LAILAH #2
The sliding glass door opened, and Brayden came in from the patio. “Just got off the phone with my dad, and it seems my mom has calmed down. He, of course, didn’t take her to the hospital for a sedative, but they seemed to manage with what we had already at home from other breakdowns.”
The chipper mood that I had been in faded instantly as I remembered his mother screaming at me yesterday. My fork clattered on the plate, and my shoulders slumped. Suddenly, I was no longer hungry. Brayden wrapped me in a hug from behind, hiding his face in the crook of my neck, holding me tightly.
“I don’t care what you think; it’s not your fault. My mom is not well, and anything could have set her off,” Brayden said softly against my skin.
“That’s not completely true. Like Parker said, I’m a magnet for trouble right now. This is better. I shouldn’t be around people who don't know anything about demons, or it could get them hurt,” I sighed.
Hugging me once more, Brayden let go and went to get himself something to eat. I turned in my chair, watching the boys work.
“What exactly are you guys doing?” I asked.
“We’re trying to figure out how so many demons got here without anyone noticing.
Parker is also looking into all the data that the Elementi here in Austria have gathered over the past year or so.
The thing is, we are lacking information, so we’re gathering every bit we can.
Once we can put it all together, it will give a clearer picture of what we’re dealing with,” Hudson explained.
“Anything I can help with?” I ventured, feeling a little out of place.
“Finish your breakfast,” Jay said, not even looking up from his work. “You and I are going to be sparring later.”
Heaving another sigh, I turned back to my plate and did as he asked.
A few hours later, I found myself outside facing Jay, who was holding out two weapons that looked just like the ones my power created. I was bundled up in a jacket and snow boots, but the wind had died down and the sun was beating down on us from clear skies.
“These weapons are called sai. They are a defensive weapon but are handy in close-quarter fights. Today, all I want to do is get you familiar with holding them and maneuvering with them so you don’t hurt yourself.
These practice ones have no sharp points, so they are safe to work with,” Jay explained as he adjusted my grip on them.
“They’re a lot heavier than the ones I have,” I commented as the cool metal rested against my skin.
“Our blessed weapons are not real; they are formed with our power and can only be used against demons. If I were to shoot a human with my bow, the arrow would just pass right through. Unless they were possessed, that is.”
Knowing I couldn’t hurt someone I shouldn’t with these made me feel so much better. Jay showed me how to hold the weapon against my forearm safely and how to swing it around so I could use it to defend or attack.
“Now, do that motion fifty more times,” Jay said, stepping back and watching me with a critical eye.
I could feel my brows dip in concentration as I did what he showed me again and again. I dropped each one at least ten times, making me thankful for my snow boots and that they weren’t sharp. I would have lost a toe for sure.
“Stop trying to fight against the sai’s natural balance. It was made to make this motion easy, so let it flow,” Jay instructed as I once again dropped it.
My wrists started to burn with the strange movement, and the top of my arms ached from holding the heavy object. I could feel the muscle bunching up at the strange abuse it was getting. Yeah, Jay and I worked out my whole body when we did gym days, but this was not a muscle we focused on.
“Better. Now try and speed it up, alternate which one you flip forward. This needs to be something you can do in your sleep,” Jay pushed, walking a circle around me.
I gritted my teeth and did as he asked, feeling as if my arms might fall off. Surprisingly, as I got more comfortable, my motions became more confident. I wasn’t perfect, but I felt a change in understanding of what it should feel like when done right.
“Good, now let's do some blocking work. Remember your kickboxing classes—they will help you move, but what you need to focus on is keeping your sai flat to your forearm,” Jay instructed, standing flush with my back as he showed me what he meant. “When you pull them back to your chest, make sure you keep them vertical so you don’t stab yourself with the pointed yoke.”
Even through my winter jacket, I could feel Jay’s body heat against my back.
Memories of what happened this morning flooded back and made me blush, forgetting everything we were working on.
Jay nipped at my ear, making me yelp and jump in his arms, which were still holding mine.
Having jerked my arms back, I was afraid that I was going to stab him in the gut with my weapons.
I shouldn’t have been so worried, though, because Jay swiftly moved out of the way, twirling me around so I was facing his chest.
“Do not lose focus, Lailah, it could endanger you or someone else. When you have your weapons in hand, you need to be prepared to defend or fight for your life,” Jay chided, but I could see a glint of humor in his dark eyes.
I couldn’t get over the change that was happening with Jay.
He was becoming bolder with our interactions.
He had always been opinionated in certain areas, always making sure I ate, driving me to school, and making sure that I was safe, but this was different.
If I was being honest with myself, I didn’t think I minded.