Read Online Shift by Raine Thomas - Free Book Online Page B

disable me.”
    “Get off me, damn you!”
    “The temple and the base of the cerebellum—”
    Ariana screamed. All other activity ceased as everyone watched the spectacle. Quincy moved forward, disturbed by Ariana’s dramatic reaction and Zachariah’s heedlessness to her fear.
    “—are the weakest points accessible to you. If you strike me in either of those places with your elbow with enough force, you will render me—”
    “I said, get off me!”
    “—unconscious or possibly kill me.” Zachariah stayed where he was, holding her down as she thrashed uselessly, spouting curses and crying. “If you want me off, get me off you. I have just told you how.”
    “Get off of her, Zachariah,” Tiege said. He now stood beside the couple. Seeing the angry fire in Tiege’s eyes, Quincy prepared himself to intervene.
    “Like this,” Zachariah said, ignoring everyone except Ariana, who was now sobbing. He shifted so that there was room between their bodies, as though she had swiveled her hips and waist like he instructed. “Then grab my wrist like this and flip us.” He demonstrated and rolled with her. “Bring your elbow up as you roll and hit me—”
    She lashed out, but rather than strike him with her elbow, she tried to punch him.
    “You Mercesti demon!” she screamed, trying now to kick him and strike him however she could. Tiege grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. “ I hate you! ”
    Zachariah got to his feet. Several lines of blood welled just beneath his left eye where Ariana scratched him. He looked completely unaffected.
    “Next time, use your elbow like I showed you,” he told her. “It is the strongest part of your body. Your nails will only aggravate your attacker and likely get you killed.”
    “You really are unbelievable,” Tiege said. “Come on, Ariana.” He turned and guided the distraught female away from the training paddock.
    The crowd around Zachariah looked on in shock and uncertainty. Tate moved closer to him and reached up to touch the cuts on his face, but Zachariah shook his head at her and she withdrew. Seeing her hurt expression, Quincy’s anger surfaced.
    “Just what do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, stepping in front of Zachariah. “Ariana has been victimized—forced to endure things that no being should have to—at the hands of your class. You have no business attempting to aid her in dealing with her trauma.”
    Zachariah’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t respond.
    “Doesn’t he?”
    Quincy glanced with surprise at Clara Kate. She stood with her arms crossed and a considering look on her face.
    “Zachariah was also victimized by the Mercesti,” she pointed out. “He was forced to do things that—”
    “Enough,” Zachariah interrupted, not looking away from Quincy. “She can hate me all she wants so long as she learns to be more than just a victim.” Now, his gaze moved to Sophia, making Quincy stiffen. “It appears you have no partner now, Shifter.”
    “I’ll spar with her,” Quincy offered when Sophia’s eyebrows rose.
    “You will not,” Zachariah said, turning to stride back into the center of the training paddock. “She needs a challenge, not a head-patting.”
    The insult had Quincy balling his hands into fists. He considered pitting himself against the Mercesti instead, training be damned. Then he caught Tate’s eye and knew he had to restrain himself. He wondered, though, what he would do if Zachariah pulled a similar stunt with Sophia as he had with Ariana and had a vision of ripping the other male’s head from his shoulders.
    Zachariah turned and looked at Sophia, who had yet to move from her position at the edge of the paddock. “What are you waiting for? Prepare to defend yourself.”
     
    Sophia realized that everyone had given up the idea of sparring with each other and had instead decided to watch her training session. Clara Kate caught her gaze as she walked past. Sophia answered the silent question in her