Craig smiled. “I understand your concern, but JD would never do that. We all have complete trust in him. Besides, if a trainer is ever suspected of abusing their position or a complaint is put in about him or her, there’s an investigation. If it’s found that they are then they are expelled from the vampire hunter society, stripped of their swords and evicted from their Sanctuary. Nobody from any hunter family would ever have anything to do with them ever again. No trainer will ever risk that.”
Craig dropped Sarah off and promised to call her as soon as he had an answer from JD. He wanted JD to agree more than he would ever admit, even to Sarah. He didn’t want her to become a hunter, but the training would do her a lot of good and he desperately wanted her to become part of that side of his life. He would do all he could to persuade JD to say yes, though he was not very hopeful. As far as he was aware, an outsider had never been trained before and he just hoped that JD would see this as a challenge.
As soon as he arrived home he headed toward JD’s office, but stopped when he heard JD’s voice coming from the lounge. “We’re in here.” Craig groaned. He had been hoping to talk to JD alone.
He walked into the lounge and had to suppress a shudder when he saw everyone was there waiting for him. It was going to be worse than he had feared.
“I don’t appreciate being lied to,” JD said. Craig sat down and placed his head in his hands. He really did not want to have this conversation, especially with everyone present, but JD’s comment meant he had no choice.
He moved his hands away from his face and focused on JD. “I haven’t lied. Sarah and I are just friends. Very good friends. Do I love her? Of course I do, but not in the way you think.”
Nobody reacted, so he continued. “I guess I am going to have to explain further. Before I do, I need you to promise me that what I tell you now never gets back to her.” He kept his voice low and even, knowing that if he let any emotion in he wouldn’t be able to continue.
He looked around the room, waiting for them all to nod their agreement. “I don’t know how much any of you remember about Alex dying, but I moved away for a few months. Most of you thought it was because I needed some space, but really it was because I had to stay with Sarah.”
He expected a sarcastic comment to come from Scott, but he remained silent. “Her friends kept an eye on her at work and she stopped going out. While in her house, I never let her out of my sight. I slept in her bed with her each night, I ate with her every evening and I even watched her while she bathed.”
He was looking at his hands, which were clasped in front of him, as he spoke. Now he looked up, focusing solely on JD once more. “Neither of us ever said the words, but we both knew it was a suicide watch. I truly believe that I kept her alive and she wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t made sure she never had the opportunity to kill herself. When two people go through something like that together, they form a bond that can never be broken or altered in any way, hence we can never be anything other than friends. Do you understand?”
The question was aimed at JD. While Craig wanted everyone present to accept his explanation, JD was the only one he needed to. He hadn’t lied to him since he had become his trainer and he didn’t want JD to think he had started now.
“I’m not sure I understand, but I believe you’re being honest with us,” he replied.
“Is she really that unstable?” Simon asked.
“Now, no. Then?” Craig shrugged his shoulders. “I wouldn’t use the word unstable. Lost maybe. She wasn’t depressed, she just saw no reason to go on living.”
“You said most of us thought you just needed space,” Katie said. “Who did you tell the truth to?”
“JD knew where I was, but not why. I told Doc everything and was in regular contact with him, for obvious reasons.”
“So let’s get this straight,” Scott said. “You have slept in her bed.”
“Yes.”
“You have seen her naked.”
“Yes.”
“Yet you haven’t laid a finger on her.”
“Correct.” Craig thought he knew where it was leading and Scott didn’t disappoint him.
“Are you gay?”
JD was not impressed by the comment. “Someone hit him for me.”
Katie did the honours, slapping him round the head hard enough for the sound to echo around the room while his mother glared at him.
Craig relaxed back into his chair. “Comments?” he asked. Scott opened his mouth, but, seeing the look on Silvia’s face, closed it again.
Nobody else wished to say anything so Craig took the opportunity to ask a question of his own. “So what do you think of her?”
The overall consensus was positive. They all liked her, even JD, though he kept his true feelings to himself.
“She’s good for you,” Silvia told him.
Craig began to relax as they discussed Sarah, but that changed as soon as Katie remembered something he had said at the start of the conversation.
“You said you don’t want us mentioning what you told us to Sarah. Does that mean you plan on bringing her here again?”
Craig tensed up and sat up straight. “Yeah, about that,” he said. “She asked me to train her.”
“You said no I hope,” JD immediately shot back.
“Of course I did.” Nerves began to set in and he suddenly wondered if he was doing the right thing. “I told her that if she wants to be trained, JD would have to do it.” He could not look at JD; he did not want to see his reaction.
JD stared at him, unable to believe what he had just heard. He desperately wanted to see this girl again and here was Craig handing her to him on a silver platter. There was no doubt in his mind that he would do as Craig was asking, but he needed the others to agree. And he knew just how to get them to. He did not like manipulating people, but he was good at it and sometimes needs must. He knew exactly what he had to say in order to make everyone agree to him training Sarah while believing it was their idea.
