For Alix269 and Sydney-Emily-Cullen
Selene awoke to a familiar weight across her waist. Recently she had found herself almost becoming accustomed to Michaels near possessive grip of her during sleep. She pondered briefly if this was a lingering human trait of his, or a lycan feature. To begin with she had found the behaviour slightly aggravating , removing his arm only to find it returning to it's original position several minutes later. However, recently she had found herself succumbing to a feeling akin to warmth as his arm surrounded her. What this meant she did not care to explore.
Lifting Michaels arm lightly and placing it back on the bed behind her, Selene looked at the clock on the beside table. 2pm. A few hours from sunset. After quietly getting dressed, she moved to open the door.
"Where are you going?"
Selene turned back to face the direction the sleepy voice had come from.
"To familiarise myself with our new surroundings"
"Want company?" Michael asked, propping himself up slightly in the bed.
Selene's gaze dropped briefly as the sheet descended to his waist - displaying his toned physique - a feature she was finding increasingly appealing as time went on.
"No I don't think that's necessary"
"Oh.."
"What I mean is, you would most likely benefit from the extra sleep Michael. I expect your training will take a lot from you today"
Michael smiled at Selene's acknowledgement and effort to protect his feelings.
"Alright, well be safe"
Smiling at him in return, she turned and exited the room into the hallway, closing the room door behind her.
Descending the staircase, Selene noted how quiet it was for this hour. Although many of the aristocratic vampires would sleep well beyond the early afternoon in Ordoghaz, it was commonplace for servants to commence daily duties and death dealers to begin training. Walking silently down the corridor Tanner had disappeared into hours previously, she came across no sign of life; vampire, lycan or otherwise. Turning left at the end of the corridor and continuing down the path, Selene eventually came to a large plexiglass window with a door to the right. Looking through the glass she could see a large variety of martial arts weaponry adorning the walls of the room with various mats and punch bags situated around. At least they had to be somewhat equipped for what was to come she thought.
"As much as you expected?" Tanner enquired.
Selene turned quickly, unaccustomed to being sneaked up on. Recovering from her shock, she replied.
"Adequate"
"Well I'm certain it will be sufficient for Michaels training. Today will be a gruelling day for him, Luca is no easy task master"
Tanner could see the faint signs of worry in her eyes as he spoke.
"You care deeply for him, don't you?"
Selene turned at this and returned her gaze through the glass back to the dojo.
"These feelings are not a weakness you know, they are a great strength."
Remaining stoic and unmoving in her stance, Tanner took a step closer, laying a hand gently on her shoulder.
"He cares deeply for you also. Now, go and ensure that he eats well before we begin his training at 5pm"
When Selene returned to the room she could hear the faint sound of the shower running in the bathroom. Looking to the bed she could see that it had been neatly made, a grey t shirt of his lying on top of the sheets. Sitting on the chaise, she turned the packet of blood she had acquired from Tanner over in her hands as she waited. Michael had yet to consume the cloned blood, despite Selene's numerous chastisements. Although he had no problem maintaining his lycan diet of meat, he still could not adjust to the idea of drinking blood, a repulsive notion he failed to shake.
Dressed only in black jeans, Michael opened the door to see Selene apparently lost in thought on the chaise. He smiled internally as he noticed once again how her gaze appeared to linger briefly on his chest.
"Did you have fun?"
Seeing her forehead crease in confusion, he began to laugh as he realised that she had taken the comment literally. His first real laugh in weeks he thought lightly.
"It's a turn of phrase"
"Now is not the time for jokes or hilarity Michael"
Ignoring her comment he walked over to the bed pulling on the grey t-shirt over his head.
"What's that for?" he said referencing with a nod of his head the packet of blood in Selene's hands.
"Food. For you. It is not enough to merely satisfy your lycan urges. You need to be as strong as possible"
Michael continued to stare wordlessly at the packet, a look of dread etched in his face.
Sighing, Selene raised the packed to her lips and pierced it with her teeth, allowing a small volume of blood to enter her mouth. Approaching Michael slowly, she looked deeply into his eyes before turning her attention to his lips. As though gravity was pulling him in, he felt himself lean forward and place his warm lips over her cool ones. Although tentative at first, as Michaels tongue breached Selene's lips, he felt the warm blood enter his mouth and light a fire within. Placing his hands on her face and neck, he kissed her deeply with a newly invigorated passion. Placing a hand on her hip, he walked her backwards until she felt the chaise at the back of her legs. Gently laying her down he began to trail kisses down her neck as she deftly ran her hands under his t-shirt appreciatively over his back muscles.
Hearing a knock at the door, Selene recoiled as though burned. Maintaining eye contact with her, Michael climbed slowly to his feet before approaching the door. Opening it he instantly recognised Emily, the vampire who had shown them to their room earlier.
"My apologies for disturbing you, but Luca is requesting that you join him In the dojo to begin your training"
"No problem" Michael replied politely, " If you wouldn't mind telling him I'll be there in ten minutes"
"Ofcourse" Emily answered, retreating down the staircase.
Michael closed the door and picked up the forgotten packet of blood off the floor.
"I guess it's not so bad" he said looking at Selene and returning the packet to his lips.
"I trust you are Luca?" Michael asked approaching the 6ft 5 muscled mass, with a mop of dark curly hair and light beard to match.
