Mark of the Dagger (The Marked Series Book 1) (10 page)

"Dani. I..." He shook his head at a loss for words.

"Are you happy now? Your goal seems to always be
'let's
see
how
we
can
humiliate
Dani
today’
. Well now that you know how hard I fell, you don't have to try anymore. Mission accomplished. You got a lowly sixteen year old to love you. You must think that's hilarious. You can laugh all about it on the way to your room, tell all your friends and Barbie too, I bet she'd get a real kick out of that," she sighed. "Since I'm already down, I can't get any lower, so I'll go ahead and beg you for one last thing. Please, from now on, just leave me alone. Your comments and taunts hurt more than you could ever know."

"I didn't know Dani-"

"What?" she interrupted. "You didn't know that your words hurt? Of course they hurt. I may be able to ignore and get over everyone else's words, but not yours Samuel. I'm only so strong and I can only handle so much. I'm not like you, I have emotions, and I have feelings."

"Dani," he breathed out in frustration, then leaned down to take her mouth. He plundered as if he were a drowning man and she were his air.

"No,” she sobbed and pushed hard at his chest, ignoring both the pain in her wrist and in her heart at the effort. "I didn't know it was possible but I hate you just as much as I love you. Now let me up, I need to go to the infirmary." When he let her up she turned away from him and started toward Adele. She didn’t bother looking behind her, she knew wouldn’t follow her.

Chapter Thirteen

"Who wants to demonstrate?" Joe asked the class. They were still working on vampire killing techniques. He knew they should have moved on by now, however with the threat of an attack on the school, he wanted his students to be prepared to defend themselves if necessary. He just prayed to God it wouldn't come to that.

He looked at Dani, normally always the first to volunteer, but the past two weeks she had been withdrawn and distant. He noticed that she kept mostly to herself, only talking to her friends occasionally. And he never saw her talking to Samuel anymore. In fact when they acknowledge that the other existed it was only to glare at each other.

Teenagers! He thought desperately. "Hey Alex. Want to come play vampire?" he asked his friend who decided to observe the class today.

"Sure." He came to stand on the mat with a cocky grin in place.

"Dani?" Joe asked, raising a questioning brow. He saw her look of resignation as she straightened her shoulders. He looked around the room and noticed his assistant trainer sitting on the stairs to his office, staring at his niece with a curious expression. One Joe could only describe as longing.

Joe couldn't tell for sure but the kid almost looked hurt. He quickly went over the basics and blew his whistle. While they were fighting, he lost himself in his own thoughts. He couldn't stop thinking about the imminent attack and the extra Hunters they had at the school.

It was getting harder for him and Adele to keep hidden that they were sent here. He was almost certain-as was she- that this wasn't an inside job. So hopefully the council will allow them to warn the other staff of what was going on. He figured the more they knew, the better they could defend themselves.

He caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye and turned toward the door. He was only too happy to see his favorite sister-in-law, watching in awe as her daughter held her own against a grown man, and his girlfriend standing just inside the door.

He called the fight after three minutes when neither killed the other. "Anyone want to tell me what she did wrong?" he asked the class.

"She's not focusing," Samuel said from the staircase.

"Gee thanks Samuel," she said sarcastically.

Joe put a hand on her shoulder. "He's right, kiddo. You weren't giving a hundred percent. You can't do that on the outside. It'll get you killed." He inwardly flinched when she glared at him and shook his hand off her shoulder. "Alright, I'm calling class early due to some personal business to attend. Dani, stick around," he said and nodded to the door.

"What was that all about?" Nadia asked when Joe joined them.

He gave a discreet look in Samuels’ direction and turned to Sarah. "Hey!" he said happily. "What are you doing here?"

"Did you forget that today is her birthday? Plus I missed my girl. Is that lame or what?" Sarah asked on a laugh and hugged him.

"It would only be lame if you didn't miss me too," Alex said coming up to hug her.

"Hey Mom!" Dani said giving her a hug. "I've missed you. Are you staying tonight or driving back?"

"I was going to stay but apparently there are no guest quarters available."

"You can sleep in my room," Dani suggested.

