After I'd gone to confront my fears in real life, it made the sims a little more bearable, despite never knowing I was in a sim I still remembered going to the room my father confined me previously, and that seemed to help. Four didn't come to our next few sim practices and neither did Eric, instead, Lauran took over but I didn't let the change distract me and by the end of the week verging on cut day I'd finally faced all of them.
I brought my ranking back up to 4th place, it was actually Thaddeus, Brad and Archie in the lead, with Archie in first then Thaddeus and Brad after him. Cassius, who had originally been
the one I had picked as my main competition, wasn't doing so great in the fear sims. He never talked about what he faced, but every single time without fail he left the room verging on shaking and even paler than the other boy. I wasn't too concerned though he was surrounded by Archie and Delphi who made sure he was alright, and he was still doing well, pulling up 11th three below Kali. It was on cut day that I finally decided I was ready. I hadn't been back to see Kevin in a while. I wanted too, I loved our training and honestly, I loved his home, the winding tunnels of the Dauntless underground, Kevin had shown me a few other caves that the River spilled into and I had fun exploring them, my problem was I didn't particularly fancy getting shanked in the dark hallways. Thaddeus and Piri had yet to do anything but glower, Thaddeus probably too preoccupied with trying to climb to 1st place. It was actually the very real threat of that happening that incentivised me to get better, Spite, the perfect motivator. The entire week I hadn't thought once whether I could or couldn't reach first, instead, I repeated to myself. I had to beat Thaddeus. I no longer cared where I was on the board, as long as it was above Thaddeus, and as he was in second that simply meant I had to get first. Cut day was the last day of the week and five more had left us. I was a little upset that Lo had been one of those people, but definitely not as much as Emma. The rest had been Dauntless-born, to Kali's relief Talea had not been one of them. We made it to the pit as usual and Max stood above us to congratulate everyone who passed the second stage. There were no more cuts after this, only our final fear landscapes which would take place over the next
week and would determine our final rankings. Archie nudged me drawing me from my thoughts, "Come on Pers, everyone's heading to the
bar." I didn't have time to respond before Cassius bounded over and threw me over his shoulder running down the hall.I cursed him out in fainted outrage. "How dare you! Cassie-" He growled at the nickname, while I propped myself up against his back with my elbows waving cheekily at Archie who was
watching the exchange with an amused expression, "-I'm not sure if Archie likes you handing someone else like this." That gave Cassius pause and he stopped to swing around nearly smacking my head into the stone wall in the process, "Hey!"
He ignored me staring worriedly at Archie, "Do you want me to carry you, Archie?"
Archie snorted, giving him a pat on the shoulder I wasn't occupying before disappearing into a hole in the wall, which turned out to be the entrance to the bar. Cassius finally set me down and, as though mimicking Archie's form of comfort, gave my head a pat before trailing after the blond like the puppy dog he was. Rolling my eyes I spotted Kali and quickly jumped onto the stool
beside her. "Hey, Kali, what's cookin good-lookin." I was in unusually good spirits today, most likely from my achievement in jumping the scoreboard so high, it would probably go tomorrow.She narrowed her eyes at me most likely thinking along the same lines, "Not much actually, I was just talking to Talea-" I leant over the bar slightly to see the other girl and gave a wave in acknowledgement, "-She reckons she knows why Piri went after you so-" She waved her arms around "-You know."
"Viciously?" I offered, she nodded. I felt myself get a little less elated at the sound of the other girl's name but pushed it back. No, I was being happy. Turning to the bartender who was walking by I gave her a smile and she turned to serve me, "Just a beer please."
"Sure thing sweetie." She had icy white hair and was pretty cute, I threw a questioning look to Kali and got a wink in return. Alright then. The woman returned with my beer and I thanked her, allowing the brush of her fingers over my own as she handed it to me before she turned to serve another customer. I shifted my seat so I could see the other two girls better. Kali scoffed, "How can you get a girl with only a fucking smile?"
Talea made an offended sound and I laughed, "But I never got you, Kali."
To my surprise Talea actually answered, the normally very sweet girl made a show of pulling my friend closer and planting a kiss right on her lips, "Too late. She's mine, Persie."
I cooed at them, watching Kali melt against the other before coughing to get their attention. "You were saying about Piri."
