building.
~~~
The air inside felt stuffy from the crush of
bodies crammed into the small place, raising the temperature even
more. Not that it really bothered me. Fire was a natural magic of
mine and it always made me warmer.
Slipping the plastic safety guard into my
mouth, I knocked my gloved hands against my protective headgear,
making sure it was tight, before glancing toward the big burly guy
standing between Jett and me.
“The only rule is that there are no rules.
You can fight however you wish. First person to fall the other and
pin them for eight seconds wins. All or nothing. Are you
ready?”
I nodded and Jett growled, the two of us
immediately circling one another.
“Take her to the mat, Jett!” some guy
yelled. “Give it to her hard, like a real man!”
Laughter joined in with the taunting and I
had to tune them out. Centering my sights on my opponent, I
listened only to my own breathing and the blood pounding in my
ears.
Jett led with a jab, and I dodged. The first
thing my dad had taught me was that the best way to avoid being
beaten was to not be there when the punch comes. I had trained my
eyes to be quick about calculating the muscle movements of my
opponent, and to anticipate the hit before it was ever thrown.
Jett and I continued to circle and he
continued to jab at me while I dodged and studied his movements,
watching for a possible opening. Then he lunged forward, jabbing
first left, then right. I avoided the first punch, but rolled right
into the second, allowing him to knock me to the floor as a
collective gasp went up from the crowd. As soon as I was on the
floor, I kicked my leg out, swiping his out from underneath him.
The moment his body hit the mat I was up on top of him, straddling,
as I pounded my padded fists against the arms that were covering
his face. I managed to land a hit hard enough to the side of his
head that it knocked his mouthpiece out. I hesitated, glancing at
the referee, wondering if he would call time so Jett could replace
it.
Jett took advantage of my pause, bucking
hard beneath me, throwing me off balance and I slipped to the side.
As fast as lightening, he grabbed my arms and rolled me over,
pinning me beneath him.
“I’m impressed,” he said. “No one’s ever
knocked me off my feet that fast.”
Arching my back I struggled to get away, but
his heavier weight kept me adequately pinned. All around us the
crowd was cheering wildly.
Jett leaned in closer. “Date me,” he
whispered in my ear and I froze, staring up at him with wide eyes.
What the hell was going on with this guy?
“What? No!” I replied in a muffled, nearly
indiscernible sound due to the bite guard in my mouth.
“No?” He honestly seemed surprised, which
caused him to loosen his hold enough that I was able to yank one of
my arms free. Swinging hard I punched him in the side of his head,
sending him lolling to the side.
Quickly, I pushed him hard, climbing back on
top of him and going for his shielded face, once more. What a jerk!
He had a girlfriend, even, and he wanted me to date him? I didn’t
care how hot he was. If he thought I’d do that, then he was an
idiot.
Anger infused me from his suggestion and I
punched him even harder, wishing briefly I could add my magic to
it, but wanting to keep the fight clean.
“Pin him, girlfriend!” A shrill male voice
screeched from somewhere in the chaos beside me, and I was sure it
was Frankie. “Get his shoulders down!”
Attempting to break apart the arms covering
his face, I slid my gloved hands between his elbows and leaned
forward, trying to force them to the side. The gap between his
forearms allowed me to see his face and he grinned, his eyes
drifting to the scooped neckline of my tank top where I was sure I
was probably flashing him quite the show at the moment; but I
couldn’t afford to look away or try to adjust my clothing.
“Having fun?” he asked breathlessly. I
didn’t reply. “Because I am. The view is great and I’ve
~~~
The air inside felt stuffy from the crush of
bodies crammed into the small place, raising the temperature even
more. Not that it really bothered me. Fire was a natural magic of
mine and it always made me warmer.
Slipping the plastic safety guard into my
mouth, I knocked my gloved hands against my protective headgear,
making sure it was tight, before glancing toward the big burly guy
standing between Jett and me.
“The only rule is that there are no rules.
You can fight however you wish. First person to fall the other and
pin them for eight seconds wins. All or nothing. Are you
ready?”
I nodded and Jett growled, the two of us
immediately circling one another.
“Take her to the mat, Jett!” some guy
yelled. “Give it to her hard, like a real man!”
Laughter joined in with the taunting and I
had to tune them out. Centering my sights on my opponent, I
listened only to my own breathing and the blood pounding in my
ears.
Jett led with a jab, and I dodged. The first
thing my dad had taught me was that the best way to avoid being
beaten was to not be there when the punch comes. I had trained my
eyes to be quick about calculating the muscle movements of my
opponent, and to anticipate the hit before it was ever thrown.
Jett and I continued to circle and he
continued to jab at me while I dodged and studied his movements,
watching for a possible opening. Then he lunged forward, jabbing
first left, then right. I avoided the first punch, but rolled right
into the second, allowing him to knock me to the floor as a
collective gasp went up from the crowd. As soon as I was on the
floor, I kicked my leg out, swiping his out from underneath him.
The moment his body hit the mat I was up on top of him, straddling,
as I pounded my padded fists against the arms that were covering
his face. I managed to land a hit hard enough to the side of his
head that it knocked his mouthpiece out. I hesitated, glancing at
the referee, wondering if he would call time so Jett could replace
it.
Jett took advantage of my pause, bucking
hard beneath me, throwing me off balance and I slipped to the side.
As fast as lightening, he grabbed my arms and rolled me over,
pinning me beneath him.
“I’m impressed,” he said. “No one’s ever
knocked me off my feet that fast.”
Arching my back I struggled to get away, but
his heavier weight kept me adequately pinned. All around us the
crowd was cheering wildly.
Jett leaned in closer. “Date me,” he
whispered in my ear and I froze, staring up at him with wide eyes.
What the hell was going on with this guy?
“What? No!” I replied in a muffled, nearly
indiscernible sound due to the bite guard in my mouth.
“No?” He honestly seemed surprised, which
caused him to loosen his hold enough that I was able to yank one of
my arms free. Swinging hard I punched him in the side of his head,
sending him lolling to the side.
Quickly, I pushed him hard, climbing back on
top of him and going for his shielded face, once more. What a jerk!
He had a girlfriend, even, and he wanted me to date him? I didn’t
care how hot he was. If he thought I’d do that, then he was an
idiot.
Anger infused me from his suggestion and I
punched him even harder, wishing briefly I could add my magic to
it, but wanting to keep the fight clean.
“Pin him, girlfriend!” A shrill male voice
screeched from somewhere in the chaos beside me, and I was sure it
was Frankie. “Get his shoulders down!”
Attempting to break apart the arms covering
his face, I slid my gloved hands between his elbows and leaned
forward, trying to force them to the side. The gap between his
forearms allowed me to see his face and he grinned, his eyes
drifting to the scooped neckline of my tank top where I was sure I
was probably flashing him quite the show at the moment; but I
couldn’t afford to look away or try to adjust my clothing.
“Having fun?” he asked breathlessly. I
didn’t reply. “Because I am. The view is great and I’ve
Similar Books