"Hey Dani," Samuel said when he approached their little huddle. "Can I talk to you a sec?"

"No." She turned back around to face her mom and didn't see the hurt flash across his face but Joe sure did. He looked around to make sure there were no students left in the room.

"Alright, Normally I wouldn't get involved. But enough is enough," Joe said angrily. "You,” he said pointing at Dani. "You have been walking around like a zombie lately and Samuel’s right, your focus is slipping. And you,” he pointed at Samuel. "You've been too busy moping around to be of any real assistance in the training sessions and both of your attitudes help no one. Especially in my class where I need both of your participation. I don't know what in the hell has gotten into you two or what you're fighting about but you need to get it resolved now. If you can't talk it out then take it to the mat. I'm sick of it."

"Uncle Joe, it really isn't any of your business."

"The hell it isn't. One: if it involves you, it's my business. And two: if it affects my class and your progress, it's my business."

"Joe, maybe I should-"

"No Sarah. I think this is beyond outside help." He cut her off. He looked at Alex and Nadia before looking at the two teenagers. Nadia gave a slight nod. "Dani, You are excused from your afternoon classes because we have company. But neither of you are leaving this gym until you two sort this out. Now go change back into your workout clothes."

"Joe,” Samuel started, but the look Joe gave him cut his protests off.

"Now," Joe yelled. He had never been so frustrated with his niece before and he hated having to resort to this.  But enough was enough!

"Joe do you really think that was necessary?" Sarah said when the kids went off to change.

"Yes,” he smiled. "Dani has worked hard Sarah. I don't know what happened between those two but whatever it is, it's affecting her performance big time."

"She didn't look like she was struggling too badly when she fought Alex,” Sarah pointed out.

"She did ok. Still, she should have been able to end the fight and she couldn't."

"Oh, is it wrong to be excited?" Nadia said.

"What?" Sarah asked her.

"You haven't seen her fight. Not really." She filled Sarah in on Samuels’ reputation quickly. "And the last time they fought I heard it was a sight to see."

"Hmmm...”

"She's right. I think the only way to get her back on her game is for her to fight him again. To get it all out."

"Should I call Adele?" Alex asked on a laugh. "I think there might be a lot of bloodshed."

Dani was spitting mad. How dare he get involved? Now she had to fight Samuel when what she really wanted to do was continue to ignore the fact that he was alive. She yanked her hair up into a ponytail and stomped out onto the mat.

"I can't believe you're doing this," she whispered vehemently.

Joe said, "It's for your own good kiddo."

"You may be old but you're not wise. The best thing would've been to just let me be," she said and turned her back on him.

When Samuel hit the mat they faced off. She tried and failed to ignore the twinge she got every time she saw him. She had hoped that with time she would stop loving him but so far she still did. And just as strongly.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Don't apologize. This wasn't your idea."

"Ok you two," Joe started. "I don't want either of you holding back. I want you to get everything out on this mat and I want it left there. Understood."

"Easier said than done," she muttered.

She hated the idea of having to fight him. She wanted to stay away, no, she
needed
to stay away. She constantly had to fight the urge to touch him, to beg him to kiss her again. To beg him to just love her like she loves him. She was more confused than ever by his kiss the other night.

For him to kiss her again after weeks of torment made no sense to her. She thought that maybe it meant that he wanted to be with her too. Especially since he knew how she felt.  She thought he would come to her, yet he hadn't. In fact he had actually listened to her and left her alone. Today was the first time he had talked her since that night by the pond. And now they were fighting.

At the sound of the whistle Dani spun when he lunged, just barely missing his hands. She knew that if she didn't give this fight her all, she would never leave this gym. She hated the idea, but she knew the only way to do it was to transfer all of her anger and hurt at him into this fight. She didn't want to, and she was tired of being angry.

Dani kicked out as hard as she could and connected with Samuel’s side. He doubled over and she took advantage and kicked his leg out from under him. He went down on one knee and stayed there. "Damn it Samuel! Fight back," she yelled. "I really don't want to be here all night. If you hadn't noticed my mom is in town and I would rather spend my birthday with her than fighting with you."

"Dani."