"Oh, yea-" Kali pulled away from her girlfriend, "You know that kid you made shoot Four and Cassius off that structure-thing?"I nodded and Talea gave me a sympathetic smile, "Yea that was her brother, he was doing alright in the scores but she somehow found out that knocked him down 3 places."
I sighed tipping my beer back and taking a long drink. "Fuck."
Kali nodded "Yep, shitty situation, but I don't think she's the type to hurt someone unless they enter the ring." She gave me a pointed look.
"Noted." The conversation changed to lighter topics after that but I couldn't stop thinking about it, my actions in a game had made a kid go from having a home to not. To think the guy was
Dauntless-born as well, his family was still here. I shoved the thoughts and the guilt far down. I didn't do anything wrong, I hadn't known the War games affected our scores. But a part of me, a
part I didn't like to acknowledge, whispered in the back of my mind. If I had, would it have changed anything? I thought about the heated look of pride Eric's face had shown, the glow of
the flag allowing me the sight, I thought of how right everything had felt in that moment and my finger pulled the trigger on the boy in front of me, my eyes still locked on the leader while he grinned. I knew it wouldn't have. I downed the rest of my beer by the time Delphi made her presence known, she brought a few
of the Dauntless-born's over along with Zane, I chatted to him a bit but was mainly content to watch everyone having fun. Archie's rivalry with Zane seemed to run through most things, but it was no longer lined with dislike, the two had formed an almost brotherly rivalry which obviously meant they were challenged to a drinking contest instantly. Archie could probably drink anyone under the table but Zane definitely didn't go down without a fight. Cassius who didn't have much of a fondness for alcohol still enjoyed the show, pulling the drunken boy onto the dancefloor, which was made up of mostly jumping and drunken swaying, rock music was being played, it echoed off the rock walls, the bar rather like a cave of its own. A few stalagmites were fashioned into seating and tables, giving the bar a rather authentic and rough feel.I saw Brad hanging around Delphi the most, he didn't drink, content to help Delphi in her self-appointed duties of watching over everyone, whilst still having fun, occasionally dragging her to the dance floor. All in all, it was a good day, sad for our losses but happy for our own success, secretly I was beyond pleased all my friends had made the cut, I cared little for those who hadn't. It was selfish of me but I never claimed to be abnegation, and whilst I had felt Lo would do well in Dauntless, she was at least with her sister now. By midnight I'd had enough of the noise and wanted to burn the tension that had been building in me since I'd learned of Pongo, Piri's brother. I made my way to Delphi and stole her fries to grab her attention, and also because Delphi's food was always the best. "Oi!" Brad tried to defend her chips but I snarled and tried to bite the arm blocking me.
Delphi laughed pulling Brad's arm down, "What's up Persie?"
"Mm leaving-" I muttered with my mouth full, "Probably gonna go to the training room."
"Okay, want me to come, you've had a bit to drink?"
I waved her off, "Nah, it's not far."
"Alright-" She wagged her finger in my face "But make sure you come to bed and sleep it off too, don't crash in the training room again."
I scoffed, "Yes mum." The route was pretty close, but I made sure to be extra wary, I didn't know Thaddeus's current location, but I'd stopped feeling like he was about to attack me all the time
now, he seemed more focused on passing our class in 1st place, it was a little reassuring.
I made it there undeterred and walked over to my usual training bag and was about to square up when I heard loud footsteps followed quickly by the young Dauntless leader, stalking into the room. He walked in and his eyes caught sight of me, with a scowl he crossed his arms and snapped, "Training initiate?" I nodded hesitantly, he was clearly not in a good mood which was always a bad sign. "Well go on." His voice had a mocking tinge and I resigned myself to being ridiculed for a few minutes.
I pulled up my guard opposite the bag and letting myself picture my faceless opponent, I envisioned them coming for me in the dark hallways of the underground. I lashed out, my eyes opening but I kept the opponent in my head, my knee flew up to defend myself and disable an imaginary strike. My hands thrust out in rapid succession, somewhere along the way the faceless being had gained purple hair. My hits flowed and I felt almost like the river that had nearly swallowed me whole.
I was taken completely off guard when I heard footsteps and felt air rush by my head, I turned to defend the block just in time. My eyes were wide showing I hadn't expected the attack and Eric pulled back with a sneer, "If I had really been trying to kill you Initiate, you would be dead right now. Looks like that training to fight more than one requires actual effort."
