Chapter 9

I tried to remember the turns and halls as we walked to the guards’ training yard.

Troy looked down at me. “If you’re trying to memorize the halls, good luck. Daxx is still trying.”

I frowned. “Did you just read my mind?”

He laughed. “No, It’s the intense focus on your face.”

“I like going for a run when I wake up.” I shrugged. “I guess it’s not important. I won’t be here long.”

He was quiet for a few moments. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to go back right now.” He motioned for me to turn. “You’re important to them. They haven’t brought any others to this side, at least not yet.”

I looked down a hall we went past. “I don’t know why. Unless they want a fighter.” I waved my hand up and down beside him. “With the size of the males from here—what could I possibly offer that they need?”

Troy opened a door. “Until we find out what it is, you need to stay here.”

I stepped through to see we had reached the yard. “As long as I get back for the fight, I guess vacationing in another realm with the royal family will be okay.” I smirked.

“When you put it that way, it sounds much better than it actually is.” He motioned to the building I’d been in last time. “I have to speak with Ira—that’s Mitz’s mate, he runs the guards’ house.” He smirked. “Try not to break any of my guards.”

I held up my hands. “I’ll try, but no promises.” I watched him walk away, then stood there looking around. It was a giant outdoor gym, with some horses at one end. I turned to see Rafael talking with a few other large-bodied males. Seriously, why were all these guards so big? I went over to him.

He smiled when I reached him.

“How did you get here before us?”

He shrugged. “I don’t walk around here or I’d never get anything done.”

I realized he’d ported here. I motioned to the door. “We took the long way.”

“This is where you’ll find me, if I’m not hanging out at the temple.”

I looked at him. “Witches all females?”

He smirked. “How did you know?”

I shrugged. “You have a bit of a player vibe about you.”

“Uh,” he put his hand against his chest, “I’m crushed you think that of me.”

I rolled my eyes and then looked around. “So, what do you do here?”

“I’m Captain of the guards.” He started walking, keeping his eye on the six men practicing.

“So, I guess you don’t want them knowing I disarmed you a few times this morning?”

He gave me a charming smile. “I’d prefer them not to know things like that.”

“I’ll keep it quiet for now.” I stopped and watched one of the men using two of their large swords to warm up. I could barely lift one, and here he was swinging two around like they were made of plastic. “Does he fight with two or is he just warming up?”

Rafael turned to look. “Just one. There aren’t many others not in my family that use two anymore.” He grinned. “I can still feel the aches that went with learning to use the two in the beginning.”

I snorted. “When your brothers found me, I was trying to be threatening, holding one and not tipping over on my face.”

With a smirk he looked me up and down. “You weren’t in great condition then—not to mention you couldn’t get the right balance with your legs chained.”

I bit my lip and frowned. “That’s true.”

Rafael waved his hand to the man, then held it out. The guard tossed one of the swords to him from ten feet away, and Rafael caught it without so much as a muscle flinching. He looked down at me. “Want to try again?”

I glanced around for Troy, then nodded. “Okay, but if you see Michael let me know. I’m supposed to be spectating.”

Rafael shrugged. “He’ll get over it.” His expression was serious. “I wasn’t born for one hundred and thirty years after it happened, so I don’t really know all the aspects of the incident that has him so on edge right now.”

I gaped at him. “I’m still having trouble with the age thing here.”

He laughed. “Yeah, I guess it’s hard to grasp.” With a nod, he held the sword out to me. “This one is heavier than our actual weapons.”

I nodded. “To work the muscles so that the real deal is easier and more fluid”

“Yes.” He smiled. “It’s cool talking to a woman that understands fighting and training techniques.”

I reached for it with one hand, he shook his head. I wrapped both around it, then had to adjust my balance as Raf let the weight he was carrying go. “I’m very impressed with anyone that can swing these around with one hand.”

Rafael stepped beside me, “check your form, you’re leaning forward—and I can’t fight the way you do, so we’re even.” He nodded as I righted my frame so my shoulders and hips were aligned.

“Daxx uses two katanas like we do the swords, it’s much lighter. You may want to give those a test and see.” He shrugged. “The way you moved with Victor in practice, you could be as lethal as a tornado with blades.”

I moved both hands in one direction checking the weight. My muscles were sure they didn’t like swords. “The guy—” I glanced at him, “the one I messed up, he’s lucky I didn’t drop the sword on him accidentally and do a lot more damage.”

