by Rae, Stella
"Uncle Joe, it really isn't any of your business."
"The hell it isn't. One: if it involves you, it's my business. And two: if it affects my class and your progress, it's my business."
"Joe, maybe I should-"
"No Sarah. I think this is beyond outside help." He cut her off. He looked at Alex and Nadia before looking at the two teenagers. Nadia gave a slight nod. "Dani, You are excused from your afternoon classes because we have company. But neither of you are leaving this gym until you two sort this out. Now go change back into your workout clothes."
"Joe,” Samuel started, but the look Joe gave him cut his protests off.
"Now," Joe yelled. He had never been so frustrated with his niece before and he hated having to resort to this. But enough was enough!
"Joe do you really think that was necessary?" Sarah said when the kids went off to change.
"Yes,” he smiled. "Dani has worked hard Sarah. I don't know what happened between those two but whatever it is, it's affecting her performance big time."
"She didn't look like she was struggling too badly when she fought Alex,” Sarah pointed out.
"She did ok. Still, she should have been able to end the fight and she couldn't."
"Oh, is it wrong to be excited?" Nadia said.
"What?" Sarah asked her.
"You haven't seen her fight. Not really." She filled Sarah in on Samuels’ reputation quickly. "And the last time they fought I heard it was a sight to see."
"Hmmm...”
"She's right. I think the only way to get her back on her game is for her to fight him again. To get it all out."
"Should I call Adele?" Alex asked on a laugh. "I think there might be a lot of bloodshed."
Dani was spitting mad. How dare he get involved? Now she had to fight Samuel when what she really wanted to do was continue to ignore the fact that he was alive. She yanked her hair up into a ponytail and stomped out onto the mat.
"I can't believe you're doing this," she whispered vehemently.
Joe said, "It's for your own good kiddo."
"You may be old but you're not wise. The best thing would've been to just let me be," she said and turned her back on him.
When Samuel hit the mat they faced off. She tried and failed to ignore the twinge she got every time she saw him. She had hoped that with time she would stop loving him but so far she still did. And just as strongly.
"Sorry," he muttered.
"Don't apologize. This wasn't your idea."
"Ok you two," Joe started. "I don't want either of you holding back. I want you to get everything out on this mat and I want it left there. Understood."
"Easier said than done," she muttered.
She hated the idea of having to fight him. She wanted to stay away, no, she needed to stay away. She constantly had to fight the urge to touch him, to beg him to kiss her again. To beg him to just love her like she loves him. She was more confused than ever by his kiss the other night.
For him to kiss her again after weeks of torment made no sense to her. She thought that maybe it meant that he wanted to be with her too. Especially since he knew how she felt. She thought he would come to her, yet he hadn't. In fact he had actually listened to her and left her alone. Today was the first time he had talked her since that night by the pond. And now they were fighting.
At the sound of the whistle Dani spun when he lunged, just barely missing his hands. She knew that if she didn't give this fight her all, she would never leave this gym. She hated the idea, but she knew the only way to do it was to transfer all of her anger and hurt at him into this fight. She didn't want to, and she was tired of being angry.
Dani kicked out as hard as she could and connected with Samuel’s side. He doubled over and she took advantage and kicked his leg out from under him. He went down on one knee and stayed there. "Damn it Samuel! Fight back," she yelled. "I really don't want to be here all night. If you hadn't noticed my mom is in town and I would rather spend my birthday with her than fighting with you."
"Dani."
"No! No more talking. Just fight me," she begged. He stood, and they circled around.
With a kick to her middle she fell on her back. Before she could regain her feet he pounced, putting all his weight to pin her to the mat. She struggled to get free. "You can't keep avoiding me. We need to talk," he said breathlessly from the effort of holding her down.
"We said all there is to say," she said and got her left leg up and pushed to reverse their positions. She was sitting on him, and before she got up she punched him in the face. She admitted to herself that it felt good to do it.
