Chapter 249
“Sorry,” I mumbled at Aurora, who smiled at me and continued with her directions. I could see in her eyes that she was also wondering what was going on with Cadence and Aaron, but she didn’t say anything, and I returned my attention to the obstacle course just in time to see Addy completely wipe out on one of the hurdles. Since she is usually rude to me, I wanted to laugh, but I kept the giggle stifled and turned away. Tara had her hands over her mouth in shock that Addy might be hurt, and I wished I was as kindhearted as she is.
Addy was up like nothing had happened and back on her way, and soon it was another girl’s turn, then Tara, then me. I flew through the course with no problems, scoring the fastest time, which made me proud but only won me the applause of Aurora and Tara. I figured the rest of the girls would just be nice to me since I’m already on this team, but I think there might be something else besides that going on now. Maybe they don’t like me for another reason. Maybe they don’t like that I’m part Vampire. Maybe they don’t like me cause I’m me.
“All right, ladies,” Aurora said, holding a clipboard in front of her she carries around for no reason. “That was great! Now, as far as I know, we are on schedule for tomorrow morning, 9:00 sharp. But something is going on with the Leaders right now, so I’ll let you know if that changes.”
I quirked an eyebrow at her. I had seen Cadence take off for the showers a few minutes after Aaron arrived in the gym, but I had no idea what was happening. I wondered if Aurora had gotten some info, and I wanted to hang around a little while after everyone else left to see if she’d tell me what was going on, but I doubted she would. She is my friend, but only as much as being my sister’s number two will allow her to be. In other words, she’d always pick her loyalty to Cadence over me.
“You did great today,” Tara said as we walked along, trailing the other girls. Neither one of us really liked the locker room situation much. I think Tara was self-conscious about her curves, and since I am only sixteen and some of these girls are almost twenty-one, sometimes I feel like a prepubescent woman-child in their presence. I’d just as soon let them clear out. Sometimes I even go back to the apartment before I shower, if I know that Cadence and Aaron won’t be there when I get there. I don’t think Aaron much cares for me bringing more odor home than is absolutely necessary.
“You did great, too,” I said to Tara, who rolled her eyes. “What? You’re really coming along!”
“Please!” she said, wiping the sweat off her brow. “At this rate, I’ll be assigned to Timbuktu.”
I couldn’t help but giggle. We really did have a Timbuktu team, and they weren’t half bad, but I got her meaning. “I seriously doubt that, Tara. You’ll get some great location, some place exciting where you’ll get to go on adventures when you’re not hunting.”
“I wish I could be as optimistic as you are,” she sighed. “Do they ever tell you anything about where they are planning on sending us?”
“No,” I replied quickly. It was true, and I didn’t want anyone thinking I had anything to do with it. “I’m not even sure who decides honestly. I mean, I know Cadence and Aaron keep the people they really want, but after that, I don’t know if Aurora and Shane send people out or what.”
“At least there’s a good chance I’ll get to stay in America,” she said as we entered the locker room. “I don’t speak any foreign languages.”
I laughed again. Every Hunter and Guardian in the world had been required to come to Kansas City to train, but since my sister had really improved the recruiting process, there were so many foreign recruits, she’d had to change things up a bit. It had taken her a while to convince Aaron, but now, there were training facilities in every country, and only two subgroups of recruits came to Kansas City—other than the American recruits. All of them still came here. My sister wanted anyone who was really, really bad to come and do a stint with Aurora, Shane, and Meagan, who also did some training, and anyone who was really, really good. They never told anyone which category they fit into, but it was usually obvious. Antonio, an Italian who trained with us whenever the genders weren’t separated, was definitely on top of his game, while Mika, a girl from Spain, was having trouble with just about everything.
“Wherever you go, I’m sure it’ll be great,” I concluded.
“Must be easy for you to say,” Addy chimed in as she headed off to the shower. “You already have a team.”
“Yeah, must be nice having the boss as your sister,” Gina, another girl who usually only had a few sharp words to say to me, added, on Addy’s heels.
“Just ignore them,” Tara recommended, leaning over and whispering to me. “They’re just jealous because you’re better than they are.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. “Or maybe because I am already on this team, and they’re not.” I sat down on the bench in front of the lockers and pulled off my tennis shoes. “I’m not sure what the big deal is anyway,” I continued. “We’re in Kansas City, Missouri, for crying out loud. Aren’t there more exciting places out there for people to drool over?”
“Sure,” Tara said, sitting down next to me, though she didn’t even bother with her shoes yet. “But we know what’s here. We know this is the strongest team, with the best leadership, and the world’s best Healer. I mean, if I had to choose between having Jamie around when I get hurt or some no name Healer who may or may not be able to put me back together again, there’s no question in my mind where I’d want to be.”
I hadn’t really thought about it like that before. Jamie had been the one to save me when Zabrina scratched me, and I was about to turn into a Vampire. If he hadn’t injected me with Transformation serum, even though I was about six months too young for the stuff, I would’ve turned into a Vampire or died. The Healer had also saved my sister at least once, as well as Aaron, and who knows who else. He hadn’t been able to save Elliott, though, because at Sierraville, Jamie had gotten shot himself.
