Free The Fallen 03 - Warrior by Kristina Douglas Page B

skills—her defeat of Pedersen hadn’t been a fluke. This was going to prove even more interesting.
    Dangerously so.

CHAPTER
NINE
     
    A RROGANT ASSHOLE. I LOOKED down at the giant lying at my feet. He’d fallen hard, harder than a warrior ought to, but that came from thinking his opponent was nothing but a useless girl. He was blinking, dazed, and I waited for his eyes to clear before holding out a hand to him.
    A moment later he was up with a roar, knocking aside my hand and heading straight toward me with a murderous glare in his eyes. I had the wooden sword they used for training, and I timed it perfectly, smashing it across his throat at the precise moment it would do the most damage. Down he went again, on his stomach, and this time he stayed down.
    My husband was watching me out of those unreadable dark eyes, and I wondered if I’d betrayed too much. “Lucky hit,” I said with a shrug.
    “Indeed.” His voice was noncommittal. He turnedto Metatron. “Get up. If you can’t handle being hit by a little girl, you’re useless to me.”
    “Little girl?” I echoed, drawing up to my full five feet nine in bare feet.
    Metatron didn’t look any too happy with his comment either. He rolled over and scrambled to his feet, glaring at both of us. “She’s better than she’d have you think.”
    I ground my teeth. “Not really. You weren’t paying attention.”
    “Try me again,” he growled.
    Not likely. He’d pummel the shit out of me, and this time I didn’t dare defend myself with any amount of skill. Fortunately Michael turned to me. “Go and work with Rachel. She can teach you some defensive moves in case you run into anyone more dangerous than Uriel’s most powerful angel. She has some skills you might find interesting, if she feels like divulging them.”
    “Cheating bitch,” Metatron muttered beneath his breath, and I wasn’t sure if he meant me or Rachel.
    “I heard that.” Rachel’s cool voice floated across the busy room with surprising clarity, and Metatron flushed. It was an interesting sight. The man was huge, more robot than human, and he was blushing. Though that brought up an interesting question.
    I turned to Michael. “Are you human?”
    Michael had turned to leave, but he paused. “I’m not anything. Neither angel nor human, living nor dead, saved nor doomed. At least, when you die, youwon’t be sentenced to eternal torment as the Fallen are. Though if you end up in a heaven with Uriel in charge, I’m not sure there will be much of a difference.”
    “But—”
    “I don’t have time to discuss philosophy with you. Rachel’s waiting for you.” He strode away. I watched him go—he gave the impression of incredible strength without bulkiness. No bulging muscles, just sleek, indomitable power. His skin was a perfect shade of sun-kissed gold, his dark eyes enigmatic as they swept over me, revealing nothing. He moved with an almost catlike grace, silent. He would be a mesmerizing, dangerous predator, and he should have frightened me. Instead I was fascinated. Drawn.
    I tore my eyes away and met Rachel’s gaze. I didn’t like what I saw. She looked far too knowing, and I didn’t want her jumping to any conclusions about me. I could feel the curious eyes of the Fallen on my back. I shouldn’t have lost my temper with Metatron. I was going to have to work hard to regain the image of marginal skills.
    I managed a casual, ambling kind of walk as I joined Rachel by a set of open doors. She was smiling, and I wasn’t sure I trusted it, but I smiled back, all innocence. “Can you imagine the luck?” I said lightly. “Knocking a mountain down on the first day here.”
    “Twice.” She cocked her head, surveying me. “Come. Let’s go someplace where we can talk.”
    “I thought we were supposed to train.”
    “We will. I have my own way of working, and Michael knows better than to intercede.”
    “You mean he doesn’t bully you like he does everyone else?”
    “He tries. He