Heya!

Dedicated to my 400th fan! Thank you everyone for getting me this far ;)

Enjoy the chapter,

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Love,

Robin

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I woke up with my head on Nathaniel's chest while he softly stroked my hair, trailing his fingers over the nape of my neck. There was a peaceful feeling in the room and I knew Nathaniel felt very satisfied.

Whatever he'd done when he left me to sleep last night had made him feel that way. I hadn't heard him come back in but at least he was here now that I woke up. After only a few short days living here I knew that's what I wanted to do every morning for the rest of my life.

The thought of not being with Nathaniel brought an ache to my chest that I'd only ever felt when I thought of mom now. I loved him more than anything and he felt the same way about me, I was the luckiest person in the world.

Even though there was Thornten who was trying to kill Jake and Deidre, who might also be gunning for me because I was Nathaniel's weak spot. Plus a Demon father I didn't know who was bothering Hayden and on top of that a bunch of stupid wolves who thought they had rights to me.

I was still damn lucky to have him in my life.

'Morning a ghrá mo chroí,' Nathaniel whispered in my ear, his lips brushing against the shell send a hot tingle through me.

'Hey,' I smiled at him.

Shortly after that we got up and dressed so I could have breakfast downstairs. Apparently Nathaniel had arranged for a substitute at school so he could stay with Jake and I to look after us, or so he'd told the principal....

I was just happy that I got to spend time with him today. Without the chance of running into danger. I was ecstatic about the fact that we were going to start training that possible skill of mine and also the basic self-defense techniques.

Elliot was in the kitchen preparing food, massive piles of it too and when I spotted Jaden at the table I realized why. The guy was slim and lean but he was scarfing down food as if he'd not eaten in weeks. Scratch that: months!

Missy was talking animatedly but nobody was paying real attention to her I think. Jaden seemed intent on the food and his surroundings, the way he shifted his body just the slightest bit at our entrance.

Elliot was talking to Hay who was sat on the kitchen counter next to him, it appeared as if he was explaining the boy how to make omelets.

When I reached them Elliot handed me a plate with a smile and then muttered so that Hayden couldn't hear him: 'Careful someone went a little overboard with the sugar... Sorry.'

I was used to Hayden trying to help out with breakfast or lunch and making the most horrible things ever so I shrugged it off and ate without tasting. It wasn't too bad if you focused on something else...

After that Nathaniel led me through the house to a part I hadn't seen before yet. It seemed that Missy hadn't given me a complete tour of the house that first time here after all...

It was a really big room with a high ceiling, completely empty, the walls were paneled with dark wood and it looked as if they'd been scratched. Some were a little cracked but they were all smooth as if someone had taken precious time to sand them down to perfection.

What kind of place was this? Why would they have such a huge room and leave it completely empty?

Nathaniel strode over to one side and opened a door in the panels. I hadn't even seen it and I realized there wasn't even a door knob! How did he open it then? The room appeared to be a storage space.

Without explanation Nathaniel started pulling out thick mats that he placed on the floor off to one side of the big room. I tried to help him but the things were so big and heavy that I had trouble even carrying one side of the thing...

Nathaniel lifted them as if they weighted absolutely nothing. Show off.

When he was satisfied there was a big enough space cushioned with the mats he waved me closer. 'We'll start out with the basic self-defense first.'

After that he proceeded showing me several moves. How to block, fall, dodge and how to escape holds. Then he showed me some moves that I could use if escaping wasn't an option, he made me promise to always try and run first though.

I wondered at the fact that he showed me how to hit people in the eye up close, with my fingers, not fist so I could inflict the most damage. It seemed like a low move to me... But when I asked he explained.

'You are weak Amelia, an easy target for every supernatural creature out there. Fighting fair will only get you killed and that's exactly what we're trying to prevent. Hit them where it hurts most, the eye, groin... I don't care as long as it means you get an opening to run. Got it?'

Well... Yeah I got the point but did he really have to point out that I was weak? It wasn't very nice to say that! Even though it was true.

