Un.Wavering (Claimed Series Book 3) by Reese Morgan Page A

Hayden . And here I thought my charm wasn’t nearly as effective as it used to be.”
    “Don’t flatter yourself,” she complained darkly.
    She kept her shoulders relaxed, knowing better than to remain stiff with anxiety. Her senses sharpened as she prepared herself, all the while, watching Nicolas as he disappeared into her blind spot.
    Her ear twitched as a fist struck through the air. She turned, blocking it with her forearm and tossing the momentum in the opposite direction. Just as quickly, his left hand grabbed her striking fist, holding it captive.
    Adolf warned her not to engage in close combat with an overpowering male, especially a Slayter. They would dominate with their sheer physical prowess.
    Hayden struggled with him, her arm trembling at the excursion. With her wrist still held captive, she dropped low and twirled around the back of his legs. Using her free elbow, she jabbed him in the back of his knee.
    It was enough of an annoyance for him to release her.
    “Good,” Nicolas praised. “You discovered a weak spot.”
    Sensing no forthcoming attack, Hayden looked up at Nicolas, her face clearly expressing her doubts. “The back of your knee is your weak spot? Somehow, I find that hard to believe.”
    “No, it’s everyone’s weak spot.” He motioned at her elbow. “I couldn’t help but notice that you were implementing Cole’s specialty when you fought Sophia. My brother enjoys going for the elbow of his opponents. It usually works well for him, except he knows his opponent’s dominant hand.”
    He winked and Hayden scowled fiercely at the insinuation.
    “I didn’t know Sophia was dominant in both hands.”
    “Nor should you have known she was ambidextrous. It is a rare trait.” He touched her knee with the toe of his boot. “I use the knee when I’m in a close bind.”
    Which is never, Hayden thought bitterly.
    “Attacking the kneecap will render your opponent vulnerable. If he’s good enough, he will deter your attempts. If you’re good enough, you can hit him thrice in the front of the knee, and finish it off with a powerful blow to the back of the knee. You will have him down on the ground.”
    She considered his words. “Why don’t most others use it?”
    “Because they aren’t agile. I would think, with your flexibility, and your ability to kick, that you can use this tactic to your advantage.” 
    Hayden stared up at him, a loss of what to feel. A small, uninvited flame of admiration sparked, but she forcibly pushed it away. It didn’t matter that he was taking the time to teach her, or that he had rescued Cole.
    What mattered was that he was untrustworthy, he killed his own family, and he was cruelly manipulative. She didn’t know what was real and what was a clever guise.
    “Why did you have to sacrifice them all? Amber Beard’s pack?” Hayden blurted out, desperately needing the answers. “And how did you make Tracer trust you again?”
    Nicolas’ face was impassive, but his eyes were piercing. As if he could no longer hold it in, a small, fleeting smirk lifted his lip. “Who is Amber Beard?” He scrutinized her. “I hadn’t realized you were thinking this hard about my intentions. All you had to do was ask .”
    He flashed a smile full of teeth, an entirely roguish leer.
    Before Hayden could press further, something slammed on top the train. She flinched, her ears ringing at the sound of crushed metal. Slowly, she looked up, noticing a substantial dent in the train’s roof.
    Silence stretched as Nicolas and Hayden stared, listening and trying to identify the source. At first, Hayden thought it might be Cole, somehow leaping onto the train to catch up, resulting in a dramatic entrance.
    However, as smaller, yet steady footsteps began walking to the side of the train, Hayden immediately identified its source. A chill slid down her spine as she listened to the eerily robotic gait. There was only one creature who could strike fear with only its saunter.
    Nicolas