Chasing Demons (Book 2) Rated R

Chapter 32

Pretending later that evening that I hadn't just nearly died by the toilet, I stood in front of the double doors to the great hall.

Though a part of me wanted to turn down the training--mainly because it felt like Christian was ordering me to do it and he should really know better than that by now--I also knew it was unwise to refuse.

The encounter with Rodrigo had only proven that barring my magic, I was poor at self-defense and I never wanted to find myself in a position where I couldn't defend myself, not again.

In front of me, the doors swished open in perfect timing, pulled aside by two vampire guards and I reminded myself they all had exceptional hearing.

I strolled into the room to find Darius and Daciana, already gathered on the platform where the throne chair had been moved to the side to create a large, rectangular training space. The steps leading up to it had suspicious, off-colored marble tiles and I wondered if those were the places the blood hadn't fully come out of.

Blue foam mats littered the white floors, providing a cushion. On them stood Darius and Daciana.

It was always a shock to my senses to see her--see any of them dressed in anything other than gowns and suits. Especially in an ancient castle like this one.

But she wore flexible leggings and a sports bra as she sparred with Darius, ducking and kicking and punching. Her pale skin was mapped delicately with veins but surprisingly, her slender arms also had finely defined muscles to them.

Darius kicked low to her ankles, meant to sweep her feet out from under her, I realized, but Daciana leaped back, lithe as a panther.

It was unsurprising that Darius would be her guard, I noted. After all, I'd seen his skill the night of the battle.

The way he'd fought, the way he'd cut a line through the carnage to Christian...the way I'd burned all those bodies.

Nausea rose in me and I closed my eyes for a moment.

"Aimee!" Daciana exclaimed, head snapping up to look at me.

Darius' hand struck out, catching Daciana on the side of the head, the cost of her brief glance my way.

Her eyes widened as she fell sideways and landed on her backside.

"That was so not fair," She grumbled, rubbing at her temple.

"Enemies usually aren't all that concerned with fairness." He said gently. Turning to me and bowing slightly at the waist, Darius said. "Lady."

"Aimee," I corrected.

"Lady Aimee," he amended with a lopsided smile.

"That makes me feel so old," I told him. "Just Aimee will do, remember?"

"Alright," He smiled and reached out a hand to Daciana which she begrudgingly took but not before her eyes snagged and held on to his smiling face. There was a pleasant, slightly startled look on her face as if smiling like that was not something Darius did often.

Interesting...

With what appeared to be extra effort, Daciana peeled her eyes away from Darius. "How are you feeling?" She asked as she strode toward me. "Any more vomiting? Nausea? Sore boobs? Your boobs are looking bigger."

"Daciana," I hissed, glancing at Darius, who had busied himself re-wrapping his wrists in white bandages.

It was true that the matching sports bra and legging set she'd loaned me did little to cover my breasts, especially since she was a few cup sizes smaller than I was.