34. Annalise
Chapter thirty-four
Annalise
The chilly breeze is a welcome reprieve as I take long slow pulls of water, trying to force my breath to even out from the exhausting “warm-up” Hunter just put me through before we begin sparring.
After almost being caught kissing in the arena by a recruit showing up early for class a couple of weeks ago, we’ve been working out back at his house on the new mats he added to his home gym.
Which, considering the two dragons stationed at opposite ends of the property like highly judgmental security guards, is probably the safest place we could possibly train.
Kali is sprawled beneath the trees, lounging like the most pampered cat on her throne while Tyr sits only twenty feet away, always watching and full of commentary. Between the two of them, no one is getting anywhere near us without being noticed.
Which means we have privacy…which has proven to be the best and worst decision when we’re supposed to be training.
Back on the mat, Hunter circles me slowly, his hands loose at his sides while he wears that infuriating half-smile that tells me he already has a plan and thinks he knows exactly how this will go.
“Your left foot,” Tyr mutters inside my head. “You're giving him an opening.”
“I know...It’s intentional.”
“He keeps beating you as soon as you do it, so maybe you should stop.”
“I’d like to see you come out here and fight him,” I laugh back, instantly picturing him on the mat fumbling over his own legs.
“Don’t insult me,” he grumbles. “And I don’t need to fight like a human. I have fire, fangs, and camouflage.”
“One more time!” Hunter barks, and I instantly roll my shoulders.
“You said one more the last time.”
“And then you got distracted.”
“I was not.”
“You were staring at my arms.”
“I was evaluating weaknesses.”
His eyebrow lifts in question, and I can’t keep my straight face anymore.
“What? You know they’re my weakness,” I add.
He laughs under his breath. “I’m pretty sure telling your opponent your weakness makes the top five list of things you aren’t supposed to do in a fight.”
“Maybe…but telling my boyfriend doesn’t sound so bad.”
“No,” he admits as his eyes look me over—the exact moment I’ve been waiting for presenting itself.
Lunging, I reach for his shoulders, intending to go for a leg sweep, but he catches my wrist before I can connect, twisting and using my own momentum to send me stumbling past him. I recover quickly, pivoting on my heel and throwing an elbow toward his ribs, but he blocks it.
“Too wide,” Tyr says immediately. “And you're dropping your shoulder before every strike.”
“Since when did you become an expert on fighting?”
“I’ve had hundreds of years watching you all squirm around. You don’t think I’ve learned a thing or two?”
“You’re moving too slow, and your eyes are giving you away.”
I move instantly, going for a hip throw, but this time, he catches both my wrists and pulls me close to him. For half a second, we're chest to chest, neither of us moving.
His gaze drops to my mouth.
“This is where you're supposed to let go,” I murmur, stepping into him.
“I know,” he whispers, seconds before his lips are on mine and I’m leaning into him.
There is a long, horrified silence in my head.
“Absolutely disgusting.”
I almost laugh against Hunter's mouth.
“You could stop watching.”
“I cannot stop seeing things.”
“Have you tried closing your eyes?”
“No. Not when I’m standing guard to make sure you aren’t attacked or caught with your tongue down the Captain’s throat.”
The kiss doesn’t last nearly long enough, but still, it completely destroys whatever concentration I had left.
I pull back with a glare. “That was cheating.”
“You kissed me back.”
“Natural instinct.”
“I’m not so sure I’m happy with that natural instinct…though I’m sure it’d be quite effective on a battlefield with men who haven’t seen anyone as sexy in leathers as you are.”
I shove at his chest, and swing the second he releases me.
He ducks.
I pivot.
He catches me around the waist.
“That was good, but I still got you.”
“Let go.”
“No.”
“Hunter.”
“Annalise.”
I elbow him lightly in the side, eliciting a grunt, but not earning me any space.
“That, Seiri, is a cheap shot.”
“You're the one holding me hostage.”
