Page 10 of Challenged
Rion nods and stands up.
I lead the way to the unfinished basement that’s mostly empty. Rion flicks the lights on, which are only exposed light bulbs, before standing in the middle of the room.
The cold, damp air of the basement surrounds me as I stand across from Rion. I can feel the weight of my anger and frustration pulling me down, but I’m determined to channel it into this. The concrete floor is hard beneath my feet, its rough texture only adding to the tension in the room.
“Are you ready?” Rion asks, his green eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that belies his usual calm demeanor. His blondhair is pulled back into a tight ponytail, revealing the sharp lines of his jaw.
“Always,” I growl, my fists clenched at my sides. I may be a skilled fighter, but Rion has centuries of power over me. Not to mention, he’s a vampire, exceptionally strong and fast. But right now, I need this. I need to release my pent-up fury.
“Good,” Rion says, taking a step towards me. “You can get your anger out right now.”
As soon as the words leave his lips, we both spring into action. I let my power surge through me as I spar with Rion.
“Come on, Blaze,” he taunts, dodging a punch and landing a solid hit to my ribs. “Is that all you’ve got?”
I deliver a swift uppercut that sends him stumbling back. He recovers quickly, but I can tell I’ve caused him pain.
“Better?” I snap, my fists already primed for the next attack.
The sound of our fists connecting echoes through the unfinished basement, followed by the soft thud as we each dodge and weave around the other’s attacks. Rion moves with the fluidity of a dancer, his lithe form evading my blows with grace, but I’m relentless in my pursuit.
“Come on, Blaze, you’re holding back,” he taunts me, landing a powerful kick to my side that sends me stumbling.
“Shut up,” I growl, gritting my teeth against the pain. My dragon shifter hearing can still pick up the faint sounds of Anna, Felix, and Griffyn upstairs, and it only fuels my anger further. I need to focus, block out everything else but the fight before me.
“Focus, Blaze,” Rion says, his green eyes locked on mine. “Use your anger.”
I nod, taking a deep breath before launching myself at him again. I tap into my dragon shifter strength, feeling the power ripple beneath my skin as every punch lands harder, every kick more forceful.
“Better,” Rion admits, grunting as I land a solid punch to his jaw. He shakes it off, though, his eyes never leaving mine.
“You know I’m a better fighter than you, right?” I mutter, wiping the sweat from my brow as we continue our dance of fists and feet.
“Obviously. I’m just encouraging you to get that anger out.”
We trade blows for what feels like hours, neither one of us giving an inch. But eventually, I begin to wear Rion down. My dragon shifter stamina serves me well, allowing me to outlast him despite his vampire strength.
“Enough,” he pants, holding up a hand to signal the end of our sparring session. “You’ve won, Blaze.”
My chest heaves with exertion. The anger still simmers beneath the surface, but for now, it’s been tempered by the physical release of the fight.
The silence that follows our sparring is almost deafening. I can no longer hear the sounds of Anna, Felix, and Griffyn.
“Blaze,” Rion says softly, breaking the silence. “You should get some rest.”
I turn to leave but hesitate before begrudgingly saying, “Thanks.”
I trudge up the stairs and make my way down the hallway to my room, my body aching from the workout but my mind racing with thoughts of Anna.
As I step into my room, the dim light casts shadows across the walls, and I’m reminded of how empty I feel without her presence. I close the door behind me, shutting out the world and all its complications. Lying down on the bed, I stare up at the ceiling, contemplating what I’ve done and what I need to do next.
My gaze drifts to the television mounted on the wall across from the foot of the bed. I consider turning it on, seeking solace in the distraction of TV, but I don’t. The thought of watching TV,something that Anna and I do together, feels like a knife wound. She’s the one who made me watch my first show. Watching without her is like I’m allowing myself to forget the pain I’ve caused her.
Instead, I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with thoughts and plans. My fists clench and unclench.
My mind races with ideas of how to make things up to Anna all night, preventing me from sleeping.
As I lay here, lost in my thoughts and regrets, I promise myself that I will find a way to make things right. “Anna,” I whisper into the void, the name feeling heavy on my tongue. “I’m so sorry.”
