5. Talon

CHAPTER 5

Talon

" A gain," I said through a heaved breath, gripping Cassandra's hand and yanking her to her feet for what felt like the thousandth time tonight.

One benefit about staying in her family's estate was that every single room in the mansion was warded by witches so that as long as the doors were closed, no one could hear what was going on inside.

Definitely a suspicious and sneaky requirement for any homestead, but completely beneficial when it came to our circumstances.

I had at least been able to shift into my normal form when behind Cassandra's locked bedroom door. And thank fuck for it, or else I'd have to stay in that panther form for the duration of this mission, which could take who knows how long.

It'd only been two days since our arrival and already my skin itched from being in animal form for so long. I slept in my regular body, even if that meant sharing the lone bed in Cassandra's massive allotted quarters.

Not only did she have a luxurious and elegant bedroom complete with a king size bed, bookshelves, and wardrobe, but she also had three attached rooms, which included a sitting area, a grand bathroom, and a small kitchen.

Unfortunately, that kitchen didn't contain canned blood or even bagged blood. The Zorins didn't allow random humans on their island, and made sure to keep track of everyone they brought in as a feeder. Which meant I hadn't fed since we left the king's residence.

"You're particularly grumpy today," Cassandra said, her chest heaving from her rushed breaths. We'd rearranged her entire sitting area, moving the ancient pieces of furniture and tables to the edges of the walls in order to allow space for us to train.

She'd refused at first, but after I told her that she should know how to defend herself in case something happened, she'd finally given in. And honestly, I think she enjoyed having an excuse to take her mind off of what had been a fuck-all of two days. It'd been evident from day one just how fucking awful her mother was, and it'd only gotten worse.

There was no sign of Edward anywhere.

"I'm not in a mood," I fired back, squaring off with her again on what had to be an original damask rug. "I want you to beat me."

She rolled those cunning brown eyes of hers, popping two delicate hands on either hip as she shook her head. "You're like a thousand years old," she said. "You were trained before I was even made. I have no shot of beating you."

"You're not wrong," I said, cocking a brow at her. "But I'm not going to encourage your lack of motivation when it comes to self-preservation. You can't tell me you're content with everything that your parents kept from you."

She flinched like my words physically assaulted her, and just the tiniest stab of regret jabbed me in the chest.

I pushed the shit away.

The last thing I needed to do was let my guard down and feel empathetic for the female who could quite literally be setting a trap for my brothers or my king at this very moment.

After seeing the interaction with her mother and the heavy aftereffects, I doubted it.

My veins filled with ice. Her mother looked down her nose at her own offspring like Cassandra was some disease that needed rooting out, or, just as badly, some tool she wanted to utilize for her own gain.

Before I became a hunter, I'd been born into a prestigious aristocratic family, so I was no stranger to the effects of wealth and power. But my family was nothing like the Zorins. We actually loved each other. Supported each other's personal aspirations. All it would take was one mention of my noble bloodline and Cassandra's mother would likely change her entire attitude, no doubt shoving Cassandra my way for an advantageous pairing.

"Fine," Cassandra said. "Let's go again." She lunged, opting for a surprise attack which was wasted on me. I anticipated her move and had her on her back in one second flat. I just as quickly hauled her to her feet again, dipping my head to indicate we start again.

"You're being too obvious," I said after another five failed attempts to even lay one hand on me. "Any vampire with a fraction of training will see the intention in your eyes before you make the move physically."

Those eyes in question cut daggers at me.

"I think it's just you," she said. "I think you've been studying me since the day you met me and that's why you're so easily able to read me. Others have never been able to see through my mask?—"

" Nobles ," I cut her off before she could continue, stepping into her space and looking down at her. "Nobles can't see through your mask. Royals even. The pompous aristocratic vampires who you've spent so much of your time with. Now, I'm not saying fooling them is an easy feat, but this is something entirely different. Survival is entirely different. So sure," I continued. "Draw up whatever masks you need to, but apply them as if your life depends on it."

A spike of fear tainted the scent of her blood, the smell slightly frigid. Well, at least she had some survival instincts left because for a few moments, I swore the female didn't care if she lived or died.

"I'm trying," she admitted on a tight breath. "I promise. I'm trying."

"You need to try harder," I snapped, my patience wearing thin. "I'm sure if this was a dance lesson you'd be passing it with flying colors." I swung, and she managed to duck before I made connection.

She glared at me as she dodged three more attempts, and I gave her a nod of praise as I continued to attack and she continued to retreat.

"That's all that I am to you, isn't it?" She weaved in and out of my slowed-down hits, but made no attempt to hit me back. "A spoiled noble vampire? The vicious daughter of a traitor? Do you seriously think I'm trying to piss you off?" she asked, lashing out with a hit that I blocked easily with one arm.

"Oh I think you live to do that every single day," I said.

"Outside of training," she said, retreating some more. "Absolutely. But here? No. I don't actually like my ass being handed to me every single time we face off. Do you think I want to die? Especially because I was never taught to defend myself because all I was ever supposed to be was married off and bred like some broodmare?"

