Chapter 2

 

“Chen?” Hannah sat down gingerly on the side of the hospital bed and stared at Chen’s pale face.

“He may have fallen asleep again.” Barb said quietly. “He’s very weak.”

She squeezed Hannah’s arm. “How do you feel?”

“Fine.” Hannah smiled up at her. “I’m glad you’re okay, Barb.”

Barb sighed. “I count myself lucky that I was at the farmhouse and that the damn leeches didn’t swarm it, as well. I just wish that Richard had been there with me.”

Tears began to form in her eyes and Hannah stood and hugged her tightly. “I’m sorry, Barb.”

Barb wiped briskly at her face. “Your mom and dad and the twins are at the farmhouse. I haven’t been back there yet but your mom’s been texting me. She’s worried about you.”

“I know.” Hannah said guiltily. Her mom had been texting and calling her cell phone repeatedly and other than sending a single text telling her mom she was fine and not to worry, she hadn’t spoken to either of her parents. Mannie had taken the twins to the farmhouse and instructed them to stay put, and she knew that she needed to go there and see them and her parents.

“You should go and see her.” Barb said sternly.

“I will.” Hannah promised. “I just – I don’t know how to tell them that I’m, you know…”

Barb shook her head. “They’re your parents, Hannah. They’ll love you no matter what you are. Besides, you’re still you.”

Although Hannah wasn’t entirely sure that was true, she just smiled at Barb and sat back down on Chen’s bed. “Thanks, Barb.”

“You’re welcome, honey. I’ve got some other patients to check on. I’ll be back in a bit.” She drew the curtain around the bed and Hannah reached out and took Chen’s hand. She stared at his left arm, at the bandage that covered the stump and felt a wave of nausea and guilt go through her. It was her fault that Chen –

Chen shifted in the bed and opened his eyes, staring blearily at Hannah.

“Hello, master.” She said softly.

“Hello, Hannah.” His voice was hoarse and laced with weariness and she squeezed his hand tightly.

“How do you feel?”

“Tired. My arm hurts.”

“I’ll get Barb. She’ll give you some more meds for the pain.” She started to stand and Chen tightened his grip on her hand.

“No. Do not leave me.”

“I won’t, master.” She smiled at him before kissing his cheek.

“How did you kill him?” He suddenly asked.

“I stabbed him through the heart with my shiny sword.” Hannah gave him a half-hearted smile.

“I knew you were faster than him.” Chen replied.

“I wasn’t.” She said softly.

“What do you mean?”

“He stabbed me in the chest.”

He stared unblinkingly at her and she gave him another tentative smile. “Will, he was there and he, well he…”

She trailed off and he sighed softly. “He bit you.”

“Yes.”

He didn’t say anything and she gnawed at her bottom lip. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“I don’t know.” She said miserably. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t stop him from taking your hand. I’m sorry that I wasn’t the person you trained me to be.”

He shook his head immediately. “You have nothing to be sorry about, Hannah.”

She shrugged and stared at their clasped hands for a moment. “You should try and get some more rest, Chen. I’ll sit with you until you fall asleep, alright?”

He nodded and closed his eyes. She studied his pale, drawn face before her gaze dropped to his left arm, and blinked back the sudden tears.

* * *

 

“Come in!” Mannie snapped.

Reid opened the door to Richard’s office and poked his head in. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

He hesitated and then sat down in the chair across from Richard’s desk. Mannie was typing something on the computer and he waited patiently for him to finish.

When he was done, Mannie sat back and rubbed at his forehead wearily. “What’s up?”

“Just checking in to see what the plan is.”

Mannie laughed bitterly. “The plan? I have no fucking idea, Reid.”

Reid frowned. “You’re temporarily in charge, Mannie. We need someone to take control of the place. The recruits we have left are freaked out. They’re talking about – “

“I know!” Mannie shouted. “Jesus, you think I don’t know what a fucking gong show it’s been the last three days? Half our recruits are dead, Richard is dead, Chen is missing his goddamn hand, Will’s gone AWOL, and Hannah’s a fucking werewolf! You think I don’t know how fucked we are?”

