Page 69 of Bound to a Monster

I grab the mask, lock the door, and go after her. Fuck it, I’m not in the mood to have a confrontation, but she’s clearly been waiting for this all night. I shove the mask on as I head down the steps and find my jacket waiting for me. Carmie’s waiting at the other end of the room, sword pointed at the floor, standing loosely and ready.

I shrug on the gear. It’s like putting on shields. Just like I hide out in the real world behind my smile and my charm, I can hide here behind this mask. I’m protected when there’s distance between me and her. I don’t have to think about how it’smedoing these things. Instead, it’s the masked man, the fencer, the beast. Not Lev Federov.

“Rules this time,” she says once I’m nearly ready. “Three touches. Winner gets to speak. Loser has to stand there and shut the fuck up. Do you agree?”

“This won’t change anything.”

“Do you agree? Or are you a coward too?”

I grin viciously. I’m fucking half-hard right now. I love it when she’s aggressive and pushy. “I’m not interested in what you have to say.”

“Too bad. When I kick your ass, you’ll keep your stupid mouth shut and listen anyway. Do you agree or do I have to stab you until you do?”

I raise my sword and drop into my pathetic stance. Everything I know about fencing I learned by watching YouTube videos and sparring with her.

“I agree. And I’m going to batter you into submission.”

“Go ahead and try.”

She comes at me like a demon. I barely have time to react; when she lunges, I parry her blow and go for a quick touch on her arm. But it’s like she was anticipating that and drops her shoulder so my point misses high. Then she’s dancing backwards and I can practically feel her enormous smirk through that blank mask.

“You’re loving this,” I say, and I realize I’m loving it too.

This is the most fun I’ve had in a very long time.

“There’s nothing I enjoy more than wiping that smug smirk off your stupid face,” she says and attacks again.

I do my best to fend her off, but she’s too quick. I curse as her point hits me in the thigh and she screams with victory as she returns to her side of the basement piste.

“We both know you’re the better fencer,” I say, swishing my blade in the air, dancing between my feet. “It doesn’t change anything.”

“You’re right, it doesn’t, but you’ve been such a massive prick since I met you and it feels good to knock you down a peg.”

I decide my only chance is offense. Before she’s set, I go after her. There are no rules down here. We’re in a goddamn basement. She curses and tries to fend me off but I’m bigger and my reach is better, and I manage to score a lucky hit on her side.

“Did you ever stop to think that this is hard for me too?” I snarl at her. I’m sweating now as she bounces in place.

“That’s not a great excuse.”

“You were a surprise. I didn’t know it was going to beyouwhen you showed up that day.”

“So that’s why you treated me like dirt?”

“I wanted you,” I choke out at her.

She hesitates. I take my chance and lunge. But she dances back out of reach, parrying me, then counter-attacking. I stumble out of her range.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she snaps. “Youwantedme? This is some schoolboy shit, isn’t it? You treat the girl you have a crush on like dirt.”

“I was protecting myself. I never thought we’d end up like this. I wanted distance. I wanted safety.”

“You wanted to save your own ass at the expense of mine. Yeah, I get it.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Isn’t it though?” She comes at me. Lunge, stab, stab, attack. I block, parry, move away, then counter. She’s too quick thoughand she was waiting for that. My sword slides off hers as she flicks it sideways, a neat little turn of her wrist, and she shoots forward.

I grunt in surprise as she barrels into me. Like I said, no fucking rules. Her foil ends up pinned between us as she reaches up and knocks my mask back, then rips her own off. I stagger toward the wall, grab her by the hips and turn her, my sword hitting the floor. She’s breathing hard and glaring death at me as I hold her against the wall. Her lips are parted and, fuck, I want to bury them with mine and punish her with my tongue.

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