stepped off the line of the trajectory and deflected it with a forearm. She expected a follow-up punch, and she blocked that as well. She stepped back once again to a middle range, trying to get a feel for Blairs tactics. Blair moved lightly on the canvass, agile and supple. Blair was a kickboxer, and used her feet as weapons in the ring. Cam was trained for the street. Blair attacked relentlessly, mixing kicks, double kicks and strikes with considerable skill. Some scored, although none would have done damage had they been full force.
Cam deflected, blocked and redirected her opponents efforts. She was trained to immobilize and neutralize, and those techniques were not designed for sparring. She knew she couldnt defend this way for long - there was a good chance Blair would make serious contact with one of her kicks. As a sweeping round house kick approached her head, Cam stepped forward into Blairs body, so close to her that the kick lost its force. She trapped Blairs leg with her near arm, grasped the shoulder of Blair's shirt with her other hand, and swept Blairs remaining leg out from under her. Cam held onto her to break her fall, following her down to the mat, and pinned her face down with a shoulder pin.
'Son of a bitch!' Blair muttered as she struggled briefly to lift her torso off the canvass. She stopped when the pressure on her shoulder increased slightly. She wasnt damaged, but she was effectively immobilized.
'If you tap the mat, Ill release you,' Cam said softly into her ear. 'But you must promise not to punch me as you get up. Rules of war.'
Blair laughed as she slapped the mat. She rolled over and found Cam kneeling beside her, a half smile on her face.
'You okay?' Cam asked.
'Dandy. I suppose youll do that again if we start over?'
'I told you I didnt spar,' Cam said as they both got to their feet. 'Youd annihilate me.'
'No, I dont think so,' Blair replied softly, stripping off her gloves. 'You mind showing me that technique?'
Cam glanced outside the ring, realizing they had drawn quite a crowd. She wasnt sure this was a good time for a lesson, especially when she had no one inside the building. She couldnt very well survey the people around them if she was flat on her back. Blair followed her gaze, her smile disappearing in irritation.
'They dont know me,' she said flatly.
Cam saw the resentment in her eyes, and shook her head slightly. 'You cant know that.'
'I know,' Blair insisted. 'I always know.' She took a deep breath, then added in a whisper, 'please.'
Cam swept the group leaning on the ropes one more time. 'All right.'
She demonstrated at half- speed several times while Blair watched intently. Then she launched a kick toward Blairs head, ready to pull back if Blair failed to execute the technique. Blair quickly countered and took Cam down soundly to the cheers of the onlookers. Cam found herself on her back with Blair above her, Blair's bent forearm pressed to Cams neck. Blair pressed her knee between Cams legs and leaned forward until their faces were nearly touching. Her lips were a breath away.
'If you dont slap the mat, I can make this feel a whole lot better,' Blair whispered.
Cam gasped as Blair rocked her thigh against Cams pelvis. For a second all she felt was the fire, igniting instantly into a consuming ache. She caught back a moan, shook her head to clear it, and in one upward thrust, dislodged Blair from on top of her. She was on her feet quickly, and in the next instant had vaulted over the ropes and out of the ring.
'Shes too much for you, huh girl?' a burly man next to her said good-naturedly.
'You got that right,' Cam responded lightly. She waited as Blair climbed down, then followed her into the dressing room.
'I need to shower,' Blair informed her, pulling off her clothes. Cam struggled to quell the remnants of unwanted desire.
'Ill wait outside.'
'What are you afraid of, Agent Roberts?' Blair taunted lightly as she stood naked before her. 'Ifelt you, you know.'
'Take your time,' Cam said evenly as she stepped out through the curtain. Blairs laughter followed her even as the throbbing in her pelvis reminded her of her own weakness.
Cam slammed the office door hard enough that the glass enclosure rattled. Six agents sat slumped around the table, staring at their pens. Cam stood at the end of the table, breathing heavily, trying to contain her anger.
'How many of you have been on this detail longer than six months?' she asked at length, her words clipped. There was a moment of silence, then Mac cleared his throat.
'All of us, maam.'
'All of you.' She looked them over one at a time. 'All of you.'
'Yes maam,' he responded.
'Obviously none of you are capable of this assignment, nor worthy of it. Blair Powell - the daughter of the
