The Moon Rises by Angela Horn Page A

will.”
    Ella threw a punch. Pulled a punch really, but it
still hit Gigi square on the left cheek. Sara was right. Gigi didn’t
understand. Ella thought everyone knew to dodge things flying towards their
faces.
    “Ella,” Declan growled as Gigi collapsed on the
mat.
    “She needs to learn.”
    “Beating her up isn’t teaching her,” Sara said,
climbing into the ring and pulled Gigi up. “Gigi, you have to put your hands up
and protect your face. Move around like Dahlia and Ella did when they were fighting.
Move out of the way, if something comes at your face.”
    “Ready?” Ella asked Gigi who stared blankly while
holding her cheek.
    “She’s hitting you, so you can learn to fight,”
Sara told Gigi then added with a sneer, “It’s okay to hit Ella back.”
    Sara moved out of the ring as Gigi stared at
Ella.
    “Gigi, just do what you saw them do,” Sara said.
    Justine snorted. “Except for the part where
Dahlia fell on her ass.”
    Before the Vamp could give a snappy retort, Ella
made her move on Gigi. The blonde backed away and dodged the first punch.
    “See, she’s learning,” Ella said to Declan who
was watching her with such intensity she could feel his Alpha stare clawing at
her flesh.
    “Hit her, Gigi,” Sara said and Gigi turned to
look at her friend.
    Ella’s punch nailed the blonde on the side of the
head, just under one of those pigtails. Gigi fell down too fast to brace her
fall.
    “Knock if off,” Declan growled and Ella knew he
was losing his temper.
    “She’s alone in the Circle. When some bastard
comes to hurt her, you won’t be there to save her, boss,” Ella growled back.
    Declan glared at her, but Ella ignored him as
Gigi stood up. Looking scolded, the blonde didn’t make an effort to protect herself.
Ella leaned into Gigi’s ear.
    “I’m trying to make you a badass. I’m your
friend, but I want you to be strong.”
    Nodding, Gigi pulled her hands back into fists as
Ella bounced around her. The blonde though was just staring - always staring
like she was searching for some undeniable truth hidden in a person’s eyes.
    Ella moved to punch her and Gigi dodged it. Her
face was completely expressionless and her dark eyes seemed dazed and confused.
Yet she dodged the next strike too. When Ella tried to sweep her feet out from
under her, Gigi jumped out of the way.
    “Now hit her, lil sis,” Sara yelled once Gigi got
the hang of dodging Ella’s increasingly aggressive strikes.
    Gigi turned again towards Sara’s voice and again
Ella made her move. Without looking at the punch, Gigi ducked it then threw out
her fist. The punch met Ella’s face and threw her backward. Bouncing quickly
back to her feet, Ella smiled at Gigi.
    “Good. Now you’re ready for a real challenge.”
    Declan started to tell her no, but Ella was
already moving towards Gigi who stood passively, seeming confused. Then Gigi
dodged the Were’s kick and slid down to swipe Ella’s other leg out from under her.
Ella fell hard on the mat and gazed up at Gigi who still looked confused. Ella
wondered if the blonde was completely faking the dumb act.
    Declan was suddenly in the ring and he pulled
Ella to her feet. “You’ve taught Gigi how to kick your ass enough for one day.”
    Ella studied Gigi who was rubbing her cheek
again.
    “I want to bring her back here and train her. Not
just so you can check out her ass,” Ella whispered. “Gigi is weird and everyone
wants to screw her. Something bad is going to happen. Now that I know she can
learn, I want to teach her for real.”
    Declan glanced at Gigi and his eyes clouded with
concern. “Okay, but leave the Vamp at home. She shouldn’t be here. Having our
scent on her when she returns to Vampland puts her in danger. Stop being a
dipshit, Ella. You need to be more careful.”
    Ella frowned at him. “At least we know if Finn
gets too frisky on their date, Gigi can protect herself.”
    Declan glared at her again, clearly jealous which
served him right. He