The Recruit: Book Two (3 page)

“Stop drooling, lover boy.”  Selena said wryly and elbowed Jeremy
in the ribs.

He rubbed at his side.  “C’mon – I’m finally starting to get
what all you women see in the Lycans.”

He winked at Selena.  “The minute I graduate I’m hitting
that.”

She snorted.  “You can try.  She’ll probably kill you just
by having sex with you.”

“Maybe, but what a way to go.”  Jeremy sighed.

Selena rolled her eyes and stared at Hannah.  “Can you
believe lover boy over here?  He’s willing to die just for the chance to fuck
her.”

Hannah hesitated.  Selena had changed dramatically in the
last month.  Once sweet and friendly, she was now sullen and withdrawn.  Hannah
had tried numerous times to talk to her about the night at the factory but
Selena had refused.  She had nightmares about it.  Hannah had woken many times
to the sound of Selena crying and whimpering Tyler’s name in her sleep, but
when pressed she refused to admit that she was even dreaming at all.

“They’re not all dangerous, Selena.”  She said softly.

“Yeah, well you would know.”  Selena scoffed.  “C’mon, let’s
get some dinner before the babies all pile into the cafeteria.”

She threaded her way through the crowd and both Hannah and Jeremy
followed her.

“This is Chen’s training room.  He currently has four
students – oh hey, Chen.  Sorry for interrupting.”  

It was shortly after dinner.  Mannie had led the three new
instructors into Chen’s training room, and they stared curiously at Chen and
Hannah who were fighting with bokuto’s in the middle of the room.

Chen bowed to Hannah who gave a short bow in return and
lowered her bokuto.

“You met Chen earlier and this is Hannah, his top student.”  Mannie
introduced them.

Hannah shook Douglas’ hand firmly.  “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”  He replied.  He had a low, gravelly voice and
his hand shook minutely.

“I’m Constance.”  The Lycan stepped forward and held out one
hand, and after a moment’s hesitation Hannah shook it.

“I’ve heard lots of good things about you from Richard and
Mannie.”  Her voice was low and musical and her smile revealed perfectly
straight, white teeth.

“It’s probably best to only believe about a quarter of what
they tell you.”  Hannah replied.

“I guess time will tell.”  Constance gave her an appraising
look as Mannie spoke again.

“And you’ve already met Reid.”

“Good to see you again, sweetheart.”  He winked at her and
Hannah suppressed a grin. 

The door to the training room opened again and Will’s broad
body filled the doorway.  “Chen, have you seen – “

He stopped, staring with surprise at Douglas and Constance. 
“Douglas?”

Hannah watched as he strode across the room and hugged the
old man hard.  “What the hell are you doing here?”

Douglas grinned at him.  “We’re the new instructors.”  He
winced when Will hugged him again.  “Careful, Will.  I’m an old man now.”

Will laughed.  “You could still kick my ass, old man.”

He turned towards Constance.  Hannah, her stomach dropping
to her feet, watched as he wrapped his arms around the curvy Lycan’s waist and
lifted her against him in a rib-crushing hug.  His face was beaming and he
grinned at her when she cupped his face and planted a loud kiss on his mouth.

“Hello Will.”  She smiled at him.  “You’re looking good.”

“So are you.”  He dropped her gently to her feet and looked
her up and down as Reid moved casually to Hannah’s side.

“They look friendly.”  He commented.

Hannah nodded.  She could feel her cheeks burning, and a
large streak of jealousy shot through her when Constance placed her arm around
Will’s waist and led him back to Douglas.  The three laughed and chatted
quietly.

“So, Hannah.  What do people do for fun around here?”  Reid
stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the three Lycans.

“Nothing.  We train, we hunt and we try to avoid dying.”  Hannah
said shortly.  She had to force herself not to peer around Reid’s body to see
if Constance still had her arm around Will.

“I don’t understand - both of you have left the pack?”  Will
asked curiously.

Douglas glanced at Constance.  “The pack split about two
years ago.”

“What?”  Will was flabbergasted.  “Why?  What happened?”

Constance shrugged.  “Daven died and Andrew took over as
pack leader.  There were many of us who questioned his abilities to lead and
after a year, we left.”

“Daven is dead?” Will stared at her.  “Why didn’t anyone
tell me?”

“Would it have mattered?”  Constance asked softly.  “You
haven’t returned to the pack in many years.”

“I still don’t understand how both of you ended up in the
program.”

