Half-Blooded | The Dark Child Prophecy Series [✔️]

Chapter 20: I'm Still An Animal

When I got to my room, I pulled the key free from my dress and unlocked the door. I quickly changed from my dress and boots into a pair of workout leggings and sports bra, tugging my blonde hair up into a ponytail. I grabbed my kickboxing boots and wrapped the laces around my wrist. Next, I snatched my mp3 player and wireless headphones. I didn't want to run the risk of bumping into Jason, or any of his wolves, so I took a right down the hall to the side-stairs that were used by the manor staff. I hopped down all three flights to the basement's secondary door and slipped inside.

The combined scent of leather, metal, and sweat assaulted my nose and I grimaced. I hated the smell of the gym, but there was nothing to be done about it. I heard the sounds of drills being practiced, and I stepped around the corner to take in the open floor plan. Two of the off-duty security guards paused from their practice drills to see who had come to disturb them. I waved slightly and turned away to face the balance beam. I switched my shoes and put my leg up on the balance beam to stretch out my thigh. I was tight all over and my body was beginning to feel it. Changing was going to hurt in two nights. While my thigh protested its strain, I stuck my headphones in and clipped the player to the strap of my sports bra. I hit the button and music rushed into my ears.

Within fifteen minutes of stretching and practicing deep breathing, Malcolm's men finished and left. They had repeatedly shot me questioning looks, as if they were concerned I might wolf out on them at any given moment. Ignoring their departure, I turned the music up and started in on my routine. To warm up my core, I took vertical jumps from the floor onto the balance beam and back to the floor, making sure to tuck my knees to my chest each time. After five, I felt myself getting out of breath.

Oh c'mon, your stamina is better than this, I growled at my body.

I did five more before changing tactics. With a quick inhale, I dove forward into a handstand, steadying my legs against the balance beam. I counted to ten before I began to bend my elbows, lowering myself until my nose almost touched the ground before straightening my arms again, exhaling as I did. Vertical push-ups were the worst, but my mother swore by them. I felt my abs begin to protest from being tightened, but I persisted.

"Two," I breathed, lowering and straightening. "Three."

I went to ten again before bending my knees to hook onto the beam. Once they were secured tight, I let the weight off my hands and hauled myself up into a sit. With a sigh, I stood carefully, my balance on point. I walked the length of the beam once facing forward, and then backed down to my starting point again.

From just under the sound of music, the door creaked open and then popped shut from the air pressure change. Ignoring the distraction, I took two skipping steps forward before following it with a round-off and a back-handspring. My heels touched the very edge of the opposite end of the beam, and I had to over-correct myself to stick the landing.

"Nice. You're very graceful."

I spun to find Jason watching me, dressed in a pair of workout pants and a t-shirt. I had to keep myself from focusing on his appearance. I huffed a breath. "You take pleasure in sneaking up on me, don't you?" I asked.

Not waiting for a response, I pulled the headphones out and wrapped the single wire around my neck. I glanced in his direction again, then dismounted from the balance beam. I headed for the punching bags hanging against one wall, pausing to grab hand wraps from the rack. My fingers shook as they began to circle one wrist carefully with the white material.

"No, I didn't mean to startle you," he answered, following. He grabbed a set of wraps and began to mimic me.

"Just be glad I wasn't practicing throwing knives or something. You surprise me doing that and you could've had a dagger through your chest," I scoffed, turning to face him again with a grin. "Unless, you're into that sort of thing," I added.