It was a much happier Craig who left JD’s office. He almost forgot why he had gone there in the first place. Almost, but not quite.
I have been suspended from duty
“Craig asked me to put in his application to become a trainer today,” JD said as he climbed into bed with Sarah. He held out his arm and she snuggled in close to him.
“Oh dear. What did you do?”
“I said no and told him he was running away.”
“That wasn’t very nice.”
“It’s the truth.”
“That’s not the point. Is he ready?”
JD thought before answering. He wanted to make sure he worded it right.
“If you had asked me that a couple of months ago, I would have said yes. Now, no. I can’t trust him to do what needs to be done. His mind is constantly on Natalie. Being sent to another country will not stop that.”
Sarah didn’t argue; JD was right. “If there’s an open position, are you going to send one of the others?”
It was something JD had considered, but rejected. “Jonathon and Katie would both make good trainers, but not yet. Scott is showing potential, but needs to finish his studies. Jane wouldn’t be interested. I spoke to her about it once and she said she would hate being in charge of others.”
“Can you start training them yourself?” Sarah asked. “That way it will be easier on them if ever they do go.”
It wasn’t something JD had ever thought about, but it was a good suggestion. “Smart as well as beautiful. I knew I married the right woman.”
“So you’re going to think about it?”
“I’ll need to get permission, but if I do I’ll set up an extra weekly training session for the three of them.”
Sarah didn’t really need to ask her next question, but she did so anyway. “You’re not going to tell them why, are you?”
JD grinned at her. “No, I’m not.”
“You’re evil,” she said.
Before he could react, the hunt alarm went off.
————————————-∞————————————-
Scott was the last to arrive at the front door. “We’re going to a school,” JD said as soon as he got there. “Six vampires in all, so watch your backs. Be careful out there. I want no stupid mistakes.”
He handed the address to Scott, then took Sarah’s hand.
The school looked deserted when they arrived. All of the lights were off and the doors locked.
“Search the grounds,” JD said and they split off in pairs.
JD watched Sarah and Scott head off, then turned his attention to Craig and Katie. Craig had him worried. While he was now eating and sleeping properly, and talking to people, there was still something wrong. There was a deep sadness in him that he couldn’t hide.
He waited until the pair were out of sight, then silently followed them.
Sarah and Scott both had their swords drawn when they rounded the corner of the building. Ahead of them was the playing field. The flood lights were on, allowing them to easily make out the bodies in the middle of the field. The empty beer bottles surrounding them indicated that some of the students had decided to have a party in the school grounds, before being disturbed by the creatures that were still feeding on them. There were four of them and all were fully occupied with their meal. Sarah and Scott moved silently forward, prepared for any attack, should one of the vampires look up and notice them.
Both hunters managed to get close enough to ‘kill’ a vampire each before the other two reacted. One launched herself at Sarah, who turned away at the last minute. Unable to stop herself, the vampire sailed past Sarah and was impaled on Scott’s waiting sword. Sarah swung her sword at the last remaining vampire and neatly removed his head from his shoulders.
The two hunters were just preparing to behead the other three ‘dead’ vampires when Jane and Jonathon turned up to help out with the gruesome task.
While the four vampires were being killed, Craig and Katie were on the other side of the school. They didn’t know that JD was following them. Katie was continuously scanning around her in all directions, even above, but Craig was focused only on what was in front of them.
They heard noise ahead and cautiously moved toward it. Craig signalled that Katie should remain behind him as he edged forward.
Suddenly a vampire leaped out at Katie, but she was ready for him. As she engaged, the sound distracted Craig, who spun around to see what was happening. The final vampire, armed with a large knife, went for his unprotected back. Craig would have died, had JD not been there. JD jumped over the two hunters and the vampire that Katie had just managed to impale, bring his sword down as he landed, severing the wrist of the monster who had been about to stab Craig. He turned his sword around and cut sideways, slicing his target’s throat.
The vampire stood still, looking at JD in surprise. Then his head fell to the ground.
Craig span around in time to see JD beheading the vampire who had almost killed him. The look JD gave him made him shiver.
Katie completed her kill, then the three hunters searched the rest of the grounds, ending up in the field with the rest of their team.
Of the teenage victims, only one was still alive, though she was in need of medical attention.
Jonathon and Katie went to the car park and, as soon as they arrived, directed Sanctuary 1 to the two locations of the dead vampires.
The sole live victim was unconscious. She had lost a lot of blood, but was breathing and had a strong heartbeat. JD took out his knife and cut her neck, obliterating any evidence that she had been bitten. He then tore a strip of cloth from her dress and bandaged the wound.
Sanctuary 1 said they would phone the emergency services. They had no idea what she would tell them when she woke up, but the amount of alcohol bottles littering the ground meant that whatever she said would not be believed.
JD didn’t say anything to Craig on the journey back, but as soon as they got home, JD asked to see him in his office.
