Yet Another Cullen/Black (A Twilight Fanfic)

Chapter 16

---------- Chapter 16 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Again!" the silky voice floats towards me from the shadows.

I sigh and slink back into a crouch automatically. I close my eyes, and truly listen. A snapping twig; that's all I needed to hear to know where my prey was. In a blinding movement, I lunge at my prey, knocking him down.

"Good job, kid! You're really fast, I didn't have enough time to react!" Demetri compliments from under me. I grin and pull him to his feet.

I've spent the last two weeks doing nothing but practising. Demetri has been like a drill sergeant! He's tough as nails, but I've improved miraculously. I can almost tackle Emmett to the ground now. Garrett and Eleazar are my easy targets. I can easily over power Carlisle. My next target is Emmett. Once I can tackle him, I'll focus on Demetri, then Edward and lastly Jazz.

Carlisle went over to the school the other day and said he was pulling me out of school, something about me being uncomfortable and wanting to be home-schooled. Obviously it's a fib! I spend every waking moment practising and training.

Edward doesn't approve of the way I'm pushing myself, but what other choice do I have? Though I concede that I'm tired to the point of being virtually brain-dead, I'm improving tremendously though!

"Good tackle, kiddo!" dad cheers from a distance. After that first day where Demetri and dad went at each other, they formed this unexpected companionship. The two of them enjoy sparring with each other, and they spend the remaining time just chatting and hanging out. It's really freaky!

I dust myself off and lean against a tree, sinking down to the moist ground. I hold my head up with my hands, trying to resist the urge of falling asleep on the spot.

"You're tiring him out!" a musical female voice comes from somewhere above me. I don't bother looking up. I can tell who it is from the smell itself!

"I'm training him, woman!" Demetri spits rudely.

I hear Tanya snarl, and Demetri returns the growl, somehow he sounds like he's flirting, despite the growl. A cold hand runs from my temples to my jaw line, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. I exhale in relief, and lean against the reassuring hand.

She sits beside me, and gently pulls my head onto her rock-hard shoulder. I relax against her hard shoulder, my eyes still firmly closed. I hear dad curse softly under his breath, but I'm too exhausted to open my eyes.

"Look at him! He can barely open his eyes!" Tanya scolds, only amusing Demetri more.

"In a battle, nobody will give him a break just because he's tired," Demetri drawls. He has a point.

"You know as well as I do that no fight would last this long! The poor boy gets a grand total of five hours sleep on a good day, and the rest of the day? He's in this stupid clearing, training his ass off! You don't even give him time for him to eat! He has to eat!" Tanya continues, hissing.

I can almost hear Demetri roll his eyes. I imagine him turning towards dad and the two of them exchanging a look.

"I'm okay, Tanya," I whisper into her shoulder, my hot breath against her cold shoulder makes her shudder a little.

"No! You're not okay, Henry! You're dead to the world!" she murmurs, her lips against my hair. I just half-smile. The longer they argue and fight, the more rest I get.

"Are you okay, kid?" Demetri asks for the first time.

"Uh huh," I murmur, still with my eyes shut tightly.