#wait till wren hears Cal is gone

[angstymarshmallow]

WIP (cal lowell x mc)

I wanted some feed back on something for the next chapter of my multi-fic series! Uh, don’t worry the crossover is coming soon lol. I just have some kinks to work out. I love writing action scenes because they present a unique challenge but I struggle with the flow of it. I would love to hear some of YOUR thoughts?

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Wren stumbles to catch her footing, her hands warding off the dent of the blow once he strikes – his arm sailing and making contact, before she backpedals several steps away. It hurts, but it would’ve hurt helluva a lot more if she hadn’t seen it coming at the last possible second.

“You’re distracted.” His words are terse, eyes drawn back as a smirk toys at the corner of his lips.

The ass. He’s enjoying this.

She shouldn’t expect any differently, and for all that he was – Nik Ryder is still one of the most infuriating people she has ever met. But he’s never given up on her and taught her almost everything he knows in the short amount of time they’ve known each other.

Still, she doesn’t appreciate him pointing out the obvious, she’s been more than distracted lately. She’s been moody. Angry. Depressed. All of that and more at just the thought of Cal – at what they meant to each other.

“Bite my ass, Nik.” Snarling, Wren ducks his jab and feints to the left. She thinks she has the upper hand until his leg cuts her off, sweeping into a wide arc to take out her knees.

Wren curses as her feet fumble and there’s no stopping herself from tittering then falling flat on her ass. Her wrist takes most of the impact and she hisses at the slight twinges of pain that shoots up her arm. Getting to her feet, she begins to rub tiny circles across the inside of her wrist.

“Sloppy.” He tsks, dark eyes remaining impassive despite her own foul attitude. He circles her. Raising his hands, he clenches them into tight fists. “Sloppy will get you killed.”

He doesn’t need to tell her twice – she knows. But her mind isn’t focusing on looking for opportunities, cracks in his defense – she’s still too angry, too out of control of her own emotions to care about the consequences. She doesn’t care if she’s being sloppy, she just wants to hit something. Without uttering a remark, Wren sets off on her feet again – ducking when he tries to deliver a hook at the side of her head and she throws her hands up to body-tackle him towards the floor. “Rughh!”

At the last second, Nik manages to pivot his feet with enough of a twist to change the angle of his stance. He uses her own momentum against her, throwing her off balance and slightly chuckling as she lands with a hard thud. He whirls back around to face her. “Oh, that sounded like it hurt.” He taunts, eyes brightening as she curses.

Grimacing, Wren hauls herself off the floor. “It did. Not that you care.” She fires back, raising her hands up as she gets on the balls of her feet.

“If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t be here right now – giving you a target to hit.” He counters, ducking at the last second when she throws a quick jab. “I’d be at home with a case of cold beer.”

Wren lets out a cry of triumph as her other hand quickly shoots out and her fist finally connects to his jaw

He winces, but makes a show of blocking her next attack – preventing any follow-up chance for an onslaught. “Sloppy,” she mimics, trying her best Nik impression. “Aren’t you the one that said sloppy will get me killed?”

He dodges to the right and grips her briefly by the waist; setting himself up for kneeing her exposed chest.

The impact makes her grunt and fight for her next breath. She staggers back, eyes tearing up as she manages to shoot him a glare.

“And I wasn’t lying when I said it.”  His tone is deadpanned. “You’re angry. Use it but don’t let it control you. Anger is a powerful tool – but letting your emotions get the best of you isn’t only dangerous, it’s stupid.”

Huffing a breath, Wren rushes into him.

Their bodies slam together, but Nik keeps an inch away by using his arms to push against her demanding push and pull. “Control it, Wren.”

She growls low in her throat, increasing the pressure and leaning more of her weight against him. He won’t get the better of her again, she won’t let him.

Nik blinks and adjusts his stance almost instantly to administer more of a defensive posture.

It’s all the opportunity she needs. Loosening her hold, Wren drops her right shoulder a few inches and uses her weight to propel him across her shoulders – heaving his heavier mass over her – despite the racing of her own heart as adrenaline pumps loudly inside her veins.

He lands with an oomph and doesn’t stand right away. Wincing, Nik rubs his left hip then hastily gets to his feet.

“I am controlling it Nik.” She mutters with a hiss. Trying to anyway – this was the best it’s going to get.

His eyes halt towards her and his brow creases as soon as he holds up his hands – indicating they should place their sparring match on hold. “I thought this was helping, but now I’m not so sure.’

“If I wanted to talk, I would’ve gone to see Vera.” She should have sparred with Katy; Katy has always been better at reading between the lines – knowing when to push her and when not to. But Katy is out of time on nighthunter business.

But Wren doesn’t want to talk, because talking won’t make it easier –  it’ll make her feel things she’s been staving off since he left. There’s no Cal anymore it’s just her, and the knowledge hurts. It hurts so bad that her heart aches at the thought.

She’s afraid if she starts talking, the tears will start and she’ll never be able to stop.  

Taking a step towards him, Wren swallows back the lump in her throat and forces her thoughts to the present. Focus. Breathe. Control. “Now are we going to fight or not?”

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