Affinity

Chapter 24: Resilience

This chapter still features Gunther... so cursing is to be expected. Don't forget to vote, my faithful readers. That is how my story can be seen by more people ^-^ I will be eternally in your debt.

The sea's maternal embrace rocked the boat in a soft, relentless lullaby. It didn't bother Nastia. Bob brought her and Pam out every July for the lobster boat races held on Deer Isle. Her legs easily adapted, shifting her weight to stay steady on her feet. The only sound heard besides the cacophony of crickets was the motorized pulley cranking up the anchor slowly. Gunther had started it when Ethan suggested he get going after they had finished practicing defensive techniques that were designed to break you out of holds and needed little energy, perfect companions to viresanimy.

The goal was to get the young hunters to use these moves without any conscious thought. In a fight for your will, you had to have your mind completely focused on resisting compulsion. At the same time, you can't leave your body open to attack.

Pam struggled with just about everything to no one's surprise. As they waited for Ethan to conclude his business with his old mentor, AJ took his time showing Pam how to throw a proper punch.

"You're going to break your fingers like that," he laughed, repositioning her thumb to go over her other four fingers. "Make sure to keep your wrist straight, line it up with your forearm. If you don't, you'll end up spraining your wrist."

Nastia kept busy, pretending to take a break to check her phone. It shouldn't bother her as much as it did. It's not like they were flirting, she told herself. The looks that Ivy gave AJ when they trained together was more suggestive than this little demonstration and made Nastia want to use Ivy as a stabbing dummy. Still, the vampire couldn't stomach the sight for long, seeing what her mind, body, heart, and hunger had declared was hers, touching another girl with such careless ministrations, completely unaware of the stirrings he caused.

Gunther was a skilled instructor but patronizing and condescending in his teaching. More than once, she had to bite her tongue at his tiring insults. He murmured over to Ethan now, out of earshot, at least to the humans. "The hell you doing wasting your time training Freckles?"

"I'm not training Pam. She just wanted to learn viresanimy since she knows about HeadLight."

The older man shook his head ruefully. "You and I both know viresanimy is only good if you have the fighting skills to get away, or the resolution to give your life before information is gutted out of you. The best solution for everyone is leaving, and you know it. A hunter should never be in one place too long. You get one foot caught in a grave."

"They're not full-fledged hunters yet. They still have time to make that choice."

"The hell you talking about? What choice? He is a Helsing."

"That does not concern you. What AJ does or doesn't do, does not concern you. Say what you got to say tonight, so you can be on your way. I want you out of town by morning."

The pulley groaned and the boat dipped as if a larger tide came from the direction of the shore, disturbing the rhythmic sway. It sent Pam stumbling into AJ's chest. Anastasia pulled herself upright to inspect the side of the boat where the anchor has still not surfaced, where bubbles floated up in rapid procession.

Gunther scoffed and his voice rose in volume. "Coddling them will do them no favors. You're wasting time and you will end up getting everyone killed if you are not willing to accept the fact that sacrifices are inevitable."

Pam stuttered out her thanks, but AJ's attention was centered on the blonde who was leaning over the side railing.

"Don't talk to me about sacrifice." Ethan's voice rumbled low, undaunted by the odd shift. "Stop beating around the bush. It's getting late. I need to get the girls home. Tell me, what news did you bring from the order?"