ian

d. Heavy. Nothing like the little blad

ed over his bandaged chest. The white gauze had a small red stain

ip," he commande

ingers around the handle. My sweaty

l, the next, he was right in front of me. His large hand

gainst the flat side of the blade. "

my hand away too quickly. M

twitched. "Scar

y voice barely

i

quid shadow. The way his icy eyes missed nothing. The way h

ssion unreadable. "First l

lowed

ere was a lesso

t." He tapped his bandage. "

sing against my back. One arm wrapped aroun

ed brea

st an imaginary throat. "Or here." He moved our hands lower, pressing the

smell his cologne, dark and expensive mi

ed me so abrup

read his arms wide

ked. "

nife." He said as thoug

not fe

. "If you can land a hit, I'l

d snap

ed silver pendant. My mother's face was still visib

rned in my chest. I lunged

wisted it until the knife clattered to the mats. P

e," he tske

re times. Each attempt ended the same. He dis

h exhaustion. Sweat dripped down my ba

th those icy eyes. "Y

said, not mee

is a game? That I'll go easy because you're a woman?" His voice

sh wave of anger through me. My ne

blade grazed his forearm. A thin re

th fr

ifying smile that showed too

anding, and the next, I was flat on my back with Mik

or pain. F

down until his lips b

ng me up with him. "

attempt w

cut on his shoulder and a slash across

d. My hands were raw from gripping the

bleeding hand with pr

I was too busy tr

towel. "Shower. Then

it clumsi

walked to the door, th

oked

ing." He said, his

icked. I let out

nothing b

I didn't care. I let it scald me, wishing it could wash away everything, t

the spray, trying to

dn't

ited on the counter. A black legging

ed as I picked up

o the one h

o had been carefully rep

ions warring inside me. Why did he give thi

Mikhail Volk

desk, pouring two glasses of amber liquid. The

smells li

d me without looking up f

n't m

ed. "It's no

managed to say, n

flicked

. "Tonight

The whiskey burned all the

ps quirked.

swallow, then tossed a file

it caut

eillance sho

anor. Scrubbing floors.

tened. "You we

war with you as sacrifice." He lit a cigarette, the fla

ad, looking b

I see value in sharp things." He

ted me. Instead, something

, focusing on

roz

owed me at fourteen

ht I'd killed for the firs

tched. My sisters laughed. No one came to my rescue

my undergarments and dipped it into the d

lifeless in it

eamed, calling

"Idiots."

ough the memory. "You j

estion. And I

d, rounding the desk to crouch before me. His finge

wiping away a tear I hadn't realized I'd shed. "Your fat

nes, warming places I'd th

dding, "And I'm going

espond, gunfire