"No," he said when he got back on his feet. He landed a punch to her arm. "You said all you had to, you wouldn't listen to what I needed to say. You just walked off."
"You weren't saying anything. If I remember correctly, you like to use your tongue to make your points, not words. Sorry, but I wasn't in the mood for your type of lesson." She ignored the shocked gasp from the sidelines and kicked out, this time he caught her leg and pulled up, sending her flat on her back. She rolled to the side just before his body landed where she had been a moment before.
"That’s because every time I tried to say something you cut me off.” He punched her again. "Dammit Dani, you can't say all that you said to me and then just walk away. That’s not fair."
"Oh, that’s rich! Fair?" She punched him back. "You want to talk about fair? After the way you've treated me since I started this school, I think you got exactly what you deserved."
"And I tried to explain to you why I acted that way!"
"What, because I confuse you?" She laughed “That's a bullshit excuse and you know it."
"Dani! Watch your mouth," Sarah said from the sidelines.
"Sorry,” she said without taking her eyes of Samuel.
"It's the truth. I don't want to have feelings for you. But I do. I did from the first time I saw you." He kicked out. "You were in here with Joe, and you were struggling with everything that was going on. All the rumors and remarks. Yet you were so strong and proved everyone wrong. When you fell from the tree-"
"When you made me fall," she interrupted sarcastically.
"Whatever. My point is, is that when you fell, I was lost to you. I hated that. I hate feeling helpless. I'm not helpless Dani,” he said in frustration. She kicked out again. "I'm strong, but I couldn't not try anymore. Then you turned on the frost from the moment you saw me. Everything I said the other night was true. You're a contradiction in itself Dani." He punched her in the stomach.
"Barbie? The party?"
"It was obvious you hated me. Well, at least I thought you did." He shrugged and blocked her next punch. "What did you expect? Did you think that I would just sit around and pine for you? No way."
"None of this makes a difference Samuel," she said quietly. "I'm done fighting. I'm done talking." She turned to Joe.
"Are you happy now?" She turned away with tears in her eyes.
"No! You can't walk away. I'm not done," he said and flipped her. He pinned her to floor with his weight, she didn't even struggle. She turned her head to the side so she wouldn't have to look at him while he humiliated her even more and let the tears fall.
"God, you're an Idiot. I love you Dani, and when I saw you with Nick then Jordan, I got jealous. With how you repeatedly turned hot and cold, I honestly thought you hated me. So I said what I said to hurt you. I didn't think anything I said could ever get past your defenses. It wasn't until you walked away that I saw that my words actually could have an effect on you."
"Stop,” she whispered.
"Please Dani! I'm sorry. I didn't know how you really felt. So when you asked me to leave you alone, to let you go, it hurt but I owed you that much. I can't just sit by anymore. You said you gave me everything you had, now I'm giving you everything I have. Please,” he whispered brokenly.
She stared up at his handsome, pleading face, blurred by her own tears. How many nights had she laid awake dreaming of the
moment he would tell her he loved her about how she wanted it so badly. She imagined that she would throw herself in his arms and all would be ok. Now that it was actually happening she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She didn’t see how she was supposed to just hand over her already fragile heart to the same man who broke it once before. She couldn’t take that risk. Yeah, ok, maybe her pride had a little something to do with it too.
"Samuel, I love you too," she said and at his smile she continued. "But I can't. I'm sorry. I've asked you before to let me be. I'm asking you again."
He rolled off of her and sat on the mat, staring at his hands. Dani quickly got up. "Am I free to go now sir?" she said to Joe. When he nodded she ran out of the gym as fast as she could and didn't stop until she got to the North Trail entrance.
Chapter Fourteen
"So other than what happened with Samuel the Shmuck, you had a pretty good birthday?" Jan said. They were laying on Jan's bed listening to her cd player, talking about her birthday celebration the night before.
