Bitten

Chapter 7

   I stared at the black canvas before me. Never had a piece of paper looked so blank. Maybe if I put pencil to paper something would create itself I thought. Nope. Nothing happened.

   I heard frustrated grunts and scribbling beside me. Damen was drawing lines and rubbing them out as quickly as he made them. I smiled slightly, satisfied that I wasn’t the only one struggling.

   “Not artistically gifted, huh?” I said. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

   “I'm normally quite good” I rolled my eyes “I just can't think of what to draw!” He said, throwing his arms in the air in frustration.

   “Well, you could always draw me!” I said, doing a pose and pouting my lips. Damen laughed, low and delicious. The sound seemed to melt my ears and make my heart beat faster in my chest.

   It took me a minute to see what I was getting myself into. No! He might be good looking Evangeline, but it’s unhealthy to think that way about your tutor. Or is it? Ok, maybe another minute of daydreaming.

   Damen was looking at me funny, and I realised it was time to leave. I once again stared at the blank canvas. Ah well. I guess we can’t all be good at everything!

   “Ummm…Why are you making funny faces?” Asked Damen, an amused look on his face.

   I could feel the heat rush to my face “Pfft…what are you talking about?!” I said, shrugging in a dramatic way. OK, no more day-dreaming then….

   Damen gave me a last funny look before heading out of the class-room, me following closely behind. Without warning, he pulled me aside.

   “There’s actually something I wanted to talk about. Something serious, so I need you to listen.”

   “Aye Aye cap’n” I said, giving him a salute. He looked at me sternly.

   “Well, in three days time we will be doing training up-top, so I need you to pay extra special attention in class” He finished.

   “Oooooh up top!” I said in a sarcastic voice, waving my arms about in a spooky manner.

   “Evangeline! Stop fooling around! You could die!” He yelled his expression stern and red eyes raging like fire. “Which is why you’re coming with me for some more training right now!”

   I groaned “Fine!”

   I unwillingly let him take me to that cold room in which we had practiced in before. I shivered at the familiar coldness that emanated from the training room. It’d be a miracle if I could even move my joints.

   “Right, I want you to put this on.” Said Damen, chucking me a shirt of the same elastic material.

   I glanced at Damen’s waiting expression “ Isn’t there somewhere I can change?”

   Damen blushed. Yes, blushed. “ Um…Ah…No. I wont look!” He stammered. I grinned at his stumbling. Ah ha! Who is the calm and collected one now eh?

   I turned around and whipped of my t-shirt. I glanced behind me and barely suppressed a laugh when I saw Damen with his hands over his eyes. I turned back around and slid the weird elastic top over myself, before turning to Damen.

   Except, he was charging at me with a shiny blade in his hand, the look on his face relentless, and all I could do was watch as the blade connected with my heart…

   A very annoying high pitched noise pierced the air. Oh. That’s me.

   I shut my eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain. Where was it?

   I slowly peeled my eyes open, and Damen was looking me straight in the eyes, the blade pressed against my shirt. The shirt seemed to be emitting sparks where the blade and shirt connected.

   “ARE YOU CRAZY?” I screamed, unable to take my eyes of the blade that was still emitting sparks. I can’t believe he just tried to kill me! I wished I had a baseball bat right now…oh I would do such naughty things. OK, regrettable choice of words, I'll admit.

   “No, I'm teaching you self defence. You weren't ready.” He said calmly, totally unfazed by his attack. His red eyes held my attention as he spoke. “Now, I'm going to go again and you will try to dodge.”

   He stepped back again, ready to charge. I waited, ready for his attack. I would show his what I was made of!

   He charged, inches away from where my heart would be if I had one. I flicked the blade out of his hand, as if it were a mere annoyance. He stared at me shocked.

   I grinned an evil grin. Payback time! “You are so going down.”

   I ran at him, a confused look crossed across his face. And then understanding.

   He grabbed my wrists, flipping me around and slamming me to the ground, but not enough to hurt me. His hands were huge compared to mine, almost overlapping on my wrist.

   I felt his strong chest muscles pressing against my body and stared into the impressed ruby eyes of Damen. The ground underneath me was digging into my back, and I guessed it had cracked.

   His hot breath was on my face, a mix of spice and buttered popcorn if there was such a scent. I could feel the tension between us. We were so close.

   He gently lifted a hand up to my dark hair, brushing it out of my face and tucking it behind my ear.

   “Very good Evangeline…” He said, his voice husky. I really knew I should get him off of me, but my brain was screaming pleasure. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, and I was pretty sure he could hear it. I took the minute to admire his facial features. His square jaw was carved perfectly for an equally perfect pair of…oh , his lips! They were so inviting…so….

   Suddenly, a door banged open and Kade stood in the doorway. Confusion passed across his face.

   “Umm…I came to see if you were alright Evangeline. You seemed kind of lost earlier...” He glanced at Damen still on top of me “Am I interrupting something?”

   Damen hurriedly got off of me, his face red.

   “No, not at all. Evangeline, I think it’s best I you go now…” Damens expression was unreadable.

   “But its only been 10 minutes!” He gave me a look that said ‘don’t argue, just do It’

   I grimaced and walked out with Kade, glancing back at Damen who was already turning away.

   We stayed in silence as we walked back to our doors, the only sound the awkward clicking of our shoes on the wood floor.

   Kade coughed “Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then. If you need any help…” He trailed of, obviously uncomfortable. I gave him a reassuring smile because I felt bad.

   “Thanks Kade.” I finished, before traipsing into mine and Violet’s room.