The Place Where

by Rodion Pretis

  - Like? - Simeon, grinning, sank into a chair next to Kayden.

  - What about your face? - Kayden's eyebrow crept up when he noticed abrasions on Simeon's cheekbone and broken lips.

  “She,” he grunted. - Absolutely wild.

  - Are you serious? She? - a devilish smile slid across Kayden's lips, and the mockery flashed in his eyes. “She refused you.”

  - Do you think it's better for you? - short laugh Simeon.

  - Maybe ...

  “If you can handle it, take it, it is yours,” Simeon grinned with a challenge in his voice.

  “On hands,” Kayden agreed, without taking his eyes off the girl leaving the arena ...

  * * *

  Alexei was unceremoniously pushed into an already familiar room with a huge bed. The girl grinned bitterly and covered her eyes - she knew what would happen next. He decided to make another attempt, and she hoped so ... Last time, she barely had the strength to withstand. Now she was so exhausted that even the wounds were not healed as quickly as usual, and the body responded with pain to the slightest movement. But she knew for sure that now she would not give up.

  Alex carefully crouched down on the floor opposite the entrance to the room and leaned her back against the wall. She did not know exactly when he would appear, and prepared to wait. But the wait, unfortunately, did not drag out. As soon as she managed to catch her breath, the door opened smoothly and also closed smoothly. The girl slowly rose and froze, meeting with the expressive blue eyes of a stranger. He simply stood, not making the slightest movement, and carefully examined her, slightly bowing its head on its side. A barely perceptible smile slid across his lips, and his eyes literally enveloped in warmth. In surprise, she blinked and missed the moment when he somehow moved.Now he stood so close that she could feel the heat emanating from his body ...

  One look was enough for Kayden to understand what exactly interested him so much that made her want to win, why he agreed to the completely idiotic conditions of Simeon's bet. She was special ... Even now, mortally tired and wounded, she did not seem broken, on the contrary she looked free, proud and impregnable, ready to go to the end ... Oh, yes, she was special. He smiled slightly at his thoughts and easily moved toward her. She drew him, like no one before, intoxicated ... caused such an unusual desire to protect.The man raised his hand and with a gentle gentle movement threw naughty locks from her face, his fingers in a barely noticeable caress went across the cheek and froze for a second ... The girl's eyes widened in surprise, and he just drowned in them , forgetting who was in front of him, and his lips replaced fingers ...

  ... The man, still kissing, pressed the girl tightly to him and inadvertently touched one of the cuts, which reminded of himself of pain. The pain instantly sobered up Alexei, and the reality of what was happening horrified. She allowed this stranger, who came here with a very definite purpose, which the bed clearly reminded of, not just touch her, not just kiss ... she did not stop him, did not even try to do it, she answered him, and her hands ... her hands hugged him ... Gathering all her will, she tried to push him away, but this only ensured that he simply looked inquiringly at her with his witching eyes. An instant later an understanding flickered in them, replaced by a barely noticeable flash of ridicule, then his warm look again enveloped her.But the girl noticed the mockery, and this helped her to resist against his tempting, calling, promising, burning, depriving the will look. Rage flashed in her, and she hit him as hard as she could.

  “You have to decide, amare,” Kayden easily rose to his feet, licked the blood that came out from her blow in the corner of his lips, and grinned devilishly, “what do you want: to fight or ...” he arched an eyebrow and, grinning, looked expressively at the bed.

  Aleksey was silent, his voice stunned her: deep, velvety with light mocking notes, it seemed he pierced her through, causing a slight trembling ... She inhaled frantically and shook her head, dispelling the obsession. A lightning motion, and the man pressed her against the wall, and she rather felt than heard his contented laugh.

  “Or maybe you like it better,” his hand slipped, repeating the bends of her body, and froze on her hip, darkened eyes looked studying and slightly mocking, and her lips were extended in a triumphant smile. “Just whisper what you want.”

  Kayden was absolutely aware that he was deliberately teasing her, trying to unbalance her. But he did not understand why he was doing this. Maybe to forget her lips, her touches, her eyes ... No ... he knew why, he still had to admit it to himself. He wanted to hurt her. No, not physically, that he could have done for a long time. He wanted to make her feel that mixture of bitter emotions that fell upon him when she violently rejected him. I wanted her to respond to his every touch, to forget who she was and where she was, to feel only him ... and then ... then he would push her indifferently, and she would feel completely helpless in front of him ... Yes, he wanted this, wanted to take revenge on her, wanted to break her, because then she would cease to be special, and he could just forget about her and those feelings that she aroused in him, the feelings that literally turned him inside out ...

  A fire flashed in the eyes of the girl, and she struck, the man dodged, blocked the next blow and, laughing, broke the distance:

  “Fine, lagoon,” the evil devils sparkled in his eyes, “let's dance first, since you really want to.”

