Another information-heavy chapter, although the next one will be more action-packed. Please help point out the mistakes.

8.

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“Okay, so why, exactly, did you drag me away in the middle of dinner…breakfast…whatever….to meet the Commander?” I asked, annoyed, as I had to practically jog to keep up with Adam’s pace as he led me through the HQ.

“Do you EVER stop asking questions?” He snapped irritably.

“Do you EVER stop evading them?” I replied, too agitated to care if I pissed him off.

Sassy. I like it.

Adam made a frustrated sound and stopped his fevered walking, spinning to face me. His expression was taut, eyes snapping with disapproval. If he were human, his cheeks would probably be flushed a deep red, but it seemed that vampires didn’t really “flush,” despite their pallor.

“What you did back there is not normal. You weren’t supposed to meet the Commander until later, but he’ll want to see you now.”

Something about the way he said “Commander” made me think the two of them did not get along very well, although his tone wasn’t quite bordering on hatred.

“It wasn’t normal?” I had figured as much, but it was good to hear him affirm it.

Adam gave an exasperated sigh. “Some Spirits are stronger than others, of course, but they usually take a bit to adapt to the human and rise to their full strength. You’ve only been a vampire for….well, less than a day. On top of that, Lindsay has been here a long time, and her Spirit is stronger than most.” He ran a hand through his tousled blonde hair and turned to resume the quick walk. “Plus, your Spirit wouldn’t even listen to mine. Do you get it now?”

I very much disliked his condescending tone but I attempted to ignore it. “So I have a very strong Spirit. So what?”

You should be flattered that I chose you, she stated, personal pride oozing from her words.

“So, we don’t know HOW strong. The Commander has the strongest Spirit here. He’ll be able to get the Spirit’s name and figure out its strength.”

I am a SHE, not an IT. And I highly doubt he will be able to get any information out of me.

“She is doubtful,” I echoed.

Adam shrugged and didn’t reply, and a taut silence hovered between us until we reached the very far side of the HQ, a wing I hadn’t visited before. A couple of chairs sat nearby, next to an antique table with an ornate vase. In front of us stood equally ornate wooden doors. Partially blocking the doors lurked a vampire I hadn’t seen, tall and imposing. He looked every bit like a bodyguard. The irritation in his expression was obvious as he surveyed the two of us.

I might as well just get used to the irritated expression, because I was always on the receiving end of it, I thought.

“I need to speak to him. Now,” Adam stated brusquely.

“He isn’t supposed to meet her until later,” the guard responded, barely sparing me another glance.

“Trust me. He’ll want to see her now.” Adam shifted position impatiently.

“He’s got pressing business.”

“You’re just a bodyguard. Stop acting like you’re all-important,” the blonde retorted, quite rudely.

“And you’re just a soldier. I could say the same.”

Adam made a low sound in his throat that sounded almost like a growl. For some reason, the Spirit found the sound quite….appealing. 

“Don’t make me force my way through,” the blonde snapped. To me, it wasn’t an idle threat.

The guard’s eyes narrowed. “And piss off the Commander? You don’t have the balls.”

“Thinking about my balls? I’ve told you before, you aren’t my type,” Adam drawled sardonically. His ever-present sarcastic remarks were back.

The bodyguard stepped forward—to do what, I wasn’t sure—but Adam continued,

“He’ll be more pissed when he learns that this girl has the strongest unidentified Spirit we’ve seen in a while, and you wouldn’t let me through.”

The guard’s eyes widened, then, and he eyed me with renewed interest. “Why didn’t you say that first?”

“I shouldn’t have to, if you do your job correctly.” Adam growled. Throwing his hands up in mock surrender, the guard glared, but stood aside. I couldn’t help but agree with him, though; if Adam had told him what was going on first, he would’ve just moved. There was no need for a pissing contest.

Adam turned on me, frustration in every line of his form, in every taut muscle. For some reason, though, I knew it wasn’t directed at me. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that we were about to see the Commander, whom Adam wasn’t overly fond of.

“Be. Polite.” He grit out through clenched teeth.

“I’m not you,” I replied coolly. His icy blue eyes flashed at the disrespect. If it weren’t for the Spirit, egging on the confrontation as always, I probably would have flinched.

“I’m serious. He’s stronger than all of us.”

“I’ve got it, Adam,” I said, frustrated at his lack of faith in me. Of course I didn’t want to piss the Commander off.

Without another word, Adam pushed through the doors and I followed. We entered an expensively-furnished, large office with leather armchairs and a massive wooden desk. Portraits hung on the walls of people I didn’t recognize.

