Destined to Kill: A Destined Novel (Destined Novels Book 1)

by Jourdyn Kelly

  "Yes," they say in unison.

  "Good. Then come after me."

  "Ana, those are real swords!"

  "It's okay, Amanda. I know what I'm doing." I nod to the twins. "Don't hold back."

  The look they gave each other then fascinated me. I had a split second to take it in before they encroach me, coming at me from either side. With both of my swords, I'm able to deflect the blows coming from each of them. They are good. Very good. I see that look between them again before they attack once more.

  I duck Emily's sword coming at my head, but their plan is to come at me from the bottom, too. They are hoping to catch me off guard and sweep me off my feet. Good plan, but I am ready. As I duck Emily's swing, I do a front hand spring, leaving my feet just as Eric's sword filled the space they were in. When I land, I spin around quickly bringing my blades slicing towards them. I stop just inches away from their necks.

  "Amazing," I say.

  "Yes, you are," Eric responds, a little dejected. He's not used to losing.

  "No. I mean you two. You told each other what to do."

  "We…we just know each other well enough…" Emily stammers.

  "You spoke to each other without actually saying anything," I interrupt. "It's okay," I say, answering their shocked glance at one another. "Actually, it's fantastic! I've heard about people like you, but I've never seen it."

  "You don't think we're weird?"

  I laugh. "We're training to fight vampires. What could be weirder than that?"

  They visibly relax, and I turn my attention back to the rest in the room. Oh, to have a camera at that moment. The looks of complete and utter confusion and awe were hysterical.

  "Are you kidding me?" Amanda was the first to break the silence. "I mean, really? With the acrobats and swords and stuff? How in the hell do you know how to do that?"

  "I've trained most of my life," I answer honestly. "Did I pass the test?" I ask, directing my question mostly to Jenna, but I'm interested in Sam's response, as well.

  Jenna just gives a unenthusiastic shrug and a 'whatever'. Sam says nothing, but watches me closely. As always.

  "Fine," I sigh. "Let's pair up..."

  "I pick you!" Jeremy blurts out immediately.

  "I thought you and Jenna would work well together," I smile.

  "Are you on drugs? He's, like, twice my size!"

  "Size won't matter out there, Jenna. These things, no matter how big or small, will have strength and speed that, even as a Hunter, will supersede yours. You will have to use your head." I turn away from her and move on. "Eric and Emily, I think it's best that you stick together. With what you two can do, it's a great advantage for you, as well as anyone you're hunting with. Besides, I willing to bet you train together already in fencing."

  I pause to consider my options. Training with Sam would not be exactly fun for me. Then again, kicking his ass could be quite exhilarating.

  "Amanda, you and Zac pair up."

  "Wait, why can't I work with my sister?"

  "Yeah, Ana, no offense to Amanda, but I'd rather work with you," Zac announces.

  "And, that's why it's better that we switch it up," I counter. "Sam, you will be too afraid of hurting Amanda if you spar with her. You'll never go full out. Zac, you'll be the same way with me."

  Sam and Zac eye each other curiously. What I wouldn't give to be able to read minds at that moment.

  "Fine," Sam says finally, and walks away.

  With everyone paired, it is time to start training. I almost don't even know where to begin. I was five when papa started training me with simple kicks and punches. We don't have time for simple now. We have to go full force from the beginning. This is not going to be easy.

  "Has anyone here had any kind of training? Martial arts, kickboxing...anything?"

  "I've done kickboxing a couple of times," Amanda says, quietly. "And, Sam used to try to teach me self-defense."

  "Good. That's good. Anyone else?" When no one spoke up, I kept my groan to myself as to not discourage them. "That's fine. What we're going to have to do is just rely on what we were born with. Clear your mind of everything except what is happening right now, and do what comes naturally."

  I walk up to the brooding Sam, and throw a punch at him. Even though he had no clue it was coming, he manages to duck out of the way just in time.

  "What the hell!"