Uncle Joe had gotten her two knives with an ankle and wrist sheath. Nadia had gotten her a solid silver stake with an easy grip handle and a belt to hold everything. Alex got her some fire dust that automatically catches fire if you blow it onto a vampire and she couldn't wait to try it out, and a vial of holy water. Her mom got her a dagger that matched her sword.
"Yeah, aside from dodging my moms’ questions about Samuel all night, it was pretty great. I got some cool toys but I think my favorite present is the pair of boots you and Damien got me, they are smokin’,” she laughed and laid back on the bed with her legs in the air to admire her shoes. They were pointy toed, knee high and bright orange. She loved them. "I was thinking about seeing if we can go to the mall next week. You think you can get a day pass?" she asked her best friend.
"Probably not," Jan said quietly.
"Well why not?" Dani asked and rolled on her stomach to look at her friend who was rummaging through her cd’s. "Why won’t your parents sign off on it?"
"I don't know who my parents are. I was in foster care before I came here," Jan said with a shrug.
"How come you never told me?"
"It never came up,” she laughed
"I feel awful. You're my best friend and I never even knew about your past."
"Don't. It's not a big deal."
"So who are your guardians then? Why can't they give you the ok?"
"Technically the school took responsibility for me. Headmaster Charleston doesn't want to be responsible if anything happens if I leave campus."
"That's stupid. There has to be something we can do. Maybe my mom or Joe can take responsibility," she said hopefully.
"I doubt it works that way." She laughed. "Oh crap it's already curfew."
Dani was suddenly pulled from Jan’s bedroom and surrounded by trees, buildings and water. Her vision too blurred to make out where she was. Sinister laughter floated on the wind, the sound sending shivers down her spine. She took three deep breaths to calm her racing heart and her vision cleared. She was on the Mt. Claussen campus and armed as she was in her first dream.
She heard shouts and spun around in confusion, trying to determine which direction they came from. As the sounds of battle erupted around her she picked a direction and ran to help. Amidst the confusion of being pulled into a vision her thoughts were a jumbled mess. The only thing Dani knew for certain was that something was terribly wrong.
Dani reached a clearing near the head of the North Trail and saw Jan and Samuel fighting back to back, enclosed by a wall of shadows. Vampires! Knowing two people she cared about were in a fight for their lives, she let loose a battle cry and lunged into the fray.
Jan was down on one knee, the vampire fighting her, winning. Dani took out Jan's vampire then turned to face the others. Back to back, the three of them fought. She could hear more sounds of battle in the distance and could see the other hunters holding their own against the Vampires that invaded her home.
"Dani..." Jan screamed, shaking her. "Dani... Oh God oh God. Dani come back." Dani's vision cleared, and she was back in Jan's room. "Oh thank God. Your eyes, Dani. Your eyes turned cloudy, or milky or something-"
"Jan listen to me," Dani said sternly and took her hand. "Something's wrong. We have to find Joe and find him fast."
They took off through the side stairs to miss running into any faculty and having to answer questions. On the way to faculty quarters she told Jan about both of her visions, for she was certain that was what they were.
"So you think we're going to be attacked?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Oh God," Jan breathed. "That’s scary."
"Yeah, it is, but as long as people stay inside their rooms they should be alright."
"No. These are public dorms, Dani. If the Vamps get past our wards then it doesn't matter once they're inside. They can go into any building they want."
"Oh shit."
"You can say that again."
"Joe,” she yelled while pounding on his door. She hammered her fists against it until she was certain he wasn't home then ran to Nadia’s room and did the same. When she came to door Dani almost cried with relief.
"Nadia where is Joe."
"In a meeting Dani, what’s wrong. You look as if you've seen a ghost."
Dani quickly went through her vision once again for Nadia, thankful that the woman trusted her enough not to question her sanity.
"What's all this commotion?" Alex said peeking his head out of his room.
Dani looked at him and got a feeling of wrongness so strong she doubled over with it. He moved as if to help her. "Don't touch me," she said and ignored his look of hurt.
