Zoro and his Assassin

Heat

Anya's POV

Blinded by rage, I could barely think. The instinct to attack surged through me, and I did the one thing I knew how to do best. I get violent.

The crack of my whip echoed through the air as I lashed it forward, the leather snapping toward Zoro with precision. He blocked it with one swift movement of his swords, the metal ringing against the whip's edge. I yanked it back and darted to the side, circling him like a predator, my eyes locked on his stance. He was fast, but I had reach, and that was my advantage.

"Why are you smiling?" I hissed, my voice low and dangerous. He was enjoying this, and it only fueled my anger further. I couldn't afford to lose focus, not now.

With a flick of my wrist, I sent the whip lashing toward his legs, aiming to trip him. He saw it coming and leaped, his swords flashing as he came down with a strike. "You need new moves."

I barely dodged, rolling to the side and snapping the whip around his wrist in one fluid motion.

"Got you," I hissed under my breath, tugging hard to disarm him.

But Zoro didn't flinch. With a growl, he yanked back, pulling me toward him with brute strength. I stumbled forward, the whip slackening just enough for him to twist free. His blades were a blur as he spun toward me, and I had only seconds to react, snapping my whip in a wide arc to keep him at bay.

The leather cracked, grazing his cheek and drawing a thin line of blood. His grin only widened.

"Not bad," he muttered, charging forward again, "but it's not enough."

I gritted my teeth, the thrill of the fight surging through me. Zoro was holding back, just like I was. I could see it in the way his strikes didn't aim to kill but to corner me, to test me. A challenge. And damn, I was enjoying it way too much. The whip cracked through the air again, but this time he didn't dodge. He caught the length of it on his blade and yanked hard, pulling me off balance.

I stumbled, and in an instant, he was on me, moving faster than I'd anticipated. His body was a wall of muscle, and before I could react, he disarmed me with a quick twist, the whip slipping from my grasp. In one fluid motion, he spun me around, pinning my arms behind my back, his swords resting at his side.

I struggled, more out of pride than hope of escape, but he held me firmly, pulling me close. His breath was warm against my neck, and the tension between us thickened the air.

"You're good," he muttered, his voice low and almost playful. "But next time, don't hold back, Princess."

I could feel his heart beating against my back, the heat of his body enveloping mine. My pulse raced, a mix of frustration and something else. I hated losing, but for some reason, being held like this by him didn't feel like defeat.

"Take your hands off me, demon, or the next time, I'll simply poison you and be done with it." I snap at him in defense.

He released my hands and sheathed his swords, then picked up my whip to hand it back to me.

I expected him to smirk and mock me more, but when he finally faced me, his eyes were blazing. His gaze flicked over me, pausing at my jaw. I figured it must be bruised by now, where my father had struck me. Despite the fire in his eyes, his touch was gentle. 'Are you hurt anywhere else?'

As always his anger triggers my own. "Get fucked, Zoro. Are you done with your new friends already?" I shot a glance at the girls, who were watching us with frightened eyes, ready to bolt.

A cruel sneer formed on his face at my words. "Princess, you're too easy to read."

He seized my arm and dragged me closer. "All that worry for nothing. Look at you—running around, playing tourist." His voice was sharp and cutting. "You should've kept running, because now that I've got you, there's not a damn thing on this earth that'll save you from me."