I very nearly snapped back at him that I wasn't being taught jack-shit, but instead set my jaw, annoyed at my own desire for his approval. His approval should mean nothing to me, he wasn't my trainer, he wasn't grading me. "Looks like it." He sneered and stormed away. I watched him go, hating how it felt like unworthy and weak were tattooed across my forehead. I sneezed in a mocking imitation of his own long after he'd left. It wasn't my fault, I'd asked to be taught I couldn't very well teach myself something I didn't know.
I spent the next hour taking out my frustrations on the bag but it only seemed to build until I knew I needed something more, the mats weren't open but I needed something to either distract me or release the tension that had been building. If I wasn't a hopeless girl that hadn't even had a crush, beside the weird infatuation with the man who'd pissed me off, then I would have gone back to the bar and found the pretty blond to kiss. As it was, I decided I was ready to enter the door Kevin had stopped me from previously.
I suspected it was the 'Trench' that I'd heard mentioned every now and again, I also suspected it was some sort of fighting ring, which was exactly what I needed right now. Maybe I couldn't fend off more than one attacker, but I could definitely take on one. I had one of my knives already in my palm making the walk to Kevin's door. I wasn't exactly worried about Thaddeus anymore but he had tried to kill me before and I figured it was better safe than sorry. I needn't have bothered. I made it without encountering anyone. Actually I'd never encountered anyone in the hallways to Kevins, the Trench probably had another entrance.
I knocked and the door opened without Kevin checking, he stood glaring down at me and I offered a sheepish grin, "Didn't get cut." Silently gesturing to me he went to head for our training room, nice of him considering it was very late, but I stopped him, "I'm ready."
He turned to give me a once over. "You are sure, little Kore?"
I nodded, "That's what I've been doing. I'm no longer afraid of heights-" That fear had gone completely from my sim, "-And I faced my father in the last one, I got out in under a minute. I'm still scared of him, most likely always will, but I'm only afraid of his memory, he's nothing now."
Kevin nodded showing he understood. "But I know I'm ready mainly because today I had reacted without a single thought crossing my mind." I was referring to when Eric had tried proving his point about how much I wasn't ready, I knew he'd made his footsteps loud to allow me the warning, and he was right in saying I wouldn't have been able to defend myself if the attacker had been trying for real, but that wasn't the point. The point was I reacted. I wasn't the best, but it was my best, and I would only get better. For now, I was ready for the next stage, whatever that was. I wasn't afraid of this unknown variable, not any more.
Kevin nodded to the door with only a few words of guidance. "Do not enter the Trench tonight little one, watch. Go through the door on the right down the hall, not the middle one."
I twisted the handle and pulled the door open to reveal another stone passage. It was dark and the door fell shut behind me. The loud roars of people were easier to hear in the passage. I could also hear water, it was rushing fast, it sounded a much stronger current than the river that passed through the ravine. I lifted my hand to brush along the wall, guiding me in the dark. I stopped once my fingers got to the door to the right as Kevin mentioned. The floor started to slope down after the door, but I didn't bother going any further grabbing the handle and twisted. The sight that greeted me was shocking, but I managed to take it all in.
I had entered what appeared to be a stadium, only it was made of stone and began several meters from the arena below. Three roles of people cut into the stone walls, making up the audience. Vibrant coloured Dauntless hair made no mistake who the spectators were. A cheer went up the crowd clearly hyped with the performance. The walls of stone arched up to make the ceiling which was high above them, it was dark stone so it felt more closed in than it was, the large stalactites probably helping with that effect, even though they were quite high up themselves. It was a circular arena, but the Dauntless spectators only made up three-quarters of the circle. The other bit seemed to allow the arena to send in their fighters, if the body being dragged through the door in the middle of the stone was any indication.
From my angle, I couldn't see the winner, but he was definitely male, covered in blood and apparently shaking off the last fight. I took in the rest of the place. The stands were separated not just by height, but the rapidly rushing water that circled the arena, bar the section still connected, it explained the sound. Overall the entire place seemed built so no safety could be found for the fighters. The same smooth stones that had littered the moon cave covered the ground, although the occasional stalagmite cut up the landscape. The water was littered with most of the rocks and to be pushed into it would likely result in being instantly shredded by the current.
