by Heather Karn
First Blood
By Heather Karn
Summary
Like most other college students in the United States, Koda Niklane’s dream is to join the government’s most advanced military unit: the Elite. Since the President’s great reveal of supernaturals living amongst humans, every college student is required to Interview for the Elite. Being human and unable to fight are setbacks for Koda, but she soon learns she isn’t quite as human as she’d thought, or rather, she’s not human at all.
When a purple-eyed blood drinker named Raven Cartana, a Captain in the Elite, announces publicly that she’s one of his kind, Koda refuses to believe him. As her new Elite trainer, Raven’s job is to keep Koda alive and teach her the ropes. Teaching is the easy part as Raven, Koda, and their team work to keep the streets safe from Threats. It soon becomes apparent that keeping Koda alive will be much harder than Raven had anticipated as the attacks on her become more personal.
As Koda works with Raven and the Elite, she can’t help but wonder how much of herself will remain once her maturity has finished. Will she still be Koda, or will she be something different? And is that why someone has their sights set on her?
Copyright © 2019 by Heather Karn
Published: June 15, 2019
Cover Design by Heather Karn
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without express written permission from the author. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
Like a lot of authors, I love dedicating books to people. For this book, I was having a difficult time deciding who it would be. Every person I thought of didn’t seem to fit for this book. Over the last few weeks as I write this, too many of my friends have lost dear loved ones, both expected and suddenly. There is one among them who has stood out to me, and who leaves the world a little brighter because he lived. For that reason, this book is dedicated to him.
Mark McKulsky was one of those people who made you feel like a friend, even if you just met. His work in my hometown community and for schools across the state of Michigan was never ending. He is truly missed by many, but his legacy will be a beacon of hope for those left behind. It is only fitting that the last post he made on social media was a quote that describes how he saw life and it’s a message worth repeating.
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill
Also By Heather Karn
Standalones
Phoenix Awakened
The Weregal Chronicles
Perfect Scents
Whitewash
Black Out
Redemption
Freedom
Unity
Gargoyle Collection
Gargoyle’s Kiss
Gargoyle’s Pixie
Christmas Collection
First Christmas
Cookie Christmas
Evergreen Christmas
First Blood Series
First Blood
Second Lineage (Pre-order now, releases July 13th)
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 1
Ten years ago, life as humans knew it had been normal. Only humans existed, and the fairy tales, myths, and legends parents told their children were just that. Stories. Or so we’d thought. Those beliefs ended the day the President of the United States had called a special press conference to be shared worldwide. He’d announced that he was a lion shifter, the Alpha of the lion shifter pride in his home state of New Mexico, and explained how every creature out of stories was indeed real. Okay, most were real. The more popular ones anyway. Then he proceeded to shift on screen. I’d been almost eleven at the time, and though I didn’t understand the significance of the event then, I did as time passed.
Everything changed overnight. Humans soon found themselves in the minority to supernatural creatures. There were several different categories created, with every species placed under a specific one. There were Shifters, Magic Users, Blood Drinkers, and Others. Others consisted of creatures who didn’t necessarily fit into a category of their own because they were so different. Vampires, werewolves, and other creatures classified as the Threats went on a killing spree, and they didn’t limit their victims exclusively to humans. In a matter of days, martial law was in place with a curfew to keep innocent civilians safe, and the Elite squads were put in place.
The Elite were the best of the best. The best fighters, thinkers, and blenders. Basically, the best spies, assassins, and bodyguards the government could hire. And everyone in my class at school wanted to join the Elite program a year later when it was created. Now, every high school graduate was required to enroll in college so they could not only continue their advanced education to find jobs, but also to learn all about the supernatural and gain fighting skills. At the end of the final semester of their Junior year, they took their Interview, which decided whether they could join the Elite as a trainee or if they finished college as usual. Failing the interview was easy. Passing was nearly impossible.
My forehead smacked against the wooden desk I sat at, emitting a dull thud that echoed around the classroom. I wasn’t the only one to react in such a way. Several sighs and muffled groans, with a few other heads colliding with desktops, were the communal response to our professor’s announcement seconds before. Even with my eyes closed, I was sure I heard soft sobbing from the Koala shifter in the back row. Her family had moved to the United States three weeks ago, right on time for Elite Interviews, which Professor Heldon had just announced were moving from two weeks away to tomorrow morning.
