Page 28 of Dark Fate

Swallowing useless pride, I walk over to the nearby tree. Faderyn offers a sympathetic smile and the waterskin. The cool liquid soothes my raw throat.

"Perhaps a brief rest is warranted," he suggests gently, giving Erik a meaningful look.

Erik presses his mouth in a thin line before nodding. "Half an hour at most. We cannot satisfy weakness."

I stare dismally at the smoking cedar, my clumsy magic having shattered it to splinters yet again.

Before despair can sink its claws in, Erik steps forward. "Magic flows from the inner force of will and body," he says thoughtfully. "Trying to wield it through mental strain alone weakens your core strength." He gestures to the debris-strewn grove. "Clearly, a new approach is needed. I propose focusing instead on cultivating physical power and discipline."

I eye Erik dubiously, sweat still trickling down my back. "What, you saying I should hit the gym or something?"

Amusement glints in Erik's silver eyes. "Not exactly. I will teach you to harness strength already within you—speed, reflexes, intuition." He circles behind me, grasping my shoulders. "Magic is not the only weapon available in battle. And you, Little One, have fine instincts buried underneath civilized restraint."

I stiffen, my pulse quickening, as his words spark realization. "Wait—you want to train me to fight? Like, kick and punch and stuff?"

Erik smiles, a ghost of a fang showing. "Indeed. We shall transform fear into ferocity, chaos into control." His voice drops seductively. "Let the warrior awaken..."

A shiver races down my spine at Erik's sudden proximity. He's awakened something in me, alright, but it has little to do with combat.

Get it together, Dani! This is Rhyland's brother.

Clearing my throat harshly, I nod. "Right, sign me up for Fight Club 101. Maybe cool it on the whole 'tapping into my wild side' dirty talk there."

Erik looks vaguely confused by my flustered reaction, oblivious to the unintended innuendo. Faderyn pointedly examines tree branches overhead.

"Very well, let us begin lesson one—evasion," Erik says neutrally.

In a blur, his arm slices toward my skull. I jerk back instinctively, heart lurching. His palm halts inches from my nose, hung in grim promise. Message received, loud and clear.

Laughing without mirth, I force bravado to smother unease. "Geez, I guess chivalry really is dead. What happened to buying a girl dinner first before getting violent?"

Erik remains unmoved by my quips, circling with a predatory focus. "A true battle does not wait upon courtesies. Now, evade me."

He lunges again without warning. I skip left, startled by his suddenness. His fist grazes my shoulder on the second swing, making me hiss. Maybe taunting an elite vampire warrior isn't my most brilliant idea.

"Faster, Dani!" He orders, allowing me no time to breathe between strikes. I'm functioning on pure adrenaline now, ducking and dodging each narrow blow.

Shit! He's fast.

"Remember, you are smaller and quicker," Erik instructs, not winded in the least by our deadly dance. "Use precision and cunning to defeat strength."

As his palm nearly clips my ear, panic wars with determination. Adrenaline courses wildly as I avoid another of Erik's strikes. Suddenly, everything shifts—Erik's movements turn sluggish, his fist crawling through the air as if suspended in honey. A hum resonates from the top of my head. Without thinking, I slide right, watching his strained reactions lagging.

What the hell?

Time is stretching and yawning like it just rolled out of bed, and poor Erik is stuck in slow-mo. I'm spotting gaps before he's even thinking about moving, my reflexes zapping to life faster than my brain can keep up. Talk about hitting the fast-forward button—I'm suddenly in cheetah mode!

The tingling from my scalp continues as a quick side-eye, and I catch Faderyn. His eyes nearly bug out as I sidestep Erik's punches like I'm in fast-forward. Well, isn't that a 'stop and stare' moment? Apparently, I'm not your average dance partner.

File that away for later, Dani...

The world remains slowed; my motions are fluid and whip-fast. I'm landing three hits in the time it takes Erik to throw one. Out of nowhere, a barrage of combat techniques starts streaming into my mind at lightning-fast speed, downloading faster than I can grasp them. It's like my brain has suddenly become a sponge for martial prowess, soaking up every punch, kick, and parry in a rapid-fire montage of warrior wisdom. An experimental swipe sends Erik sprawling, surprise painted across his features.

As he climbs to his feet, I can't resist a cocky barb. "What's wrong, old man? Napoleon wear you out back in the day?"

Erik bares his fangs in a fearsome grin. "The cub has claws yet! Now, the true lesson begins."

He launches himself forward. I pivot right but misjudge his more extended reach. Erik's foot entangles my leg and then yanks hard. The ground rushes to meet me in a bone-jarring thud. All air explodes from my lungs.

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