He didn’t say anything, just watched me curiously, trying to figure out a puzzle, the same way Tom had always looked at me. I forced myself to smile, not wanting him to suspect anything. As far as they knew I was completely normal now. They didn’t need to know that at night I often lay awake, too afraid of my nightmares to sleep. That during the day, while hiking, I worried I would slip back into that pit of darkness and insanity. Worried I would never fit in anywhere.
I picked up Will’s dagger, which I’d been polishing and handed it to him. “It’s a bit much…for anyone. The death, the blood.”
Images of broken bodies and heads torn from necks swirled through my mind. I shoved the memories aside, refusing to dwell upon them.
Will rested his hand on my lower back, startling me. “I know. Listen, Jane, I want you here.” Even though it was dusk and the only light was the dull glow of the fire, I could still see he blushed. I found his reaction endearing. “I mean, we all want you here.”
I took in a deep trembling breath, steeling my nerves, and managed to meet his gaze. I needed to know more. I needed to understand all that I could, and I’d much rather ask questions than dwell on my confusing emotions for Will. If we were going to be friends, I needed to know I could trust him with my plans, and I so needed someone to talk to. “When were you rescued?”
He pulled back, leaving distance between us. “I wasn’t.”
“You escaped then?”
“No.” He raked his hands through his hair, flustered, although I wasn’t sure why. I watched the reflection of the flames dancing in his eyes as he tried desperately to think of the best way to explain, which confused me even more. What, exactly, was there to say?
“Truth is, I was born out here.”
I hadn’t been expecting that. “You’re serious?”
He nodded. “Actually, my mother was born out here too. There are still pockets of us, you know. Natives, we call ourselves.” He nudged the toe of his boot into the dirt. “My father was a chosen one.”
I wondered where his parents were now, but didn’t dare ask. I didn’t need any more horror stories at the moment. So, he didn’t know what it was like to live in the compounds? I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. All those lectures he’d given me back at the skyscraper had been unfounded, hadn’t they? After all, he didn’t truly understand what I had gone through.
“I see.” But I didn’t, not really.
I didn’t want to be annoyed with Will, but I was. How could he pretend to understand? He had no idea what it was like to be picked, to watch your friend be led to her very death. “This war between the beautiful ones and us… how long has this been going on?”
“We’re not sure.” He seemed relieved to be discussing something other than his personal life, and I wondered if he was hiding anything else. “Over a hundred years.” He picked up a stick and began drawing nonsensical swirls in the dirt. “We thrived once, a long time ago.”
I’d figured as much, reading the books. Still, it was shocking to hear, and even harder to believe.
He drew a map in the dirt. I’d seen that map before in one of Jimmy’s books. The United States. He tapped the end of the stick in the middle of the map. “Humans ruled this world at one time, until the blood drinkers decided we weren’t worthy and took over.”
I shook my head, confused. I’d heard it before, but it seemed impossible…preposterous. Compared to the beautiful ones, we were feeble. “Are you serious?”
He nodded. “Those cities, those buildings, they were made by our people. The books you read were written by our people.”
Either Will was lying to make me feel better, or he truly believed what he said. If it were true, did that mean we could possibly make such marvelous things again? “My ancestors?”
“Yes.” He smiled. “Our ancestors.”
I shook my head and studied our small group. Tony and Kelly. Jimmy. Carla and Sam cuddling in the corner. Did they believe Will’s claim? Yeah, I trusted Will, but it seemed impossible. “But how did they lose power?”
He frowned. “Greed, of course. Humans were fighting each other for control. Blood drinkers saw an opportunity. While humans were distracted with each other, the blood drinkers were able to bond, when before they’d lived alone, hidden within the shadows. While the humans were embroiled in their own wars, they knew it was the perfect time to strike.” He drew an X through the map. “At least that is the story carried down through generations.”
Steve moved forward, handing a tin plate of food to Will, and then one to me. He smiled a shy smile, genuinely friendly. I smiled back, grateful for the food and the break.
