Destined to Kill: A Destined Novel (Destined Novels Book 1)

by Jourdyn Kelly

  She leaves me alone then with that to think about. Amanda Logan is turning out to be - way more than I expected.

  I walk back to my bedroom and open the door finding Sam sitting in bed, resting against the headboard, reading. He glances up at me and smiles, and I want to surrender to him completely. I begin unzipping my suit, shut the door and walk to him.

  "I don't know how she expects me to focus on hunting tonight when she's going off by herself." I see Sam begin his patented pace when I walk in the training room.

  "Maybe we could force her to take us with her." Zac paces next to Sam.

  "Do you really think you could force me to do anything, Zac?"

  Both he and Sam spin around to face me, clearly unnerved by me hearing their conversation.

  "Ana, please rethink this. You need someone with you." Sam's eyes plead with me, and as much as I would love to give him everything he wants, I can't give him this.

  "No."

  "Unreasonable," Zac grumbles.

  "Realistic," I respond. "You are not ready. Not for this."

  "So, you don't have faith in us. That's what you're saying."

  "Zac, please. I have faith in you to help each other, to keep each other alive. That's what I need you to do."

  "And, who will watch over you?" Amanda asks.

  Great. Her, too? I wonder if she's told them that I may know where the Maker is. Somehow, I don't think she has as Sam isn't fighting me as much as I thought he would. In fact, he is being oddly complaisant.

  "I need you all to focus on each other, and your hunt tonight. Believe in me like I believe in you."

  Sam's phone chimes, interrupting.

  "Ah, I'm going to need someone to go in my place tonight," he says distractedly. "I just got called in to work."

  He's willing to let his sister go hunting without him? Must be an emergency.

  "Get Jeremy," I order Jenna - only because she hates taking orders from me. She salutes me sarcastically and marches out. "Is everything okay?"

  "Hmm? Yes, just a case I'm working on. We've got a lead."

  Sam rarely speaks of his work. I didn't even know he was working on a case. Why does that bother me?

  "Well, be careful." I turn to Amanda and Zac. "And, you guys, be extra careful. Please. Stay focused and don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Of course, that could be a bold faced lie. How the hell do I know if I'm going to make it out of that faux Colosseum alive?

  I hug Amanda. "Stay safe. And, keep Zac under control," I whisper to her. She nods and mouths 'stay safe' to me.

  I hug Zac, surprising him. "Keep your temper in check. Remember that innocents don't know what they're doing. Remember the code."

  "I will," he mutters.

  When Jenna and Jeremy come in, I hug both of them - again, to everyone's surprise - and tell them to just rely on their abilities and be confident. I send them off, hoping I will be able to see them again.

  Sam wraps his arms around me. "I don't like this."

  "I know. I'm sorry."

  He kisses my forehead. "I promised no distractions, so it's a good thing I got called in."

  Truthfully, I wish he had gone with Amanda and the others. I trust him to keep Zac in line, and I know he would never let anything happen to Amanda.

  "I have to go," I whisper against his lips.

  He cups my face in his hands. "No unnecessary danger," he commands. "If you find any of these full bloods, be careful. Don't take on more than you can handle."

  Oh, if you only knew, Sam. My response is a tender kiss on his mouth. I hug him tightly for a moment, then release him, grab my gear and rush out. My mind, my body, every part of me wants to tell him how I feel about him. But, how cruel would it be if I say 'I love you' to him and then never return?

  With extreme stealth and dexterity, I jump, climb and crawl my way into the horde's hideaway, undetected. I find a good vantage point above them, and with my hood pulled low over my face, I observe. Why aren't they out hunting for food? I half expected the group to be thinned out - at least somewhat - trolling for humans. But, the numbers seem to be as great as they were the night before. Perfect.

  Still, I don't see any one in particular being singled out as the Maker. They should act differently towards him, right? Okay, so I, technically, don't know how this works, but I imagine I would be able to distinguish who was in charge if he were there. Perhaps he is inside. I weigh my options, choosing who in the crowd seems the weakest. Looks can be deceiving, but I can tell with their little nuances in their posture, or facial expressions, who the newest is in the bunch. They are a good jumping off point, so to speak.

