Chapter 20
Combat training
Tumva
I watch with pride as Hannah displays what she has learned in training to dominate her opponent.
She’s wearing the regulation human combat gear for this assessment.
A black long sleeved t-shirt that fitted her form down to her hips.
If she had been Ucfeni, that would have been all she wore.
Being human, Hannah also wore a pair of shorts.
I’ve seen this sort of spectacle before.
Humans sparing under the watchful eyes of their Ucfeni sponsors and pit boss.
It has never interested me to watch humans scurry around on their two legs and grapple.
But this time is different. This time I am one of the watchful sponsors and my eyes are fixed on Hannah as she circles her opponent.
No only am I interested in watching how she performs as Ezid evaluates her combat readiness, but I am captivated by her every move.
I am used to being an observer, as the presence of a Death Stalker is enough to deter most Ucfeni from having even a dark thought in my direction.
When most of your social interactions are observing from afar, you become excellent at reading the more subtle changes in body language.
Mood and motive. A useful skill when I have to read a crowd to locate my quarry to arrest, or to see a fight about to unveil and intervene.
Right now I’m using the same powers of observation to watch a goddess in action.
Her combat outfit clung to her form and made my mouth water.
I could tell the first time I carried her all those weeks ago that she was fit and strong for a human.
Since beginning her peacekeeper training she has firmed up and her core strength has come on a long way.
Her thighs are thick, her abdomen is toned, yet even with the sports bra she wears to bind her chest, her breasts still draw my eye as she twists out of the way of a punch.
I imagine her strong legs wrapped around me as my muscular tail coils around her to tangle us together.
How it would feel to surround her as she writhes in pleasure…
I could allow my mind to appreciate her form all day long, but that is not my purpose. I am here as her sponsor, not the man who is secretly in love with her and clueless how I could ever tell her so.
Hannah grunts as Officer Julia, one of the first human peacekeepers and a senior trainer for the human officers, manages to punch her right in the gut.
Hannah stumbles back, winded, but manages to stay on her feet.
I watch her like a bird of prey and wish I could bark commands at her.
That punch should never had hit. She’s not fatigued yet, but she’s been fighting for 15 minutes solidly and it’s starting to show.
Julia isn’t holding back and Hannah will be bruised when this is done.
She didn’t start this fight well, taking a few early hits, but she adapted quickly.
I am pleased as I track her and see she is making Julia move far more to wear her down.
That she’s choosing her moment to strike.
Outwardly I look to be impassive as I intently watch the fight.
On the inside I am fighting against myself.
Every time I see Julia connect with her fist or foot, I want to snarl and throw my wide jaws at anything that would hard my Hannah.
To sink my fangs in deep and gnaw at their flesh until I can taste my own venom in their blood.
I want to leave a corpse and cradle my mate.
To protect her in my coil and bask in her honey and fire scent.
Let the world bleed out and burn for all I care.
It’s a cruel place and has been cruel to this Death Striker.
Since meeting Hannah and taking in her scent for the first time, I realise I was only existing before.
Hannah brings colour and music and feelings into my life I never knew existed.
Right now I want to launch forward and rip Julia, my respected colleague, into pulp. I also want to abstain because I know that if I interfere then Hannah will not pass this vital assessment in her training. She want’s to quality for active duty. She does not want nor need my interference.
“Ah!” I clench my fists, my arms still crossed over my chest, as I watch her hit the ground on her left side.
Shuck me, it’s getting difficult to contain my anger.
Julia charges towards her and I flinch against invisible restraints holding me back.
Just as Julia get’s within striking distance Hannah kicks her foot outward with a devilish grin on her face and sends Julia to the mat.
I grin, pleased with her as Hannah scrambles on top of the older brunette.
She is scrappy as she grapples with her senior to get her into a headlock.
The grin on her face when Hannah realises she’s bested Julia, unable to get out of the hold…
sweet ancestors it made my pouch swell. I’ve known for a long time she was feisty… and I love it.
“Enough!” Ezid called out and the humans parted on the mat.
Hannah is grinning and her dark brown eyes seek me out.
I smile wider for her, proud of her performance.
She sees my approval and smiles from ear to ear.
She even takes a step towards me, but Ezid get’s in the way.
“Alright, you’re still rough around the edges, but I’ll clear you for active duty.
” He decreed and didn’t bother to wait around.
“Yes!” Hannah punches the air with joy, only to instantly wince and nurse her middle.
“Ah-shit. You got me good.” She directs at Julia who shrugs with a smirk.
Now the match is over I approach, as does Julia’s ex-sponsor.
Vraka is a desert dweller, rather out of his natural element in the jungle, but is a third generation Ornanian.
He has spiky scales on his brow and down his back and smoother sandy scales un his underbody.
He winds over to Julia at the same time as I reach Hannah.
“We’ll have to spar some more to get you up to top notch, as you’re a little slow, but you’ve got potential.
” Julia comments with a grin. Her brown hair is short and her blue eyes bright as she turned to smirk up at her partner.
It was long known that she and Vraka were bonded.
They followed the non-fraternisation policy in the work place of course, but their was no way to hide the way they looked at one another.
He also couldn’t resist coiling his tail tip around one of her ankles in a subconsciously possessive move once he reached her.
“You were magnificent, as usual.” Vraka praises her and adores her with his pale yellow eyes.
Suddenly Hannah looks to me and I realise too late she’s looking for similar praise from me.
By the time I try to find a platonic translation for how her entire presence excites me on every level, I’ve missed my moment.
Her smile turns into a huff and a shrug, and she tries to pretend she isn’t dissapointed with my lack of praise.
The thought of not rising to her expectations cripples me on the inside, and I have no time to try and correct that mistake.
“Well done frostie.” Vraka puts his hand on Hannah’s shoulder to congratulate her and I want to bite him for daring to touch her.
He can’t tell from my expression. I’m used to hiding my true feelings as showing any ire on my face would cause any Ucfeni to either hiss or flee from me.
Yet, on the inside, I do not like another putting their hands on my Hannah.
“Yeah, you did really well.” Julia adds. “I suggest you make sure to rest up. I didn’t go easy on you to make sure the pit boss would pass you.”
“Thanks.” Hannah chuckles and still nurses her side and gut. “I’m glad, really, but I’m feeling your 5 years experience on me. Ouch.” She rubs her side and I finally seize my moment.
“Our shift is over. You can recover at our nest.” Our nest. Where no one else can put their hands on her and she can be surrounded by my scent alone.
“Sounds good to me.” She nods and I am more pleased than I’ll admit once she’s away from Vraka. It’s irrational, I know, since he’s happily bonded to Julia, but it still bothers me. How easy it was for him to touch her. It’s not easy for me. Especially not in public.