“After dinner, tell us everything you know,” he said. “We’ll then fill in any gaps. If there are too many, Craig will pay the price.”
“Why me? You’re her boyfriend and her trainer. Why are you holding me responsible for telling her everything?”
“Because you’re the one who decided to start telling her things in the first place. You need to learn that if you’re going to do something, do it properly.”
————————————-∞————————————-
Sarah was nervous as JD pulled up against the gate of Sanctuary 12 and rang the buzzer. He knew the code to get in, but it was impolite to open the gate himself, unless it was an emergency. It was the first time she was going to be formally introduced to any other hunters and she wasn’t sure how she was going to be treated. On top of that, Katie’s comment about her becoming a legend had made her feel very uncomfortable.
“What’s wrong?” JD asked. She had hardly spoken during the journey.
“I’m worried that people are expecting too much of me and that I will be a disappointment.”
He placed his hand over hers. “The hunters here want to meet you, not judge you. This is part of your training, not a test.” Then he smiled at her. “Besides, how can you ever disappoint anyone?”
The door of the Sanctuary was standing open as JD pulled up in front of it. A tall, fit man of about forty was standing in the doorway.
Sarah and JD retrieved their swords from the boot of the car and placed them in the scabbards on their backs. For safety reasons everyone had to be dressed in their hunting suits, even those playing the parts of vampires.
“Good to see you JD,” the man said and shook JD’s hand.
“Jeff, this is Sarah. Sarah, meet Jeff, trainer at 12.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said as he shook her hand. “Are you as good as the rumours claim?”
“We’re about to find out,” she said.
Jeff laughed. “Come on in. You can meet my team later. They’re already in the basement, taking up positions. Where are the others?” he asked JD.
“On their way. Scott’s driving so they probably got lost.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a car could be heard moving down the driveway.
The layout of the building was very much like 14. Jeff led them directly to the stairs and down to the lower level, where there were a number of doors. One would lead to the arena, another to the basement training area.
Jeff took them first to the control room. There were monitors everywhere, but none were switched on. “This is where JD and I will be controlling the exercise. Each screen shows a camera in a different room. We’ll be able to see everything that goes on so if anyone gets injured we can send someone to them. We will also be calling out the kills. Everyone is issued with trackers so we know who is who. When you hear your name called, stay where you are and someone will lead you out.”
“You said ‘when’ not ‘if’. Is it a foregone conclusion that I’m going to fail?”
“It’s not a test,” Jeff said, “so you can’t fail. However, other than JD, nobody has ever survived their first time in there. It’s going to be interesting to see how long you last.”
“Don’t worry,” JD said, seeing the look on her face. “You’ll be fine.”
“I was kind of hoping you would be in there with me.”
“Tough.” He kissed her, turned her around and pushed her from the room. “Switch everything on,” he told Jeff. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
The others were waiting in the corridor, eager to get started. “Stick by me to begin with,” Craig said to Sarah. “It’s quite scary the first time you go in, but you soon get used to it.”
“How many are in there?” she asked.
“We don’t know. It depends on how many from 12 were free to take part. Probably around half a dozen so we should be evenly matched.”
“Ready?” JD asked. Everyone nodded. “Then go have fun.” He opened a door in front of him. It was pitch black inside. Sarah took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway. Once everyone was in, JD closed the door and Sarah could no longer see anything.
“You didn’t tell them,” Jeff said when JD re-entered the control room.
“What? That Sanctuary 5 have sent over hunters as well? No. I didn’t. I wanted it to be a nice surprise for them. They’re getting overconfident and I thought facing at least twice as many enemies as they were expecting might dent their egos a bit. I’ll be surprised if anyone survives this.”
He took a seat and looked at the monitors. He could see hunters from 12 and 5, all heavily armed, waiting for their victims to arrive. He focused on the screen which showed his own people and saw Craig reach out, run his hand down Sarah’s arm and give her hand a reassuring squeeze.
Jeff looked across at JD and raised an eyebrow. “He does know we’re watching him, doesn’t he?” He was concerned that JD was seeing another man be intimate with his girlfriend.
“Of course he does. He’s just trying to calm her down. They’ve been friends for a long time and he can probably still read her better than I can.”
They continued to watch the screen as a quick discussion went on in the entranceway. Then they saw the hunters from 14 draw their swords and separate, breaking off into pairs, each team heading in a different direction.
Craig led Sarah to a door. He had trained there many times and could remember most of the layout. “There’s likely to be someone inside,” he whispered to her. “As soon as I open the door, step back in case they spring out at you.”
She nodded and braced herself.
Craig eased the door open, waited a moment then touched her arm, letting her know it was time to go in.
Sarah could see nothing, but as she looked sightlessly around the room, she could feel another presence. She could hear breathing. She could sense Craig next to her, walking slowly forward, so she kept pace. “We’re not alone,” he said in a hushed voice.
“There are two,” she whispered. “At least.”
