Revenant in Training (Blood and Snow series) (8 page)

“Yes. Just jab it in the heart, right?”

Professor Pops
chortled
. “These work if you have the element of surprise, or if you’re skilled at hand to hand combat. But, tell me,
could you stake Christopher?” His
face was serious.

The idea repulsed me. I’d so
oner stake myself. That
shocked me. “N-No,” I said,
as comprehension filled my mind. “Are y
ou saying he’s got me under a
spell, or something?” Irritation started to build, but I pushed it down. Professor Pops had said Christopher was a master manipulator.

“It’s what I would’ve done.”
Professor Pops
took
a
long, thin sword from where it sat on the wall. He pulled off its sheath, revealing its glimmering metal. Even from a few feet away, it looked sharp.

I stepped toward him and the sword. “So, how do I kill vampires?” I honestly did
n’t think I’d be able to do it, but we were in the weapons room. It seemed he wanted to share.

“Hopefully you won’
t ever have to. But a
male vampire, must lose his head to be killed.” He placed the knife at his neck. A sliver of blood trickled.
When he moved it away, the slight cut healed instantaneously.

“And a Worker?” I asked.

“Females can be killed two ways. By a stake to the heart, or the sun.
Like I said
though
, they normally don’t leave the hive.”

“Wait, so what happens if her head is cut off?” I imagined a writhing body
searching for
its head.

“The body will find its head, and it can be reattached.” He shrugged. “It’s rather disgusting to watch, but a fact, nonetheless.”

“Yeah, that’s gross.” I stepped away, heading over to the stake. “What about a Hunter?”

He brought up his pointer finger, and shook.
“Hunters are more difficult because they possess a portion of the Queen’s magic, which protects them from the sun, and gives them the power of persuasion.
”
 

“
Great,” I mumbled.

“The only way to kill a Hunter is by removing his heart. It beats thanks to the Queen’s magic, so it must be cut from the body, and separated from
the other
organs.”

“That’s gross,” I muttered.

“
It is, truly. And o
nce the Queen has
marked him, she gives him a portion of her magic. That allows him to walk in the light, to change the color of his eyes, even shift his appearance slightly.”

“Wow.
Can the Queen be
eliminated
by sunlight
?”

“No. Her magic protects her.”

I took a deep breath. “How can
she
be killed then?”

“If you can get through the fifty-thousand Workers, and the five thousand drones…” He trailed off. “Honestly, we aren’t sure, but we
believe
she can be killed during the moments she’s shedding her old body, and claiming the new one.
We think that’s when she
’s at
her most vulnerable.
”

“You think? You believe? I
must
say, Professor,
I’m not filled
with confidence. I have one chance in fifty-five thousand. Those odds are seriously stacked. And not in my favor.” I walked over to a gun. It
appeared to be made of
solid silver. “For werewolves,” I asked, changing the subject as I wrapped my brain around what I was up against.

He shook his head, placing the sword back on the wall, and picking up the gun. “This is for unicorns. A shot between the eyes will kill it.”

“I didn’t realize unicorns were hard to kill,” I said, taking a step back.

“Unicorns are magical creatures, Snow. They can’t die easily. There aren’t many of them left, and most are in the service of the
Vampire
Queen.”

My throat went dry. “But they don’t want me dead, right? If they work for her, then they’ll want to keep my body safe.”

“
That isn’t necessarily true
. We’ve heard
rumors of
dissentions within her hive. Some believe the Queen is too old, and should step down. Others have stolen magic from other creatures, and are trying to usurp her. Many believe if all of the Marked, and Chosen are killed off, she’ll die.” He set the gun down, and crossed his arms.

“Is that true? Would she die?” I walked over to some miscellaneous weapons. A club, an axe, smaller knives, a spiky looking ball with a chain attached to
the end
.

“In theory, yes, she would die.”

“Couldn’t she
take any body? Why does it have to be the fairest? If it came down to it, if she has the magic, couldn’t she use a dog, or a bee
, or
any living thing
as her host?”

