Destined to Kill: A Destined Novel (Destined Novels Book 1) (34 page)

I get agreements from everyone, and I hope I am doing the right thing.

"Once I am convinced you know what you're up against, we will head out. You
must
pay attention and keep your head in the game at all times. These are not Hybrids. They're stronger and faster and can kill you or turn you with a single bite."

Their courage falters slightly, but not enough to make them back down. They're up for the challenge. I hope I am, too.

"On to the next order of business. Once Thomas and the others are defeated," I hesitate, taking a deep breath. I'm assuming we're going to win. My confidence in my Hunters supersedes the abilities of the Cursed Ones. "I need one of you to finish the job."

"Ana..."

"Sam, there's no way around this. All of this happened because of me. My parents kept me alive, and look what it has done."

"
It's brought you to me,
" he whispers. No one at the table acknowledges that he said anything. The words were for me only.

I hold his gaze for a moment before continuing.

"It is the code. You may not like it, and to be honest, I'm scared as hell, but it's what must be done."

"You want one of us to kill you," Jenna's tone is full of objection.

"Yes," I answer simply. "I have asked Amanda and Sam to do it, but - well, Amanda is my best friend. And, Sam?" I look Sam in the eye, making sure he's paying attention. "It is unfair of me to ask someone I'm in love with to kill me."

Sam inhales sharply.

"Whoa. You guys are
that
serious? I thought you were just, you know, screwing."

"Nice, Jeremy."

He shrugs at Jenna's chastise. "I'm just saying. It's sad."

"You're not helping."

I clear my throat, cutting off Jenna and Jeremy's totally awkward conversation. I take my sword and place it on the table in front of me.

"My father made this. It is the first of its kind. And, it is what I would like used."

"Anala, we can't do this! You're asking us the impossible," Emily cries.

"I can."

Everyone turns their attention to Zac. I didn't notice before now how quiet he has been.

"Zac!" Amanda practically shouts at him, but his eyes don't leave me.

"Let's get it over with now."

Zac grabs my sword before I can comprehend what his saying, and releases the blade. The others are up, going after him in seconds.

"Leave him!" I yell, ducking the blade that barely misses me. I leap up, and do a back flip to escape his next attempt.

"Zac, what are you doing!" Sam brings out his own sword, ready to fight.

"Sam, don't! He's compelled!"

I can see the vacant look in his eyes, and I know this isn't my work. How did they get to him? Whatever happened, I'm grateful that all they did was compel him and not change him. His eyes may be dazed, but they are still Zac's golden eyes. He lunges at me, and I block his attempt, pushing him away. I don't have my other sword to aid me, which may be a blessing. I don't want to hurt him.

"Anala, you have to help him! He wouldn't want to do this!" Amanda's voice resonates.

"If I undo it, I undo it all, Amanda," I tell her in between jumps, ducks and blocks.

"Then undo it all!"

Sighing, I force Zac to retreat back towards the table. "You will have to restrain him."

Jeremy and Sam quickly round the table, grabbing Zac and avoiding the blade of the sword. He fights as though his life depends on it. I'm curious if they made him think it does.

"I will
kill
you!" Zac snarls.

Sam pushes him down in the chair, perhaps a little too harshly.

"Careful. I must have made him more susceptible," I say, mostly to myself. I pull up my own chair and sit in front of Zac. Whoever did this to him laid it on thick. The poor boy is out of his mind. "Zac?" I lean in, turning up the heat in my stare. "You don't want to kill me."

"Yes, I do!" He struggles against Sam and Jeremy's hold.

Well, this is going to be tougher than I thought. It's going to require...sigh.

"Don't be afraid of me," I tell the group, before closing my eyes and ordering myself to change.

When I open my eyes, my Hunters see the eerie white and blood red ring. When I open my mouth to speak, they see the fangs. To their credit, they don't recoil.

