Page 25 of Those That Are Lost (Hidden Vampires #2)

Once we are very thoroughly warmed up and have practiced some harder manoeuvres, Rune breaks us into two groups and splits the training area in half so we can take it in turns to do some combat sparring.

He puts all three of us vampires with some of the more experienced wolves before leaving us to it so he can go coach the younger and less experienced ones on the other side of the pitch.

“Alright, who wants to challenge me first?” Eetu calls, stepping into the middle of our makeshift ring and clapping his hands together.

“I will.” Altair, one of Joey’s mates, bounds into the ring as the rest of us spread out around the edge.

The two males circle each other before Eetu strikes first. Their movements after that are quick and precise, although made to pin their opponent rather than harm.

At first it seems Altair might be winning but as Eetu is forced to the ground, he shifts.

A beautiful steel grey wolf leaps out of Altair’s grasp and bounds away.

Altair growls before shifting himself and the pair continue their fight, shifting in and out of wolf form to take the advantage. It's breathtaking to watch.

After a few minutes more, Altair does get Eetu to the ground long enough to declare victory.

Helping his father-in-law up, he shouts over to the group of us watching. “Who’s next?”

Guess we are playing the winner in this bout of practice.

“I’m game,” Henry calls out from beside me. He takes a step forward but then pauses, still quite a distance from where Altair has moved back into the middle of the ring.

Eetu joins us in his wolf form and sits down on his haunches, panting but not looking hurt in the slightest.

Henry waits a couple of seconds, strolling round the edge of the area before he strikes with the full speed of a vampire.

Altair barely has a second to move but he leaps, shifting mid-air, to avoid Henry’s lunge and barks a laugh as Henry eats dirt. He bounces round the ring as Henry rolls to get up.

“He really should’ve seen that coming,” Ty chortles beside me.

I flick my eyes to him in question.

“Wolves are slower than us but not by much, and they’re slippery fuckers in their wolf form. They’re basically like cats, can twist themselves into pretzels, and move like fluid when they want to.”

“Oi,” Ash exclaims from the other side of Ty. “We are not cats.”

“I said like cats,” Ty deadpans.

“Still. Less of the insults please.” I chuckle as the wolf pouts at Ty.

“Sorry, I forgot how sensitive you are.” Ty retorts, but there’s only playfulness in his tone.

Our focus is quickly brought back to the two males currently going at it in front of us. Henry has got Altair pinned in his wolf form, legs caught underneath himself, Henry’s weight on his back.

We hear Henry count to three and declare victory.

Altair shifts as Henry stands. The two shake hands before Altair returns to the group.

“I’m up next,” Ty calls before anyone even gets a chance, the shit eating grin on Ty’s face tells me this is going to be a different kind of fight. Henry’s matching one confirms it.

Both male vampires drop into a fighting pose as they stalk the other around the ring. Even from my position on the side, I can see both their fangs have extended.

What starts off incredibly slow is soon almost too quick to follow. Henry and Ty move about the space in a blur of inexplicable accuracy. It looks like a choreographed dance. I find my breath hitching as each one takes the advantage and loses it again. It's positively mesmerising.

And I would be lying if I said it wasn’t heating my blood a little. I focus on Ty as he moves poetically through each offense and rebound. He said the wolves move like water but he moves with the force of a rising tide.

They shift through very clear patterns of combat.

There’s a couple of points where I see Henry stumble on his prosthetic but Ty backs off on these and they repeat the move.

I admire the way he’s coaching Henry until he finds his balance and it’s only when they both land the routine do they pursue the win.

Eventually, Ty does get Henry to the floor and claims the victory. The wolves erupt in applause, some of them howling even though they’re in human form.

Out of breath and sweating hard, both males give a little bow and break into laughter, clapping each other on the back as they head over to us.

“Alright, who’s next?” Eetu shouts over the chatter. Several jump at the chance to go up against Ty.

“Red. She’s next.” Ty looks at me, eyes glinting with adrenaline fuelled challenge.

I swallow under the heat of his gaze. We’ve not done this in months. And it used to get heated between us when we did, with one or both of us getting the other off in the showers afterwards.

Summoning some bravado, I step into the makeshift ring. “Come on then, I’ll give you a real challenge.”

The wolves break into a chorus of “ooo’s” and gasps. I give Henry a quick grin as he passes me.

Ty’s face breaks into a feral smirk, and he rubs the stubble coating his jaw. “Always so confident, Red. Yet, I remember you were the one who spent most of the time on their back in our previous bouts.”

My eyes widen a little as my cheeks flush. He did not just say that. I extend my fangs and stride a little closer. Two can play this game.

“I wasn’t fully turned for most of them,” I retort, keeping my voice at a normal volume so the crowd behind will hear. But I drop it to add for Ty’s ears only, “And I always ended up with you where I wanted you, right between my thighs.”

It has the desired effect as he groans, spinning in place as I keep walking.

In a purposeful move, I continue striding across the field like I’m on a morning stroll, my back to the predator behind me. But I’m prepared. As soon as I hear him close in, I turn and attack.