by Heather Karn
The general nodded and stood. “What you’ve said is accurate. Is it not, Captain?” He turned to a man who leaned against the wall to my left, his arms crossed.
My eyes locked with the Captain’s, and I had to stifle a gasp at the sharp, magenta tone of his irises. His jet-black hair was the same shade as his uniform and was longer and styled to cross over his face. Dark eyebrows accented his light-colored eyes, and they were furrowed, making him appear threatening. Like the general, the absent sleeves on his uniform showed off muscles that could compete with the general’s. We had one similarity, and that was that I rivaled the new man in height, and he was taller than the general by a few inches. He had to be in his mid-twenties, putting him about five years or so older than me.
“Yes, it is accurate,” the captain murmured in a silky, deep voice as he studied me. “Would you allow me the honor of testing her physical prowess?”
The general nodded, motioning to a large mat on the floor behind me. “Be my guest, but don’t break her.”
Pushing away from the wall, the captain led the way to the practice mat and took a defensive stance. I mimicked him and sent a prayer heavenward that I wasn’t about to get my butt handed to me in front of these people. With my heart thundering in my ears and my fists shaking, I lifted them and prepared to be pummeled.
His body betrayed me. Instead of punching like he appeared to be prepping for, the captain kicked out, his long leg reaching me before I could block him. I stumbled backward, my thigh burning where he’d struck. Mentally beating myself, I focused harder.
By sheer luck I was able to block his next strike, a fist aimed at my belly, and somehow avoided the next potential blow to the side of my face. That was the last bit of luck I had. Ten minutes later I was flat on my back, praying not to puke. The captain grunted and returned to his place against the wall and I rolled to my feet and hobbled to the yellow X on the floor.
“Well, that was entertaining,” the general grumbled, obviously not impressed by my abilities.
“Quite,” the captain drawled, “But now that the testing is ending, I’d like to know why she lied to you earlier.”
I jerked, startled by his accusation. The general turned his attention back on me and arched an eyebrow. “You lied to me?”
“No,” I stammered, looking back at the captain, who hadn’t even broken a sweat while we’d fought, or rather while he’d kicked my butt. A rumble filled the room as the other occupants spoke to one another, likely wondering what my lie was about. I only wished I knew. “What do you think I lied about?”
“Your species,” the captain responded, pushing himself from the wall to stalk toward me. “Or is it that you don’t even know what you are?”
My eyes never left him, but my voice shook, no matter how hard I attempted to keep it steady. “And what race do you think I am? And how would you even know?”
“Because a male vamlure always recognizes a female vamlure.”
If my eyes could have gotten any wider, they would have. As it was, my mouth was flopped open, my jaw hitting the floor. No, it had long ago hit the floor and was making its way to the center of the Earth. There was no way I’d heard what I thought I had.
“You’re wrong,” I accused in a soft whisper, which was the only volume I could muster. “I would know.”
“Would you now?” he asked, his voice haughty as he stared at me. “You said you were adopted. How old were you?”
“A baby.”
“And no one knew supernaturals existed, which means your mother never told your adoptive parents what you are. You’re a vamlure. Don’t argue it. I know it for a fact.”
I shook my head, the rest of the room forgotten. “Look at my eyes. They’re green. Rumor has it, and you’re living proof, that vamlures have purple eyes.”
He crossed his arms, staring down the one inch difference that separated us in height, unphased by my verbal assault. “Have you tasted blood yet?”
The thought sickened me. “No, of course not.”
“Then your eyes wouldn’t be purple. They don’t change until after the First Blood. You should start craving your first drink soon. General?” He addressed the man, bringing the room back into focus.
“Yes, Captain?” The man looked intrigued, and not in a good way.
“I request permission to be her trainer.”
My eyebrows shot up. A trainer. Only Elite had trainers. The general’s reaction was much like mine, only his expression mixed with disbelief.