Behind the desk stood a tall, stern man that looked to be in his early thirties. His hair was dark and cropped short. His beady eyes and severe expression made him look much older than he was, and his mouth seemed permanently pulled down at the corners. He wore a suit, but I could see the corded muscles outlined underneath it.

“Adam,” he said gruffly, eyes snapping. “She’d better be as strong as you say she is, because you interrupted a conference call.” His voice was rough and gravelly. I realize he’d heard our conversation through the door.

“She is,” Adam replied stiffly.

The Commander’s beady eyes focused on me. “Lucy, is it? I’m Commander Roberts, but it’s just Commander to you. I was scheduled to meet with you later, but this will have to do.”

Adam tossed me a look, and I fumbled for something to say. “Um….thank you for meeting with us….Commander,” I mumbled. My Spirit was not pleased with my deference towards him. Adam made a noise almost akin to an exasperated snort at my awkward mumbling.

“Come here, girl.”

I walked forwards, my entire body tense. Adam stood off to the side, watching us warily. I stopped on the other side of the desk. 

“No time to waste,” the Commander muttered, almost to himself. He slowly walked around it towards me, moving with the lithe grace of a predator. I felt intimated, but my Spirit was just mildly annoyed.

This is a waste of time.

How do you know?

He is not as strong as I.

“Look at me,” he stated. Reluctantly, I tilted my chin and made eye contact with him. I knew what Commander Roberts was going to do before he did it. Sure enough, when we made eye contact, his eyes burned with the intensity of someone trying to bring me under their thrall. His jaw clenched as his gaze stayed on mine, wanting to compel me to do his bidding.

“Spirit, tell me your name,” he stated, the deeper voice underneath his gravelly one indicating that his Spirit was talking.

I will not, my Spirit replied, but this time she did not attempt to speak through me. I got the feeling that she didn’t think it was worth the effort.

Commander Robert’s eyes narrowed, and his gaze intensified further. This time, I felt something gripping at the back of my consciousness, trying to force my Spirit to answer, to give her name. I felt her gather her resistance, and I could tell it took more of an effort to push him away than she expected. Her irritation burned through my consciousness.

No, she said, more firmly, and I spoke the word aloud. Commander Robert’s eyes narrowed with incredulity.

“I told you,” I heard Adam say from nearby, although my eyes were still honed in on Roberts’s. Was I just mistaking it, or was there the faintest hint of pride in Adam’s voice?

“Spirit, by my power as Commander, bow to my will!” He snapped, his gaze burning ever-more-brightly, every ounce of force he could muster put behind the words.

I felt her slither forth, angry at being brought out like this. She pushed aside his compulsion with newfound vigor, gathering her energy and adding her voice to mine. “You do not Command me,” we snapped. Internally, I flinched. Who knew what he would do to me now.

The Commander stepped back abruptly, angrily. I noticed his shoulders heaving slightly. I hadn’t realized how much effort he was expending. “Dammit,” he ground out through gritted teeth.

“When’s the last time this happened?” Adam queried. I got the impression that some part of him enjoyed watching the Commander getting bested like this. For my part, I was nervous that I’d be punished.

Why did you piss him off? I snapped.

He is not worthy of knowing my true name, she retorted.

“It hasn’t happened since two Commanders before me, quite a while ago,” Roberts sighed heavily. He began to pace, left and right, back and forth. “Shit. I didn’t want it to come to this.”

Adam stiffened again, taking a step forward. “Wait…what do you mean, come to this?”

Roberts turned to him, expression resigned. Although the two didn’t get along, I suspected that they shared the same mindset on whatever it is Roberts was referring to.

“No….Commander, you can’t!” Adam started, looking agitated all over again.

“I can, and I will,” he replied firmly.

“I know you don’t want HIM here just as much as I don’t-”

“We don’t have a choice!” Roberts snapped. “It’s protocol! When something like this happens, he has to come investigate.”

Adam ran his hand through his hair again. “But he’s-”

“Enough,” Roberts cut him off. “He’s your superior, he’s my superior, and he has the authority on this. We must divulge her name.” He jerked his head in my direction.

Adam was shaking his head, but said nothing.

“Besides, he was due for the yearly Inspection within two weeks. He can just come earlier and-”

“Who are we talking about?” I interrupted, hopelessly confused. Whoever it was, Adam didn’t seem to like him. Hell, Adam seemed to have a problem with every vampire in authority, but the way he was acting now was worse than how he’d talked about the Commander.

Commander Roberts sighed, heavily, and the worry etched into his expression made him look even older.

