Hunter of the Dark by J A Graham

did this to you?” Tanitha said, venting her anger into her words.
    “ Is my bloody kai ready, woman?” Clifton’s voice rang loud and clear throughout the house. Tanitha looked from the door, back to Christian.
    “ You’ve gotta get out of here.” Christian whispered. “If he catches you here…”
    His voice trailed off, leaving the phrase hanging in the air. Stubbornness, the same stubbornness Tanitha had been born with, made her push her chin forward determinedly, her eyes flashing coldly.
    “I am not leaving you like this, Chris…”
    “ Please, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
    “ I won’t, Chris. I love you and I’m not letting go.”
    Tanitha’s eyes widened. Had she really just said that? She felt horrified and stared at Christian, waiting to see what his response was. But he said nothing, merely looked her over, seeing for the first time a lost, scared little girl who had never been in this position before. He sighed, with a slight smile on his handsome face.
    “Come then, but for God’s sake, be quiet. ”
    Tanitha nodded. She followed Christian up some stairs, as badly littered as the front porch.
    The room she entered was small, but well kept. She immediately noted that it was nothing like she had expected a guy’s room to be. Everything was so tidy and all that adorned the pale pastel blue walls was a poster of the All Blacks, New Zealand’s favourite rugby team, and a photo of…
    She couldn’t believe it. It was a photo of her.
     

Chapter Eleven
     
    Tanitha looked at Christian curiously as he shut the door softly, so as to not take a sound, then as he turned to her. He noticed what she had been looking at and gave a weak half smile.
    “ Why?”
    He stuttered and actually had the grace to blush. Then, unable to find any words, he sat down on his bed and cradled his head with his hands. Tanitha came and sat down beside him. She picked up a silver locket, intricately carved and woven so it resembled a heart. Christian smiled at her.
    “It’s yours, if you want it.”
    Tanitha was shocked. She didn’t know what to say so she merely slipped the locket into the pocket of her jeans before looking back at Christian.
    “I really should be fixing up those wounds.” She said, glancing at the blood on his t-shirt that she hadn’t noticed before. He nodded.
    “ Take your top off.” He did so and she noted the bandage on his arm, the source of the bleeding. She wandered into the adjoining bathroom and dampened a flannel before returning. She entwined the piece of cloth around her hands before reseating herself beside him. She stroked the blood away carefully, lovingly, and then moved her way slowly up to the bandage.
    “ I’m going to have to take this off.”
    Christian winced but didn’t say anything. Tanitha’s hands reached up, trembling, to encompass the bandage and remove it, slowly for it seemed to be sticking with the warmth of the blood. Inch by painful inch she unwrapped it until she reached his skin, her touch still feather-light. The closeness sent shivers down her spine but upon viewing the arm she instantaneously shuddered back with revulsion. Christian turned his head away from her.
    “How did this happen?”
    Her voice was as calm and soft as her touch as she reached up to bathe the edges of the wound with warm water. An image of Seleena flashed into her mind.
    “You got bitten, didn’t you?”
    He looked up at her, nodding. She noted the paleness of his skin where the bandage had been sitting in contrast to the tan he gained from being outdoors.
    “How long ago?”
    “ A few months back.”
    “ Shouldn’t it have healed by then?”
    Christian shrugged.
    “You should go see a doctor.” Tanitha stated in a matter-of-fact manner. Christian stood up.
    “ No.” He said coldly.
    Suddenly the door swung open, slamming against the wall and Clifton’s angered face was there.
    “Who the hell is she?!” He yelled. Tanitha made herself look as small as possible,