Subdued

Shani paused with her movements and stared at the cell she was in. It was a small, four by four room with concrete floors and walls. She felt her side for the injury that had been inflicted on her. The area oozed with congealed blood and she held a hand to it. So worth it, I’d do it again, she thought with a grim smile.

The lock in the door clattered down. Her red eyes stared as it opened and she prepared to spring at her guest. A man with light brown hair and intense blue eyes stood in front of her. She held back her attack and waited for him to make the first move. He blocked out the light and she couldn’t see any features. Shani knew who he was, the man who was her captor.

“Weapons, off. Now, Shani,” he instructed. His tone was ice cold and would have brought a shiver down anyone’s spine. She only felt a prick of annoyance and raised her head. Shani gave him a look of defiance and flicked her wrist open. A blade slid into her outstretched palm and she pointed it at him.

“Come and get them, General,” Shani said. Her voice had a challenge and she narrowed her eyes.

The man stepped into the space and closed the door behind him. It was a close space, and this was her favorite way to attack. She liked luring them into close quarters and using her daggers to finish the battle within minutes. The woman knew she’d be lucky if they finished that quickly. He guarded his injury, it was a subtle tell but she knew he was still hurting.

“I know Maji women love their toys. But hand them over,” General Smith said. His tone escalated and he reached into a holster on his side.

The man removed a dagger with an ornate handle and it shimmered in the light. Shani’s dagger still had blood caked to the blade and she reminded herself to clean it after she was done with him. His brilliant, ocean blue eyes flashed with a dangerous edge. Every muscle within her tensed in preparation for his first strike.

He moved at her with stunning speed. Shani only stepped out of the way from instinct. His hand grabbed the area and she sliced her weapon through the air. It cut into his arm and he flinched.

“Come, come now. You got to be faster than that. You’re holding back,” Shani said. She knew the General had restrained himself. She only had a glimpse of him at a higher level when she threatened his life. She let him hurt her so that he could be closer to her. Then she drove the blade into his stomach and she had the opportunity to kill him then.

The woman hesitated and found herself within the stronghold of a military force she had only heard rumors about. General Smith struck back at her and Shani felt a dagger bite into her. She ignored the pain and backed away from his attack.

“We made a deal. Your life for theirs. I’m not having you armed within my military,” General Smith said.

Shani felt her back press into the cold wall. He moved to disarm her and she bobbed away from him. The woman moved to the side and pointed her dagger at his throat.

“I’m quite taken with being armed. That wasn’t part of our deal,” Shani said.

She pressed the blade into his skin. He winced as it sliced into the surface and she held it firmer.

“It is now, don’t make me hurt you,” General Smith replied.

His muscles bunched underneath the surface of his clothes. Everything told her that he was preparing to defend himself within the next moments. Shani put more pressure on the blade and took a hand to press him further against the partition.

“You already have. Why stop now?” she asked.

The man grabbed her hand with the weapon and twisted her arm against her back. The pain registered in her head as she tried to flip herself around to face him. General Smith kicked one of her legs out and her knee screamed with a sharp twinge. He pulled her fingers from the weapon and tossed it into the corner. He placed his blade against her neck and she realized she was in an incredibly vulnerable position.

Her mind weighed different scenarios of how to get out. He could easily slit her throat, but she knew he wouldn’t. General Smith had too much invested in his project of breaking a Maji woman to work within his military. He leaned into her space and held her firmly. She struggled and tried to raise herself back onto her feet.

He pushed her down and she grunted. The man pulled back her sleeve to expose the metal contraption that was welded to her skin. It traveled up to her shoulder and held the system of her daggers within it. He tried to open it and it refused to be pried open. She grinned despite her compromised state and she rolled her head back to look up at him.

“Having a bit of a problem there, are we?”

“Yes, would you like me to search you and remove them by force?”

“I thought that was what you were up to that right now. Or I guess you just like me being subdued,” Shani replied. She elbowed his knee and the man grunted. She took advantage of his hold loosening on her and rolled out of the way. The woman stared at him as they stayed in a visible, silent stalemate. Their rapid breath filled the space and she heard her heart beat racing.

General Smith looked at the slash mark on his arm. The blood dripped from his wound and Shani was aware of blood seeping from the cut in her side. A sharp pain invaded her senses as she felt her blood saturate her shirt. The world spun around her and she placed a hand on the floor.

“Not now, you can’t pass out. Come on,” Shani spoke to herself. The room faded to black and she fell onto her side. She tried desperately to stay conscious and took several deep breaths. The warm life source poured from her reinjured side and she looked at the pristine, white wall. Black boots shone in the little light, perfectly polished. His footsteps echoed as General Smith approached her. Her body was hoisted onto a bench and she saw him shaking his head as he looked down at her.

“You’re going to be such a project, Shani.”

“I would never make it easy on you. You know that,” she replied. Her words sounded garbled and the dead weight of her head fell to the side. She held her wound as it continued to bleed onto the slab of cushion she laid on.