“The General,” he bit out, scarcely masking the venom in his tone. If I’d thought Commander Roberts was rough around the edges, this General must be a lot worse. “He is the authority above me, the head of all the North American Headquarters.”

Adam’s lips were compressed in a thin line, his posture rigid. He looked beyond pissed. 

“If anyone can get your Spirit’s name, it’ll be him. But I warn you: he isn’t easy to be around. I don’t do this lightly.” His eyes held a heavy warning. “Once I call him, he should be here in a day, two maximum.”

Dread settled in the pit of my stomach.

This should be fun, the Spirit mused.

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We didn’t stay with Commander Roberts much longer; he told me about my training schedule (starting off from midnight until 6am every day), my first time to work the kitchen (in four days), and a few other general policies (no leaving the HQ without permission, for one) before he dismissed us. As incredibly agitated as he was, I got the impression the Commander did not want me around any longer than necessary.

When I slid back onto the lunch table, not sure where else to go, Lindsay was gone. Kaz, Zack, and a heavily-tattooed, unfamiliar girl had taken her place. Their conversation halted as Adam and I returned, but before Gabby could say anything, or the others could greet me, Adam cut her off.

“I’ve got some wonderful news,” he said, not bothering to veil his sarcasm. “The General is coming to grace us all with his presence.”

All of them spoke up at once, but the unfamiliar girl spoke the loudest. “What the fuck? Seriously?” I turned to look her over, interested by her unusual appearance. She had tattoos covering nearly inch of her body, and with her too-small tank top, she didn’t bother to hide it. Both her eyebrow and lip were pierced, and thick eyeliner encircled her smoky grey eyes. It was hard to know what color her hair was originally, but at the moment it was a dark chocolate with bright pink streaks.

“Why the fuck is he coming here? It isn’t Inspection for another couple of weeks!”

“Because of her,” Adam replied, jerking his head at me and looking none-too-pleased. I bristled, not knowing how I could do anything about it.

“Really?” The tattooed girl asked, her eyes falling on my face. She looked almost impressed. “Well, damn. You must be one hell of a new recruit to catch his attention like that.” She held out a slender hand, the corded muscles on her arm belying its delicacy. “I’m Valerie, by the way, but call me Val. I hate that feminine shit.”

Despite everything, I couldn’t help the smile that formed on my face and I shook her hand. “I’m Lucy.” 

“So what happened, Lucy?” Gabby cut in.

“Well…the Commander…”

“Her Spirit resisted his command,” Adam interrupted, pissing me off yet again. My Spirit felt a bit prideful at having her feat recounted. “The Commander couldn’t get her name. So now that dickhead has to come in and get it.”

‘That dickhead,’ I was assuming, was the General.

“Oh, come on, he isn’t THAT bad,” Zack cut in, and then tossed me a wink. “Hey again, Lucy.” I gave a half-hearted, awkward smile. At least I wasn’t smeared with dirt this time.

“Seriously Zack? He’s probably the biggest dickbag I’ve ever met,” Val replied, shaking her head. I noticed her ears were pierced several times as well. “He says things to deliberately get under our skin. It’s like he knows just how to press our buttons, and he knows we can’t retaliate. Bastard.”

“That’s just to teach you to keep your cool. It never bothers me,” Zack stated calmly.

“That’s because you’re always calm, and it’s weird as hell,” she retorted. I smiled yet again, finding her amusing rather than offensive.

“I don’t think anyone dislikes the General as much as Adam,” Kaz put in wryly. Adam’s scowl deepened, if that were even possible.

“You seem to have a problem with authority figures,” I said, unable to help myself. That got a startled laugh out of Val.

“She’s only been here a day, and she’s figured you out!” She chortled. “But damn, she’s right. I mean, he’s an asshole, but you never did tell us just why you hate him so much.”

Adam crossed his arms over his chest, and I couldn’t help but notice the way his muscles flexed as he did so. “I don’t like the way he talks to me, and none of you should put up with it either.” His face twisted. “Also, his hair is ridiculous. He puts way too much effort into it.”

“It doesn’t matter if we like it, Adam,” Gabby chided, ignoring the hair comment. “His Spirit is the strongest.” Her gaze focused on me. “It should be interesting to see how he reacts to Lucy. As far as I know, he hasn’t had to force a Spirit to divulge its name in a long time.”

It will be interesting to see him try, my Spirit said smoothly. I sighed aloud. “Are they all this stubborn?”

