Yup. This was going to be a fight, no matter what I did.

The Rojos were all about shows of strength, not precision attacks. Chances were the she-beast would be no different. She was easily twice my weight. That counted against me. But it was probably safe to say that I had considerably more training. Even if I didn’t use my Aunare skills, I could probably finish this quickly and easily, but I didn’t want it to start.

“You’re still in my spot.” She sneered, revealing her teeth. Fake silver canines stuck out from her mouth. I’d bet money on them being razor sharp.

My muscles tensed. She was trying to intimidate me, but that didn’t mean I had to fight. And yet, the Aunare in me—with all the stress and fear that I was bottling up—begged me to let loose on this woman.

But that was wrong. It wouldn’t solve anything for me. In fact, fighting her could only get me into more trouble. I forced my muscles to relax.

This made the Roja laugh, revealing her mouth again. I took a long look at the fangs in her mouth. They were definitely sharp. Why someone would want something like that in their mouth was beyond me, but the she-beast and her teeth weren’t going to take me down. Not with how my day was going.

“Why don’t you tell me what’s not your spot, and I’ll go there?” I tried to sound placating, but it came off condescending.

Way to go, Maité.

“It’s all my spot.”

Perfect. If she wanted a fight, I wasn’t sure how I could avoid it in such a confined space. I shook out my arms, getting ready for the inevitable.

She stepped toward me again.

I took one step back before what she was doing hit me.

She was trying to put me in the corner, and that was bad during a fight. Especially with the she-beast. One hit and I’d be pinned. I’d be forced to use my speed and strength, which I couldn’t do. I didn’t see any cameras in the cell, but I’d have to be an idiot to assume that they weren’t there. Getting me on video moving fast would be bad. Not as bad as the vial of blood in the lab, but still something to avoid.

I clenched my fists and watched her shoulders. As soon as she moved, I easily slid between her and the wall without using my Aunare speed. Now she was the one in the corner.

Before she could turn, I kicked the back of her knee. My foot found the sweet spot, slightly off center. Her knee snapped as tendons ripped, and it buckled under her. She hit the floor. Hard.

Well, that was easier than I’d—

“Bitch!” She snagged my foot.