I walk behind the Hybrid and take a hold of the stake. I fix my eyes on theirs - concentrating mostly on Sam's - and pull the stake out. Instantly the Hybrid is awake, his eyes white and menacing with a blood red ring around them. His teeth, long and sharp, are clearly noticeable to everyone on the other side of the glass wall. He's snapping at them, at me, and struggling to get free. I see the others take a step back.
"Don't worry, he can't get free. Even if he did, he can't get out of this room."
"Ana, you're in there with him! If he gets free, he could kill you!"
"Amanda, I'm the one that brought him here." So annoying to have people still questioning my abilities. But, I have to remember that all of this is so new to them. "He won't get free," I repeat, deliberately softening my tone. I look at Sam, who is standing so close to the glass and examining the Hybrid the best he can from the other side.
"Do you believe me now?"
"All of this can be faked," he says without looking at me. "And, if it is real, the police are the ones to handle this. Not you or the rest of these kids."
"Police? What exactly do you think cops can do against these things?"
"We take care of bad guys all the time, Ana. What makes them any different?"
I take a millisecond to take in the sensation hearing him say my name gave me. Then, keeping my gaze fixed on Sam, I lift the gun, point it at the Hybrid and shoot him directly between the eyes. With considerable effort, I ignore the instant throbbing in my own head, and attribute it to the blast of the gun.
"Jesus! Are you insane? You just shot…"
Whatever else Sam is going to say is drowned out by the hisses and snarls coming from the Hybrid. Talk about being pissed off. I suppose I would be pissed, too, if someone shot me in the head.
"Cops and their guns are useless, Sam. The only ones that can fight these things are Hunters." I gesture to those around him. "These Hunters."
"You can't expect me to just sit back and let you put these kids' lives in danger!"
"You're right. I don't expect you to 'just sit back'. You are a Hunter, as well," I pause and let that sink into his thick head. "Cursed Ones know what Hunters are, Sam. If you don't let these guys train and learn how to protect themselves, it's not me who will be putting them in danger. It's you."
We all sit around the table in the dining room. Obviously I'm not going to be able to put this off until tomorrow as I had hoped. Everyone is chattering all at once, talking about the Hybrid and how cool it was to be a Hunter. I wonder if they're still going to feel that way when they find out what they're going to have to do to get prepared.
"Let's get started," I call over the chitchat, and everyone quiets. "We have a lot to cover and not a lot of time. We will spend an hour or so tonight going over some basics, then go to bed. Tomorrow, we will begin training."
"I think perhaps we should all just get some rest tonight," Sam starts. He was - shock - pacing. I can tell his mind is reeling from what he just saw.
"That isn't up to you, Sam," I say. I keep my voice level, but not timid. There is power behind it. He will not try to take over. "I'm in charge here."
"You? You're just a...kid."
I'm not sure if it is just me, or if he really did stumble a bit on the word 'kid'. Either way, I didn't like it.
"Fine. Tell me what you know about Cursed Ones." I cross my arms, sit back in my chair and wait.
"They're vampires, right? So, sunlight can kill them, and we stock up on Holy Water, crucifixes, stakes and…"
"That's enough," I cut him off, irritated. If I wasn't so tired, I'd probably laugh at him. "First, if you weren't paying attention in the training room, let me refresh your memory. Stakes do not kill Cursed Ones. They incapacitate them, which is very helpful, but not kill." I pause as I watch his brows knit. It seems like, for the first time, Detective Sam Logan doesn't have all the answers. I decide not to make this even worse for him, and address the room.
"All of you are going to have to forget what you've learned about vampires from books and movies. Sunlight does not make them sparkle or burn. At best, the sun will diminish their abilities, but not by much. Definitely not enough to let your guard down. Holy water and crucifixes will do nothing, so just forget that. Garlic is just silly, unless you want to give them bad breath for when they bite you. Am I missing any clichés?"
"Do they really bite your neck and drain your blood?" Amanda asks quietly.
