Back In Time

Chapter 28: In Which We Serve Triple Lemonade

Eric's open palm caught the side of my face and my body flew to the ground. I instinctively pushed myself up onto my forearms and shook my head, spitting blood onto the dirt below me. My head was swimming and I was in a fair amount of pain but I was also pissed off and spoiling for a fight. I knew learning to attack other vampire's and defend my own self wasn't going to be a glamorous experience but I admit that I had harboured some strange fantasy that it might be kind of cute to spar with Eric.

It wasn't.

At all.

I threw myself back onto my feet, shaking my head to clear it and circling my sizable opponent in what I hoped was a menacing manor.

"Good, Sookie," Godric encouraged from his position to left of the circle in which Eric and I were sparring. I cut my eyes at him derisively. I understood on some level that this was all for my benefit, for the benefit of us all, but at the same time, having your erstwhile honey kick the literal living shit out of you was just a tad infuriating.

Sure, it all sounded fine when they suggested we hone in on my fighting skills. Yeah, of course I needed to get up to snuff. All well and good. That said, having been out here in the middle of God's nowhere for four hours of repeatedly getting my ass handed to me in various and increasingly painful ways, I was no longer what you might call 'on board' with this plan.

I cut my eyes back to Eric, fully experiencing his reluctance and pity through our blood bond. Reluctance I could appreciate. The pity, by contrast, pissed me off. I crouched low and circled to his left, feinting jabs as I moved. Eric tensed, emotions fleeting in rapid succession across the beautiful planes of his warrior's face. I spit another mouthful of blood onto the packed dirt between us and lunged for his exposed side, hoping to catch him unawares.

He spun to the side, his incredibly long leg shooting out and effectively kicking me to the dirt again before I had a chance to even register it. I screamed my frustration to the earth, pounding my fists against it in an uncharacteristic hissy fit. Instinct taking over, I slid my body to the side out of sheer pissed-off-ness and managed to pivot onto my knees and lunge forward, effectively knocking Eric back onto the ground. I slithered up his body before he had a chance to stop me and poised my ready fangs over the vulnerable skin of his neck, pushing his face to the side with my left hand.

"Yes!" Godric bellowed, before either of us could take action - me, ready to strike and tear his skin apart and Eric ready to rend my head from my neck with his bare hands. We paused, panting unnecessarily, and looked to Godric for confirmation. "Yes, Sookie! Excellent!"

I rolled off of Eric, lying in the dirt next to him and collecting myself.

"Not the cleanest victory but a victory nonetheless," Godric affirmed, extending one hand to me. I gripped his arm and launched myself to my feet, still angry but feeling a certain measure of accomplishment. Eric vaulted himself upright and looked at me appraisingly.

"Very good," he allowed. His gaze was proud and I admit I wallowed in it a little bit.

"Enough for tonight, I think," Godric declared. I nodded, not ready to admit that I was bushed but glad that it was over for tonight. Learning to fight wasn't nearly as glamorous as I had foolishly allowed myself to think. My whole body hurt and I was some kind of pissed off that my little bit of fairy strength had been burned out after the first round, though I was more than a little proud that I had managed to knock Eric for a loop at the beginning of our session. I shook my body out in an attempt to loosen my limbs. There was one last piece of business that needed taking care of before we turned in.

"Before we go back in, one of you needs to teach me how to curtsey," I insisted. Eric guffawed - an honest to goodness guffaw - and looked to his Maker. Godric's face split into a grin.