Star Dust

Chapter 6 ~ Mystery

 Half an hour has passed and our movements have become synchronized, moving through the dance like grace of our training. Soon my body itches for some real action, and not warm up training methods but something... real. 

 "Dylan" I mutter quiet, unsure. 

 Slowing to a stop he soon does the same "what is it?" his voice softly questioning "there is time if you wish to put those new moves on the floor" he smiles and I lung. Running past him as quick and sure footed as if I were a dancer. Refusing to be beat again he parry's my foot before it connected with his chest, instead he locks clammy palms on my ankle. 

 Dropping suddenly Dylan follows me to the floor rolling, he releases my ankle from his sweaty hold and I get up to pounce but find him charging from another direction. Wait for it, look surprised when he is close enough I place my hands on his shoulder and push him to the ground also thrusting myself into the air twisting to land facing him in the same stance we mirrored in the alleyway not to long ago.

 Neither of us are breathing hard, yet, so we continue. Thrusting my legs out to spin my legs out, he jumps them and manages to knock me back. Good he is smart enough to be taught. I believe it is time to take this to the next level.

 He has my arm behind my back thinking he has me beaten "I win" he breaths into my ear. I crack a smile "nobody beats me unless they kill me" I twist myself from his grasp and swing my leg high letting my heal connect with his jaw.

 Seconds before they would have collided he crouches and barrels forward like a stubborn ox. Quarterback style he slams his shoulder into my gut, jarring the bones inside and sending shock waves to the tips of my fingers and toes. 

 Suddenly the world slows, things happen in slow motion a sneakered foot comes slowly towards my chest, I'm not able to move fast enough. then it hits and the impact throws me a few feet where i lay on the floor sprawl backwards in an awkward angle, sore all over. 

 I gasp, some things not right why is my vision blurring am I getting a sight, Maybe a vision? Struggling to shaky feet I feel another foot collide with my knee cap and I fall trying in vain to get up, to say something, anything but nothing comes out but air from over my dry lips. The assault has ended but my senses have shut down. 

 The ground trembled, what is he doing? Then a foot tries to put a dent into my rib cage,  I roll away from the foot and instead it connects with my lower rib cage and most of my left hip. The sound of bone splintering, snapping me to attention. 

My hip screeches in agony, but my mouth remains shut. Silent. The beast inside my chest who was buried deep, hidden from others, came forward with a reasonable proposition, let beast fight beast. After all a woman does what she must to survive, and in this fight I must submit to the better beast.

. . .

 The animal within does not see, she feels, and more than anything fights for survival. 

 Standing up slowly as to not ruin my leg, my eyes open, but the world is bathed in white light and deep shadow, a blurred image before me is the only colour I see. Without thinking I lung nails ready to tear flesh, and teeth bared.

 The figure that used to be a friend strikes out, blocking my outstretched fingers ready to tear his flesh. Dylan howls in pain, deep and masculine, nothing like the boy who had willingly left earth far behind us to escape to the great beyond.

 What could make him turn against me? does he work for the government?  The thought of him working with the general makes my vision blur crimson red, and I cry out to the figure in pure outrage. The figure lashes out and I deflect one blow but miss the other fist hurtling fast and true at my jaw, a strong uppercut.

 Tongue awash with new waves of pain every time my heart pushes blood to it. Blood dribbling at the corners of my mouth, so I wipe it away. With anyone else they would have been a terrible knockout punch. But I'm not exactly myself at the moment. I may be a bit blind right now but... as the figure stumbles back I know what he see's in my face.

 Bloodlust. Dylan trips over his own two feet and down he goes, my eyes begin to focus ever so slightly almost teasingly. Lifting the boy by his neck and thrusting his body against the wall I see who it truly is and that it is not Dylan, I am fighting someone else. 

 A middle aged man. Blond hair cut short showing a sloping forehead, his pale stubble scattered on a broad chin, he was straining to free himself. Somehow he must of found a way onto the ship, or he was hiding all this time and we hadn't found him. But what did he do with Dylan?  

 I thrust my fist into the man's stomach "where is Dylan" my voice calm, an angry calm that stirred something deep inside my stomach. The man winces, but doesn't answer, so slamming his body into the enforced wall, I turn, I turn from the now limp body, from the cold eye that was peeking through a half closed lid. Breathing hard I stumble, but end up on my knees grasping sore cracked ribs.

 An indistinct sound reaches my ears, and I swivel cast eyes looking for anything and everything that might be different, all while my eyes readjust. Firstly only shapes and colours dance in my vision but as the seconds ticked by the room became more defined.

 Up against the wall wrapped in ropes and sporting a rainbow of sickening bruises all over his face is Dylan, bruised like an interrogated victim but alive, relief floods me. Scrambling toward him I fail to raise any higher off the ground, miraculously though I manage to reach him. His gaze unfocused and his face slack, I remove the cotton rage from his mouth and start loosening the ropes that restrict his tanned body. 

 With his hands free he uses that freedom to cup my face but I pull away and keep fumbling to undo his restraints. Tears slowly trace persistent paths down my cheek and added their weight to the blood that insists on spilling from my mouth. I glance at his eye's only for a swift second and find they are full of concern, his mouth set in an 'o'. 

 His hand reaches past my vision and a sharp pain makes me gasp, he shows me a one of the militaries specialty darts. He throws it across the room shattering the foul smelling vile against the opposite wall. . I find my gaze is climbing up his face is the only thing I see, I touch his swollen face and our eyes meet once more. He keeps me locked there unable to turn away from the piercing blue depths full of warmth and concern. 

 Dylan reaches up to wipe at the blood and tears that cascades down my wounded face, that drop off my chin and stain his clothing were it falls. Reaching for my face slowly at first but more sure when I don't flinch at his curious touch. His thumbs stroking the inflamed skin covering my sore jaw bones, sending shivers of pleasure rippling through my body. 

 I've never liked a boy before, let alone had the freedom to. Am I falling? I stay frozen still locked his gaze as he shifts and leans forward his lips finding mine. My mind registers shock but all thoughts evaporate and I relish in the brief moment of my first kiss.

 A loud piercing siren shatters the moment "I guess its time to meet the newest student" he murmurs pulling away from our tender moment.