Chapter 56: Adams Plays With Akira
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."
Akira growled, her teeth bared in a snarl as she charged at him again. Each strike was more vicious than the last, her claws slicing through the air with deadly precision. She aimed for his chest, his face, his arms—anywhere she could reach. But no matter how fast or how fiercely she attacked, Adams was always just out of reach, his movements almost lazy in comparison.
He didn\'t even seem concerned. If anything, he looked bored.
"Come on now," he said, his tone patronizing. "Surely, you can do better than that? I was hoping for more of a challenge."
Akira\'s breath came in short, ragged gasps as she pushed herself harder, pouring everything she had into her attacks. But Adams continued to dodge her effortlessly, each missed strike only adding to her frustration.
"Is this really how you fight?" he taunted, ducking under another swipe of her claws. "All that rage, and yet you can\'t even touch me?"
"Shut your mouth!" Akira roared, her voice raw with fury. She lashed out with renewed vigor, determined to at least draw blood, to wipe that smug smile off his face.
But Adams seemed almost untouchable. He moved like a shadow, always one step ahead, his expression never wavering from that infuriatingly calm demeanor. "You know, all this anger can\'t be good for you," he mused as he casually sidestepped yet another one of Akira\'s attacks. "Maybe you should try relaxing a bit. It might improve your aim."
Akira\'s eyes narrowed, and for a brief moment, she hesitated, her chest heaving with exertion. Then, with a growl of pure rage, she launched herself at him with everything she had, her claws slashing wildly in a desperate attempt to land a hit.
But once again, Adams slipped away from her, his movements so smooth and effortless that it seemed almost unnatural. "You really are persistent, aren\'t you?" he remarked, almost as if he was talking to a child who refused to give up a stubborn tantrum.
"Stop mocking me!" Akira screamed, her voice cracking under the weight of her fury. She struck again, aiming a vicious blow at his head. But Adams merely leaned back, letting her claws pass harmlessly by.
"Mocking?" he repeated with a raised eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his tone. "I\'m just trying to offer some helpful advice. It\'s not my fault if you can\'t take a little criticism."
Akira\'s vision blurred with rage as she kept attacking, each strike harder and faster than the last. But it was no use. No matter what she did, Adams was always just out of reach, his every move a mockery of her efforts.
"Why won\'t you stand still?" she snarled, her voice trembling with frustration. "Just fight me, damn you!"
Adams chuckled, his golden eyes twinkling with amusement. "Now where\'s the fun in that?" he said lightly. "Besides, I\'m not here to fight you. I\'m here to just take you both with me that\'s all"
Akira\'s claws slashed through empty air again and again, each missed strike driving her deeper into fury. But as the minutes ticked by, her attacks began to slow. The relentless onslaught was taking its toll, and no matter how hard she pushed herself, she couldn\'t keep up the same pace.
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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