Lost Without You

~34~

"First off," Lucas started as we reached a spot he liked in the middle of the frozen lawn, "you need to find a safe position for your feet. And when I say safe, it means that when I do this," he continued to explain giving my left arm a push with his right hand, "this can't happen." He concluded, smiling, as I was about to stumble backwards.

Both of his hands were suddenly on my shoulders, so fast that I did not see how they got there, steadying me before I could fall or even just shift my position to regain my balance.

"But you are using your vampire skills, that's not fair!" I said, giggling.

This was starting to look like fun and I wondered why Vlad never came up with this idea... As if teaching a woman, a wife and a princess to fight was something normal in his time, silly. My subconscious scoffed, reminding me how much time I spent refashioning dresses, cooking and learning to embroider instead.

"No. It's not cheating. It's... your reality. You need to learn to fight us, remember?" Lucas pointed out, scattering my memories. "So, because in that skirt you're wearing I can't see your legs, it's up to you to find a position that feels the most balanced and safe.

"Fine. Got it." I said once I took one small step to the side and one back with my right foot. With my legs wider apart, I did feel more stable.

"You know, it was you who gave me this idea." Lucas smiled, trying to disturb my concentration and stability as he had before, and not succeeding.

"I? How?" I asked, watching him stand in front of me in a position similar to mine. He moved his hands around in a few quick evolutions, then repeated them, slowing down the tempo and suggesting I did the same.

"By telling me about your love for wild animals. See, this style of Karate relies on interpretation of five wild animals. A crane, a snake, a dragon, a leopard..."

"Lucas, this is ridiculous." I announced, dropping my hands to my sides and standing normally again. "You can't teach me Kung-fu, Karate, whatever you call this, in less than a year. I bet you've been learning this ever since you could walk!"

"You are right. I can't teach you all, but I can introduce you to the art of fighting. I can show you how to defend yourself, at least for a while. So, just listen, look and repeat, will you?" He asked, nudging my right foot with his left, to make it move to where it had been before.

I rolled my eyes at him but obliged.

"Now, you need to think like a tiger. That's the only animal of the five that doesn't consider defence in the first place. It always goes forward, all offence. That's what you need when you encounter a vampire-- you can only defend yourself by attacking first, using the moment of surprise. Don't hesitate, don't wait, don't give a chance to panic to set in, the moment your adrenaline starts to wear off. It might sound cruel but... in trying to fight a vampire you have nothing to lose. If they want to kill you, they'll do it anyway. But if you fight, you will surprise and confuse them. That will slow them down, giving someone else time to come to help you."

"And one more thing, Samara." He added after a moment of thought. "Don't you ever look directly in their eyes, I saw what Viorel did with you! While some humans are quite immune, or at least more resistant to this vampire power, you seem to be the exact opposite."

I found myself nodding at hearing his words. He was making sense.

Lucas smiled encouragingly, then continued, "When you have to fight, think why you have to do it. You hate fighting, but they are forcing you to defend yourself anyway; get angry and let that anger show. It will help replace your fear."

He checked one more time if I stood well balanced, then raised his right arm, as if he was about to strike me.

"You are a tiger and you don't have much time, so you mustn't hold back. You'll need to stick the claws of your paw into the attacker's arm before it can touch you. Start there, then move to the parts of their body that look most vulnerable. Distract them. Play for time."