so you can strike back through it. If you can learn to do that, then there will be no more beatings that you have to protect yourself from anymore, because you’ll be the lethal one doling them out.”
I shake away the echoes of Talon’s voice in my mind and the pain that bubbles to the surface of my soul with it and snap back into the here and now.
“Killer, we told you before that none of us will physically hurt you in a fight. It’s not about you; we wouldn’t do that to each other either. Because just like Bastien said, it’s not necessary,” Knox argues.
“It will make you better fighters. All of us need to be the best we possibly can be. What don’t you get about that?” I throw my arms out in frustration. “We have just a couple more hours of daylight, and you are wasting time. Let’s go!” I clap my hands together like some kind of sports coach, but none of them break away ready for action.
“Squeaks, we know you pushed hard before. You were alone, and you did what you had to do, but you’re not alone anymore; you have all of us now.”
“Yeah, that’s all fine and dandy until they wait for us not to be together to attack. Sabin and I were just grabbing supplies when those shifters came after us. I tried to do what I could, but there was just one of me. You all need to be able to do what I can do, and that includes fighting through pain and following through on all your hits in training. We can get healed; it’s not like we’re inflicting legitimate mortal wounds or something,” I argue, and I wince at the panic I can hear in my voice.
Sabin separates from the group and walks toward the house we’re staying in. I don’t catch a glimpse of his face, so I can’t tell if he’s pissed, irritated, or just has to pee.
“Vinna, you know what sticklers we are about training,” Kallan tells me, motioning to Enoch and Nash. “And how important the three of us think it is that you get as caught up as you can when it comes to your abilities.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ryker demands. “You three aren’t the only ones who care about her training.”
“Could have fooled me,” Nash mumbles, but it’s just loud enough that everyone hears it.
“We are her Chosen. We care about her more than anyone or anything on this planet,” Knox snarls as he takes a menacing step closer to Nash.
Valen shoots a hand out to keep Knox from charging, and I throw my head back in irritation that these fuckers are arguing again. Sabin rounds the corner from the front of the house, carrying what looks like a blanket, and makes his way back to where we’re all standing. Their yelling is getting louder, their insults sharper as these fuckers face off again. Sabin walks toward the churning display of testosterone, but instead of jumping in the middle of it to help break it up, he just bypasses it, grabs my hand, and starts pulling me toward the trees.
“Um…what are you doing?” I ask confused, but not at all upset at being pulled away from these boys and their fucking drama. We’ve been here almost two weeks now, and not a day goes by where they’re not sniping at each other about something.
“We’re going to find a good spot in the woods, lay this blanket down, and then we’re going to fuck,” Sabin announces.
My head snaps to him, but he’s tracing a path through the trees with his eyes and not looking at me. Holy shit. A flash of heat sparks through me, pooling at the apex of my thighs, and I quickly recall the few times Sabin’s even kissed me.
“Why now?” I ask, not sure what the sudden rush is, not that I’m complaining, but I just figured he’d be the last and hardest to coax into this.
“Because you’re right. Well, partially right anyway. I agree with Bastien that we don’t have to stab each other to be the best possible fighters we can be. But I do agree that our enemies aren’t going to come when we’re at our strongest. They’ll try to pick us off or come for the weak links.”
Leaves crunch under our feet as we weave through the trees, and Sabin holds my hand firmly in his as he leads us further away from the houses.
“That