I'll Be Damned (Anna Wolfe Series) (32 page)

"Hey,” I say, but he makes no attempt to turn around.

"We're going to run today," he responds calmly.

"Run?" I ask, confused.

"Yes, Anna, we are going to run. You need to build up your endurance."

Now I'm annoyed. He's going to make me do stupid exercises as his way of punishing me. I hate passive-aggressiveness. He swings around as if hearing my thoughts. "It's not going to be normal running," he says with a sneer.

My eyes widen, matching my shocked jaw. I'm going to be chased by a wolf. Valen nods, reading my expression.

"What? But how can I possibly run from you?"

"I'm going to teach you."

He darts towards the tree line and I follow apprehensively. I asked for it. I want to learn how to fight supernatural beings so here's my chance. Shame on me for not realizing it would be far more intense than a simple self-defense class. Valen stops and spins around.

"First rule: when being chased by any supernatural animal, especially wolves, don't run in a straight line. You'll be overcome in a matter of seconds," he says in a pedantic tone.

I nod in response.

"You need to learn how to use your surroundings as a platform. Trees, branches, rocks, anything you can catapult from are all important. You have to keep it guessing. Exhaustion of the enemy is your only defense in this situation... for now."

"I have a feeling I'll be exhausted first," I say grimly. How can I outlast an animal born for this?

"That's why we're running. This is a very important part of training. Not only will you learn how to survive, but it will also filter into future lessons as well."

So the good stuff will come after passing the tedious prerequisites first.

"Whatever you do, don't think about climbing a tree or jumping into water. We're great climbers and swimmers."

"Good to know," I respond.

"Okay, let's begin," Valen says, pointing to the large rock protruding two feet from the ground.

In one swift movement, he runs towards it, placing one foot on the edge before propelling himself off the side. He flips in the air, landing quietly as a cat, amazingly.

"I doubt I can do that," I mumble.

"Not at first, but that's why we're here, right? For you to learn?"

"Seems so," I reply with far less confidence than what I had earlier. I sigh, replaying his movement. I envision myself running, jumping and rolling in the air. After a few deep breaths, I take off at a full sprint. The squishy ground gives way under my weight, displacing the blanket of broken leaves covering it. I burst towards the rock, narrowing my focus until it’s the only object in my visual field. My foot slams on the jagged side of it, causing my knee to bend like a spring. I push up and out with all my energy until I feel myself flipping in the air. With a rush, my legs descend towards the earth, into a perfect landing. I gaze at Valen with utter surprise that I could nail it on the first try. He looks as shocked as I feel.

"Wow, that's really good," he says, astounded.

I exhale in a grin. "I can't believe I did that!" I exclaim, feeling thrilled. All of my excitement makes me want to throw my arms around him, but I refrain.

"Your powers must be more advanced than I thought. Let's try some complicated moves and see if you're able to pick them up as quickly." He moves deeper into the forest, stopping at a creek. A bulky tree spans the lush banks serving as a natural bridge.

"I want you to replicate everything I do," he states, turning to me.

I nod, impatiently anticipating his next move. Valen sprints to an enormous tree behind us, running halfway up its trunk. His back bends, flipping him in the air upside-down until he lands on the other side of the bank. He easily clears twenty feet… in-flight. I stare at him, utterly amazed. So, the fallen tree bridge is just for show. My palms sweat, as I imagine the pain of landing on the jagged rocks that jut through the few inches of water. I want to learn complex moves, but I think we skipped over the elementary ones entirely. I glance at Valen, who nods his head. Then, I inhale deeply and regain my focus. I envision myself duplicating Valen's actions precisely. My legs move under me, carrying me toward the tree. I run up the trunk, hearing the bark snap under every step. My body bends backwards with ease. The rush of air hitting my face relaxes me as I flip myself over the creek, and land softly on the ground, right next to Valen.

"Holy shit," I say, swiping a few loose strands of hair behind my ears.

Valen's expression is carefully masked. "How did you do that?"

I shrug. "I don't know. All I did was close my eyes and remember exactly what you did. My body just took over."

"I’ve never seen anything like this. Your powers are highly developed even though they’ve been dormant for years," he says slowly, pacing around some branches.

"What do you think it means?" I ask.

"I'm not certain, but hopefully, Roman will have some insight. I'll ask him tonight; but for right now, let's teach you everything you need to know," he replies.

Over the course of the next few hours, Valen teaches me the necessary skills of outrunning anything supernatural. We bounce off rocks, leap over ridges, and flip from trees. A few times, he chases me in his wolf form, spiking my adrenaline. The urgency that builds inside me is exhilarating. Valen teaches me how to listen for a wolf's approach, its smell and way of thinking. Wolves are strong predators. They prefer to sneak up quietly on their prey, but will charge at full speed if necessary. Although they are stealthy, there is a chink in their armor. Wolves can’t hide the sound of their footsteps. Valen instructs me to listen for specific sounds of twigs snapping, leaves crunching and grass bending. Before long, I know the difference between a squirrel rustling through a pocket of dead leaves and a werewolf's paw smacking the ground. We focus on new moves and reiterate old ones. A choreographed symphony of jumps, flips and rolls are now in my supernatural arsenal. My self-confidence grows with each flawless execution and nod of approval. By sundown, I am worn out, hot and battered. Purple bruises and red scratches cover my arms and knees as testament to my insatiable persistence at proficiency in every task. All in all, today's lesson is a success. My skills of dodging and evading are nearly perfected, my super senses are mature enough to detect a wolf, and my endurance is better than when I was a kid.

