An Immortal Bond

Chapter Four

I had some extra free time, and I was able to get another chapter written. I hope you guys are enjoying everything so far!

Push harder, Elisabeta!" Gabriel shouted at me before kicking me to the ground.

After five hours of training, sweat was pouring down my face and back. And in all of that time, Gabriel had been doing nothing but kicking and punching me. I hadn't learned a thing except for how to take a hit. Every time I fell, Gabriel would yell at me to get up only to throw me down in the next breath.

He stood a few feet away from me, watching me with impatient eyes. I pushed to my feet, even though my already aching limbs screamed for me to sit down. "I'm trying, Gabriel," I insisted, trying to shake out my discomfort.

"Not hard enough," he snapped.

When I stood up completely, he rushed at me, throwing controlled and well-maneuvered punches. I did my best to block them, but a few landed leaving me gasping in pain. Pushing him away from me, I had enough room to swing a kick towards his face. He grabbed my ankle, mid-air, and held my leg in place. Just as I was about to twist out of his hold, he swung his elbow down and smashed it into my ribs.

I cried out in pain, and when he let my ankle go I fell to the ground.

I landed on my back, tears already streaming down my face.

"Get up," he demanded. I held my ribs and continued to sob. "Elisabeta, get up."

"No," I moaned.

"Nothing is broken, so get up and fight me."

I sat up carefully. He was right, he didn't break anything, and my shoulder was completely healed but my ribs were bruised and sore was my ego. "What is the matter with you?" I demanded angrily. "Are you enjoying this?"

"I'm training you, just as you asked me to," he replied, crossing his arms.

"I didn't ask you to train me!" I shouted indignantly.

"Exactly, and you agreed. So you shouldn't question my methods."

"Your methods?" I scoffed. "There's actually a method to this madness?"

"The only way that I can build you up is by breaking you down first," he replied simply.

Though I struggled, I managed to get to my feet again, holding my side so that I could breath normally. "Congratulations, you've broken me. Now if you'll excuse me." I started to walk out of the training room Gabriel had made for us in the basement of the pool house.

"Elisabeta, wait." Gabriel stopped me before I could get to the door. "You asked me to train you, and I said I would. And while you have a natural instinct for fighting, there are a lot of things that you don't know. A lot of things that if you didn't know, it would cost you, or someone else dearly. So when I push you, I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm trying to make you stronger."

I knew that was his intention, but I didn't want to hear it right now. "Well, I've had enough for now."

He glared at me. "It was your wish to fight. To be a hunter," he pointed out. "I didn't ask you to do this."

"Yes, it was my wish to hunt," I replied haughtily. "And need I remind you that it was you who demanded that if I hunt I had to hunt with you."

"Because it's too dangerous!" he exclaimed. "There is a reason we hunt together, Elisabeta! Because that it is the greatest chance that we have at defeating them."

"Why are you doing this to me?" I demanded.

"Why are you blowing this out of proportion?!" he snapped. "I'm not hurting you to humiliate you, I'm pushing you harder because I don't want anything to happen to you."