The Chosen Ones

by Brighton, Lori

  “What about the beautiful ones?” I asked, heading toward the abandoned home. “Shouldn’t we be worried about an attack?”

  Kelly shook her head as she unfolded her bedroll. “After a feed they don’t normally go hunting for at least a week.”

  Tony wrapped his arm around Kelly’s waist and drew her close. “They’ll be busy feeding today and then sleeping it off for the next couple days.”

  I should have been relieved, instead I could only think of those who would die soon. I glanced at the sun, low in the sky. How many hours did they have left?

  Will pulled his bedroll from his pack. “They’re required to attend the Sunday gathering.”

  I moved into the ruins a bit more hesitantly. For some reason I felt like we were invading someone’s privacy. It was hard to believe people had lived here at one time. Had they had children? A mother and father who had actually married and stayed together as a family, like I’d read about in my books? Had they, too, been killed by the beautiful ones?

  I glanced around the large, open room. We could relax, or so Will and Kelly claimed. So why couldn’t I? The others settled down on their beds, but I still stood there in indecision. Perhaps I was uneasy because I’d seen the hatred in Bacchus’ eyes. And because I’d heard what he had said…they were going after us. Not to hunt, but to kill like we were rodents after the grain.

  “You okay?” Kelly asked.

  I nodded, giving her a tight smile. Appeased, they continued to unpack—all but Thane. He merely stood to the side, his pack still on his shoulders, his gaze scanning the trees behind the clearing as if he didn’t trust the situation.

  Will, Kelly, and Tony thought the blood suckers were animals. But I knew better. Animals acted on habit, they fed out of need. Beautiful ones planned and hunted for the thrill. They were smart, too smart and their senses were better than any animal I’d read about.

  “I’ll do a perimeter check,” Thane said, even though no one had asked him to, nor seemed to expect him to be on guard.

  Apparently I wasn’t the only one who was leery of another attack. I watched him go until he merged into shadows, blending into the forest. The others had started making camp, but I couldn’t settle down. Something didn’t feel right.

  “I have to go,” I muttered to Kelly.

  “Sure,” she said, barely paying attention. She probably assumed I needed to relieve myself. In reality, I wanted to talk to Thane. I needed to know if he suspected something, or if I was merely being paranoid, my crazed mind playing tricks on me.

  “Stay close, okay?” Kelly added.

  I nodded as I moved into the woods, following Thane’s path. But he was gone, and when I stopped and listened, I heard no footsteps. If he didn’t want to be seen, he wouldn’t be. But maybe, just maybe, he wanted to be found. I’d read about the sea in my books. But I’d never understood the beauty and power that surrounded the water. I paused near the edge. What would it be like to swim within those waves? Even from this high up, I could see them crash below, so violent, yet stunning. In a weird way they reminded me of the beautiful ones.

  “Careful.”

  I stiffened, startled. This time it wasn’t Will, but Thane who stood behind me. Slowly, I turned. I had wanted to find him, ask him questions, but now that I was alone with Thane I felt only uneasy. “Do you blame me?” I blurted out. “For Jimmy’s death?”

  I hadn’t meant to ask him, but now that I had, there was no regret. He lowered his hood, showing his scar. I didn’t dare take it as a compliment, thinking he felt easy around me. It was more likely that he didn’t give two licks about my opinion of his looks.

  “Why would I?”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling like an idiot for bringing it up. “Tony thinks Will went to the compound because of me.”

  He was quiet for a moment, watching me through those unreadable eyes. He’d left his pack somewhere, his shoulders free of the weight. Finally, he shifted his gaze, focusing on the horizon. “I don’t know about Will, but I had planned to leave anyway, and try to help them escape. Then the letter came.”

  “The fake letter?”

  He glanced briefly at me, but not long enough for me to read anything. “Even if Will hadn’t obeyed the letter, I would’ve left. If I would have left and you all would have stayed, you would have been killed.”

