The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, and I was already pissed off before my eyes even fully opened. My mind, still foggy from sleep, immediately snapped back to last night back to the moment Nathaniel's voice shattered what could've been a perfect fucking moment.
I clenched my jaw, feeling the irritation bubbling up as I tossed off the covers and swung my legs over the side of the bed. Nathaniel was the last person I wanted to see, let alone hear. Bastard didn't just ruin the moment; he ruined my whole damn night.
With a low growl of frustration, I pushed myself off the bed and headed to the bathroom. I needed to cool down, and a cold shower would do just that.
The moment the water hit my skin, I let out a deep breath, the coolness grounding me, but not enough to wash away the image of Aeliana that had been seared into my brain.
The way her lips had parted, the way her eyes had fluttered shut fuck, it was like she was made to be kissed by me, and only me. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, but I quickly shoved it aside.
Today, I had to focus. I had to get my head in the game because I was supposed to be training the demon soldiers. But even as I dressed, pulling on my combat gear, tightening the straps on my boots, my mind kept drifting back to Aeliana.
My irritation flared again, but it was laced with something else, something that felt a little too much like longing. I hated it.
As I walked down the hallway, I half-expected to see her, maybe leaning against a wall, maybe giving me that look she had last night before everything went to shit. But there was nothing just the silent corridor and the echo of my own footsteps.
I felt a stab of disappointment, but I buried it deep. She was probably still sleeping, recovering from whatever dream she had been having. Hell, I hoped she dreamt of me.
By the time I reached the training grounds, I had forced myself to focus, but it was a losing battle. The soldiers were already assembled, standing at attention, their eyes on me as I approached. Usually, I'd give them hell, push them until they were ready to drop.
But today? Today, I wasn't in the mood. The fire I usually felt the drive to make them better, to make them tougher it just wasn't there. Instead, I found myself going through the motions, my mind wandering back to Aeliana every damn time I tried to focus.
We started with hand-to-hand combat, a warm-up before the real training with swords. I paired them off, making them spar with each other while I watched, correcting their forms, adjusting their stances. But even as I did, my mind wasn't on them.
It was on her. How she looked when she fought. The way her body moved, fluid and powerful, like she was born to fight. I could almost see her in front of me, the memory of our sparring sessions flooding back. Her body pressed against mine, her breath hot on my skin.
"Focus, Ciara," I muttered to myself, shaking my head as if that would clear the thoughts away. It didn't. If anything, it made them stronger.
The soldiers were getting suspicious. I could see it in their eyes, the way they glanced at each other when I didn't push them as hard as usual. But I didn't give a shit. They were probably just relieved that I wasn't kicking their asses today.
When we finally moved on to swords, I hoped the change of pace would help. I drew my blade, the weight of it familiar in my hand, and ordered them to pair up again.
The sound of steel clashing against steel filled the air, and I tried to let it drown out everything else. I moved among them, correcting grips, adjusting swings, but my heart wasn't in it.
The sun was high in the sky now, the heat beating down on us, making sweat drip down the backs of our necks. The air was thick, almost suffocating, but it wasn't just the heat it was the thoughts I couldn't shake, the desire that wouldn't leave me alone.
"Goddamn it," I hissed under my breath, dragging a hand through my hair as I watched the soldiers sparring in front of me. I was restless, frustrated, and it was starting to show. My usual control, the iron grip I had on my emotions, was slipping, and I hated it.
Then, with a growl of irritation, I yanked off my shirt, leaving me in just my sports bra and combat pants.
The cool air hit my skin, a brief relief from the heat, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside me. The soldiers stopped for a moment, their eyes flicking towards me, surprise evident in their expressions.
I never stripped down like this during training, never let them see more of me than necessary. But today, I didn't care.
And I could feel the eyes on me. The way the female staff passing by slowed down, their gazes lingering on my abs, on the curve of my muscles, on the sweat glistening on my skin.
It was nothing new I was used to the attention, used to being looked at, desired. But today, it didn't give me the satisfaction it usually did. Today, there was only one person whose gaze I wanted to feel on me.
And then, as if my thoughts had conjured her, I felt it. The familiar, intoxicating scent that I'd recognize anywhere. I turned, my breath catching in my throat, and there she was. Aeliana, standing at the edge of the training grounds, watching me with a look in her eyes that made my heart skip a beat. Desire. Pure, unfiltered desire.
A slow smirk spread across my lips, and I felt a surge of satisfaction. She wanted me. I could see it in the way her eyes darkened, the way she bit her lip, her gaze locked on me like she couldn't look away. And fuck, if that didn't make me want to drag her to the nearest secluded spot and finish what we started last night.
I was so focused on her, so lost in the way she was looking at me, that I didn't notice the soldier coming at me until it was too late.
"Ciara, watch out!" someone yelled, but it was drowned out by the sound of steel meeting steel as the soldier's blade clashed against mine. The force of it sent a shock up my arm, knocking me back a step, and I cursed under my breath, snapping back to reality.
"Shit," I muttered, tightening my grip on my sword as I met the soldier's eyes. She looked terrified, like she'd made the biggest mistake of her life. I was about to chew her out, but then I stopped I was the one who hadn't been paying attention.
"It's on me," I admitted, turning back to the soldiers. But when I glanced around, Aeliana was still there, watching me intently. Just as I felt a flicker of relief, Nathaniel's voice cut through the air.
"Ciara," he called out, his tone challenging, "how about a duel? Right here, right now."