The wall of stone that held the door into it would have been the only safety for the fighters except rock protruded from it like a torture bed I had read about in history class once. The place was clearly intended to be more dangerous than the fighters but peering down at the man in the ring he seemed perfectly at ease, as though he had been in the position many times previous.
Another cheer went up as the door opened to reveal the next participant. They stepped onto the terrain and held their hand in the air, resulting in another roar. The champion stood almost uninterested and the realization of who was standing there hit me with a jolt. Only one man I had ever met would appear so cocky and indifferent at the same time. I had yet to see his face so I couldn't confirm but I knew it was Eric.
A weird feeling settled in me then, I had come to rid myself of the tension he had caused in me, yet once again he stole my thoughts. He looked strangely alluring covered in blood. The thought should disgust me, I shouldn't notice the way the light from the torches lit with fire and embedded into the wall flickered and shone on the dark red of his back.
I moved out from my position in the doorway and it slammed shut behind me. I had made my decision. I wove in between the people standing on the three rows, the only thing stopping spectators from falling into the river was a slight lip of rock about a foot high on the bottom tier. I worked my way until I was in the centre of the room, directly opposite the door which brought the champions to the arena.
During my move, the fight had begun and I had half watched as Eric's back remained to me, the opponent was around the same build as Four but slightly shorter. He ran at Eric and Eric simply waited, like a cobra, his muscles shifted in his back while he waited to strike. I made it to my seat as the man made it to Eric and struck at him.
The opponent landed a hit to Eric which the leader responded to in kind. The spectators around me blurred into nothing as I watched the fighting with fascination. Eric had landed a good hit to the others jaw and it had stunned the other man for just a moment, that was apparently all Eric had needed before he was on him, throwing punch after punch to his face, the fight was brutal and the punches kept flying, the man's face I could no longer see, too much blood, part of me thought he might not have much of a face left at all.
Neils's words rang in my head, "If your training was brutal to you then it's probably best you don't know." He had been right, I had thought that Piri and I's fight on the mats had been vicious. I watched as Eric final stood up from the bloodied mess beneath him to throw up his arms and bask in the crowd. I was wrong.
The door opened and the man was dragged away. To be sent to Nora no doubt. Honestly, I wonder what she thought about this place, probably not very nice things.
My gaze slipped to view the young leader's face and at that moment he looked much like a beast after a kill. Blood trailed down his neck from previous fights, bruises littered his torso, which was uncovered in fabric but painted in the dark red of old blood. I wondered how long he had been down there, something in me suspected since the moment he had left me in the training room. That thought sent chills through me, a single 5-minute fight was difficult enough, multiple fights back to back for more than an hour...
The door opened again and this time a man several feet taller than Eric and just as equally proportioned in width stomped through the door. Eric, still facing the crowd, fell into a snarl but the glint of fire stayed lit in his eyes, it seemed more like a smile than any I'd ever seen on him. The look was eerily similar to when I had revealed the ammunition I had carried to him on the roller coaster, 'Fuck yes.' I squeezed my eyes shut to shake out the memory of the words and resummed watching the fight.
The giant of the man began to circle Eric and he did the same. It wasn't a dance, not like how Kali fought, nor was it like Zane, swift and brutal. It was violence in its rawest form, animals tearing into one another for the sake of the blood pouring onto the stones.
I watched in awe as the Giant swept Eric's feet from under him and went to pull the move Eric had just moments before, Eric never allowed it, using his fall to grab some of the stones and hurl them at the giant, I winced as did the giant and Eric didn't let the opportunity be wasted. He shot up to send a punch under his jaw, the only angle he could reach on the bigger man, the giant's head flew backwards and Eric was beside him, fisting the hair on his head, causing the Giant to keep an unnatural arch and taking away any power he might have had. Eric didn't keep that position for longer than necessary, using the giant's head to move him he shoved the skull directly into one of the rocky outcrops sticking up from the ground. A screen shattered the sound of the rushing water and even the cheers couldn't mask it. I should have looked away as Eric bashed the head again and again into the pointed rock. The giant struggled momentarily before going limp, when he did, Eric dropped him and roared. Instead, I felt my pulse quicken.
The giant had to have several people carry him from there and after Eric seemed to roll his shoulders back and turned to face the crowd again, I realised that was the signal to bring in another opponent. The next one was a built woman, shorter than Eric but clearly faster as the fight showed. She landed a hit which caused Eric to spit out blood and the fury that shone from him made me unconsciously move closer. The fight ended with Eric backing her mercilessly into the rapids. He threw a jab to her torso which caused her to topple beneath the water. I didn't see her surface, I wondered if there was a way out of the water, but I didn't think on it long as another opponent entered the ring.
