Yuzuha's body screamed in pain, her vision blurred from the impact, but the fire in her soul burned hotter than ever. Dametri had underestimated her. He thought she would break. He thought she would beg.
But he didn't realize that cornered beasts don't submit—they bite.
She forced her body to move, her fingers twitching against the cold floor. Dametri's grip on her jaw tightened as he sneered down at her. "You're starting to understand, aren't you?"he whispered, his voice laced with cruel amusement.
Yuzuha let her body go limp, her breath shallow, feigning the weakness he expected.
And then she struck.
With every ounce of strength left in her, she drove her knee up into his stomach, the sharp impact forcing a grunt from his lips. Before he could react, she twisted free, slamming her elbow into his ribs. The moment his grip loosened, she rolled away and scrambled to her feet, chest heaving, adrenaline surging through her veins.
Dametri staggered back, his eyes flickering with a mix of irritation and intrigue. "Well, well,"he murmured, straightening. "So you do have some fight in you."
Yuzuha's stance was tense, her fists clenched, her legs ready to move. "You really thought I'd just let you win?" she spat, her voice sharper than the daggers in her glare. "You're not as untouchable as you think."
His chuckle was low, dark. "And you're not as strong as you think."
He lunged at her, faster than she expected, but this time, she was ready. She sidestepped at the last second, using his momentum against him. With a swift movement, she grabbed a nearby candle holder from a table and swung it at his head. He barely managed to block it, the force sending him stumbling.
Rage flickered in his icy gaze. "You're only making this worse for yourself."
Yuzuha smirked, a wild glint in her eyes. "Good."
She moved first this time, closing the distance between them, striking fast and without hesitation. A punch to his ribs, a quick step back, another blow aimed at his jaw. Dametri dodged, countering with a backhand that sent her reeling. Pain exploded across her cheek, but she barely registered it—her body had long since learned to swallow pain.
She spat blood onto the floor and laughed, a hollow, fearless sound. "Is that all you've got?"
Something shifted in Dametri's expression. The amusement faded, replaced by something darker, colder. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and took a slow step toward her.
"You want to play this game, Yuzuha?"His voice was quieter now, more dangerous. "Then let's play."
She didn't wait for him to make the next move.
This time, she wouldn't let him dictate the rules. This time, she was taking control.
And if she was going to fall, she'd make damn sure she took him down with her.