"Zac, enough. Calm down." In my Cursed form, my power of persuasion is intense, and Zac ceases his struggle. "You don't want to kill me. Do you understand?"

His brows knit together as if he's trying to fathom what I'm telling him.

"I release you. Of all coercion."

Zac's eyes begin to clear, but he's still confused.

"What's going on?" He notices my appearance. "Ana? What's happening?"

Deliberately, I change back. I don't want to make Zac any more uncomfortable than he probably already is.

"Did you go out last night?" I ask him.

"What?" He tries lifting his hand, but he's still being held down by the guys. I nod to both of them, and they reluctantly let go. Zac's head is throbbing so much I can hear it. He rubs his temples where the veins are pulsing.

"Zac? Did you leave the manor last night after we spoke?"

Sam eyes me curiously. I failed to mention last night when I got back to him that I had talked to Zac. I imagine he's not happy about that.

"I - I can't think."

"Try."

"Yes. I went for a walk, I think."

"Where? Did you see anyone?"

"Nowhere in particular." He squints as though he's trying to recall what happened. "I don't remember seeing anyone."

"They told him to forget," I state.

"Who? What is going on?"

"Zac, you just tried to kill Anala," Sam snaps.

"I did not! And, you should talk!" Zac stands up, a bit too quickly and wobbles. I grab his arm to steady him, but he jerks it away. "Don't! This asshole
stakes
you and you're
still
sleeping with him!"

"Careful, Zac," Sam warns.

"Screw you! Oh, wait, Ana's already doing that."

Sam punches him, hard. I can't say that I blame him, or that I would have stopped him if I had the chance. Hell, I wanted to punch him myself.

Zac curses vehemently, wiping blood from his nose and mouth. "I see how it is. Sam gets away with anything because he's sleeping with the
leader
."

"That's enough, Zac." My voice is quiet, but holds authority and more than a touch of anger. He turns to me, ready to argue with me until he sees the look in my eyes. "Your anger and inability to control yourself is making you a liability to this Society."

"You're kicking me out?" He backs away as if I bit him. "A Society of Hunters that is lead by a Cursed One, and you're kicking me out?"

"Your attitude and lack of respect for me and your fellow Hunters make you dangerous."

"Anala?" Emily's soft voice takes my attention away from Zac. "Perhaps he just needs some time to calm down."

"I agree," Eric chimes in. "Zac's feelings for you have made him forget what he is meant to do here."

They know how Zac feels about me?

"I don't have any feelings for her," Zac mumbles. His lie is extremely unconvincing. "You should be kicking
him
out!" He jerks his thumb towards Sam.

I stand between them when Sam goes for Zac again.

"I said enough! Everyone else, out. I want to talk to Zac alone."

"Anala..."

"Please, Sam."

He doesn't argue, but he sends Zac a clear message with the 'hurt her and you're dead' look.

"
Are you going to compel him again?
" Amanda whispers as she passes me. I shake my head in answer and wait for them to close the door behind them.

"Get over it." I don't raise my voice. In fact, I'm desperately trying to hold my anger in check for fear that I may hit Zac myself.

"What?" He asks, gruffly.

"These feelings you think you have? This disrespectful attitude? Get over it. And, quick."

"It's as easy as that? Maybe for your kind it is, but not us humans."

I take a deep breath, and with monumental strength I keep calm. Seriously, I should be commended for my effort.

"You are trying my patience as no other has before, Zac," I say evenly. "If I am such a monster to you, you should probably watch your step. Who knows what I could do if you make me angry enough."

"I don't think you're a monster," he mutters grumpily. "You just broke my heart."

He sits heavily in one of the dining chairs and leans his elbows on his knees.

Sigh. I pull a chair close to his, and sit with him.

"Zac, do you really think I don't understand feelings? Centuries ago I was infatuated with a boy, and he with me. We never got the chance to explore those emotions thoroughly, and now I find myself faced with having to kill him." Just the thought of that turns my stomach. "I care about you. Don't get mad at that," I say when he huffs.

