Vampire Hunters, #1

by Trudie Collins

  Finally Alex plucked up the courage to approach her and lent her a book to read. He had noticed the sort she usually had with her and thought she would enjoy it. She did and for the next few months, every time she was getting toward the end, he would bring in a new one for her to borrow.

  One day Sarah wasn’t there. Both of them had gotten to know Joe, the night manager, and Alex was concerned that Sarah hadn’t let Joe know she wouldn’t be in. When she wasn’t there again the next night, Alex went looking for her. He had seen her enter her building and knew her first name, so he looked at the names on every buzzer. Luckily there was only one which had her initial, so he rang it, despite the fact that it was the early hours of the morning.

  She told him she was in bed with a very bad throat infection, so he returned to the café, ordered a bowl of soup and took it to her. He continued to do this every night until she was well enough to join him in the café once more.

  They started dating and it wasn’t long before he moved in with her.

  “The rest, as they say, is history,” she said.

  JD loved listening to her speak and wanted to know more. “So how did you meet Craig?”

  Sarah smiled as her mind travelled back down the years. “Very early on I found out that having Alex in my life also meant having Craig. Those two spent so much time together that initially I was jealous. But the three of us got on so well it all worked out. They both graduated a year before me and got themselves jobs. It was pure coincidence that I ended up working at the same place as Craig.”

  “So what did Alex do for a living?”

  “He studied business administration and always wanted to help people, so he went to work for a charity. The pay wasn’t good, but he loved what he did. Between us we earned enough to get a mortgage on the place I still live at, with a little help from his parents, and we asked Craig if he wanted to move into the spare room. We were both surprised when he said no. Now I know why.”

  “In a way you ended up living with him anyway.”

  “Only one night a week,” she said.

  “You can make it more if you want to.”

  “No way,” she said, took another swig from the water bottle then handed it back to him. “Break time is over. This time I am going to hit you.”

  By the time they returned to the house, Sarah was dead on her feet. “Thank you for everything,” she said as they walked through the door.

  “It was my pleasure, though Craig is going to be very annoyed with me if you don’t spend the afternoon with him. You owe him an apology by the way. Asking him to go against his trainer’s orders was not very nice.”

  “I know. I guess I wasn’t thinking properly this morning. It won’t happen again.”

  Sarah found Craig in the kitchen and ate lunch with him before they settled down on the sofa together to watch a film, most of which she slept through. She missed the entire second film as she dozed in Craig’s arms, but he didn’t mind. She was a lot happier than he had expected her to be that day.

  She woke in time for dinner, leaving her apology until then so she could do it publicly.

  Before turning in for the night, Craig went to see JD. “Thank you for helping Sarah and sorry I was such a pain.”

  JD waved away his apology. ‘It’s understandable. But you have to remember, I am her trainer as well as yours. I have been taught the best thing for people in most situations. You need to learn to trust me.”

  “I do.”

  “I meant you need to learn to trust me with Sarah.”

  Craig nodded. While he trusted JD with his life, trusting him with Sarah was something completely different. “After today, I think I do.”

  “Are you staying with her again tonight?” The thought of them sleeping in the same bed no longer bothered JD. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Craig would offer her comfort, nothing more.

  “Probably,” Craig replied.

  “Good. Sleep well. And I expect to see you both at the 5am session tomorrow.”

  Screw training

  Just when JD was beginning to believe that Sarah and Craig had the perfect relationship and that they never had a serious argument, they proved him wrong.

  “Hi Sarah,” Scott said as Sarah walked into the Sanctuary one Wednesday evening after work.

  She didn’t return the greeting. “Is Jason in yet?”

  “No, why?” She ignored the question.

  “Craig, Jason’s office. Now.”

  “She sounds mad,” Scott said.

  “Tell me about it,” Craig said as he left the games room and headed to JD’s office.

  As soon as he entered, Sarah slammed the door behind him. “What the hell did you do?” she yelled.

  “Nothing,” Craig said defensively. He had a good idea what she was talking about, but didn’t want to admit anything in case he was wrong.

  “I spoke to you in complete confidence,” she snarled at him. “Who did you tell?”

  He didn’t need to ask what about. “Jonathon. Why? What’s happened?”

  By the time JD arrived, Craig had stopped defending himself and he and Sarah were screaming at each other.

  “They sound like an old married couple, don’t they,” Simon said.

  “Any idea what they’re arguing about?” JD asked as he walked over. Jonathon, Simon, Scott and Katie were all standing outside his office, listening in.

  Before anyone could reply, the door opened and Sarah walked out, slamming it behind her. Ignoring everyone, she ran up the stairs and shut herself in her room.

  JD raised an eyebrow, but refrained from commenting. Instead he went to his room and changed into his training gear. Sarah was already in the arena when he tried the door, which she had locked.

  He went to the balcony and watched her working out for a while.

  “Your anger is making you sloppy. You need to use it, focus it, control it, don’t let it control you.”

