2. - #3
Fury rises in my chest, and before I can stop myself, my body moves on its own. Hatred propels me off of the wall and straight at her, sending us both careening into the steamy water with a crashing splash.
Our limbs tangle together as we fight to be near the surface.
My movements are slowed significantly, fighting against the viscosity.
Yanking on a strap to her thick fitness bra, I aim a punch toward her face, but she catches my fist and twists.
My body caves and bubbles pour from my nose on a silent scream.
Now that this bitch has me against her body, her free hand circles my throat and squeezes.
My eyes damn near explode from the pressure. Pushing me downward onto the floor of the pool, my arms flail, hands scratching at her own. Once she releases the other hand, she uses it to double the pressure on my throat.
I claw desperately at her hands, praying to J?rmungandr to get her off of me.
She's going to kill me, all because I didn't get pregnant last month.
Bubbles flood around us as static takes over my vision. Behind my eye lids, stars explode and shapes float by.
I can't breathe, I can't breathe.
My head feels fuzzier by the second as my strength to keep clawing fades with it.
Darkness takes over my vision after a weak, half assed punch that landed nowhere.
Suddenly, the shadow of her above me is raised and thrown out of the pool. My body instantly floats to the top. Breaking the surface, I inhale and cough, expelling water from my mouth.
I look up to see Talon hovering over the girl as she lay in a sopping wet pile by the wall.
Dark, leathery wings expand over her, claws extended.
He's in attack mode, positioned over her like a lion ready to devour his meal.
Keeping his stance wide, his chest rises and falls steadily, steam exiting his nostrils.
“Talon?” I choke. Relief washes over me.
“What happened?” His voice has dropped a few octaves, like rough cement.
The girl groans and shifts below Talon. Her clothes are soaked, water leaking off of her like a dripping tap. Her hand pushes against her head as she sits upright. “Your stupid mate attacked me.”
Talon glances at me, eyes wide in disbelief. “You attacked her? I've never known you to attack someone.”
Anger, shame, and guilt crawls up my throat. On one hand, I probably shouldn't have done that, but I had a feeling she was going to attempt something against me anyway. Her words cut deep and she meant them.
A pair of footsteps slap down the hallway and round the corner towards us. Ven and Deemer rush in, shifting their eyes between all three of us.
I sink farther into the water. I don't want Ven or Deemer staring at me naked.
“Sera, why are you here?” Ven asks the girl, her blonde bob messy and sticking to her like a rat's nest. “I was looking for you.”
Sera stands and pushes past Talon, moving next to Ven. “Just came to have a conversation with Cerys. Seems she didn't take too kindly to it. She's not fond of sisterly advice.” Sera raises her hands up like she's yielding.
I growl at her from afar, eyes lurking out of the water like a leering crocodile.
“Let's hope she doesn't fail us on Lupercalia night,” Sera adds to no one in particular.
“Harassing her isn't going to help,” Ven tells her.
Yeah, he's right!
“I'm not harassing her, I'm just reminding her of her duties here.”
I rise out of the water on my tippy toes. “Does reminding me of my duties include trying to kill me?”
Sera releases a grunt. “You attacked me.”
“One punch would have done ya some good,” I bark. A little face rearranging would teach her a lesson.
“Ladies!” Deemer squawks, “stay away from each other. We don't fight here.” Deemer shoots a glance at Ven, pointing at him, “and you keep your sister away from Cerys. Talon, keep Ceyrs away from Sera. Deal?”
Sister? No wonder why they both reek of apathy.
Whatever. I sling Sera's bug eye glasses over the lip of the tub, letting them land near her soaking tennis shoes. She grunts as her thanks.
She's lucky I didn't fucking break them. It'll be really funny when she's a blind bat.
Sera and I had agreed to avoid each other, and Talon stayed with me for the remainder of the bath. He's technically not supposed to, but as long as Deemer gives him the okay, then it's not a problem.
After dinner in our room, I tell Talon a little more of the encounter with Sera.
“I'd like to strengthen my powers,” I state. I almost died to the hands of some stupid bitch, and I don't want that to happen again.
Talon picks me up by my waist and places me on his lap. His boner pokes my butt. His breath beats against the shell of my ear as he says, “but my precious mate shouldn't have to worry about such things. That's what I am here for. Women of Banity don't have to worry about such things.”
I give him a pleading look. “I don't want this to happen again.”
He pats my bare thigh. “Slight oversight. Don't attack people and you'll be fine.”
I sigh. Thanks for absolutely nothing! I guess it's up to me to train myself for the future.