"Like I said earlier, I am your future."
Inara stood frozen, sweat trickling down her forehead as she tried to steady her racing heart. All she had wanted was to escape from the slave traders, to avoid becoming a mere plaything for those cruel nobles and elites. Was that too much to ask?
Apparently, it was.
Ever since she broke free from the slave traders, her life had been a constant nightmare, jumping from one life-threatening situation to the next. First, there was the nine-tailed fox who had saved her from captivity—only for Inara to discover that the fox had her own dark plans.
Now, this impossibly handsome man, with a smile that could melt hearts and a power that seemed to dwarf even the fox's, had appeared out of nowhere, and he clearly had his own agenda too.
What kind of cruel joke was fate playing on her?
All Inara had ever wanted was to be free. But freedom seemed to be slipping further and further from her grasp, replaced by a growing sense of dread as she realized that she was caught in something far more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.
"Why don't you take your future bullshit and get out of my home, you son of a bitch," Akira snarled, her voice a low, dangerous growl. Without waiting for a response, she lunged at Adams, her claws slashing through the air with deadly intent.
Inara barely had time to process what was happening. One moment, Akira had been taunting her with riddles; the next, she was hurling herself at Adams like a force of nature, her rage palpable.
But Adams didn't even flinch. He stepped aside with a casual grace, letting Akira's claws swipe through empty air. He turned to face her, a mocking grin playing on his lips. "Is that really the best you can do?" he teased, his tone light as if they were merely playing a game.
Akira's eyes blazed with fury as she spun around, refusing to let the insult slide. She attacked again, this time faster, her movements a blur as she tried to land a hit on him. But Adams just leaned back, narrowly avoiding her strikes with almost no effort at all.
"You're quick," he remarked, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "But you're still too predictable."
Akira's frustration boiled over. "Shut up!" she spat, her voice dripping with venom. She darted in again, feinting to the left before bringing her claws around in a wide arc from the right, aiming for his throat.
But Adams was already moving, smoothly sidestepping her attack. He laughed, a deep, rich sound that only fueled Akira's anger. "I have to admit, you've got spirit," he said, still grinning. "But spirit alone won't save you."
Adams seemed to notice too. He easily dodged another one of her exhausted swings, his grin widening as he watched her falter. "Getting tired already?" he asked, his voice tinged with mock sympathy. "I thought you'd last a little longer."
Akira's chest burned with the effort of trying to keep up, but she refused to back down. She forced herself to keep attacking, even as her vision swam and her muscles screamed in protest.
But Adams was relentless. He continued to dance around her, his movements fluid and precise, never letting her get close enough to land a single hit. "You're not going to win this," he said softly, his tone almost pitying. "Why keep trying?"
Akira snarled in response, her voice hoarse and raw from the strain. She didn't care what he said. She didn't care if it was hopeless. She would keep fighting, keep pushing herself until she either won or collapsed from exhaustion. But deep down, she knew that Adams was right.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't touch him. And that realization only made her all the more determined to keep going. With a final, desperate burst of energy, she lunged at him one last time, her claws aimed straight at his heart.
But as always, Adams was one step ahead. He moved with lightning speed, dodging her strike with a graceful twist of his body. Akira stumbled past him, off balance and gasping for breath. Before she could recover, he was behind her, his hand lightly resting on her shoulder.
"Enough," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "You've tried your best. But this charade is over."
Akira froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to keep fighting, wanted to prove that she wasn't beaten. But the weight of his words, combined with the exhaustion dragging at her limbs, made her realize that she was finished.
With a heavy sigh, she lowered her claws, finally admitting defeat. Adams removed his hand from her shoulder and stepped back, his expression unreadable.
"You're strong," he said quietly, almost as if he was talking to himself. "But strength alone isn't enough. You need to learn when to fight and when to walk away but after meeting me, I doubt you going to need the latter"
Akira didn't respond. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze, the bitter taste of failure still fresh in her mouth. Adams watched her for a moment longer before turning to Inara, who had been watching the entire scene unfold with wide, fearful eyes.
"Now," Adams said, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "let's talk about what happens next."
A/N
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