how much he didn’t like my hugging Bennett. He was masking his emotions well, but the clench of his jaw and the scowl in his eyes gave it away. Of course, he had nothing to worry about in that area, Bennett and I were just friends, but I couldn’t help but enjoy how jealous he was. What girl didn’t want her man wanting her all to himself?
“As you can see we have one member of Bennett’s old team training several of the guard in each group. We’re hoping they can share their new skills and train our soldiers. Many of the guard, with the exception of the most advanced members, are trained primarily on defensive maneuvers,” Eli stated. His arms were still folded across his chest, making him appear like a colossus but there was a slight twinkle in his dark eyes that I had thought I caught when I saw him eyeing those around us. Like most vampires he was a brick wall, not a single drop of emotion breaking through, but I didn’t need to sense his emotions to see how proud he was. We might be preparing for war, training to battle our most deadly enemy, but we definitely weren’t going to go down without a fight. From what I had read in the library, the vampires never even saw Baal coming when he made his first assault, which was why he’d nearly destroyed us. My ancestors never expected their own kind to turn on them. They were wrong.
“How many guards are going to be in the King’s Snake?” I asked curiously as I eyed two female vampires sparring with each other using daggers. Their movements were so fluid it was almost as if they were fighting their mirror images. One of them had her hair braided in a long, black ponytail, while the other had a sleek, blonde bun atop her head. The clang of their blades rang through the night with each strike, matching only the sound of their cries as they exhaled with the extreme effort of their movements. They were utterly inspiring, and I hoped that one day I could fight like them. In my eyes they were more than two vampires, they were warriors.
“We have twelve currently, but with more training we will have more. Eli is hand picking them himself,” Bennett gestured to Eli who was standing behind us, scrutinizing a group of three vampires brawling. “Kyri was actually one of the first to be accepted.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yeah, I mean there was no way Eli could say no to her. She practically demanded he let her in.”
“I hope she’s as good as she thinks she is,” Arrick commented. His words would have sounded condescending if it weren’t for his sincere tone. He didn’t doubt her abilities, but he knew how important that special force was. If our worst fears were realized, they’d be all that stood between Baal and my family.
“She’s better. Trust me,” Bennett answered back, confidently. “Plus, it’s in her blood. Literally.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Kyri is Eli’s daughter,” Bennett replied as if it was common knowledge.
I was shocked at first, but then I realized how much sense it made. She had his fierce countenance that demanded respect from those around her, the same challenging tone, and the same powerful aura about her.
“Well, if she’s half as tough as Eli, then I know we will be in good hands,” I commented, glancing back at the sparring mat where Kyri was exchanging blows. Her opponent had landed a lucky strike to the side of her head, but she retaliated by doing a roundhouse kick, knocking them to the ground. I watched as the vampire rolled over onto his knees, shaking his head before spitting crimson blood onto the pavement. Little Kyri packed a lot of power. That kick to the head definitely rattled that vampire’s nervous system.
As I made my way farther down the line of clashing vampires and guards, my eyes fell across a sight that brought a squeal of joy ringing out of me. Of their own accord, my arms flung into the air to wave at Robin and Dmitry who were standing on the very last mat. I dashed over to them, Arrick in tow, with a cheesy grin on my face. Seeing them training with everyone else made me immensely happy. Not only was it good to know they’d have my back, but it was also good to know they’d be well trained in defending