"Yes. That is truth. Though it doesn't necessarily have to be the neck."
"If stakes don't work, what does?" Zac asks.
"You must either behead it or set it on fire. But, unless you plan to carry a flame-thrower with you, we'll stick with beheading using swords."
Amanda and the other girls shiver. The boys appear to be thinking about this like a video game.
"Um, I don't know how to use a sword. And, other than Frick and Frack over there, I'm sure none of us do." Jenna, the cheerleader, smacks her gum and looks incredibly bored on the outside. Inside, I could hear her heart pounding, and I saw a faint film of sweat on her brow under her impossibly blonde bangs. Her ice blue eyes also gave away just how scared she is. Good. She's taking this more seriously than she's letting on.
"You will. All of you will." I turn to 'Frick and Frack" - the fencing twins better known by their names Eric and Emily. "I hope that I can count on you two to help me teach the others when it comes to learning how to fight with a sword. However, you must remember that what we'll be using is nothing like your epée."
"We'll do what we can," Eric says quietly. He and his sister are both quiet and speak mainly to each other. I often wonder if it's because they were Asian and their English is a bit flawed. But, after Jenna's comment I don't blame them for keeping to themselves. Be that as it may, I've seen them compete in fencing. They're very good, and intensely passionate when challenged.
"Thank you." I turn back to the group. They're so unsure of themselves. Growing up as a Hunter, we were told everyday how needed we were. And, if you happened to possess skills like my parents, or even I did, you were praised above all others. I don't think any of these kids grew up thinking they were needed at all. "Each of you possess a quality within you that makes you excel at what you do," I start, and turn my attention to Jenna. "Jenna, you are an exceptional tumbler. It's what makes you a great cheerleader."
"Uh, the best," she corrects - still smacking her gum.
"It's also what will help you become a great Hunter," I continue, ignoring her interruption. "Hand to hand combat is inevitable. Your gymnastics ability will prove to be instrumental in your ability to evade death."
Jenna stops smacking her gum.
"Jeremy," I say, addressing the six foot two, 200 pound quarterback. "Your brute strength and ability to think in stressful situations are your qualities. It's what makes you a great leader on the football field. If you find yourself under attack, your Hunter instinct to think quickly will keep you alive."
Jeremy puffs his enormous chest out, and I believe he's twitching his pecks beneath his shirt.
"Eric and Emily," I grin. "I think you two know what your greatest asset is. You two are amazing fencers. I see no reason for that not to carry over into the new swords you will be training with." My smile warms as I turn to Zac. "Zac."
"Let me guess, my ability is charm," he says with a smirk.
"Kind of," I chuckle. "Your true abilities are that you are cunning, tenacious and you have a ferocity in you that makes you who you are. It is your love and loyalty for your friends and family that, I think, would have you doing anything to protect them."
"I like that," he says, softly, and blushes slightly.
"I don't have any skills, Ana," Amanda says nervously. "I mean, I'm not a cheerleader or fencer. I don't really do anything."
I beam at her. "That is where you're wrong, Amanda. You possess the most powerful ability of all. The ability to retain all of these abilities."
"Shut up! I do not!"
"You do
. You've already demonstrated your skills in accuracy with the knife. I have no doubt that you will excel in weapons training. I've been shopping with you, so I've seen your finesse in acrobatics and thinking under pressure, not to mention your strength." I'm teasing her about the shopping, but in reality it was true. When she wants something, no one better stand in her way. "And, the most important capability that both you and Sam hold, is being able to discern between good and evil."
"What do you mean?" It's the first time Sam has spoken since I squashed his theory on vampires.
"You're young, Sam. One of the youngest to make detective. Correct?"
"Yeah, I guess."
I think my acknowledging his accolades makes him uncomfortable. Cute.
"Have you ever wondered how you did that?"
"I'm good at what I do."
"Yes, you are. But, have you ever just stopped and thought about why you're good at what you do?"
He opens his mouth, then closes it again.
