Katrina, The Beginning (17 page)

“We’ll have to talk about
it later. Here are our fathers,” I said.

“All right, let’s get
started, girls,” Gunter clapped his hands. “First, I just want to
explain to those that haven’t had much training with Watchers, why
we train as we do. Our methods develop your skills deliberately,
slowly, so that the moves become routine and with time are easily
mastered. When you then add your vampire speed, you will become
almost unbeatable.”

“Why the swords and
daggers?” Kate asked. “Why not pistols and bullets?”

“Good question, Katherine.
Bullets are of no use against vampires. Because of your speed, by
the time the bullet leaves the barrel of the gun pointed at a
target, the target is no longer there. Against humans your speed
and superior strength is your best weapon. The swords, especially
the short swords you all carry, are light and lend themselves well
to speed. They are also silent and lethal, and with them you are
capable of killing your opponent before he even detects your
presence. Each of you also possess special gifts, and we as
Watchers are especially adept at recognizing those gifts and will
be helping you develop them as well. So let’s get started. First
I’d like Katrina to come forward to show you what I’m talking
about. Katrina?” He gestured to me.

I walked up next to Gunter
smiling, and he gave me a wink. “Show them your skills,” he told
me.

I replied, “Yes, sir,” and
took up my weapon for the exercise.

Exchanging my real sword
for a wooden one like those the brothers were all sporting - we
wouldn’t want any fatalities, just injured pride - I got into my
defensive crouch, closing my eyes so I could concentrate on my
hearing. I could detect the brothers arriving at their positions
surrounding me. “
Ah my favorite,”
I smiled
to myself. It was up to them to begin. I could feel their
apprehension. Then in an instant it was on. Six brothers, all
taking their task very seriously, came at me from all sides. I
ducked and countered each of their blows, rolled underneath Thomas
and Simon’s jabs, and was out of the circle. Now they charged. I
dispatched each one easily in turn. Gunter was right; it felt as if
I were fighting in a slow ballet, compared to their human full
speed. I was one step ahead of them at every turn. In minutes it
was all over. The girls all erupted in cheers and
clapping.

“Impressive daughter, now
show us your skill against our vampire guard.”

Once again six men
approached carrying wooden swords. These were the elite palace
guard, but the rules were the same: if a weapon was dislodged or a
blow struck, that in a real battle was deemed to be debilitating,
the opponent was out of the exercise. As before, I began in the
middle, surrounded by the enemy. I centered myself again, breathing
in deeply so I could “see” them. Then three charged, one from the
front and one from each side. This exercise was at full vampire
speed; humans could perceive us only as a blur. I jumped over the
front guard and whacked him on the head; he was out. Then as he
took himself out of the fight, the other three guards now entered
the game. I engaged two more, one from each side, ducking and
slicing. I threw my wooden dagger, and even though this crude
weapon lacked the balance and heft of my real weapon, it hit one
right in the chest. That left four remaining, with one in each
quadrant, surrounding me. The larger of the two lunged in for a
chest wound, but I kicked his sword out of his hand and flipped
backwards over the second, making a mock slice across his neck on
the way over him. I swirled around, hitting each of the other two
across the throat as well, finally taking my sword to the first,
now weaponless guard and held its point to his chest. Done! I was
breathing hard but the adrenaline rush made me sorry it was
over.

Again clapping and cheering
filled my ears. I smiled, looking over at my thrilled roommates.
Then someone rushed at me from the rear, I dropped to one knee and
thrust my sword backwards towards the would-be assassin, aiming
right for the gut.

Gunter applauded. “Good
job, Katrina. Never drop your guard.”

I looked up and saw Damien
in the audience, smiling and clapping with everyone else. Our eyes
met. I rose, still breathing hard, and brushed some hair out of my
face, all the while never breaking eye contact. Everyone started
coming over, praising my work and patting my back.

I held up my hand in a mock
show of modesty, “Please, it’s only because I have worked so hard
all this time with great trainers,” I noticed Damien being joined
by his repulsive Watcher, Ivan. The man was big and tall, with
beady brown eyes and a scar across his left cheek and nose and
black slicked-back hair. More than his appearance, it was his
manner that unsettled me. He truly set me on edge, and then I had
to look away then to speak to my friends and our
fathers.

“She’s very accomplished my
Lord, and very beautiful,” Ivan whispered to Damien, “but still
very much interested in her Watcher boyfriend.”

“For now, but I have time
on my side and I am willing to wait for her, she’ll be mine I
assure you.”

“Do you really think we can
ever be as good at fighting as you are, Katrina?” Arletta asked
excitedly, eyes still wide with amazement.

“Absolutely, if you work
hard and take it seriously, I have no doubt.”

“Are you willing to do
that, girls?” Ricardo asked.

“Yes,” they all answered
together emphatically.

“We’re very determined,
aren’t we?” Rosa said, the others all nodding.

“Very well,” Gunter said.
“Then the work begins now. We’re going to test your skill levels
and agility, so we’ll know how to approach your
training.”

Gunter and his brothers put
the girls through the basic moves of swordplay, tested their
balance, movement, and form. During the grueling session, he found
they had been well schooled, had a good command of the fundamentals
and was he was pleased to discover, as a group they were quick,
agile, and stronger than he expected.

“Good work, everyone, we’ll
start early tomorrow,” Gunter announced.

The girls all looked at one
another.

“If you don’t mind, Gunter,
we’d like to start after lunch,” Kate told him, speaking for the
group.

It was clear Gunter was
taken aback by this unexpected request.

“Very well, after lunch it
is. I’ll discuss the details with my brothers and meet you back
here in an hour and a half.”

