Page 113 of The Genius
“Raven and Nero, if you must be physical, let’s put on some music and dance.”
“Isn’t dancing and fighting in the same category?” someone joked and laughter spread.
Laura walked over to stand next to Mila. “We are all adults here; if people want some healthy fighting, I don’t see the problem.”
“That’s right. A bit of fighting won’t harm anyone,” I chimed in. “I wouldn’t mind going a few rounds myself.”
Not ten minutes ago I’d overheard some of the men comment on Shelly’s transformation and I was vibrating with frustration. I’d wanted so badly to tell them all that she was mine.
Mila threw her hands up in the air. “But I have all these amazing party games planned for tonight.”
“Mila, I think the Northlander version of party gamesisfighting,” someone called out.
“Can’t we just have fun for one night?” Mila begged.
“What could be more fun than seeing Nero get his ass kicked by Raven?” Tristan asked and grinned.
Nero made a loud “tsk” sound. “Not even if I had both arms tied behind my back would she win against me.”
Boulder, who was sitting next to Nero, laughed and patted his shoulder. “You have no idea.”
“I wouldn’t mind going up against Marco,” Nikola called out. He had been one of the older students at the school and like the rest of the Nmen here, he was an excellent fighter. “I saw your fight against Neil Jefferson last weekend and I can’t say that I was impressed.”
I was already annoyed with Nikola for making comments on how gorgeous Shelly looked so I pushed out my chest and spoke in a deep voice. “I was distracted.”
“Sounds like an excuse to me. Maybe you just don’t have it anymore. Is that why you pulled out of the tournament? I could never take you as a kid, but now…” He gave a cocky smile. “I think it would be easy.”
In a slow graceful movement, I rose up to my full height. “Challenge accepted.”
Raven, Laura, and all the men of the North broke into excited chatter.
Nikola stood up too. “Let’s do it.”
Pearl and Mila were insisting on safety gear, but I was so provoked by Nikola’s calling me out in front of everyone that I wanted to do it the raw way. His grin wouldn’t be so cocky if he lost a tooth or two.
Boulder made us take the fight to the soccer field where there was no chance of our destroying furniture or injuring other people.
Despite the Motlanders’ aversion to violence, they all came along to see the fight. Unlike my fight with Neil, I was pumped and focused from the beginning.
Nikola was fit and had packed on a lot of muscle since he was a kid, but I had seven more years of experience than he did and my pride on the line.
The fight was messy from the beginning, and the drama only intensified when one of my punches gave him a bloody nose.
With his right hand, Nikola tried to dry the blood off his face but only managed to smear it over his cheek and forehead.
“Please don’t kill each other,” Mila shouted with her hands to her face and Laura holding an arm around her.
Never had I been sharper in a fight. Shelly, the person I most wanted to impress in this world, was watching and I needed her to see that I was a strong mate.
“Upfhh…” Nikola took a hard blow to his solar plexus and bent over.
“You want more?” I asked and moved around him.
With a face as red as an overripe tomato, he growled and took a swing at me.
I blocked, and swept him off his feet, getting on top of him and pressing his cheek to the ground.
He bucked and groaned from the weight of my body on top of him.