  I open my bag, filled with extra stakes and daggers, and put as many as I can in my belt and boots. I'm careful not to weigh myself down too much so that I can't maneuver. With a deep breath, I zero in on my first victim.

  She's about two inches shorter than I am. A slight thing with blonde hair. Typical California girl, I think as I make my way around the columns towards the back of the group. She couldn't have been more than Amanda's age, give or take a couple of years. Too bad for her that eternity will turn out to be far shorter than she bargained for.

  I grip my swords, jumping silently to their level. They're about one hundred feet away from me, and yet, they still don't detect me. Is it because they have my blood in them? Not something to think about now!

  "Where is she?"

  Sam! No! He can't possibly be here!

  "Get out of here!" I growl, hoping that the Cursed Ones are too distracted to hear us, or sense Sam. I keep my back to him, watching the group carefully.

  "I'm not leaving without Ana. Where is she?" He positions himself in front of me, in my line of view. "Is she in there? Do they have her?"

  Sam! You idiot! You're going to get both of us killed!

  "Get out!"

  Our argument catches the attention of my intended first victim and a couple more around her. They bare their teeth and hiss. And, to my utter shock and horror, they pull out swords! Are you kidding me? This is what they've been trained in? Swordsmanship? I really don't think this night could get any worse. And, as soon as that thought enters my mind, they start to charge us.

  "Shit!"

  I release my blades, stabbing them into the ground as I grab Sam's arms, pressing the mechanism that releases the blades of his swords from his coat. I keep my hands on his hands, spinning us around so that I'm in their direct path to him. I feel two Cursed Ones approaching us first, and I use Sam's swords - still in his hands - thrusting them into each of them. I bring the swords up, essentially cutting the Cursed Ones in half. Two down.

  They begin to surround us, coming towards us from Sam's rear. I clutch my own swords, plucking them from the ground, and ramming them into two more Cursed Ones behind Sam. As with the first two, I cut them in half length-wise and watch them fall to dust. I spin Sam around until we're back to back, and we fight off more Cursed Ones.

  With precise blows, I slice through necks, stave off attacks and try to keep Sam as close to me as possible. I smell his distinct smell, then, only magnified intensely. He's been cut and is momentarily distracted. Keeping my back to his, I lift my swords, bringing them behind me and use them as a shield against the next blows that come towards Sam. I have to get him out of here! I pivot, once again turning Sam towards me. I just need to see if he's okay. I have less than a second to make my assessment of his wound before another attack ensues.

  I slice through three more Cursed Ones behind Sam, as he takes care of a couple behind me. Their advance falters slightly when they see they're not making much progress. I take the opportunity.

  "You have to go!"

  "No! I'm not leaving without Ana!"

  "You're going to get yourself killed!"

  A few more brave, or perhaps stupid, souls (do they have souls?) attempt their barrage. Sam and I make quick work of them, and again, the onslaught of Cursed Ones hesitates.

  "Sam, you have to get out of here!"

  He l
ooks down at me, confused. I don't bother disguising my voice anymore. I lift my hood.

  "Ana?"

  A sword pierces through my back and I cry out.

  "Ana, no!" Sam reaches for me, then stops abruptly when he sees my face.

  I take hold of the sword and pull it out. My eyes are burning, my teeth ache. And, by the look on Sam's face, I know I look like the monster he is destined to kill.

  "Go!"

  He's frozen, unable to comprehend what he's seeing or what I'm saying. I have no other choice. I turn up the heat in my eyes, compelling him to do as I say.

  "Run, Sam. Don't look back, don't tell the others where I am. Just run!"

  Sam blinks a couple of times. I push him a little and he finally does as he's told. With swords in hand, ready to fight off Cursed Ones that stand in his way, he runs.

  They let him go. It's me they want, and with Sam gone, they begin to swarm. I glance quickly at my surroundings, trying to find anything that can help me. There are fallen columns surrounding me. I wonder how sturdy they are. I decide to find out when I run to one, jumping on it and pushing myself off, and over the group that surrounded me.