"No! No more talking. Just fight me," she begged. He stood, and they circled around.

With a kick to her middle she fell on her back. Before she could regain her feet he pounced, putting all his weight to pin her to the mat. She struggled to get free. "You can't keep avoiding me. We need to talk," he said breathlessly from the effort of holding her down.

"We said all there is to say," she said and got her left leg up and pushed to reverse their positions. She was sitting on him, and before she got up she punched him in the face. She admitted to herself that it felt good to do it.

"No," he said when he got back on his feet. He landed a punch to her arm. "You said all you had to, you wouldn't listen to what I needed to say. You just walked off."

"You weren't saying anything. If I remember correctly, you like to use your tongue to make your points, not words. Sorry, but I wasn't in the mood for your type of lesson." She ignored the shocked gasp from the sidelines and kicked out, this time he caught her leg and pulled up, sending her flat on her back. She rolled to the side just before his body landed where she had been a moment before.

"That’s because every time I tried to say something you cut me off.” He punched her again. "Dammit Dani, you can't say all that you said to me and then just walk away. That’s not fair."

"Oh, that’s rich!  Fair?" She punched him back. "You want to talk about fair? After the way you've treated me since I started this school, I think you got exactly what you deserved."

"And I tried to explain to you why I acted that way!"

"What, because I confuse you?" She laughed “That's a bullshit excuse and you know it."

"Dani! Watch your mouth," Sarah said from the sidelines.

"Sorry,” she said without taking her eyes of Samuel.

"It's the truth. I don't want to have feelings for you. But I do. I did from the first time I saw you." He kicked out. "You were in here with Joe, and you were struggling with everything that was going on. All the rumors and remarks. Yet you were so strong and proved everyone wrong. When you fell from the tree-"

"When you made me fall," she interrupted sarcastically.

"Whatever. My point is, is that when you fell, I was lost to you. I hated that. I hate feeling helpless. I'm not helpless Dani,” he said in frustration. She kicked out again. "I'm strong, but I couldn't not try anymore. Then you turned on the frost from the moment you saw me. Everything I said the other night was true. You're a contradiction in itself Dani." He punched her in the stomach.

"Barbie? The party?"

"It was obvious you hated me. Well, at least I thought you did." He shrugged and blocked her next punch. "What did you expect? Did you think that I would just sit around and pine for you? No way."

"None of this makes a difference Samuel," she said quietly. "I'm done fighting. I'm done talking." She turned to Joe.

"Are you happy now?" She turned away with tears in her eyes.

"No! You can't walk away. I'm not done," he said and flipped her. He pinned her to floor with his weight, she didn't even struggle. She turned her head to the side so she wouldn't have to look at him while he humiliated her even more and let the tears fall.

"God, you're an Idiot. I love you Dani, and when I saw you with Nick then Jordan, I got jealous. With how you repeatedly turned hot and cold, I honestly thought you hated me. So I said what I said to hurt you. I didn't think anything I said could ever get past your defenses. It wasn't until you walked away that I saw that my words actually could have an effect on you."

"Stop,” she whispered.

"Please Dani! I'm sorry. I didn't know how you really felt. So when you asked me to leave you alone, to let you go, it hurt but I owed you that much. I can't just sit by anymore. You said you gave me everything you had, now I'm giving you everything I have. Please,” he whispered brokenly.

She stared up at his handsome, pleading face, blurred by her own tears. How many nights had she laid awake dreaming of the moment he would tell her he loved her about how she wanted it so badly. She imagined that she would throw herself in his arms and all would be ok.              Now that it was actually happening she couldn’t bring herself to do it.  She didn’t see how she was supposed to just hand over her already fragile heart to the same man who broke it once before.  She couldn’t take that risk. Yeah, ok, maybe her pride had a little something to do with it too.

"Samuel, I love you too," she said and at his smile she continued. "But I can't. I'm sorry. I've asked you before to let me be. I'm asking you again."

He rolled off of her and sat on the mat, staring at his hands. Dani quickly got up. "Am I free to go now sir?" she said to Joe. When he nodded she ran out of the gym as fast as she could and didn't stop until she got to the North Trail entrance.