Fight Training

“Seriously Emily, you disappeared on me, what’s up with that?” Brooke’s voice came through the speaker of her phone as she dressed for her training with Aspen the next morning.
“I know, I’m so sorry.” She had been using that word a lot. “ We just got caught up with wild stuff, work didn’t even cross my mind.”
“We? Your brother’s involved- seriously, what is going on? Do you need me to drop by? Is it about your dad? I’ll bring wine and we can talk about it.”
Emily winced. Any wrong word from her mouth and she would be on her way to telling her best friend about wolves and monsters that eat heads. “No, he’s not involved in anything. I’m a bit distracted so the words outta my mouth are a bit frazzled.”
“will you be able to make it to work today?” that slinky manager’s been asking about you, if you do this right we could get a raise just for being pretty.”
Emily chuckled. “ No, I can’t come in today.”
“tomorrow?”
“not possible.”
“tomorrow tomorrow?”
“that’s Saturday! Brooke”
“ babe, these people are filthy every day. By filthy I mean filthy rich”
“I really can’t Brooke.”
“That’s it, I’m dropping by at your house after work, tell your hot brother to be around-“
“no! Don’t go to the house.” If there was a chance that ghouls were hanging about, then she did not want her in danger.
“why? And why are you being weird?”
“just trust me, Brooke. Please.”
The other line went silent.
“here’s what we’re going to do, if I don’t see you by the end of tomorrow, I will march to your house like you owe me money ...”
“Brooke-“
“I miss you and I’m worried. You’re the only family I have.” She said solemnly. Emily sighed and dropped to the bed.
“I’ll see what I can do okay?”
“good enough for me. Love you.”
Emily sat with the phone in her lap thinking of her best friend. If things worked in her favor Brooke would find some hot pants to occupy her and would forget about her ultimatum. Rabid raised his head and cocked it to the side.
“You’re adorable when you do that.” She told the dog, before slipping on his makeshift harness and making her way down to the training arena.


Emily did her best to hide her surprise when she found her brother there already sparring with a muscled redhead she did not recognize. Since their argument in his room, the most she’d heard from him was his door closing whenever he went in or came out. Her mother was scarce too, no doubt occupied by their father’s journal. She watched her brother get flipped over and dumped on the ground and couldn’t help but flinch. That looked painful.
“Glad you could finally join us,” Aspen said beside her.
“I didn’t know Sam was also training.”
Aspen shrugged. “The debt I owe is to him and your mother. And he looks stronger than you too, it’s a good idea for both of you to train.”
Every day Aspen looked better, the lines that marred her face the first day they met faded out and she glowed from the inside out. Emily wondered if it was a werewolf thing.
“Into the ring. Rabid can hang back here.” Without another word, she matched to where she had directed Emily and took out the ties.
She did as she was instructed and entered the big circle that demarcated the fighting area. Sam was hoisted up by his sparring partner, just in time to see her come in. They shared a look and both glanced away, Sam, with a tick in his jaw.
“let me see you throw a punch,” Aspen commanded and directed her to the dummy. She tried to make it her hardest and fought the hiss that would escape her lips.
“there’s room for improvement…” she said lightly, and thought quietly. She brightened and then called off the redhead who now had Sam in a headlock. After whispering with him for some time, the man shrugged and stepped away. Aspen called on Sam.
“To check your strengths, you will fight each other.”
Emily snorted.”I can’t fight him. He’s my brother.” Stupid or not.
“your wolves should be awake by now, but it’s not. The only other way is through pain or anger.”
“I’m not a werewolf.” Sam muttered. “neither are you.”
Aspen continued, ignoring Sam’s remark, “There must be something you’re mad at him about, siblings can be annoying, and this is your chance to pound it out…on each other. If your wolves decide it’s party time, then it’s a win-win.”
“yeah but he’s been in fights his whole high school year, the only thing I’ve struggled for in my life is a fourth grader’s birthday cake.”
“don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.” Sam smiled sweetly at her.
It started with a little circle spin, both moving without touching. After Aspen yelled that she was getting bored, Sam reached for her arm, twisted it behind her back, and pushed her away.
And so it began. First, she was being tossed around the ring, then he started swinging; softly at first, but the more she dodged, the stronger they became.
“remember Emily, you’re not strong but you can be faster.”
She heard the whoosh as Sam’s arm moved past her face, and then his left hook connected with her side.
“if he hits you once, you gotta hit him twice.”
“I’m sorry, I thought you would be able to dodge that,” Sam whispered and then aimed at her face again. The little shit.
The air was forced out of her lungs as her feet were swept off from under her. She landed with a thud on the ground. From the the corner of her eye, Rabid stayed patient chewing on his leash like it was the most interesting thing on earth. So much for protection. She rolled up to her knees.
“I don’t think this is a fair fight.” She rasped.
“real fights aren’t fair Emily. Get up.” Oh, she’ll make it fair. She waited till Sam was close enough before pummeling him. Her weight carried both of them to the floor, quickly she slipped the knife Sam had given her out of her waistband and placed the blade on his throat. Smart Sammy stiffened. She had won.
The redhead man clapped slowly a look of respect on his face.
“You fight dirty. I like that.”