Destined to Kill: A Destined Novel (Destined Novels Book 1) (22 page)

"Because as soon as I did it, I knew it was a mistake. I stopped and practically threw him out of my apartment. No explanation. I tried apologizing the next time I saw him, but he didn't want to hear it. I just wanted to forget it happened, and hoped he would, too."

"He has had a crush on you since you first came here. I doubt he's going to forget kissing you."

Well, that makes me feel much better. I can't dwell on it. I can't help what Zac does. I just hope it doesn't get in the way when we're hunting.

"As for Sam," I continue, avoiding any more conversation about Zac. "We didn't tell you because, well, frankly, we thought you wouldn't like it."

"You thought right. You lied to me. How do I forgive that, Ana?"

"What do you want me to say, Amanda?"

"You could tell me why him."

Ugh. I would much prefer not having the subject of the conversation listening.

"When my parents died, I closed myself off, Amanda. It hurt too much to care about people only to lose them." It was one of the curses of being immortal. Friendships, love, it was easier not to have them. "When I moved here and met you, I felt this - kinship. So, I let you in. Then I met Sam, and there was something there, instantly. He made me...feel."

"But, I thought what you were feeling was hate. Or at least dislike. I didn't think you two liked each other, and now I see you kissing." She stumbles on the word 'kissing'.

"I never hated Sam. Yes, he's a frustrating, hard-headed control freak..."

"Ha. Sounds
vaguely
familiar," Amanda quips under her breath.

"But he still made me feel something inside that I haven't felt in a long time," I continue, ignoring her shot at me.

"Great. Now if I tell you I want you to stop seeing him, I look like a major bitch."

"Is that what you want?"

"Would you stop?"

"I don't want to."

Neither of us answered the real question.

"You know you're putting him in more danger, right?"

I know. And, I know, despite the conversation I had with Sam, he would try to protect me, leaving himself vulnerable.

"Yes."

"And, you're okay with that?"

"Of course not."

She doesn't question me anymore. Amanda knows her brother. No matter what she or I say, he will do what he wants. At the moment, what he wants is me.

"Whatever. I can't tell you not to see him. But, I can ask you, as your best friend, not to let it go any further. At least until this is over."

"Further?" I frown.

"Don't sleep with him!" She answers, exasperated.

"Oh." I lower my eyes. I couldn't have predicted that she wouldn't have assumed we were already - doing that.

"You're
sleeping
with him? Geez, Ana!" She paces in one small area of the balcony. I wonder if pacing is a family trait.

"It just happened, Amanda," I say, softly. "It wasn't something I expected..."

"Don't hurt him," she interrupts. Her voice was quiet, but serious.

Confusion settles across my face. "I don't want to."

"Make sure you don't. I love you, Ana, but if you hurt him, I will take you down."

When she walks away, I just sit there pondering her words. There seemed to be more to her threat, but I can't imagine why.

"Do you always eavesdrop, Detective?" Sam hasn't joined me since Amanda left, but he was still watching me.

"I wasn't eavesdropping," he says, sitting down beside me. "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Well, you heard. Apparently, I'm dead meat if I hurt you."

"Then I suppose we should try to make this work," he grins.

I smile back, but Amanda's words still haunt me. What did she know? Of course, I could just be overly sensitive and paranoid. There's too much on the line tonight. I must focus on that, and not all of this high school drama.

"Are you ready for tonight?" I ask him.

"Yes, I think so."

"You can't have doubts. Confidence is..."

"Everything," he finishes. "I know. Look, Ana, I'm as ready as I can be. Unless you grew up knowing about all of this, like you did, this is daunting and unpredictable."

I stand up and start pacing. I hate feeling this way, so out of control. It's frustrating that these Hunters have no real knowledge of what they're up against. They were born Hunters, but grew up not knowing what their true destiny was. How could I possibly expect them to be ready for what they're about to do?

"I'm sorry about all of this, Sam."

He catches my hand as I pace by him. "This isn't your fault, Ana."

If only I could be sure that was true.

Amanda, Sam and Zac - such is my luck - are the first group I will take hunting. I tell them to dress in dark clothing and choose weapons from the cabinet while I get ready. This is going to be extremely interesting, I think as I get dressed. Amanda and Zac are upset with me, and Sam wants to sleep with me. Things couldn't be any worse, could it?

"Famous last words," I mutter to myself. I dress in my usual hunting gear - minus the cloak, of course - and head out to join the others.

"Damn. Why don't I have an outfit like that?" Amanda comments.

Obviously my attire is somewhat of an attention getter even without the cloak. It has, I admit, gone through a few changes throughout the years. The fitted trousers and tunic have become a form-fitting body suit. A zipper, currently unzipped enough to show a bit of cleavage, adorns the front of the black suit. The black boots come up to my thighs - a decision made purely out of necessity as they can hold more weapons. I still have the original leather belt and straps that surround my thighs. Honestly, I feel much more comfortable when I had the cloak on, but I can't do that now.

"Wow," Zac whispers, then abruptly turns back to the cabinet.

Sam just watches and says nothing. But, I see the look in his eye, and I know what he's thinking.