Kaz frowned lightly. “No, and that’s exactly the issue. You’re a special case, Lucy.” For some reason unbeknownst to me, his dark orbs slid to Adam, who shifted from foot to foot almost uncomfortably. The blonde’s expression was contemplative.

I wondered if he was regretting Turning me. He’d be in this mess too, right? 

“Well, lucky for her, we’re full of special cases here at the HQ,” Val stated, tossing me an almost-sultry wink. “She’ll fit right in with all of you jackasses!”

Zack pretended to huff indignantly. “You’re the only jackass here, Val.”

The girl gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “As if I don’t know enough dirty little secrets about every one of you assholes to make her—or anyone’s—ears bleed.” As she was sitting next to me on the bench, it was easy for her to lean in almost conspiratorially. Her lips pulled up in a sneaky smile, eyes flickering across the group until they found Adam. I got the impression that she liked to constantly try to rile them up. 

“Take Adam, for instance. Did you know that a girl here once tried to-”

“That’s enough, Val,” Adam snapped, blue eyes burning with irritation. He was not amused.

Val’s lips quirked up further, but I thought there was slight unease in her eyes, too, as if she hadn’t expected that reaction. “Damn. Don’t want your little vampling to know that story, eh?”

I bit my lip, feeling as if my face was flushing. His vampling? Hopefully, since I was a vampire and all, my blush wasn’t as noticeable as it felt. Gabby, thankfully, turned to Zack and started up a murmured conversation, so at least that took some of the attention off.

“Val, you need to learn when to keep your mouth shut,” Adam retorted.

“Bite me,” Val said, mouth pulling in a wide grin, eyes glimmering with amusement. Even I could detect a double meaning in her words, although I wasn’t quite sure I understood it.

Adam’s jaw clenched and, with a frustrated noise, he abruptly turned to leave. “Meet me at the training grounds at midnight, Lucy,” he tossed the words impatiently over his shoulder. Shoulders hunched, he strode off. 

So apparently he’d be training with me, then. The thought made me uneasy, but the Spirit’s excitement was obvious.

Val gave a positively devious cackle from next to me. Kaz tossed her a mildly disapproving look before getting up to follow Adam wherever he was going.

“That really riled him up,” I pointed out. I couldn’t help the approval leaking into my tone; I, too, got a twisted sense of satisfaction from pissing Adam off. Probably because he was an impatient asshole. Still, I would’ve at least expected a sarcastic comeback from him before he stormed off.

“I thought that would work,” she retorted cheekily.

“Why did it make him uncomfortable?” A thought occurred to me all of a sudden. “Is it uncommon for vampires to bite each other?” If it was, it may help explain why Adam got riled up over a seemingly innocuous phrase.

Val’s smoky grey eyes widened, lips parting in a small “O”. “Wow, well aren’t you fresh outta the grave. Hey, assholes!” She slammed her hand down on the table. The loud smack made me wince and brought Gabby and Zack out of their conversation. “I’m about to give Lucy the talk!”

“Oh, no,” Gabby groaned, placing her head in her hands. “I should’ve already brought this up, Lucy. I’m sorry.”

Zack flashed another dimpling grin. “And spoil Val’s favorite topic? I don’t think so.”

It almost felt like high school all over again as Val had an expression of ‘I’m about to tell some juicy gossip.’

“So, when a boy and girl vampire love each other a fuck ton, they…”

I gave her a look, and she smirked.

“All right, all right. Well you know how doin’ the dirty is an intimate thing for humans? Some humans, at least?”

Gabby looked acutely embarrassed from the across the table. I just nodded, hoping they didn’t realize just how inexperienced I was in every regard.

“Well take that intimacy, multiply it by ten, and that’s how personal it is when one vamp bites another. It’s like….” She trailed off, eyes glittering. “Fucking someone and staring into their eyes the whole time. On your wedding night. Or some shit, I don’t know. It’s intimate, all right?”

“Got it,” I replied. “I think.”

I was surprised Zack was still at the table for what felt like “girl talk.” He looked more amused than anything.

“Sex isn’t a huge deal to us. Well, some of us,” the smirk was back on Val’s face. “But letting someone bite you? That’s some serious shit.”

Gabby didn’t seem to think Val was explaining it enough, so she pitched in. “It takes a lot to willingly expose yourself to someone like that…we’re predators, and we don’t like putting our necks on the line. Literally. Our Spirits hate the vulnerability and they won’t do it for just anyone.”

My incredulity must have shown on my face. “Trust me, as you get used to being a vampire, you’ll see what I mean. The thought of someone biting you will probably repulse you,” she continued.