“Okay, okay, calm down.” Reid held his hands up in a soothing manner. “I just thought maybe the Board of Directors had spoken to you.”

Mannie, breathing hard, closed his eyes for a moment. “Jesus, I’m sorry, Reid. It’s just, Alison is dead and I…”

He trailed off and Reid nodded solemnly. “I know, man. I’m sorry.”

Mannie took a deep breath and blew it out harshly before staring at the blood-stained carpet behind the desk. “The new guy should be here by the end of the week. They’re sending a clean-up crew today, and they’re bringing in recruits from some of the other facilities to help us patrol until they can install better security equipment.”

Reid shook his head. “The security equipment should have been in place months ago. They were idiots to think that we didn’t need it. We’re a training facility for God’s sake! You’d think they would have put extra effort into protecting their new recruits.”

“Yeah, well, lesson learned.” Mannie said quietly.

“Do you think the vampires will attack again?”

“Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t know if there are other leeches out there who know where this place is, or if that fucking Samuel brought his entire army with him. We have to assume that others do know. I talked briefly with Hannah after the shit was all over and done with, and she said that although Samuel didn’t come right out and say it, he implied that he was part of a bigger group. That vampires across the country were working together and that they would take out the facilities one by one.”

“There’s no way that’s happening.” Reid protested. “Vampires can barely stand each other. Do you honestly think they could form large groups country-wide without killing each other?”

“That asshole Samuel managed to do it.” Mannie replied.

“Yeah.” Reid sighed.

“The Board of Directors wants us to try and get things back to normal as quickly as possible. They’ve informed me that we’re to return to training classes by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Reid shook his head. “They do realize that one of our instructors is lying in the hospital missing his damn hand and another is running around the woods, right?”

“They know about Chen. I haven’t said anything about Will.” Mannie replied.

“Why not?”

“Because the Board of Directors is already freaking out that Will turned Hannah. I have no fucking idea how they found out, but they know and they’re not happy about it.”

“He saved her life.” Reid said quietly.

“Yeah, but there’s been talk that he did it for other reasons too.”

Reid stared thoughtfully at him for a moment. “We were both there when he turned her. Do you think he did it for a reason other than to save her life?”

Mannie shook his head. “No. And honestly, if I had been in his place, I would have done the same thing. You’ll do whatever it takes to save the woman that you lo –“

His voice broke and he stared at Richard’s desk as Reid waited patiently. After a few moments he cleared his throat roughly and shuffled some papers on the desk. “The Board wants us to get back to normal as quickly as possible, thinks it will be better for the remaining recruits, and I can’t fight them on this. Besides, the new guy will be here soon and he’ll do what the Board wants, so we might as well try and get the recruits back into a normal routine before he arrives.”

“I’m not sure – “

There was a knock on the door and at Mannie’s shout to come in, Selena entered the office. She nodded to Reid before sitting down in the chair next to him.

“You wanted to see me?”

“Yeah. How’s Hannah doing?”

“Fine.” Selena said cautiously. “She’s visiting Chen right now.”

“Good, good.” Mannie nodded distractedly as he opened a file folder on Richard’s desk and combed through the papers. “Listen, this is a hell of a time to say congratulations but we’re trying to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.”

“What are you talking about?” Selena frowned at him.

“You’ve passed the program. You’re no longer a recruit.” Mannie gave her a small smile. “Richard meant to tell you before…”

He trailed off and Selena grimaced. “Thanks, but I’m quitting the program.”

“You’re what?” Mannie gaped at her.

“I’m quitting. I’ll pack up my things and be gone by the end of the week.” Selena said calmly.

She walked toward the door as Mannie stood up. “Selena, wait! You can’t quit. We need you now more than ever.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve made my decision.” She slipped out of the room as Mannie stared at Reid.

“What the fuck just happened?”

“I’ll go and talk to her.” Reid left the office as Mannie collapsed back into his chair and dropped his head into his hands.

* * *

 

“Selena! Hey! Wait up!” Reid jogged down the hallway as Selena quickened her pace.

He tugged her to a stop. “Just hold on a minute, okay?”

“What, Reid?” She asked impatiently.

“Listen, I know what happened was awful, and I know we lost a lot of good people but quitting isn’t going to make you feel better.”