“You tested her physical abilities personally, and even I saw how pathetic they are. You can’t expect me to accept her based on her race alone.”
“Yes, I do expect that,” the captain countered. “Even you still don’t know everything about my race. I can already tell you that without her first taste of blood, she is weak, but afterward, she will be far stronger. And when her venom comes in, she’ll be an even deadlier weapon.”
Wait, venom? “Hold up.” I held my hands up to both men. “You lost me.”
The captain’s eyebrows drew low. “Where?”
“The whole thing, but mostly the venom part.”
He ignored me and turned back to the general. “You either accept my training of her, or I will be taking a leave of absence to do so. It is up to you.”
A wicked smile lifted the general’s lips as he picked up his pen and wrote on the bottom of my sheet. After a quick flourish that had to be a signature, he set the paper in a small pile on the edge of his desk.
“Congratulations, Captain. You now have your first student. Don’t get her killed. That involves too much paperwork. Now escort her out of here. I have to go snatch our next Interviewee.”
A strong hand gripped my bicep and hauled me past the general’s desk and out the back door of the building. His grip was almost painful, but my mind spun and refused to focus. Even after the dull light of the fluorescents had been blown away by the midday sun, my brain still buzzed.
I’d gotten what I wanted, but this wasn’t happening. What was that saying, be careful what you wish for? Yeah, I’d learned that the hard way, and the journey was only just beginning.
Chapter 3
“Get in,” the Captain ordered, pointing to the black truck which took up most of the small parking lot behind the Interview building. The truck put the rest of the vehicles parked around it to shame. That was the only thought crossing my still sluggish mind until the man shoved me toward the passenger’s side.
“Where are we going?” I asked the captain, opening my door and eyeing the distance from the ground to the floorboards. Even as tall as I was, I’d have to take a running leap or something just to climb inside. There wasn’t a ladder in sight, or even a stepstool.
“Get in,” he growled, swinging into place behind the wheel using the random handle above his door. Grabbing mine, I jumped up and pulled myself inside, hoping the handle held under my weight. Before my door was even closed, the truck was moving out of the parking space.
I stared at him, and he didn’t acknowledge me. “Are we in a hurry?”
“No.”
“Then where’s the fire?”
He turned to me, arching a dark eyebrow as he scowled. “There is no fire. We’re going to your home so we can grab your things. You’re moving in with me while you train.”
“Wait, I’m moving in with you? Like, in your house?”
Turning back to the road, his scowl deepened. “Yes and no. The house is government property. The team I lead uses it, so I guess that makes it my house. I live in the basement, and you’ll live down there with me so I can keep an eye on you. The others prefer daylight, so they’re upstairs. Now, where do you live?”
“Take a left,” I directed at the next intersection.
“Address.”
“758 North Brookfield Ave.”
“Thank you.”
I stared at him without blinking until he turned to me. “Do you know where that is?”
“Yes.”
�
��Oh.” Sitting back, I let silence hang between us as I analyzed his dry tone and every word he’d said. I could only come up with one conclusion. “You don’t like me. Why? What’d I do to you?”
“I don’t not like you. You annoy me with all of your questions.”
“Then why did you volunteer to train me?”
“Because if I didn’t, you’d wind up dead.”
The way he said it, all matter-of-fact, bothered me. “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Any time.” He continued to stare out the windshield without acknowledging me.
“So am I supposed to call you Captain or Sir for the remainder of my training?”
“During formal occasions or missions, call me Captain. The rest of the time, you may call me Raven.”
I almost asked if he meant like the bird, but I bit my tongue. He could have passed for one with his dark features if he was a shifter, but as far as I knew, there were no raven shifters. Then again, I didn’t know everything, even if I did have most of our textbook information memorized. In fact, it was that stupid knowledge and my motor mouth that were the reasons I was sitting next to Raven in the first place. Okay, maybe that wasn’t all true. My vast book knowledge had introduced me to Raven, but it was Raven’s belief that I was a vamlure that was the real reason I was riding in his truck at this moment.
