“Well,” she says, her voice twinkling with laughter. “I told you there was no cost to stay the night. You never mentioned anything about leaving.”
I clench my fists at my side and look to my guys. Not one of them has moved a muscle since I stood, and I realize their eyes are glassy, as if they're not even in the room with us.
“What did you do?” I growl, and I feel a spark inside of me, something I haven't felt before, deep inside. Ancient, stirring, power.
“Now then, Shadow Walker. You know the game. You want something, you pay for it.”
“What is your cost?” I seethe, trying to keep myself under control, because lashing out isn't going to help anyone, but I want to rip that smile right off her fucking face.
“Blood, of course.” She smirks at me, and I hiss at her.
“But of course.” I roll my eyes and clench my fists before shoving them in my pockets so I don’t do everything I want to do, especially with my guys so fucking vulnerable right now.
“Let them go,” I tell her trying not to let every ounce of hatred show in my tone.
“Well, that just isn’t how these things work.” She smiles and takes another sip from her glass.
“Then why don’t you explain exactly what the fuck it is you want, without the games and bullshit.”
“You will fight, with opponents of my choice. For each you defeat, you win back one of your lovely lovers. For each you lose, I will keep one.”
Fucking Demon bitch.
The urge to slit her throat is real.
But I don’t want to get stuck on this stupid fucking level, and I don’t want to risk the guys being trapped in whatever trance they’re in until the end of time.
Shit.
“When, and how?” I ask, sitting back down at the table, debating sitting on my hands so I don’t strangle the psycho bitch.
“I don’t see any reason to wait, we can head to the Pit now if you wish. Weapons are allowed, I’ll outlaw magic since you’re not so inclined, though any shapeshifting will be allowed,” she says and I want to smack that stupid fucking smirk off of her face, but I tamper down the rage. I’ll save it for these ridiculous fights, as if I don’t have enough shit to worry about right now.
“And, until someone taps out, or to the death. They are the only two ways out.”
“Well, considering I’m not giving up my guys, I guess you’re about to lose some warriors,” I snarl.
“I will let you go and prepare yourself. Your men will be quite safe, until the fights are over. If they are free, I will grant each of you free passage to the next level, but if you fail, I pick who stays,” I growl at her words and she laughs. “Now then, Shadow Walker, do you accept the terms?”
“I don’t have much fucking choice, do I?” I say through gritted teeth, that seed of something ancient stirs in me again, but I smother it. I don’t know what it is, or where it’s come from, but now is not the time.
“I mean, you definitely have a choice, Remy, darling. You could choose to leave these beautiful men behind, and I will add them to my collection of toys happily. Though, I can’t say how long they’d stay happy for.” She cackles. “So yes, you have a choice.”
“There are no other bindings, or loop holes beyond, I win the fight, I win one of my men back?” I ask, making sure no further Demon dickish trickery slips me up.
“Yes, no further tricks or loops holes. Simple terms. We’ll swear it in blood,” she says, her eyes narrowing.
“In blood?”
“It means that I cannot falter on the terms, but neither can you. It’s old magic, but I like your fire. I’m willing to make the bargain if you are.” She leans back with a shrug.
“Let’s get to it,” I say pulling a dagger from my boot.
“I knew I liked you.” She smiles, and it makes my blood boil. I can’t tell if I just hate her this much, or if it’s part of being on this level, but I can honestly say I’ve never wanted to gut someone and dance in their entrails more than I have her… except maybe Archer.
She holds out her hand for me and I take an extreme amount of pleasure in slicing across her flesh, deeper than I needed, but I bare my teeth as I smile when she hisses. She grabs an empty glass, dripping her blood into it before handing it to me. I cut my own palm and let my blood mix with hers in the glass before handing it back. She murmurs something indecipherable and the blood catches fire, and I feel the power from the bond sweep across the room.
“It is done.”
So it turns out the Pits are exactly what they sound like.