He made me go through the motions he taught me for hours it seemed, until I was sure I could even perform them in my sleep. My muscles were so sore and I felt like jelly... But he still didn't relent.

God he could be a taskmaster in the army, the way he worked me! He used a stern crisp voice whenever he explained something and urged me through the exercise. But he was right there beside me the whole time, working out himself.

When I felt like I couldn't keep going any longer he used softer tones and urged me on with sweet words and promises. I was so going to keep him to that offer of a massage tonight.

At last he told me we would spar against each other. To test if I was able to utilize the moves he taught me in combat.

'But... you're saying you want me to hit you? I can't do that!' I protested, standing in the middle of the mats on shaky legs. 'I don't want to hurt you!'

He tossed his head back at that and laughed, the sound low and earthy and enough to snap my body into attention again. 'You can't hurt me a ghrá mo chroí,' he said arrogantly. A smirk adorning his features now that told me he very much believed that.

'Fine,' I huffed, just to prove him wrong.

He stood across from me, wearing loose pants low on his hips and a snug black shirt that did nothing to hide the muscles on his chest. His feet were bare and he stood lightly, resting his weight mostly on the balls of his feet.

His posture was very lethal and intimidating and graceful at the same time. Maybe he was right about the not hurting him part... As we started circling slowly his movements were so incredibly fluid and elegant that I knew he would be too fast for me to ever hit him.

When he charged at me he moved so fast that I could hardly see him, then he had me tightly in arms. Crushing me to his chest. 'Too slow a rún.'

He let go and circled back to resume our earlier dance with a grin on his face. He was enjoying this entirely too much!

The second time he rushed me I was a little more prepared, dodging to the side to avoid his grabbing hands. He twisted so fast though that my freedom lasted hardly more than a second.

'Still too slow...'

Having overcome my initial surprise I nodded at him, 'Again, this time I'm ready!'

I managed to avoid him for ten seconds but when he grabbed me I elbowed him hard in the stomach and then brought my heel down on his instep the way he'd showed me. My elbow hit solid muscle and it shot a painful jar through my arm all the way to my hand but at least my heel hit home.

He let go and stepped back, a smile on his face that was just the tiniest bit proud. 'Well done.'

I glared when I realized he didn't appear bothered at all, I hit his ankle hard enough to make a man limp but his walk was still fluid. He wasn't even winded or sweaty, unlike me...

'My Lord? Maybe you should give the lady a break?' a low musical voice suddenly said. I could kiss the man that voice belonged to for that idea. I really didn't understand how I was even able to stand right now... My legs were trembling.

Nathaniel didn't look up, his eyes focused on my face. 'Amelia? Open your mind,' he said as if it was the most normal request in the world.

Frowning I answered: 'Why?'

'Because I want to check something...'

'Oh..' What did he want to check that he had to go through my mind to do it? I didn't like the idea of anyone freely entering my head.

'I could do it with or without your help a ghrá mo chroí, but I want you to trust me...' Nathaniel said, showing me how much more powerful he was indeed. I'd been working on my mental shields secretly but he now claimed he'd have no trouble getting into my head.

'No messing around okay? And tell me what you're looking for!' I consented after a moment of silence. I could see Seratin at the edge of the mats standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He seemed to be urging me to do what Nathaniel asked.

I wasn't sure how to 'open' my mind to him but I closed my eyes and envisioned lowering my walls and granting him permission to enter. It appeared to be enough because he interrupted the silence saying: 'Yes I suppose you can rest for a bit Amelia. Seratin would you spar with me?'

Relieved that he'd come to that conclusion I sprawled out on the mats to give my aching muscles a break. Oh wait, they were going to spar. I started to get back up but then noticed that Nathaniel shrugged off his shirt and moved off the mats to the middle of the big room.

Seratin wore stern black pants that didn't appear suited for sparring but he shrugged out of his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt to take that off too. 'Very well my Lord.'

Seratin's bared chest was so scarred that I could only stare at it in shock. On the front lighter and darker lines crisscrossed the skin but someone had taken the time to carefully tattoo his body with lines and dots that flowed with the scars. It made it look like a beautiful pattern instead of something gruesome.