  "Good job," I say, simply. "Now, the rest of you. One of you portray the attacker, the other the Hunter. Do that for a while, then switch. Don't hold back. If you get hit, keep going. You won't always come back from hunting unscathed. Learn to take it. Go."

  I watch for a bit as they choose who would be who, and then start training. To my complete surprise, they were quite good. None of them were particularly awful, even Jenna. Of course, that's not to say we don't have a hell of a long way to go, but it gives me hope. At least until we start working with the swords.

  "Do you really believe they can do this?" Sam - with excellent Hunter stealth - asks quietly.

  I'm able to control myself enough not to jump at the sound of his voice, but just barely. Honestly, if I don't get in tune with my senses, I'm not sure how good I'm going to be at teaching these kids.

  "I have no other choice but to believe," I answer.

  "There are always choices, Ana."

  I turn to face him then, looking him in the eye. "What are they, Sam? Please, tell me. If there is a way to do this without them," I gesture to the group, currently yelling at each other more than sparring, "then I'm willing to do it. I think I've proven to you that the police will not be effective. No offense."

  "Our parents must be Hunters if we are. I don't like that anymore than this, but Amanda is too young to have to worry about killing or being killed."

  "You don't want to take orders from me, Sam. Do you think your parents will listen to me?"

  His brows knitted together. "That trip that they're on now. Did you have anything to do with that?"

  "No," I answer, honestly.

  "But, it wasn't a coincidence."

  It wasn't a question, so I didn't bother answering.

  "Does Amanda really have to be involved?"

  "I wish she didn't, Sam. I sincerely do. But, she is an asset to me and this…problem. As are you. I was telling the truth when I said you two had the greatest abilities out of the rest. Having you two here could be the difference between life and death for the others."

  "No pressure," Sam mumbles.

  Something inside me snaps at that moment, and I push my hands against Sam's chest with more force than I intend. He stumbles back and hit a boxing dummy with a thud. The commotion drew the attention of those around us.

  "Pressure!" I yell. "You think you are the one with pressure?" I push him again. "You have been on my ass the entire time you've known me. Questioning my abilities, hell, let's be honest, you've questioned everything I've done!"

  "Ana..."

  I push him again. "No, you don't get to talk now. I do. Do you want to know what pressure feels like, Sam? Try having to tell these kids that they have to put their lives on the line in order to save humanity. Better yet, try being in my shoes and have to train these kids, who have no Hunter training whatsoever, and train them well enough to keep them alive! If they fail, who do you think that's on, Sam? You? No. It's all on me! All of their lives are on me!"

  My breathing is heavy and I'm shaking with rage - or fear, I'm not sure which. When I turn and see everyone just staring at me, I throw my hands up in the air.

  "What! Get back to training!" I shout, and stomp out of the room. I slam the door behind me and lean on it. "Stupid," I mutter, taking deep breaths to try and calm myself.

  I know I shouldn't have lost my temper. Papa never would've done that. He would have just taken whatever anyone said to him and let it go. Maybe he would push them harder in training, but he never lost his composure like I just did.

  I'm excellent at training myself, but as a trainer…I don't know if I'm cut ou
t for that. I'm eighteen for crying out loud. It doesn't matter how long I've been eighteen, what matters is I never got to grow up. Not in the truest sense. Two more years, with my parents at my side helping me, and I would have become a trainer. I never made it that far. Neither did my parents.

  "Ana?"

  "You should be training, Amanda." At least my voice was calmer now.

  "You're crying."

  I touch my face and feel the wetness. I didn't even realize the tears had come, and feel foolish for them.

  "I'm fine."

  "Look, I know Sam can be an ass..."

  "It's not his fault," I interrupt. Of course, it was a little bit his fault, but the outburst was my inability to keep my composure.

  "I can't imagine what this is like for you, Ana." Amanda lays her hand on my shoulder and gives a little squeeze. "I mean, I heard everything you said in there, and to tell you the truth, I didn't think about all of that before. I should have."

  I give her a small smile. "It's your job to train and learn how to stay alive. Not to babysit me and my feelings." I sigh. "I really wish I hadn't blown up like that. Sam already thinks I'm some irresponsible kid, now he's going to add in 'emotionally fragile'."