Then she heard the swish of a sword as Craig engaged an attacker. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise and suddenly flipped her sword over and stabbed backward, straight into the stomach of the man who was creeping up behind her. She hoped she hadn’t injured him and that his suit had provided enough protection.
He cried out and she spun around, sword outstretched, stopping just before it connected with her attacker’s neck.
“You’re dead Justin,” JD’s voice echoed around the room.
“That was impressive,” Jeff said in the control room. JD didn’t comment; he was too engrossed in watching Sarah’s next move.
Sarah could hear Craig still fighting nearby and tried to block out the sounds as she listened for anyone else in the room.
She sensed rather than heard something coming toward her and ducked just in time. She felt the air moving her hair as a bat sailed over her head. She sliced her sword across her attacker’s stomach. If her sword had been live and he hadn’t been wearing a hunting suit, the wound would have been fatal.
“You’re dead Stuart,” Jeff’s voice rang out, “and you Helen,” he added as Craig made his kill.
Craig couldn’t see Sarah, but had heard her fighting and the silence that now filled the room told him she had won. “Three nil,” he said. “This will soon be over.”
Jeff and JD flicked their eyes to the other monitors and could see fighting going on in other areas. Scott was taking on two attackers and was holding his own, so far. Then something hard hit his arm and he lost all feeling in his hand. His sword dropped to the floor and he felt himself grabbed from behind. His second attacker took hold of his head and pulled it sideways, exposing his neck. It was the perfect killing position for a vampire.
“Scott, you’re dead.”
‘Three one,’ Sarah thought as the words rang through the basement.
She and Craig continued moving. Fighting was happ
ening in different areas and names kept being called out. Sarah wasn’t the only one keeping count. When it reached seven two, she heard Craig say, “That should be it. The lights will come on now,” but they didn’t. Instead an attack came from the side, knocking Craig to the ground. Sarah slashed forward with her sword, narrowly missing Craig’s head as he started to rise. She blocked the bat that was travelling downward, allowing Craig to roll out of the way. He sprang to his feet and performed the killing stroke.
“Kathy, you’re dead.”
“Shit,” Craig exclaimed. He had been noting the names as they were called out and his suspicions were now confirmed. “Sanctuary 5 is here as well.”
“Very good,” Sarah heard a woman’s voice say.
“How many?” Craig asked her.
“I’m not going to tell you that.”
“Sarah, keep your wits about you. There are at least another four hunters from 5 and 12 down here, maybe more.”
Seeing that there were no more attackers in the room that Craig and Sarah were in, JD switched his attention to another screen.
“Oh this is going to be interesting,” he said when he worked out who was in the room.
“Why?” Jeff asked. He glanced at the screen JD was monitoring and saw Jane and Simon’s names.
“They’re dating,” JD said.
Simon sensed that someone had just entered the room and he remained motionless, trying to work out exactly where they were. He heard footsteps. They were soft, telling him it was a woman who was trying to creep up on him. He suddenly span around, grabbed her and pulled her to the ground.
“Ow,” she cried out as he landed on top of her.
He pulled back in surprise. “Jane? What are you doing here?”
“Killing you,” she said, leant forward and bit his neck hard enough to leave a mark.
“Simon you’re dead,” Jeff called out, his voiced filled with laughter.
“He’s never going to live that one down,” JD said. “I can’t wait to tell everyone what just happened.”
Simon stood up and pulled Jane to her feet. “That hurt,” he said as he rubbed his neck.
“I’m sure I can make it up to you later.” She kissed him then ran off, looking for her next victim.
‘Eight three,’ Sarah thought to herself. Other than her and Craig, only Jonathon was left alive.
Fighting continued and somehow she got separated from Craig. Names continued to be called. The score reached twelve three before she heard Jonathon’s name called out.
She continued moving, knowing it wasn’t safe to stay in one place. From out of nowhere, someone charged at her, tackling her to the ground. She managed to keep hold of her sword and brought the hilt down hard onto her attacker’s temple. She felt him slump and rolled the unconscious body off her. Then she reached for him and felt along his body until she found his neck. She had no idea how hard she had hit him and sank to the ground in relief when she felt a strong pulse.
“Kevin is out of the game,” Jeff announced, then JD took the microphone.
“Don’t worry Sarah, he’ll be fine. We will get someone to him. Keep moving.”
She got to her feet and started walking once more as Jeff called for a medical team to be sent to room two.
“Where are you going?” Jeff asked as JD grabbed some night vision goggles and headed for the door.
“It’s nearly over so I’m going to have some fun with Sarah.”
“Are you going to help her or attack her?”
“What do you think?”
“That is just plain evil,” Jeff called after him as he left the room.
JD put on the goggles and entered the basement. He knew exactly where he had last seen Sarah and where she was going and headed straight there.
“Jane, you’re dead,” he heard Jeff call out as he made his way through the dark and silent rooms.
As soon as he entered the room she was in he drew his sword. He saw her stiffen. She had heard him. He slowly moved closer to her, his footsteps making as little noise as possible. She didn’t move. He could see her tilting her head as she listened for him.
