“He will not let Bennett hurt you.”
“Not that I would anyway,” Bennett said in an exacerbated tone.
“You won’t leave?” Sage needed the assurance.
“No.”
Sage let out the breath he’d been holding and smiled at Garridan. He nodded and turned around again, facing Bennett.
“Ready?” Bennett asked both him and Lucas.
Sage turned his head, just to make sure Garridan was still there. Garridan nodded to him, “Pay attention, mate.”
“Right. Okay, let’s do this.”
“The first thing you’ll learn is blocking your vulnerable spots. Head and stomach mostly.”
“And balls,” Lucas whispered to him.
Bennett got that stance again and Sage stiffened. Bennett sighed. “For God’s sake, Sage, I’m not going to hurt you. You’ve known me your whole life. Have I ever hurt you?”
Sage shook his head. “Just stop standing like you’re going to attack me and I’ll be fine.”
“Is that what you’re going to say to the vampires? Come on, Sage. I’m trying to teach you,” Bennett said.
“So shut up and let’s do this.” The vampire comment wasn’t necessary, and it pissed Sage off. He shouldn’t have yelled at someone who could kick his ass, but Garridan was right behind him so Sage figured he could get away with it.
Bennett smiled. “All right then.”
After about a half hour of learning how to block, Sage was so sick of falling. All he had learned was that blocking equalled him landing on his ass in the snow. He would’ve much rather just sat there so he didn’t have to get back up again. Lucas landed on his ass beside him.
Sage stood and held out a hand for Lucas, who took it. He pulled Lucas up and they both faced Bennett again. “He’s really cute, isn’t he?”
Sage rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“Arms up like I showed you,” Bennett yelled at them.
“Well, technically you showed me two ways of holding my arms.” Lucas held his arms out in the block Bennett had showed them. “Like this.” Then adjusted himself, looking as if someone had tied him to a pole. If he were lying down, it would seem as if Bennett tied Lucas’ hands to the headboard of a bed. “And like this.”
Sage’s eyes got wide and he held a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing.
Bennett’s eyes flashed with lust for about a second before he tried to become serious again.
“The block, Lucas. Now.”
“Oh, fine.” Lucas moved his arms back to the position Bennettwanted.
Bennett charged Sage first and, just like every other time Bennett had knocked him on his ass. Lucas landed beside him a second later.
“I think I like the other way I hold my arms better,” Lucas said after getting his breath back.
Sage started laughing. The longer they sat the funnier the whole thing seemed to be. “We’re pathetic,” Sage managed to get out.
“I know, right,” Lucas said and fell back against him, rolling on the ground.
Then Garridan roared, startling him enough that he nearly jumped out of his skin. His laughter died and he tilted his head back, looking at Garridan upside down. Oh God, Sage’s snake wanted to curl up and do exactly what Garridan told him. It was not happy that his mate was upset with them.
“I will not have one of those bastards kill you because you did not take this seriously, Sage.” Garridan started across the lawn to them. “Get up, both of you.”
