woman who stood listening. The smile faded quickly as she went back to her game face, turning back to the other fighter.
“I want a piece of her.” Carin said.
Aiden looked at the woman in surprise. “You weren’t impressed a minute ago.”
“That was before I saw her eyes. She’s playing, isn’t she?”
“No, Carin, you’re the one that plays with your food. She’s planning her strategy.”
The idea of Annie in Carin’s entourage of beasts and beauties fairly turned his stomach. He’d done his time at her side, as well as in her bed. That wasn’t for Annie.
“It’ll be fun, Aiden. I’ll fund her, get her out of Wharf and into the high stakes in the City.” She sidled closer, close enough that he could smell her expensive perfume. “Have you fucked her yet?” He set his jaw and shook his head slightly. He could only afford to cross Carin to a degree, then she was truly dangerous. Much like her husband.
“The three of us, Aiden. Think about it. I’ll fund her. You train her. We’ll be equal partners.” To his satisfaction, his cock didn’t even stir at the image.
“They’re starting.”
He couldn’t help but watch in admiration as the two women glided around the ring. Sophia was a real talent, but she simply didn’t have the level of training that Annie possessed. What appeared to be a casual posture was actually perfect balance. She was grounded, ready and lethal. Her right hand drifted up, relaxed and light. She’d taken Pi stance. Metal. Stabbing and deadly.
The crowd around the cage grew tighter. The noise level rose as the two fighters moved cautiously and then with heightened aggression. Sophia came in, jabbing and punching, switching gears quickly with savage, high kicks. Kicks that connected with nothing but air.
Annie stepped in and hooked her down low at the ankle, bringing the Italian to a crashing heap on the floor. Quickly, Sophia came to her feet, her color rising, lunging to engage. Annie blocked and twisted an arm, flinging the other woman into the cage wall, and then retreated to the center of the ring. She breathed and settled into Tiger stance, more for the benefit of the crowd. Annie preferred Water Strider, but that form looked deceptively tame. Tiger would do. She hooked her fingers into lethal claws.
Blood began to trickle down Sophia’s dark cheek. She wiped it away almost casually. She spat on the floor. There was a crazy fire in her eyes. She was dying to get her hands around Annie’s slender neck.
Once more they engaged. Sophia came around for a high kick and shrieked in pain when an iron-like fist pounded into her inner thigh, followed by a crushing kick to the knee of her other leg. Almost without thought, Annie pivoted, her heel catching Sophia’s knee from behind, and the Italian crashed to the ground. Again Annie backed away, letting her rise and recover. He wished she’d finish it, not give Sophia a chance to get back on her feet. The cut on her cheek was already closing. It would time to wear her down, and Annie was running out of time.
F or the first time , Annie felt fear. Sophia was limping, but she should be down. Every time Sophia’s guard slipped, Annie landed a knee to the same injured spot on her thigh. Again and then again she hammered her-- punches, slaps and kicks to the same vulnerable region until the whistle blew. Even as Annie watched, the fighter’s wounds were healing. Sophia had grown careless in her anger and wasn’t protecting her injury, she should be on the ground, writhing in pain. But she wasn’t.
Annie glanced outside. Aiden still stood next to the blonde woman. He nodded just slightly at Annie. He did see what was happening. But he wasn’t worried. His confidence settled her.
She paid little attention to the crowd, though the noise had risen so high she could barely hear herself. Across the ring Sophia was massaging her injured thigh, eyes blazing with maniacal anger. How did the nanites act that fast? Was she
“I want a piece of her.” Carin said.
Aiden looked at the woman in surprise. “You weren’t impressed a minute ago.”
“That was before I saw her eyes. She’s playing, isn’t she?”
“No, Carin, you’re the one that plays with your food. She’s planning her strategy.”
The idea of Annie in Carin’s entourage of beasts and beauties fairly turned his stomach. He’d done his time at her side, as well as in her bed. That wasn’t for Annie.
“It’ll be fun, Aiden. I’ll fund her, get her out of Wharf and into the high stakes in the City.” She sidled closer, close enough that he could smell her expensive perfume. “Have you fucked her yet?” He set his jaw and shook his head slightly. He could only afford to cross Carin to a degree, then she was truly dangerous. Much like her husband.
“The three of us, Aiden. Think about it. I’ll fund her. You train her. We’ll be equal partners.” To his satisfaction, his cock didn’t even stir at the image.
“They’re starting.”
He couldn’t help but watch in admiration as the two women glided around the ring. Sophia was a real talent, but she simply didn’t have the level of training that Annie possessed. What appeared to be a casual posture was actually perfect balance. She was grounded, ready and lethal. Her right hand drifted up, relaxed and light. She’d taken Pi stance. Metal. Stabbing and deadly.
The crowd around the cage grew tighter. The noise level rose as the two fighters moved cautiously and then with heightened aggression. Sophia came in, jabbing and punching, switching gears quickly with savage, high kicks. Kicks that connected with nothing but air.
Annie stepped in and hooked her down low at the ankle, bringing the Italian to a crashing heap on the floor. Quickly, Sophia came to her feet, her color rising, lunging to engage. Annie blocked and twisted an arm, flinging the other woman into the cage wall, and then retreated to the center of the ring. She breathed and settled into Tiger stance, more for the benefit of the crowd. Annie preferred Water Strider, but that form looked deceptively tame. Tiger would do. She hooked her fingers into lethal claws.
Blood began to trickle down Sophia’s dark cheek. She wiped it away almost casually. She spat on the floor. There was a crazy fire in her eyes. She was dying to get her hands around Annie’s slender neck.
Once more they engaged. Sophia came around for a high kick and shrieked in pain when an iron-like fist pounded into her inner thigh, followed by a crushing kick to the knee of her other leg. Almost without thought, Annie pivoted, her heel catching Sophia’s knee from behind, and the Italian crashed to the ground. Again Annie backed away, letting her rise and recover. He wished she’d finish it, not give Sophia a chance to get back on her feet. The cut on her cheek was already closing. It would time to wear her down, and Annie was running out of time.
F or the first time , Annie felt fear. Sophia was limping, but she should be down. Every time Sophia’s guard slipped, Annie landed a knee to the same injured spot on her thigh. Again and then again she hammered her-- punches, slaps and kicks to the same vulnerable region until the whistle blew. Even as Annie watched, the fighter’s wounds were healing. Sophia had grown careless in her anger and wasn’t protecting her injury, she should be on the ground, writhing in pain. But she wasn’t.
Annie glanced outside. Aiden still stood next to the blonde woman. He nodded just slightly at Annie. He did see what was happening. But he wasn’t worried. His confidence settled her.
She paid little attention to the crowd, though the noise had risen so high she could barely hear herself. Across the ring Sophia was massaging her injured thigh, eyes blazing with maniacal anger. How did the nanites act that fast? Was she
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