Then he saw her relax. She was preparing herself for a fight. He was approaching her from behind and slashed down at her head. He was in complete control and could stop his weapon’s descent before it hit her if he needed to. He doubted he would.
She span around and blocked. “Hi honey. Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be watching the monitors?” she said. There was no hint of surprise in her voice. She had known it was him the minute he stepped into the room.
“I wanted to have some fun. Besides, it’s almost over.” He attacked again and she successfully blocked. The hours they had spent sparring while she was blindfolded had taught her to react instinctively based on what she was hearing and feeling.
“Are you wearing goggles?” she asked as she launched her own attack, narrowly missing him.
“Of course.”
“That’s hardly fair.”
“When have I ever been fair?”
He heard Jeff announce another kill and was a little disappointed. Craig had managed to defeat the last ‘vampire’ so the game was over. JD himself didn’t count.
But the lights did not come on.
Jeff ordered someone to get Craig then sent out a message that everyone should come to the control room. He continued to watch JD and Sarah fight.
It didn’t take long for most of the hunters who had taken part to arrive to see what he wanted. “Watch this,” he said and switched all monitors to show the same scene.
“How the hell is she doing that?” someone asked.
“Practice,” Scott said. He was holding his arm. It wasn’t broken, but hurt as though it was.
“JD has made her fight blindfolded a lot,” Jonathon said. “They’ve fought so often she’s beginning to be able to predict what his next move will be.”
“Also, he’s holding back,” Craig said. “If she could see he would be attacking a lot faster and more aggressively.”
“I thought she was his girlfriend,” one of the hunters from 12 said. “How can he bring himself to attack her like that?”
“He’s getting her ready for her first hunt. Do you know a better way?”
JD could see Sarah was beginning to tire. He had expected Jeff to have switched the lights on by now and was wondering why he hadn’t.
He moved forward as he attacked once more, making Sarah back up. “The wall is just behind you,” he said.
“I know.”
On her next block, she didn’t keep her arm as rigid as she had been, allowing him to push her sword back just enough that she could feel how far away the wall was. He was impressed. It was a move that told her her location without compromising her safety.
On his next attack, instead of stepping back and hitting the wall, she stepped forward, letting go of her sword with one hand and slipping her arm around his waist, while blocking with the other.
He knocked her sword arm down, removed his goggles, then encircled her with his arms. “That was fun,” he said before kissing her deeply.
Jeff hastily switched the monitors off. “Show’s over,” he said. He gave JD and Sarah a few minutes of privacy before switching the lights on.
Everyone congregated in the dining room for refreshments and a debrief. The hunter Sarah had hit had regained consciousness, but was still in the medical unit under observation.
“Well done to Craig and Sarah for staying alive,” Jeff said once he managed to get everyone to be quiet.
“You or JD could have mentioned that hunters from 5 were here as well,” Craig said. “That was a pretty low move.”
“Where would be the fun in that?” JD asked.
“Most of you did well today,” Jeff said. “Though there are a few exceptions. Harry. You could have broken Scott’s arm. I know we’re supposed to make it realistic, but please show some control next time.”
Harry appeared unrepentant. “JD said to be aggressi
ve.”
“You really set us up didn’t you brother dearest,” Jonathon accused JD.
“Yes, I did,” he said. “I wanted to push you lot as well as Sarah. And it looks like we have some things to work on. Like not exposing your neck to a vampire, no matter who she is,” he said, glaring at Simon, who quickly looked away.
“And I would like to know,” Jeff took over, “how 14 managed to beat both 5 and 12 when they were vastly outnumbered and didn’t have the advantage of night vision.”
“Skill?” Jonathon suggested.
“Don’t get cocky,” JD reprimanded him. “Jeff recorded everything and I will be going through the footage to highlight the mistakes each of you made. I don’t care if technically you won, you should have won a lot quicker and with a lot less casualties.”
Jonathon ignored the fact that he was getting a dressing down in public. “So Jeff recorded everything did he?” he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.
JD turned to Jeff. “When did you switch the system off?”
Jeff looked away. “I may have called everyone into the control room so they could watch you and Sarah fight.”
“Good. I hope it taught them all something.”
“It certainly taught us all something about you,” someone said not quite quietly enough.
“When exactly did you switch off?” JD asked coldly.
“As soon as it was obvious the fight was over. I swear.”
“I think I’ll be watching the end of that recording before you let anyone else see it,” JD said. “Just to make sure.”
I killed someone today
One Wednesday night, a few weeks later, JD had to work late. The opposing council were exploiting a loophole in the law that he and his colleagues had to find a way to close fast.
Everyone voted to skip training and have some fun; not that anyone was going to mention that to JD unless he asked. After dinner they decided to relax and watch a film.
Jonathon sat down on the sofa next to Sarah and put his arm around her.
“What do you want?” she asked suspiciously.
“Nothing. I just thought I should point out that now you’re sleeping with my brother, that makes you more or less my sister-in-law.”
Vampire Hunters, #1 Page 25