“I don’t have the time. The amount of time I would have to spend with her would mean dropping my one-on-ones with all of you down to just once a week. I might even have to see you in groups instead.”
Katie, Scott and Simon looked at each other, wondering who would be the first to speak.
“I don’t have a problem with that,” Simon eventually said.
“Me either,” Scott said.
“I’m prepared to make the sacrifice if it will make Craig happy,” Katie said, winking at him. All three made a mental note to thank Craig later. “I’m sure Jonathon will be on board as well.”
‘They are so predictable,’ JD thought.
Silvia offered no objections, so JD got Craig’s attention. “Answer me one question and answer with your head not your heart. If I train her, she will be risking her life facing vampires. If she goes with us, she may also be risking ours. So tell me this. Deep down, do you believe she will be a help or a hindrance.”
Craig didn’t need time to think about it. “Help.”
“You’ll have to get the okay from Doc.”
“Does that mean you will train her?”
“It means I’ll think about it.” With that JD stood up and left the room.
I’m going to enjoy bringing her into line
Jonathon arrived at the Sanctuary late the following morning and it didn’t take long to convince him to agree to let JD train Sarah, even though he had never met her.
“So I finally get to meet your girlfriend do I?” he asked, grinning at Craig.
Craig didn’t bother to correct him. He would be wasting his breath. “JD and Doc have yet to agree,” he said, then went in search of the latter.
He found him in his suite, expecting the visit. Silvia had already spoken to him and he didn’t make Craig wait long before giving his approval.
Next Craig made his way to the arena, but there was no sign of JD, so he tried his office. The door was closed, but when he knocked he was given permission to en
ter.
He took a seat opposite JD’s desk and informed him that both Jonathon and Doc had given their permission.
JD placed the document he had been reading down on his desk and focused his attention on Craig. He had considered talking to Doc to make sure he would agree, but had finally opted to let him decide as he saw fit. Had Doc made a different decision, JD would have done his best to change his mind.
“Will she fully commit to any training programme I develop for her?”
“Yes.” Craig knew Sarah well enough to know he was telling the truth.
“Alright, let me discuss it with her. Arrange for me to visit tomorrow evening.”
“Thank you,” Craig said as he left the room.
The following night, JD drove to Sarah’s house while Craig navigated. “She’s rather nervous,” he told JD, “so please go easy on her.”
The look JD gave him told him he would do whatever he needed to and going easy was definitely not on his agenda.
They pulled up outside and walked up to the front door, which Craig unlocked and let them in.
“It would have been polite to knock,” JD said, but Craig just shrugged.
“I never have before, even when Alex was still alive, so why would I start now?”
“Because I am with you. She might have liked a little warning.”
Craig grinned. “Where would be the fun in that?”
The house was small, but clean and tidy. Craig led JD past a door on the left, which JD assumed was a bedroom, and the lounge on the right, stopping in the kitchen.
There was no sign of Sarah and Craig was about to call out when she appeared from the back of the house, pulling up short in surprise when she spotted them.
“I wasn’t expecting you quite this early,” she said by way of greeting to Craig, then turned toward JD. “Thank you for coming. Please take a seat at the dining table. Tea or coffee?”
“Coffee, black, no sugar would be good.”
JD settled himself on one of the black high backed chairs while Craig found drinks mats and placed them on the table. The kettle boiled and soon Sarah was placing mugs in front of the two men before taking the seat opposite JD.
“So you want to become a vampire hunter,” JD said.
“No,” Sarah said. “I want to be trained. I’m under no illusions that I’ll ever be good enough to go on a hunt.”
The honesty of the comment took JD by surprise and he hid his reaction by taking a sip of his coffee. He winced and wondered if he could sue Sarah under the trade descriptions act. He had no idea what she had served him, but it was not what he would call coffee.
“So here is how this is going to work. I’m going to ask you questions and you are going to answer, truthfully and completely.” His tone told her it wasn’t up for discussion so she nodded her head. “Have you ever smoked?”
“No.”
“Drink alcohol?”
“Occasionally, but not excessively.”
“Drugs?”
“No.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
JD looked at her as he interrogated her, noting her reaction to each question. She sounded calm, but the way she was holding her hands out in front of her indicated that she was far from it. He could see in her face that she knew it was a test and she desperately wanted to pass it.
“Are you currently taking any prescription drugs?”
“Only the contraceptive pill.” He noted the lack of hesitation in answering. She obviously wasn’t shy about answering personal questions.
“Are you sexually active?”
Craig choked on his coffee, but Sarah didn’t react to the question; she merely stated, “Not since Alex died.” She said it coldly. It was a verbal slap in the face and JD knew it.
“Fitness level?”
“Could be better.”
“Ever had any serious illness or injury that I should know about?”
“No. Is this supposed to feel like an interrogation?”
“I ask the questions, not you.” It was said sternly, but not angrily. Sarah glanced at Craig, who so far had remained quiet. He gave her a ‘just go with it’ look, so she returned her attention to JD.
