DANGEROUS THIRST (Malkavian Clan)

Chapter 10 : Tension

Matthias is back but he's not my trainer anymore. The old man in a wheelchair, Rom, is still my mentor, his presence as imposing as ever despite his physical limitations.

"Are you sad that it's still me?" And Rom suddenly appeared.

"Not really, but I was hoping," I said frankly.

"My granddaughter will come here for sparring," Rom said, wayching my reaction closely. "She'll teach you."

"Sage?"

"Hmm, you already met her. Good then."

I start my warm-up. After that, I pick up the gun and started aiming at the cans lined up in front of me trying to shoot them. And I did! Taking a deep breath, I squeezed the trigger. The sound of the shots echoed in the room as the bullets hit their marks. There were only two cans left standing. In the past, hitting even just a few cans would have taken me hours of practice, but now, with each shot, I could feel my skill improving.

I moved on to the punching bag next and tried my best to make it sway through the air.

"You're improving," Rom complimented me, his eyes following my every move with a scrutinizing yet approving gaze.

"I'm not practicing for nothing," I said.

"I really love your guts for answering my grandpa in that way."

I turned to see Sage standing in the doorway.

As we step into the boxing area, the atmosphere crackles with anticipation. We circle each other, eyes locked, searching for an opening.

Huminga ako ng malalim at nag-focus sa aking isip, alam kong anumang sandali ay maaaring magdala ng sunud-sunod na suntok. Tumi-tigas ang aking mga kalamnan, handa na akong tumugon sa anumang galaw ng kaharap ko. Sa bawat pag hakbang ay lumalakas ang tensyon sa pagitan naming dalawa, hanggang sa wakas, nagsimula na ang pagpapalitan namin ng suntok.

The sound of gloves meeting fills the air as we trade blows, each strike calculated and precise. 

Sage is really good. She's so good! I lost, but that doesn't matter because I've faced the challenge head-on and emerged stronger for it. I am fully aware that the true victory lies in the journey of self-improvement and the unwavering commitment to push beyond my limits.

"You didn't give your full power, Sage," her grandpa said.

That's not her full power? Woah... despite her soft looks, she's stronger than I expected.

"She's a human, Grandpa," she said and looked at me. "No offense, but what I am about to say is true," she whispered to me. "Humans and vampires are not on the same page."

"Who told you to rest, human?" Rom said.

Sage and I were sitting on the floor. I immediately stood up and started lifting.

"You're so strict, Grandpa," I heard Sage say.

"She's the Malkavian's henchman, henchwoman to be exact. She needs this."

Finally! It's over! I'm so freaking tired and sleepy but I still need to patrol the dungeon. I don't even have the time to eat, although I ate before going to the training, a growing hunger seemed to grow with every step I took. The thought of stopping by the cafeteria for a quick bite crossed my mind, but the distance to the dungeon rendered it an impossible indulgence.

"Why do you look dense?"

I looked up and found Kaizen in front of me.

"Uh, hey," I said lowly, my voice barely above a whisper.