Mark of the Dagger (The Marked Series Book 1)

by Rae, Stella

  This was how Dani used to dress before she came here and she looked great. It was about time that she got back to her old self. Though she will never be entirely like her old self again, at least she could add parts of the old to the new.

  Dani was doing it and liked what she saw. This was the new strong, independent Dani DuPont. With a last smile to her reflection she grabbed her bag to head to breakfast.

  Once again when she closed her bedroom door she backed into Jan. "You know you really should watch where you're going," Jan said with her hands on her hips.

  "You really shouldn't sneak up on people," Dani countered with a smile. "Were you looking for me?" she asked her.

  "No, I just thought I would hang out by your bedroom."

  "Smart ass," Dani muttered and started walking down the hall.

  Halfway to the stairs Jan yelled. "Hey wait up, I was joking." Dani stopped and waited for Jan to go back into her room for her book bag. When she caught up she said, "You going to the cafeteria?"

  "Yep,” Dani said and started walking.

  In the light of day Dani was able to take in Jan’s features a little more. She recognized her from around campus and knew they shared a couple classes together as well. Jan’s style was more gothic-chic than anything else but it suited her tall frame and dark curls perfectly. She had a fairy tattoo on her right shoulder, her dagger mark on her left calf.

  Dani wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Jan’s sudden interest in her. The only thing that Dani could think of was that she was in for some sort of prank against her. That wasn’t something she would put past the student’s here, though she hoped Jan was sincere. But even so, Dani planned to keep her guard up until she knew for certain what Jan wanted.

  "You want to eat together?" Jan asked. They were halfway to the main house when Dani stopped to stare at the other girl.

  Cautiously Dani asked, “Why?" She inwardly flinched when Jan looked a little hurt. "I'm sorry. It's just, that you’re the first person to talk to me in two months. You have to see why I'm being a little cautious."

  "I told you last night,” Jan shrugged. "I've been meaning to talk to you but you've been so busy kicking butt." Dani laughed at that and Jan smiled. "I know you’re not sure about me and that’s fine. You seemed pretty cool to me so I thought we could hang out. It's no big deal though if you don’t want to," she said and started to walk off.

  Dani stood where she was for a minute thinking over her words. Jan did seem to only hang out with a couple other people. Both last night and this morning she had been nothing but nice. She took a deep breath and decided to take a chance. If she never at least tried to make friends she would always be lonely, no matter what.

  "Wait up," Dani called and jogged after her.

  Sitting at the breakfast table she learned that Jan was sixteen, and had been attending Mt. Claussen for six months. She got the impression that Jan was a little rebellious and thought her attitude was a nice change to be around. Not that Dani was rebellious. But after two months of totally hard work it would be nice to have a little break every once in a while. Knowing that she was probably up to no good last night, Dani had to know. "So where were you last night?"

  "Oh no. Don't tell her that,” said a brown haired, brown-eyed boy as he sat beside Dani. She could tell that he was joking from the smile on his face. Dani got suddenly uncomfortable not knowing how this boy would react to her being at their table.

  "I'm Damien,” he said, holding out his hand for her to shake. When she hesitated he laughed. "Don't worry, I won’t bite you. Scouts honor."

  "He's for real, he only likes blonds," Jan said, Dani laughed too and took his hand.

  "It's nice to meet you,” Dani said. He nodded.

  "So are you really not going to answer me?" Dani asked again with her eyes on Jan.

  "We were hanging out on the South Trail, nothing big. What were you doing?" Jan asked and Dani blushed.

  "Hanging out by myself in a tree. At least I thought I was by myself." Then she decided to tell Damien and Jan what had happened.

  "Rough break. He is hot," Damien said and Jan nodded her head in agreement. Dani looked at Damien curiously. "No, I’m straight but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate God's work," he answered her silent question with dignity.

  Dani shook her head at Damien. Another thought for another day, she decided. "Anyway. He was such a smart aleck and all 'I told you so' to me. It was his damn fault I fell in the first place. He shouldn't have kept his presence unknown. Then he had the nerve grab my arm and-” She was working herself up into a big temper when she noticed the look on Jan and Damien’s faces. "What."

