Chains of Change

Chapter 12: Lana

Chapter 12, Lana

“Okay, everyone load up.” I said, motioning the girls onto the bus. We were going on our annual 'cheerleading retreat' the school pays for. Really it's a hunters retreat where we'll be training with other hunting groups. It is fun, somewhat. Fun might not be the right word. Enlightening, yes that would be it. It is an enlightening experience. They instantly loaded up, ready to start the weekend.

Zane looked out the window out of the school, straight at me. I didn't wave. Neither did he. He understood where I was going. He knew that I wasn't going to be back until Monday. The thought of that pleased him. He didn't want my kind here. Just like I didn't want his kind here.

As soon as the last one climbed onto the bus, I followed. The door shut behind me. I headed to the back and took my usual seat beside Sophia.

“Are you ready for this trip?” she asks me.

I sigh. “Not sure if I'm ready to see Cleo.”

Cleo is the head hunter of another group. She is vicious and always tries to outdo me in everything. Not to mention we don't share the same views. She thinks that mortal are a waste of space and shouldn't exist, except to be feeders. I don't agree with that at all. I think that everyone should try to live with the mortals in harmony.

“Neither am I.” Sophia glares off in to the distance. She hates Cleo as much as I do, maybe even more. One year Cleo tried to challenge Sophia. She fought dirty, playing against the rules. She went straight for her neck, which is something that is forbidden. Sophia still has the marks from it. And the memories still haunt her when we are all up against a rogue vampires.

“I heard that she's got a new group.” Allie says, turning around in her seat.

“What happened to her old one?” Hanna asks. She had been friends with one of her old members.

“I heard that she had gotten them all destroyed by Negatives.” Olivia pipes up.

Allie shakes her head. “I heard she got reassigned to another group. One of the weaker groups, to improve them. According to the Hunter website, she is one of the teachers now. Apparently she reached leadership status.”

“She doesn't deserve it.” Sophia said. “She isn't even supposed to be still in the Hunt.”

“I know.” Riley says, with a deep sigh. She had been in Cleo's group once. Cleo had about ruined her. Almost ad her destroyed by a Negative, after not having enough energy to destroy it.

“I hope we don't have to be in one of her classes.” I said. “Our best shot is to avoid her at all cost. That may sound like a cowardice thing to do, but we can't risk being reassigned or taken out of the Hunt.”

They all nodded in agreement.

“I heard we're getting new equipment.” Olivia said, quickly changing the subject.

“Really? I thought we weren't getting anything until next year.”

Hanna, Olivia, Riley, and Allie talked excitedly about whether or not we'd be getting new equipment or not. Sophia and I didn't join into their conversation. I could tell by her expression that we were thinking about the same thing. What was up ahead for us to face.

After about three hours of driving, we arrived at the Hunting Retreat site. We climbed off the bus, grabbing our stuff as we did. The bus driver then drove off as soon as we were all off. The girls and I headed to the front office to sign in.

“Well well well, if it isn't little Lana Montgomery.” a voice said from behind me once we entered the front office.

Without turning around I knew who it was. “What do you want, Cleo?” I asked coldly.

“Oh can't I talk to my bestie?” she asks, walking to stand right in front of me. She hasn't changed a bit. The same brown hair, pulled into a perfectly obnoxiously high pony tail. A blue polka-dotted bow was tied around the hair piece holding it up. Her bangs framed her face. She wore a white, blue, and gold Panthers' uniform, showing that she was indeed in a new group. She stared at me with the same black, red tinted eyes.

“No, you can't.” Sophia snapped.

She made a tisk-tisk noise. “Seriously, Sophie, you should watch that temper of yours. We're all friends here.”

“It's Sophia.” I corrected her. “And we aren't friends.” I pushed back to her and walked to the desk to sign in.

Ms. Bellview, the retreat director, sat at the desk. She smiles at me. “How are you doing, Lana?”

“Good.” I lied. “How are you?”

“Good.” she replies. She types something in on her computer and then hands me a map of the camp. She points to a spot on the map. “Here is your cabin. The sheet below that is the schedule for this weekend.”

“Thank you.” I said. “It's good to see you again.”

“Good to see you two.” she replies.

“We'll have to catch up sometime, Lana.” Cleo says.

“How about not?” I say. Then I walk out of the building. My group quickly following my lead.