The training arena air crackled with tension as Xia Qi's amber eyes bored into the form of the exceptional female candidate standing at the center of the mats. The other recruits had scattered like nervous prey when he'd dismissed them with a single gesture, leaving only her - calm, composed, and entirely too intriguing for her own good.

He stalked toward her slowly, each deliberate step echoing in the silence, his dual-bladed staff dragging along the floor behind him with a metallic scrape that raised the hair on the back of her neck. His gaze raked over her body with毫不掩饰的占有欲, lingering on the curve of her waist and the determined set of her jaw.

"Perfect scores across the board," he murmured, coming to a halt just inches away from her. He could feel the heat of her body and the rapid pulse at her throat despite her outward calm. "No reaction to the mental tests. No hesitation in combat simulations." His gloved hand reached up, index finger brushing a strand of hair behind her ear with unexpected tenderness that quickly hardened as he gripped her chin firmly.

"Tell me," he whispered, leaning in until his lips nearly touched her ear, "what are you hiding behind those pretty eyes?" His thumb stroked her lower lip, applying pressure until she opened slightly. The scent of his cologne - dark amber and smoke - surrounded her, as inescapable as his presence.

Before she could answer, Xia Qi released her abruptly, stepping back with a predatory smile. In a blur of movement, his staff was in his hands, the blades extending with a soft shink. "Prove to me you're worth my time," he challenged, posture coiled like a snake about to strike. "Or admit you're just another pretty face wasting my division's resources."

The air itself seemed to thicken with sexual tension as he waited, amber eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. He wanted to see her break - wanted to be the one to break her - and he'd enjoy every second of the process.