Free The Force of Wind by Elizabeth Hunter Page B

bruises today?”
    She shook her head. “We were mostly doing tai chi earlier.” A shadow fell across her face, but her gaze was quickly drawn toward the center of the room as Tenzin and Baojia parted and went to opposite walls to choose weapons.
    Tenzin selected the long Chinese jian and skipped the ancient curved scimitar she usually fought with. She was ruthless when she carried it, but it would not be a good choice for Beatrice since she could not fly.
    Baojia chose the dao he had spoken of, a single-edged weapon with good reach and a subtle curve. It had greater slashing power and, since beheading was the intention, Giovanni thought the choice was a good one.
     “I’m really excited to start learning this,” she whispered, wiggling on his lap.
    “Of course you are.”
    “Relax. I doubt I’m in any danger from my grandfather’s favorite son.”
    “I’m not worried about him hurting you.”
    “Then why the surly vampire act, old man?”
    He bared his fangs playfully, pulling her head to the side as if going for a bite. She only laughed and reached up, pulling his head closer until his lips met her skin in a kiss. He was suddenly distracted by the steady beat of the pulse in her neck and the warm fingers entwined in his hair.
    If she didn’t have to give up the sun…
    “Hey, why so quiet?”
    “I’m thinking about the elixir.”
    “Gio—”
    “I know there is more to investigate, but I am allowed to have some hope that you might not have to become a vampire to be with me.”
    She paused a moment, a slight frown creasing her forehead.
    “What?” he asked.
    “I’ve chosen you , Gio. I’ve chosen this life. I knew what it meant. I haven’t changed my mind about turning.”
    “But, Beatrice, if you didn’t have to—”
    “If I could drink this elixir and remain human forever, then I would always be your physical inferior.”
    “That’s not important to me; you know that.”
    “Who said it was up to you?” she asked. “This is something I decided.” She turned in his arms, placing her cheek against his and whispering so they couldn’t be overheard.
    “I know you have to hold back with… so much. I don’t want that forever. I want to be your partner. Your equal. I don’t want to live a life separate from you, even in the hard things.”
    She pulled away and stroked his cheek as he looked at her.
    In five hundred years of life, he had rarely met a human more stubborn or independent than Beatrice. It wasn’t a foolish kind of disregard; she simply took her time to make up her mind, and when she did, she was determined. And he loved her for it.
    “We’ll talk about it more later.”
    That didn’t mean he wasn’t just as stubborn.
    He felt her small elbow in his ribs, but she turned back to the mat, watching Tenzin and Baojia as they practiced with their chosen weapons. Eventually, they bowed toward each other in the way common among older immortals, bending from the waist while never breaking eye contact, arms outstretched so that all weapons were visible.
    They began circling from their bow, both eyeing the other as Baojia murmured instructions to Tenzin about the techniques he wanted to demonstrate. Tenzin held the jian high in a pointed stance while Baojia’s arm came out and his elbow pulled the dao back as if preparing to strike. They began moving in concert, demonstrating the most common strikes for each weapon as Baojia narrated to Beatrice what they were doing with each thrust or parry.
    Giovanni glanced at her as she sat on his lap. She was completely enthralled. Her eyes lit up and she leaned forward, her complete focus on the two masters in front of her.
    “This is so cool.”
    He saw them relax into the combat, and they began moving in more natural fight patterns for immortals. Baojia would use the water as a second weapon, sweeping his arm out to spear it in Tenzin’s direction as she leapt into the air, dodging out of reach. At one point, Baojia sent a thin stream of