  “You don’t know that. We were attacked in that skyscraper and—”

  “By a couple of vampires out for fun. Not by Bacchus. He wasn’t there to quell your little rebellions. He was there to prove a point to me. Don’t ever, ever underestimate the power and cunning of the blood drinker.”

  I nodded, feeling even more uneasy than before. The day Thane had inadvertently picked me at the compound I’d noticed tension between the two. Now I wondered if it was merely male bravado or if their anger was something more…something to do with Thane’s love. I shifted my gaze from Thane to look out at the trees. Dark, shadowed forest that could hide anyone, anything. Who knew what was out there?

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  I shrugged, surprised that he would care enough. “It doesn’t feel right.”

  He tilted his head slightly, as if trying to understand my meaning, or understand me. It was something I reluctantly liked about Thane…that he didn’t jump to give his opinion, instead he merely listened. “What?”

  “I’m worried about another attack. Something doesn’t feel right today.” I flushed, knowing I sounded crazy. “Silly, I know.”

  “No, don’t be sorry.” He started along the edge of the cliff, back toward camp. “You should never trust them. Just when you think you’ve got them figured out, they’ll surprise you. But you humans…” He paused, allowing me to catch up. “You humans like to place things in order. You think you can identify beings and objects by assuming they follow a routine.”

  “Don’t we?”

  He smiled, a brief flash of a grin that completely took me by surprise—I’d so rarely seen him smile. “Yes, in general humans do. But blood drinkers are not humans.”

  I frowned. They weren’t human, they weren’t animal…what were they? “Okay, so we can’t trust them, and they might hunt on Sunday. Have you told the others this?”

  “Will knows. I’ve mentioned more than once that he does a disservice to assume the blood drinkers will or won’t do something based on the past. But I don’t question how he runs his little group.”

  So it was true then. Thane was an outsider, just like me. I studied the man who stood there looking out into the trees as if he sensed something too. Studied the way his ice-blue eyes missed nothing, the way that overly long hair was tousled by the breeze, a lock landing against his scar. What was he thinking?

  Was it stupid to trust him? “Can we make it to the island?”

  He didn’t even glance at me. “I can.”

  I can? What did that mean? Was he planning on leaving us behind? “How?”

  He shrugged. “Any way I want.”

  I released a wry laugh. “Can you fly?”

  “No.” He slid me a glance through his dark lashes. “But I can swim.”

  I looked at the island, then back at Thane in disbelief. The mound of earth that interrupted the sea was a mere hazy pinpoint on the horizon. “You can swim to that?”

  “Sure.”

  “Of course.” I shook my head, slightly disgusted with his abilities. That was Thane, reminding me in a not-too-subtle way that he was so very different from me. “Super human.”

  “That’s me,” he said softly, gazing out onto the water. “So super, I’ve saved hundreds, yet can’t save a small boy.”

  I realized with a start that I wasn’t the only one who felt guilty about Jim’s death. If Kelly was right Thane had been unable to save his true love, and he had been unable to save Jimmy. Did he actually have a heart? The empathy I felt was so swift and surprising, that I actually started to reach for his hand. Fortunately I came to my senses and pulled back just in time.


  “It’s not your fault, you can’t protect everyone.”

  He gave me a half smile. “That’s not what you really think though, do you?”

  I flushed, dropping eye contact. I’d blamed him plenty of times for what he’d done, and I’d made it clear I didn’t trust him because of his beautiful blood. Still, I couldn’t help but admit that things had changed between us. Somehow, in some way, we’d bonded. I still didn’t trust him, and I wasn’t even sure I liked him, but we had more in common than I wanted to admit. “I didn’t know you before. I was just…”

  A high-pitched howl pierced the air. I’d heard that wolf’s call before, almost a month ago when Will and I had been training. I shivered, crossing my arms over my chest and gazing out into the woods. “The wolves sound close.”

  “No. Not wolves”

  Startled, I glanced at him. “Then what?”

  “Shhh.” He held up his hand, abruptly cutting me off.