I turned when he didn’t respond right away.

He appeared
thoughtful.
“Tec
hnically, yes, she could
, but she’s grown accustomed to humans. And
in
choosing an animal or an insect
she would lose the power she so desperately demands. In the time I spent in her service,
her hunger for power was quite apparent
. I believe she’d rather die than be diminished to something other than what she is, what she’s become.
”

“Okay, so say those who want her power do kill all of the Marked, and the Chosen, can’t the
Hunters
mark more?”

“Of course, but the
y
have chosen the best of the best in this generation. If she has to choose
a lesser human
, her power will
diminish
. It isn’t
only
about what’s appealing on the outside. Just as important is what’s on the inside. The purer the person
’s soul
, the better.”

It made some sense. I couldn’t help but wonder if Cindy had been chosen as well. Her beauty certainly far outweighed mine. Shrugging it off, I said, “So, those who want the Queen
’s power
will come after me.”

Chapter 8

H
e nodded. “Yes, that is why you must train. That is why it’s important you become familiar with all of the creatures in that room,” he pointed out the doorway, “and learn how to defend yourself.
A war is coming, Snow
. I know you didn’t ask for it, and it seems unfair, but you’re involved. And from what I can tell, the Queen has put special emphasis on you.”

A
devastating
weight seemed to si
t on my shoulders. The word, ‘war
,
’ felt too big. Too overwhelming.
“Do you think the others know the Vampire Queen
has singled me out
?”

“I’m not sure. I would think not.” He moved back over to the sword, and took it
from its horizontal storage clamps on
the wall. Then grabbed another and handed it to me. “
These swords should be
come like second nature to you. Some background about them first.
”

“
Sure
.” Professor Pops always had a history lesson about something. My
mind was elsewhere, and Professor Pops must have realized it.

He
asked
, “What is it, Snow?”

“How do you kill a revenant?”
I peered down at my
pink shirt, and tugged
.

H
is arms
went
around me, and
I
stepped into them. He pulled me against his chest in a fatherly hug. Swallowing the strangled cry in my throat, I
returned his embrace
. It’d been a long time since my dad had hugged me. I hadn’t
realized how much I missed him
.

“You are, or will be, a lot stronger than a regular human. Most Marked who are bitten say they feel like they have superpowers.”

“So, I’ll be less klutzy?”

Professor Pops chuckled, and I couldn’t help the smile that curled up my lips. “Let not count on it.” He stroked my head with a hand, and I
drew in a deep breath, enjoying the smell of old books, paper, and cigar
s
.

After several minutes I pulled away, and
considered him
. “I’ll be stronger,
which will
make it more difficult for me to die,
but I can be killed the same
as any human.” It was a statement.
One that
I knew, as I spoke, was true.

“
Exactly
.” He held the
blade, still sheathed in a black cover,
in bot
h hands. “This is called a Jokot
o
, or, Katana, which is the now universal term.
From the wall, h
e took a smaller sword that
rested under the long one. This is a Wakizashi.
” He moved into a fighting stance, showing me how to hold them. “
Samurai used these swords
together during battle
beginning in the 7
^th
century.
” He indicated with his head
I should follow
. Awkwardly, I bent my knees, and angled the swords. He nodded, and started to move, crossing his right foot over his left. I followed.

As we moved in a circle this way, Professor Pops said, “The long one is for enemies at a further distance. The shorter for when the enemy gets inside. He parried, maneuvering the blades as he battled an invisible foe. “Like this.”

I tried
to follow, but ended up tangling
my hands together.

“Very good.”

I laughed. “Really?”

Professor Pops smiled and turned to replace his sword.

Turning back to me, he said, “
Samurai
believed the katana
held
their soul, and would only use them as a last resort. They would
use the
bow and arrow first, then a spear, and finally, if they had to, their swords.”

He moved behind me and began adjusting my body.
Several minutes later he had me in the
proper
position. I felt like a rag doll.