“I’m not quitting because of what happened here.” She replied.

“Then why are you?” He asked.

“Why did you kiss me?” She asked abruptly.

“What?”

“Why did you kiss me?” She repeated.

“Hell, I don’t know. I was pretty sure we were going to die and it seemed like a good idea at the time.”

“Right.” She pulled her arm free. “Goodbye, Reid.”

“Selena, wait!” He took her arm again and pulled her into Chen’s training room. He shut the door and leaned against it. “Tell me why you’re quitting.”

“It doesn’t matter, alright? I just – I can’t do this anymore.” She shoved at his large body. “Get out of my way.”

“No, not until you tell me why you’re quitting.”

She glared at him. “Get out of my way, Reid. I won’t ask you again.”

He shook his head. “You can’t just – “

She scowled at him and when she tried to punch him in the stomach, he blocked her arm and swung her around until her back was pressed against the door. She kicked and punched wildly at him and he grabbed her wrists and pulled them above her head, pinning her against the door with his hands and body.

“Tell me, Selena.”

“Fine!” She shouted. “I’m quitting because I’m useless at this, alright?”

He blinked in surprise. “Are you kidding me? You’re one of our best, Selena.”

“Bullshit!” She spat at him. “I go into every single fight terrified that I’m going to die. I’m – I’m so scared that I can hardly think straight.”

“We’re all frightened.” He said softly.

She snorted angrily. “That isn’t true and you know it, Reid. Hannah isn’t afraid, and neither is Will or Chen or Mannie.”

“Just because they don’t show it, doesn’t mean that they – “

“Did you know I was in the military?’ She interrupted.

He nodded as she sighed heavily. “I was really good at my job. You know that? I was one of only two women in my unit, and one of the greatest days of my life was when one of the guys in my unit told me he trusted me to have his back more than anyone else. I was tough and I wasn’t afraid. I knew what I had to do, what I needed to do, and I did it.”

She sighed again. “With this though, I just – I can’t do it. Hannah’s a civilian with no prior training and she’s better at killing vampires than I am. She was a college student for God’s sake! I’m a liability, Reid. Every time I go hunting, I put the lives of the people who are with me at risk because I’m afraid and I don’t know how to stop being afraid.”

She started to cry and he hesitated before releasing her arms and pulling her into his embrace. She stiffened against him and then put her arms around his waist and clung tightly to him as he rubbed her back.

“Don’t compare yourself to Hannah or anyone else, alright? Besides, you saved my life, and when it counted you did what needed to be done. You were right there beside Mannie and me in that common room killing vampires, remember?”

She continued to cry and he held her a little tighter. “Don’t quit, Selena. Give it a few weeks, alright? I know you think it has nothing to do with what just happened but I think you’re wrong. Take some time to really decide what it is you want. You’re a damn good vampire killer, you just need to realize that.”

“I hate this.” Her voice was muffled against his shirt and he stroked her curly dark hair.

“We all do. But you’ve been bitten. If you leave, the leeches will find you sooner or later. It’s better for you to be here where you’re protected and have friends to help keep you safe. Right?”

“I guess.” She sighed.

She leaned back and stared up at him. Her cheeks were wet and he wiped at them gently with his thumbs. She inhaled sharply and her gaze dropped to his mouth.

He cleared his throat nervously. “Selena, I think – “

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth against his. He jerked in surprise and her arms tightened around his waist before she pushed at his lips with her tongue. With a soft groan, he parted them and she slid her tongue into his mouth and touched his delicately.

He cupped her face with one large hand, his fingers tangling in the softness of her hair and kissed her back. She moaned into his mouth and the soft sound had his cock hardening in his jeans. He kissed her deeply before licking her bottom lip with his tongue. She moaned again and he sucked lightly at her top lip as she pressed herself against his erection. He cupped her small, firm breast through her t-shirt and she arched her back and shivered against him. He trailed a path of soft kisses down her throat before licking her warm skin.

“Selena.” He whispered.

She pushed away from him, her face red and her mouth swollen from his kisses, and gave him a look of shame mixed with desire. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Before he could reply, she yanked open the door and ran from the room.