“That’s me,” Kristy replied chirpily. “The full-human.”
“So, would you like to take a look at the menu tonight?” Ross asked, mimicking a solicitous waiter as he gestured at his tablet.
“Nah. I’ll have the usual.”
The vampire smirked. “The black dagger and the black helmet?” he drawled.
“Yup. The one with the tinted visor, please,” Kristy said, twirling a finger in the air.
Ross canted his head at her and said, “You may want to consider a bigger weapon for tonight’s match.”
“Huh? Why?”
Ross shrugged in reply.
Kristy dragged in a long breath. She really hoped that nobody heard her gulp.
“Who am I up against tonight?” she asked as nonchalantly as she could.
The vampire tapped his tablet.
“You’ll be fighting Mad Max tonight.”
CHAPTER THREE
“Never heard of him,” Kristy answered. “I don’t recall fighting Mad Max before.”
“We’re surprised to see him too,” Ross said. “Mad Max hasn’t been back to The Pit in decades.”
“Decades?” Kristy snorted. “He must be pretty old now.”
Ross gave her a look. “Mad Max came and fought in the arena when he was a teenager. He would fight consecutive fights, and he never lost a fight.”
“So he’s in his seventies now?” Kristy said, trying to keep up her bravado.
Ross burst out laughing. “I reckon Max is only in his early forties now.”
Kristy winced.
Paranormals aged much slower than humans. “So...what is he?” she asked.
“Bear shifter.”
Kristy smirked. “Ah, I fought a bear shifter before.” She paused and said emphatically, “I won.”
“I remember that fight,” Ross said. “But that guy was young and inexperienced. That was his first fight in The Pit. Mad Max isn’t...”
“I know, I know. This isn’t his first rodeo.” Kristy put up a hand. She didn’t want to hear any more discouraging news.
She couldn’t afford to be affected. She had to be in her best form, physically, emotionally, mentally.
She was here to win.
She would make this her last match.
“Thanks for the heads up, Ross,” she said, flashing him a grin. “I’ll stick with my old dagger and helmet. I hope that this will be my last match,” she added.
“It may very well be your last match, Kristy.” Ross gave her a grave, sympathetic look. “You may never fight again after this match.”
Kristy swore and threw up her hands. “Geez, enough with the doom and gloom already! Just give me my ticket and I’ll go pick up my weapon now.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Max leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He didn’t have to queue up in front of the counter with the rest of the fighters to get his number because well, money talks. He had requested for the last fight of the night.
Max knew how to get the best use for his money. That was how he multiplied his millions in a very short time. He know what people wanted and how to get people to do what he wanted.
Money made things so much easier. Unfortunately, there were some things that money couldn’t buy.
Like lost memories.
Max blew out a rough breath and looked at the spectators making their way to the stands. The Pit hadn’t changed much since he fought his first fight here.
The underground arena wasn’t much to look at. The bare concrete walls and hard seats were still the same. The only thing that was relatively new was the electric fence that had replaced the rusty barbed wire around the arena.
The crowd was also more or less the same. People who came to The Pit could be separated into two categories. Spectators and fighters.
But they all wanted the same thing.
Money.
The spectators placed huge bets, hoping to win big, and the fighters fought and shed their blood to get their hands on the prize money.
Max cracked his knuckles. He used to get nervous before a fight, but not anymore. He was used to all the noise, the clamor, the smell of blood, sweat, fear and greed.
Nothing fazed him.
Max glanced towards the arena. The first two combatants were facing off. Max watched the fight between the two lion shifters with mild interest. The last time he was here was...twenty years ago.
He had fought in the arena as a slave then.
He was free now. And rich.
So why did he come back to The Pit?
Max scrubbed a hand down his face. His best friend, Draven, didn’t approve of what Max was doing.
“Throwing yourself into The Pit isn’t going to help,” Draven had admonished. “There’s got to be a better way of doing this.”
But there was no other way that Max could think of. He’d tried everything.
He needed to remember who he was.
He had lost his earliest memories. He couldn’t remember his life before he became the slave of a witch.
He couldn’t even remember his last name. He just knew that he was Max.
Max remembered waking up with a bandage around his head and a collar around his neck.
He had been around sixteen then. His confusion turned to alarm when he realized that he had woken up in the house of a witch.
“You fell off the cliff. It’s a good thing I found you and saved you,” Samora, the witch told him.
It was a good thing for her. For him, not so much.
Max saw soon enough that Samora didn’t save him out of the goodness of her heart. The scheming, opportunistic witch had dragged him home, bandaged his head...and collared him.
He was to be her pet, her slave. Her money-making machine.
The collar suppressed his bear and Samora only removed his collar when he entered The Pit.
Even before he had fully recovered from his injuries, Samora forced him to fight in The Pit. Max barely made it out of the arena alive that night.
Max shook his head hard and looked up at the roaring crowd. First blood had been drawn.
