Des'Tai: Book Two

170: Faye

"Yowch!" I screeched out as a small bit of Knox's essence burned my ankle, making it past my weakened shield.

"Where's your head today?" he asked, his voice gruff and laced with annoyance. I had three other burn marks on my legs from our session today. Admittedly, I had been distracted after my heart-to-heart with Eva yesterday afternoon. 

The minute Rune said he was bringing my assassin onto our floor, my sexual appetite all but disappeared, and a pang of hunger to murder someone was left in its wake. If I'd been blessed with Ty's essence, I would've blown his best friend into tiny pieces and buried him under the workshop's floorboards.

'So violent,' Ty had sent through our link, a homage to his best friend who I had imagined killing.

It was awkward as hell and just as nerve-racking to have Eva sitting on my sofa, let alone having her plead her case. She felt the only way Aja would back down was if I asserted my dominance.

"I appreciate your kindness to my Kieran, but I think it's high time for some tough love," Eva explained. She was sitting with her shoulders back and her legs locked together at the knee while her ankles were crossed to the side. I'd never seen someone with such perfect posture, and there I was, sitting cross-legged in my overstuffed chair while Ty sat casually on the arm.

"It's obvious this is not just a silly crush, as my Marwen originally indicated. Aja's becoming obsessed with Tyron, and until you assert your dominance, I'm afraid she won't see a stake has been claimed. Mating marks aside, she is determined to prove she's been wronged and will stop at nothing to right it."

Sitting beside Eva was an eager looking Rune nodding his head in agreement, almost panting at her words, "I agree, Shorty. It's time you lay the smackdown on her, show her who's boss."

"Why must you call her Shorty? I've met Elven men shorter than her!" Eva ground out, her annoyance evident which made me snicker. "And I'm not asking anyone to smack my Kieran at all. Just a strong verbal warning should be more than enough. Aja needs a taste of her own medicine, and as much as it pains me to say it, you may have to curse at her. If you must resort to physical ultimatums, be prepared to follow through as she does not see you as a threat."

"Yes!" Rune hissed, his enjoyment of the situation evident. "Catfight! Shor...Faye here couldn't fight her way out of a wet paper bag, let alone throw a swing at Aja. It'll be all claws and hair-pulling."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, jackass," I muttered, my cheeks pinking up at the insinuation I couldn't handle my own in a brawl. He was right, but he didn't have to say it so bluntly.

"Rune, if Tyron and Faye are meant to be your friends, why do you resort to name-calling and embarrassing them? I don't understand why they keep you around. If Faye felt threatened by my Kieran, I am certain she could hold her own. I assume her subconscious knows Aja is not a threat; therefore, she hasn't acted on any negative feelings despite them being quite evident."

Suddenly, a burst of essence into my gut brought my thoughts back into the present, where I found myself curled over, trying not to gag.

"Miss Faye!" Knox's rushed up to me, his eyes full of concern. "What happened? Your shield was strong and then vanished as soon as my essence struck you."

Taking a few moments to allow my lungs to refill, I finally stood up and shook him off. "It's nothing. Do it again."

"You've been distracted all afternoon. I think we should..."

"Oh, Ty baaabeeyy," Aja's shrill voice rang out across the training grounds.

The entire courtyard seemed to stand still as Aja came trotting down. Ty, Rune, Eva, and Sybil had been sparring inside the ring while Blaise refereed on the sidelines, but their fighting had halted. I could feel my heartbeat pounding against my chest. Aja was wearing the shortest skirt I think I've ever seen and she had...