Douglas took over.  “You’ve made quite the name for yourself
in the program, Will.  The Board of Directors has actively been recruiting
Lycans for the last two years or so.  They approached many of us in the pack. 
I think they believed they had a better chance with Lycans from your pack.”

Will rolled his eyes.  “Humans.  They know so little about
us.”

“Perhaps they know more than you give them credit for. 
After all, there were two of us who chose to join them.”  Douglas said quietly.

“I am glad to see you both.”  Will grinned hugely at them. 

Constance returned his smile, tightening her arm around his
waist.  “We’re glad to see you too.”

Will suddenly stiffened and inhaled deeply.  He glanced
behind him, his face twisting as he watched Reid tug lightly on the end of
Hannah’s braid.  He could smell the man’s desire from across the room and it
took everything in him to stop from striding across the room and yanking Hannah
away from him.

“Will?”  Constance followed his gaze.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”  Will could feel himself wanting to shift and he
controlled it fiercely.  He watched as Reid leaned even closer to Hannah.  Her
eyes flickered over his shoulder and met his briefly before she looked back at
Reid.

Reid was teasing her gently and he growled deep in his chest
when Hannah grinned up at Reid, blushing a little.

“Will?”  He realized that Constance was tensing and her eyes
had gone a deep yellow.  “What’s going on?”

He shook his head, fought for control and won. 
“Everything’s fine, Constance.”

She stared up at him as her eyes faded back to their clear
green.  “It’s the full moon tomorrow.  Do you still hunt?”

“Of course.”  He smiled down at her, breathing shallowly to
avoid catching the scent of Reid’s desire again. 

“May I join you?  It has been a long time since we hunted
together.”

“I’d like that.”

He looked to Douglas.  “Will you join us as well, old man?”

Douglas shook his head.  “I’m afraid not, my friend.  My
hunting days are long over.”

Constance linked her arm through his.  “Will you walk a lady
to her apartment?  I’m tired and would like to retire early.”

“Certainly.”  Will led her from the room, not noticing the
way Hannah’s face fell or the thoughtful look that Douglas was giving him.

* * *

“Excuse me?”

Hannah looked up from the book she was trying to
unsuccessfully lose herself in.  It was close to midnight on the night of the
full moon, and she knew that Will and Constance were hunting together.  Ryan
had mentioned it at dinner.  He had seen them leaving the facility together and
her stomach clenched painfully at the thought that they were out there together
alone, hunting. 

And mating.
 A small vicious voice in her head said.  
Don’t
forget their urge to mate is higher as well.

“I’m afraid I’m lost.”  Douglas was holding
a box of tea and giving her a tentative smile.

Hannah smiled and closed her book, rising
from her seat near the fire.  “It’s a big facility.  It’s easy to get lost.  I
spent my first month here wandering down hallway after hallway just trying to
find the dorms.”

He laughed.  “I managed to find the
kitchen.  They have the most delicious tea and I didn’t have it in my apartment. 
I thought it would be a simple matter to go and grab some from the kitchen. 
That was nearly half an hour ago.”

He gazed around thoughtfully.  “What room
is this then?”

“It’s the common room.  It’s mostly used by
the recruits.”

“It seems quiet in here tonight.”

She nodded.  “There aren’t many night owls
in this place.”

“But you are?”  He raised one eyebrow at
her.

She shrugged.  “Sometimes.  Here, I’ll show
you back to the instructor’s apartments.”

“That’s very kind of you.”  He followed her
out into the hallway and within a matter of minutes he was standing at the door
of his apartment.

“Good night, Professor.”  Hannah said as he
opened the door to his apartment.

“Would you care to join me for some tea?”  He
inquired.  “I love company.”

She hesitated and he gave her a solemn look.
 “If you’re worried about being with a Lycan on the full moon, I promise you
I’ll be on my best behaviour.  My urge to shift isn’t nearly as strong as it
used to be.”

She shook her head.  “I’m not worried about
that, sir.”

He suddenly grinned.  “I understand there’s
some worry about recruits and instructors consorting in an unseemly manner.  If
it would make you feel better, I’ll leave the door to my apartment open.  That
way everyone can see it’s just an innocent cup of tea.”

Hannah laughed.  “Then yes, I’ll join you.”

She entered the apartment, glancing
curiously around.  It was laid out similar to Will’s, and as Douglas turned the
kettle on to boil she sat down on the stool at the island.  She stared at the
large abstract painting that was over the fireplace, her eyes lingering on the
violin laid carefully on the mantel.