  I dig stakes and daggers out of my belt and boots when I land, throwing them at the oncoming horde, hitting my mark every time. And, every time, I feel the pain in my own chest. A few Cursed Ones get through and run towards me. I make another leap, twisting my body in the air, dragging my swords through them and landing on another column.

  "Enough!"

  The voice was booming and full of authority. Without hesitation, the group stops it's advance.

  "I will deal with this."

  The booming, authoritative voice echoes throughout the Colosseum, into my head and I turn slowly.

  Everything inside me wants to reject what I see.

  "Thomas?"

  I heard the Irish brogue. I see the sun-kissed hair, just a tad lighter than the wheat that grew in our fields, and I can look into his beautiful golden eyes. Yet, I still can't accept it. Carefully, I make my way to him - slightly surprised that none of the Cursed try to stop me.

  "Thomas?" I say, again.

  He tilts his head and looks at me curiously. He grips the sword in his hand a little tighter as I get closer.

  "Thomas, it's me."

  His brows knit together as though he's trying to decipher what I'm saying.

  "You're dead," he declares, but his voice holds uncertainty.

  "I'm here."

  "Anala?"

  My heart pounds painfully in my chest. He remembers!

  "Yes, Thomas. It's me."

  He raises his sword and points it at me. "You're killing us," he accuses, looking at my cloak.

  "I'm a Hunter, Thomas. So are you."

  "No! Hunters killed Anala."

  What?

  "I don't understand, Thomas."

  "He told me. He said they killed you because they didn't want you infecting anyone." He lowers his sword, but still grips it tightly. "He said he could help me not feel the pain anymore. He could help me with revenge."

  Oh, Thomas! If Bernard weren't already dead, I would surely kill him for this.

  "Thomas, I'm here. They didn't kill me. I'm...like you."

  His head cocks to the side again as he studies me. "You will help us," he demands.

  "Help you what?"

  "Kill the Hunters."

  "No, Thomas. This has to stop. You can't make more Hybrids and you can't kill my Hunters."

  "I am the leader here!"

  "You are made from my blood!"

  He stumbles back as if I punched him. "You're here to take everything away from me. Again!"

  "No, Thomas. I'm here to do what I was born to do."

  "You want to kill me."

  "I don't. God help me, I don't want to kill you." I step closer. "I've missed you."

  "Lead with me." He sweeps his arms, indicating the Cursed Ones standing before us. "They are all yours, too."

  "Thomas, I can't."

  "I love you, Anala."

  For one second, I see the boy I once knew in him. I can't stop the tear that escapes.

  "I loved you, too, Thomas."

  He frowns. "You don't anymore."

  No. I love Sam.

  "I can't lead with you, Thomas. They can't be here. You know that. You know what I must do."

  Thomas's eyes darken with fury. He lifts his sword at me again. "Kill her!" he commands.

  Before I have a chance to go after Thomas, the entire horde runs towards me. I fight off as many as I can, but I know if I don't find a way out of here now, I will be killed. I can't let that happen yet. I need to find Thomas.

  I'm older, faster and stronger than these Cursed Ones, but their number can overpower me if I allow it. I leap to the balcony above me, fashioned as the imperial box that the emperor would sit in while watching gladiators kill each other. It is a fitting arena, I suppose, for what's happening now. A few try to follow me, but I strike them down before they can even land. My objective now is to get out of here alive and make sure I'm not followed.

  I have the added benefit of being undetectable to these Cursed Ones. I can use that to my advantage once I'm out of this death trap. I will figure everything else out after that. Jumping up, I swing my legs up onto the beam above me and climb until I've reached the top of the imitation Colosseum. A quick look back lets me know that the Cursed Ones are having problems following me. They're all trying to carry out their Maker's wishes at the same time. Another advantage for me, as they stumble over each other, or fight each other trying to get to me first.

  I drop down the few stories to the ground and run, getting beyond the gates as quickly as I can. I hide in the shadows until I'm certain I'm not being followed. Staying hidden, I make my way home.