From the shadows, Max scanned every face in the crowd. What were the chances of finding her here? Next to none.
But people tended to circle back to their favorite stomping ground, and he had learned that things and people usually didn’t change all that much no matter how much time had passed.
By throwing himself into the arena again, Max was hoping to draw Samora out.
Arrogance, curiosity, pride and hunger made people do things they wouldn’t normally do.
Samora might come out of the woodwork to watch her old pet in The Pit. She would be hungry, ravenous even.
She would be so hungry for vengeance.
CHAPTER FIVE
When his number was announced, Max entered the arena and waited for his opponent to emerge from behind the steel door.
He didn’t bother finding out who he was up against before the fight. It didn’t matter. He would just beat the shit out of whoever came through the steel door.
In the arena, he was Mad Max. He had earned the nickname after winning five fights in a row in one night. He had looked mad with rage and bloodlust as he emerged from his final fight, dripping with blood and gore.
Well, maybe he really was mad to be coming back to The Pit, hoping to catch a whiff of his old enemy.
Max raised his muscular arms and flashed his fangs at the spectators. The crowd went wild and a few roars were heard. The shifters in the crowd were unleashing their animals in their excitement.
Max roared back. His bear rose to the surface and his eyes glowed.
Max turned around when the steel door at the other end of the arena slid open.
A tiny figure wearing a big dark helmet stepped forward.
Max frowned. “What…?”
Tendrils of wavy red hair peeked out from one corner of the helmet.
It was a woman.
Max took a sharp breath and his e
yes bugged.
She was full-human.
“This has got to be a mistake,” Max mumbled and glanced up at the stands. Maybe this woman was trying to find her way back to her seat and got lost. She should be up there, not down here. She was a small, slender little thing. She was wearing a pair of dirty camo pants and a stained t-shirt.
Max noticed the silver collar around her neck.
“A slave,” he growled.
Max stepped forward and said quietly, “M’am, you should get out of here. I’ll escort you back out through the door. You don’t belong here.”
Max froze when the woman jerked her hand up and pointed her dagger at him. The tip of the blade was just inches from his throat.
“I’m not going anywhere until I finish this fight,” she said in a low voice.
CHAPTER SIX
The woman’s voice was low but firm. There was a quiet strength in her voice.
Max wanted to hear her speak again. He found her voice so alluring and mesmerizing. It was almost hypnotic hearing her speak. But she wasn’t a witch or a sorceress. He could scent no magic in her. This little female was full-human.
Max stared at the dagger in her hand. He saw the logo of The Pit engraved into the handle. Max knew all the rules of The Pit. Full-human combatants were allowed to pick a piece of defensive gear and a weapon of their choice from The Pit’s arsenal.
This human female truly was a registered combatant in tonight’s match. Max scowled.
“Are you being forced to fight?” he said, staring at the collar around her neck.
The woman stiffened. He couldn’t see her face behind that dark tinted visor. But he could smell her scent. And she smelled so fucking amazing.
His bear rumbled and pushed against his skin. His beast wanted to get closer to her.
“No,” she answered at last. She swallowed. “I’m not being forced to fight. I...”
“Look, lady, I’m not going to fight you,” Max said, holding up his hands. “If no one is forcing you to do this, then I don’t know what you’re doing here...”
“I’m here to fight. And win,” she said. Her voice quavered on the last word.
Max squinted at the silver collar around her neck. “Listen, your master doesn’t have the right to...”
“Stop talking, and just fight,” she snapped. “All my years of training, all the fights I’ve won...” She took a shuddering breath. “I just have to win tonight. And it will be my last fight. My final payment,” she whispered.
“Payment,” Max repeated. He understood everything now.
Max stared at her and the whole arena seemed to recede from them. There was just him and this small female.
This gutsy human woman was willing to fight a ferocious shifter in The Pit for a chance at freedom.
She wanted to win the prize money to buy herself out of slavery.
“What’s your name?” he asked softly.
The woman lowered the dagger slightly before tightening her grip.
“Kristy,” she said. “Now fight.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Kristy took a deep fortifying breath and gripped the hilt of the dagger even tighter. She hoped that Mad Max wouldn’t notice how badly she was shaking.
She was facing a big burly bear shifter. She had seen his deadly fangs and the tips of his razor-sharp claws.
Mad Max was a lethal fighter and predator.
Kristy saw old scars curving down his arms and neck as she dragged her gaze down the length of his broad, hunky body. Muscles rippled and bulged, and his large fists looked hard and powerful enough to smash her skull to smithereens.
Good thing she was wearing a helmet.
While she was waiting for her match, Kristy had asked around about Mad Max. The stories that some of the other fighters told her about Mad Max did little to boost her confidence.
Mad Max had never lost a fight. He hadn’t been back in The Pit for a while, but he was a legend.
Kristy heard all about how Mad Max didn’t even have to shift fully into his bear form to fight. He simply made quick work of his opponents and finished his fight swiftly and cleanly.