  "You really shouldn't blame people for your own clumsiness," came a voice from behind her. The sound of the cocky voice sent shivers racing down her spine. She turned around to look up at the man standing behind her, his blond hair and bright baby blues shining. Whether in amusement or anger she wasn’t sure. Dani had a feeling that he was a master at hiding his emotions. Not liking the idea of being talked down on, literally, she stood to face him head on with narrowed eyes and hands on hips.

  “I see you still have a penchant for sneaking up on people unawares, Samuel. Have you not learned your lesson yet?” she asked sweetly. Before he could toss a snide remark at her she continued. “And FYI, I wouldn’t have even fallen out of the tree in the first place if it weren’t for you.” She took a step closer to the brooding man, knowing they weren’t alone made her feel braver. “What are you doing eavesdropping anyway? Nothing better to do? Or are you just planning on being around every corner I take now?”

  "Look who's being cocky now," he murmured quietly and matched her step. "You think I was following you little one?"

  She interrupted him, "You are such a jerk, and I am not little."

  "Would you just stop talking for one second?" he said heatedly. "I was in that tree first. Sorry that my being there scared you and made you fall. You dropped this when you went down," he handed her the small black cell phone. She hadn't even realized it was missing.

  Caught by surprise Dani said, "Oh, thanks." But he had already stormed off in his anger. "Oops," she said on a breath and sat back down. Damien and Jan were staring at her with mixed looks of awe and exasperation. "What?" she asked annoyed.

  Jan just shook her head as if she couldn't believe whatever it was going through her head. Damien said, "Two things. One you may just be an idiot for talking to him that way but it was very admirable. I've never seen nor heard of anyone facing him like that so you deserve kudos for having the balls to do it. Double kudos '‘cos one you’re a girl and two you’re a mixed blood." Dani must have made a face at that because he added quickly. "Not that I care. I don't. I think you're pretty cool no matter what blood you have."

  "Now back to my second point. Don’t get mad at me for saying this, but you are definitely an idiot because you totally just hurt his feelings. He was being nice and I think he likes you and you just made him feel like a stalker. No girl in their right mind would have done that. They would have been ecstatic to get his attention. Crap even I would be and I repeat-I'M NOT GAY."

  Feeling defensive she said, "I don't care if he likes me or not. His arrogance is unmatched. I despise cocky people."

  "But he's-” Damien stopped when Dani glared at him. Instead he threw his hands in the air and huffed out in exasperation. Jan just stared at her like she was nuts.

  "Stop looking at me like that," she said to both of them. "Come, on the bell rang," and she stood up to walk out of the cafeteria.

  Classes went on normally that morning. The only time Dani talked to anyone was when she saw Jan or Damien. Both seemed genuinely fond of her so she slowly let her guard down around them. They all had fourth period combat training together. It was one of the classes Joe taught. He smiled at her when she started talking to Damien and Jan.

  They had all changed into workout clothes for class. Dani looked around the room and noticed the little retractable swords lying on the floo
r and got excited. They were going to practice hand to hand. They hadn't done that in class yet but she had been practicing with Joe.

  When she saw the swords she smiled huge at her Uncle. The class got quiet when he started talking and in her ear Jan whispered, "Damn that man is fine."

  "Eeww. You do know that's my uncle right?" Dani asked her and Jan just smiled and wiggled her eyebrows up and down. Shaking her head she returned her focus back on Joe.

  "Today we are going to do some hand to hand. We will eventually try different styles and types of ways to kill a vampire. Does anyone know what they are?" he asked. Everyone raised their hands, but he called on a guy named Kirk.

  "Silver weakens them. If you get a silver sword or dagger to the heart, they will die. Also decapitation and setting them on fireworks," he said.