"It's not a big deal," I move past them, hoping I'm not blushing. "My mum made it for me." Kind of. Okay, so the belt and sheaths were the only things that were original. Whatever.

"My mom wouldn't even let me
buy
something like that!"

"Can we get over it? Please. Let's focus. Do you have everything you need?"

"We're ready. Swords, daggers, stakes - wooden, silver and splintering."

Sam rattles off weapons like he's reading a grocery list. He sounds confident, and Amanda and Zac seem to be exceptionally calm. I don't know if it's all an act, but if it is, it's pretty good.

"Let's get going then."

Amanda and I walk together down the dark alleyway as the guys flank us. Honestly, I think Amanda just wants to keep me away from Sam. I don't mind. There shouldn't be any distractions. So, I keep the conversation to a minimum, speaking only to give them direction.

When I sense a Cursed One, I notice Amanda's reaction at the same time. Her hand grasps her sword, and I see it tremble almost imperceptibly.

"Are you ready for this?" I whisper.

"Yes," she answers, but she's not as convincing as she was before we got here.

I motion for the guys to fan out and wait for my signal. I go ahead to check out the situation. Hybrids were feeding off some poor soul that had the misfortune to cross their path. The Hybrids, I understand. The poor soul, I understand. The two humans in the mix? That I don't understand at all. Since when do Hybrids not kill any and all prey in their immediate vicinity?

I, apparently, study the scene too long, as Zac runs past me, towards the Hybrids.

"Zac! Damn it!" My swords already in my hands, I release the blades, dragging one across the neck of a surprised Hybrid as he lifts his head from his meal. Zac fights a quite large Hybrid, again with tattoos - I wonder if there's a theme. Zac's warrior cry as he ran towards the Hybrids did not help his plan to ambush, and the others - the ones not eating - are ready for him.

A quick check lets me know that Sam and Amanda are fighting two more Hybrids, and doing a good job at it. I have to believe they can take care of themselves. Zac, on the other hand, just proved to me that he needs more work. Just as that thought enters my mind, I see him bring his sword up, into the Hybrid's stomach. In order to incapacitate the Hybrid, he would've needed to hit him in the heart. But, the blow stuns the Hybrid enough to make him hesitate in his next attack, and Zac plunges a stake in his heart.

One more Hybrid - there were five in all - tries a sneak attack on me while I watch Zac. Lucky for me I have been honing my awareness skills, and I jump up doing a back flip, pushing myself off her shoulders. With a quick flick of my wrist, I end her just in time to see Zac slash his blade across his Hybrid's neck. I make sure Sam and Amanda are okay, see them both make the killing blow. So, this is what a trainer is supposed to feel? Pride, coupled with a feeling of accomplishment? Not too shabby.

The grunt of one of the humans brings my attention back to Zac. He pushes the other human away from him, and is seconds away from killing him. An innocent. I run towards him, catching his hand and sword in time.

"Zac, no! He's an innocent!"

"They're with those...
things
! They're not innocent!" He's panting, high off of the adrenaline from his first kill.

"They are
human
, Zac. It is against the code," I remind him.

"But, if they're working with the enemy, that makes them the enemy."

"Their fate is not up to you. You can only slay Cursed Ones."

"Then, what? We just let them go? Let them help more of these monsters?"

"Zac, calm down," Amanda lays a hand on his arm that is still shaking.

"Killing humans is something I can't allow, Zac," Sam mentions, then turns to me. "So, what
do
we do with them?"

"This is not common," I say, mostly to myself. "I do not understand why or how the Hybrids let these innocents live."

"They're not innocent, Ana. Stop calling them that," Zac all but growls.

I whirl on him as Sam slaps cuffs on the humans. "Enough!" I grab his lapels and push him back. "You need to get in control of yourself. No matter what you think of these guys, they are
human
.
Innocents
! You are bound by the code of Hunters not to harm humans.

"We can't leave them here, Sam. We'll take them back to the estate and you can question them."

"Protocol says I should take them into the station, Ana."

"Does any of this look like protocol to you?" I ask him, gesturing to the bloody body at our feet. "If you take them in, what will you tell the rest of your colleagues? You caught them while out hunting vampires?"

"I can blame them for this. They're high on something. I don't think anyone will question me about that."

"Fine. See what you can get out of them here before you take them in. You," I point at Zac. "You could've gotten yourself killed running in here like you did. You could've gotten all of us killed! What in the hell were you thinking?"

"You were taking too long," he mumbles.

"What?"

"I thought you didn't trust us. We didn't make the 'kill shot' before when you tested us. I just wanted you to know we were ready."

"Zac, if I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have brought you out here. I was analyzing the situation, that was
greatly
complicated by the humans. If you wanted me to know you were really ready, you would've kept your cool and waited for my signal. You cannot be a rogue hunter out here. Your fellow hunters rely on everyone to have their back and work together. If you can't do that..."

"I can," he interrupts. "I promise. I screwed up. I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't work if you get yourself killed, or worse, turned. Get yourself together. We'll continue hunting after Sam is finished."