Page 17 of Destined to Fight

“Good night, Asta.” He couldn’t help but smile. It was nice to make his people happy.

“Good night, sir,” she said with a squeal.

With everything lined up for the evening, Kade felt like he could get a bit of sleep. Vampires did not require much, just a few hours per day, but Kade tended to need more time in his day, and he’d push it until a day came along with a few extra hours for him to catch up. Today would be that day.

“Asmund,”—Kade spoke normally to him, knowing he could hear everything that happened inside the suite even with the door closed—“I’m turning in for the day. Feel free to come in and relax.”

The door opened and Asmund stepped inside, locking it behind him. “Thank you, sir.”

“This sir shit is going to get old,” he grumbled to no one in particular.

“It does come with the job, you know.” Asmund answered. He tended to enjoy poking at Kade from time to time.

“Aye, I ken. Six months and I still dinnae like it.”

“Your father did not appreciate it either, at first. The title is an honor. You will get used to it with time.”

“Thank ye. Enjoy yer day.” Kade nodded to him and went to the bedroom as Asmund settled on the couch and turned on the TV.

Clyde galloped into the room behind him and quickly made himself at home on the bed. Kade shut the door and lay down next to the cat. He grabbed a pillow and hugged it to himself, only to have Kelly’s scent hit him like a ton of bricks. His smarter side told him to throw the pillow to the floor, but his weaker half had him hugging it a bit more, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep with the thought of her tucked safely in his arms.

8

Air rushed from Kelly’s lungs in a hiss as she landed flat on her back, and she struggled for her next breath while her lungs reset themselves. Thankfully, no one walked over to check on her. The last thing she wanted was pity because she’d suddenly lost her flair on the course.

Pulling her knees up, she wrapped her arms around them and used the momentum of her legs to rock forward. The quick movement made her dizzy, and she laid her forehead on her knees, breathing deeply to center herself.

When her body told her it was okay, Kelly stood slowly and made her way to the locker rooms to change. Maybe the hit to her head last night was messing with her. Even if it wasn’t, she knew to quit when things weren’t going well. Pushing it could lead to injuries, and that was the last thing she needed right now.

It felt weird not to have to shower in the locker room, but she had to admit that it was nice. She and Fabian were going back to the hotel so she could clean up before they went to eat, and then she’d be able to write her blog back at the hotel using their internet. Not even twenty-four hours in the hotel room, and the comforts of a normal life were starting to be enticing.

Kelly opened her locker and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from her body, pressing it to her face and breathing in the smell of nice detergent.

“Hey there, doing all right tonight?” A voice came from behind her.

She didn’t answer, thinking other women were talking to each other.

A light hand landed on her shoulder. “Hey, are you okay?”

Kelly jumped and whirled around, getting dizzy again. She reached a hand out to steady herself and ended up grabbing the other woman’s arm, which was strangely cold.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry!” she said, quickly removing her hand from the woman, “I’m not a hundred percent tonight, forgive me.”

“Quite all right, hun, it’s no problem at all,” the woman responded in a thick Texas accent. “I saw you take a fall out there and wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

She stared into Kelly’s eyes then, as if she was trying to see behind them. “Why don’t you come with me? I can help.”

It felt as if a fog was trying to overtake Kelly’s mind, slowly slipping in and taking control. She closed her eyes and focused on breathing, concentrating on the air entering her lungs. Her hands turned to fists, and she somehow willed the fog away.

Opening her eyes, she looked at the woman again and tried to clear the confusion in her head. “I seem to be apologizing a lot tonight. I don’t know what came over me. I appreciate your offer, but I’m fine, thank you. I’m just going to go home and rest.”

The woman looked at her again with black eyes, even adjusting the angle of her head so she was looking straight into Kelly’s eyes. “I really do insist.”

What was it with Southern women and their overbearing charm? “Really, I’m good, thanks.”

The woman grabbed her arm with a cold hand and started to move toward the back of the locker room, showing more strength than Kelly expected from another woman, even in this gym.

“Hey! I said I’m good, so fuck off!”

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