A giant circular stone building with five levels, each level just an open platform looking down to the center, where six electrified cages hold more bloodshed than a little. Even the ground is a reddish-brown, no doubt from the amount of blood spilt here.
When Luna walks in the entire place goes silent, the fighters still, the only sound a hum from the cages and then a cheer goes up, a roar so loud my ears ring. Of course they love her. I look around and I realize once again, that like ninety percent of the people here are women. The few men scattered about are chained up, like pets. My stomach threatens to empty itself as I take it all in, them leashed, being dragged around on their knees. It’s fucking awful.
It’s then I realize, I’ve not seen many souls on this level. Not like on the others. I tuck the thought away for later, because right now, I have to think about nothing but winning. Killing whoever it is that meets me in the cage, getting my guys back, and then finding out where the fuck Fallon is. A vision of cutting off Archer’s dick for all of this bullshit jumps into my mind, and I grin. I know I look crazy, but I really don't give a fuck right now.
I follow Luna through the Pit, it takes so long because every single person in here wants to kiss her ass. It takes every piece of strength I have to keep my eyes from rolling at the fake ass flattery being flung at her, and the amount of joy it seems to bring her. It must be lonely, no wonder she wants my guys. I paint the look of indifference back on my face and stick reasonably close to her as she heads towards the cages.
By the time we reach them, the cages are empty except for two people dismantling the inner metal walls.
I guess I'm going to be putting on a show.
Awesome.
“The fight board has been cleared for you,” she says, turning back to face me, pure glee on her face.
“But of course,” I say, keeping the air of cold indifference. If they can't get a read on me, it has to work in my favor.
“I thought someone of your... status... would enjoy such a thing.” I shrug at her words. I don't particularly enjoy fighting with an audience, but it’s not enough to throw me off. I reach for the warrior inside of me, the one I keep caged away unless necessary, but I'm not willing to risk the lives of my guys.
They're mine.
This psycho bitch isn't getting them, not even over my dead body.
“Who am I fighting?” I ask rolling my shoulders, and slipping off the leather jacket revealing the leather outfit I donned back in Callie’s tavern. It might have made the guys eyes roll out of their head, but it was practical as well as hot as fuck. I had so many blades concealed on my body, hidden, doubling as armor in certain places. Whoever crafted this was a fucking genius.
I wore it for another reason though, my Angel mark, and my Hunters mark are very much on display. Just a reminder that I am not one of them, and that I will show no mercy to anyone that crosses me. If this level didn't lock down on Luna's death, I'd have slit her throat at breakfast.
“Rowan!” Luna calls out, and the room quiets again as a hooded figure moves towards us. She's about my height, but bigger in build. A scar down her face, through her eyebrow and down her cheek caught my eye as she shrugged out of the hooded robe.
She looks me up and down, and I raise an eyebrow. She looks human, but then, so do most of the Demons here. She turns to a black mist in front of my eyes, reappearing in the cage in the blink of an eye.
Awesome.
A Wraith.
Even I've heard of them. Vicious assholes.
“You said no magic.” I look directly at Luna who nods.
“Technically, it’s shapeshifting, but I'll honor it.” She looks to Rowan who nods and grins at me and I see her crazy peek through. I stretch out my neck and head towards the opening in the now quiet metal fence.
It slams closed behind me once I clear it, and the hum of electricity starts up again. That is going to really fucking hurt if I get thrown into it. I look Rowan over, taking note of which side she seems to favor, even when walking. You can tell a lot about a person by how they carry themselves.
I reach down to that cage I keep my warrior in, and let her slip through, taking control of my limbs, knowing that no matter that injuries befall me, she will not stop until we win.
“Let the fun begin,” Luna says, her voice cutting through the noise. Before the words are out of her mouth, Rowan rushes towards me, talons appearing where her fingers should be.
Shapeshifting. Fuck my life.