I ended up one leg over the ledge the other planted on the other side, with my hand bracing me from leaning too far. The sight was intoxicating, Eric gained several cuts and bruises of his own, one had managed to stomp on his face, but still, he emerged victorious every time.
The spectators began to slowly disperse but I remained fixed as Eric stayed fighting, I wondered how he wasn't tired but pushed it aside instantly, the aura of danger that had seemed to pour off the leader from the very moment he entered a room, I understood it now. He was a predator and everyone could sense it, it wasn't just his position as the youngest leader in Dauntless history that inspired the self-assured nature, it was the absolute certainty he had, that he was powerful.
I sucked in a sharp breath as Eric tore into the flesh of the latest victim with his teeth, he spat it out as the man slumped and I felt my mouth part slightly at the sight. I shouldn't find the sight so captivating, and I definitely shouldn't feel the heat that usually lit my cheeks down further in my stomach and between my legs. I wasn't sure if it was my crush on the leader that made his domination and ruthlessness so intoxicating, or whether it was the power that had drawn me to him in the first place, but I knew I liked it, and I knew I had long since stopped caring about what I should or shouldn't feel.
Eric turned to the stone stadium and I eagerly looked for his eyes, desperate to feel the terror they caused in me every time, only I found them locked firmly on mine in return. I stayed frozen in that moment and a different kind of fear seized me before a slow smirk drew across his face and my chest stuttered. Fuck. His shoulders relaxed his eyes still on me and he took a step back. Nodding at someone else in the crowd, the door opened behind him but no one was brought out, instead, he turned and left.
The remains of the crowd voiced their disappointment and his exit prompted the rest to retire for the night. I waited, still positioned one leg hanging over the edge, I let the audience go first, knowing very well Eric had to leave somewhere, I wasn't sure if there was another entrance but I wasn't going to risk encountering him, not in the state I was, not in the state he was. My mind pulled up the image of him covered in the glistening red and I whimpered slamming my eyes shut. Waiting until the flush had left my cheeks I swung back over the ledge and dropped to the floor, making my way back to the door. I paused to listen for any stragglers and hearing nothing, pulled the door open and stepped into the stone corridor, heading back the way I'd come I pulled open the door and walked into Kevin's foyer-like room.
Kevin wasn't around, but I hadn't expected him to be, it was very late, or early, I didn't know. I made my own exit into the dark corridor leading me back to my room. I took the path heading up, it was very familiar to me now, none of the other passages that branched or split off were as confusing as they had once been, I could make out the walls and the floor, and even the hairline crack that marked the way, but I didn't need it.
Perhaps it was my familiarity that put me at ease, or perhaps it was the thrum of heat that had been flushing my body for hours but I had forgotten to be wary, forgotten to be careful in the halls I had previously been so vigilant. A deep chuckle was my only warning before a hand slipped over my mouth and another caused me to stumble back into the wall, grabbing my fist and trapping it above my head. I snarled beneath the hand and swung with my other arm, which they caught instantly freeing my mouth. It was then my eyes saw the same ones I had been greedily watching for hours.
"Eric?" My voice held a question, but I had stopped struggling since I'd recognize the leader. He was still shirtless and caked in blood, my tongue unconsciously swiped at my lip to see if his hand had left any on it. He groaned at the action and I flushed, embarrassed I tugged at my arms to remind him he still had them trapped.
His smirk widened at that and he hummed, taking a step closer. My breath stuttered I had just watched the man before me rip into multiple people like they were rabbits to a lion, maybe he had seen me and wanted to make sure I wouldn't tell anyone. But that didn't seem right, he wasn't the type to be ashamed of his power, even the raw animalistic kind he had shown tonight. "Eric?" I nearly whimpered the question again.
He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, "Do you come to the Trench often Persie? " He practically purred my name and I did whimper that time.
"N-no, I only came tonight." I didn't know why it was important, maybe the Trench was forbidden for initiates.
"Did you like it?" The question threw me and my eyes flew to meet his own unyielding gaze.
"What?"