  Joe nodded. "The method we will use today is the sword. Try to get the heart or head. But you'll realize that real vampires will be a lot stronger than your classmates. Who wants to demonstrate?" he asked and Dani was the first raise her hand. Joe could feel her excitement and could almost see her struggling to keep herself from bouncing up and down and laughed. "All right Dani. You play hunter. Who wants to be the vampire?" He tossed her the sword and looked out at the class.

  No one was volunteering. One kid had the nerve to say "I would do it but I'd probably hurt her, seeing as how she ain’t a full blood." Joe was about to reprimand him when Dani shook her head and said. "If you are so sure then come on?" Joe cut her off.

  "Damien?"

  "Nuh-uh. I've seen her in action. She'll kick my ass," he said then blushed. "Sorry."

  "It's alright," Joe said on a laugh. "I'll do it." he said.

  "No, I will," Samuel Johnson said. Dani narrowed her eyes at him then looked at Jan and Damien. Jan was bent over laughing and Damien had his hand over his mouth trying to hide a smile. She shook head at them and turned to Joe.

  "What's so funny?" he asked her quietly.

  "Nothing," she whispered. To Samuel she called. "Bring it Sammy Boy." She was fighting mad again and he matched her glare for glare.

  "Careful kiddo," Joe said raising a questioning eyebrow. He knew something was up, just not what.

  The whole class got quiet with anticipation. Dani quickly put her hair in a bun on top of her head and watched as Samuel rolled his shoulders before walking over to her. He grabbed her arm again and whispered, "Don't call me Sammy."

  She punched him with her free hand and could practically feel her classmates still, the air in the room disappearing as everyone waited to see how he would react. "Didn't we just have this discussion Sammy? Don't grab at me like that." To her surprise he only nodded and stepped back.

  "Dani, I didn't blow the whistle yet," Joe said disapprovingly.

  They got in their stances, Dani with her fake sword and Samuel with his hands out as if to ward off a blow. "Don't hold back," she said.

  "You don't deserve it," he said.

  "Maybe not. You're right and I'm sorry for what I said."

  "Never apologize for speaking your mind little one," he said, and the whistle blew. She kicked out at his midsection and missed.

  "Don't call me Little One," she said circling him.

  They circled each other, both feigning and lunging. Neither connecting to the other. She panted "I said don't hold back."

  "Fine,” He snapped at her and kicked. The blow landed to her thigh and knocked her to one knee. He lunged before she could get up but she rolled out of the way just in time. They were facing each other on the opposite sides now.

  Sword forgotten for a moment she punched out and got him in the kidney. They both swung and blocked attempts. She took a couple kicks to her middle and knew she would be sore tomorrow.

  Dani wasn't sure how long they fought but it felt like forever. Sweat was dripping from her hair line and down her spine, her forearms were going to be bruised from blocking his punches and kicks. He wasn't holding back, of that she was sure. She finally got past his guard and flipped him. Before he could react, she was straddling him with her sword pressed against his neck.

  She looked down at him and smiled, one he returned though not altogether friendly and she laughed. They were both out of breath, their chests rising and falling quickly, and sweating. Suddenly aware of their position she rolled over and lay beside him waiting for her breaths to even out. She forgot about the rest of the class since the whole room had gone quiet at Samuels’s defeat, until Jan and Damien shook out of their disbelief and ran toward her.

  As the only two to come and congratulate her Jan and Damien helped her up off the floor. The look on their faces said it all. They were proud of her, they truly cared about her and she finally she felt free. She had friends. She hugged them and turned to help Samuel off the ground.

  Dani held her hand out to him and after only a moment’s hesitation he took it. "Not bad little girl," he said, and she kicked out but he moved too fast. He laughed and at the sound of it she couldn't help but smile back. She shook her head and looked to Joe.

  Since she knew him so well she could see how badly Joe wanted to come over to her. His joy at seeing Dani win a fight, especially a fight against one of the best hunters, was palpable. He nodded and that was enough.

  "Ok then," Joe called. "Who's next?" And on it went the rest of the class.

