Page 143 of Smoke and Lure

Minsi grunted, and her body bowed as she stumbled back a few steps.Her eyes widened in shock, but then her face twisted with rage.

Not waiting for Minsi to charge, Morlie acted fast, trying to keep the upper hand as long as possible.She shifted her weight, spun, and landed a second kick to the other side.

This time, Minsi was ready for her.Even as the other woman winced in pain, she grabbed Morlie’s foot and swung using Morlie’s momentum to send Morlie flying back.

Morlie lost her balance and landed on her ass in the dirt, but recovered quickly and readied herself for Minsi.She didn’t have to wait long.Minsi swung, and Morlie rotated her torso and rolled her upper body forward and to the side as she blocked her face, catching the punch on her shoulder.

The hard strike smarted and sent needles of pain down Morlie's arm into her hand.

Gritting her teeth, Morlie forced herself to focus on her opponent, not the pain.

When Minsi jabbed out with her other fist, Morlie countered by striking the back of Minsi’s wrist with one hand and catching it with her other.Morlie jerked Minsi forward and wrapped her arm around the other female’s throat.She slammed Minsi’s back against her chest, flexing the muscles in her arm, and she squeezed tight even though Minsi had the advantage of a few inches of height on her.

Minsi could be easily overpowered with the move.

However, with quick reaction and a skill honed through years of fighting, Minsi grabbed Morlie by the bicep and forearm, digging her nails in deep as she bent forward quick and flipped Morlie up and over her back.

Whoosh.Morlie's breath burst out of her lungs as her back made impact with the hard-packed ground.

Shit.She blinked away a few stars that flashed in her vision.

She scrambled back and got up on her feet as Minsi came charging at her, her ink-black hair, a river of color floating behind her.

Minsi punched her in the front of her thigh, causing the muscle there to cramp and spasm and Morlie’s knee to buckle, causing her upper body to list to one side and giving Minsi the opening to kick her along the opposite flank.

Pain exploded in Morlie’s side and kidney area.

The crowd roared.

It was a sea of background noise Morlie had to zone out.She couldn’t think about whether the Lupine gathered were on her side or Minsi’s.Morlie knew she had to keep her focus on the person before her.If she allowed herself to be distracted for a single moment, Minsi would go in for the kill.

The other she-wolf kicked again, but Morlie stepped back and dodged the strike.

Minsi pivoted then kicked high with a roundhouse aimed at Morlie’s head.

Shuffling back again to ensure Minsi didn’t take off her head, Morlie grabbed Minsi’s ankle, hauled the other female forward, and struck out at the outside of Minsi’s knee.

“Aw.Fuck!”Minsi hissed.She limped a little but remained on her feet and threw out punch after punch.

Morlie blocked some and knocked others away as they circled each other.She knew Minsi was swinging out at her from fury.The other she-wolf must have expected Morlie to be an easy mark—not a real threat.

But, Morlie wasn’t and it was evident the knowledge pissed Minsi off.

Morlie wanted to smile.But didn’t.

She could see the flashes of amber in Minsi’s gaze.The other female wanted to shift.

Morlie swung out, miscalculating, and Minsi ducked and punched her in the section of the ribs Morlie stupidly left open.Then Minsi hit her in the face.

Oh, hell.Shit that hurt.

Stunned, Morlie swung out blindly, only to have Minsi grab her and kick her in the shoulder, trying to take her down.

However, Morlie kept her shit together and forced her mind to work through the pain so when Minsi leaned into the back of her neck and wrapped her arm around Morlie’s throat, Morlie bent her knees quick and sprang back up.Morlie grunted as she lifted Minsi from the ground and somersaulted her over her shoulder.

Minsi hit hard.

She followed her down, straddling Minsi’s upper body and started throwing a barrage of punches at the other female’s face, chest, head wherever she could strike.

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