Page 79 of Untraced Magic
Morgan nodded, listening, but she remained silent.
It was the longest sentence I’d ever heard come from his mouth.
Colt circled us as he spoke, his presence a natural energy that I could only imagine came from an earth mage.
He was always calm and collected, had been for as long as I’d known him, and that was a long time. Having grown up in the same town, our parents were good friends. It took a lot to ruffle his feathers so to speak, and even more to piss him off.
He came closer, throwing an unexpected hook to my side that I swiftly blocked. I grinned at him, knowing he wasn’t expecting my reaction, but he’d trained me well.
“Rule number three,” he said, turning his attention back to Morgan, who appeared to be quite enjoying the entertainment, “think ahead. Whatever the situation, you need to be on your toes, gauging what their next move will be.”
He swiftly threw his other arm up about to connect with my chest, and I fended him off again.
He nodded in approval. “Whether that be in combat or not,” he added.
“I thought you were going to teach me to fight?” Morgan said, her brows creasing together, arms folding across her chest.
Colt squared his shoulders, his hands dropping to his sides. “We will. But these are the foundations of self-defense. The basics.”
She dipped her head to the side in agreement.
“Ty… you know the next one,” Colt said, looking at me. He took a few steps back, giving us some space.
“Rule number four,” I said, moving closer to her, slowly.Deliberately.
I let the dominant side of me pulse through my every vein, and I knew she could sense it rippling off me, but I needed her to feel it, right down into her marrow.
It wasn’t something I did often, not without intention. But I needed to show her this.
I moved closer again. “Never show weakness. Ever.”
Morgan watched my every move, her doe eyes a brutal shade of earth as they studied me with interest.
“No matter what the situation. To showyourweakness gives them the upper hand.”
She stared me down, unblinking, and fuck it took all of my control to rein myself in. To remind myself we had company. That I couldn’t have her screaming my name right here and now.
“Show me confidence. No weakness,” I ordered, and her pupils blew out.
She liked that.
Morgan straightened, her chin tilting ever so slightly with a confidence I needed from her. I remembered the last time she’d done that, backed into the wall that night in the alley, before our first kiss. The memory alone made my dick ache.
I nodded. “Good. Now, if it comes down to combat, you must be ready to move quickly. If you bend your knees slightly, this will help you balance.”
She shifted, following my order. “Like this?”
“Yes, like that. Now, lift your hands up here.” I lifted mine into the defense position in front of me.
She followed my instructions, and damn if she didn’t look hot as hell like this.
“Now what?” she said, a slight pull on the side of her lips.
“Hit him,” Colt ordered.
I could see him out of the corner of my eye slowly pacing the room.
Without warning, she flew at me with an outstretched arm, and I ducked away, grabbing it in my hand.
