SIXTY-TWO | STRANGER

"I don't know if I should feel flattered or annoyed about this." I tell my shadow when we arrive to the new training area. It's more than ten miles away from the Coven and probably fifteen away from the Azure's territory. We're in some sort of warehouse area by the sea, an abandoned one, if the rusted gate around the property and overgrown grass is anything to go by. Still, I'm kind of relieved he's chosen someplace indoors as heavy sheet of rain begin to come down.

"Take it as you want, princess." Mikyle shrugs, looking around almost distractedly, squinting into the darkened corners of the huge room. There's no light in here, but at least the roof's intact and high above us. It's almost as if this was an indoor football field or something. The ground is nothing but packed dirt and dust, completely cleared out of any life or debris.

"What is this place?" I ask, wondering why he's so distracted. I can't sense anything else in here but us. No a mouse or a bird. No crickets or flies. Nothing but the two of us.

"An old shipping facility Hale used when he first started building the Coven," Mikyle mutters, tilting his head as he continues to looking up into the rafters. "We use it to train now a days if we need to."

"So are we going to actually train or are you going to keep staring at nothing?" I ask him dryly. My shadow smirks at me and lets out a deep sigh.

"For one so apprehensive to drink blood, princess, you seem rather eager to use the power you've gained from it." He tells me, his expression as nonchalant as ever, but eyes watching me carefully. I ignore the jab at my pride from his words, frowning at his blatant attempt to provoke me.

"I know it's not something that's going to go away, so I may as well learn to control it." I reply honestly, but my voice betrays my now bitter mood. Mikyle's smirk widens, eyes brightening - then he's gone. I blink in the gloom, whirling around to try and find my shadow, but it's like he's disappeared completely. Something brushes my mouth, and I whirl around to catch the briefest flash of movement and glowing red eyes.

I grit my teeth, realizing this must be part of my training now. I know I can move fast, faster than I ever have before, and it seems Mikyle can too. Though I don't know why I never noticed before. I take a deep breath as something else touches me, this time an entire body brushes against mine from behind. I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the butterflies stirring in my stomach as my fingers flex, searching for the vibrating chords I'd found earlier.

"Can you stop that and actually help me?" I hiss after something - or someone - grabs my ass. When I whirl around to face him, no surprise, he's nowhere to be seen. "Seriously, I don't think Hale will be happy to hear you're just sexually harassing me rather than helping me train."

"It's not sexual harassment if you like it." Mikyle murmurs in my ear, appearing behind me and grabbing me. I freeze, the breath catching in my chest as his body solidifies behind me, pressing against me. His arms have wrapped around me, one over my hips, the other across my chest. To any outsider, you'd think he was trying to immobilize me, but his grip is too light to be anything other than playful or- "Remind me, princess, what was lesson one again?" He asks softly, his breath creating a warm spot along the right side of my neck and sending shivers down my spine. Still, I don't pull away from him. I tell myself it's because he's caught me - and maybe he's going to teach me something - but I know my reasons for stay still are completely selfish.

"Don't be an ass," I growl at him, not making the mistake of looking at him like I had yesterday morning. I try to keep the emotion from my voice, not wanting to get caught up in the same situation. Instead, I keep searching for those chords, concentrating on the way time's moving around me. If he's not going to be serious about training me, I'll have to force his hand.

"Speaking of asses-" He begins, the hand over my hip stretching towards my butt - but he's suddenly cut off as the rafters above creak and groan. I frown, glancing up - half-expecting to be pelted by debris or rain, but nothing happens. I blink up into the darkness, squinting as I try to find the source of the sound. It's too dark to make out much of anything. Weird. I can see just about every other corner of the room, even dozens of feet away.

"Teach me something useful or I'm leaving." I warn my shadow after a few more seconds of searching the darkness. Mikyle sighs and releases me, coming around to stand in front of me now.

"What you did earlier, before lunch," He begins, becoming serious once more. I feel my tensed body relax, finding it much easier to deal with this no-nonsense version of my instructor. "What did it feel like? Did you feel stronger or faster?"

"Both." I tell him honestly. "It was like I was faster - time felt slower but when I moved, it was like I was slower, but also stronger." I try to explain how it'd felt when we first tried to train - when I nearly blacked out.

"Then after lunch?" He nods thoughtfully, still giving nothing away with his expression.

"I could feel time - it was practically tangible - like chords." I recall the vibrating feel of the strings all around me. "I felt faster then too, but it was different, like I wasn't fighting against the current. But I still felt like me - not stronger - even though I made that crater." I admit.

"Interesting." Mikyle nods slowly, tilting his head as he slowly begins to walk around me.

"What?" I ask, a new feeling of dread twisting at my stomach and banishing the remaining butterflies from within.

"Most vampires become stronger, not necessarily faster, when they're turned. It only seems like they're faster because of our strength. But for you... then again, maybe it's something to do with you being a born hybrid." He mutters the last bit to himself more than to me.

"Is it so weird to be faster and stronger?" I ask, pressing my lips together as I wait for him to face me again.

"Not really, but it's strange that all it took was one blood bag before even I had a hard time tracking your movements." He replies and I wince, feeling more like a freak than ever. "But you said time was tangible. I certainly have never experienced that."

"Do you think it's another vampire power?" I hesitate before voicing the question.

"I've never heard of vampire who can control time, princess." Mikyle shakes his head warily. "Maybe ask your mother about it." I nod slowly, relaxing a little as the thought that this could be a Wolven ability rather than a vampiric one. For some reason, I'm okay with that. Even so...

"I guess I really am a freak of nature," I tell him with a weary smile, wrapping my arms around myself. He doesn't smile back, only steps forward, invading my space yet again.

"You're my freak of nature." He murmurs, cupping my face gently. And again, he's completely serious, red eyes glowing softly in the dim lighting. The butterflies have reclaimed their spot in my stomach, and like earlier, they're migrating - only this time - they've managed to find a way to spread throughout my entire body. My skin buzzes with their fluttering excitement as Mikyle leans forward, his eyes now on my mouth-

I can't breath, can't move. Nothing seems to matter aside from the gentleness of his touch and the warmth of his breath on my lips. Conflicted emotions move through me, with much less conviction than before, thoughts that *maybe I shouldn't be leading this man on*- and - *what would Blue do if he knew I was about to let someone else kiss me?*- and - *maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world if I let Mikyle kiss me*-

"Run!" Mikyle suddenly says, turning his head towards the rain beyond the opened door.

"What?" I blink, my hot face almost instantly cooling at his urgent tone. I look out towards the rain, squinting as I strain to see what's got my shadow so worked up. Knots begin twisting in my gut, the hairs on my skin standing on end, and for some reason, I know something's coming. Something bad. A bitter-sweet taste fills my mouth, almost making me gag, as my eyes smart. Three shadows are coming closer, only the faintest edges of their outlines visible though the thick sheets of rain. That oh so familiar sense of dread fills me as familiar scents fill my nose.