“What’s that about?” Jonathon asked Sarah. Usually the hunters talked together for a while after a hunt, celebrating their successful return. JD had never taken anyone aside before. Sarah shrugged her shoulders.
JD could see that Craig was nervous as they both sat down, but he had no sympathy for him. He was angry. Very angry. Craig had almost let himself be killed.
He didn’t shout. Craig thought it would have been better if he had. Instead there was no emotion in JD’s voice as he asked, “What happened?”
Craig swallowed. JD had gone cold. He had only seen JD like that a couple of times before and each time he had been fighting. When JD fought, he was deadly. When he went cold, nothing could stand in his way and live.
Craig was shaking as he replied. “I don’t know.”
“You are a fully trained hunter. You know that you have to keep a constant vigil in all directions. You know that you cannot let the sound of fighting distract you. You broke the most fundamental rules of hunting tonight.”
Craig remained silent. He didn’t dare say anything. He was looking at the ground. He didn’t have the courage to look at JD.
“Do you have a death wish?”
At that Craig did look up. “Of course not.”
Still JD did not raise his voice. “You could have gotten yourself killed tonight. What’s worse, your lack of concentration put Katie in danger.”
“I’m sorry,” Craig mumbled.
Then JD exploded. “Sorry,” he shouted so loud that the hunters in the lounge could hear. “Well that makes it alright then. Get out of here before I say or do something I might end up regretting. We will discuss this in the morning.”
Craig ran from the room. He went up the stairs and into his bedroom, locking the door behind him. He sat on the bed and it was a long time before he could stop shaking.
Sarah went to see JD. “Can I ask what Craig has done?”
Usually JD told her everything, but occasionally h
is role as 14’s trainer meant he had to keep things from her. She didn’t think he would this time. Craig was her best friend and she had the right to know if there was a problem.
“Craig almost died tonight. If I had not been there, his lack of concentration would have got him killed and maybe Katie as well.”
“Shit,” Sarah said. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet.” JD ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He had never been in this situation before.
“You need blood,” Sarah said and started to unzip her jacket.
Faster than a human could have, JD got up from his chair and moved to her side, placing his hands on hers.
“No,” he said gently. “I will not take your blood. Not in your condition.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said.
“I am not going to take that risk. I’m taking enough risks with your life, both your lives,” he added as he gently placed a hand on her belly. “Just by letting you hunt, you are in danger. I am not going to add to that.”
Sarah kissed him. “Alright. I’ll go and get Jonathon.” JD didn’t protest as she left him alone.
Jonathon took one look at his brother’s face and removed one of his wrist supports.
“Am I allowed to ask what the problem is?”
“You’re allowed to ask, but I won’t tell you.”
“Trainer business rather than personal then.”
JD nodded. Jonathon held out his arm toward JD, who took it and sank his teeth into his vein. As blood filled his mouth, a sense of euphoria flowed through him.
————————————-∞————————————-
Craig turned up to training at 5 o’clock the next morning, but Sarah couldn’t help noticing that he kept throwing nervous glances at JD. JD also noticed, but ignored him.
When the session was over, he asked Craig to remain behind.
“What’s my punishment to be?” he asked as soon as they were alone.
“I’m not going to punish you,” JD said. He saw the tension leave Craig. It would soon return.
“What I have to say to you, I am saying as friend as well as your trainer,” he continued. “Your mind is no longer on hunting. You need to get your head back in the game. I don’t know how, but somehow you have to work things out with Natalie. Your mind is always on her, not what you are doing.”
Craig remained silent. JD was right.
“You have become a liability. I still want you to train, but I’m not going to allow you on another hunt until I am confident that you will have the other’s backs. Right now, it’s just too much of a risk for you to come with us.”
Craig stared at him. His mind was having trouble comprehending JD’s words. He had to be punished for what had happened the previous night, and he deserved it, but he never thought JD would stop him hunting.
“You can’t do that,” he said, his voice shaking as he fought to hold back his tears. Being banned from hunting was almost the worst thing that could happen to a hunter.
“Not only can I do it, I have to. For your sake as well as ours. I hope you understand that.”
Anger surged through Craig. “Go to hell JD,” he spat at him and walked toward the arena doors.
JD called after him and Craig froze. No matter how angry he was, he would not walk out on his trainer. “Stop behaving like a child who has had his toys taken away. This is for you own good and you know it.”
Craig said nothing, but JD saw his shoulders slump. Craig was not happy about his decision, but he would accept it. As he watched him leave, JD hoped that he would sort himself out soon. He was a hunter and hunters needed to hunt.
————————————-∞————————————-
Sarah was waiting for JD in their bedroom. They had discussed what JD planned to do. Sarah hadn’t tried to talk him out of it. She wasn’t sure he was making the right decision, but she didn’t argue against him. It was his decision to make and his alone. She could understand why he felt he had to do it. If Craig couldn’t be relied upon, he was putting them all in danger and JD had to think of everyone in his team, not just one member.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“About as well as I was expecting.”