"I saw you, watching me Persie -" He moved closer, his leg coming to brace between my own, "Did you like it?" He hissed the last words into my ear and I whimpered loudly, my eyes slamming shut as the same teeth I had seen tear a chunk of flesh from another neck, came dangerously close to my own.
"Ye-es."
My answer brought a rumble from his chest and his knee slipped in between my own, pressing against my centre, I gasped and he purred out dangerously, "Good girl." I made some kind of shriek sound as his thigh pushed against where the heat was building, and my head fell back against the stone wall, that seemed to please him, which I already knew I liked to do. "Were you afraid?" The question was breathed huskily against the skin on my neck and I whined.
"No."
He pulled back to assess me, "No?" I shook my head and he chuckled again, "You should be."
"Why?" I managed to get out, "Are you going to hurt me?" He pressed his thigh higher and my momentary conscious thought was pulled from me. My head flew back and I was distantly aware of the way it exposed my neck to the dangerous man in front of me, but still, I did not feel afraid.
"If I wanted to hurt you Persie-" He bent close and pressed his teeth right into my exposed neck. Every part of me froze as his teeth clenched before he released and drew up to eye level with me once more. "-You would know." The thrill of having the teeth of a killer, for he had definitely ended someone's life in that arena. With those teeth clenched around my throat, I had sent a heat so intense it washed from between my legs up to my face and I panted in a breath.
"You like that?" Eric cooed, he released one of my arms into the grip of the other, freeing one of his hands which he used to trail down my side. "You like to play with fire Persie?" I whimpered in response, which apparently didn't satisfy him as his hand shot to my hair gripping tight at the root and he leaned in to hiss in my ear, "I don't like to be ignored, Persie and I'm not at my most patient."
I didn't doubt that, first he had been obviously pissed at something and had spent several hours wrecking people like they were pillows to vent his rage. "I'm not scared of fire-" I gasped out, "-I find it very beautiful."
It seemed to be the right thing to say because his hand relaxed to push my head to meet his own and his lips claimed me. I had never kissed anyone before, but I didn't feel for a minute unsure what to do, he kissed like water broke upon a cliff, with passion and violence, but enveloping all my senses, his teeth seized my lip between them and tugged electing a moan from me in response.
He shifted his leg and I unconsciously moved against him seeking something I didn't know what. I tugged at the hands restraining me and received a growl in return, he broke the kiss and I whined trying to pull him back in but he held himself just out of reach. His eyes swept my form and he groaned, "God Persie do you know what you do to me?"
I shook my head, my hips still shifting against his thigh on their own accord. He growled and attacked my jaw with nips and kisses, alternating between rough and tender, he spoke between his own movements, using his free hand to cup my jaw, much like from the training sim. "The way you think-" He snarled and pressed his teeth sharply to illustrate his point, bringing a gasp of both pain and pleasure to my lips before he soothed it away with a kiss. "-during the war games," I shuddered as his husky voice allowed the words to penetrate. He'd thought of me then? Like I had? "I want to teach you everything-"
"Please-" I interrupted him. I wanted him to teach me too, with a gun with knives and combat, I had wanted him to do it the minute I decided to learn but he was a leader, busy there was no way he would teach me. "Please." I whimpered again and he groaned his head falling onto my shoulder.
"God Persie." My thighs clenched as the heat built in me and I pleaded out again, begging for something else this time. I had no shame in the begging, I wasn't crying out for mercy nor giving up, I wanted more. Eric's own breath was heavy and he cooed into my ear, "Come on Persie, take what you need."
My hands were still held tightly in his grip and I pushed my centre against his thigh and cried out, increasing my pace as Eric watched me with a predatory gaze, it threw me over the edge and his hand cradled my skull before it was thrown back against the stone, pleasure wracked my body and I was gasping open-mouthed as I felt the waves pass through me. He purred as I slumped, my legs unable to hold me up and he stole my lips once more. "Good girl," I whined as he pulled away and finally released my arms. I held them there for a moment unsure what to do before he ran his calloused palm up them drawing out the tension and guiding them to my side.
My legs regained a bit of strength and I was left looking wide-eyed at the Dauntless leader. Seeming unbothered, but still very much covered in blood and sporting a few nasty bruises he chuckled deeply before drawing away and with a hand planted firmly in the small of my back he led me in a daze back to my barracks.
I slipped beneath the covers incredibly glad we had a day off tomorrow