  The look she gave him told him that she wanted to kill someone and he was determined it wasn’t going to be him.

  He opened the balcony door and called out. “Craig, get in here.”

  “What?” he asked when he arrived. He sounded depressed, but JD didn’t care. He had upset Sarah somehow and now he had to pay.

  “Get down there and spar with her. You’re going to run this training session for a while.”

  That got his attention. “Why?”

  “Because she looks like she wants to really hurt someone and I don’t want it to be me.”

  “I really hate you sometimes.”

  JD smiled at him. “I suggest you start with the Bo. Even the blunt swords could do you quite a bit of damage the way she’s feeling.”

  Craig growled at him then slid down the pole to the arena floor.

  JD left them to it and went to find his brother. If anyone could tell him what was going on it would be Jonathon.

  “Can I see you in my office?” he asked as soon as he found him.

  “Where’s Sarah?” Jonathon asked as he entered the room.

  “Sparing with Craig.”

  “Oh that’s just cruel.” He couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice.

  “So what’s the story?”

  Jonathon took a seat and told JD everything. “Sarah was having problems with her boss. He kept coming on to her and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She asked Craig for advice and he told me.”

  “And?”

  “And I had a word with him.” JD did not like the sound of that.

  “You threatened him?”

  Jonathon grinned. “Not with violence, no. I got chatting to his PA. Very nice young woman. Blonde, good figure, big−”

  “Carry on,” JD interrupted.

  “I found out from her that he’s a supposedly happily married man who is secretly meeting with a prostitute every Friday lunchtime. I took some time off work and followed them. I have some nice photos to prove it. I then casually explained to him exactly what would happen to those photos if he didn
’t leave Sarah alone.”

  JD was shocked. “You blackmailed him?”

  “That’s one way of looking at it.”

  “Is there another way?”

  “Anyway, from what I gather from all the shouting, he has quit and before leaving he told Sarah she has nice friends. I think he was being sarcastic. Now she’s accusing Craig of interfering in her life and not letting her sort out her own problems.”

  “She’s right,” JD said.

  “That’s not the point.”

  “I know. Don’t worry. I’ll speak to her.”

  That meant the conversation was over so Jonathon stood up to leave the room. “Jonathon. Thank you for handling the situation.”

  Jonathon paused and looked at his brother. “Does that mean you’re going to go and rescue Craig now?”

  “No, not yet. I want her to take out all of her aggression on him before I go anywhere near her.”

  “Has anyone ever told you you are an evil evil man?” Only Jonathon would have the guts to say that to him.

  “To my face? Only you have ever been brave enough, though I’m sure many have thought it.”

  After Jonathon had left, JD relaxed back in his chair, counted slowly to ten, then went to let Craig off the hook.

  “That’s enough. I can take over from here,” he called down from the balcony.

  Craig was limping and holding his arm as he left the arena. JD somersaulted down to the floor.

  “Feeling better?”

  “A little,” Sarah said. “Thank you for letting me attack him.”

  “No problem. What did you do to him?”

  Sarah shrugged. “It’s just a few bruises. He’ll live. He should learn to block better.”

  JD gave her a serious look. “You owe him an apology.”

  “Why?”

  “This family looks out for each other and whether you like it or not, you’re part of this family now.”

  “And that means I can’t sort out my own problems?”

  JD nodded his head. “Yes, that is exactly what it means. Problems here are shared, so learn to live with it.”

  “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Yes I am. Now go swap your Bo for a sword and if you even think about giving Jonathon a hard time about this you will have me to answer to.”

  ————————————-∞————————————-

  Friday arrived and Craig went to see JD before Sarah reached the Sanctuary. “I have come to ask you to let Sarah off training tonight.”

  He sounded so excited that JD couldn’t bring himself to say no outright. “Why?”

  “She has been offered her boss’s job. I want to take her out to celebrate.”

  JD thought for a minute. He could understand them wanting to celebrate, but they should do it on their own time, not his. Training had to come first and Craig knew that.

  “No. If you want to take her out, do so tomorrow.”

  Craig knew better than to argue.

  When Sarah arrived she made no mention of the promotion. She seemed far from excited.

  “I hear congratulations are in order,” JD said as he attacked, trying to distract her.

  She blocked. “Not yet. I’m not sure if I’m going to accept.”

  “Why not?” Her attack was fast and well thought out. Her mind was completely on the fight.

  “It will interfere with training for a start.” JD was so surprised he didn’t block in time and she managed to hit him. A smile lit up her face. “So that’s how I beat you is it?”

  JD lowered his sword. “Never mind that. This is serious. You can’t put training before your career. We can work around whatever hours you need to do.”

  “That’s not the only reason. I’m good at what I do, very good. Managing people is a completely different ball game. I love coding. I’m not sure I want to move away from that. At least not yet.”

  “Only you know what’s best for you. Don’t let anyone talk you into or out of it. It has to be your decision and yours alone.” Before he finished the sentence he swung at her, but she was prepare for it and blocked. “You’re getting very good.”

