The air in the room went taut, Pops’s eyes narrowing until the warm brown turned hard and dangerous. “Stop talking,” he ordered. “All of you. Now.”
Slater leaned in anyway, voice dropping to a husky whisper. “We’ll talk tonight.”
I gave him a nod of agreement.
Pops didn’t even raise his voice, he just leveled Slater with a glare so sharp it made him sink back.
Slater went silent, but the tension still hummed between us.
I knew Slater liked me, and Zuko had asked me to date him. I never thought about asking Slater out, too. He did, though. I already knew I would date him the moment he asked me again.
Once we were all silent, Pops launched into lecture mode about combat styles, stance control, and vital point neutralization. He gestured toward the large mat that was in the middle of the room. “You’ll demonstrate the partnered subduing drill.” His eyes flicked to mine. “Rune, you’re with Dimitri.”
Oh, shit.
Last time we were partnered, we almost failed.
“Do you think we can stop arguing long enough not to fail this assignment?” Dimitri asked roughly, but there was a teasing nature to it.
“Fates, I hope so,” I muttered honestly.
“Koa and Zuko will be first,” Pops said. “Let’s go.”
Zuko and Koa stepped onto the mat.
Pops gave the nod, and they circled each other in a way that actually turned me on.
Pops’s whistle cut the air.
Koa’s eyes flashed more red than brown because of how the ember flecks glowed with phoenix heat. “Good luck, Zuko.”
Zuko tilted his head, pupils narrowing into slits. “Try not to set your feathers on fire when you lose, Koa.”
Koa struck with a blur of phoenix speed. He landed a punch to his stomach before Zuko’s forearm caught the next hit.
The impact echoed.
“Shit, Koa!” Zuko’s counter came low and sharp. He dropped down and swept his legs to knock Koa’s feet out from under him.
Koa vaulted clean over him, twisting midair to land behind Zuko. “Too slow.”
Zuko hissed, “Too cocky.” He caught him with an elbow jab to the ribs.
Koa grunted and stumbled back, heat radiating off him.
They smiled at each other as Zuko faced him again.
The two clashed again.
One hit after another.
My pulse thudded with each crack of contact, and my stomach tightened in a way I didn’t care to examine.
It was obvious that I liked Zuko, but I also liked Koa. Watching them fight was hot, but when they actually took hits…I didn’t know why it bothered me the way it did.
I didn’t even know what was wrong with me. I’d never been this into any one man. But I definitely recognized the feelings I was developing for multiple men now. It made me think that Slater and Zuko really were right. Maybe theyweremy mates, but not just them.
Koa slipped behind Zuko and locked him in a chokehold. “Subdued.”
