Inner Predator: Unleashed

Chapter 25

Hey lovely people! Since Chapter 24 was kind of short. And considering some of you expressed a bit of anger for doing what I did in that chapter... I decided to post Chapter 25 early! Besides, I finished it and liked it enough that I wanted to share ASAP. I hope you all enjoy! - This is really a rough draft, so I'm sorry for the mistakes you may see that I missed.

Chapter 25

 

Beckett's body slams to the mat with a loud thump followed quickly by the sound of his deep groan. I bring a knee down into his side and hammer my right fist into his cheek. His head snaps to the side with the force of my punch and blood pools in his mouth, dripping onto the ground. Knowing he's down for the count, I step back and stare down at Beckett, waiting for him to get up. But I don't smile or do the dance at my victory over the well-trained soldier.

"Damn," he says with a chuckle as he stands from the mat. "Could've warned a guy."

"Sorry," I say with a shrug. I'm not really sorry at all considering he told me not to hold back and I've needed to really hit something — someone — for about four days now.

"I take it Chase hasn't remembered anything," he says.

No. He hasn't. Chase has not remembered one moment. But he has caught up quickly. At least, he has on the war-like events that have occurred in the last year. Chase, who is his old human-hating self, is in support of this war and has been in the gym training for the next battle every day since he woke up.

He's intelligent and understands there's a large gap in his memory. He also knows that a human is to blame for said gap. But nothing about him believes that he and I are together. I haven't even bothered to try to tell him we are... were... planning on spending our lives together. But I am glad no one else knew about it. I can barely handle the pitying looks I get from everyone and if they knew more. I can't imagine how much worse it would be.

"If you want a real challenge," a deep voice drawls from behind me. "You should fight someone with skill."

My frown almost turns to a smile. Almost. Leave it to Chase to believe he's the most skilled in the room. Even when it's full of trained soldiers. Of course, most of them, including Beckett, aren't vampires and therefore are irrelevant to Chase. A feeling of déjà vu settles over me as I remember the first time he accused me of taking the easy fights by shying away from vampires. Beckett rolls his eyes and walks away. He and Chase haven't gotten along so well since Chase reverted to douchebaggery.

Schooling my expression to one of indifference I turn around to face the imposing vampire. His smirk is firmly in place. He's mostly steered clear of me since our awkward reintroduction four days ago, but every time we've passed one another his lips curl into that little smirk. Like I'm a silly girl with a ridiculous crush and he knows just how attractive he is. Each time I see that arrogant expression the sadness at not being remembered is chipped away; replaced by the desire to hit him. Hard.

"You want to get your ass kicked?" I ask.

He steps closer to me in what he thinks is an intimidating move. It would be, if I didn't know him as well as I know myself. When I don't back down he smirk widens into a grin. The grin feels so familiar, like a security blanket I want to wrap myself in and never let go. For a moment it's almost too painful to witness the grin without also seeing the warmth and love in his stormy eyes and I'm tempted to walk away. But I stay, remembering what the doctors told me. Talking or doing things we used to may jog his memory. For the first time since he woke up I have the opportunity to attempt this, I can't walk away from it. Also, he deserves to be hit. Really deserves it.