  Alex pretty quickly realized that he was fighting with her hardly to the floor. He easily repelled all her attacks with an invariable grin-smile on her lips. She got cold: he was amusing, he liked to fight with her. Of course, the girl could tell herself that if she had not been injured and so weakened, she could have won, or at least stood up to equal him. But something in her felt - he is stronger, and if he wanted to, he would have finished everything with one blow long ago. Realizing that she could not stand it, Alexei decided to provoke him ... and then everything would be over.Kayden was wary: despair clearly began to be read in her strokes, she increased speed, for which she immediately paid - several barely lived cuts reopened ... He was distracted for a moment and missed a crushing blow to the head, barely dodged the next one and instinctively replied ... Overalls weakened the blow, from which the girl, flying a few meters literally, impressed against the wall, and for the first time she regretted that she had put it on, because otherwise she would have been dead , and so ... Alexei saw through the veil of pain how her opponent shook her head lightly, finally recovering, and a second later bent over it. Everything floated before her eyes, she tried to see the expression on his face, but nothing came of it.With a slight moan of despair, she closed her eyes, struggling with the approaching darkness ...

  Kayden shook his head, passing in passing rather noting that she just had a fantastic blow to the right, and froze ... she attacked more. His gaze instantly found her limp, now fragile figure, motionlessly frozen on the floor against the wall ... Horror gripped his heart with a steel hand - he struck, and she ... she did not even try to dodge. She simply gave up, broke. Isn't that what he wanted so much? Did not strive for this? Awareness of an irreparable error burned worse than red-hot iron, tore it with sharp claws, smothered ... He felt her eyes, for a moment, and he was already bending over her. With a soft moan, she lowered her eyelashes, avoiding his gaze.The man checked the injuries with quick experimental movements: a sigh of relief almost flew from his lips - she would survive, Kiryak's creation saved her life. He carefully picked it up and laid it on the bed. Her wounds had to be bandaged; her overalls were no longer able to help her. Kayden carefully pulled the lightning, intending to rid it of the remnants of what was previously clearly one of his friend's masterpieces. His fingers touched her bare shoulder, and she opened her eyes. He froze ... Her eyes, sparkling with tears ... Pain, despair, supplication ...

  “Kill me,” the girl whispered barely audibly, and tears silently rolled down her face. “Please ... I know you can ...”

  Her eyes ... her words ... voice ... "Did she really think ..." - startled by the hunch, he froze, unable to
utter a word. Oh, God ... The realization that he did break it literally stunned him. A brave, strong, proud girl ... She did not ask for mercy. She asked for death ... death as mercy, as deliverance ... He never thought that pain could be so unbearable, in all his long life he had never been so hard and hurt ...

  Chapter 22

  The last thing Wolf remembered was her cry to teleport immediately. He did not succeed, severe pain literally tearing his head apart, he grabbed hold of Ennio with a dead grip, then he heard a sharp bang and just fell into a semi-unconscious state into the hands of the Destroyer and Nick. And only the next morning, Wolf found out that Alex never showed up. The Destroyer met with Marsden and handed him Ennio, who was still not fully recovering from the shock. The fantastic fee paid literally an hour later did not please them. All their thoughts were about her. But as they did not try, nothing was found out. The club disappeared, simply disappeared into thin air, just like any records about it.The player spent days at the computer searching for information, but it was all in vain. Alexey just disappeared ...

  Week by week, and despair gradually enveloped friends. They could no longer hide from those around her absence. Too many wanted to see her and persistently sought a meeting.

  - Heck! - The Destroyer could barely control himself - the desire to smash something to smithereens became stronger every minute. “Maybe you can still look, Player?” Hack some base?

  “I already broke everything,” the Player wearily sat down on the sofa, massaging his temples with his fingers: his head ached mercilessly, almost sleepless weeks of sitting at the computer affected, “nowhere is there a clue ...”

  - Heck! - The Destroyer could not stand it, and the elaborate vase from unbreakable glass, launched by his hand, flew into the wall and crumbled into many small fragments.

  “Give me a couple of hours,” the Player sighed heavily, reaching for a new portion of pills. “And I'll try something else.” Maybe at least this time lucky.

  - Sorry for breaking ...

  And then there was a distinct knock on the door. Friends looked at each other - in this world rarely anyone knocked on the door, and especially on the door of the action team. In addition, the knocking was persistent, very persistent. Mumbling curses, the Destroyer headed for the door and jerked it open. An almost exact copy of him, staring at him with an enviable stubbornness, was drumming his fist at the door of their room just frowningly.

  “Your calling system does not work,” the copy confidently wiped off the Destroyer, who was speechless from such impudence, and calmly entering the room, went to the sofa in the living room, “the answering machine is clogged and the mail is returned with the note “the addressee is temporarily unavailable. ”

  - Who the hell are you? - The destroyer slammed the door and aggressively turned to the stranger, unceremoniously occupying a chair.

  The wolf glanced at the noise and a sigh of relief broke out from him. Somehow, in their room appeared exactly the only person who could at least somehow help them in finding Alexei. The one whom he had long and hopelessly sought, hoping for help. After all, albeit indirectly, but he owed his life to Alex.