“Do you like the painting,my dear?”  Douglas
asked in his gravelly voice.

“Very much.”  She replied.  “Where did you
get it?”

“I’m afraid that’s an original, painted by
yours truly.”  Douglas pulled two mugs from the cupboard and placed a teabag
into each of them.

“It’s lovely.  You’re very talented.”  She
smiled at him.  “Do you play the violin as well?”

Douglas nodded.  “I do.”

“You’re very creative.”

He shrugged.  “For a Lycan I suppose I am. 
We aren’t usually drawn to beauty or art.  We prefer hunting, great slabs of
bloody meat, and baying at the moon.”

She smiled a little.  “There’s nothing
wrong with being different.”

“I suppose there isn’t.”  He poured boiling
water over the teabags and set one mug down in front of her.  He let the tea
steep for a few minutes before sipping cautiously at the hot liquid. 

“Ahh, that’s delicious.”

Hannah took her own sip.  “Is that why
you’re not hunting tonight, Professor?  You don’t like it?”

“Oh no, I love it.  I’m still a Lycan, just
a sensitive one.”  He squeezed his teabag out and laid it neatly on the napkin
in the middle of the counter.

“Unfortunately I’m too old for hunting
now.  My reflexes aren’t as sharp and I tire quickly.”

She frowned.  “Forgive me sir, but can I
ask how old you are?”

She studied him carefully.  He looked no
older than her father who was in his early sixties.

“I’m eighty-three and please call me
Douglas.”  He took another sip of his tea as Hannah’s mouth dropped open and a
small squeak of surprise escaped.

“You’re kidding me.”  She stared at him.

“No, I’m not.”  He couldn’t help but grin
at her obvious shock.

“You do not look eighty-three.”

“Thank you, my dear.  You’re excellent for
an old man’s ego.”

“Seriously, Douglas – you’re eighty-three?”

“I am indeed.”  He confirmed.  “Lycans are
not immortal but they do age incredibly well.  My father was a hundred and
seventeen years old when he died.”

“Wow.”  She said softly.

“So,” she traced her finger along the
smooth countertop, “you and Constance both knew Will before?”

He gave her a considering look.  “We did. 
We were in the same pack together.”

“You must be very happy to see him again.”

“Yes, it’s good to see him.”  Douglas
agreed.

“Were you there when his parents and
siblings died?”  Hannah asked.  She knew she was risking exposing her former
relationship with Will to Douglas with her questions, but she was thirsty for
knowledge about Will.  Their time together had been too brief, and there had
been very few chances to ask him personal questions. 

She held her breath, waiting for Douglas to
begin asking her questions she couldn’t answer, but he simply took another sip
of his tea and began to speak.

“Will and his family actually belonged to a
pack that lived a few hours away from us.  Our pack wasn’t particularly close
to his pack.  We’re rather territorial I’m afraid, and so packs often will
squabble with each other over silly things.  It rarely leads to bloodshed, just
a lot of posturing and grandstanding - the typical male bullshit.  Lycans like
to believe we’re evolved over humans but there are many similarities between
us.”

She smiled a little.  “Yes, I suppose there
are.”

“It wasn’t just Will’s family that died
that night.  His entire pack, nearly twenty Lycans, were systematically hunted
down and destroyed by a large flock of vampires over the course of one night. 
Will was the only one who survived.”

Hannah put her hand over her mouth.  “That’s
terrible.”

Douglas nodded.  “It was.  Will’s pack had
many older members and the vampires took advantage of their weakness.”

“But why did they go after the entire
pack?”

Douglas shrugged.  “That we’re not sure
of.  The rumour was there was some type of disagreement between the head of
Will’s pack and one of the vampires.  It escalated into a full out war between
them, and the vampires chose to destroy them.”

“Have Lycans and vampires always hated each
other?”  Hannah asked.

Douglas shook his head.  “We were at war
for many years but a truce was eventually called.  Since then, truthfully most
Lycans avoid vampires.  In fact, we usually avoid anyone that is not our own
kind.  That’s changing of course.  More and more Lycans are branching out,
joining human society and interacting with them on a regular basis.  But back
then, we simply avoided anything that was different from us.  And that included
vampires.  We still prefer not to engage with vampires.  They’re just so –“ his
face wrinkled with disgust, “dreadful.”