Should she just kill him?
Tempting.
Except the last time she’d tried, it didn't exactly end well for her. Three broken ribs. A shattered wrist. And so much internal bleeding the doctors were surprised she survived.
The only thing that had soothed her wounded ego was that Pallas had been in equal if not worse condition.
Pallas's smirk grew predatory. Practically goading her. Dancing on her last nerve. Tip tap. Tip tap.
"Someone is feeling spicy." Pallas pretended to shiver. "Go ahead. You know you want to."
"Don't push me," Kira warned.
"What's the matter, Phoenix? Afraid? How do you expect to accomplish anything if you're pissing yourself right out of the gate?"
The last thread controlling her anger snapped. Rage roared to the forefront of her brain.
Kira launched herself at Pallas, her hand withdrawing the sheathed akieri blade that had once belonged to her father. A flex of her ki and the blade unfolded, the pieces snapping together with a snick that made her soul sing. Almost as much as the glowing lines that riddled the length of the metal. Like fine cracks on an egg's surface.
Pallas threw his head back as he shouted with laughter. It stopped a second later. His smile insane. "Finally."
Kira slashed the akieri at him. "Fucking psycho."
He was just as unhinged as Kira remembered. Normal people didn't seek out constant battle.
Pallas watched the blade getting closer and closer, doing nothing. Only at the very last second did he shift backwards. Just enough to let the blade whistle past his nose.
"I've been looking forward to this," he informed her, his expression orgasmic. "You have no idea how much."
Kira reversed her slash, aiming the blade at his eyebrow and the stupid piercing winking at her there. "You talk too much."
A black shield blocked Kira's attack. Her arms shook with the force of the collision, the reverberation reaching all the way to her shoulders.
"Shall we dance, little sister?" Pallas taunted.
"I thought we already were."
Pallas's smile broadened. His wrist flexed. The whip he'd had concealed in his hand shot out, the end wrapping around the hilt of Kira's akieri. "Then let's get rid of this."
The sword was ripped out of Kira's grip. The blade remained for a brief instant before the lack of ki caused it to collapse back into itself. The hilt fell, clattering against the stone.
"We wouldn't want another accident," he said meaningfully.
Pallas tossed his whip away, holding up his hands to show he was unarmed.
"Fine by me."
Kira preferred it this way anyway.
She punched him in the face. The sight of blood spurting satisfying in a way that should have concerned her. What did it say about her that she got off on causing harm to another living creature?
Then again, his chortle as he wiped away the blood under his nose was worse.
Kira snapped a kick at his chest. "Fucking crazy asshole."
He took it without even flinching, his grunt the only indication she'd connected.
"My turn," he said with a bloodstained smile that should have warned her.
