The Hunted

Thirty

Blake

"Okay, try again.  Wait – fix your hands.  They're not in the correct position."

            Annalise's mouth twisted into a look of intense concentration.  "Like this?"

            Blake checked and nodded.  "Yes.  You'll get more force behind your punch that way.  If you have your thumb inside of the fist, you'll risk dislocating or breaking it."

            There was a choked sound from a few feet away.  "God, I can't believe we're letting her do this," Lucy said.

            "She wants to," Henry pointed out.  "And she's surprisingly good."

            "Surprisingly?" Blake grinned at the Alpha pair sitting on the porch steps, watching as Blake taught their daughter about the intricacies of self-defence.  "I thought all werewolves were athletically inclined."

             "Most are.  Strong reflexes, good instincts, quick to learn – usually we see that but not always so young."

            Blake returned her attention to her student as Annalise did some air-punches.  She looked like a mini-MMA fighter with her hair in tight braids and her hands wrapped.  "We haven't been moving too quickly.  Annalise is really good for her age and she picks it up quick."

            "Hell yeah," said Annalise.

            Lucy sputtered and Henry hid his surprise but Blake only laughed and added, "I might have accidentally corrupted your sweet, innocent child."

            The Luna gaped at her.  "Might have?"

            "Fine – I definitely corrupted your sweet, innocent child."  Blake flashed a grin at Lucy and then turned back to Annalise.  "Now, come around in front of me."

            Annalise did, stepping around to Blake's front. 

            "Good.  Even as a child your strength is probably equal to a teenage human.  If you're in a dangerous situation, punch, kick, claw, bite – do whatever you have to do and don't stop until you're safe.  Yesterday, I showed you all the places to aim for on a body so today we're going to put that together."

            The child nodded, eagerness written in the depths of those bright brown eyes.

            "You want your attacker off-balance.  The more unprepared they are, the better of you'll be.  For this next part, I'm going to need to demonstrate."  Blake looked up at Henry expectantly.

            He sighed and brushed a hand through his hair.  "Not again."

            "Yes again. Unless you don't want your daughter to learn properly."

            "I'm starting to think you enjoy hitting me."

            Blake shrugged as Henry got up and walked over to where she stood with his daughter.  He stopped a few feet away, looking hesitant as Blake crooned, "Maybe just a little."

            Henry narrowed his eyes.  "Don't you have a Mate for this sort of thing?  Seriously, you'd think my child's godfather would be more willing to assist in her training."

            "Stop being a wuss and get over here.  Besides, Red's out getting shot with a paintball."

Over the past week, Blake had been teaching Red's warriors to use guns.  Henry had supplied the weapons after purchasing them from a vampire friend in Denver.  The guns had been modified by a warlock for paintballs instead of bullets.  It was the same technique and knowledge, Henry had told her, but with a less-lethal discharge.