“Age?”
“Is that relevant?”
He looked at her, ignoring her question, and waited for her to answer. It wasn’t relevant at all, but he wasn’t going to tell her that.
“Twenty five,” she eventually said.
He continued asking questions; weight, height, others more personal, but she answered them all.
“What do you do for a living?”
“Computer programmer.”
“Usual work hours?”
“8 to 4, some late nights near code releases and occasional weekend work.”
As she had told him all he needed to know, and things he didn’t, he decided to set out the terms. He had already worked out how to fit her in without disrupting the others too much. It meant he would have very little free time to himself, but he didn’t mind if it meant spending time with Sarah.
“Alright. Training takes place at the Sanctuary. I will start you off with one hour sessions and slowly increase that to three hours as your fitness improves. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings and two sessions on Sundays. The only excuses for skipping a session that I will accept are work, sickness or family commitments. Agreed?”
“I can’t do any of those evenings,” she surprised him by saying.
JD looked at Craig. “I thought you said she would be dedicated.” It sounded like an accusation.
“Let her explain,” he said. He knew Sarah’s reasons and was confident JD would understand.
“I live with my friend Sally. Her husband used to beat her up. When she finally got the courage to leave him, I took her and her two year old son in. She has college Monday and Thursday evenings. I look after Tommy for her. I won’t let her down.”
JD couldn’t argue with that and made a mental note to have a quiet word with Craig when they were alone. He should have forewarned him.
“Alright. What’s wrong with Tuesdays?”
“That’s when I have my Korean sword lesson.”
“Surely you can drop that if JD is training you,” Craig said, but JD contradicted him.
“No, she should keep going with those. It will be good for her. They will teach her things that I don’t. So Wednesday, straight after work. I suggest you eat with us afterward.” She would be too tired to cook when she got home. It was also a good excuse to spend even more time with her. He would never admit this to anyone, but he had been quite pleased when Sarah had said she couldn’t do the evenings he had suggested. It gave him a good excuse to make her stay overnight at the Sanctuary.
“Friday night,” he continued. “You will stay over and attend the 5am session with the others, followed by a private lesson later in the morning. The two on Sunday still remain. I know that does not give you much time to see your family and friends, but sessions can be rearranged if required as long as you give me enough notice. Any questions?”
“Why 5am?”
It was Craig who answered. “We train at that time every morning. Well, every morning we’re at the Sanctuary anyway. Any later and one of us might not get to work on time.”
“Every morning?” Sarah asked. Craig nodded his head. “But I only have to do one a week?”
“For now, yes,” JD said. He was watching her closely as he answered and could see she wasn’t pleased with the ‘for now.’ “Anything else?”
“What do I wear?”
“Anything that’s comfortable but won’t impede your movement. Let Craig go through your wardrobe; he’ll find something suitable.”
“When do we start?”
“This Wednesday, 6pm. Craig will give you directions and the code to the gate. Sarah, two more things. Firstly, lateness will not be accepted and will be punished unless you have a very good excuse. Secondly, you will do everything I tell you. If not, your training stops.�
� He waited for her to argue, but she didn’t.
“I’ll pick you up at 5.15 on Wednesday,” Craig said.
“Why? I can get myself there.” She did not like the way he grinned at her.
“Trust me. After your first lesson you won’t want to be driving yourself home.”
“Anything else before we go?” JD asked.
“Just one thing. What do I call you?”
The question confused him. “My friends, family and colleagues call me JD, everyone else calls me Mr Albery. Take your pick.”
“Sorry, that doesn’t work for me.” JD raised his eyebrows. “I can’t take orders from someone I call JD and there is no way in hell I’m going to call you Mr Albery. What does JD stand for?”
“Jason David. But nobody ever calls me that.”
“Jason will do.”
JD looked across at Craig. “You didn’t warn me she was so strong willed.”
Craig was worried. Very worried. He wouldn’t let something as simple as JD’s name stop him training Sarah and he could not understand what her issue was. “Sarah, if you want him to train you, you have to obey his orders. That includes calling him what he wants to be called.”
“No, it’s okay,” JD said. “I can live with being called Jason if I have to.” From an early age he had stopped people calling him Jason, even his mother, but somehow it felt right having Sarah do so. “I can see this is going to be a challenge. I’m going to enjoy bringing her into line.”
The comment made Craig go pale. “Not like you did Scott I hope.”
JD smiled, understanding his concern. “No. Scott I needed to break fast. I can take my time with Sarah.” He turned his attention back to her. “Now do you have any more unreasonable questions or requests or can I go home?”
Sarah smiled at him. “No, that’s it, for now. Thank you for agreeing to do this. It means more to me than you probably realise.”
“Just don’t make me regret it. I’ll show you some leniency as you’re an outsider, but don’t try to push me too far or your lessons will be over. Understand?” When she nodded he stood up and looked at Craig. “I’ll be waiting in the car. Don’t make me wait too long.”
Vampire Hunters, #1 Page 4