Chapter 13: Fangs and Fire
The training hall had changed.
A week of sparring had taken its toll on the building.
Cracks now ran through the stone floor. The pillars lining the wall were broken down the center. The large, high windows were opened, and a chill was in the air.
Archie stood in the center of the hall. Seraphine stood across from him.
Neither of them moved at first. They both knew that a week ago, they would have fought instantly. Archie would have charged, full of speed and power, with no concern for the damage he would deal. Seraphine would have parried his blows and thrown him against the wall.
But now they were both standing, watching one another.
Seraphine's red eyes carefully analyzed him.
Archie was standing calmly, his body relaxed, his breath steady.
The silence lasted several moments.
"Again." Seraphine said.
Archie moved. He charged. He wasn't fast, but controlled, each step carefully measured, the pressure building and cracking the stone under his feet as he drew near. Seraphine walked out to meet him, and their fists connected in the middle of the room with the sound of iron striking iron. Neither of them moved for a second; a week ago, Archie would have been thrown against the wall, but now he held firm. Seraphine's eyes narrowed a hair, and Archie pushed. The stone cracked under the pressure as they both exerted their full strength into their locked arms. Seraphine twisted, and her leg swept low toward his knee. Archie dodged before her leg connected, sending a fist toward her shoulder; Seraphine tilted and the fist zipped past, and she snapped her elbow toward his ribs. Archie blocked, and their fists clashed again.
They sprang apart immediately. Seraphine was gone, thirty figures appeared around him-replicas-each of them armed with a weapon forged of dark crimson energy. Archie didn't panic this time, he just stood still, his eyes slowly scanning each replica in the circle. A spear shot toward his back. Archie stepped forward, and the spear sliced through empty air. He struck backward without looking and the replica dissolved into glittering particles, reappearing at the edge of the circle. Two more sprang forward. Archie moved through them, his hand parried a blade from the left while his shoulder slammed into the replica attacking from the right, dissolving it and another replicated itself instantly. The circle closed in and spears and swords thrust at him; Archie moved through them like water, his movements quick, efficient, and controlled. He struck once with a punch to break the replica and stepped once to dodge three attacks. From across the hall, Seraphine watched, her arms crossed and her expression calm, though her eyes followed every motion he made. Five replicas attacked at once; Archie stepped between them, his elbow struck one, his hand pushed another away. Two swords lunged for his chest. He ducked under the blades and sent a fist into one of the replicas, shattering it and the other five. He landed and turned, Seraphine standing over him, their fists colliding. This time the force sent both of them skidding back across the stone. Seraphine slid, but Archie kept his balance, taking two steps before stopping. Silence fell again over the hall, and Seraphine looked at Archie for a long time, then a slight smile played on her lips.
"Good."
Archie stood up.
"You're not holding back anymore." she stated.
He shook his head. "No."
Seraphine looked at him again. "The power was always there. You were just wasting it." Archie said nothing, and Seraphine turned toward the weapon rack along the wall, filled with blades, spears, and ancient weapons. She stopped in front of it and spoke without looking. "You can fight now." Her hand moved out and took a spear from the rack, its polished surface shining in the dim light. She turned back toward Archie. "Fists were just the beginning." She threw the spear toward him, and Archie caught it without an effort. Seraphine summoned a sword from the dark crimson energy that was her blood power and lifted her eyes to him again. "Now." She said calmly, "we begin the real training."
The morning air in the training hall was sharp and cool; the mist still clung to the walls of the house, and the clatter of steel on steel could be heard throughout the area. Seraphine tossed a practice sword at Archie; he caught it without thinking, a feat that was impossible a week ago. "Again." She stated. They circled each other. The boots scratched on the stone, the tempo shifting. Archie had moved from a clumsy reacted to something fast, instinctual. Seraphine lunged and he sidestepped and deflected the blow. Their blades clashed; one, two, three. Seraphine's eyes narrowed. Archie pressed forward, forcing her back two steps; Seraphine spun and slid her blade down his, locking them. They stood still for a moment, their steel pressed together. Seraphine smiled. "Stronger," she whispered. Archie let out a slow breath; his chest expanded and contracted but there was no exhaustion. There was something else, though; energy, hunger, awareness. He saw everything now the way the wind whipped around the training hall walls, the faint sounds of the servants bustling through the manor, Seraphine's steady breathing and the way she was looking at him. Seraphine withdrew her blade and stepped back. "Again." This time, Archie attacked. His strike was quick, faster than before, and Seraphine blocked, surprised by the force of the blow. Their swords clanged loudly throughout the training hall. Archie spun and cut to the side, Seraphine blocking the second strike as they circled each other like a storm of steel before she abruptly stepped inside his guard, her sword pressing against his chest. Archie's own sword hovered an inch from her neck, and the two of them stood still. Silence returned to the courtyard and the two were closer than they had been at any point during their fight. Seraphine's red eyes searched his own. "You learn fast," she said. Archie lowered his sword. "Only because you keep trying to kill me." Seraphine laughed, a soft sound. "That's the best way to learn." She moved closer, too close, and he felt that strange pull again; the one he always felt when vampires were near. Vampires had something dangerous, something that drew people in; but it worked both ways. Seraphine tilted her head again as she observed him. "You've changed," she said. Archie frowned. "For the worst?" Seraphine shook her head. "No." Her voice was softer now. "Not for the worst." For another moment neither spoke; their bodies were less than an inch apart and Archie could feel the cool of her skin without touching her. Seraphine's hand slid onto his arm. It was a light touch, but it sent a spark through him. Archie didn't pull away, and Seraphine didn't move her hand. The silence lasted longer. Seraphine leaned closer. "You're dangerous now." Her voice dropped to a whisper. Archie raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what we were going for?" Seraphine smiled, and her fingers tightened slightly on his arm. "Yes." She kissed him, short and quick and tentative. She pulled away, and Archie stood stunned, processing what had just happened, while Seraphine looked perfectly calm. "Break's over," she said casually. She turned and walked towards the weapon rack at the edge of the courtyard, picking up a pair of daggers and tossing one to Archie, who caught it without thinking. "Now we start weapons training." She twirled her own dagger with impossible speed. A small smile played on her lips. "Try not to die." The moment of silence vanished, and the real training began.