“Nah, it just takes time and practice.”
Niko returned with the axe, then stepped behind him.
“You see, the trick is to keep your eye on the spot that you want to hit.” He grabbed Reid’s hand and lifted it, with the axe back and above his head. “Then you need to listen for the wind.”
Reid tried not to laugh. “Why yes, wise Yoda,” Reid mocked, trying to do his best impression of Master Yoda’s voice.
Niko pinched Reid’s side, causing him to jerk and let out a high-pitched screech.
“Very manly of you,” Niko joked, letting out a snort of his own.
“I’m about to chop off evil Alvin the Chipmunk’s head with an axe. How much more manly can you get?”
Niko chuckled as he adjusted Reid’s arm and stance.
“Once the air around you is calm, then you pull back your arm before throwing the axe at your target. Make sure you never take your eye off the target. That’s key.”
Staring at the target, Reid tried to ignore the rough hands wrapped around his own and the axe. It was hard to concentrate with Nikolai practically wrapped around his body.
He could feel Nikolai’s breath on the back of his neck, all warm and controlled. The man never seemed stressed or anxious.
Reid felt his dick begin to thicken. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed his old friend. These next few days were going to be torture.
But he had a job to do and people who were counting on him. He didn’t have time to worry about his dick or the inevitable heartache he would face when it came time for him to leave.
“Just relax and concentrate,” Niko whispered into his ear one last time.
Reid took another breath, focusing on the target, not the huge stud standing right up against him. Letting out his breath, he launched the axe at the menacing target and prayed for the best.
This time, the axe did find its intended target and stuck!
Okay, fine. He managed to impale the chipmunk on his large left toe, but still. It was better than hitting the ground once again. If anyone asked, he was clipping the rodent’s toenails.
“You did it!” Niko shouted, throwing his arms up into the air in triumph, making him feel like he had just won the World Series.
God, he missed that sound of excitement. It warmed his heart and made him feel like he was the most talented man in the world.
Reid joined in the celebration, throwing his arms up in the air and flexing his muscles like he was Hercules himself.
Niko ran to retrieve the axe. He tossed it in the air a few times, catching each one by the wooden handle.
“Show-off,” Reid teased, watching Niko smirk before lining up his shot. "So, what made you decide to join the Shadow Vipers?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Niko never took his eyes off the target as he lined up his shot.
The man was definitely a regular, judging by the way he handled the weapon.
“It was Marcus and the guys. One night, I was drinking at a bar in Santa Fe when these three dudes decided to start shit with me. I went out to the parking lot to bust in their faces when Marcus and his boys came riding in. They stood around the lot and watched as I took on all three mouthy assholes—basically getting my ass handed to me. Then, out of nowhere, Marcus and his crew jumped in and started helping me fight. After a few minutes, the assholes were on the ground bleeding, and Marcus was inviting me to join them for a drink. That night, I learned what brotherhood was and decided to follow Marcus back to Baton and join his crew. To be honest, Marcus kinda reminded me of you.”
“Of me?” Reid asked, his heart stopping in his chest.
“Yeah. You always had my back, no matter what. With you, I always knew I had someone in my corner. No matter whattrouble I was in, or how bad things got, you were always there, standing beside me, arms up and ready to kick some ass.”
Damn, if he didn’t already love the guy, that speech would have done it.
“So that’s why I joined the Shadow Vipers. They’re the brothers you and I were to each other.” Niko launched his axe, nailing the demon munk right between the eyes. “And that’s how it’s done.”
“Always so humble,” Reid responded.
