Running with Shifters (completed)

Chapter 22 Isadora

Chapter 22

Isadora

"He really has gotten exponentially better. He even beat me yesterday." I look from Meg to Lin and watch as his face changes from beaming with pride to seriousness in a second flat.

"You went easy on me! I didn't win fairly!"

"Yes you did." He continues staring at her accusingly and she shrugs, "you did!"

I can see this is about to turn into a drawn-out argument (they've had more than I care to admit, about the stupidest things sometimes). I step closer as if to put myself between them and hold up my hands until they both back up a step. "Guys, it doesn't matter. Lin, if it hurt your pride that much-" I can't believe I'm about to say this "-then I'll go against you."

Everyone stops their conversations and turn to us with the same stunned expression, Lin adding to it with a look of uncontrolled pride. I understand why, I told him that once he'd gotten good enough I'd fight him, even though I don't want to do this. There's a reason I've only fought Vlain since we've gotten here; he's the strongest and heals the quickest beside me. Less breakable.

Even though he'll hate me for it, I'll have to go super easy on him, otherwise I might just kill him by accident.

The others clear out of the way, sitting on the couches around the room, and I take my position in front of him as he does the same. Thinking of something I draw one of the daggers and toss it to him. He catches it and frowns, moving to throw it back when I shake my head. "Use it. That's the only advantage I'll give you." We both know that, against me, that's no strong advantage, but he takes all the help he can get despite his protests that he doesn't need them.

I gesture for him to attack first and he fakes right while lunging left, trying to get around my guard to strike. I swat him away, instead kicking out at his legs.

It's hard already, going easy on him, and its weird having to come up with moves that'll make him think that I'm actually trying when I'm not.

He jumps and simultaneously lashes out with his own foot, catching me in the shoulder. That was a good move. Trying to keep in mind who I'm fighting, I grab his foot and twist it behind him, flicking it up and making him yell as he falls forward off-balance.

He's up in a second (a second that I could have used to win) and turns back to me with a serious expression. He's so adorable when he tries to be serious but I don't get more than half a second to think before he's jumping at me, planting me with a kiss and surprising me so much that he actually manages to push me to the floor with the dagger to my neck.

Everyone cheers and I just look up at him stunned for a moment. Suddenly inexplicably furious, I push him off of me and he flies across the room before crashing into one of the couches and pushing it over backwards.

Everyone takes a step back from me and I look around, slightly confused; I'm mad, but I wouldn't expect them to be afraid. I'm not mad at them, after all. Meg points to her eye and I finally understand- my eyes are grey and they must think I'm much angrier than I actually am.

I point accusingly at Lin once he gets to his feet, "you cheated!" I'm surprised by my tone, I practically screeched, but he remains seemingly calm, actually smiling at me like I'm not mad at him and capable of maiming him.

"We both know that's the only way I would have been able to win. I must say, I should cheat more often." I blush, knowing what he's insinuating, and my anger is instantly forgotten. He's right, even when I was going easy on him there wasn't much of a chance that he would win.

Eli and Romulus go over and pat him on the back once he's righted the couch and Meg comes over to me, a look of understanding written plainly all over her face. She knows what I'm capable of, I've fought her before and she's seen me in battle, she knows how hard it was to go easy on him.

Looking back to Lin, I smile at the look of pride on his face as he laughs at something Eli said, knowing letting him win was worth it.