  For a second I thought he’d reverted back to his rude dismissive self, until I noticed his gaze focused on the trees. My skin prickled. I knew that look in his eyes well. His human side had retreated, and in his gaze was the look of a predator.

  My heart leapt into my throat as I frantically studied the forest. I’d known all along, hadn’t I? We had been stalked, followed. “Animal?” I asked, a part of me still hopeful.

  He started toward the trees. “Head back. Tell Will we’ve been found.”

  I knew I didn’t have time to ask more questions and took off, racing along the cliff edge. Although my calves cramped painfully as I started uphill, I didn’t dare slow. There was a time to be quiet, but this was not it. The moment I spotted the crumbling home I cried out. “Will!”

  He bolted from the brick remains, meeting me in the clearing. “What is it?”

  “Thane,” I said breathlessly, coming to a skidding halt. “We’ve been followed.”

  Kelly and Tony bolted to their feet, their daggers out. Always prepared, I realized in that moment I would never again be able to relax. I’d always be anxious, waiting for the next attack.

  “How many?” Tony asked.

  “No idea.”

  “Very helpful,” he muttered with a glare.

  “Go to hell,” I snapped back, my anger surging to the forefront. I was tired of his hatred and blame, tired of the accusatory glares he kept sending my way. I’d had enough. Apparently he had too.

  He surged toward me. “We wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for you!”

  “Enough!” Will growled, stepping between us and shoving his palm against Tony’s chest. “You know I got the letter. I would have gone with or without her.”

  “Right,” Tony mocked. “Because we always follow orders, never think for ourselves.”

  Heated anger surged over my fear. I wasn’t sure why Tony was upset, but it was obvious it wasn’t just because of me. No, his irritation ran deeper. Lucky me, I was merely the outlet for his ire.

  “Tony, come on,” Kelly said, trying to soothe the situation.

  “We have more important things to worry about right now,” I said, annoyed with Tony, but even more annoyed with the way Kelly was trying to placate him. “Like living. Unless any of you can fly, or feel like jumping off the cliff, we’re trapped here.”

  Thane suddenly appeared without making a sound, as if he’d always been there. I could read nothing on his face…no worry, no fear, not even anger, but then he never wore his emotions. “Five.”

  “Shit,” Tony snapped, scanning the woods. “Five?”

  “What are they doing here?” Kelly asked.

  “Apparently they’re sending out scout groups on Sunday now,” Thane said dryly.

  Why hadn’t Will taken Thane’s warning to heed?

  “Tony, left. Kelly, right.” He turned toward Thane. “Protect Jane!” Before I could protest, Will shoved me toward Thane. “Get her out of here!”

  Wait, what?

  Confused, I glanced around the group for answers, but Tony and Kelly were already heading to their positions and Thane was of no help. “Let’s go.”

  “Go where?” I turned toward Will. “You can’t be serious, I’m not leaving you.”

  “Take her,” Will said, not meeting my gaze, but heading toward his pack and gathering what little, pathetic weapons we carried. He couldn’t seriously mean for Thane to take me away. Thane was the only one standing between the group and certain death.

  “Come on.” Thane took me by the hand, his fingers firm and strong.

  “No!” I screamed, trying to break away from his hold. I wasn’t going to run away like a coward. “I’m not going!”

  “You have to,” Will said, his face full of anguish. An emotion that startled and confused me. He acted as if we’d never see each other again. “You don’t understand, you have to live.”

  I broke from Thane’s hold and bolted toward Will. He caught me tight in his grasp. When I pulled back, I found his lips on mine. A quick, hard kiss. Stunned, I was barely aware when he pulled away.

  “Take her,” Will said.

  “We’ll have to jump.”

  Will nodded.

  Thane grabbed my arm again.

  “No!” I cried out, terrified by the idea. I didn’t understand what was happening, why they were acting so strangely. Thane ignored me and wrapped a steel arm around my waist. Calmly, as if it was any other day, he pulled me back…back toward the cliff.

  “Will!” I cried out, but he had already disappeared into the trees.