His back was scarred in much the same way but there it was much worse, there were more scars than unmarked skin... It almost looked as if someone had whipped him, day after day after day. He hadn't bothered to hide the scars with a tattoo here.

Seratin moved almost as fluidly as Nathaniel did, like a cobra. The two of them slowly started circling each other, moving clockwise first and then switching to counter clockwise.

Seratin darted forward suddenly, enhancing my image of a cobra and then they were sparring with each other. Really sparring. The play fight made my throat go dry and my heartbeat speed up.

They moved so incredibly fast and fluidly that most of their movements were blurred to my eyes. It looked like a dance the way they spun around each other, aiming high kicks and low punches and everything in between.

There was flips and back flips and other kinds of acrobatics mixed in between that would make any real acrobat seriously jealous. Really they could move like no one I'd ever seen before! I also realized that Nathaniel had been holding back on me that short moment we sparred...

I thought he'd been fast but I would never even have the chance to avoid him when he moved like he did now.

I couldn't tell who had the upper hand in the fight, as far as I could tell they each kept blocking each other's punches and kicks. Until I noticed the trickle of blood that tinged Seratin's upper lip red.

Once I saw that I could pick up more marks, a gash over his shoulder, thin and narrow and hardly noticeable amongst his scars. The way he was favoring his left leg for kicking more now than before...

Nathaniel didn't appear to have a mark anywhere on his body though...

I heard more then saw it when Nathaniel's kick landed solidly on Seratin's side. The ebony skinned man stumbled to the side before righting himself. His muscles coiled as he jumped back to renew his attack on my mate.

'Enough!' Nathaniel's voice boomed through the room and then froze in his movements. Nathaniel slowly, warily almost, relaxed his stance until he was back to that normal arrogant form that made him look like a wolf in sheep's clothes.

Seratin did the same, relaxing slightly and I could see now that he was definitely favoring his left leg and he pressed a hand to his side. With the back of his hand he angrily wiped at his mouth to get rid of the blood there.

Nathaniel moved so fast that I didn't see him move. One moment he was halfway across the room the next he was right next to the black man. Reaching one hand out to press it against Seratin's forehead.

The black man jerked away as if burned and a hissing sound escaped his throat. His spine stiffened but then he lowered his head in submission.

Nathaniel didn't move to put his hand back and resumed whatever it was he was doing before, instead he said: 'My apologies. I forgot how much you dislike touch my friend... Will you allow me this once?'

Seratin nodded like I knew he would. Somehow Nathaniel had earned his trust, despite the man's obvious horrible past. I could see adoration and loyalty blazing in his near black eyes as he looked up to meet Nathaniel's eyes.

My Mate reached up again and carefully lay his hand against Seratin's cheek, like a caress. I saw a shiver go over the black man's body but he didn't step back again. After a few seconds it was Nathaniel who did that.

He turned his back to Seratin and moved over to me in a predatory lope that made my mouth water. The way his muscles rippled as he moved made me wish I could pet and stroke him to my heart's content again.

He stopped at my feet and offered me his hand to pull me to my feet, I accepted with a groan but only because I wanted to scan his body to see if he had any injuries. I circled him once, allowing myself a moment to look at his scrumptious behind, but I came to the conclusion that he really wasn't hurt.

'I bet you cheated and healed yourself so it looks like only Seratin got hurt,' I teased him. I knew he hadn't done that, Nathaniel might urge me to fight dirty but he'd never do that himself. Not like this at least.

I heard a low musical laugh while Nathaniel send me a playful glare, he knew I was teasing. 'My Lady, I'm flattered that you think so highly of my skills but truly. No one ever manages to lay a blow on your Mate.'

I smiled at Seratin, 'Are you okay?' I felt somehow proud that Nathaniel was obviously so skilled in combat and a little chilled at the same time. Why did he have to be so skilled? I knew he'd once said something along the lines that he had to fight for his existence from the very first vampire breath he took.

He gave me a gentle smile and then bowed, 'If you'd excuse me my Lord?'

