AllFreeNovel
Share Us
For the next thirty minutes, I had him run at me while I effortlessly dodged each of his blows, testing his patience as much as anything.
"You're getting sloppy," I warned him. This time, I took advantage of the gaping opening he left each time after he took a swing and punched him in the same spot I had kicked him before. The blow sent him clear across the mat again.
He grunted as the breath rushed from his lungs, but he scrambled to get back on his feet immediately, as if he thought I’d hit him again while he was down. He was right.
"You never attack if you're going to leave yourself open," I told him. "Until you're able to block efficiently, hit and get the fuck out of the way."
"Okay," he said, lunging for me again. His next strike missed, but he darted back out of the path of my retaliating below.
"Good," I said, at the risk of giving him too much encouragement. I closed the distance between us swiftly enough that his eyes grew wide as I stopped in front of him.
"How did you—?"
"Vampire blood," I answered.
"Right," he sighed, taking a step back warily.
"Let's test what you've learned," I told him. "I want you to hit me with everything you've got."
He froze, staring at me with those big, dumb puppy eyes. "What? But—"
I punched him, this time square in the jaw, and blood sprayed from his mouth as he hit the ground flat on his back. He stayed down for a few seconds, dazed.
I walked over to stand above him, looking down. "That's what you get for hesitating—and for questioning a direct order from your superior," I informed him.
He reluctantly got back to his feet, looking at me like… Well, like I'd just punched a puppy, and he was the puppy. He’d live, though, which was more than I could say for him if Father Marius was intent on letting him go out on the field.
I wasn't sure why it even mattered. I would be rid of him, but he was my responsibility, and I took my training duties seriously, no matter how infuriating the recruit happened to be.
"Do you want to try again?" I asked.
This time, he didn't hesitate. There was actually anger in his gaze as he swung at me, making direct contact with my jaw. His knuckles split my bottom lip open on impact.
I touched my lip, looking down at the blood on my fingertips.
Eddie just stood there, looking like he was going to piss himself, his mouth slightly agape. As if I hadn’t let the blow land on purpose.
"Oh my God, Father de Leon, I'm so sorry!" he cried in horror, reaching out like he was going to try to comfort me before he thought better of it. "Are you—?"
"I'm fine," I said, licking the blood off my lips. The cut was already beginning to heal. "That wasn't bad. But it does confirm something I already figured."
He frowned in confusion. "What's that?"
"You're hardly any stronger than a normal human, if at all," I answered.
He blinked. "Well, yeah. I'm not shifted."
"It doesn't matter," I said. "Shifters are stronger than humans even in their human forms. Especially alphas. You’re average at best."
"Oh," he said, frowning as if I’d insulted him. "So I'm a defective werewolf."
"It would seem so.”
"Is it because I was turned, not born a werewolf?" he asked warily.
"You’re a shifter, not a ‘werewolf,’” I corrected him. “And I doubt it. If anything, the fact that you survived transformation should mean you're hardier than most. But I do have a different theory.”
"What’s that?" he asked curiously.