“We’re very proud of all of
you, aren’t we?” Father looked around at the other fathers for
support.

“We agree to let you stay
and train together as long as you stay focused,” admonished
Edward.

“Thank you, Father,” we
said together, and gave them each a hug.

“Let’s have some lunch,”
urged Kate. “I’m starving.”

Fathers and daughters alike
left the Watchers training compound for the main dining
area.

“I’ll be right there,” I
called to Kate and Father.

“Gunter, since I’ve worked
out all ready today, I’m going hunting this afternoon. I’ll take a
vampire with me as guard, so all of you can stay and train the
girls.”

“All right, but I’ll need
you when we start developing their special gifts. Maybe you can all
get together in your rooms tonight and get a feel for what those
gifts might be.”

“That’s a good idea. And
it’ll be easier if we’re not all distracted by the presence of so
many handsome brothers.”

We both laughed and went
our separate ways. Of course what Gunter did not know, was the
vampire I meant to take with me hunting this afternoon, was Damien.
I left the compound to join the others.

“You were splendid this
morning, as usual, but I’ve seen you in a real battle, so I wasn’t
surprised,” grinned Quinn.

“Thank you. I thought you’d
be discussing training with Gunter. I was just heading over to have
lunch with everyone. Can you join us?”

“No, I’m on duty with
Simon.” He grabbed my hand. “I just wanted to tell you again, what
a fine time we all had last night, especially me.”

“I did too. The girls and I
would have stayed up all night talking about it, if it hadn’t been
for our training schedule this morning. They did well this morning,
didn’t they?”

“Yes they did. The five of
you will become quite a force once the girls are fully trained. And
you were right about Kate; she’s just like you, fast and
furious.”

We smiled at each other.
Quinn was so handsome, but he was also was a strong, reliable,
caring, a fiercely loyal man, and I felt guilty about Damien, not
that I had done anything wrong, mind you.

“Did you see Damien was
back?” I asked.

“I saw him at practice. He
couldn’t take his eyes off you, not that I blame him.”

Now a feeling of discomfort
crept into my system, as I understood Quinn had noticed Damien’s
interest. I explained, “I spoke to him at the stables. I was
shocked to see him, but he thanked me for helping him to clear his
name, and absolve him from Luena’s scheme.”

“Do you really believe he
had nothing to do with any of it? At the very least he knew of the
fledglings and didn’t mention them.”

“Quinn, Damien told me
Luena threatened to
kill
their father, and I believe him.
Father is of the same mind, and has arranged he be included in the
envoy departing to the Americans soon.”

“Really? Well, I’m willing
to give him the benefit of the doubt, if you think he’s being
truthful. I trust your instincts.”

Then he gave me a kiss on
the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

What was I thinking? I’d
have to go hunting by myself. I needed it in more ways than one.
Not just to feed, but also to clear my head, and try to understand
why I was drawn to these two men.

“There you are! Seems as if
we’re always looking for you lately,” El laughed.

“Come sit with us, Kat,”
Kate gestured for me to join her and Father at the table where the
girls and their fathers were now eating lunch.

Their excitement at being
allowed to stay with me for their training was infectious. I had
plans to ask Father if we could make over a wing of Mormont, so we
could have our rooms together as we did here. I imagined he would
laugh and say, “Anything you want, my dear,” as he always
did.

Father had always spoiled
me terribly, all the while being supportive and stern. I’d always
been sure of his love, and now I had my mother back, knew I could
count on her love and support also.

“You know what else?” Rosa
asked.

“What?” several voices
responded.

“We’re going to turn
eighteen within a few days of each other. Isn’t that
something?”

“All five of us?” I was
surprised. “Well of course Kate and I are twins, but the three of
you too?”

“Yes,” Rosa beamed, having
bested us on this information. “You two were born on June
seventeenth; my birthday is the eighteenth; El’s on the twentieth;
and Letta’s on the twenty-first.”

We all looked at each other
in amazement.

“That’s going to be one
gala birthday party we’ll have to plan,” Father thumped his fist on
the table. “We can combine it with a farewell party for those
headed to the Americas, including all your fathers, have a Council
meeting and show off your new skills, right girls? Remember, unless
you’ve made real progress in your training, progress that can seen
by your fathers, before they go, you’ll all have to go
home.”

“That’s right,” agreed the
other Fathers.

“We made a promise to all
of you, and we intend to keep it,” I insisted. “Now it’s almost
time to get back to work, ladies.”

All five of us rose and
headed to the door. When we arrived at the courtyard, I told them
to work hard and have fun.

And then I told them I
would see them later.

CHAPTER EIGHT

I arrived at the stables
without meeting anyone along the way, fully intending to go hunting
alone. Nulla was saddled and ready to go, although I didn’t
remember telling a stable boy I was taking her out.

Damien came out of the
stall next to Nulla’s, leading the most beautiful black stallion
I’d ever seen.

“His name is Theo. He was a
gift from my father on my birthday this year,” he scratched Theo’s
neck underneath his long black mane.

“He’s gorgeous,” I said
adoringly. Theo snorted and pawed the ground
impatiently.

“All right, all right, boy,
we’ll go,” Damien laughed.

He led Theo out and I
followed with Nulla. It was another beautiful afternoon, and I
couldn’t wait to gallop through the countryside. I knew somewhere
around us Ivan was keeping watch. As Damien’s Watcher, Ivan
wouldn’t ever be far away, but I didn’t see him, and that was just
fine with me. We mounted and decided leaving through the back gate
was a good option. Even before the gate was fully open, I urged
Nulla into a canter and yelled, “See you in the meadow!”