A/N: College is going great guys! I'm taking an intro to libraries course right now that's a lot of fun and next semester I'm doing psychology and sociology and stuff. But what I'm really excited for is fall 2012 I'm taking a course called "Children's Literature." I'm hoping for lots of Disney-Esq. material!

On another note, I created a Facebook Page for hawkstar2 :) I will post updates, sneak peeks to chapters, and other news concerning writing and books that seem interesting/are interesting to me! It'd mean the world to me if you have a Facebook and liked my Page! Well, I mean, not as much as the fantabulous support and everything I get from you guys here, but you get what I mean ;)

Disclaimer: I'm not James Patterson.

Chapter Eleven: The Hunt

Max POV

We must have fallen asleep or something because the next thing I knew I was opening my eyes and the crest of the sun was blooming over the horizon.

I rolled up onto my elbow and knelt down to kiss Fang's cheek, "I miss this, waking up next to you. Do you remember how many times we would be the only ones awake in the morning and could just sit there and watch the sun come up?"

Fang blinked awake; "Yeah, and the peace and quiet." He turned to look at me, both of us sitting up now.

"We should probably head back sometime soon, Max. The kids will get antsy if you're not back."

I grunted, "Really? I don't want to go back right now, that would mean confronting Dylan, whom I really do not want to deal with right now."

"What's going on between you and him right now anyways?"

"Nothing. Nothing has been going on between me and anyone recently except my bed."

"Oh…he just seemed really, I don't know, territorial about you."

"That's because he thinks we are getting together sometime soon because you decided to play hide and don't seek forever." Low blow I knew it, but maybe it would tempt him to stay…

"Well, then what's going to happen if I stay with the Flock?"

"What do you mean 'if' you stay? You're here now, you have to stay Fang, I can't lose you again!" I was getting dizzy, this was way too much at too early of an hour, especially after I just woke up. I hate surprises.

"Well, I mean, I don't know how long and if I can stay here. I only came because you were on the hunt for me apparently—"

"What do you mean that's the only reason you came back! You mean the only significance behind any of this is that you were trying to pacify me? You spineless jerk!"

I leapt up and began to brush the sand off of my pants, jacket, hair, and everywhere else that was covered like chicken pox. No way was I going to fall for this again. If he doesn't want to be back to be with me and the Flock, then screw it.

"Max wait!"

I spun around, "What, Fang? Are you going to drop another bomb shell on me? Let me take a guess, you already have a girlfriend and just came back to break it to me that we are officially through? Bring it, nothing can be worse than what I've already assumed."

"Well, truth is…"

Dylan POV

It took me a little while to locate Max and Fang, but I eventually found them in the desert together. Seeing Max laying on him like a freaking body pillow was enough to raise bile in my throat, but I let them sleep. I'll come back later and watch them from afar, any sudden movements by Fang and I'll slice his throat.

~4 ½ hours later~

"…We are officially through!" Max's shrill yell could be heard 100 yards away where I was crouching behind a small sand dune.

My heart skipped a beat. I had to get home now! She and the doom of gloom man were officially over and now was my chance to have Max all mine for the rest of my life!

I stood up quickly and shook out my wings to rid the sand out of my feathers when my raptor-like vision saw something that made my skin crawl.

Fang POV

This was it, it was no or never;

"Well, truth is, I need you Max. I want you to come with me, and together we can overthrow whatever evil 'mastermind' there is that plans on destroying us all. If you agree we can use the blog and gather up a group of supporters, I already have thousands ready and willing to help. I know you don't think it will work but weigh in the possibility that NONE of our Flock will be harmed at all. We can leave them with your mom or even under government protection in an underground air hanger bunker thing like what they have out in Kansas or wherever that was. We can save the world together, Max, and then when it's all said and done our family will be safe and we can go on living our normal lives without worrying about scientists or experiments, or anything! We can do it together Max."

My heart was racing, palms were sweating, and head was spinning from standing too fast and delivering my speech to Max. Contemplation was running through her eyes like fireworks. My entire life hung by a moment in time, whether or not she would come with me and practically abandon the Flock for their own good, or if she would stick by their side and say 'Screw you.' I could honestly picture a more realistic outcome with the later of the two, but I was pressing all of my hope for the first, for her own good, the Flock's, and mine.

Tears emerged in the corners of her eyes and her lips quivered, I'd done it, Max was mine, the Flock was safe, and Dylan was going to disappear forever.

"Fang, I don't know what to say…we of course have to talk to everyone about it and you know as well as I do that none of them will go for it, but all I want is to be with you again."

I reached out to take both of her hands in mine, I squeezed her palms and began to draw her into me when all of a sudden I felt a searing sensation in my bicep, then another second later I felt the same sensation blow through my shoulder at an awkward angle and bury itself deep into me, near my back wing area.

Blood poured out of my right side like a river of blackness as I slowly processed what had just happened. Generally when I get shot it doesn't hurt me as much as it pisses me off, but there was something different about this time…

"Fang? FANG! OH MY GOD NO! NO! WHAT IS THIS! WHO'S THERE! SHOW YOURSELF YOU COWARD!" Max's penetrating shrieks were deafening as she lunged forward to grab my body before I hit the earth.

"Hey guys, guess the party's over, huh?" my blurred vision and selective hearing were strong enough yet to register my attacker as he began to close in on the two of us.

"I always knew there was another reason I hated you." I spat out my words to Dylan and then lost all connections to this world.

A/N: Check out my Facebook page (link's on my profile or here: .com/pages/Hawkstar2/281049238601362) to get any upcoming info for next chapter! Take care, keep reading!

~hawkstar2