  “This is Anastas,” the Wolf leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest. - If anyone else can help us find the Club, then only he.

  “Why did he surrender to you?” - Anastas was surprised, looking from one man to another.

  “Remember the girl who bandaged your wounds?” - The wolf crossed the room and sat down on the sofa next to the already managed to fall asleep Player, tired to such an extent that no noise could wake him.

  “Alexey,” the blond-haired copy of the Destroyer smiled warmly. “I came to thank her personally.” Bandaging me then, she saved my life. So where is she?

  “We don't know,” the Wolf closed his eyes tiredly for a moment, “she didn't get out of the Club.”

  - What ?! - Anastas abruptly jumped up and swept around the room. - How could you leave her there !!! - Another unbreakable vase, flying across the room, proved that you can break anything.

  “Calm down, man,” the Destroyer put his hand on Anastas's shoulder and, with a grunt, took the figurine, which almost went after the vase, “this does not help.” Better calm down, sit down and tell us how to find the Club.

  - How can you be so calm !!! - emotions just seethed in Anastas.

  “That trash,” the Destroyer nodded at the fragments by the opposite wall, “on my conscience.” That's just that I won't help Alex. Now you can help her only ...

  * * *

  Somehow incredibly fast, easy and completely painless Anastas became his own for the team. His acquaintances and connections in the world of illegal battles and mercenaries came in handy. And by the end of the next day they knew where to look for the Club at night. The question of who will go on reconnaissance was not even discussed. It was decided in advance that Anastas would go, since he knows a lot there and it would not be difficult for him to get the necessary information, and the Player would cover him as the only member of the team that the club's security service had not yet seen.

  But a carefully designed plan brought a completely unexpected result. Yes, in recent weeks a girl has entered the arena every day. Beautiful. A strong, furious, brutal fighter ... never lost. She will no longer be here. Why? Last night, Simeon Salamat, its owner, lost the bet and paid it back. To whom? One of the neons. Unfortunately, it was not possible to find out more. Disappointment and helplessness captured Anastas so much that he almost passed his friend, still working in the Club's security.

  - Anastas! - he shouted him, catching up.

  - Tim! Are you still here? - Anastas was glad to see the former partner.

  “Less than a week before the end of the contract, and then free as the wind,” he laughed. “What are you doing here?”

  “I'm looking for someone,” the man sighed and nervously ran a hand through his hair. “But I'm afraid it's useless.” She is no longer here.

  “The girl who fought here lately?” The one you wore the invitation to? Tim squinted slightly.

  - Yes, her. But we were late, she's not here already, ”Anastas kicked in the hearts of the utilizer standing nearby. - She was taken by some neon in payment of a lost bet!

  - Is it so important for you? - Calmness and seriousness were replaced by cheerful reflections in the eyes of the guard, when he carefully looked at his friend.

  - Highly. She saved my life, - he simply answered.

  - Good. Then listen. If neon took her, then he would just teleport from the Club. So? - waiting for an affirmative nod of the interlocutor, Tim continued. “Someone took out her late at night through the emergency exit where I was on duty.” She was wounded and unconscious. True, the wounds were bandaged, and he carried it very carefully, trying once again not to disturb the careless movement. Previously, I just did not see him. Such a look as he is, is not forgotten: cold, hard, piercing, it has so much strength, confidence and danger in him that even the idea of “getting in his way” does not occur.

  - Can you describe this man? - hope flashed in the eyes of Anastas.

  - The growth is most likely average, although it seems high because of how it holds. Thin, but he carried the girl surprisingly easily, like a feather. The hair is very fair, rather even white. Blue eyes. Dressed in all black. He is surrounded by an aura of power, danger and ... - Tim wanted to add something else, but changed his mind and said nothing.

  - Maybe there are some special signs?

  “Yes, how can I tell you,” the guard hesitated. - Daden! I never thought that I could say that ... He is too beautiful and sexy, and this is clearly natural. If you see, you will immediately understand that this is it. By the way, he got in a taxi. Yellow transformer with a green stripe, number seems 25779.

  “Thank you, Tim,” Anastas thanked his friend from the bottom of his heart. - The contract will end - call me right away. I think I can help you with the fact that you so wanted.

  - Is she Day? - with this qui
et question, the guard stopped his former partner.

  “Yes,” he answered and, waving a farewell hand, disappeared around the bend.

  * * *

  The information received by Anastas gave hope to friends to find Alexei. In addition, they now knew for sure that she was alive. Let it be wounded, but alive. So, they will pull her out.

  - Heck !!! - The player jumped up and swept around the room. For more than five hours, he tried to hack into the base of a super-elite yellow taxi, but it still wasn't given. Multilevel defense self-healing too quickly, in addition, it was clearly based on artificial intelligence, capable of learning.

  - How are you? - the Destroyer looked into the room, but when he heard a stream of completely unprinted words in response, he hastened to retire ...