Attempt
She knew she didn’t have a chance with this man, but she figured it was the best way to break through that shell he’d erected around himself. Mattox D’Jacques wasn’t sensitive about his appearance. Just the opposite. He was proud of it. But he detested anyone who brought it up as a subject of ridicule or disdain.
What surprised her most was the fact that she’d gotten used to that fiery-red gaze. At first she had expected it to haunt her to the point where she’d have to look away any time he gazed at her. Maybe even have the memory of those red eyes wake her in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
The first lunge he made convinced her she was way out of her league. She’d never been in combat. He had. And survived. And defeated heaven knew how many of the enemy, human and non-human. But she wasn’t going down without a fight.
She parried and leaped back. He took the offensive and began beating her down, pushing her like the expert he was. Driving her backwards, blow after blow, until he’d cornered her between the fencing and the box of swords. She had no idea he’d corralled her until she bumped into the container.
A movement over his shoulder caught her attention, and she held out her sword horizontally, calling a temporary halt. “Is that my campsite over there?” She pointed toward the tents sitting a few hundred yards away.
Mattox checked behind him. “Yes. Yours would be on this end, since they were the last ones erec—”
She slapped the broadside of her sword against his arm, then ducked underneath it to get on his other side. He whirled around, surprise on his face. In the morning sunlight, his chest, with its matting of black hair, glistened with sweat. He was breathing heavily from his exertions, and for a moment she felt a weakness in her knees she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
He checked the red mark on his arm where she’d hit him. “You did that on purpose.”
Caralas smiled. “And you fell for it.”
He made a sudden move toward her. She instantly lifted her mock weapon defensively. But instead of resuming their practice session, Mattox flipped his wooden sword upside-down, grabbed it by the blade, and strode over to slam it into the box. “Game over.”
“Did I piss you off again?” she asked, hoping he wouldn’t take it as a taunt.
He didn’t reply as he pulled his tunic back over his head.
* * *
Damn.She was irritating as hell, but he had no one to blame but himself. Why this woman,howthis woman managed to get under his skin, was a mystery.
Grabbing his weapons belt, he buckled it on. By the time he was ready, he turned around to see she’d strapped on her own sword and gathered up the sections of her leather armor, but hadn’t put them back on.
“I think I’d better go back to my campsite,” she remarked, and began walking away.
Mattox watched her leave, but his attention focused on the sweet curve of her hips, and the way they swiveled as she moved. She was a little on the lean side, but she was also muscular. She wasn’t one of those lazy butt battle lord offspring. Her body proved she kept active. And judging by the way she’d handled herself with the pretend sword, she did more than take lessons, although he doubted she’d ever been engaged in an honest hand-to-hand matchup.
The arrow appeared from out of nowhere, aiming directly at Caralas. Mattox acted instinctively, drawing his knife from its casing and throwing it in one motion. The blade sliced through the wood shaft, knocking the arrow off its original path. He took off after her before the two pieces struck the ground.
He tackled her, turning his body just enough so that he landed on his right side, with Caralas held tightly against him. She cried out when he grabbed her, but didn’t fight him when they struck the ground.
“Be still!” he hissed, hoping she heard him. She did, and he felt her muscles stiffen. After a few moments, she turned her face in his direction.
“What—”
“Shh!”
He continued to scan the tree line, hoping to spot whoever had launched the arrow. There was no movement, nothing that he could see that would reveal the location of the archer. He gave them another handful of seconds, then released her.
“Stay down!” He pressed on her arm as he got to his knees. Honing in with his Mutah senses, he still wasn’t able to detect anyone moving about beyond the practice field. And the arrow had definitely come from that direction.
“Mattox?”
“It’s all right. You can get up now.”
“What was that all about?”
“Someone shot an arrow at you.”
“What?”