"That must make you Michael" Luca replied extending his hand to shake Michaels.
"And this is Selene"
"Ofcourse. It's a pleasure" he returned.
Selene nodded but remained silent, her eyes drifting almost nervously between Michael and his trainer.
"Well now that we've got all the introductions out of the way, shall we begin?" Luca thundered excitedly, turning to open the door to the martial arts dojo.
"I've got high hopes for you Michael… if you survive the day" he laughed.
Michael smiled weakly, glancing briefly at Selene who did not seem to find any amusement in Luca's comment.
"The first thing that we will focus on today is defence. Now what I want you to do, is simply block my attack. We'll progress from there"
Michael nodded, turning to face Luca in the middle of the room. Despite his towering height, Michael thought with his olive complexion, unruly hair and goofy smile, Luca had almost a friendly appearance. However, this did not seem to satisfy the growing sense of doom emanating from the pit of his stomach. True, he was a hybrid and had fought a formidible elder, but he was fully aware that he could not have achieved this without the help of Selene. Truth be told, he was looking forward to the day when he may become more of a protector to her than her of him.
"Ready?" Luca shouted instantly lurching forward and connecting his fist solidly with Michaels jaw.
Michael staggered backward unprepared for the initial assault, but remaining on his feet.
"When have you ever heard an opponent ask if you're ready?" Luca laughed heartily slapping Michael on the back and returning to his offensive position. "First lesson, be prepared"
"Ready?"
Again he lurched forward. Michael blocked his initial right hook, as almost instantly Luca's left fist collide with his right ear, knocking him slightly off balance and causing a growing ringing in his ear.
"I have two fists!" Luca taunted, lunching forward in attempt to punch him again.
Successfully blocking both fists, Michael smiled briefly before having Luca's Herculean head contact fiercely with the bridge of his nose, causing him to fall to the floor and a fresh stream of blood to descend from his nose.
"And a head!" Luca laughed again, extending his hand to help Michael back to his feet.
Michael wiped his nose roughly on his sleeve and briefly turned to look through the plexiglass. Luca followed his gaze to a furious looking Selene.
"Doesn't look happy with me, does she?"
"No" Michael laughed lightly.
"Just as well she's at the other side of the glass then" Luca retorted smiling
"Yeah" Michael agreed seriously.
"Although… I'm sure she she'd be a lot more unhappy if you were dead, so shall we continue?"
"Bring it on" Michael retorted jokingly.
As before, Luca threw two punches followed by an attempted head butt. Michael steped back narrowly avoiding contact, only to have his legs swept from under him, finding himself once again on the floor.
"Legs Michael!"
Luca once again helped Michael to his feet avoiding eye contact with Selene who he was now certain was trying to kill him with her impressive death glare.
"You know…" Luca began "For a doctor, you're not very good at anatomy"
"Former doctor"
"Well maybe that's for the best" Luca teased light-heartedly.
"I thought I might find you here" Tanner said as he approached Selene.
She made no indication that she had heard him or was aware of his presence, choosing to continue fixating her eyes on the men at the other side of the glass. After a few minutes of watching Michael repeatedly hit the floor, she interrupted the silence.
"Are you certain of his methods?"
Tanner smiled, turning his attention back to Selene.
"Fear not for Michael, he is in the best of hands. I have never known Luca to let me down yet"
"I fail to see what is to be learnt by this continual assault. Surely it is of equal importance that he can attack?" Selene began angrily.
"Patience Selene. I am certain that you remember all the injuries incurred during your training"
"I was not defenceless"
"And neither is he!" Tanner's voice rose slightly "No one knows the bounds of his strength yet. He will learn. Just as you learned and just as I learned. Perhaps it is best that you do not oversee his training"
Unmoving, she returned her icy stare to the fight through the glass. Following a particularly forceful slam to the floor, Selene watched in fury as Luca raised his boot only to slam it back down to Michaels ribs. Hearing a crack, she instantly set off for the dojo door, closely flanked by Tanner.
"Don't worry Mike, it will heal in a couple of hours" Luca said as Selene burst into the room.
Turning his attention to her electric blue eyes, he seemed almost stunned as her fist connected forcefully with his jaw, knocking him backwards a few steps. Surprised at her strength and speed, he began to rub his jaw and chuckle heartily as she was restrained by Tanner.
"She's a feisty one Michael, I like it. We'll call that quits for the day. Tomorrow we'll begin attack. You are dismissed"
"You know, you didn't have to hit him" Michael said softly.
"Perhaps I just wanted to" she replied matter of factly.
Michael smiled at her rare effort of humour. He loved how she seemed to be opening up to him a little more everyday and coming out of her shell. He gazed adoringly in her eyes as she wiped the dried blood from his face with a damp cloth in the small ensuite of their bedroom.
"What?" she asked, catching him in his stare and placing the cloth back in the sink.
"Nothing. It's just… 6 months ago I could never even have imagined living this life, with you"
"Nor I" she stated quietly.
"I wouldn't change it you know. Not any of it"
Selene wordlessly turned her attention to floor, causing Michael to gently reach out and tilt her chin until her eyes were once again level with his.
"I'll get this combat stuff" he reassured, "We'll be fine"
Selene nodded as Michael captured her lips in a brief but emotion laden kiss.