  Suddenly, we wavered on the edge of the cliff. The air tore at my hair, whipping it across my skin. And as I stared at that churning water below, everything came flashing back. The castle, Sally’s death, the first time Thane and I had jumped.

  Just like that first time, he held onto me. And just like that first time he leapt forward, taking me with him. And just like that first time, I knew my life was going to change drastically the moment I hit that water…if I survived.

  Chapter 11

  “Jane, Jane wake up.”

  Slowly, I blinked my eyes open, my brain trying to make sense of the world around me. But everything was confusing and blurry. An odd gray haze permeated the living quarters, telling me that it wasn’t morning yet, but it wasn’t night either. Although my blanket was thick, there was a bite to the air. Confused, I scanned the dorm room, taking in the many sleeping forms huddled on their cots. It could have been any normal morning...but something felt off. Not quite real.

  “Jane,” someone whispered once more. A feminine voice. A familiar voice.

  I rolled onto my right side, facing the culprit. I couldn’t see her features in the dark, but I knew her tone. “Momma?”

  “Shhh, you know you’re not supposed to call me that. At least not here.” She held out her hand. “Come on.”

  Trustingly I wrapped my small fingers around hers. She tugged me from the bed, my stocking feet hitting the hard, wooden planks. I was in the children’s dorm. A place I’d been a million times before, yet I couldn’t deny the sensation that it felt wrong, as if I wasn’t supposed to be here.

  “Where we going?” I whispered.

  “Quiet.”

  She led me toward the door. Even though I didn’t want to go out into the cold, I couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement. We weren’t allowed outside at night. As she pushed the door wide, I glanced back, fearful someone would hear us. But no one stirred. Everyone slept with no idea that we were breaking the rules.

  Suddenly, we were racing from the dorm and into the early morning dawn. Her long, dark hair floated back like a veil tickling my face, but I didn’t dare complain for fear she’d change her mind and take me back. She’d never much paid attention to me before, why now? But I kept my mouth shut because I wanted to know what was out here at night, what happened while we slept. The ground hadn’t completely defrosted and it chilled my feet through my thick socks, but I spent so little time with her that I craved her attention. Not that I would tell her. No, w
e’d been taught since birth to not speak of our affection.

  We didn’t pause until we neared a patch of wild shrubbery by the fence. Being that close to the metal bars made me nervous and excited all at once.

  “Here.” She shoved me under a patch of vines, heedless to the fact that the thorns were scraping my skin. I fell to my knees and cringed. Most of the time she ignored me, but once in a great, great while, like now, she seemed almost desperate to see me. “I found this.”

  I curled my legs under me, the cool mist of night coating my exposed skin. She shoved a book into my hands. I stared at it, confused. “A book, Momma?”

  She sat beside me, grinning. When she smiled like that I swore she was the most beautiful person in the compound. “Not just any book…something I’ve never read before. Something I didn’t even know could exist. You know the stories that Albert tells in the evening around the fire?”

  I nodded, staring at the book, marveling over the smooth leather. Unable to stop myself, I brought it close and breathed deeply the musty scent. It smelled like everything I loved: the thrill of the unknown, knowledge and excitement.

  “This book,” she tapped the cover, “is like one of Albert’s stories. You’ll hide it for me, won’t you?”

  The moon was almost full and shone upon the cover, making the golden lettering glow. Magic. If I got caught with the book, punishment would be swift and severe. “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?”

  Suddenly she gripped my shoulders, startling me. “Don’t ever give up hope, Jane. You hear me?” She shook me, a quick jerk that snapped my head back. “Don’t ever, ever give up hope that there is more, that there is something better. It’s there.” She released me and looked up at the sky, just barely visible through the vines. “Can you hear it calling? You just have to believe.”

  I parted my lips to question her odd comments, but she stood, dove from the vines and raced back toward the adult ward, leaving me there…alone with the novel.

  I clutched the book to my chest. “Mamma?” I whispered, suddenly afraid. The world seemed too big, too dark and too mysterious. Dropping the book, I bolted from the vines and raced toward the children’s ward.