“At least now you have less time to worry over the Interviews,” Professor Heldon, a warlock, chuckled after giving up trying to call the class back to order. His statement earned him a few glares from myself and several fellow students. “Unless of course you’ve procrastinated studying. I’ve warned you all year not to put off studying for the Interview. It’s too late now to cram if you have procrastinated, and I urge you all not to pull an all-nighter to make up for the time you’ve missed. Study what you can. Leave the rest to fate. Maybe this will be a lesson to you. Now get out of here. Oh, and I want you all in your seats at ten minutes before eight tomorrow morning.”
He had to yell the last part as students ducked out of the classroom as quick as they could and nearly ran down the hall to the cafeteria, library, or training rooms. Since I didn’t feel like being mowed over by the rest of my classmates, I stayed seated until
the majority had filed out. Only Lee, my twin brother, and our friend Oscar, and a girl named Kellie remained.
“Well, what’s the plan?” Oscar asked in his usual loud voice, securing his backpack over his shoulder. “I vote lunch. I’m starving.”
“You’re always starving.” Lee rolled his eyes, which were a stunning shade of emerald green that always seemed to sparkle, and motioned to the bag our friend carried. “We all know that bag is pretty much all food anyway.”
Oscar shrugged, his long, wavy dark blond hair swaying with the movement. “Yeah, but that’s my emergency stash. Come on, let’s grab some real food.”
Wiping my hands up and down my face, I moaned and settled back in my seat. “You guys go ahead. I’ll catch you later.”
“Let me guess, you’re heading to the training rooms,” Lee snickered, guessing accurately as he slid into the desk next to me. I glared at him in return.
“We both know I still can’t fight well enough to even beat a racoon shifter, and that’s when they aren’t being shady critters. Being the smartest person in the whole class doesn’t mean anything if I can’t defend myself against an enemy. There’s no way they’ll accept anyone into the Elite program who can’t fight, especially a human.”
“You really think you can learn the skills needed to kill a werewolf, vampire, or other monster equally as powerful and deadly in the next twelve hours when you haven’t been able to learn them in the last nine months? The last nine years even?” Oscar asked, a hint of annoyance touching his voice. It was the same old argument between us. We’d spent hours in the training rooms, him trying to teach me all he could about hand to hand combat. The lean, muscular build and fighting instincts from his panther shifter genes made fighting come easy and natural to him. Being human, I had no instincts like that to rely on. Neither did Lee, but even he excelled in physical training. I was the one who excelled in the classroom. And only the classroom.
“I’m going to try,” I growled at Oscar between clenched teeth, grabbing my purse and phone before marching toward the door, following Kellie out into the hallway. She was a tiny girl, a rabbit shifter. Unlike most rabbits, she was an only child, her mother and siblings having been killed by a fox shifter when Kellie was young. Only she and her father had managed to escape the attack.
“Hey, Koda,” Lee called from behind me, his trotting footfalls growing louder as he approached. “Koda, slow down.”
“What?” I snapped, glaring over my shoulder at him.
“Easy, killer,” he warned, raising his hands in surrender as he slowed to a walk beside me. “I was going to ask if you wanted some company. I could use the extra training time, just like you.”
“No, you want to help me because you know I can’t fight.”
“Yes, and training helps me de-stress. Let’s go.”
Lee led the way out of the classroom building toward the much larger training grounds. The grounds held several fields that were sectioned off with fencing so that different classes could meet outside at once. Some were open areas while others were specifically made for certain weapons, like the archery range. A large building sat off to one side, and it was filled with various sized rooms for class and individual practicing. These were mostly used during the winter months since we had snow on the ground at least half of the year. I liked the private rooms over the smaller fenced in areas. There were fewer people to watch me be thrown around like a rag doll or crushed into the floor. I’d faced a young troll once my freshman year, and I hadn’t been able to walk right for a week without tipping over from my dizziness. It was my lucky day that only my classmates had witnessed that disaster since the troll couldn’t go outside into the sun.
“Some birthday we’re going to have tomorrow,” Lee snorted, closing the training room door behind us while I flipped the lights on. A window set high in the opposite wall allowed the sun inside to give us a bit more light to fill the large room.
After tossing my purse, phone, and jacket into a corner, I took my place on the practice mat, facing Lee. “The morning will be crappy, but I’m sure we’ll have a great afternoon celebrating your success as an Elite trainee.”
We both lifted our fists in a defensive stance, ready for the other to attack while he shook his head at me. “You’ll be celebrating too. Once they figure out how much information you have stored up in that brain of yours, they’ll want you. You’re worth the extra physical training they’ll need to put you through just for that.”
“I wish.” I feinted a strike at him, which he dodged with a counterstrike, and a second later I found myself flat on my back, staring up at the ceiling as a disappointed Lee stepped into view.
