Blood, Fire and Vampire Slayers: Jasper Hale love story Book #2

9: Unchained

Author's Note: The video and song above of course belong to Taylor Swift, but I couldn't resist putting it up here.

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Self-defense class had kicked into a new gear. The lessons were more difficult, but the students were quickly improving. Even Bella felt like she was getting fitter. She wasn't panting so much after hitting focus pads with Astrid.

"It's still hard," she said, "but not as hard as the first day felt."

"I told you you'd get better at it," said Astrid with a smile as they swapped over.

Klaus was the obvious class favourite, not just with the instructors, but among his peers too. Nobody on the sparring mat seemed to mind, but there was at least one in the stands who did. Bradley had come in to watch halfway through and he clenched his fists when Melissa asked if Klaus could help her practice getting out of a half-mount when she was pinned on her back with his hands on her neck. Retired officer Jensen assisted to make sure she was okay with being handled that way and soon Melissa was able to get him into an arm bar.

"Well done," said Klaus as she let go of him. Melissa seemed pleased with herself and she wanted to try it again. Astrid glanced their way with a curious expression and Klaus shrugged before getting into the start position again.

Alice had been in the library looking for books for a homework assignment. When she finished she came to see Bella and Astrid in the last few minutes of the class. She waved to them as she sat down in the stands. Astrid went to partner up with Klaus.

"What's got her in such a friendly mood?" she muttered, looking at Melissa, who was back to working with her friend, Casey.

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe she will be her old self tomorrow. Watch out for sticky tape," he whispered. Astrid giggled.

After another intense couple of rounds Percy and Jensen called an end to the class and told everyone to cool down and stretch. When he was done and the instructors had left Klaus went to pick up his dog tags, but Bradley snatched them off of his bag and held them dangling in the air.

"I don't really know what it is, Hoffman," he said, "but I don't like you."

"I think we're all aware of that," said Tyler. Klaus tried not to smile.

"You take this class, you've got the leather jacket and the bike, the dog tags... but you're a ballerina. And you've only raised a fist once, and even then you couldn't hit me."

"So, what?" Klaus asked.

"So you're a bitch," said Brad. "And I don't get why all of them are so into you." He gestured to the girls.

"Excuse me?" said Jessica, obviously offended.

"Brad, let's go," said Melissa. Brad looked down at her accusingly.

"Do you want to fuck him?" he asked, pointing to Klaus.

"What? No!"

"Cause he sure likes getting up between girls' legs," said Brad. "But there's probably nothing there, since I've never seen him get hard from it." Klaus looked appalled, and so did the girls. Melissa stormed out, either because she didn't want to be in a fight, or because her boyfriend had finally embarrassed her beyond tolerance.

"What is wrong with you?" said Angela. She was normally too shy for confrontation, but this was too much not to say something. "This is a self-defense class. We're doing it so we can protect ourselves from creeps like you, Bradley Cunningham."

"I think you're jealous," said Tyler. "And you haven't gotten a reaction calling Klaus a Nazi, so now you're going after him for what? Not being a pervert?"