We had thrived once, could we again? “So, there are more of us out there?”
He nodded. “So many more. We,” he glanced around the camp, “are merely scouts. Always on the move, constantly scouring this area for escaped chosen ones to take back to the permanent camps. But there are more of us posted throughout the country. And up on the border of Canada and the United States there is a large base camp. Blood drinkers don’t like cold.”
There was so much I didn’t know. We were quiet for a few moments as we ate the rabbit, chopped walnuts, and root vegetables someone had mixed. “Why don’t they like the cold?”
He shrugged. “For some reason it makes them sluggish.”
“Reptiles are sluggish in the cold, and some other animals have to hibernate.” Unwillingly, my gaze went to Thane as I finished my meager meal. “Does he share information with you? Is that how you know these things?”
“Not really. Don’t get me wrong, he shares, but this is information we uncovered years ago, piecing together the facts.” Will tossed his empty tin to the ground. It was Carla’s duty to clean up after the meal. Just like in the compound, we all had our jobs. “They don’t exactly confide in Thane. He’s not like them. He’s more…human.”
Was he? When the image of him tearing those heads from the bodies flashed to mind, I certainly had my misgivings. Yet, here, now, watching him clean his weapons, I realized he looked rather normal. A lock of dark hair had fallen across his cheek, hiding the scar. And yes, his lashes were so thick, they left shadows on his sharp cheekbones; his features so stunning he could have been a painting I’d seen in a book. But if you ignored his fine face, he looked like any one of us.
“Most of our orders come by word of mouth from Raven.”
“Wait…what?” I asked, shocked. “Raven?”
“He’s the one who sends us information at times. We believe he lives north.”
I frowned. “Who is he?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never met him.”
He was taking orders from a man he’d never met? Jimmy moved to Thane, sitting down beside him and chatting. I couldn’t hear what they said, but I couldn’t help but notice how at ease the boy seemed around the half-vampire. “How can he kill so easily?”
“Thane?” Will asked.
I nodded.
“He has to. It’s kill or be killed.”
Yes, I’d heard it before. “No, he’s ruthless about it.”
Will shifted, obviously uneasy. He didn’t want to talk badly about his friend, and for that, I respected him. But I still wanted to know. “I suppose it’s the blood drinker in him,” Will admitted.
So, he wasn’t quite human after all. We were silent for a moment. Thane, as if sensing our attention, lifted his head and met my gaze. I flushed and looked away. When he looked at me with such intensity I had the feeling he could read my thoughts.
“Make no mistake, he’s better than most of them,” Will said. “He hates the blood drinkers as much as we do. He’s saved more lives than any of us. But I suppose deep down, he’s still part of them.”
I slid Will a glance. “Are you telling me not to trust him?”
He released a wry laugh. “Honestly, Jane, in this world you can’t trust anyone.”
Frowning, I nudged a pebble with the toe of my boot. Well, that was a depressing thought. At the compo
und we’d had to trust each other. We were a community, and we needed everyone for that community to thrive.
He leaned against me, his arm pressing warmly against mine. “But for me, of course. You can always trust me.”
I looked up into his eyes, taking in that dimpled grin, and my heart fluttered even though I told it not to. Even though I said I couldn’t possibly be attracted to him because there were more important things to worry about, my body betrayed me. Will was honorable, caring, brave. He was the exact opposite of everything the beautiful ones represented.
So why, then, did I tear my gaze from Will and find myself reluctantly focusing on the spot were Thane had been seated only moments ago? A spot that was now vacant. “I don’t know if I can again, Will. I don’t know if I can kill, and be a part of this never-ending war.”
“You’d be surprised at what you can do when your life is threatened.” He rested his hand on mine. The warmth and comfort of his touch was almost my undoing. It wasn’t the first time he’d touched me. I realized with some nervousness that I was starting to enjoy the feel of his hands on me.
“It will get better, Jane. You will get stronger.”
