by the medical personnel that came in to assist her condition angered Aro. The torture extreme.

"You've been through quite an ordeal. Rest up, you deserved it."

"Aro," Kahlen called before he could leave the room. "I didn't tell them anything. They tried, but I held out. He means to move against Volterra."

The vampire actually appeared to give a genuine smile, "And for that, I thank you."

The next time the hunter awoke she found Jane standing at the end of the bed. For how long the witch twin had been there she didn't know, but the blonde was the last visitor she expected to see. Neither spoke as the seconds ticked by and they stared at one another. Kahlen was quite a sight to the vampire with a bruised jaw, busted lip, and remnants of a terrible black eye. Some blood vessels were still broken in the pupil. Jane knew it was much worse under the bandages and bed sheet, having seen her limp body in Demetri's arms when they raced back to Volterra. How she survived was baffling.

The hunter began to think the vampire wouldn't say a word and only stood there to look emotionless. Maybe even feel disappointed that her plan to leave the hunter for dead had not turned out the way she hoped.

"Is there something on my face, vampire?" Kahlen asked.

Surprisingly, the twin didn't bite back with an answer, thinking for a moment before saying, "I'm... sorry."

Kahlen blinked. Well, she hadn't expected that.

"I assumed you were just some human who thought herself to be all high and mighty, better than everyone else... Though I'm not any better, I know. But you're still mortal, so easily breakable, and the way you would carry yourself irritated me to no end because you don't belong here. We hunt humans and you hunt us. I always believed you would turn against us."

The vampire remembered what Aro told the Guard a few hours after visiting her.

"It appears I was wrong because you sacrificed yourself to save Demetri when he was down and allowed us a chance to escape. I left you behind... you weren't supposed to survive. You're stronger than I gave you credit for and managed to escape and led us to the last brother. No other human would do that to help us eliminate a target... not unless they were threatened."

"Is he dead?" Kahlen wondered. "Is Makar dead?"

Jane's brows narrowed. "He slunk back into the shadows. Their camp is abandoned... But we know they headed north."

Damn it.

They had been so close and now he was on the run again. The thought of him moving about struck a chord in her. She wanted him dead. Jane left moments later allowing her to rest. It was dark when Kahlen came too. A shadow sat to the left of her, just able to make out the shape of who it was.

"How long have you been there?"

His form shifted, attention solely on her. "Not long," Demetri answered. The hunter didn't believe him, yet dropped the subject. "You need to eat."

Dinner only consisted of soup broth, but was the best thing she'd eaten in months and consumed it without complaint as the vampire spoon fed her.

"Why didn't you kill Makar when you had the chance?" she asked when done.

"You're hearing must've been affected from your time behind enemy lines," he chuckled. "I thought I made myself clear when I said we were there for you."

"Why? Makar was within reach. Everything could have ended."

Demetri sat in thought for a moment on how to answer. To get it through the young woman's thick head that there was more to them being there than just ending the third brother's life.

"Yes, it could have ended. But that was not the mission in place. Everyone agreed to one goal at the present. If we reached it and the vampire revealed himself only then would we proceed to the next step. But Makar never made himself vulnerable to our attacks and we weren't about to rush in blindly. You being removed from that environment was the priority."

She went to protest when the tracker cut her off, "I believe that's something you struggle with. Working alone as a hunter and with your track record for never failing a mission you fail to realize that when working with others it's more than your own life that matters. Though you have your moments when you remember."

Kahlen blinked, rather surprised by his words.

"Think back to when you first joined us. When Felix and you went on a mission and came across your own kind. You could have left him to die, to either join up with your own or complete the mission by returning to Volterra when there was a distraction to allow you to escape. You didn't turn away from him in his time of need, but protected him. Which is why we came for you. What you fail to realize is that you have more friends and allies than you like to believe that would gladly put their own lives on the line so you survive."

"I..." she began, only to pause for a moment. "My life... isn't that important."

Demetri's expression darkened. "I am not sure who put that thought in your head, and I should rip out their throats for it, but you are wrong. You matter... to a lot of people, whether they are mutts, immortal, or mortal."

He reached forward, placing his hand over her own.

"This won't be the last we see of Makar, I'm sure of it. We're watching his movements carefully. But for now don't think about him. You are alive and we will make sure your health is restored."

Kahlen couldn't think of anything to say to counter his statement, feeling a bit overwhelmed by this information. This emotion completely new to her, but it felt like her head hummed, accepting the tracker's words. Through sore muscles the hunter turned her palm up and gripped his hand tighter. The young woman didn't need to say anything, the vampire knowing it was her way of thanking him.