Chapter 14

 

When I stepped into the practice room that looked was more the size of a coliseum, I stood there trying to take it all in. This is what heaven looked like to me. It was a gym, with all the usual equipment in it, large mats and all the necessary items. Except the wall on the far side was medieval meets guns and ammo—all types of weapons hung on it.

Chase brushed past me, chuckling and headed over to the wall. When he reached it, he looked back and studied me. Turning, he moved past the guns and went to the wall with blades, knives and batons hanging on it. Picking up a long thin sword, he turned and looked me up and down again and then shook his head and placed it back in the holder. Moving his hand over the wall as if the right weapon would speak to him, he paused with his hand over what looked like a police baton. Grinning at me over his shoulder he pulled it down and turned to watch me walk toward him. He waved it around, spinning it and showing it off. I shrugged; having one like it at home it was at least familiar to me. When he bent the handle, a four-inch blade popped out the end and I know my jaw hit the floor.

Wiping the imaginary drool off my chin, I held my hand out like a child would in a toy store, wanting to touch it. Retracting the blade, he tossed it to me while I was still five feet away. I caught it with ease and turned it over in my hands. The total length when held by the small handle to the side was no longer than my forearm. Reaching behind me, I measured it against the length of my spine. It was perfect.

Leone and Rafael were standing a few feet away giving me an odd look. I grinned. “It will fit the strap I have a home for my wand.” I said excitedly.

Quinton came over and looked down at me, an odd look on his face. “You have your own tonfa and carry strap at home?”

I nodded, still excited.

Shaking his head, he started to move to the wall. “Maybe you should be guarding us.”

Troy tossed his jacket to the side and rolled his shoulders. “I’d ask if we’re doing this in some sort of organized fashion, but I think I’d be wasting my breath.”

Chase picked up a Bo that had to be six feet long. He grinned at me and then sent his twin a serious look. “Maybe you should let our Huntress know we heal quickly? Wouldn’t want her to hold back or anything.”

I snorted, with their size I wouldn’t be holding back anything.

Quinton came over and flipped the knife out of the holder at his side and held it out to Chase. “Why don’t you show her?”

Chase shrugged and took the knife from him. Winking at me, he slid the blade along his forearm, leaving behind a bloody red mark. Tossing the knife back to Quinton, he held his arm up. I stood there, mouth probably hanging open and watched the slice fade away.

“That’s handy,” I said with quiet awe.

“It is.” Chase agreed as he shrugged out of the vest he was wearing.

“No one uses a blade with Daxx.” Quinton said in a loud voice. Turning to me he grinned. “Feel free to use yours, little Queen.”

I bared my teeth at him for calling me that again and turned to watch the brothers walk out into the middle of the room. Quinton stayed beside me. I looked up at him. “Aren’t you going?”

He shook his head. “They won’t spar full out with me.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t heal like that anymore.” I couldn’t miss the sad note in his voice and for some reason I didn’t think it was caused by the healing part.

Jabbing him with the end of my wand, I grinned at him. “I have no problem kicking your ass, Quinton.”

His brown eyes searched mine for a second before he grinned. Undoing the sheath for his knife, he tossed it to the floor and reached around behind me and grabbed a thick wooden sword. The thing had to be wider than my arm around and at least the length of my legs. Motioning to the floor, he waited for me to lead the way.

I glanced around at the other men ducking and lunging at each other and decided this wasn’t such a bad thing. Fighting was something I could do all day. When you grow up doing something to stay alive, it becomes second nature. When I was sure we were far enough away from the others, I turned and looked up at him. Tossing the wand to my left hand, I reached around and touched my raptor, just to make sure it was right where it should be in case I needed it. Widening my stance, he still stood there. “Make a move, big guy.”

He took a deep breath, hesitating and my patience left as he exhaled. Shaking my head, I lunged forward and hooked his ankle with the handle on the wand and pulled hard, diving out of the way when he hit the mat.

In a real fight, I would have been all over him like paint on the wall, but this was sparing and pummeling your practice partner to a pulp was frowned on, no matter what realm you’re in.

Quinton got up and rolled his shoulders, the hesitation in his eyes was now replaced with a glint that said he was over his fear of fighting me. He crouched down and swung the wooden sword up into a ready position.

Batting my eyelashes at him, I motioned with my free hand for his to come at me. With a big grin, he did just that. I blocked the sword with the wand, and rolled to the other side but before I could hook him again, he turned and was facing me with a look that said he wasn’t going to fall for any repeat performance.