“I realize that I annoy you, but there’s so much I don’t know that I need to know. Mostly about how you know with absolute certainty that I’m a vamlure, and more about them. I only know what I told the general, but seeing you and hearing what you said, I get the feeling there’s a lot more to us than most people know.”
“There is,” he responded, his silky voice still holding a gruff edge, although the dryness was ebbing away. “How much do you know about supernatural history?”
I shrugged. “Just what they teach us in school. There isn’t much yet. Mostly it’s shifter history they’ve been able to collect and compile.”
Raven nodded. “Until ten years ago, each of the races kept their own separate histories. No one bothered to collect them all so now we have to not only collect from the different species, but from the various packs. Have you heard of the Blood War?”
“Nope.”
“It occurred just before the Salem Witch trials in this country. Before the hunt for witches was in full swing, the supernatural races focused on their greatest enemy: the vampires. They also included any blood drinking race. Well, since we drink blood, we were included.”
“But I thought our kind was peaceful compared to vamps.” Had I really just said “our kind” like I believed what he said about me? So far, he had no proof.
One side of his mouth lifted into a wry smile. “We aren’t blood thirsty like true vampires, but that doesn’t make us peaceful. After all, I’m an Elite and you’re my trainee. I don’t believe there’s anything peaceful about that.”
“No, I guess not.”
“Anyway, our kind was almost wiped out. Those who survived went into hiding. Some were found and slaughtered. A few hundred survived. Until the Great Reveal ten years ago, we hid. Most still do, fearing that if they’re found, they’ll be killed like they were during the Blood War. Only a few of us have shown ourselves, and until today, they’ve all been male.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.” His deep voice rumbled. “Females stay hidden to protect themselves and their young. It would have taken something catastrophic for your mother to not only leave our people, but to give birth to you in a human hospital, even if she was human.”
“Any ideas what that could have been?” I asked, my mind wandering to several different theories that I quickly rejected.
“Not a clue, but I mean to find out if I can.” He lifted a hand from the wheel and pointed to a green house up the road that was in desperate need of a paint job. That was supposed to be this summer’s family project. “That it?”
“That’s it,” I confirmed, reaching for my seatbelt only to find I’d never strapped myself in. Oops. Lee’s car wasn’t parked in its usual spot, but a fancy, red sports car was. “Who’s that?” I wondered aloud, reaching for the door handle.
“Avery. He’s my second in command, so be respectful.”
His second in command? Neither Oscar or Clara had been Interviewed yet, which meant Avery was here with Lee.
Scrambling for the door handle, I gripped it and threw the door open before jumping to the ground and racing toward the house. Raven called after me, following at a much more subdued pace, but I was too focused on the house and who lay inside to understand what he said. The screen door almost came off its hinges when I yanked it open and the main door gave way when I pushed. Someone hadn’t shut it completely. Lee would have, which meant Avery was last inside.
“Lee?” I yelled the moment I crossed the threshold. A chair scraped against the floor in the kitchen before a blond head poked out of the kitchen doorway further up the hall. “You’re not Lee.”
The man flashed me a boyish grin before stepping into the hallway to give me a shrug. “Nope, I’m not. He’s upstairs.”
“Koda?” Lee called, appearing at the top of the stairs at the same time Raven opened the screen door and stepped inside behind me. My brother stared at Raven, his eyes dancing between us until his jaw dropped open. “You were chosen too? How? Sorry, Koda, but we all know you can’t fight. Did you do better than usual?”
“Not quite,” I grumbled. “We need to talk.”
“Not here,” Raven ordered. “You have ten minutes to pack all that you need. Both of you. Whatever isn’t packed by then is left behind. Move.”
We may not have spent much time together yet, but I knew enough to believe Raven. Racing up the stairs, I shoved Lee aside and shot down the hallway to my room, my brother on my heels. When he saw me dig my suitcase and duffle bag out of the closet and start shoving clothes inside, he stopped me.
