Bloodlines by B. F. Worlds

Author:B. F. Worlds [Worlds, B. F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: series, supernatural romance
Published: 2019-04-16T23:00:00+00:00

AMARA

Chapter 17

The summer sun beat heavily on her brow as cheering of the crowd assaulted her ears. These things threatened to distract her but Amara focused on the solid things to keep her attention on the situation at hand; the hard earth beneath her bare feet, the scrapes across her knuckles that stung as she made a fist, her opponent on the opposite side of the crude circle.

Rictus took two quick steps and she came to attention, ready to counter the attack. He backed off just as fast, laughing loudly. “You look tired over there.”

“Pah! I could keep this up till the moon rises if you want.” It was a blatant lie. Rictus had always been mocked as the runt of the litter. Thin and wiry, he had a frail constitution compared to that of the younger members of the pack and a flighty nature that didn’t mesh well with the bull-headed attitudes surrounding him.

He had learned to use all these things to his favor though. His natural tendency to flinch and dodge was a result of heightened reflexes that made him too aware of his surroundings. Smaller muscles meant more maneuverability. While he couldn’t go head to head with Amara, he could dance circles around her. Twenty minutes and she was huffing and puffing from effort while Rictus remained light on his feet. “I would be mindful of myself if I were you. Any minute, I’ll turn the tables.”

“I live in fear.”

The attack came suddenly. In a moment, the light mannered joker teasing her morphed into a cold assailant. His attacks were quick and calculated, testing to see how badly her reflexes had deteriorated. She flagged purposely, letting them get through, hoping the display would lure Rictus into being careless. It was no good. The careful boy kept his distance.

Her plan backfired when what she thought was another weak jab hit her square on the chin. It knocked her head back, making the world spin.

Rictus followed up with two more strong punches, one busting her lip, the other breaking her nose with an audible crunch. Amara bent over as he drove his heel into her abdomen. Fingers wrapped in her hair, holding her head in place as he brought his knee up.

The blow knocked her onto her back and Amara stayed there, turning her head so the blood wouldn’t run into inconvenient places. She could hear Rictus circling the crowd, laughing, and the cheers grew louder, softer jeers directed at her barely audible beneath the racket.

Hands grabbed her arms. She didn’t fight them as they pulled her to her feet and guided her out of the ring. A pail of water was placed in front of her and a dirty cloth thrown into her lap. This is what medical care amounted to amongst her people.

She’d heard of a group of people whose sole purpose was to care for the injured. The idea sounded preposterous. As she sat catching her breath, she could feel her skin tingling, a sign that her wounds had begun to heal.

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