“Girl, if you do this tomorrow, I will personally smack you upside the head. You’re better than this, even for a warm up.” He held his hand out and helped me back up to my feet. We took our positions again, and this time I focused harder.
“Then let’s not talk about our birthday.”
He gave a sharp nod. “Deal. Focus.”
It was often hard to remember the two of us, though we called ourselves twins, weren’t even related by blood. My mom and his mom had delivered us on the same day, at the same hospital. Mine had died that day, but in some fluke had managed to arrange with Lee’s parents that they would adopt me and raise me with Lee. I couldn’t thank any of them enough, even my late mother, for allowing me to grow up with a family. I wouldn’t have made it this far without Lee at my side.
Two hundred and forty pounds of muscle slammed into me, knocking me to the floor. Before Lee could deliver the kick he aimed at my ribs, I focused. That kick would drive the air from my lungs and make me useless for the next ten minutes. That wasn’t going to happen today. I swept my leg around, knocking his feet out from under him. He regained his footing before me, but he didn’t take advantage of my defenselessness like others would have, like whoever tested me tomorrow.
The moment I was back on two legs, he attacked. Some protective instinct buried deep inside had me blocking his right hook before I even thought about what I was doing. However, it failed to offer any defense against the left uppercut Lee aimed at my jaw, and as my teeth clacked together, I kicked out, missing my target. A flailing fish would cause more damage than I was as I found myself laying on my back again, this time of my own doing. Unlike last time, Lee didn’t let me stand before attacking, and I barely rolled out of the way of the punch meant to knock my lights out.
We practiced for hours on hand to hand combat, knives, swords, and other weapons. Both of us were proficient enough with guns so we didn’t bother with them, and the college president preferred we use other weapons. Most Elite didn’t use guns anyway since several species of Threats had to have body parts removed to kill them. By the time Lee announced we needed to head home, we were both covered in sweat, and my skin was littered with bruises.
The cool air of the approaching evening chilled my sweaty skin and I regretted my decision to not put on my jacket, but only for a second. There was no way I would be tugging my coat over my sweat soaked clothes. Just the thought of that grossness made me cringe. I hadn’t planned on training when I left the house this morning or I would have brought clean clothes to change into. Neither had my brother, but that didn’t stop him from being comfortable. Lee had removed his shirt during our training session, and now he carried it in his hand so every female we passed had a clear view of his toned chest and abs. He wasn’t as fit as most of the shifter males, but he was built well enough for a human to turn a female head his way.
Me, on the other hand, I was invisible in his shadow, and that was where I liked to be. For now, anyway. One day I’d make a name for myself. If I couldn’t make the Elite, there were still several other programs I could apply for my Senior year. My detailed brain and impeccable memory would land me a good job…somewhere.
Before our Freshman year of college, our parents had bought a house near campus so that Lee and I could save money on housing. Plus, with our four younger sibli
ngs all planning to attend this university, they’d get their money out of the place. Oscar lived with us, as did another Junior, Clara, a petite hedge witch whose magic to grow plants was as weak as the healing potions she concocted. Even my bruises would be too much for her potions to heal. She was the most peaceful person I’d ever met. There was no way she’d be chosen as an Elite, and she was happy with that.
Both Oscar and Clara were home by the time we arrived. It was easy to tell. Oscar had the TV volume cranked up watching a sports game and the scent of dinner cooking told where Clara was hiding. Instead of heading to the kitchen to say hi as I usually did, I jogged up the stairs to the bathroom and locked myself inside. Without bothering to check on my bruised body, I stripped and showered. The warm water did wonders to loosen my sore and achy muscles. I should’ve thought about how I’d be feeling tomorrow before agreeing to spar with Lee. Maybe I’d ask Clara for some of her muscle relaxing creams tonight in hopes they’d work their limited wonders so I could move properly in the morning. Clean and smelling fresh, I ventured downstairs just as Clara was setting a pot of soup on the table. Lee followed close behind me, also fresh and clean.
“Is everyone ready for tomorrow?” Oscar asked as we all dug into the soup. It was Clara’s specialty, homemade potato soup, and usually it was my favorite, but not tonight. My stomach turned. Couldn’t he have waited until my food was digested before he brought that subject up?
“Let’s face it, I might as well show up in a dress and heels for all the good it’ll do me,” Clara giggled, tucking strands of her long, black hair behind her ear as the rest shimmered in the dim light hanging above the small round table we were eating at. “I’m never going to be Elite material. They shouldn’t even bother Interviewing me. It’ll be a waste of their time, and mine.”