“From what I heard, Mad Max is even more deadly and fearsome in human form,” one of the fighters had quipped.
Kristy stared at Mad Max through her visor.
The man in front of her didn’t look mad at all. In fact, Max looked...hot.
Kristy found herself thinking that Max could easily be mistaken for a cover model instead of a crazed, savage fighter.
He had short blond hair, intelligent blue eyes and a well-defined muscular physique. He was very tall and broad, and he had sharp, handsome features.
“Pity,” she muttered.
It would be a real pity to carve up his pretty face, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.
Kristy huffed. She had wasted enough time ogling her opponent. It was time to fight.
Kristy advanced towards Max and tensed. Without warning, she charged at him, her dagger aimed for his throat.
Mad Max widened his eyes in surprise, but Kristy didn’t pull back. She had to strike first before her bravado and stamina ran out.
She slashed viciously at him but Max sidestepped her.
“Woah! Easy now,” Max muttered.
Kristy spun round and attacked again. She wasn’t playing nice. She was out for blood.
She slashed again and again, and Max kept backing away. He dodged her blows and rolled away, but he didn’t fight back. In fact, she noticed that he had sheathed his claws and there was no hint of his lethal fangs.
Kristy stopped and took a step back.
Panting, she watched Max warily. Why wasn’t he fighting her?
Was he waiting to tire her out before ripping into her?
She had to finish this fight quickly.
But something wasn’t adding up.
Mad Max wasn’t the brutal beast that the other fighters had made him out to be.
She could read her opponents pretty accurately in the arena. It was a skill she had acquired over the years.
Max didn’t show his fangs or claws. He just dodged her blows and did his best to get out of the way.
He didn’t attack.
He didn’t show any aggression, and he wasn’t even trying to fight her.
What was he up to?
Was he...making fun of her?
Kristy’s hackles rose.
“What the fuck are you playing at?” she snarled. “Fight, goddammit! Fight me!”
She wanted to win this fight fair and square. She was fighting for her freedom, her life.
“Finish this,” she ordered.
She wasn’t sure if she was talking to Max or herself.
“Kristy...” Max began.
She lunged forward, aiming her dagger at his handsome face.
Max reached out and caught Kristy’s wrist. She snarled and jerked her hand away.
Max quirked a lopsided smile at her.
His smile infuriated her.
Did he think that he could distract her with his sexy smile? He was just taunting and mocking her. He didn’t think that a small human woman was worth his energy and effort.
“What are you trying to do, Max?” she panted as she circled him.
“Nothing. I’m not doing anything,” Max answered smoothly. “I just want to help you.”
“Help me?” She narrowed her eyes.
“Yeah. I won’t stop you. You can do anything you want with me.” Max winked at her.
Was he trying to seduce her?
She had faced many hunky paranormals in the arena before but none of them had ever brazenly flirted with her in the arena. They were all too focused on the prize.
Mad Max was smug, bold and downright cocky.
He was so damn distracting.
Kristy shook her head to clear it. She was here for one thing, and one thing only.
“You’re not helping me by throwing the fight,” she hissed.
CHAPTER EIGHT
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Max watched Kristy twirl the dagger between her fingers. She was a skilled, confident fighter, and it was evident that she had been fighting in The Pit for a while.
He enjoyed feeling her skin brush against his, and his bear wanted to pull her closer and just hold on to her.
But this was not the place nor the time.
Kristy was here to accomplish a mission.
Max stared at Kristy and gave a barely perceptible nod to let her know that he understood.
He knew the rules of The Pit like the back of his hand. If the organizers suspected the combatants of colluding to rig a match, the prize money would be forfeited. It was to prevent scams, frauds and any other dishonest, dirty arrangements.
Kristy wouldn’t be able to win the prize money if he didn’t fight her.
Max unsheathed his claws suddenly and Kristy gasped. He raised his head and roared to display his impressive fangs. The crowd cheered and howled for blood.
The real show was about to begin.
Max let out a warning growl before he lunged.
Kristy stifled a cry and ducked as he flew at her. His claws grazed her arm and she swore at the pain.
Max stared at the scratches on her pale arm and opened his mouth to say something. But Kristy tackled him and brought him down.
They rolled on the ground, and Max finally pinned her down and pressed her wrists on either side of her head.
Kristy swore at him in defiance, panting hard.
“That was fun,” Max said, smirking. “Let’s do it again. You know, I really like how you...”
But before he could finish his sentence, Kristy kneed him in the crotch.
Max grunted as his vision swam. “That was...below the belt,” he groaned.
Kristy jumped up and pressed her dagger to his neck.
Max turned his head to the side to look at her. Her hand was trembling slightly.
“Do it,” he snarled. “Draw blood.”
Kristy swore under her breath and started to pull away.
Max immediately leaned into the blade and sliced his skin open. Blood poured from the wound and stained her dagger.
Billionaire Beast Bear (Beast Bears Book 3) Page 2