Page 46 of Hot for the Dragon

She summoned vines from the ground, trying to wrap them around his legs. He easily broke free and huffed what seemed like a dragon's version of laughter.

"This isn't funny!" Daphne sent more plants his way, but they were too weak, too easily brushed aside. After fifteen minutes of failed attempts, frustration bubbled up inside her. "I can't do this!"

Archer shifted back, his expression stern. "You're holding back. Stop thinking like a florist and start thinking like someone who needs to survive." He stepped closer, his voice dropping. "Picture Ned coming at you again. Remember how that felt."

The memory of last night flashed through her mind - the fear, the helplessness. Her jaw clenched.

"Channel that," Archer continued. "Get creative. Get angry. Plants aren't just pretty - they can strangle, poison, trap." He transformed again, this time lunging toward her.

Daphne's instincts kicked in. She called forth thick, thorny vines that shot up from multiple directions, weaving together in a net pattern. Oak branches erupted from the ground, forming a cage. Poison ivy snaked around his wings.

To her shock, Archer actually struggled against the bonds. His tail thrashed, but the plants held firm. After a moment, he stilled, and she could have sworn his dragon eyes looked impressed.

He shifted back, still partially tangled. "Now that's more like it."

"Really?" Daphne couldn't help but beam.

"Don't get cocky. We're just getting started." But there was pride in his voice as he freed himself from the last of her vines. "Again. This time, I won't go so easy on you."

Daphne wiped sweat from her brow as Archer shifted back into his dragon form. His massive, red-scaled body gleamed in the morning light, and she couldn't help but admire how graceful he looked despite his size. She shook off the distracting thought as he crouched, ready to spring.

This time when he lunged, she was ready. Thick brambles shot up in a defensive wall while she rolled to the side. His tail swept toward her legs, but she caught it with a tangle of kudzu vines. The plant's rapid growth nearly trapped his whole lower body before he broke free with a powerful snap of his muscles.

Her heart raced with exhilaration rather than fear now. She was getting better at this, learning to think three moves ahead. When he dove at her from above, she created a canopy of interlocked branches that forced him to veer off course.

His eyes glinted with what she hoped was approval as he circled her. The next attack came faster - a blast of heat that singed the grass near her feet. Daphne yelped but managed to raise a thick wall of water-heavy plants that absorbed most of the heat.

"Ha!" she called out. "Didn't expect that, did you?"

His answering rumble sounded suspiciously like a chuckle. He landed and shifted back to human form, running a hand through his disheveled auburn hair. "Not bad. You're starting to think like a fighter instead of a gardener."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Daphne dropped onto a patch of soft grass she'd grown, catching her breath. "Though I have to say, you're a surprisingly good teacher. Patient, even."

"Don't sound so shocked." He sat beside her, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from him. "I can be patient when it matters."

"When it matters?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You matter." He revealed, looking away. "I mean, your safety matters. Can't have you getting grabbed by Ned again."

Daphne felt warmth spread through her chest. "Well, thank you. I actually feel like I could handle myself now. At least long enough to get help or escape."

"That's the point. Though hopefully you won't need to test it." He stood and offered her his hand. "Ready for some hand-to-hand combat training?"

She took his hand, trying to ignore how right it felt in hers. "Bring it on."

Daphne watched as Archer demonstrated a combination punch, his movements fluid and precise. The morning sun highlighted the defined muscles of his arms as he moved, and she forced herself to focus on the technique rather than his physique.

"Like this?" She mimicked his movements, throwing a jab followed by a cross.

"Better than I expected." His dark eyes sparked with approval. "Your form is natural. Try it again, but this time pivot your back foot more."

She repeated the combination, satisfaction flooding through her as her fist cut through the air with more power.

"Perfect." Archer's praise sent an unexpected thrill through her. "Now let's add a hook to that sequence."

He positioned himself behind her, his chest barely brushing her back as he guided her arm through the motion. His proximity made her pulse quicken, and she caught a hint of his cedar and smoke scent that was uniquely him.

"You're picking this up fast," he murmured near her ear. "Most people take days to get these combinations right."

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