His harsh features softened, and his thumb ghosted across the back of my hand, grounding me further.

“When you’re ready, I will show you exactly how to react if someone does that to you again,” Rokath growled, his protectiveness rising like a pillar of flame. That dark flare soothed the part of me that had been hurt time and time again by males with ill intent.

I never wanted to be vulnerable like that again. Pressing a hand over my racing heart, I reminded it that was what we were here to do. To learn. To improve. To bloom.

Calmness settled over me again.

You’ve got this, Assyria.

“Show me.”

Rokath’s hands dropped away, and he circled around to my back. His damp skin pressed into mine, and I reminded myself again that my mate would not hurt me. More of his essence lingered on my skin as he draped his arms as they had been before. “If your attacker has only one arm around your middle, he has a weakness there. Shove down while twisting away.”

The way his breath brushed against my neck dragged a shiver from me. Clamping my hands over his wrist, I pressed down with all my might, turning into him. He offered little resistance. Within a heartbeat, I was free.

“Again,” he commanded. I lined back with his front, and he splayed his large hand across my stomach. Any lower, and he’d brush the waistband of my pants. The muscles in his forearm twitched as I gripped it. When I shoved it down and away, his fingers brushed lower still, so close to the area I was dying for him to stroke me.

When I reset for the fifth time, Rokath’s hardness dug into my backside. Clearly, I wasn’t the only one affected by our position. This time, Rokath also covered my mouth. “Don’t worry about this so much as the other hand,” he told me. “This may feel like I am controlling you, but in reality, it’s the other doing most of the work. Your center of gravity is there, and it is from there I can leverage your weight to maneuver you.”

An image of him snatching me backward and settling me in his lap so he could fuck me entered my mind unbidden. I realized a moment later the descriptive pose came from him.

Rapp whistled suggestively, grinning like a madman when our attention sliced to him. “If you two are finished grinding against each other, might I suggest you teach Assyria how to counter the position as well?”

Rokath cursed Rapp beneath his breath, and I giggled in response. He removed his hand from my mouth and wrapped the other around me, arranging my hands so one gripped his wrist and the other gripped my own. “Hold like this while you twist out of my hold. Keep it as you step around to my backside. In the end, you should have my arm pinned behind me.”

“Okay,” I said, swallowing. Coherent thoughts were impossible to grasp with how we were pressed together. I pushed his arm down, flexing my fingers as I turned into him. Muscles rippled around his shoulder as I stepped to my right, shoving his fist into his side.

“Keep going around,” he told me.

I did, awkwardly maneuvering around him until I’d wrenched his fist into his lower back. Then, I let go. “Like that?”

“Close. Come here.” Rokath motioned for me to return to his backside. He wrapped my arms around his waist and I peered around him to see what he was doing. Using the same grip he showed me, he shoved my arm down and turned to face me. “Watch my feet.”

I did, realizing I’d stepped out of order when he spun behind me and pinned my arm. “Let me try again.”

He released me, and we reset. This time, I executed the counter with more grace, though I lost my grip on Rokath’s arm when I focused on how I was moving my feet. Five more repetitions passed before I managed to string together every part successfully.

“Yes!” I celebrated with both my arms thrown over my head. They smacked against my sides after I dropped them. “Can we be done now? I think I might pass out from the heat otherwise.”

Rapp chuckled and stood, dusting off his pants. Grem and Zeec rose too, shaking out their fur.

“We’ll resume this tomorrow. Along with more Angelic lessons. These next few days are crucial to readying you for the mission at hand,” Rokath pronounced.

He was relentless, but I needed to rest. Though I appreciated how much he cared about me. I hadn’t had anyone like that since before my marriage to Vagach. Even then, my father had sold me to him anyway, knowing what type of male he was. At least my mother had put up some protest.

“I need to study the Angels more too,” I said, trying to recall all their features.

Would creating their form be easier or harder than creating a Demon one?

Their coloring was vastly different from ours, with hair in shades of white and eyes in shades of blue, and that was what I worried about getting right the most. I didn’t want to fail during my first real opportunity to prove myself worthy to these soldiers who were angry about females joining the army.

Rokath jerked me into his hold and captured my waist. “I am proud of you, Assyria. Not many females would so readily volunteer for such a dangerous mission. Even if I wish you’d remain behind and safe in the camp.”

“I know,” I replied, resting my chin on his chest. “But you’ll train me harder than anyone else and ensure I am fully prepared.”

“That I will,” he said, knuckles brushing over my cheekbone. He stepped away, then tore his attention to Rapp. “Shall we dine with the soldiers again tonight?”

“I think it would be wise,” Rapp replied, tossing Rokath’s shirt back to him. Rather than put it on, he tucked it in the waistband of his pants.

“Let’s go,” he said, and I fell into step between the two powerful leaders, Grem and Zeec bringing up our rear. Salutes greeted us around every turn until we reached one of the largest food tents. The males all jumped to their feet and hurried out greetings to their Hadvezér and the Halálhívó before returning to their food.

None acknowledged me. Rokath didn’t point it out either.

Teeth clenched, I stalked through the tables and found us an empty one while the two fetched our meal. Eyes bored into me, but I brushed them off, so used to them at this point. Grem and Zeec situated themselves under my feet, and when Rapp returned, he dipped beneath the wood and shoved two bowls of water at them. From under his arm, he pulled a now-full waterskin and handed it to me. I drank a few gulps to quench my thirst.

Rokath carried a tray piled with food and set it in front of me. He and Rapp slid into seats along the bench, and then we divided up the gruel. At least out of the Paks Desert, more options were available to us. Though none of it looked particularly appetizing. It couldn’t be worse than the slop I struggled to eat one handed while we traversed the deep canyon.

After taking a tentative bite, my stomach smashed any further protest I might have had, and I shoveled food into my mouth like it was the day we finally found the camp again. Rokath and Rapp spoke quietly, their forks moving at a slow pace between their plates and their teeth. The soldiers around us quickly forgot about our presence, and by the time I finished eating, I wanted nothing more than to wash and sleep.

Forget sex. I wanted to lie in bed for an entirely different reason. Each movement was met with protest as I rose from the table. Rapp offered to clean up so Rokath could escort me back to our tent. I bid my friend a goodnight and then followed my mate out of the light and into the dark.

At least now that the sun had disappeared, a cool breeze swept over us.

As we neared our abode, Rokath’s hand brushed against mine. I linked my fingers with his, subtly peeking up at him through my lashes. The black around us had nothing on the energy radiating off of him.

I welcomed it. Sank into it like it was a cool stream waiting to sweep me away. Because Rokath had taught me one important lesson, even more essential than fighting.