End Point

Chapter 17

"All right, I want you to attack me." Ash said calmly, as they started their training for the day.

"No." Ellis said shaking her head.

"Excuse me?" Ash asked, his voice dangerously low. Adam watched them both carefully from the side. He knew better than to interfere, but that did not mean he was not worried. Especially since he knew what Ellis was planning.

"I want you to teach me how to get away from someone after they have grabbed me." Ellis stated calmly.

"No." Ash said coldly, deliberately, when he was done cursing.

"Why not?" Ellis challenged. "That's where I am weak. I can attack you head on. I can even fight you off. Teach me what I don't know."

"If you can land even one hit on me in a head on attack, then I will teach you." Ash told her, but his face was expressionless, all his usual teasing gone. His eyes glittered with a strange anger.

Ellis attacked. She tried everything she could, but he evaded her. She could not even land a single hit on him., until she was completely exhausted. She could feel tears of frustration pricking her eyes but she refused to let them fall as she glared at Ash.

"You're good for a civilian, but don't forget that I hold back with you. I need you to be able to fight me as an equal before I am teaching you anything else." Ash said, back in instructor mode.

"I need to learn, Ash." Ellis snapped, but she knew that in truth she was pleading. Ash knew it too.

He walked forward, and simply stood behind her. Ellis tried to turn to keep him in her sight, but he placed his palms on both sides of her head to keep it in place.

"How much can you force yourself to trust me?" he asked her, his voice harsh.

Ellis felt cold at his touch, hated the feeling of having him at her back like this. She swallowed but did not say anything.

Ash came to stand in front of her again.

"That's what I thought. You don't trust me one bit Ellis. You could not even recognize me last night. If I grab you, it would not serve any purpose, but scare you more. You're not ready for that. Adam can't teach you, coz either he won't scare you, or if he does, it would horrify you on an entirely different level. I just need a little bit more time to win some of your trust and then I will teach you whatever you want to learn." Ash said quietly.

Ellis looked at him, stunned by his brutal honesty, and she realized what she was seeing in his eyes. He truly cared for her.

"I do trust you. Just a little." Ellis muttered.

Ash chuckled. "Smart of you. I am an untrustworthy person and we both know it. Now enough for today." He turned around to leave, and Ellis landed a perfect kick on his back, making him sprawl face first on the floor. Ash rolled over to glare at her.

"What was that for?" he snapped.

"I landed a hit." she said quietly.

Ash just stared at her, before he jumped back to his feet.

"You stubborn fool." he snarled. Ellis just stared back at him, her mouth set in a mulish line.