I drop to my knees, leaning back, her talons skimming the leather of my top as I drop my head back and reach out with a hand to grab her ankle, enough to topple her. She swerves towards the cage wall and I smile as I jump back to my feet and she hisses.
That’s it bitch, come at me.
As if she heard my taunt, she flies at me again. I pull a blade out from the back of the leather pants and palm it, ready to strike as she reaches me. I let her try to harm me, let her tire herself with her ire, not letting her see that this is nothing but child’s play. I let her dive for me again and use her momentum against her grabbing one wrist, pulling and twisting her, my foot placed to trip her.
She falls and I twist her wrist in my hand, smiling as she screams out as the bones snap, pushing her into the ground, trapping her beneath me. I put my blade at her neck offering her a change to tap out, but she struggles beneath me, her eyes wild. I give it three breaths before I drag the blade from her neck, placing it at the base of her skull, and push it, tilted upward. Severing her spine, I feel the blade reach the top of her skull. Her body stills as blood seeps from her mouth.
The crowd around us is silent and I smirk.
“Are you not entertained?” I shout. Man I always wanted to use that line!
I push up from the ground, pulling my blade from her as I do. Reaching down, I wipe the gore off on her top, not like she's going to give a shit now.
I look directly at Luna who looks like she wants to slit my throat herself. “Pick one.”
I raise an eyebrow at her, “No need. I'll be claiming them all quickly. Who's next?”
A ripple of power hits me from across the room, when a man, tall as Levi but built like Roman, moves towards the cage.
Fucking hell.
“I guess Tomas here will be your next challenger,” she says gleefully, and this time I just roll my eyes. Two women scurry into the cage and grab Rowans body, dragging her out just before Tomas reaches the entrance. This fight might not be quite as easy. He doesn't feel like a Demon, his presence feels more familiar. That’s when I notice his eyes, and he nods very subtly to me.
A Lycan.
How the fuck did he end up here?
His silver eyes show me more damage than I've ever seen, and I wish I didn't have to kill him. That I could free him along with the guys, but he looks like he welcomes death.
Regardless, he'll still put on a show, I can just tell.
Another roar goes up, glasses bang on tables, fists on walls as the electric hum fills the air again as he circles me.
I don't have any obsidian on me, so killing him is going to be fucking hard, but Luna knew that when she selected him to fight me.
I'd have to take his head or his heart.
Fuck my life.
I don't think, I just let the warrior inside me take back over, and give myself over to her more this time.
I watch as he faints towards his left, but I know it’s a ruse and rush to his right to catch him off guard, a dagger in each hand, I hit my knees and slide between his legs, lashing out quickly, slicing at his inner thighs and his Achilles.
He roars as he goes down, and the cage shudders under the weight of the crash. I jump up and take advantage of his distraction, without even thinking I put my hands on either side of his head and twist quickly, the snap of his neck reverberating up my arms. I let go and watch him drop to the floor, but this isn't the end of it, a quick glance at Luna reveals her displeasure at my second success, at my lack of injury.
I guess when you send a prisoner into a fight, that's your own stupid fucking mistake.
I lift my blades and hack at his neck, cutting through flesh and bone as quickly as I can so it doesn't just heal. I separate his head from his body and snarl at Luna.
How dare she make me do something so heinous.
“Is that all you’ve got!” I shout, my chest heaving.
I seethe at the smiling bitch, and she just waves her hand as she narrows her eyes, glaring at me. “Maybe you should wait and see how you fare against Devon before you get too cocky.”
“I'm not cocky, just confident. That’s two of them free now, Luna. Don't expect to keep smiling for long.”
I bounce on the balls of my feet, my body filled with tension as a dark power thrums throughout the room. It prickles against my skin and I eye Luna, who looks unaffected. I scan the room when I see the source of the power coming towards me.
I guess that's Devon.
What is she a fucking Amazonian?
Holy shit.
