“I just make sure they don’t get up again,” he grumbles, leaning against Grace, who shushes him, knowing I’m right andit will end badly if he keeps it up. Leaving your back exposed in battle is nothing short of a death sentence.
“Honeybunch, you’re incredible at foreseeing attacks, unlike your mate, but hand-to-hand combat is just not your thing. Don’t worry, though; I have a plan for that.” She takes my observation with stride, unlike her stupid mate.
“Angel—”
My heart takes off, beating wildly when he drags my palm on over his heart. I’ve been on edge ever since he came closer, but now, I can feel how it affects him, too. His heart thumps under my palm as if he ran a marathon, and it helps me relax.
Pulling my gaze from his eyes that stare directly into my soul and fingers that trace my palm takes great strength on my part.
“You’re good with close combat and far-sighted attacksbut… you worry too much. Keeping tabs on everyone puts you at risk, exactly like Grace said.”
He pouts so adorably that I forget how to breathe. Tracing his cheek with my finger, I forget where I was until Hazel nags me, “Can you blush after my turn?”
I snatch my eyes from hypnotic green ones to the impatient siren. “Yes…Right, you’re perfect, sharky. I’ve never witnessed such clean and precise combat skills, and I don’t think anyone here can hold your hand when it comes to this,” Her smug smile disappears when I continue, “But you have a death wish.”
“Uh… no, I do not.”
Looking around, her confidence falters when everyone agrees. Cursing under her breath, she motions for me to continue. “You dive in headfirst, no matter how overpowered or outnumbered you are. You’re good,incredibleeven, but you’re not a cat with nine lives.”
Seeing her contemplating my words, Angel tugs on my braid, “What about you? Do you have any flaws, or is it only for us lesser beings?”
With one hand holding my notes and another brushing through his hair, I shrug. “I take on too much. I don’t get to channel my rage nearly enough, so when I get the opportunity, I’m cutting through people without a plan. I’m emotionally compromised most of the time, which makes me vulnerable, and a liability.”
Seiji sighs, his shoulder falling forward, “We need a proper plan. The way things worked before clearly doesn’t anymore.”
Harvey takes the words right out of my mouth, “What about block on block?”
That’s what I wrote as our best solution. I send him a knowing look, which makes him smile back, probably recalling those days.
Block on block was something Papa taught us as kids whenever we couldn’t perfect an attack. Like the colorful blocks kids play with, you strategise one block upon another to create a strong tower. Harvey and I were the blocks, so where one lacked, the other would help to increase our efficiency and strength.
Throwing my notes at him to look over, I work on the pairs. “Angel and Grace should be our eyes. A higher vantage point would be perfect with their weapon of choice. That way, they have each other’s backandours.”
Angel sits up straight, turning to me with his eyebrows reaching his hairline. The proud gleam in his eyes is overwhelming, so I do the next best thing and continue pairing everyone up.
“Seiji and Harvey would work best together. Seiji could be the initial attack that Harvey finishes off. This way, Harvey won’t be vulnerable to surprise attacks, and Seiji can plough ahead without his conscience taunting him, saving them both time and despair.”
I don’t understand why Seiji is surprised. This idiot is my family; of course, I understand what goes on in his twisted, guilt-conscious brain. For a Horsemen of apocalypse, Seiji is timid about taking lives. While Anxo is the same, he doesn’t let that stop him from painting his hands red if it means protecting his people.
I need to have a talk with Angel about it. If anyone can relate to Seiji, it’s Anxo. Maybe he can help him get over the residual guilt of taking lives.
“That leaves us.”
Nodding at Hazel, I explain my reason. “We both love inviting trouble and don’t mind a challenge. If we constantly have someone to look out for, we won’t have the luxury to linger around our enemies. There won’t be any teasing or baiting. All our focus would be on doing our part and not giving into the temptation of doing more.”
“That’s…” Hazel starts, or at least tries to.
“Brilliant.”
“I’m too impressed to search for a better word, so what he said,” Seiji points to Angel, who doesn’t even bother hiding his pride.
“Why have we never sparred before?” Hazel asks me incredulously.
“Because I’m better than you, and I know everything. Also, I don’t enjoy sweating unnecessarily.”
Seiji leans into Angel and whispers, even though we can hear them just fine. “It’s so creepy how she keeps mimicking his words.”
“Right? It freaks me out all the time.”
