attention. He never
took his teaching lightly or acted like the whole thing was a hobby, although it was.
And Jabez tried to train him as if he really was going to be fighting an opponent. Could
happen someday. Even Prince Fortias might find himself mugged on the street.
“We can‟t slash each other, so I recommend buying a dead pig; hang it and
practice on that.”
Andreas‟s frown deepened. “I don‟t know if this is something I want to learn. I
can‟t imagine piercing flesh, even dead flesh.”
Jabez shook his head. “I told you. Don‟t be squeamish. When it comes down to
you or the other guy, you have to be ready to stick him.”
Cage Match
53
The other man gave a halfhearted lunge at the air with the knife, then examined
the shiny blade. “I know you‟ve done that. I watched you fight with that man and stab
him, but what does it feel like? Not just stabbing, but killing someone.”
“Feels good. Feels like you‟re still alive and your enemy is dead.”
“How many have you…? Do you know?”
“No. They‟d drag them away unconscious, and I didn‟t know if they were alive or
dead. Didn‟t matter as long as I walked out of the ring.”
Jabez watched the play of light on Andreas‟s blade as he lied to him. It was true
he‟d felt victorious and relieved to have made it through another day, but part of him
had cringed at every man he left broken and bleeding. Although it had become his
nature to fight and kill, that hadn‟t always been a part of him, and a little bit of his
younger self huddled deep inside him.
“You can practice throwing the knife today,” Jabez continued. “Work on
accuracy.”
They faced the target on the wall by the weapons cabinet and took turns throwing
at the bull‟s-eye. At first Andreas couldn‟t make his blade stick. It fell to the floor every
time. But after a while, he was finally able to make and keep contact with the target.
“Here. Let me show you.” Jabez stepped behind him and held his wrist. He drew
back their arms together and hurled, laughing when Andreas released the knife late and
it hit the cabinet before clattering onto the floor. “Except you have to let go at the right
time.”
“I can‟t concentrate with you pressed up against me like that.” Andreas looked
over his shoulder, and Jabez was lost. They‟d spent too many hours together today with
lust sparking between them like a fractured power crystal. He leaned over Andreas‟s
shoulder and kissed his mouth while continuing to grip his wrist hard.
Andreas angled his head, his mouth seeking a deeper kiss. He lifted his free hand
and reached back to cup Jabez‟s jaw.
Jabez felt the flex of the other man‟s wrist in his punishing grip. Lust boiled
through him, making him clutch even tighter. He wanted to leave his mark, a bracelet
of purple bruises.
Andreas moaned and squirmed against him, his ass rubbing Jabez‟s growing
erection. Mingled pain and pleasure was a powerful combination, as Jabez well knew.
He nipped Andreas‟s lower lip and squeezed his wrist until the bones creaked.
With a gasp, Andreas pulled away, eyes wide, but a moment later he attacked
Jabez‟s mouth again with a kiss that tasted of copper. Jabez let go of his wrist and
grabbed hold of his waist, then let his hand slide over the bulge in the front of his pants.
He moved his palm up and down once before latching on with a squeeze that made
Andreas gasp again.
“Too rough?”
“No! More,” he begged.
54
Bonnie Dee
Jabez slipped his hand under the waistband and down to the heat and warmth of
Andreas‟s cock. He seized and massaged the shaft with hard strokes, all the while
grinding his erection against Andreas‟s tailbone.
It wasn‟t nearly enough. He‟d felt the man‟s smooth skin last night and couldn‟t
be satisfied with anything less. Abruptly, he jerked down Andreas‟s pants as he‟d
imagined doing during their run. Jabez pressed his cock into the groove of
took his teaching lightly or acted like the whole thing was a hobby, although it was.
And Jabez tried to train him as if he really was going to be fighting an opponent. Could
happen someday. Even Prince Fortias might find himself mugged on the street.
“We can‟t slash each other, so I recommend buying a dead pig; hang it and
practice on that.”
Andreas‟s frown deepened. “I don‟t know if this is something I want to learn. I
can‟t imagine piercing flesh, even dead flesh.”
Jabez shook his head. “I told you. Don‟t be squeamish. When it comes down to
you or the other guy, you have to be ready to stick him.”
Cage Match
53
The other man gave a halfhearted lunge at the air with the knife, then examined
the shiny blade. “I know you‟ve done that. I watched you fight with that man and stab
him, but what does it feel like? Not just stabbing, but killing someone.”
“Feels good. Feels like you‟re still alive and your enemy is dead.”
“How many have you…? Do you know?”
“No. They‟d drag them away unconscious, and I didn‟t know if they were alive or
dead. Didn‟t matter as long as I walked out of the ring.”
Jabez watched the play of light on Andreas‟s blade as he lied to him. It was true
he‟d felt victorious and relieved to have made it through another day, but part of him
had cringed at every man he left broken and bleeding. Although it had become his
nature to fight and kill, that hadn‟t always been a part of him, and a little bit of his
younger self huddled deep inside him.
“You can practice throwing the knife today,” Jabez continued. “Work on
accuracy.”
They faced the target on the wall by the weapons cabinet and took turns throwing
at the bull‟s-eye. At first Andreas couldn‟t make his blade stick. It fell to the floor every
time. But after a while, he was finally able to make and keep contact with the target.
“Here. Let me show you.” Jabez stepped behind him and held his wrist. He drew
back their arms together and hurled, laughing when Andreas released the knife late and
it hit the cabinet before clattering onto the floor. “Except you have to let go at the right
time.”
“I can‟t concentrate with you pressed up against me like that.” Andreas looked
over his shoulder, and Jabez was lost. They‟d spent too many hours together today with
lust sparking between them like a fractured power crystal. He leaned over Andreas‟s
shoulder and kissed his mouth while continuing to grip his wrist hard.
Andreas angled his head, his mouth seeking a deeper kiss. He lifted his free hand
and reached back to cup Jabez‟s jaw.
Jabez felt the flex of the other man‟s wrist in his punishing grip. Lust boiled
through him, making him clutch even tighter. He wanted to leave his mark, a bracelet
of purple bruises.
Andreas moaned and squirmed against him, his ass rubbing Jabez‟s growing
erection. Mingled pain and pleasure was a powerful combination, as Jabez well knew.
He nipped Andreas‟s lower lip and squeezed his wrist until the bones creaked.
With a gasp, Andreas pulled away, eyes wide, but a moment later he attacked
Jabez‟s mouth again with a kiss that tasted of copper. Jabez let go of his wrist and
grabbed hold of his waist, then let his hand slide over the bulge in the front of his pants.
He moved his palm up and down once before latching on with a squeeze that made
Andreas gasp again.
“Too rough?”
“No! More,” he begged.
54
Bonnie Dee
Jabez slipped his hand under the waistband and down to the heat and warmth of
Andreas‟s cock. He seized and massaged the shaft with hard strokes, all the while
grinding his erection against Andreas‟s tailbone.
It wasn‟t nearly enough. He‟d felt the man‟s smooth skin last night and couldn‟t
be satisfied with anything less. Abruptly, he jerked down Andreas‟s pants as he‟d
imagined doing during their run. Jabez pressed his cock into the groove of
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