  ————————————-∞————————————-

  The following Monday night Craig arrived home in a foul mood. He stormed into JD’s office. “Sarah turned down the promotion. What did you say to her?”

  JD didn’t appreciate the accusation, but wasn’t going to get into an argument. “Take a seat,” he said calmly. “Now what makes you think I said anything?”

  “You’re the only one she listens to anymore.”

  There was an undertone to the words and it took JD a moment to realise what it was. “Are you jealous?”

  “No,” Craig snapped back. Then he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. Being angry with JD never worked out well. “Maybe a little,” he said.

  “I’m her trainer. She has to listen to me. But I don’t tell her what to do in regard to any other aspect of her life. Got it?”

  Craig nodded his head. JD was right. He was angry at Sarah, not JD, and there would be a price to pay for shouting at him.

  “Now get out of here. Go and talk to her and listen to her reasons for turning the job down.” JD almost let him leave the room before adding, “And you are joining her training session on Wednesday.”

  Craig nodded once more. He was lucky to get away with just that for punishment.

  ————————————-∞————————————-

  JD surprised Sarah the following Sunday afternoon by telling her they were going to practice outside.

  “It’s raining,” she said.

  “I know. That’s the point. We have to hunt in all weathers. You need to know what it’s like to fight in the rain. It’s much harder to keep a good grip on your sword, for starters.”

  “I suppose there’s some logic there,” she said and headed toward the front door.

  “Sarah,” JD called after her. “You may want to get changed first.”

  “Why?”

  “You’re going to get wet and are wearing white. Why do you think?”

  “Good point.” She wasn’t sure what she was dressed in would be see-through when wet, but suspected it might be so she appreciated JD’s warning. However, she wasn’t going to go along with him so easily. “What if I don’t have anything else suitable with me?” The smile on her face told him she was just trying to annoy him and he wasn’t in the mood for playing with her.

  “Then you had better hope one of the others has something that will fit you.”

  “And if they don’t?”

  His face turned serious. He needed to let her know she had to obey him or suffer the consequences. “Then you will train in the rain in what you’re wearing. I can assure you it won’t bother me at all.”

  Part of him hoped that she didn’t have a change of clothes. He hadn’t lied to her when he said it wouldn’t bother him. He did not, however, let her know how much he would enjoy it.

  The smile dropped from her face and she raced up the stairs and ran to her room.

  “She’s still trying to argue against you I see,” Jonathon said as he walked out of the games room, having heard the exchange.

  “She’ll learn that it’s pointless as she will never win. She’s obeying me most of the time now, so she’s getting there.” He then smiled at his brother. “She’s like a puppy. Every now and then she tries to see how far the leash can be stretched before she’s hauled back in.”

  Jonathon grinned back. “And I bet you enjoy making her heel.”

  “Sometimes. Other times I have to stop myself throttling her as I’m pretty sure Craig would be upset if I did that.”

  Sarah soon returned, dressed in more suitable attire. Fighting in the rain taught her a great deal and she was glad that JD had made her do it. She frequently lost her grip on her sword as the rain made her hands slippery. JD showed her how to adjust her position
ing to compensate and by the end of an hour she was cold, tired and soaked through, but was no longer losing her sword when she attacked or defended.

  Jonathon was just leaving to go on a date when they arrived back at the house. Sarah’s wet clothes were clinging to her and JD noticed the way his brother was looking at her.

  “Keep your eyes to yourself,” he said as they both watched her climb the steps to the front door. The fact that he had been looking at her in exactly the same way was irrelevant.

  “She does have a damn fine body,” Jonathon said. “You never know. Maybe one day I may change my mind and let her share my bed.”

  The comment would have disgusted JD if he hadn’t been expecting it. “What makes you so sure she wants to?”

  Jonathon grinned. “She’s female and I’m stunningly attractive. What more do I need to know?”

  JD walked away without comment. At least his brother was predictable. One day he would fall in love with a woman who didn’t want him and JD hoped he would be around to see it.

  ————————————-∞————————————-

  A few weeks later JD called Sarah to say he was running late for their Wednesday night session, so she went to the TV room to wait for him to arrive. Katie was there, but she appeared to be paying no attention to the show that was on the screen.

  “Are you alright?” she asked, making Katie jump in surprise. Her attention had been so focused somewhere else that she hadn’t heard Sarah enter the room.

  “I’m fine,” Katie said, sounding far from it.

  Sarah took a seat next to her. “Want to talk about it?”

  “One of my regulars died today. He came in for his usual check-up, annual injections, that sort of thing and, for an older dog, he was in remarkably good health. As his owner was leaving the carpark, a car came out of nowhere and crashed into their vehicle. The owner was unhurt, but Rex was in a bad way. We operated, but couldn’t save him. I know I’m being silly, but I’m really going to miss the old mutt.”

  “It doesn’t sound silly to me. It sounds like you need to get away for an evening. Let me get changed and I’ll take you out.”