Chapter 54 Private training
Morning came with a knock.
Not a servant. Cain.
She stood in the doorway, looking like she hadn’t slept. “Your hands. How are they?”
Lilith held them up. Bandaged but healing. “Sore. But fine.”
“Good.” Cain’s eyes were dark. Intense. “Get dressed. Training clothes. Meet me in the private grounds in ten minutes.”
“Cain, we should talk.”
“Ten minutes, Lilith.” She walked away.
Sera appeared from the connecting room. “That sounded ominous.”
“Or promising. I can’t tell.”
Lilith changed quickly. Training clothes. Her hands protested but she ignored them.
“Be careful,” Sera called after her.
“Always am.”
“That’s a lie and we both know it.”
The private training grounds were secluded. No audience. No warriors. Just open space surrounded by volcanic rock walls.
Cain was already there. Stretching. Preparing. She looked up when Lilith entered.
“Lock the door behind you.”
Lilith’s stomach flipped. “Why?”
“Because what I’m about to teach you isn’t for public consumption.” Cain’s smile was sharp. Dangerous. “Lock it.”
Lilith locked it.
“Good.” Cain crossed to her. Stopped close. “Yesterday you proved you can fight. Today I’m going to teach you how to win.”
“I thought I did win.”
“You survived. That’s different.” Cain circled her slowly. “Survival is defense. Winning is offense. And you’re too defensive. Too careful. Too.” She stopped behind her. “Too afraid to actually hurt someone.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.” Cain’s breath was warm on her neck. “You pull your strikes. Hesitate before committing. Fight like you’re apologizing for taking up space.” Her hands came to Lilith’s shoulders. Firm. Possessive. “That stops now.”
“How?”
“By learning to embrace what you are. What you’re capable of.” Cain’s hands slid down her arms. Adjusting her stance. Lingering just a second too long. “You’re divine. You’re powerful. You could destroy armies if you wanted. So stop fighting like you’re asking permission.”
She stepped back. Drew her blade. “Attack me.”
“What?”
“Attack me. For real. Don’t hold back. Don’t hesitate. Just attack.”
Lilith gathered energy. Threw it
Cain deflected it easily. “Pathetic. Again.”
Lilith tried again. Harder.
Cain blocked it. “You’re still pulling it. Still afraid to actually hurt me.” She moved closer. “Why? Scared I’ll break? Scared you’re too much?”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Too bad. Because if we’re doing this, if we’re really doing this, you need to know I can handle you. All of you. Your power. Your fury. Everything.” Cain’s eyes were intense. Burning. “So stop protecting me and actually FIGHT.”
Something in Lilith snapped.
She attacked. Really attacked. Full power. No holding back.
Cain met her head-on. Blade against energy. Grinning like a maniac.
“THERE!” she shouted. “That’s what I want! Again!”
They fought. Not gentle training. Real combat. Aggressive. Intense. Dangerous.
Cain pushed her. Hard. Fast. Relentless.
“Stop thinking! Just move!”
Lilith moved. Her body taking over. Instinct replacing thought. Power flowing freely.
She struck. Cain blocked. Their faces inches apart, bodies slick with sweat, breaths mingling.
“Better,” Cain breathed, her voice low and rough. “Much better.”
They separated. Circled. Attacked again.
This time Lilith was faster. Committed. Her blade caught Cain’s shoulder. Light hit. Drew blood.
Cain looked at the wound. Then at Lilith. Her smile was feral, eyes darkening with something hotter than battle lust.
“Now we’re talking.”
She attacked. Harder. Faster. Overwhelming.
Lilith defended. Barely. Gave ground. Found herself backed against the rough volcanic wall, the stone biting into her back.
Cain’s blade was at her throat. Both breathing hard. Sweat dripping down their necks, soaking into collars. Adrenaline screaming through their veins.
“Good,” Cain said quietly, her voice a growl. Her body pressed fully against Lilith’s. Pinning her. Heat radiating between them. “Very good.”
“I lost.”
“You fought. Really fought. That’s what matters.” Cain’s free hand came up. Cupped Lilith’s jaw, thumb tracing the line of her cheekbone, then dipping lower to brush her parted lips. “And you didn’t break. Didn’t apologize. Didn’t pull back.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“I heal.” Cain’s thumb pressed harder against Lilith’s lower lip, parting it slightly. “Worth it.”
The air between them shifted. Charged. Electric. Thick with unspoken want.
“Cain.”
“Don’t.” Her voice was rough, edged with need. “Don’t say his name. Don’t explain. Don’t apologize.”
“But.”
“I don’t want to talk about Azrael.” Cain’s eyes were dark, pupils blown wide. “I don’t want to dissect what happened. Analyze your feelings. Compare myself to him.” Her blade dropped with a clatter. Both hands on Lilith now. One fisting in her hair, the other gripping her waist. “I just want this. Right now. No past. No future. Just us. Here.”
“I thought you’d be angry.”
“I am angry. Furious. Jealous.” Cain’s hands tightened, pulling Lilith impossibly closer. “But I’m also done wasting time being cold. Done pretending I don’t want you. Done competing for attention.” She leaned closer, lips brushing Lilith’s ear. “So here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to kiss you. And you’re going to decide if you want this. Want me. Not as a backup. Not as a comparison. Just me.”
I…..
Cain kissed her.
The kiss was fierce and consuming, all heat and urgency, bodies pressed together as the tension that had built between them finally ignited. Hands roamed, breaths mingled, the world narrowing to nothing but raw need and claiming touches.
When they finally broke apart, both were trembling, lips swollen, eyes wild with desire.
“We should stop,” Cain panted, even as her body stayed close.
“Why?” Lilith gasped.
“Because if we don’t, I’m going to take you right here. And you deserve better than that for our first time.”
“What if I don’t want better? What if I want this?”
“Lilith.” Cain’s control was fraying. “Don’t tempt me. I’m barely holding on.”
“Then let go.”
“I can’t. Not yet.” Cain rested her forehead against Lilith’s, both of them shaking. “Not until you’re sure. Not until you’ve thought about this without the adrenaline.”
“I’m sure.”
“You’re not. You’re high on the battle, on the heat.” Cain slowly stepped back, putting space between them, though her hands lingered as long as they could. “And I won’t be your rebellion. Won’t be the rough alternative to his gentleness.”
“That’s not what this is.”
“Isn’t it?” Cain’s smile was bittersweet. “I need you to be sure. Need you to choose me because you crave me. My fire. My edge. My everything. Not because I’m the opposite of him.”
“Cain.”
“Tonight. Think about it tonight. About what you want. What you truly feel for me.” Cain moved to the door, unlocking it with shaking hands. “And tomorrow, if you still want this. If you come to me burning for me the way I burn for you. Then we talk. Really talk. And I won’t hold back anymore.”
She left. Just walked away. Leaving Lilith slumped against the wall. Disheveled. Throbbing with unspent need. Confused. Aching in ways she’d never felt before.
What just happened?