Expression grim, Cara turned to face him, dropping her shirt.He was studying her, eyes narrowed.His skin was a dark gray in the light, but his eyes were a bright blue, glowing in the darkness.
“Where do we start?” she asked, eager to begin.
He was searching for something, she realized.Then he nodded with a sharp jerk of his head and Cara wondered if he’d found it inside her, whatever it had been.
“Offensive attacks are useless if you cannot defend,” he told her slowly, approaching, “if you cannot escape.Your best chance is to run, not fight.”
“Run away?You don’t strike me as the type to run,” she told him, surprised by his advice.
“I do not run because I was not trained to run.With your strength,” he ran his eyes over her body again and Cara flushed with shame and self-consciousness now that she’d seen the full effects of what captivity had wrought, “you should run if you have the opportunity.Your species is weak.”
Cara sucked in a breath, fire replacing her embarrassment.“We arenotweak!”
He cocked that arrogant brow at her and he circled her.Goosebumps broke out over her skin, her fight-or-flight mode kicking in again.He was a predator, cornering his prey.
Cara stifled her cry of surprise when he grasped her arm, pulling gently on her skin before releasing her with a huff.“No protection, no scales.Vulnerable,” he murmured.He looked then at her nails, bringing her hand up to his face.“Blunt.No claws.You could not draw a youth’s blood with these.”
“Nor would I want to,” she argued, snatching her hand back, feeling his cool touch linger over her palm.
“Hit me,” he commanded.
“W-what?”
“As hard as you can.Here,” he said, patting his chest, right over where a human heart would be.
Cara’s mind rebelled.She’d never hit anyone in her life.
His eyes narrowed.“Stop thinking.Do it.Do not waste my—”
Cara’s hand exploded in pain and she hissed when it made contact with his chest.His pectoral was as hard as a rock and she’d just crushed her hand willingly into a boulder.
He didn’t even budge.In fact, he hissed out a breath, like he was impatient.Like she’d just tapped him and not thrown all her strength—however diminished it was—into that punch.
“You see?” he said lowly.“Offensive attacks are not your best strategy.You are small.Weak.Beings much larger than you, stronger than you will easily overpower you.You will not be victor against them.”
Thatstung if she was being honest.
Her throat burned, wondering if it was all hopeless anyways.She’d pushed him to train her and yet, it seemed like he was saying she was a lost cause.
She felt like a fool.A weak fool.
His eyes became stricken when he saw her expression.Even he could comprehend the hurt on her features.
“Female,” he purred, his hands grasping just below her shoulders.His touch made her shiver but she was brave enough to meet his eyes.
“It was a stupid idea,” she murmured quietly, her hand throbbing in agreement.
Cara felt his quick exhale hit her cheek.His fingers twitched on her skin when he said, “My words are harsh,tev.But soft words will not help you.Not if you need to defend yourself.You wanted honesty.I am giving it to you.”
Her eyes flashed up to his.“You’re right.I did.I didn’t expect it to sting so much.But you’re right.”
His frown deepened.This close to him she could see the throb of his heart beat, slower than hers.
“You misunderstand me,” he murmured.“Physically, even if you weretonnesstronger than you are now, even if you were the strongest human breathing, you will still not compare.It is a fact of your species.Other beings have evolved for fighting and battle.Yours has not yet.Your species is young still.”
Cara drew in a breath, knowing his words were true.She’d seen the aliens at the Pit that fought.Ranging from monstrous beasts to lithe, willowy beings that could probably throw a school bus with one hand…no human would stand a chance.
“Where you lack physical strength, you have a form meant for quickness.Are you fast?”