Perhaps I would, for I had no choice. Fight, or be killed. “Yeah, but when will it all end? The fighting, the murdering…”
He didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to. Perhaps it wouldn’t end…ever. We both fell silent. He stared into the flames, and I studied those around us. Jim was humming a song as he sat by the warmth of the fire. He had his dagger out and was sharpening the end of a stick. There was no worry on his innocent face. A couple others were sleeping, their heads resting on their bags. Kelly and Tony were kissing near the shadows. I flushed and tore my attention from them. Not one person looked worried. They’d learned to accept their fate. Always on guard, but not always anxious. Could I ever adapt to this way of life?
“Want to train?”
“Yes,” I replied a little too quickly. Anything to get away from my worrisome thoughts.
“I knew that would make you smile.” He stood. “Jimmy, time to put out the fire.”
He frowned, but obeyed Will’s command and started throwing dirt onto the flames.
I fell into step beside Will and we followed a path into the woods. The world around us was aglow in moonlight. A hush had come with the night, and our footsteps were quiet as we made our way into a clearing beyond the trees, eager to forget this new life for a moment. The physical exercise was just what I needed to get my mind off of deeper things.
“As they have better eyesight than us, many blood drinkers will hunt at dusk, dawn, and in the night. It gives them the advantage. You usually won’t know they’re there until it’s too late.”
I shivered despite myself, and couldn’t help but study the shadows around us. “Which is why we move during the day?”
He nodded as we paused in the middle of the clearing. The moonlight filtering through the leaves above highlighted Will’s face. He was handsome. Not as stunning as Thane, but there was a ruggedness about him that I found highly intriguing. I tore my gaze from him and focused on the night sky. Not a full moon, but it would be soon.
“Therefore, you need to know how to battle hand to hand.” He stepped close to me and reached out. I had to force myself not to jump when his finger slid down the outside of my thigh. He pulled my dagger loose from its sheath and held it toward me. “We’ll start with something small.”
I took the weapon gratefully, eager to step back, out of reach and clear my thoughts. The point of training was to forget about my confusing emotions toward Will, not make them worse. “If they catch me and it’s too late, what’s the good of training?”
“They won’t kill you right away. They like warm, fresh blood.”
I grimaced at the thought. So, all that time while Sally was being pinned down, after they had sunk their teeth into her neck, she had still had a chance…she was still living. Will grabbed my arm, hooked his foot behind my leg and dropped me to the ground. I hit the earth with a thud that stirred the dirt into a cloud around me.
“Hey!” I glared up at him. “I wasn’t ready.”
He held his arms wide, grinning. “I thought we were fighting, not daydreaming. You always have to be prepared.”
I shoved my palms into the dirt and sat up. “Got it,” I gritted out, more than annoyed. “Always prepared.”
He held out his hand. I paused for the slightest moment, unsure if I should trust him, but I relented and slid my hand into his. He wasn’t the only one who could play dirty. With a quick jerk I pulled him down beside me.
Will hit the ground as I jumped to my feet, dagger in hand. “Always prepared.”
“Talk about unfair,” he muttered, frowning up at me. “As I said…don’t trust anyone.”
“Oh stop.” I laughed, my annoyance gone as quickly as it had arrived. “You know you can trust me.”
Slowly, he stood. There was something in his gaze that caught me off guard. Something I’d noticed before when I found him watching me. I shifted, uneasy. I had the odd feeling we were no longer training.
“Can I?”
A sensation I didn’t quite understand rushed through my body. My amusement fled. He moved close to me, so close that my mind began to wander, my good intentions lost. I knew I needed to concentrate, that this could all be some ruse to catch me off balance, but I couldn’t seem to think when he looked at me so intensely. And when Will stepped even closer, leaning so near that his musky scent swirled around me, I was lost.
“Can I trust you, Jane?”
“Of course you can trust me,” I whispered.
“I know.”
