He masked his turmoil with a wicked grin and a sharp swat to her backside before stepping away.
She whirled around, dagger raised, eyes flashing with indignation, her arousal battling with outrage.
Perfection.
He forced down his grin. “Now do as I instructed. Knees bent, turn your body, and keep that weapon ready.”
Iliana grumbled to herself as she moved into position.
Anubis pretended not to hear as he turned away, adjusting himself with a hissed curse.
This was going to be pure torture.
Chapter thirty-five
ILIANA
“Get it right this time, and we will call it a day,” Anubis said, handing her the dagger.
Iliana’s arms were shaking as she got back into position. They’d spent two hours polishing her stance, her body locked into positions for grueling stretches before moving to practical drills. She’d repeated hundreds of stabbing motions. She’d sparred against a god who barely had to try.
Every failure stung, a sign of how painfully human she was. Mortal and breakable.
Not this time.
She drew in a deep breath, ignoring the fire in her muscles, the fresh bruises throbbing under her sweat-slick skin, and lunged.
Her dagger thrust forward, aimed straight for his chest.
Before the practice blade could meet flesh, he caught her wrist with perfect control.
A gasp escaped from her at the contact. Her hold slackened around the dagger, letting it fall out of her hand.
Anubis yanked her to him. Their bodies collided, his chest firm, scorching against hers. Their breaths mingled—hers ragged, his maddeningly steady.
She barely had time to process the rush of sensations before he rumbled low in approval. “Nicely done.” His hot palm splayed wide across her lower back. “Your form was strong. You still telegraph your movements, but you are learning.”
Praise. From Anubis.
The rush of pride almost buckled her knees. Warmth grew, spreading outward into every one of her cells. She sagged against him, exhausted though victorious. For a brief second, everything was simple. Understandable. Her accomplishment. His approval. The way his solid embrace fixed her to this space.
But it didn’t last.
Even as pride overtook her, a deeper, more uncomfortable longing moved in. For his attention. He looked at her as if she were worth teaching. She realized she was starting to want this—to want him—in a way that frightened her.
“I’m done,” she panted, raising her head to look up at him. Every muscle trembled with the effort to stay upright. Her thighs quaked. Her core burned. “Right?”
Anubis gave her a slow, devastating look, his eyes tracing her face. They moved from her lips to her eyes and back again, before he asked, “Done? I do not think we will ever be done.”
The focus in his eyes made everything else fall away.
And then his mouth was on hers.
The kiss stole her breath.
His lips were softer than she’d expected, even as his kiss was demanding. He tasted like roasted spices, the flavor electrifying and darkly addictive.
She gasped, and he took advantage of the opening. His tongue swept in, deepening the kiss.
