17- Fire

                                    

                                          
**[Alex's POV]**
                          
I heard the shot before Melody's body was thrown into mine. Then the only thing I felt was fire. It tore through my chest in a millisecond, sweeping me off my feet. My mind retreated back into the instinct I'd fought so hard to escape.
                          
I'd been shot more times than I could count, but this was different. This was a hunter's bullet and it lodged inside me, radiating the worst pain I'd ever felt. My healing body sealed the sun inside my rib cage.
                          
The only two things in my world were agony and my angel's screaming body. I clutched her to my chest as hands grabbed me. They were stupid if they thought I was going to let them take her away from me.
                          
The first hunter howled as I broke his arm. Another reached for her from above us, intending to lift her off me. I launched him over us and he crumpled to the ground after sliding a couple feet. She was mine and I would die protecting her.
                          
As I fought, her delicate body curled against my chest. Trembling fingers gripped my shoulders as she cried out against my neck. Her warm breath rolled across my skin.
                          
My possessive growl tore out of me as I grabbed her in my arms, ready to take her far from here.
                          
"Stop him!" Marcus yelled. I wasn't surprised in the least that he'd work with the hunters to end me. He'd hated me from the second we met.
                          
A soft hand moved to my neck and it was like a blanket was thrown over my senses. The world around me dulled. The fading pain was a welcome relief, but I needed to get her to safety.
                          
Her worried face blurred before my eyes as she pushed me back onto the grass. I was putty in her hands.
                          
Relaxing waves of pure white energy flowed into me through her touch. Nothing had ever felt so pure.
                          
"What are you doing?" Her voice sounded so far away despite her body pressing against mine. It was laced with fear and pain. She needed me, even if she was the one stopping me.
                          
I struggled against her hands, but it was like the only time I'd ever tried to learn to swim. I could claw and kick as hard as my muscles would let me, but the second she whispered in my ear I was pulled back under.
                          
She crawled off me. Her hand never left my throat as she moved to sit directly behind me.
                          
Hands that were not hers ripped my vest off and my shirt in half. They felt the skin around my ribs. They were larger than hers, and I did not like them on me.
                          
"This is ridiculous." Markus snapped. "We should be killing him not saving him. He-"
                          
"Just shut the fuck up, Dad!" Melody screeched from above me, her voice sounding wild. "This is your fault-" Her distraction allowed me to reach for the man leaning over me.
                          
"Mel-"
                          
Her power washed over me stronger this time and my hand dropped to my stomach. 
                          
Dammit. 
                          
"It's okay..." Her voice was barely a whisper in my ear. When she spoke, it was all I could hear. Everything else just disappeared. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have run. I should've listened."
                          
That's a first. I thought and she let out a short, sniffled laugh.
                          
"Keep him under. I need to get it out." A man I didn't recognize said. He sounded young, and almost familiar. It was a raspy voice and reminded me of someone I couldn't think of. He looked like a dark blur over me.
                          
A dulled, but unmistakable pain sliced across my skin. My angel's hold on me struggled to keep me from taking the knife out of my attacker's hand and burying it in his heart. The pain multiplied when his arm plunged into my torso.