'Of course, could you send Jaden over?' Nathaniel replied instantly. Moving to wrap his arms around me from behind, pressing his front against my back. I leaned back, happy to surrender my weight to him so I could rest my still sore and painful limbs.

Seratin didn't say anything as he left the room, but his stride was easy again and it appeared his ribs no longer hurt either. Had Nathaniel healed him? Is that what he did when he touched the man's face?

I could distinctly remember that he had to touch the place of the injury before, when he healed me. So I didn't think that was it.

'You know... I can't even heal myself. The gift only allows me to heal others, I could never 'cheat' that way.' Nathaniel explained, his mouth right next to my ear so that when he spoke his lips brushed against the shell of my ear.

Shivering but frankly too tired and sore to feel aroused I turned in his arms so I could rest my head against his bare chest comfortably. 'Why did you call for Jaden? Aren't we done training?'

He laughed but tugged me even closer, 'Because you wanted to learn to do that trick, remember? With the Were? Besides it's not even eleven o'clock yet.'

I gaped at him, not even eleven yet? And I was already exhausted? Did I have no constitution whatsoever or something? I knew that wasn't entirely true, I was used to walking to and from school a lot and I wasn't bad at P.E.

Tired like this I wasn't sure if I'd even be able to repeat what I did yesterday to that Were. I don't even know what I did so I couldn't even begin to think how to repeat it. In fact, until Nathaniel said it was strange I hadn't even realized I'd done something special.

The door opened behind me and I felt Nathaniel stiffen the tiniest bit before he relaxed, obviously Jaden had just arrived.

'Nathaniel, Amy dear,' he said in that slightly husky low voice, one that reminded me of an animal. I felt Nathaniel nod in response and I had to push at his arm so that I could turn around and smile at Jaden. He did so grudgingly.

'Hey Jaden,' I lifted my arm to wave and then winced when it brought on a wave of pain, it was a struggle to fight gravity. Bloody hell I was tired...

Jaden laughed at the look on my face, 'You worked her real hard didn't you? Poor thing.' He sauntered over and then reached out his hand to mess up my hair, jerking my head away I glared at him.

Laughing again he ran his knuckles over my cheek gently, 'So what did you need me here for? I was kicking Jakes ass on Call of Duty and I'd really liked to get back to it.'

'That's child's play, he sucks at that game,' Nathaniel retorted with a smirk.

I couldn't help it, I had to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. A shapshifter panther and a powerful vampire... Talking about a stupid video game as if they were two teenagers. How often did you see that?

They both turned to look at me as if I lost my mind and I shrugged, 'What?'

'Right...' Jaden drawled.

'You're here because we're going to do target practice Jay,' Nathaniel said and he full on grinned at the panther.

I saw him frown, 'Let me guess, I'm the target?'

Looking back at my mate confirmed that, he looked like he was really going to enjoy himself. Who knew he liked it so much to make another suffer? Although of course, I wasn't really going to hurt him was I?

'You guessed right,' Nathaniel replied ushering me over to another panel in the wall that dropped out and slid to the side without either of us touching. I would have yelped in surprise but I managed to keep it in because I knew it would make me look like an idiot.

Behind the panel was another sort of storage space, it held all kinds of wicked knives and daggers. They were strapped against a black velvet board on the wall and Nathaniel immediately reached for a small set of knives and handed them to me.

They were small and thin, not even an inch wide and about as long as my hand. There were three of them and as I held them Nathaniel moved around me to strap a leather holster around my waist, a bit like a wide belt but it had loops and slits in it to hold the knives.

'There, right now you'll only need one knife but I want you to get used to the holster and drawing the knives from them.' As he talked he took the knives one by one to slip them in place at the small of my back.

When that was done he took my right hand and guided it to holster so I could feel where the knives were and how they were situated. When he felt confident I knew how to find them he told me to follow him back to Jaden.

When I turned around I realized he was no longer in human form. Instead he was a huge panther staring at me warily with golden eyes. I couldn't blame him, Nathaniel had just handed me knifes and declared him the target.