Rafael chuckled, then reached out and took the weapon to relieve me of the weight. He turned and whistled. A guard a few feet from us turned around, then Rafael tossed the sword in the air toward him. The guard caught it. Rubbing the back of his neck, Rafael turned back and gave me a serious look. “Ira told me you spotted a few in here yesterday that were sloppy.”

“I wouldn’t say sloppy, but there was over-reaching, and you guys aren’t exactly fighting exhibition matches with wooden weapons.”

“Exactly.” He motioned to the large group. “Want to come watch and point out any that need correcting?”

I gave him a curious look. “I know you could spot them.”

He nodded. “I can, but a new perspective never hurts—” he motioned the men we were walking toward, “these are first-year recruits, so now is the time to fix all those bad habits.”

I was having a blast. New bodies, fresh minds, and a totally different style of fighting. Not like the same guys from the gym. A few times Rafael and Ira let me step into the center of the recruits and show them how to correct their stance and reach—minus the heavy sword of course. Rafael tossed me a lightweight wooden one, so I could show the recruits how easy it was to disarm someone with sloppy form.

Troy stood back and watched, not saying much. I realized it was because he was a king. If he spoke it would come across as a command.

I was standing off to the side, talking with Rafael and Ira when two of the men got a little loud. One tossed his sword a few feet away and motioned for the other to come at him. The second straightened up and, without looking, tossed his weapon—it was coming right for us. I tried to step out of the way and bumped into one of the others. It hit my thigh.

I felt the sting a second later and looked down to see blood soaking my pant leg. I sat down and pressed on it. Rafael dropped down beside me and pressed his hand against it.

There was a low growl, as Michael grabbed the man by the throat and glare at him. Ira was there and said something to Michael, who released the man with a shove and rushed over to me.

“How bad is it?” Troy was beside him.

“Pretty deep.” Rafael answered without looking away from my leg.

Michael pulled a strap off one of the cases strapped to his leg and dropped down to his knees. Wrapping it around my leg, he made a quick tourniquet. Before I could say a word, he scooped me up into his arms, like I weighed no more than a doll.

Then the cramping filled my stomach. Inhaling, I blinked to see we were in the bedroom. “Don’t be mad at him.” I said.

His eyes flicked to mine as he carried me into the bathroom and set me on the counter. “Tossing one of those weighted swords without looking could end fatally. It will be months before he touches a weapon again.”

I hissed out a breath as he ripped the pant leg open. “What-what will they do to him?”

He straightened and pulled the weapons off his back, setting them on the floor quickly. The straps that held them came next. “He’ll go back to the first day of his training and start again.”

I grabbed a towel and pressed on my leg. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”

Michael unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged out of it. “You are more forgiving then I am.”

I looked at the blood seeping through the towel. “Could be from blood loss.”

He growled softly as he undid his vest, then pulled a knife from behind his back.

I leaned my head against the mirror. “Have enough weapons on you?”

He stepped closer to rest his thighs against the counter. “Too many at the moment.” Without ceremony, he sliced into his chest and grasped the back of my head, pulling me toward the wound.

I remembered how fast he healed and wasted no time closing my mouth over it.

He inhaled sharply, and I figured it had to sting a little.

When it sealed, he leaned back and cut himself again, his red eyes locked on mine as he did.

I licked the trail of blood from his skin, then sucked on it until it closed.

His hand released my head and he stepped back, pulling my hand and the towel off my leg. Then he undid the tourniquet cautiously.

I was going to turn on the water to wash when he bent down and licked over the still tender wound. I touched his thick black hair as his tongue moved carefully over my leg. This was a new feeling, unsettling as his mouth moved on my leg. When he stood up, there was no blood gushing from my leg, it left just a faint red mark.

“It will heal further with the amount of blood I gave you.”

I looked up at him. “That’s amazing by the way. Thank you.”

“It shouldn’t have happened.” His voice was hoarse.

I studied his red eyes briefly, then looked at his mouth. “The fangs,” I looked back to his eyes, “you were going to explain them, later.” I could see the indecision on his face. “I go back tomorrow, so now is a good time.”

“I don’t want you to fight tomorrow.”

I opened my mouth to tell him I was when he gave me a look that stopped me.

“I know you have to.” He said quietly.

I nodded.