She's so tall, taller than any of my guys, and she is ripped. I might actually be in trouble. I don't know what sort of Demon she is, but whatever she is, she feels ancient, like that seed of power I felt inside myself earlier, and I gulp, thankful for putting the restriction on the fight of no magic.
Armor cuffs cover her forearms, and her chest piece is made of the same glinting black material. Her fingers are cuffed in it too, each piece ending in a sharpened black claw.
I roll my shoulders and wipe my blade clean on the Lycans t-shirt, using it to wipe the slick from my hands too before he's carted off and the dark-haired woman reaches the cage. Once she clears the shadows and I see her face, sharp lines enhanced by her dark hair pulled back from her face, her dark eyes look over me, trying to assess me. She's freaking beautiful, and something about her calls to me. To that power inside of me. I kind of hope she doesn't make me kill her.
But I will, if that's what it takes.
I move to the far side of the cage, and she nods at me before the gate slams shut and the electric hum starts up again. She snarls, the only warning I get before she's on me and I feel her fist as it connects with my jaw.
Mother fucker that hurt.
I stumble back slightly, giving myself a second to dodge her next swing, ducking just fast enough, but I feel the air shift as she only just misses me. I jump down and kick out at her knee, grimacing at the crack that echoes through the air. She barely grunts as I roll away, I turn and stand just in time to see her push her bones back into place from where I'd dislocated her knee. A shiver runs down my spine, as I hope the warrior I used to be is going to be enough. That her bloodlust and rage is enough to stoke the fire needed to take Devon down.
I take a deep breath and dive into the pit inside of me, losing myself in the darkness, and then, just like at the compound, it’s like I'm watching from a distance, letting an echo of myself take over my body, moving with lethal precision. I watch on as I throw blade after blade as the woman runs at me, each blade hitting its target, but barely slowing her down.
There’s a shimmer around the cage, and the woman splits herself into two in less than a heartbeat, and then two of her are running at me, murderous rage in their eyes.
What the actual fuck!
This had better count as two opponents.
I feel myself being sucked back into my body, aware that I'm not completely in control of myself, and cold washes ove
r me as I merge with the warrior inside of me. Her knowledge sinking into me just as the two of them reach me. I react instinctively. Letting my body guide me as fists swing and blood sprays.
But not just my blood.
I move and capture one of them, disarming her as I snap her neck with one arm, raising her sword at the other woman facing me. Her fact contorts into sheer pain and rage. I realize the other image of her isn't getting up or disappearing, but I don't let it sink in. My fight isn't won yet.
She drops to her knees, blood running from her eyes like tears, and hangs her head. “We forfeit.”
Her voice is so soft, so at odds with how she looks, until she looks up at me, and the depth of her despair hits me. I nod, trying to stay on my feet, not letting her pain drag me down, because I can feel it. Every inch of my body feels her devastation.
“She is not dead, Devon, finish this!” Luna shouts, but the warrior before me just moves to the mirror image of herself and lifts her into her arms.
“We forfeit,” she says again, louder, her eyes hard as she looks to Luna.
I smile as fury makes Luna shake.
“That’s my four,” I say to her, and I smile, baring my teeth, daring her to say otherwise.
“So be it.” A wave of her hand has my guys appearing in the cage with me, their eyes no longer glassy, though they all seem a little disorientated.
“Get the fuck out of my territory,” Luna growls, and with another wave of her hand, a door appears before us. Fuck I hate these doors, though Callie’s method of moving between levels wasn't exactly fun either. I look the guys over, making sure they're okay, and from the anger registering between them, taking in my appearance and our surroundings, I'm going to guess they're back.
“With pleasure,” I purr at her, opening the door before us. I motion for the guys to go through first, not prepared to let Luna pull any shit should I leave first. Once they're clear I flip Luna the bird, and offer Devon a small sorry smile from where she still kneels in the corner. I move quickly as Luna growls and step through the door, slamming it closed behind me.
Chapter Eighteen
A Crown of Shadows and Secrets Page 16