Destined to Kill: A Destined Novel (Destined Novels Book 1) Read Free Page B

seemingly always poised in case I make a move. It is torturous. How can she possibly think I would hurt her? I cannot blame her, of course. I would be scared of me, too, if I were not in my body. If only she could know how I felt inside.
    The smell hit me, making me feel things I never felt before. I do not know what it is, but it is glorious - and hideous at the same time. My eyes burn again, my teeth ache and I cut my tongue as I run it across them. I feel a ravenous hunger I have never felt before, and I will do anything, fight anyone to satisfy it. I do not realize I had hissed until mum quickly backs away from me and grabs her sword that is leaning up against the wall.
    "Eleanor, wait!" Papa cries and positions himself between us. "Anala, fight this! Whatever it is you are feeling, fight it!"
    I can hear papa's voice loud and clear even through the pounding in my head. I want to do what he says, but I am so hungry. I want to rip something - or someone - apart and sink my teeth into it. The thought scares me enough to try to do what papa is telling me.
    "Anala, you have to be stronger than it. You are a Hunter, use your training to help you. Use everything your mother and I have taught you. You do not want to hurt us, do you?"
    Of course I do not want to hurt them. I use every ounce of training I had, I think about how I would feel if I did something to mum or papa. Gripping my throbbing head, I fall to my knees and begin breathing deeply. After a few minutes - intensely hard minutes - I feel my body begin to relax.
    "That is it, Anala." Papa kneels down beside me and carefully places his hand on my shoulder. "You can do this."
    "Please, papa, get away from me. Both of you, leave me until I have all of this under control."
    I know papa wants to protest, but what can he say? He has no idea what I can or will do. I do not even know that. So, they both leave and I sit there alone. This is impossible. How am I supposed to live like this? I do not have the strength to fight this all the time. But, if I do not, it will take me over and I will be nothing more than an evil killer like the other Cursed Ones.
    Ugh, the smell is still so intense. I see the a plate and cup papa left beside the door. If I took the time to think about what I see on the plate, I wonder if I would be disgusted instead of almost drooling with hunger. I crawl over and grab the bloody slab of meat and sink my teeth into it. A small sound of pleasure escapes as the blood satisfies what I thought was an insatiable hunger. I do not bother looking in the cup, I can smell the lovely red liquid. I drink it as if my life depends on it. Sadly, I think it just might.
    I am finally beginning to feel normal again. The hunger is gone, the throbbing stopped and I feel in control enough to join my parents in the main room. They sit, huddled together, with mum wringing her hands together in sheer anxiety. She is always so calm and collected that this is startling to me.
    "Mum?"
    "Anala." Father rises quickly and grabs a nearby garment. He dips it in the washbasin and begins washing my face.
    I lower my head. "I'm sorry, papa." I am embarrassed that I did not think of the mess I must have made when eating.
    "Do not be, daughter. This is new to all of us." He lifts my chin and looks me in the eye. "Do not be embarrassed. We will figure this out together."
    "That is right, honey," Mum says. She wraps her arms around me, and holds me tight.

 
    " Anala," papa looks up at me over the rim of his glasses. "You know you will not be able to go outside of this house as you are now."
    I have been sitting in his laboratory - a bit uncomfortably - as he scrutinizes me. Old books, in a language I do not recognize, were strewn across his desk and he would read a page, then look up at me, shake his head and read again. It is actually quite annoying being looked at as a science experiment.
    "Yes, papa."
    He glances up again at the sound of my voice. "I understand this will be hard for