Free The Recruit: Book One by Elizabeth Kelly Page A

almost
undeniable urge to kiss her.
    “Fuck it.”  He thought and leaned his head down.  Her eyes
widened with shock but she made no attempt to avoid his mouth.  Instead, her
lips parted in anticipation.  Before he could kiss her, Richard’s voice broke
through the haze.  “Enough, Will.”
    He looked up.  The crowd had fallen silent, and they were
staring at him and Hannah.  He let her go and stood up, holding his hand out to
her.
    “Fuck!”  Hannah shouted.  She ignored his hand and staggered
to her feet.  Her face was red and her body was shaking with anger.  She
stomped off the mat, pushed through the crowd and disappeared through the doors
of the gym.  Selena hesitated and then ran after her.
    “Alright folks, shows over – go on.”  Richard addressed the
crowd as Will slipped into his shoes.
    “What was that about?”  Richard frowned at him as the crowd
broke up.
    “Nothing.”  Will muttered.  He wasn’t about to tell Richard
he had stepped in because the thought of another man touching Hannah, even in a
mock training drill, made him crazy with jealousy.  He left the gym and headed
to his living quarters for a cold shower.

Chapter 7
     
    Hannah stared at the closed door of Richard’s office.  A
combination of dread and anxiety was coursing through her, making her palms
sweat and her stomach nauseous.  It was early the next morning.  The recruits
had eaten breakfast together and then gathered in the common area, waiting
nervously for Richard to call them individually into his office.
    One by one they had been called to his office, until only
Hannah was left.  The others, who had all graduated to the next stage of
training, were waiting patiently for her back in the common room.  She
swallowed hard before knocking lightly on the door with a badly-trembling hand.
    “Come in.”  Richard called and she entered the room.  She
crossed the room and nearly collapsed into the chair in front of the desk.  She
gave Richard a small, sick smile while her hands twisted and turned in her lap.
    “How are you today, Hannah?”  He asked.
    “Fine.  I’m fine – good.”  She croaked out.  
    It was a complete lie.  After her humiliating defeat at the
hands of Will she had stormed back to her dorm and locked herself in the
bathroom, ignoring Selena’s pleas to come out and talk to her.  She would be
kicked out of the program, and the thought that she would never find revenge
for her sweet Sara filled her with shame and anger. 
    Long after Selena had fallen asleep, Hannah had stared
dry-eyed at the ceiling.  She had alternated between thoughts of how long she
would last back in the real world before a vampire tried to finish the job
Nathan had started, and how to convince Richard to give her a second chance. 
Finally, as the alarm clock had edged towards three, she had fallen into a
restless sleep. 
    Richard smiled gently at her.  “You know, Hannah.  You’ve
done very well for yourself in the recruiting program.  Will, of course, has
his doubts but I’m impressed by how much you’ve improved.”
    She nodded.  Her face was pale and her hands were clenched
together in a tight fist.
    He stared silently at her for a few minutes and then
straightened the papers on his desk.  “Well, let’s not drag this out.” he said
briskly.  “Congratulations, you’re moving on to the next level.”
    “Richard, listen to me.”  Hannah blurted out, her voice
heavy with desperation. “I am begging you for a second chance.  I’ve excelled
at every part of the program other than the combat section.  And if you really
think about it, hand-to-hand combat is completely useless against vampires
anyway.” 
    “Hannah – “ Richard tried to interrupt her but she carried
on, speaking even faster. 
    “Besides, it was an unfair fight.  There’s no way I could
have beaten Will in hand-to-hand combat.  None of us could – he’s a Lycan for
God’s sake.”
    She paused.  “Wait...what