  Chapter Seven

  Joe was lying against his headboard listening to Nadia talk about one of her classes that day. Normally he would have been interested, but he had too much on his mind to focus on her. He had to meet with Adele soon and he couldn't stop thinking about Dani. The kid blew him away today. He knew she had been working hard, and was getting better because he's the one that has been training her.

  When Samuel volunteered to play vampire Joe was leery of letting him. Then listening to Dani smack-talk Samuel made him incredibly uneasy. Even with the age difference between Joe and Samuel he knew the younger man deserved respect. Samuel is unmatched in his ability and has proven himself time and time again. But he knew that Dani felt the need to prove herself to her classmates and by the determined look that took over her face, he knew she was planning to do just that. And if fighting Samuel and winning didn’t do it then Joe didn’t know what would.

  My God! She bested Samuel! Who would have thought it? Definitely not Joe and he felt guilty for that.

  There was a tension between the two that made Joe certain he was missing something. And though he wasn’t sure what was going on, he knew that he would need to keep an eye on the situation from now on.

  It didn’t matter that Dani was almost seventeen, Joe was nowhere near ready for her to be interested in boys. And unfortunately, he hadn’t missed the look on Samuels face after the fight while he looked at Dani, though he wished he had. It was a manly look that made Joe want to both cringe and lay the kid out.

  Seeing Dani so happy, smiling and laughing with Damien and Jan lifted Joe’s heart. She was finally settling in and making friends. It had been a long time since he’d seen a look other than steely determination grace his nieces face and he was happy for it.

  "You are bloody awful Joe," Nadia said to him in exasperation. "You haven't listened to a word I've said, have you?"

  He laughed. "I'm sorry, I was thinking about Dani."

  "I heard about her demonstration. Quite a feat, that," she said and Joe nodded. "I wish I could have seen it. Do you think we can talk them into a rematch?"

  "Now I'm not saying she isn't good, because she is. But I think this win had a lot to do with luck," Joe told her.

  "And maybe they were a little distracted with each other too, from what I hear. But you should give credit where credit is due. And this is definitely one of those times," she said quietly giving him sidelong look.

  Joe sighed, heaved himself off the bed. "I know it. She was good," he said and led them to the door so he could meet Adele.

  "Are you going to ignore my other comment?"

  “Shit I want to but I don’t think I can. You
didn’t see the way they looked at each other. A mix somewhere between passion and hate and it scares the crap out of me.” He looked over at her. “How did you hear about it, anyway?”

  "Well, everyone on campus was talking about that fight of course. But I heard from one student about the chemistry between them. I figured it was just gossip, the talk of a jealous little girl. And believe me, there will be a number of jealous little girls when that news circulates. Until you confirmed it, I didn't think much of it and since you were there I'll take your word for it. He's a good boy," she added.

  "I know it," Joe sighed.

  "Still, I think we should keep an eye on this situation," Nadia said thoughtfully.

  "You bet your pretty little arse I will," he said. "See ya later."

  Joe went down the East Trail to the gazebo where Adele was waiting for him. She lifted her hand in greeting then continued to stare out into the woods. As soon as Joe sat down beside her she got to work surrounding them in what he liked to think of was the silent bubble. If someone walked by, they wouldn't see nor hear them. It was magic that came in handy.

  "I got your message Adele. What's going on?" he asked her. He could tell by her pinched expression that she was feeling a bit edgy.

  The wards were put into place around the perimeter of the school to keep the demons and anyone else who didn’t belong, out. But just before summer break a few kids had felt like something was off and one thing Hunters know to always do was trust their instincts. If the kids were right, then that meant someone here at the school was tampering with the wards and doing that put everyone inside in terrible danger. So Joe and Adele were sent here to keep an eye on the situation.

  Adele took a breath to steady herself. Her eyes wide and scared she said. "Have you not noticed anything? Nothing strange lately?" she asked and Joe shook his head. "Joe I've been feeling weird. I don't want to sound crazy-"

  "Tell me everything from beginning to end. We can work it out together and figure out what’s important and what's not."