"Dani! What's wrong?" he asked.
"What did you do Alex?" she whispered in horror. She moved to push Jan into the hallway away from Alex. "Jan run! Run as fast as you can and find Joe. Tell him what happened and to bring Adele. Do it quickly. Go!” she yelled when Jan stood frozen.
Alex stood staring at Dani as if she had lost her mind. Without taking her eyes off of Alex she walked into Nadia’s room. "Nadia, please trust me. I don't know how I know this, I just do. Something isn't right. He somehow has something to with the vampires. I need your cuffs."
All Hunters had really cool metal snap cuffs. Dani had her own but like all her other toys, they were locked in Joe's room.
"He can't have Dani. You know he would never."
"I don't want to believe it either, but I can't ignore what my gut is telling me. Please just cuff him until Adele gets here."
"Dani have you been drinking," Alex asked. She rolled her eyes at the asinine question and took the cuffs from Nadia to do it herself. "This is ridiculous Dani. I don't know what you think I’ve done! But whatever it is, I didn’t do it!"
Joe came running with Adele and Jan on his heels. He quickly took in the scene, and she told him everything again, including her feeling about Alex. Adele confirmed that his mind had been tampered with by a vampire's compulsion. “They must have gotten him to let the witch in to tamper with the wards and erased his memory,” Adele said.
Joe quickly got on the phone and started calling all the hunters and warning them.
"You knew?" Dani said to Joe after seeing him take such action. "You knew we would be attacked, and that's why all the extra guards are here. I knew you were lying," she said on a laugh.
"Come on Dani, Jan. I hate to do this but you two need to suit up. I'm sure you know there is no protection anywhere as soon as they get past our wards," he said and they nodded.
They left Nadia’s room and Dani glanced back at Alex. He was sitting on Nadia’s bed with his head in his hands. She didn't blame him for what he did, he had no choice. There was no way he could have fought against a vampire’s compulsion. She could only imagine the horror he was feeling at being responsible for what was about to happen.
She went back to his side and took his hand before gearing up. "Alex, this isn't your fault. They would have found someone
else to use. It would've happened no matter what. You can help make this right, go get your weapons," she whispered gently. But when he only sat there frozen, she shrugged. There was nothing else she could do. She went to get her new toys.
Chapter Fifteen
By the time she had her belt, ankle and wrist sheaths on, Dani was ready to go, and there was chaos outside. There weren't vampires on campus yet but all the Hunters and staff were splitting up. A couple going to each dorm, the rest spread out across the quad, through the trails and lining the gates.
Joe told them to go back to their building and stay inside, only to fight if they absolutely had to. On the way there Dani’s arms and neck were tingling and she shivered. “Hurry,” she whispered to Jan, clasping their hands together. They ran the rest of the way there.
“Why do I feel weird?” Dani asked.
"It's the vampires. It's the way our blood reacts when the demons are close." One of the hunters nearby answered her. She was standing on the porch, not yet wanting to go inside. "You two should probably go on in now," he said as if reading her mind.
Ignoring is soft order she replied, "It would have been nice if they taught us that in class. Do you think that means they've breached the wards?"
"Most likely. And they will talk about the different reactions eventually. They weren't expecting you to learn on your own so quickly."
"Dani, please go inside," Samuel pleaded. She hadn't realized he had come up behind them. The look of such love and worry all over his face was enough to make her agree.
She was scared to leave him out there. To know that he was about to fight for his life… And hers. She loved him with all heart and in that moment she didn't care about all of their fights. She threw herself into his arms and kissed him with all that she had. When she pulled back she whispered, "Please be careful."
He gently ran his fingertip across her cheek and smiled. "Always am." He kissed her one last quick kiss, then pushed her back up the stairs toward the door.
"Does that mean you've changed your mind then?" Jan asked with a sardonic smile once they were inside.
