magnus

[magnus]

Something sickening flashed in him when he heard the crack of the impact, his hooves coming down hard against her spine. She crumpled and something flared in his chest, both fear and a hunger for more, something predatory gleaming in his eyes at the sight of her stumbling to the side. He felt the second that it unlocked in his mind, the second the beast came roaring to life, and he shut down, turning from her for a second, absorbing the impact of her body as she came back for more, greedily wanting more.

He took a step to the side to stabilize himself, but was able to withstand the brunt of her weight.

His breathing was choppy, but not from exertion as he wrestled with the demons that clawed at him, that sick desire to attack—to capitalize on weakness and take her past the point of return. Break her down until not even her healing could piece her back together. Silence reigned as he stood there, eyes closed, nostrils flaring to steady himself, to push the dark back until he remembered who he stood across.

Not the enemy. Just Raeg’n. Just his student.

Not the enemy.

When he trusted himself again, he opened his eyes, their depths stormy but steady once more, and turned back to face her. “That’s enough for today,” his voice was low, husky, and his body slick with sweat so that the gold of it darkened. “You fought well, Raeg’n.” Too well, he wanted to add. Well enough that he forgot he was training and not fighting to the death; well enough that he almost lost control.

He had brought it back to heel though, tightened his grip on the collar and stared at her with a heated gaze, his muscles still tense beneath the dusk of his coat. “You can’t forget your advantages though. You have to stop playing my game.” He tilted his head toward her. “Throwing your body against mine isn’t going to let you win. You’re not a brawler. Not yet.” A faint growl. “Use speed. Use accuracy. Come in quick for a few hits and then dance out. Make me tired. Make me find you. Make me fight for my hits.”

out of the blue out into the loneliest place that you'll ever know
I carried the world just as far as I could but the damage had taken its toll