***
"Cassie come on! Pay attention!"
Cassie tossed aside the stake she'd been holding and stormed over to the bench. Grabbing a water bottle she squirted it into her parched mouth. She was exhausted, she could barely function and had been completely blowing off her training for the past week. She was doing awful, and Luther wasn't about to let her forget it.
"You are so very lucky that things have been quiet this past week!" he barked at her. "You wouldn't survive five seconds in the field!" Cassie was struggling to control her temper, he was right after all, but she was just as frustrated as he was with her inability to do anything right. "What is wrong with you?"
Cassie shuddered as she thought of the many things wrong with her lately, and they were all centered on one very disturbing, frightening man. "I'm tired." Although it was the truth, it was also a very poor excuse.
"Tired! Tired?" he demanded harshly.
Cassie hung her head and peeked up at him from under lowered lashes. She deserved whatever she got, but it was still killing her to keep from defending herself. Luther pulled off his Lennon style glasses and cleaned them briskly on his shirt. He was relatively calmer when he slipped them back on.
"All right." He tugged on his graying brown hair as he paced briefly away before turning sharply on his heel and coming back. "Maybe I am being too tough on you. Maybe you should have a break, you all should. We'll take the rest of tonight off."
Taking time off wouldn't help her. She knew that. Just as she knew that none of them could afford to lose time practicing their fighting skills. "Luther…"
"No, no." His muddled English/Egyptian accent became slightly heavier the more discombobulated he became. "A night off will do us all some good, you'll come back refreshed and recharged. You are the best fighter we have; if you don't get your act together we're all at risk."
Cassie bit on her bottom lip as she struggled to keep hold of the resentment and shame threatening to consume her. She had to get her act together, and she had to do it soon. She was overtired right now, that was her whole problem. She just needed some sleep.
Fighting to keep hold of her uncontrollably swaying emotions, she glanced around the converted garage. It was packed full of weapons, punching bags, and exercise equipment. Luther had added onto the two car garage a couple years ago, making it twice as big as its original size. She'd spent a lot of time in this room, poured a lot of sweat, and shed more than a few tears and blood.
She hated everything this room represented and the change it had brought to her life. Turning away from the metal swords and crossbows strapped to the wall, she focused her attention on Luther, Melissa, and Chris. "It's time to go home," she said.
"Yes, yes," Luther agreed. "Rest for the next night, and then we'll hit it hard again tomorrow."
Cassie nodded, though the last thing she wanted was to come back here. However, she didn't have an option. She would come back over and over again until they left town, or she died. Both options sucked.
"Will you be ok after tonight?" She nodded in response to Luther's question. His aggravation had been replaced with a deep concern that rattled her. He was the closest thing to a father she had, and right now he looked completely worried about her. She didn't like it one bit. "Are you sure?"
"Cassie." She turned toward Melissa, hating the knowledge in her onyx eyes. Though Cassie hadn't mentioned her dreams to anyone, or her bizarre attraction to Devon, Melissa saw far more than most people. She always did. "Maybe a sleeping pill would help you."
Cassie hid her surprise, and nodded briskly as she turned toward Chris. He offered her a wan smile as he held his arm out to her. Though she loved them both dearly, there were times when she wished they didn't know her so well, or possess such probing gifts. Hiding her irritation, she slipped her arm into Chris's and squeezed it briefly as she leaned against his side.
She'd always hated taking any medicine, but maybe she should take a pill tonight, she was so damn tired she could barely see straight anymore. And if she didn't get some sleep soon, she was scared she would break completely.