He approached me, his large hands lowering mine just a fraction of an inch before he squeezed my shoulder. “You're too tense, loosen up. You'llrestrict your movement and tire more quickly if you stay all locked up like that."
I shook out my arms and huffed, “It’s a bit hard to relax with you staring at me like that."
A wicked smirk ghosted his lips and I instantly regretted the words. “How exactly do I stare at you, little menace?" His voice had dropped to a low and sultry tone that washed over me and left my heart stuttering. He was teasing me, I knew that, but Nine Hells it was impossible not to have some reaction to that sinful voice. “Does my presence truly affect you that much?"
The words had heat flushing my cheeks.
It’s not attraction,I chided,they only grow warm with anger.
"You annoy me, if you think you affect me any other way, you'll be sorely mistaken."
He attempted to maintain a neutral expression, despite the laughter that danced in his eyes, as if he knewexactlywhat I was feeling in that moment.
"Whatever you say, little men—"
My hand shot out, fist cracking against his jaw, before I danced back and away from his reach.
So much for not putting him into a foul mood.
His head had snapped to the side after the impact, but his body hadn't moved an inch. I nearly shit myself when his head slowly straightened, his darkened gaze locked on me. My chin lifted as I shifted from side to side, keeping my steps light and quick.
My smile was innocent, sweet even. “Was that loose enough for you, Captain?"
His eyes narrowed, gaze traveling all the way down my body, as if he truly was assessing my form, before rolling his shoulders back andmoving into his own stance. "You're gonna regret that by the time this is over. You got one hit, but you won't get another."
It was a deadly promise and I nearly vibrated with anticipation at the challenge.
We circled for a few heartbeats before I decided it would be better to strike fast and quick, making him go on the defense rather than allowing him the advantage of the offense.
Before I could truly even register what happened, the world spun and I was on my back, the air leaving my lungs in a violent escape as I lay stunned, attempting to choke down oxygen. Rolling to my stomach, nearly vomiting with the effort, I scrambled to my feet heaving a few deep gasps. Squinting through the pain, I stared in disbelief as he dusted off his bare shoulder.
Mentally playing through the punch I had sent to his ribs that I wassurehad been about to land, he had grabbed my arm while his other hand held firmly at my waist. Then quicker than I had thought humanly possible, he had used my own momentum to simply flip me over his shoulder and slam me into the ground.
Placing my hands upon my knees for a moment, I let the pain in my back and ribs throb through me, before I straightened out and shoved it to the back of my mind. Rolling my shoulders, I raised my hands once more, burning with challenge.
"That fucking hurt," I hissed through clenched teeth before taking another shot at him. I moved differently now, quicker, my anger sharpening the movements like a blade against stone. He easily evaded the hit and I shifted back and ducked, grunting in surprise at the speed with which he threw back his own strikes.
He wasmuchfaster than Bran.
We moved like a storm, circling and reigning blows down upon each other, like the clash of thunder as we danced at lightning speed. Panting heavily I dodged swing after swing, my limbs growing heavy and tired to the point where I couldonlydodge.
Nearly screaming with frustration as a blow connected to my stomach, I crumpled as my body gave out, my knees no longer capable of supporting my weight. He had pulled the punch at the last second when he realized I wouldn't be quick enough to dodge, but Goddess, even at half strength the force was enough to bring tears to my eyes as I gasped for breath.
His hand held my shoulder, holding me up so I didn't completely collapse facedown in the sand. I drew in a few sharp breaths and right when he opened his mouth to speak, I moved faster than I ever had in my life, my opposite hand closing in a death grip around his wrist and twisting. His body turned with a hiss of pain and right when he was off balance, I threw all my weight back, my feet digging into his lower back, now exposed to me. Using the momentum, I flipped his giant mass up and over, slamming him into the sand behind.
Scrambling, I swung my body up and around to straddle his massive form, palming the dagger strapped to my thigh simultaneously, just as he rolled to his back.
A wicked grin formed on my lips as I practically purred, "I'm a quick learner—"
However, my celebration was short-lived as he recovered much more quickly than I had earlier. Within a moment he had us rolling, pinning the wrist of the hand holding the dagger onto the sand. I swung with my left hand, but he easily caught it in a vice-like grip, forcing it down beside my head. His weight on my hips kept me from moving at all as he leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.
"As much as I loved that position, little menace," his voice low and nearly breathless as he panted slightly from the exertion of the fight, "you'll have to be much quicker than that if you want to win."
Rage bubbled and sizzled beneath my skin, my breaths coming out in ragged pants. With a piercing scream of defiance, I threw the last bit of my energy and adrenaline into headbutting him squarely in his jaw. The impact ricocheted through my skull, leaving stars dancing in my vision.
I heard the curse and the surprised, wicked chuckle that followed as I laid my head back in the sand, trying to blink my vision back into focus. Despite the hit, his grip never eased, and when my eyes opened I found his lip split and blood traveling down his chin, dripping onto my shirt.
"Goddess you'referal," he laughed, his genuine smile surprising me, cooling the wrath that scorched its way through my veins. Softening beneath him, my body relaxing, I let out a soft disbelieving laugh of my own.