  "If he does, I'll kick his ass myself." She waits a beat to see if that would make me smile even more. It does. "I think if you didn't feel pressure, or even fear, you wouldn't be human. Sam will understand that, if he has a brain."

  Human. If only it was as simple as just having emotions.

  "Sam has a hard time giving up control," Amanda continues. "He's always been that way. And, seriously, I think you confuse him."

  "Me? Why would I confuse him?"

  "Really, Ana? I mean, I think you confuse everyone a little. You're not normal."

  "Um, thanks," I grumble.

  "I don't mean that in a bad way. Your looks, your abilities, the way you speak? No one around here is used to that. Maybe it's an English thing?"

  "Hmm." What in the hell do I say to something like that?

  "It was a compliment, I promise. Now, I'm going to go back in and kick Zac's ass. That was actually pretty fun."

  "Amanda..."

  "I know, I know, this isn't supposed to be about fun. But, I mean, come on Ana. Let me have just a little fun while I can! Besides, you'll see when you get to beat up on Sam just how fun it is."

  She does a little dance that makes me chuckle, and goes back inside to leave me alone again. Beating Sam up really did sound like a lot of fun at the moment.

  "Ana?"

  Damn it! I have got to meditate and start focusing! There's no reason I should keep getting surprised by these people!

  "What do you want, Sam?" My inability to sense him just makes me cranky, again.

  "To apologize."

  Well, now that certainly took me by surprise.

  "You? Apologize to me?"

  "I can admit when I'm wrong," he says, dryly.

  "I had yet to see it. Until now." Such pettiness. If I'm going to be half the trainer my papa was, I'm going to have to learn to keep my feelings in check. "I'm sorry, that was unnecessary."

  "Now we're even," Sam says. "I never thought you'd be one to apologize either. By the way," Sam touches his chest gingerly, "you may want to go a little easier on me when we're sparring. I've trained a bit in hand to hand in the academy, but you're stronger than I thought."

  With that he goes back into the room, but leaves the door open for me to follow. I heard the double meaning in his statement. He believes I can do this. I hope he's right. I smile a little and join him.

  We train for three hours - or what Jenna calls "forever". After letting them all rest for a bit, and getting a bite to eat, I summon them all into the meditation room. I can already tell this is going to be a hard sell.

  "Have a seat, please."

  "Could you not afford chairs for this room?" Jenna whines.

  Ignore her. If I want to keep my sanity, I'm going to have to look past Jenna's attitude. Once everyone is seated, I begin.

  "This may seem odd to you all, but one of the most important parts of being a Hunter is meditating."

  "Seriously? You really believe in this crap?"

  "Jenna! Shut. Up. Ana is trying to help us and your pithy little comments are doing nothing but feeding your own bitchy amusement."

  Jenna, as well as the rest of us, stare at Emily - jaws dropped in astonishment. Honestly, I think it's the most I've heard her say. Ever. And, to have it directed at Jenna and in defense of me? Pure gold.

  I clear my throat (after closing my gaping mouth, of course). "Um, thank you, Emily. And, yes, Jenna, I seriously believe in this." I sit in front of them, legs crossed, and speak in a calm voice. "I'm not asking you to do anything except get in tune with yourself. None of you knew a week ago that you were Hunters. But, that part is in you. I need you to find it now."

  I take a deep breath and notice that most of them are following along. I could have bet big money that Sam and Jenna would be the only ones not following, and won.

  "If you don't have confidence in your abilities, no amount of training is going to help you. Jeremy, come sit in front of me, please."

  "Pleasure." He grins and scoots up to sit knee to knee with me. He doesn't have to be that close, but I let it go.

  "I want you to sit here and concentrate with me. Clear your mind of everything except what's happening in front of you."

  "Easy to do," he says with an appreciative look. Keeping these kids alive really is going to be the most difficult thing I've ever done. There's not an ounce of discipline in these 'Hunters'.

  "I'm going to put this blindfold on. When you're ready, and you think I'm not expecting it, I want you to strike out at me."

