All For Us

Chapter 18 (Astra)

"Relax your stance, Astra," Kayson orders me. 

We're in the training room, and he's teaching me how to properly defend myself with the knife he gifted me. It's been a week since I was taken, and already, the pressure in my chest has started to lessen slightly. 

I do as I'm told, spreading my feet so they're shoulder width apart. I drop my weight into the balls of my heels, bending my knees slightly.

"Good. Now, attack." I lunge for Kayson, and he easily sidesteps me. "You're telegraphing your movements. You need to keep your expression blank."

I grumble in frustration but try again. This time, I don't even look at where I'm aiming. I use pure instinct. I step slightly to the right before snapping forward on my left leg, shooting under his outstretched arms and ramming the knife into his chest. It glances off harmlessly thanks to the plastic cover wrapped around the blade. 

"Good girl." The praise instantly makes my back heat, and suddenly, I have no interest in learning how to properly wield my dagger. "I know that look. Whatever you're thinking right now, stop. We have to make sure you can use that knife." Kayson douses cold water on my arousal with his words.

I back away, slowly circling him. He doesn't turn to face me when I reach his backside, but he doesn't need to. This is Kayson we're talking about; perhaps the best fighter alive. 

I step down hard, pushing all my weight onto my foot so he feels the vibration. The second he twists to strike me, aiming for where I purposefully planted my foot, I dart backwards, evading his grip.

He loses his balance slightly, and I use that as my opportunity to strike. I aim directly for his exposed side, slamming the knife into his gut. He grunts at the impact, wincing slightly.

I grin at him. "That was two shots in a row. You're losing your edge, Anderson."

Kayson doesn't take my bait, because he knows exactly what I'm doing. He's the one that taught me the strategy, after all. He looks surprised as hell that I managed to best him not only once, but twice. 

But he seems to forget one very important detail; he taught me everything I know about fighting. My moves are his own. I'm perhaps his most equal opponent, even with his muscle mass and height, because I'm the only one that knows exactly how Kayson fights.

"Again, Astra." I sigh, but get myself back into position. This time, though, Kayson doesn't allow me to gain my bearings before he strikes, fast as lightning. I barely have time to duck the fist he throws towards me, spinning away from his flying right hook. 

He attacks again, coming at me with renewed force, pushing me back towards the edge of the mat. He corners me until I have nowhere left to go, and then he's on me, pulling my back into his chest and wrapping his arm around my throat, squeezing tightly. 

I don't allow the panic to seep in, blocking it out with all my might. I force myself to focus on my limited breaths, gulping down whatever oxygen I can greedily. I relax in Kayson's hold, and he eases his grip on my slightly, his concern for my safety outweighing his survival instincts. 

The second I'm given the inch of space to breathe, I move, slamming my head backwards into his chin whilst simultaneously ramming my foot down on top of his. Kayson releases me in an instant, and I elbow him in the gut, forcing him back a step. I use his unbalanced stance to my advantage, spinning around and shoving my leg into his less steady one, forcing him to drop to the ground.

I leap onto him, holding my blade up to his throat. 

Kayson stares at me, his face warring between expressions of shock and awe.