The II AM Trilogy Collection by Christopher Buecheler

Author:Christopher Buecheler [Buecheler, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal & Urban
Amazon: B00BGG2T8I
Barnesnoble: B00BGG2T8I
Publisher: Christopher Buecheler
Published: 2013-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

“Right. First off, please tell me that I don’t need to remind you to keep your goddamned thumbs out from under your fingers.”

Stephen was leaning against the basement wall, watching Two, who was standing before a simple, heavy punching bag. Two turned her head, gave him a cool glance, and turned back to the bag.

“Told you I knocked some girl’s teeth out, didn’t I?” she asked.

“Could’ve been a lucky shot,” Stephen countered.

“Bullshit. I know how to punch without breaking my thumbs.”

“Good, then punch. Let me see your form.”

Two threw a few shots at the bag: stiff, short jabs.

“Stop trying to anticipate what I want you to look like and just punch like you would punch if this bag was ‘some girl’ whose teeth needed knocking out.”

“OK.”

Two threw punches, circling around a bit. She knew that it would be obvious to Stephen that she was not trained, but hoped she would be able to keep from making a fool out of herself. At least, as she had said, she knew how to keep from breaking her thumbs.

Stephen was right: she had earned the right to hit something, and Two found herself enjoying this exercise. Moving with the bag, timing her swings, not minding the scrapes on her knuckles as the heavy canvas bounced against them. She could feel a light sweat forming all over her body, but she felt good, not out of breath or overexerted, simply a well-honed machine performing in the manner that it should.

“I guess I should thank you for this,” she said as she punched.

“I was curious if you would feel that way,” Stephen replied.

“For a long time, I didn’t. I thought you were pushing too hard, just enjoying being the asshole drill sergeant that I couldn’t say ‘no’ to.”

“Who says I wasn’t?”

Two laughed. Punched. “Fine, but I’m still thanking you for it.”

“Why?”

“Dunno. Passed the time? Gave me sexy abs? Made me cut down on the cigarettes?”

“You should quit those entirely.”

“Sure. I should probably quit the bourbon, too, but that’s not gonna happen either.”

“Very well then, but I don’t think any of those are the real reason that you’re thanking me.”

“Suppose not.”

Stephen waited. Two punched. Finally, she said, “I was tired of not being in control of anything.”

“That’s very interesting,” Stephen said.

“Why’s that?”

“The way I see it, you’ve been in control of this entire situation from the moment Naomi tasted your blood and learned what it is you were. At the very least, you’ve been in control from the moment she stopped me from killing you.”

“What the hell have I been in control of?”

Stephen tilted his head and answered her question with one of his own. “Do you know why the American council wasn’t able to come to a decision?”

Two, who had no idea, shook her head.

“They’re scared of you. Terrified. Centuries of order have come crashing down because you – little, tiny you, not even in shape at the time – killed the bogeyman. You didn’t just kill him, you slaughtered him like a farm animal.

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