  "Whoa, what?"

  "Don't question it." I place the blindfold over my eyes, and concentrate on nothing but the sounds around me. I will my senses to become heightened. I can hear the rustling of Jeremy's clothes in front of me.

  "Don't look to them for approval or answers," I tell him, knowing full well he turned to the others, wondering what to do. "Just do as I ask."

  "Ana..."

  I sigh and take off the blindfold.

  "Listen. All of you. If this has any chance of working, you're going to have to listen to me. Most of all, you're going to have to trust me and trust that I know what I'm doing." I glance at Sam, and the others. "Stop seeing me as your peer, or a kid. I am your trainer. I am the Leader of the Society of Hunters, such as it is now. I don't say that to be arrogant, it's just how it is. If you trust me, I can help you stay alive."

  Jeremy nods, and I look to the others. After receiving nods from the rest (a half-nod from Jenna), I replace the blindfold.

  "Now, when you're ready."

  My ears perk up at every sound. Jeremy's heartbeat, the sound his clothes make when he moves, even the faint sound his fingers make when he slowly curls them into a fist. His heart beats slightly faster, and I hear him lift his right hand. As he strikes out at me, I tilt my head out of his reach and catch his fist in my hand.

  When I take the blindfold off, he has a silly grin plastered on his face.

  "That. Was. Awesome!"

  I smile in return and hand him the blindfold. "Your turn."

  He reluctantly takes the mask from me.

  "Jeremy, remember. Confidence."

  He nods and puts the mask over his eyes.

  "Now concentrate. Breathe deeply and focus your senses on your surroundings. Once you master this, you'll notice that smells and sounds will become much more amplified. You just have center yourself. Become the Hunter."

  I quiet down and watch Jeremy closely. Moving my right hand ever so slightly, I see his head slant towards the sound and I smile with satisfaction. I strike out with my left hand. He leans out of the way and catches my hand in his.

  "I did it!" He rips the blindfold off and tosses it in the air. "Hot damn!"

  "Very good," I smile. "You can let go of my hand now."

  "Oh. Sorry."


  "This is what I want all of you to work on tonight. Just for a little while before bed. Meditate. Find the Hunter within you, and at the risk of sounding ridiculous, become one. This is as necessary as training."

  I stay in the meditation room after everyone leaves. Still seated on the floor, I close my eyes and concentrate. I let every sense fill with such intensity, it's almost overwhelming. The Cursed One in me takes these abilities to a whole new level. One I'm going to need. I can hear crickets chirping outside. The rustle of the wind in the trees. I can smell the spring dew on the grass outside, and the aroma of flowers that are closing up for the night. And more.

  "You should be in your room meditating, Sam." I slowly open my eyes and see him standing at the door. He tries to hide his surprise, but not good enough.

  "I've never been good at stuff like this."

  I gesture for him to sit in front of me.

  "It's something you're going to have to become good at," I tell him.

  "Teach me."

  We sit in the silence for a moment, just studying each other.

  "Close your eyes," I say, finally. When he obliges, I continue. "Clear your mind of everything except what we're doing."

  "Clearing my mind has never been my strong point," he counters.

  "Shh. Try." I give him a minute to just breath in the silence. When I see his shoulders relax slightly, I take it as a small victory. "I'll be right back. Just keep breathing and keep your eyes closed."

  When I return, I carry with me vials of oils. I open one, but hold it as far away from Sam as I can.

  "What do you smell?"

  Sam's brows knit together. "Citrus?"

  "Don't ask me. Tell me."

  "Grapefruit."

  I close the vial and open another.

  "And, now?"

  "Um, mint? No. Eucalyptus."

  "Good." I open another.

  "Sandalwood."

  My eyebrow raises at that one. I don't think I even know what sandalwood is. "Good. Now, what do you hear?"

  "Beating. Like a drum, but softer. A heartbeat."

  "Anything else?" I move the oils out of the way, and accidentally brush his hand with mine. His eyes open, and even in the low candlelight I could see the confusion in them.