Page 76 of Blood Owed (Blood Mafia 1)
What’s the best way to get rid of a vampire without being an asshole and risking my neck?
“Do you want to hit the boxing ring with me?”
I scoff. “So you can kick my ass? No thanks.”
She shakes her head. “I promise I’ll go easy.” Alissa sees my distrusting look and makes an X over her heart. “Seriously, I’d have to have a death wish to fuck you up when you’re under the protection of the boss.”
I bite my lip, glancing at the empty boxing ring. The offeristempting. Colt had laid me out over and over yesterday, it would be nice to work with someone who let me land some hits.
“If you’re lying, I’ll find a way to kill you.”
Alissa smirks. “I’m not lying.”
We turn off our treadmills and head over to the ring. Alissa digs into a crate filled with gloves and pulls out a set for me and tape.
“None for you?” I ask as I tape up my hands.
She shakes her head. “Supernatural healing, remember?” Ducking between the ropes, she shuffles to the middle of the ring, bouncing on her toes and stretching out her arms. I slide on my gloves, grimacing when she runs through a series of warm up jabs.
This is a horrible idea.
I hesitate outside the arena and she catches my eyes when she drops her arms to her side. Her eyebrows rise in challenge.
“Well?”
“Mateo shared his blood with me,” I say as I climb into the ring.
Her eyes widen. “Shut up.”
Crap. I hadn’t meant to turn this into a gabfest. I’d meant it as a warning, letting her know if she had any intentions of hurting me, she’d be killed.
“Yup, so don’t get any ideas,” I warn her.
I’m smart enough to realize I’m way out of my league and she’d no doubt be able to crush me. Especially as I have no knife.
“You don’t trust easily,” she observes, getting into a fighting stance. “Unlike some vampires, when I make a promise, I keep it. Now stop stalling and let’s fight.”
Alissa keeps her word, pulling her punches so they bruise instead of crush bones. We take it slow, building up to full out sparring where I manage to land some hits that make her grunt in appreciation. Of course, they won’t bruise, but I’m proud I’m strong enough for her to notice.
“When you come in for the left hook, you drop your elbow,” she says, ducking away from a jab. “Focus on that.”
I nod and throw a few hooks into the mix, making sure to keep my elbow lifted more than I usually do. She dodges them with ease, but says, “Good,” and we continue to fight.
When I round house kick her on a whim, she chuckles and swats my leg away. She’s distracted, watching my foot fall so I pivot and punch her in the face.
“Damn it,” she hisses.
I tense, waiting for some sort of retaliation.
Her green eyes fill with surprise. “Good hit.”
“Thanks.” My chest aches from the continuous cardio.
Alissa takes notice of my haggard state and steps back, dropping her arms. “I think that’s enough for today, you look beat.”
“Oh thank god,” I say and plop onto my ass. Had she wanted to continue, my pride wouldn’t have let me quit.
She sits down next to me. “You’re a little bruised, did I hurt you?”