It was only as his gaze met mine that I realized he was going to kiss me. My first kiss. The entire world seemed to slow as Will lowered his lashes. I didn’t close my eyes…I couldn’t seem to move. His lips brushed gently over mine. A shiver, hot and cold, raced down my spine.
“Training?” Thane’s voice snapped through the darkness.
Startled, I stumbled back before I could decide if I had enjoyed the kiss or not. A horrified blush rushed straight to my cheeks and I was grateful for the cover of darkness.
“Thane,” Will muttered, sounding annoyed. “Perfect timing.”
“I’d love to help train,” Thane said, strolling into the clearing as if he hadn’t a care in the world. As if he hadn’t just interrupted us. “After all, it can only be better if she fights me…someone who is half blood-drinker.”
Thane looked all innocence and ease as he waited across from me. I knew better. His gaze was distant, aloof. I might trust Will, but I didn’t trust Thane in the least. Will abandoned me, moving toward the edge of the clearing in silent approval. Suddenly I was alone with Thane. Those eyes showed no kindness or compassion, but were mere hard flakes of ice. I had the oddest feeling that he was angry with me for some reason I didn’t understand.
“Please,” he said. “You first.”
It was rather hard to believe that only a brief moment ago I’d been kissing Will, and now was about to spar with Thane. With no real choice but to play along, I lunged at him. Thane easily stepped away, so fast I barely noticed him move. Frustrated, I stepped back, trying to regroup my thoughts and decide my next course of action. What was his weakness? Every being had one, didn’t they?
“A minute,” Will called out.
Thane gave us a mocking bow. “By all means, make your plans.”
I didn’t dare turn my back to the dhampir, but moved toward Will with my gaze still pinned to Thane. Will leaned close, his lips at my ear. “Study the way he’s standing.”
I focused on Thane’s stance. The darkness made it impossible to read his features, but I had a feeling he was laughing at us. Amusement practically thrummed from his body. He assumed I was no threat.
“See how his weight is leaning toward the right?”
Thane stood there at ease, waiting for us with no worries. He might have them fooled, but not me. While others saw a man of hono
r, I saw determination and hunger. Thane was more blood drinker than human.
“To shift to his left it will take energy, and might throw him off balance. So most likely he’ll go right.”
I knew the truth…I would never be able to beat Thane. Still, I nodded, gripping my dagger a little tighter and pretending that I might have a chance. Truly, it was sweet of Will to try and help, as worthless as it was. “Okay.”
“By looking at his stance, you’ll know which way he’s going. All you have to do is lunge a foot or so out of reach. At the same time he’ll move.” Thane shifted impatiently. “Your dagger meets him there.”
I gave him a tight smile, pretending I had a chance. “Got it.”
Determined, I moved back into the clearing with a steady pace. Hoping to catch Thane by surprise, I shot forward the moment he was within reach. He chopped at my arm. The pain was immediate. Crying out, my fingers opened and the dagger fell. Instinctively I grabbed for it, catching the weapon blade first. The sharp sting had me pulling back, but it was too late.
“Damn,” Will snapped, racing into the clearing. “Are you all right?” He grabbed my hand, studying the thin dark line of blood that marked my palm, the same palm I’d injured in the city.
“I’m fine. No big deal.” I pulled away, embarrassed by his attention and the way he fawned over my injury. The group already thought I was a burden. I didn’t want to be weak anymore.
“It is a big deal.” He lifted the hem of his shirt and ripped a strip clean. “This will work, at least for now. We’ll have to clean it later.” He was worried. “Even a small cut…” He shook his head. “I should have known you weren’t ready.”
“Will,” I snapped, flushing. “It’s not your fault. I’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, but—”
I slapped my uninjured hand over his mouth. “Enough!”
For a minute we just stood there, the entire world, including Thane, forgotten. I was completely aware of his warm lips on my hand, the memory of that kiss came painfully back into focus. Slowly, I removed my hand. I might not be able to trust many, but Will was right…I could trust him.
The Chosen Ones Page 9