He continued to just stand there, his glowing eyes holding mine.

My heart felt like it was doing its own workout inside my chest. “The fangs?” I said in an unsteady voice.

He looked at my neck.

I held my breath.

“My kind live on more than food and water. We believe it’s what sustains our longevity…”

“If you say blood, I’m out of here.” I warned him.

His gaze moved back to my face. “Not blood.”

The breath I’d been holding whooshed out. “Then what?”

“The different colored eyes mean different feeding requirements—” he tilted his head, “except magic users who seem to be the exception.”

“So, red eyes.” I searched his as I asked.

“Essence.” He whispered.

I nodded briefly. “Which is?”

His gaze went back to my throat. “It’s best described as your life force, the invisible energy that flows through your body in your blood.”

I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat. “But you said…”

“Not blood. It’s a complicated explanation, the anatomy of our fangs—one I don’t care to go into right now.”

I nodded again. “You bite,” I looked at his mouth then back to his eyes, “you bite people to get this essence?”

“Yes.” He stood there, his chest rising and falling visibly, but that was the only movement.

“That sounds painful for the one without fangs.”

“Not if I don’t want it to be.” He licked his lips.

I caught a brief glance of his fangs; a shiver went through me.

“We can inject an agent into the person that numbs the bite, so there is no pain.” He stepped closer.

I held my breath again. I’d asked and pushed for an answer, so I couldn’t freak out about it now that he’d obliged. “So-so everyone smells like a snack to you?”

His gaze shifted to my face again, the black lashes in contrast surrounding them sent another shiver though me.

“Some do.”

I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry. “Do I?” I couldn’t look away from his gaze. “Smell like a snack?”

He reached out, moving so I would see his motions and not react on reflex. With a soft touch he ran the back of his hand down the side of my neck. “And so much more.” He whispered.

I looked up at him. “It may be the blood loss, or adrenalin, but I’m finding all of this really sexy right now.”

Michael looked at my mouth. “I know.”

“Autumn.” Daxx screamed from the room.

Michael stepped back.

Daxx came running into the bathroom. “Troy called me.” She rushed over. “Oh, shit.”

I looked down to see I still held the blood-soaked towel.

“How bad?” She looked at it then to Michael. “Did you heal it?”

Michael waved his hand down his open vest.

She nodded, then leaned down to look at it. “How the hell did this happen?”

“Carelessness of a recruit.” Michael bent down and picked up his jacket, then swords.

“Guess he’s going to be a recruit a bit longer.” She let out a loud breath and looked at me. “You good?”

I looked at Michael, meeting his blue eyes. “A little shaky.” I wasn’t sure if it was from being close to him or the blood loss.

“Get her some juice and something to eat.” Michael said in a quiet voice. “I’ll stay with her until you return.

Daxx nodded and went out the door quickly.

Stepping back over, he tucked his swords under his arm with his jacket and held out his hand. “Go slow. The muscles may take a few moments to accept your weight.”

I turned, letting my legs hang over the counter, then took his hand. Gradually I stood, checking for any pain or weakness. “I think it’s good.”

“Don’t overdo it until you’ve replaced the blood loss.” He didn’t release my hand.

When he tilted his head and looked down at me, his thick hair shifted to hang over his forehead, making his blue eyes seem brighter. With my free hand, I reached up and touched his jaw. “You being my hero is becoming a habit.”

His gaze flicked to my mouth a few times. “One I’d like not to repeat too frequently.”

Keeping the weight on my leg that hadn’t been injured, I stretched up and brushed my mouth over his. He didn’t pull away, so I did it again. He closed his eyes for a second, his breath tickling my lips, then opened them and kissed me back with a firm kiss.

Straightening, he stepped back and held our hands up. “I have to get back.” He let go of my hand slowly and stepped back again. With an abrupt nod, he spun on his heel and walked out.

Daxx came in right after he left, a bottle of juice in one hand and a plate in the other. “He’s trying to outrun his shadows.”

I shook my head. “He’s hot one second then ice the next.”

She snorted. “That’s a family trait.” She looked me up and down. “First thing, we need to get you new pants, then Crissy needs our help mapping the halls.”

I looked down at the blood covered material hanging off my leg. “I remember now why I don’t like pointy weapons.”

Daxx laughed. “They’re better then guns.”

I nodded slowly. “That’s true, even I can’t dodge a bullet.”