Page 2

One half of his lip turned up.

My insides curdled into ice. I spun, lined up with the target and sent the blade end over end toward the target where, finally, it just nicked the bullseye center.

“You’re kind of a cliché, you know that.”

I let out a groan of frustration and turned on my heels toward Felix and his superior words. “Why is that?”

He snickered, then gestured toward me and the target. “Using training to get your frustration out? Like, everybody does that.”

I turned away from him and casually walked to the target, just using normal human speed to put as much distance between us for as long as possible. “I train during many moods, Felix,” I called back over my shoulder. “Frustration just happens to be one of them.”

“But you do come down here when you’re frustrated, right?” he asked. His voice was much closer. He was suddenly in front of the target right where I went to reach to pull the hilt of the blade out of the target. “Especially on your own.”

“Everyone else was sleeping.”

He pulled the curved blade out of the target. Then, he switched grip and handed it to me hilt first. “Not me.”

I tried not to show the frustration now riddling my veins. What was his point? I didn’t know he was up.

He smirked when I didn’t immediately comprehend. “Why not get your anger out on an actual, physical body? I’m here. You might as well use me.”

I eyed him up and down.

“I meant in a sparring partner kind of way. Nothing else.”

Ugh, I groaned inwardly. I hadn’t even thought he meant the other way, but nowthatwas firmly stuck in my head. I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them again. “You want to train with me?”

He nodded, his shoulders rising minutely as if it was just an offer I could take or leave.

“Alright.” I flipped the blade once, caught it by the hilt again and sliced it into the target. All using my left hand. Turning away from him once more, I made my way to the mats. It had been a long time since I sparred with anyone—in training—who wasn’t Alexei or a member of my family. The last time had been when I was a student here at The Fort.

Like Felix and I had done just two nights ago, we lined up facing one another, each dropping into our fighting stances. He smiled. “I’ll just try to evade for now. Get me if you can.”

That sounded like a challenge to me. I moved forward, throwing a punch, meant as a fake, then dropped down to sweep his legs out.

It didn’t work though. He stepped out of reach of the punch and jumped in time to miss my kick.

“Again,” he said.

The hair stood on my neck and I let my body fill with the previous anger at not knowing what was going on at The Fort right now. I had a leg up on everyone with my supposed extra sense and still, I didn’t know more than anyone else. Why couldn’t I control this damn vision thing?

I kicked out, switched my stance, then kicked out again with the opposite leg. I knew I wouldn’t hit him. It was just a way to bridge the gap to get into his personal space. I pretended to punch, but then lowered my shoulder and tried to go for the takedown. Unfortunately for me, he sprawled, landing on me like a ton of bricks. The air whooshed from my lungs, but I didn’t let him know that. I used my hands and feet to spiral out from under him and grab his leg, bringing it up until he lost his balance.

He nodded, conceding the fact I would’ve taken him down if I kept going. “Again.”

We drew apart once more, circling one another. I watched his hands and his feet, trying to get a feel for how he fought. We’d already sparred briefly before, but that was for show. He had skills that much I knew. He was fast and a decent swimmer. He had weapons skills as well. I didn’t know what I was expecting. From all the talk my mother and fathers gave, I guess I expected Felix to come in with no prep, just using his station to live off of. It was a good thing he was well trained. It meant his clan had learned something from all those years ago.

“Get out of your head,” Felix barked. “I thought that’s what this was for. Stop thinking. Come on, come at me.”

I sprang at him again, but it was without a plan and only at his taunting. He easily stopped my efforts and sent me back to the start.

“What’s going on in that head, Princess? Why is everything bothering you so much?”

He didn’t ask out of curiosity though. He practically growled the words out at me. He was trying to get under my skin.

I fell to one hand and kicked out, watching as he moved back as I expected. Then I rolled forward, letting my vampire abilities kick in. When I stood, I brought my foot up into a sweeping kick that nicked his chin.

His lips thinned, and he nodded, acknowledging the hit. “Good one. Again.”