"That was incredible," I say breathlessly as I stumble my way to a rock before crashing my butt on it.

"You did extremely well. I think you mastered everything except the branch jumps, but we can work on those. If you can learn the book and magic as well as you performed today, your powers will be fully developed in a week," Valen jokes in a weak voice.

I’m not the only one fully whooped after today’s training. He lingers by a tree before sliding down its trunk, and resting in the leaves surrounding it.

"What time is Roman arriving?"

Valen opens his eyes. "Within the hour."

I hop up. "An hour? We have to get back to the house. I need a shower to look presentable."

"Anna, he's a warlock, not Colin Farrell," Valen replies mockingly.

I ignore his childish comment and start the journey back. Trees of all shapes and colors stand majestically, pushing their dense tops skyward. Nature breathes life into every twist, color and shape of the surrounding landscape. They are life in its purest form, and have existed here for thousands of years, wrapped tightly in bark, ever expanding their roots. I scan the landscape, seeing its magical wonder for the very first time. I’ve always appreciated nature, but now I respect the force that directs both life and death, side by side, always advancing in evolution.

Valen groans as he stands up, with no attempt to catch up to me. In a matter of minutes, we re-emerge from the edge of the brush. My home’s windows are lit up, throwing a soft, silver light onto the lawn below. Martello is peering out the kitchen window like a worried mother. I laugh and shake my head. Valen and I continue in silence. I don't mind; in fact, I prefer it. If we only talk about magic, it prevents me from asking him about anything else. I thump through the door, relieved as the cool air caresses my face. My bright red cheeks soak in the air conditioner as they return to their normal shade. The humidity is still thick as a blanket in September.

"You’s a mess," Martello says, shaking his head.

"I look like I've been dragged through mud, which technically, I guess I was," I grin.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoys gettin' dirty," he says with light disgust. He can be such a girl sometimes.

I walk over to him, extending my arms open wide. "Give me a hug," I say, laughing.

"Girl, you best not touch me with that filth. This is a new outfit and I don't want dog hair on it," he responds with humor.

On cue, the back door clicks open and Valen strolls in behind me, closing the door lightly. "I'm going to rinse off before meeting Roman," he says walking towards the hallway.

"I thought he was coming here?"

"He is, but we agreed to meet somewhere first, just in case he’s followed."

Before I have a chance to respond, Valen has already climbed the stairs. I find the need for extra precautions monotonous, considering demons already know where I live. It wouldn’t surprise me if all creatures from the Netherworld had a map to my home stapled on their walls.

"He’s a funny one," Martello states.

"We need to work on your definition of funny," I reply, nudging him.

"Girl, what did I say about you touchin’ me?" he says, wiping the invisible dirt off his shirt.

"Why are you so dressed up anyway?" His banana yellow shirt stings my eyes, begging the question of why does he enjoy wearing colors that cause physical discomfort to others? At least, his white cargo shorts work to tone down the otherwise flashy outfit.

"Well, there’s a new man in town, right?"

I look at him, confused. "Roman?"

"That would be him. You never knows, honey," he says dismissively.

I chuckle at the thought of it. "Martello, you never cease to amaze me. I'm going to grab a shower and try to look presentable. I'll be back in a few," I say.

I hurry up the stairs, passing the hall bathroom. The soft sound of trickling water beckons my ears, bringing thoughts of Valen's naked body to the forefront of my brain. I’m about to reach the good part when a loud banging snaps me out of my fantasy.

"Everything's fine, just dropped the OJ," Martello's voice calls from the kitchen.

Forcing my feet to move toward my room, I shut the door, and try to erase Valen and his nakedness from my mind. This is getting so tiresome. I consciously have to stop thinking about him in order to avoid getting tangled up in my own desires. I run the water for the shower and hop in. The warm water pours over my achy muscles, gently massaging them with luxurious heat. I inhale deeply, allowing the steam to soothe my tender lungs. I carefully wash my scrapes, settling my eyes on the fading bruises from Valen. What's the big deal? He's stronger and bruised me by accident. I was well aware of our lustful intentions. Maybe there's a way I can protect myself through a spell, or a snap of the fingers. It's definitely worth looking into. I turn the nozzle, cutting the water off. In less than half an hour, I'm dressed in tight, skinny jeans and a plain, black, fitted t-shirt. My hair is in a low bun, resting on the nape of my neck. I apply under eye concealer, a dab of olive eye shadow and swipe nude lip gloss across my lips. I glance at the finished product, satisfied, before sliding my feet into my black flip-flops and leaving my room. Valen's door is open, indicating he already left. I grip the handrail and descend the stairway. As soon as my foot touches the middle landing, the front door swings open. Valen walks in with who I assume must be Roman.