I would not let a mere mortal sink his teeth into you. It’s a display of weakness. Pathetic, she chipped in, affirming Gabby’s words.

“In fact, you’ll probably never meet someone that stirs that instinct in you. Every fiber of our nature just goes against letting another predator drink from you,” Gabby concluded.

“And you can’t hide the evidence. It’s like a fucking beacon,” Val added.

“What do you mean? The bite marks?”

“Yep. They don’t heal. That place Blondie bit you when you were human?” Val pointed to my neck, indicating the fading marks. I shifted self-consciously. “It’ll go away. It takes a hell of a lot to give a vamp a permanent scar. We heal fast. But biting between vamps….like I said, some serious shit. You’ll always have the scar.”

“So once you do it, everyone will know.” That was Zack, an easy grin on his face. “It’s a turn-off to most guys. I wouldn’t want to bite someone that had already been claimed, so to speak, by someone else.”

“I wouldn’t even want to bang a guy that’d already been bitten,” Val added. 

“So once you’re bitten, you’re taken by whoever bites you?” I asked.

“More or less,” Gabby said. “Although it doesn’t stop some people from sleeping around. It’s not like you’re bound to each other or something.” She seemed to find the thought unpleasant. “It’s kinda frowned upon to sleep around after, though.”

Sleeping around. Now that is not such a repulsive concept. You humans….so much life, so much energy. It is a waste not to share it between yourselves.

“What about getting bitten by multiple vampires?” I said, more to dislodge the Spirit’s disturbing train of thought than anything.

Val snorted a laugh. “Damn, Lucy, you’re kinkier than I would’ve thought!”

I almost choked on my own spit. “N-no, it’s not that! I was just wondering!” I cursed myself for asking in the first place. Damn curiosity. Damn lack of social skills.

“Uh-huh. Well, that’s a big no-no. Not only will you look like you’re willing to bare your neck for any asshole on the street, a sign of weakness, but it’ll probably cause conflicts between the ones that bit you. It’ll disturb the peace, you know? Guys can be such territorial dicks.”

“It would piss girls off, too!” Zack put in defensively.

“True that. Have your pervy thoughts run out, Lucy?” Val quipped.

“Yeah, you answered them quite well,” I replied dryly, still a bit embarrassed.

“If it puts it in perspective, none of us have ever been bitten. Like I said, it isn’t a common occurrence. We usually stick with sinking our fangs into animal blood. A lot of vampires never do it in their lifetimes. If one gets bitten here at the HQ….it’s a big deal.” Gabby stated, looking contemplative.

“Yeah, like that Tamara chick last year. If I had to hear that story one more fucking time-” Val looked primed to go on an angry rant, so Gabby cut in.

“It’s almost time for training, Lucy. Want to go get ready? You’re in my group.”

I almost felt a small sense of relief at the change of subject. I already had an incredible amount to think about, and the Spirit wasn’t making things any easier with her distracting, lewd thoughts. I’d have to ask Gabby—once I knew her better—if all Spirits were like that. Along with asking if I could see my family as soon as possible. I still worried about them, but it was good to know they weren’t panicking,

If I could believe Adam.

Gabby led me upstairs towards our room, and indicated another pair of shorts I could change into along with a tank top and tennis shoes. I was about to protest, thinking how cold it would be, before I realized I probably couldn’t feel the cold anymore. I threw my hair up into a quick ponytail, unable to prevent a sense of dread from washing over me.

I hadn’t worked out in years. I was horribly out of shape. Hopefully the Spirit would lend me strength. 

“So what does this training involve?” I asked as we prepared to head out of the room. Gabby blinked at me in surprise.

“Well, you’ll test your newfound strength, speed, and reflexes.”

I must’ve looked freaked out, because Gabby quickly spoke to reassure me. “Don’t worry. You’re a lot stronger than you think.”

I made a noncommittal noise. “What, is there an obstacle course or something? Weights?”

“Well, yes, but you’ll start off sparring with your mentor.”

“Mentor?” I echoed, confused.

Gabby tossed me a look, half-amused, half-perplexed. “Yeah, I thought you knew. The mentor is the one that Turned you. You’ll be sparring with Adam.”

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A/N: Please excuse any mistakes. I’m tired. Thank you for all your wonderful comments on the last chapter!

I have most of chapter 9 written, but my Spring Break is about over and law school will resume. I hope to update soon, but I can’t give a precise date. Possibly next weekend.

The next chapter is a fun one. ;)

What did you all think of this information dump? What do you think the General will be like? I'm excited to write him. 

And the mystery of Lucy's Spirit continues...