Night Blade by J. C. Daniels Read Free Book Online

swordsman, but he had fun with it and it gave me an opponent.
    Doyle swung the blade around, smirking at me. “Why…afraid I’ll hurt you?”
    “Kid, that’s a practice blade. You’re more likely to hurt yourself, but that doesn’t mean I want you touching my weapons,” I replied.
    “I think you’re scared.” A light glinted in his eyes. “You still smell like meat to me. I think you’re scared I can carve you up…just like meat.”
    Narrowing my eyes at him, I said, “Meat, huh?”
    He continued to watch me, a hint of that arrogant laughter dancing in his eyes.
    I nodded. “Tell you what. I’ll give you a chance to do just that. Give me five minutes.” I left him alone in my living room as I headed into my bedroom to change.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Shapeshifters are fast.
    Sometimes it makes them stupid.
    That’s why I do okay with them.
    They never think that sword of mine is going to help me out much, because they are bigger, stronger, and scarier.
    But I’m trained and I spent the first fifteen years of my life being tortured by somebody just as scary as any shapeshifter.
    After I’d changed into clothes more fitting for a dance across the mats, I led Doyle into my gym. “You think you can carve me up, do you, Doyle?”
    “Oh, I know I can.” He continued to spin the sword and I was a little surprised to see he had some grace with it.
    But it wasn’t skill.
    He didn’t hold the sword right. And he’d already made the worst mistake possible. He did the same thing everybody else did. He’d underestimated me.
    “Alright. I’m going to give you a chance to prove it.”
    He laughed. “Nice try. But there’s no way I’m going to,” he said, shaking his head. “Damon’s having too much fun fucking you for now and if I laid a hand on you, he’d kick my ass.” He winked at me and then added, “I’ll wait until he’s done playing with you.”
    It stung.
    I can’t deny that.
    Yeah, I know most people think he’s just toying with me and I know I’m still not entirely certain what we have going on with us, but it’s not playing . There’s something between us that I can’t describe and it’s so exhausting having people ignore it, insult it…
    Pushing it aside, I nodded. “Damon would definitely kick your ass if you harmed me. But this isn’t about harm. I always need a good opponent. Not that you will be, but I’ll give you a chance. Tell you what…if you can get in a shot, I’ll owe you a favor.”
    “A favor?” His lip curled. “What in the hell can you do for me?”
    I stared at him. “Kid, did you forget who found you?”
    “No.” His eyes flashed. “Damon did.”
    I started my warm-up, watching him steadily. “Did he? He tell you that or did you just guess?”
    “You sure as hell couldn’t.”
    “If you say so. Okay. Maybe you don’t want a favor from me. But look at this way. You hate my guts…you’ll have the memory of humiliating me. A trained swordswoman, beaten down by an idiot kid just barely out of puberty.” I smirked at him.
    That goaded him into it.
    He came at me with a snarl.
    I waited until the last second and glided out of his way, tripping him so he hit the floor with a thud.
    I was already on the other side of the room when he regained his feet.
    “Never let your opponent get you angry,” I warned him. “First lesson.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    I would give him credit.
    He had a rough, natural talent that was unexpected.
    But he had absolutely no training.
    Twenty minutes later, I’d disarmed him four times and he was bloodied in more than a dozen places.
    But to my surprise, he was smiling when I finally said, “That’s enough.”
    “Hey, I’m just now getting warmed up.”
    As he circled around, I shook my head. “That’s lovely, Doyle, but I’m done. I have to get the office.”
    He lunged.
    There was an odd look in his eyes, one that almost looked like pleasure and I don’t think it was just because he came that close to disarming me.
    I