“Koda, what’s going on?”
“The captain gave an order.” I pried his hand from my arm and pointed toward the door. “Avery’s his man. When Raven says ten minutes, he means ten minutes. Trust me. We won’t have a second longer.”
“Got it.” Lee turned and darted from the room, leaving me alone with my belongings.
What all could fit, I stuffed inside the suitcase. There was still so much that I didn’t want to leave behind. Mostly what I shoved in the suitcase were clothes, since those were essential. Other personal items would have to be left behind. Well, it wasn’t like I would be leaving it forever. The house still belonged to my parents. They’d box up whatever I couldn’t bring, and that Raven wouldn’t let me come back for.
Whatever clothes I could grab went into the suitcase, and when that was bulging to max capacity, I crossed the hall to the bathroom to stuff the duffle bag full of my toiletries and other necessities. When I reentered my room, Raven was leaning against the far wall, waiting for me.
“Ten minutes already?” I asked, almost breathless from packing in such a hurry.
“Nine.”
“Good, I’ve got one minute.” Standing in the middle of my room, I looked over all of my belongings. A picture of my family on the dresser got thrown in the duffle bag, along with a few books and bags of candy I’d hidden from Lee and Oscar.
“Time’s up.”
“Will I be able to come back if I’ve forgotten anything?” I asked, zipping the suitcase and duffle bags closed.
“No. If it’s not packed, it stays.”
My heart leapt to my throat as I surveyed the room. So many of my belongings couldn’t fit, and I’d had to pick and choose what came and what didn’t. What if I forgot something important? I was certain I’d forgotten plenty in my rush to pack.
I opened my mouth to explain this, but Raven crossed the room, grabbed my suitcase, and headed for the door. “Let’s go. Now.”
His gruff tone, and the sight of bulging muscles that could easily tear me apart, ended my rebellion. Slipping the strap of the
duffle bag over my shoulder, I left the room, closing the door behind me. Lee waited in his bedroom doorway before following Raven and Avery downstairs, and I followed Lee.
Raven didn’t stop when he reached the bottom of the stairs, but continued outside, still carrying my suitcase. Avery followed, carrying Lee’s backpack. Before joining the men outside, Lee stopped me, taking my hand.
“Are you okay with this?” Lee asked, squeezing my hand. “With him? Avery’s cool, but the captain gives me the creeps. He’s a vamlure, a blood drinker.”
I swallowed hard. “Listen, Lee, it’s complicated, and we need to follow them. I don’t want him having to come back for us. Raven’s already upset with me, and I don’t want to give him more of a reason to dislike me. Let’s go.”
Lee nodded. “We must be going to the same place then, huh?”
“Only if you follow me, boy. Otherwise, if you decide to keep chatting, you’ll be staying here and unpacking while I take Koda with me,” Raven snarled, his large form taking up most of the open doorway when he crossed his arms. “If I were you, I’d start listening to your sister.”
My usually carefree and confident brother dropped his gaze before stepping toward the door. Raven moved out of the way, allowing Lee to pass before he took my bag from me and turned away. With one final look inside, I closed and locked the door behind me, hoping it wasn’t the last time I’d step into the house I’d called home for three years. Now that I knew what to expect, being an Elite wasn’t all I’d thought it was cracked up to be.
After stowing my belongings, and Lee’s, into the back of Raven’s extended cab, we climbed inside and followed Avery’s car through town toward their house. I still wanted information about who and what I was, but Raven’s scowl stayed my tongue.
I was thoroughly lost as to what area of the city we were in, having zoned out for several minutes of the trip, when Raven’s voice brought me back to reality. “I’ll teach you what I can of our kind. I’m not the friendliest person sometimes. Any of my team will tell you that, but I want you to be open with me and feel that you can ask me questions.”
