Bite Me || Eric Coulter Fanfic - Divergent

15. Bring a guy to his knees

"Listen up initiates" Four's voice boomed in the training room. "Today is the last round of fights. This means that the first stage is coming to an end"

"Today is your last chance to secure your spot above the red line, so fight hard" Eric said coldly. I couldn't help but notice though, that today he seemed colder and more detached than usual. He looked around the room as he spoke, but every time his eyes were about to meet mine, he seemed to purposely avoid my gaze. Normally that wouldn't bother me, but after the night on the roof I felt like we moved on from hating each other, at least to the point where we could look at one another. Maybe I was wrong.

But what if this was all one of Eric's mind games? From the very start of training he has been trying to find my breaking point. What if he's trying to make me let my guard down? Does he think I'm that weak? I bet he thinks he can get any girl he wants. Asshole.

I shake my head, trying to clear all these unwanted thoughts. Nothing is happening between us. Just because I don't normally get close to people, doesn't mean that everyone who gets close to me wants to destroy me. Emotions are not good for me, I need to focus.

"Let's start with the top of the leaderboard. Top two initiates, in the ring. Now" Eric said, looking weirdly pleased with himself.

Overthinking had made me restless though, so I didn't have the energy to analyze his temper right now.

When I got in the ring, I realized why Eric looked pleased as Peter stomped up to me; his eyes held a murderous intent. He was number two on the board thanks to his improvement in fighting and knife throwing. Right now, he looked ready to dethrone me.

"Come on, get on with it" Eric said. His demeanor screamed 'I'm bored, get me out of here' but his eyes held a tumultuous storm and so much anger.

"I'm going to enjoy this so much, Amity" Peter began taunting me. Seriously, does he ever shut up?

"Remember last time Peter? You didn't enjoy that too much" I said, wanting to get this over with.

Peter's eyes flashed with anger and annoyance. He looked ready to kill me for embarrassing him in front of everyone.

The first couple of punches are thrown and I have to admit that Peter has gotten better at this. He's still too confident though, so I can probably still beat him. But then he decides to open his big mouth right as the fight was getting intense.

"The other day, I saw a man leaving Dauntless" Peter started.

"Good for you?" I ask sarcastically. If he wanted to make us aware that he has functioning eyesight, this was not the time to do it.

He throws a punch and I block it, trying to kick him on his side, but he steps away.

"It was interesting though, because he was wearing white. Remind me, isn't that what they wear in Amity when they mourn someone who died?" he says, eyes shining. He is playing a very dangerous game; this was still an open wound and it hurts.

"Tell me Amity. Which one of the few people that can stand you was it? Your mum? Your dad? Or let me guess, both of them?" he says tauntingly, pure hatred in his eyes.

I froze completely, thinking back to the day Herondale told me about my aunt and uncle. All the pain came back to hit me harder than anyone in this room ever could. My vision was clouded and I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I catch a glimpse of the hard look on Eric's face, his jaw tight and eyes intensely on me but softer than before.

Unfortunately, the few seconds that I froze were enough for Peter to attack while I had my guard down. In one swift move, he had me in a headlock and sent a punch to my stomach. His hold was strong and his eyes so intense that I was certain he was going to strangle me if no one stopped him. It was getting harder to breathe and that made me angry; mainly at myself for letting him get to me like that.

"That was low Peter. Even for you" I said coldly, while trying to breathe.

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it Amity?" he said, tightening his hold on me.

"Feel less guilty when I do this" I said. Gathering all the strength I could muster I reached down with my hand, grabbed and twisted; a move that could bring any guy to his knees.

Peter let out a scream, releasing me in the process.

"You bitch" he tried to say while standing up to attack me. He didn't get a chance though, because his face turned green. He shot out of the ring and bent over the nearest trash can, vomiting. He was then escorted to the infirmary.

I turned around, ready to leave the ring, noticing how the majority of the men in the room looked horrified.

"Not so fast." Eric's cold voice cut through the air in the room. "You're not done until I say so. Let's make this last fight interesting." he said, eyes glinting. If I thought he was angry earlier, the look in his eyes now confirmed that I had seen nothing yet.

"Next three initiates on the board: get in the ring. Now!" he said darkly. Four walked up to him and whispered heatedly while a few gasps could be heard from the other initiates.

The three boys that were after Peter on the board didn't hesitate to join me. Just when I thought this couldn't get any worse, I notice that they're all Peter's friends.

They didn't waste any time, immediately throwing punches and kicks at me. While this was supposed to be a fight were everyone fights everyone, it was clear the three boys had only one target. Me.

It was three against one and I quickly found myself struggling to dodge their hits. I couldn't focus on just one of them and hope the other two would kindly wait for their turn. They were ruthless, hungry for revenge.

Given that they were all taller and stronger than me, they got quite a few good hits on me. One look at Eric's pleased face though, was the fuel I needed to keep me going.

Punching one of the guys in the face, I then grabbed him and held him in front of me. For the time being, he would be my shield against his friends' attacks. After a while, I decided to put him out of his misery and elbowed him in the face, sending his unconscious on the floor.

The problem was however, that the other two looked even deadlier now. Thus began another intense fight. All three of us were getting tired. The boys' hits were becoming desperate, but they were still powerful. I looked at Eric, who seemed to be enjoying this. I was so pissed off.

"Is this what you're all about?" I said, looking at him coldly while kicking one of the guys in the abdomen. "Is this what makes Dauntless 'not so bad' for you?" I said, quoting what Eric had said to me on the roof. Finally, his cold facade seemed to crumble.

"Is this your style? Eliminating your initiates in unfair fights? Is that it?" I was shouting now, beyond angry. What did I do to make him hate me so much? And why did him hating me make me so angry?

Eric's eyes held an unfamiliar emotion in them. It definitely wasn't hate though. It was anger but not his usual kind of anger; this time the anger wasn't directed at me.

I was so tired and I just wanted to stop. Every part of my body was aching and screaming at me to just rest for a bit.

I meet Four's gaze. He was holding a fighting stick and looked desperate to use it, preferably on Eric, judging by the murderous glare he was throwing his way.

A final burst of strength shot through my body.

"Four" I shout. His eyes meet mine and he knows what to do.

In one swift motion, he throws the fighting stick to me, giving me a thankful look.

Time to end this. It wasn't a fair fight to begin with, so me defending myself with a weapon won't matter.

I twirl the fighting stick in my hands and in three quick moves, the two boys are unconscious on the ground.

"The three of you, go to the infirmary. Someone drag those two" said Four motioning to the two guys on the ground. He nods at me, looking relieved.

With a final glare at Eric, I drop the weapon and head to the infirmary.