"Most people don't question their success," I say, hoping not to make him feel even more awkward. "When you're out there patrolling the streets, do you ever feel drawn somewhere or to someone?"
Sam's brows furrow. "Sometimes," he says, slowly.
"That's the Hunter in you," I explain. "If by chance you come across someone who means no harm, but is maybe hungry, so he steals a candy bar or something, you let him go. Right?"
"It's not right to steal," he responds in his cop voice, glancing at the others. "But, yes, I've done that before."
"And, when it's someone who does mean harm, you feel that in the pit of your stomach?"
"It's called a gut reaction."
"It's called being a Hunter," I counter. "Gut reactions can go either way, but yours are always correct. Each of you felt that reaction when you walked into the training area, didn't you?" I pause while each of them thought about it. Yeses were mumbled by each, with a 'man, I thought that was just cramps or gas' from Jenna. "But, you, Sam, you felt it in your core. Deeper than the rest. So did Amanda."
Sam looks briefly at Amanda and she nods.
"You can sense them," I say. And, as I do, I realize how scared I am that they, at some point, will begin to sense me. "You have no idea how instrumental that will be out there."
"And, how about you? What are your abilities, Ana?"
Again, there's a strange sensation that washes over me when he says my name. I shrug it off, refusing to be distracted by anything.
I smile at him. "You'll just have to wait and see."
There is no sign of Bernard today at school. To my utter relief - and maybe just a small bit of annoyance - Mr. Galloway is back to himself. The curriculum is also back to the 'boring' stuff much to the others' chagrin. I'm just glad no one questioned him about the change.
Amanda had been extra quiet the entire seven hours we were there. I had given her a journal last night to read, and she was engrossed in it every free minute she had. It was a journal that I had written, chronicling my experiences. I was smart enough to generalize some of the circumstances, of course, but other than that, I made sure it was precise, clear and informative. I told the story of my parents and of me - Anala Geil - and how I/she had died (though in this instance, I stuck with the Black Death theory so many in my time had thought). I also wrote about the other Hunters and what it was like to be a Hunter in that time. I even made a mention of the 'Cloaked One' that hunted in the shadows.
I suppose - in hindsight - my writing the journal was another instance of being safe rather than sorry, as with the training room, the holding room and the weapons I had had made. All of the steps I took in order to be prepared for the 'what if' made me question if somehow I knew this would happen. My blood was out there. Enough of it to create Cursed Ones. Hell, I'm still here. I'm a liability in and of myself. The only surprise should be that it took so long to happen. One thing I'm certain of; this is my fault. Hunter or not, it's my responsibility to clean my mess up.
"This is fascinating!" Amanda is riding with me to the house where we'll meet up with the others to start training. She had been reading the whole time. I kind of appreciated the quiet since I didn't think I'd be getting much in the days and weeks to come.
"What?"
"This journal! I mean, first of all it's, like, 600 years old!"
"598," I mumble. Ugh, I don't think I've ever in my life, as long as it has been, felt so old.
"Whatever, same difference. Have you read this? I mean, of course you've probably read it, but have you really read it? The life these Hunters must have lived." Her voice is filled with wonderment. Have I really read it. Pssh! I wrote it!
"Do you think you're ready for that life?" I ask her, and she frowns.
"I don't know. I mean, if what you said about me last night is true, I might have the ability. I just don't know if I have the stomach."
"You just have to have the heart."
"The heart to kill someone? Isn't that contradictory?"
"You're going to have a philosophical conversation with me now?" I smile at her annoyed face. "I'm kidding, lighten up. Look, what you're hunting, they're not human. They're not even animals. They're…" What? What am I?
"Monsters?" Amanda offers.
Well, I can't say that didn't hurt. But, I also can't say that it's not the truth, at least when talking about the others.
"I suppose," I answer, quietly.
"I think that's how I'm going to have to look at them in order to kill them."
"You read the journal, Amanda. You know the code. The rules of the Society. What will you do if one of the group is turned?"
"Don't even say that!"
"It's a possibility. What if it were Sam?"