  I'm exhausted. I don't think I've ever felt this worn down before in all my years. I could blame it on the fight, or even seeing Thomas - Cursed. But, if I'm honest with myself, it's all about Sam. He saw me. He knows what I am. I don't want to think of what could happen if he has told the others, however, even that isn't what saddens me the most. It's the way he looked at me. Fear and confusion filled his eyes. Can I blame him? Of course not. Still, I can't help but worry about what this will do to us.

  When I get home, I find that I'm still hiding in the shadows. A Cursed One willingly going into a house of Hunters. I say willingly, yet, I'm sneaking into my bedroom like a thief in the night.

  Once again, I carefully fold my Cloak and lock it away. At this moment, I don't know if I'll ever wear it again. Hell, I don't know what tomorrow will bring, or if I'll still have a group of Hunters left. Perhaps they'll all try to kill me. Isn't that a thought. I sigh heavily and plunk down on the trunk.

  "Why can't I sense you?"

  I jump up, grab for my swords and nearly scream the expletive that fills my head. Am I so weary that I couldn't even smell Sam's scent when I walked in?

  "You scared the hell out of me." I toss my swords on the bed, and clutch at my pounding heart.

  "I didn't think that was possible," he says dryly.

  "Apparently it is," I mutter.

  "You didn't answer me. Why can't I sense you?"

  "Sam," His eyes flutter closed for a second when I say his name. "What you sense is evil. Do you think I'm evil?"

  He doesn't respond right away, just continues to watch me. His gaze is so intense, I imagine if it were possible, it would set me on fire. Maybe he thinks I'm going to turn into the devil at any minute and eat out his insides. I realize that I'm holding my breath, waiting for his answer.

  "You're one of them," he says finally.

  It isn't a yes, but it certainly isn't a no, either. And, it hurts more than I could have imagined.

  "I'm still me, Sam. The same me I've always been."

  He slowly walks to me, almost timidly. I'm careful not to make any sudden movements. I remember mum and papa being like this when they first realized what I was. I can understand Sam's hesitance. He touches my
cheek, just a feather of a touch, and I press my face into his palm. I just want him to know I would never hurt him.

  "Ana," he whispers, his eyes filling with tears.

  The pain explodes in my chest unlike anything I've ever felt before. My heart slows, and I have half a second to look up at Sam, my eyes wide with disbelief.

  "Sam." It is the only thing I have time to say before the darkness takes over and I lose consciousness.

  The pain is almost unbearable, like molten iron being ripped from my chest. I can't control the guttural wail that frees itself from deep in my throat, as if it has been trying to claw its way out for days. I feel myself change from the pain, and I can only hope it speeds up the process of easing this torture. Though, I know that the real pain in my heart may never heal.

  "Oh my God."

  "Sam! How could you..."

  "Has she been..."

  The pain makes it difficult for me to distinguish who is making each comment. When I am able to focus - barely - I become aware that my hands and feet are shackled by my silver cuffs, to my silver chair in my holding room. I test the shackles against my strength, but I have been greatly weakened. I lift my head and see all of my Hunters staring at me from the other side of the glass wall. All except Sam, who stands before me, the stake he just removed from my heart in his hand.

  "Sam, what have you done?" My voice is harsh and raspy. I could certainly use a drink...or two.

  He doesn't answer, and I can't read the expression on his face. He looks sad. Or mad. Maybe even both.

  I slump back in the chair, willing myself to change back to normal even though the pain lingers. The silver is not helping with my weakness.

  "Ana? Are you alright? Sam, I can't believe you did this to her!" Amanda doesn't even wait for a response from me before she lays into Sam. "How could you?"

  "You saw what she is, Amanda," Sam answers wistfully.

  "I see who she is, Sam! And, you of all people should, too! She has saved my life. She has saved all of our lives!"

  "She's right, Sam," Eric affirms. "I don't think this is necessary."

  "It's necessary!" Sam barks. "We need answers, and she's going to give them to us!"