Page 57 of Tainted Souls
“Fine.” I stripped the vest from the hook before tossing it aside. “No dagger. No armor.”
Colton’s smirk faltered for just a split second before he barked a laugh. “Suit yourself.”
As we squared off, I felt the weight of every eye in the room. Colton lunged first, a wide, cocky swing meant more to impress the onlookers than to hit me. I slipped sideways, the dagger cutting through air. He came again, faster this time, but I kept ducking, pivoting, and forcing him to chase shadows. Each dodge drew more laughter from the sidelines, like I was nothing but a sparring dummy too scared to stand her ground.
My patience snapped.
When he overextended on a thrust, I twisted in, driving my elbow hard into his ribs. The satisfying grunt that left his throat silenced the room for a heartbeat.
I didn’t waste it.
My vampire speed carried me forward and closed the distance. In a blur, my hand clamped around his wrist, wrenching the dagger free. His eyes went wide as I shoved him back.
That’s when an arrow tore into my side, buried deep in the flesh just above my hip. I staggered, shock stealing my breath as I whipped toward the sidelines.
Colton straightened, chest heaving, something like disgust creeping onto his face. Around us, no one moved to help me.
“Disarming him is below the belt,” Jasmine said, bow in hand.
I winced, pulling the arrow out of my side. “I wasn’t going to use it.”
“The rules were clear. Weapon for Colton, limbs for you.”
The door crashed open, the deafening bang making everyone freeze in place. Lexa’s eyes swept across the scene as she strode in, taking in the arrow on the floor, the blood on my side, Colton’s stance, and the circle of spectators in seconds.
“What’s going on here?”
No one spoke at first, their silence stretching under the weight of her gaze. She was one of the highest-ranking slayers, after all, earning at least some form of respect.
Eventually, Jasmine stepped forward, her chin raised. “Just a training exercise that got out of hand.”
Lexa’s gaze shifted to my wound, then to Jasmine’s bow. “This is what passes for training now?”
“She was fighting unfairly,” Colton countered, his confidence faltering under Lexa’s cutting stare.
“Unfairly?” Her eyes darted from the crowd to Colton. “What I see is a room full of slayers with no remorse for the injured, and a failure to respect your partner. I bet you would quiver in the mere presence of arealvampire. They won’t show you mercy, nor will they fight fairly.” Her expression hardened, cold as a tomb. “So, instead of working hard to refine your craft, you inflate your ego with such petty wins? These victories are nothing but a testament to your poor character. It is truly disgraceful at best.”
Shame crept onto some faces while others maintained defiant glares.
“Training isn’t about proving who’s stronger. It’s about learning, surviving, and keeping each other alive.” She moved to stand between me and the others. “Clear the room. All of you—before I report this to the general.”
Everyone dispersed quickly, muttering under their breaths. Colton threw me one last hateful look before slamming the door behind him.
Lexa turned to me, her anger giving way to concern. “Let me see that.”
I lifted my shirt, revealing the wound that had already started to close.
“It’s fine,” I said, though the sting suggested otherwise.
“It’s not fine.” She helped me to my feet, steadying me as I swayed slightly. “None of this is fine.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. She was right, of course, but admitting it felt like surrender.
“They didn’t trust me,” I eventually said. “After what happened…”
“That’s no excuse. They’re letting fear cloud their judgment.” She examined my wound again, satisfied to see it had nearly closed, before retrieving my dagger from the floor where it fell and handing it back to me, hilt first. “You need to stop holding back in training.”
“If I don’t hold back, they’ll just have more reason to fear me.”