"Ana!"
"I'm sorry, Amanda, but these are things you have to keep in the back of your mind as a Hunter."
"Well, then for right now I'd like it to stay in the back of my mind," she mutters.
I don't push her further. Poor girl has enough to deal with.
"What you did last night, telling everyone their abilities, is that your ability?" she asks, breaking the awkward silence.
"No. More just observations. I know who and what Hunters are, what makes them who they are."
"How?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, how do you know about all of this stuff? It says in the journal that Cursed Ones were eliminated centuries ago. Is it because you come from the lineage of the Leaders of the Society?"
Sure. Let's go with that. "Probably," I say aloud. "Most families stopped telling the stories. They wanted to forget what happened all those years ago. Hunters became obsolete because there was nothing for them to hunt. Eventually, we became forgotten."
"Your family didn't forget. They passed this book on to you."
I glance at her as we pull into the driveway of my home. "My parents always wanted me to remember who I was. Regardless of how far removed I am from that life and that time, I still know who I am."
Everyone is waiting for us in the training room, all decked out in exercise gear as I asked. Of course, I could have done without the boob-popping sports bra Jenna was sporting, but what can you do? I just hope it doesn't distract the guys too much.
I, too, was dressed ready to train, and though I'm not showing quite as much as Jenna, I still receive appreciative looks. Even from Eric, which I find funny for some reason.
"So, where's our trainer?" Jenna asks - and, yes, she's popping gum.
I glance at Amanda. Apparently she hasn't told anyone about me. Let the fun begin.
"Right here," I say with a smile. "I'm training you."
"You're kidding, right? We're doomed. Why can't he train us?" Jenna gestures to Sam who is looking at me with a weird expression. He obviously doesn't think I'm qualified either.
"Okay," I begin. "Sam? Come spar with me?"
"What?"
"Jenna doesn't think I can train her. I'm sure the others feel the same way, they're just too polite to say anything.
So, spar with me. Whomever wins, gets to train everyone else." I pause. "Though, I have to say, I'm not sure how you're going to do with the swords."
Sam slowly walks towards me, unsure really of what to do.
"Lunge at me," I tell him. "Don't hold back. Use all of your strength and speed."
"I'm not going to hurt you."
I smile. "I know. I'll try not to hurt you."
He half-heartedly charges me, and I sidestep his outreached hand easily.
"No, Sam. Come at me for real."
"I can't. I'm going to hurt you if I do."
I shake my head and face the others. "I can't show you my skills if Sam is too scared to spar with me. Any other takers? Maybe you, Jeremy?"
I barely got Jeremy's name out when I saw Sam coming at me, full-force, in my peripheral vision. I bent back at the same time Sam's fist came towards my face. I push his outstretched arm forward with speed and strength (which even when I held back had him whirling around). As I did with the Hybrid, I have his arm pinned behind him with one hand. With the other, I grab his hair and tug his head to one side, exposing his neck.
"You've just been bitten," I whisper, my breath caressing his bare neck. I briefly saw goose bumps form and felt him shiver before I let him go.
Sam rubs his neck where my lips had been so close. Close enough that I could hear the blood pumping through his veins. I wonder, had I not had so much training, if I would have bitten him just then. Lord knows I wanted to.
I turn to Eric and Emily. "Your turn," I say. I need to get my mind off of Sam's neck and back where it belongs. I go over to the weapons locker and open it. The others, who were stunned into silence before, gasped. The cabinet is full of stakes, swords and daggers.
I take two retractable swords, fashioned after the ones papa had developed, and hand them to the twins. They just stood there, looking at the hilts, then me with confusion.
I take my own blades, the originals, and hold them at my sides, waiting for them to do the same. I press the button and my blades slide out.
"Go ahead," I say, and nod to the swords. They press the buttons and smile broadly when the blades glide out. "They're a bit different than what you're used to. Do you think you can handle them?"
Destined to Kill: A Destined Novel (Destined Novels Book 1) Page 10