Dance with the Devil

Chapter Five

   I heard Luke heft a heavy breath in anger. He was just as unhappy with the men’s lack of queries as I was, his jaw flexing with his reserved disappointment.

   Logan chose three men out of the group, asking the others to step back even as I stayed where I was, “now,” he gestured to them, “attack me. The first man to put his hand on me earns a night free of training and extra rations at last meal.”

   The men looked back and forth at each other in uncertainty, surely confused by Logan’s fully dressed state. They themselves were merely in their breeches and boots, their shirts being omitted to lessen the amount of laundry as this did tend to be a dirty affair.

   In that moment Logan took the center man to the ground quickly, “never hesitate,” he spoke clearly to the man beneath him, not even the least winded, “the enemy will not ask you to attack and you must be ready.” He pushed off the man and stepped back, motioning to the men still on their feet, “again.”

   This time the one on the right charged, but he too was quickly cast aside.

   “Do you think yourself better than I?” Logan asked the man whose face he was pressing into the earth, a man who abruptly shook his head, “then why do you move to strike me alone if you know your skills are not up to the challenge?”

   Again Logan stepped aside, righting his jacket as he stood, “we hunt in groups for a reason,” he addressed the men, “we know no one man can match the strength of a vampire. Our weapons are our advantage, and above that the strength we have in numbers. When you see a vampire you do not go headlong alone into battle, but with the strength of your brothers behind you.”

   I fought not to grin. It seemed Slayer Logan had other, underhanded, reasons for bringing me here tonight. He wanted for me to hear this speech, the same one he had given to my group of Killers so many years ago. And Luke, well he wouldn’t meet my eyes so one was left to think he had been a part of this.

   It was true that I risked my own life unnecessarily, tearing ahead of the group in pursuit of my quarry. But no matter the asset support brought with it, I preferred to fight alone. And I was damn good at it.

   Logan relieved the first three men in favor of five new faces, “again.” He said to them as he leaned into a crouch, “do not hold back, attack me as if I was a vampire.”

   Taking heed of what they had just witnessed this group charged as one, but still they failed to lay a single finger on Logan. It took me just a moment to disarm all five of them. I grabbed the first one by his arm as he ran past, brining him to a halt and wrenching his arm behind his back before I propelled him into the bodies of his brothers in one clean movement. He took them all down in a tangle of limbs at Logan’s feet. It didn’t even ruffle my hair.

   Now the men measured me.

   “Why wouldn’t you think her a threat?” Logan asked the pile of men before him, “She stood near enough, no?” He clucked his tongue and held a hand out for me, together we stepped over one of the discarded bodies, “you cannot let appearances deceive you,” he lectured those who hadn’t been spurned, “vampires come in all forms, men, women, even children. They expect us to pause when presented with such, hoping it will give them the moment to either flee or to kill you.” Logan brought my hand to his lips and gave a quick kiss before stepping behind me. “Once again,” he spoke to who was left, “all of you, try to vanquish me, to get beyond Genevieve.”

   This time the mass huddled together for a moment in discussion before quickly encircling Logan and I.

   “Very good,” he said in approval as he put his back to mine, “rewards for all of you if you can subdue us both.”