"'I care about you' is the equivalent of 'I'm just not into you'."

"Perhaps it is. I'm not trying to be mean, Zac, but I've never felt that way towards you."

"You
kissed
me."

"In a state of weakness."

He leans back and groans, rubbing his face.

"I'm sorry that hurts you. I truly am. However, I need you to know this so you can move on. If you feel I've led you on, I apologize. You're my friend, Zac, and a great Hunter. I want you here with me, by my side as I do the hardest thing I will ever have to do in all my years. But, that can't happen if you harbor these feelings towards me and Sam."

He winces when I say Sam's name. "Why him? Can you at least give me that answer?"

"Honestly? I don't know. I felt an immediate connection with him, even though he infuriated me. Maybe it's because he's a descendant of Thomas's," I shrug. "All I know is I have fallen in love with him, against my better judgment."

Zac frowns. "You don't want to love him?"

"Love is difficult for someone like me, Zac. Especially in this situation. I have to move often in order to keep my secret hidden. Sam is established here, has family here. I'm immortal. Sam is not. I am Cursed," I say quietly. "Sam is a Hunter. So, you see, this would have been better for everyone had I not let my feelings get in my way."

"I guess I never looked at it from your perspective." He looks at me guiltily. "Did I really try to kill you?"

"Yes," I chuckle, I can't help it. The mood in the room needs to be lightened. My Hunters are stressed enough. "Lucky for you, I'm just too good."

A small grin takes place of the scowl he has been sporting for too long now.

"Lucky for
you
I was compelled and not at my best."

"Ha! Keep dreaming Connor!"

"Can I stay?" he asks soberly.

"I don't know, Zac. Can you? Can you come to terms with everything, recognize that I am with Sam, treat your fellow Hunters - all of them - with respect? Can I trust you?"

"Yes," he answers without hesitation. "Look, it's going to be hard for me seeing you with Sam. Especially after what he did, but I'll deal. If you can forgive him, I guess I can." He looks at me, and I see the sincerity in his eyes. "I want to be there for you when you have to face Thomas. Give me another chance? Please?"

"This is the last one, Zac. You need to get a grip on your anger. If you do anything to put the others, or yourself, in danger...I cannot tolerate that. Do you understand?"

"I do. Thank you." He gets up, heads for the door and stops. "It's real? What you and Sam have?"

"Yes."

"You know he won't let anyone kill you, right? This plan you have of ending it all? You may have to come up with a different plan."

He leaves me with that thought. It sucks because he's probably right. Sam will never allow someone to cut my head off, at least not without a fight. Damndest part of it all is I have finally found a reason to live.

"Again!"

Three Hunters come after me at once, slashing their swords, creating a distinct clank as their blades meet mine. They're getting better, closer to actually cutting me each time. I know they're holding back still, not wanting to hurt me, so I am harder on them.

I'm in full Cursed mode, wanting them to be aware of everything they are going to be up against. I use my swords, fight hand to hand with them, and even border on biting them if they allow me to get too close - though I never cross that line.

They are tired and winded, but they keep fighting, swords clanging.

"Come on, Amanda! Don't hold back!"

"I don't want to hurt you!"

I snarl at her, and charge. She duels with me as I snap at her. Scared, she pushes at me, but I don't budge. I just keep coming at her. Somewhere in the brawl, I accidentally clip her nose with my elbow and she begins to bleed.

"Son of a bitch!" She rounds on me and, finally, puts everything she has into the fight. She's good. Fast and furious, agile and smart. Amanda ducks one of my attacks, does a somersault and comes up behind me. She lunges at me, and I fail to sidestep the advance feeling the blade ramming into my stomach. With a strangled cry, I drop to my knees. Holy hell, getting stabbed is
not
fun!

"Oh my God! Oh God, Anala, I'm so sorry!"