“Nothing. These are cool, I guess.” I heaved a sigh and sank into a defensive stance. Might as well accept the gesture and move on toElle Takes a Beating, Part Two.It wasn’t likeElle Gets Laidwas happening anytime soon.
Caden grinned as if he’d just solved all my problems and jogged back into the circle. “I thought you’d like them. They’re fireproof and have grip pads.”
I wriggled my fingers. “They’re also orange and have little black cats on them.”
He winked. “Perfect for a witch during hunting season.”
I did like that. He was pretty thoughtful.
“Like I always say, safety first.”
My hands were already warmer. Now, if I could only do something about the sun.
Caden crooked his finger, signaling me to attack. His gaze sparked with challenge, and a grin spread across his lips.
I took my time, analyzing the landscape. We circled each other. My grip tightened around my weapon. I had yet to land a killing blow, which meant in every training scenario we’d practiced so far I had ended up dead. Not exactly an ego boost for an up-and-coming demon-hunter.
I needed to do something smart. Something Caden wouldn’t expect. He read me like an open spell book, always knowing my next move—usually before I even knew myself, which was infuriating. But if I could take him by surprise, I might be able to win a round.
What would Ivy do?
She’d hack and slash her way to a pile of dead demons, always relying more on her weapon than on the world around her. That wasn’t my style. Ivy was a one-woman show, and what I needed was an army. My gaze scanned the ground then flicked back up to Caden.
Moving toward the edge of the circle, I led him farther away from the barren, dirt-covered ground, and closer to the thick, weedy section. My shoes sank into the knee-high grass. It was harder to navigate. Easier to trip, and also in the full, blinding sun. But I had a plan. And considering Caden’s quizzical look when I sheathed my dagger in front of him, he hadn’t figured it out yet.
“Are you sure that’s wise?”
I lifted a shoulder. “It was getting heavy.”
“Whatever, it’s your funeral. I’ll bring flowers.”
“Don’t skimp and get cheap ones.”
His mouth edged up at the corners. Taking advantage of me being unarmed, he charged first, a predator cutting through the swath of undergrowth to take down its prey. It was now or never. I spun and sidestepped his attack, placing him in the direct path of the sun. He turned, squinting at the harsh glare. Before he could get his bearings, I summoned a gust of magical wind, creating a vortex of fallen leaves.
They circled us like a horde of flying bats. Caden lifted his arm to block the swarm while I darted forward. I grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him as hard as I could backward while executing a leg sweep behind his ankles.
The momentum took him down, and the tall weeds tangled his feet, preventing him from regaining his balance. He landed on his back. I dropped to one knee, unsheathed my dagger, and held it poised above his heart.
My pulse pounded from the exhilarating maneuver. A sheen of sweat cooled on my brow, and I grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
“You lose, Caden,” I said in a breathy murmur.
Leaves drifted slowly to the ground, settling around us like brittle snowflakes. His chest rose and fell on harsh breaths. He reached out, wrapping his fingers around my wrist, holding me in place with his searing gaze.
My grin slowly faded as awareness sizzled across my skin. The pad of his thumb stroked across my pulse point.
“Losing to you feels a lot like winning,” he said. There was a strange note to his voice. It was dark and husky. My stomach tightened at the rough sound.
His throat worked, gaze dropping to my mouth. Was he going to kiss me?A witch can hope.
“What?” I swallowed, my throat dry from the heated look in his eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
He hesitated, his features warring with some inner turmoil. It was a fight he lost as he released my wrist and reached to cup the back of my neck with his palm.
“Because you’re so beautiful, Graves,” he said, drawing me down to him and capturing my lips in an impulsive kiss.
My eyes widened then closed as his mouth moved over mine. Maybe it was the pent-up energy. Maybe it was the attraction that had been building for weeks. Maybe he was just a damn good kisser. Pretty sure it was all three, but I completely lost myself in the sensation.