Sarah walked up to him and took him in her arms. “Do you want me to tell the others?”
JD pulled away from her. “No. I’ll do it. It’s my responsibility.” He took hold of her hand. “Come on. Let’s hit the shower.”
For the next half hour, Sarah made sure his mind was not on Craig or hunting or even being a trainer. While they were under the hot water, he was her husband and nothing else.
At breakfast, nobody other than Sarah and JD noticed how quiet Craig was. As soon as Natalie had finished eating, JD requested that she leave, stating that there was some hunter business he needed to speak to the others about. She was used to this happening so didn’t object.
As soon as she had departed, JD asked Craig to also leave. That got everyone’s attention, though none of them was brave enough to ask why. JD would only tell them what they needed to know.
Under the table, Sarah placed her hand on his leg and squeezed it comfortingly. It was not going to be an easy conversation for him.
“It’s alright,” Craig said. “I’ll tell them.” He waited for JD to nod his approval before continuing. “I have been suspended from duty.” He looked at JD as he spoke, not because he wanted to see his reaction, but because he didn’t want to see anyone else’s.
“It’s temporary,” JD said before anyone could start protesting.
Everyone looked at each other, wondering who was going to speak first. When it was obvious that nobody else was prepared to put their head on the block, Jonathon did so.
“Can I ask why?”
“You can ask,” JD said, “but I don’t have to tell you. And I am choosing not to. It’s up to Craig if he wants to say anything.”
He stood up and, with his eyes, asked Sarah if she was going to leave with him.
Sarah shook her head. She would stay, just in case Craig needed her. It was what JD had expected her to do and he was pleased that Craig would have some support in the room if he decided to talk to the others. JD felt bad about what he was having to do, but he had no choice.
He left the room and went to see Doc. As head of the Sanctuary, he had the right to know what was happening.
Craig watched JD leave, smiled his thanks at Sarah for staying, then told everyone everything. He held nothing back. He didn’t try to claim the mistake he had made on the last hunt was anyone’s fault but his own and he defended JD, saying he was doing what he knew was right.
“Things can’t be that bad, surely,” Jane said.
“If JD hadn’t been keeping an eye on me, I would be dead,” Craig said. “He can’t afford to be my personal protector every time we go on a hunt and you know it. For now, banning me from hunting is the only way to keep us all safe.”
“Craig,” Jonathon said in a serious tone of voice. “You have to get this sorted. Talk to Natalie. Work something out. Even if you agree to just be friends, you have to do something.”
“I’ve tried,” Craig said. “She won’t talk to me.”
“Find a way. If you can’t, speak to JD. He will make her talk to you whether she wants to or not.”
“I can’t do that to her,” he said. Despite living at Sanctuary 14 for a long time and letting him drink her blood, Natalie was still a little scared of JD.
“It will do you both good,” Sarah said. “She hides it well, but Natalie isn’t handling this any better than you are.”
“Alright. I’ll think about it,” Craig said, though the look on his face suggested he wouldn’t.
“You had better,” Jonathon said. “Because if you don’t do something to get yourself hunting again, I will and I don’t think either of you want that to happen.”
Craig threw his hands in the air in surrender. “Okay. I’ll s
peak to JD.”
Jonathon hated forcing Craig’s hand, but it was for his own good. None of those present wanted to hunt without Craig and they would all do whatever it took to get him back on the team.
When the alarm went off two nights later, it was hard for Craig to watch the others go on the hunt without him. It was hard for them too, even JD. They all hated leaving him behind.
Natalie saw everyone leave, dressed in their hunting suits, without Craig. She didn’t ask him why. Secretly she was relieved. She hated him going on hunts. When they had been together, she used to dread him not returning, or being so badly injured JD would have to turn him.
Without saying a word to her, Craig went to his room. He couldn’t settle, so he headed to the arena to do some training. The previous day JD had announced to Jonathon, Katie and himself that they would start taking weekly extra intense training sessions. He hadn’t explained why and none of them, to the best of his knowledge, had asked, though he suspected he knew the answer.
He had the music he was training to turned up so loud that he didn’t hear Natalie enter the arena and watch him from the balcony. He did, however, hear her leave when she heard the front door opening.
It had been a successful hunt. Three dead vampires and one rescued victim. Better odds than they usually got. Everyone should have been in a jubilant mood, but they weren’t. Craig should have been with them and they all felt his absence.
When Natalie asked JD if she could have a word with him, JD took her to his office.
“Why didn’t Craig go hunting?” she asked him.
“That, I’m afraid, is none of your business. If you want to know, you’ll have to ask him.”
JD could have told her, but, as far as he was concerned, it was up to Craig who should know what was going on and who shouldn’t. JD hadn’t even sent a report up the chain of command, a move that Doc had approved. This was internal to 14 and would stay that way for as long as possible.
“Whatever is going on, it’s because of me, isn’t it?” Natalie asked.
JD should have said no or refused to answer, but he didn’t. “Yes,” he said. “It is.”
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