That gave me pause, and I slowed, my eyes raking over every delectable inch of her body. She wore modern yoga pants and a sports bra, and both of our feet were bare against the rug. Her hair was tied back, allowing every delicate curve of her face to show. In my time, females were expected to do just as she said, but in the time she'd been born? It was an archaic notion, one of many that the Zorins clung to over the last two centuries.

A ribbon of empathy tightened in my chest, but I shook my head and furrowed my brow at her.

"If you don't want to die in the inevitable battle that's to come, then prove it." I went on the attack, speeding up my movements just under my full capacity.

She blocked two attempts to grab her throat.

"Good," I said, but spoke too soon because I landed a hit to her left side that she wasn't able to dodge, pulling the punch so much that it was more a warning tap than anything. But she still groaned in frustration, switching over to her primal instincts and lashing out as she tried to shove me across the space.

Tried and failed.

I growled, irritation rippling up every inch of my body. She had to do better. She had to take this seriously or she was going to die. Her brother wouldn't hesitate to rip out her throat if he discovered her deception against their bloodline.

"You aren't using every weapon in your arsenal," I said. "The only thing you're using right now is anger. It can be a useful tool but clearly it's not helping you when it comes to your enemy, which happens to be me right now."

"Right now?" She laughed sarcastically. "Try the moment you laid eyes on me. You've had it out for me since then, and I'm doing my best to prove to you, to everyone, that I am not my family. I am not the blood that runs in my veins."

"It doesn't matter what I think," I fired back. "Right now, I'm nothing more than a vampire that's trying to kill you. Stop. Me." I emphasized the last two words.

"You're a thousand-year-old hunter! If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead?—"

"Is that what you want? Would that make you happy? If I ended all of your suffering right now?"

"Did you seriously just ask if that would make me happy ?" she snapped back, throwing punch after punch that I easily deflected. "Unfortunately for you, I don't share the same fantasy of my blood drenching your hands."

"Then beat me," I said. "Use that brilliant mind of yours. The one I've seen strategize and utilize to save innocent humans. Beat me. Use all the weapons you have, your most effective one being your mind. Outthink me." I lashed out, and she was almost able to dodge, but was a half-second too late. My fingers wrapped around her delicate throat, and I took her to the ground again.

I pinned her with my body, her legs falling to either side of my hips, our eyes locked with my hand still on her throat, squeezing just enough that she knew she'd lost.

"You want me to use every weapon I can think of," she said, something churning behind those brown eyes of hers.

"Yes," I said. "I want you to?—"

Her mouth broke the distance between us, her silken, soft lips pressing against mine with a hunger that made desire flood my veins.

Her hands flew to my hair, tangling as she yanked my mouth harder against hers, eliciting a growl from my chest. Instinct took over, and I slanted my mouth over hers, licking into it and shuddering at how damn good she tasted. Her tongue danced against mine, claiming my mouth in a way that had me rock hard and aching to sink inside her.

Her thighs clenched around my hips, tightening in a way that had me thrusting against her heat, my fangs distending.

Bite. Fuck. Drink.

My instincts pulsed with the demand as I licked into her sweet mouth, needing more. In the back of my mind, I knew I shouldn't be doing this. She was the daughter of a traitor. A stunning creature waiting to strike. But her soft, warm body felt too damn good beneath mine, eliciting a craving that I hadn't felt in over five hundred years.

Her fingers tightened in my hair to the point of pain, and one second she was the one on her back, and the next it was me, her straddled atop me, her free hand at my throat.

She yanked away from our kiss, her eyes lust-hazed but triumphant as she smirked down at me.

"I do have a weapon I can use against you," she said.

It took everything in my willpower to lock down each and every one of my muscles.

To not sit up and bring our mouths back together again.

To not raise my hands from where they laid at my sides and grab her hips and make her come right there even though she was fully dressed.

She looked more than fuckable, all flushed skin and swollen lips, her fangs out as she sat atop me.

"You took me off guard," I said in the most aloof voice I could muster. "I'll give you that."

She smiled, revealing more of those gorgeous fangs, and then she rolled her hips, her heat grinding over my hard cock.

I growled.

"I don't think all I did is take you off guard," she said, but there was a little hitch in her voice that told me she wasn't unaffected by what she was doing. The little tease. "I think it's definitely more than catching you off guard," she continued, moving over me, making herself shiver as she shamelessly rocked against my cock.

I bared my fangs as I raised up on my elbows, bringing our mouths closer together. I could see the hunger in her eyes, could see her absolute willingness to keep this going if I allowed it.

"So this is your solution? You're going to seduce every enemy you come up against?" I tilted my head, raising up even more so we were face to face, our chests flush.

"It worked on you," she said, her hand still at my throat, her nails slightly scraping my skin.

"Maybe," I said. "But it won't work on everyone. And I'm trying to train you for those who will not be fooled by that mouth of yours." I moved quickly, lifting the both of us to our feet and putting a good six inches between us. I never lost her gaze though. "So, for now," I said, my eyes trailing over those lips that would haunt me. "Keep your fucking mouth to yourself."