Amalgamate

Chapter 65

When Ian sifted them, it was different. He controlled the speed of their movement. Rowan noticed right away that it wasn't the dark forbidding tunnel of rushing air that it had been for Greer and herself when they sifted. Ian's skills were clearly more sophisticated and developed.

She held on for dear life as she had no idea how this sift would be different. Where were they heading? Where might she land if she decided to let him go? She felt a calmness, a stillness around her like they were in the eye of a hurricane as they moved, and then, in an instant the air whipped around them like they were in the midst of gale force winds.

Her emotions were all over the map, she was trying to pay attention to everything, to learn from everything he did, but being petrified made it difficult to focus. She had a feeling Ian wasn't just your run of the mill vampire. There was something more beneath the surface...something worth looking for.

When they stopped, he released his iron grip on her arm immediately. The blood began circulating through her arm again, and it made her skin tingle with numbness like tiny pins pricking her. She saw her opportunity to get away immediately and she took it. Focusing on sifting herself away from wherever she had landed, away from him, she tried repeatedly- but nothing happened.

"That won't work here, Rowan." His voice reverberated off the walls. He turned and cockily sauntered away from her disappearing into the darkness of what seemed to be a large cavernous space.

That's what the lycans had said about their compound as well. She'd find a way out. It would just take her some time. "Where are we?"

"A training facility....my training facility actually." He laughed softly as candles lit the room like magic coming on one by one, encircling her clockwise around the room.

"Your facility?" This oughtta be good. First, she was with Greer and then Cuan, now this guy. She'd play the game and hand him his ass, too.

"Mmmm, hmmm." He turned to take in her essence amongst the glow of the candle light. Ian loved the luminosity that candles created. Rowan's alabaster skin and fiery red hair in this glow only made her more alluring.

"Why are we here?" She sensed a prolonged, involuntary stay.

"For your training, of course." He walked only two steps toward her, waiting to see her reaction.

"And what if I'm not interested in your training, Ian?" She took a step back, her arms down at her sides readying herself for his response.

"Ah, well, that would indicate that you feel you have other options Rowan. You do not." He continued to advance on her slowly.

"I may not like my choices, but I have choices and I do not choose to be here with you, vampire." Her heart began to speed up, like the wheels on a freight train moving faster and faster getting louder with each rotation. Her chest tightened. She hated feeling like a rat in a cage. An overwhelming feeling usurped her thoughts. Ian's intentions with her were completely deplorable- and he was gonna hurt her.

"Well, that's okay Rowan, because I chose you." He took another step towards her leaving less than ten feet between them now. "I can hear your heart racing, and I can smell the anxiety pouring over you. We'll have to work on both of those."

"Like hell vampire! I'm nobody's project." She lifted her arms, palms out towards him. She'd give him a little taste of what she'd given Cuan. "Back up Ian. I mean it."

"Rule number one Rowan...Don't ever warn your opponent as to your intentions. It gives them time to prepare for your response." He took another step towards her carefully calculating her every move. "If you feel action is warranted, by all means..." He held his arms out to the side, palms up, as though he were making himself vulnerable to her.