“I'm testing how well you can get out of a hold.”
“You're distracting me.”
“Am I?” he mumbles against my neck, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. “Then I guess I’m multitasking.”
I twist hard enough to break his grip and manage to get behind him, hooking my arm around his neck and locking in the hold.
“Better,” Tyr admits.
“Thank you!”
My smile disappears.
“Tap,” I tell Hunter, but he ignores me. Squeezing tighter, I repeat myself, “Tap, Hunter.”
“Adjust your elbow to the right,” he coaches, then taps as soon as my bicep pushes against his carotid artery.
I loosen my grip just enough for him to turn.
Big mistake.
He sweeps my legs out from under me, catching me before my back hits the mat as he goes down with me. Adjusting as his glistening bare torso and ripped, tattooed forearms cage me in. Every inch of him is toned perfection above me.
I stare up at him; he stares down at me, neither of us saying a word.
Then his mouth curves. “You're distracted again.”
“You're sitting on me.”
He leans down, trailing kisses up my throat until he makes it to my lips.
“Oh, for the love of—” Tyr's mental groan is so dramatic I nearly laugh.
One kiss becomes two. Then three. Then his hand settles on my waist, thumb brushing along my side.
I smile against his mouth. “Still think I'm the one distracted?”
“Absolutely. But I’m enjoying it.”
I hook my fingers around his neck and pull him closer, his expression changing to a look of hunger. His mouth trails briefly along my jaw, then to the sensitive spot beneath my ear.
I inhale sharply.
“Hm.”
“Don't—” I start, and he pulls back immediately.
“Sorry!”
“No, I was saying don’t stop. Gods, please keep going.”
“We’re supposed to be training,” he reminds me before giving me one last kiss and popping back up.
Neither of us hesitates once we’re back in starting position. I punch; he dodges. He swings, I block. Each step and counter step looks like a well-choreographed dance, though irritatingly, that means I’m not gaining the advantage.
Taking advantage of his misstep, I tackle him at his center, both of us going to the mat with me on top.
For one breath, I have him pinned beneath me, my knees braced on either side of his hips.
I shift backward to reset my balance, and the movement brings me just close enough to feel exactly how much I've managed to distract him. His breath catches, and I take the opening, throwing a punch at his face that I already know he’ll block.
Except he doesn’t.
My fist connects with his face, splitting his lip instantly.
“Oh my gods, Hunter! I’m so sorry!” I explain, scrambling to check how bad it is.
“That was perfect,” he laughs, blood coating his teeth instantly as he smiles up at me.
“Why are you laughing?” I shout, pulling my shirt off to put pressure on the cut. “You were supposed to block!”
“I was a little distracted,” he says, calmly pulling me back down to sit on his very obvious erection and slowly rocking me back and forth as his thumbs rub rough circles into my hips.
A low moan escapes me, drawing his eyes to mine. His usual composure is clearly hanging by a thread, and I’m desperate to make it snap.
Pushing down harder, I revel in the way his eyes roll back, and every muscle of his tightens just before he pulls me down for a kiss.
For too long, we stay like that—bodies moving in sync in the middle of the mat and making me desperate to know what he’ll feel like inside me.
Reaching down, I start to loosen the tie on his training pants, but a swift, playful smack to my ass stops me in my tracks.
I jerk upright.
“Did you just—”
“You don’t get out of training that easily.”
My mouth falls open. “You are such an ass.”
“And you have the most incredible one. Now, reset.”
I smack his shoulder and enjoy one last, long roll of my hips over his cock before standing back up.
He laughs but doesn’t take the bait, forcing me to run each takedown method in slow motion until the mood is shattered and we’re both fully back into training mode.
“Finally,” Tyr grumbles, followed by Kali's amused rumble rolling through the air.
Tyr's head snaps toward her, and I hear him snap, “Do not encourage them,” through our bond, making me more than curious about what she’s saying to get under his scales so much.