by Alicia Rades
Hey, Valkas never said anything about rules. He wanted a good show? I’d give him one.
A few moments later, I heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching down the path. I whirled around with my sword held out in front of me, poised for attack.
A huge vampire stepped into the moonlight. He was at least six and a half feet tall with biceps bigger than my waist. He was shirtless, so I could see every hill and valley on his six-pack abs. I didn’t care how much shifter blood I had in me. This guy would snap me like a twig.
He stopped at the entrance of the clearing and folded his arms over his chest. Interesting. I expected him to launch an attack right away.
“So, what’s the deal?” I asked. “I attack, you rip my head off?”
Giant Vamp huffed and spoke in the deepest voice I’d ever heard. He spoke in a thick Russian accent, too. “If only it were easy. Come.”
He turned back down the path, and it suddenly occurred to me. He wasn’t my opponent. He was my escort. Clutching the hilt of the sword tightly in my hand, I hurried down the trail behind him. The guy’s legs were super long, so it practically took me running to keep up with him.
“Any idea what I’m up against?” I asked, hoping for a little warning.
Giant Vamp scoffed. “Your opponent very fierce.”
“Fiercer than you?”
The chanting grew louder as we walked. Up ahead, I saw lights flickering through the trees. Torches, I realized.
He smirked. “Nobody fiercer than Anton.”
“Good to know. I’d hate to be the sorry loser fighting against you.”
“Maybe one day,” he said. “For now, you fight.”
We reached a large clearing in the trees. I only had a moment to register the scene before me. Torches had been set into the ground, surrounding an empty square the size of a basketball court. The far end of the clearing met up with the edge of a tall cliff. I could barely see the water through the darkness, but I knew it was there. On either side of the torches sat people on raised bleachers, and beyond them, trees. The trees sloped down the hill, giving a wide view of the chateau.
There must've been at least two hundred people in the arena, which looked like a lot more all packed into the clearing. I couldn’t tell if they were vampires or human, but my bet was most of them were vamps. Valkas sat in a big chair in the front row, like he was a king sitting on a throne, waiting for a jousting match to being. Rogers, the witch, sat at his side.
That was all I could process before Anton grabbed me by the back of the shirt and shoved me into the middle of the ring. I landed hard on my knees in the dirt, pinching my fingers between the hilt of my sword and the ground. I shot to my feet immediately, looking around for my opponent. Chants of fight, fight, fight filled the air, but I faced nothing but empty water at the other end of the ring. I whirled around to the trail entrance, but there was nothing there, either. Anton was already gone.
Valkas stood from his chair and held his hands up. The arena quieted without him having to give the command. It was eerily silent. The only thing I heard was the sound of the breeze rustling through the trees and the water against the rocks below the cliff.
“I'm sure by now you all know that we have a new shifter among us,” Valkas said. He didn't speak loudly, as it was easy enough to hear him. I remained alert the whole time. “As with all our new recruits, she must be initiated.”
Recruit? Is that what he was calling me? I didn't get any credit for finding this island when it was hidden beneath a cloaking spell?
I suppose not. He wouldn't want his loyal followers questioning his power.
“Only the strongest survive on my island.” Valkas smirked at me. “So, without further ado, let the game begin!”
At his cue, a small creature flew out of the darkness as if someone had tossed it. It had gray fur and a long ringed tail.
A raccoon.
They thought I'd be afraid of this little thing? They obviously didn't know much about me.
It rolled across the dirt and immediately sprang to its feet when it came to a stop. An ax landed in the arena in the same manner, skidding to a halt beside the creature.
The raccoon lifted its gaze to mine, and an expression I couldn't quite read crossed its features. I thought I detected a hint of surprise, but it quickly turned to fury. Something about that look seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place it. The raccoon didn't even shift and grab its weapon before it sprang on me.
I ducked out of the way. The image of its tiny little paws reaching out for my face would forever be seared in my memory. The shifter landed on the ground behind me, clawing into the dirt to stop its momentum. It landed only a few feet away from the edge of the cliff.
I didn’t want to hurt him. Killing humans and shifters wasn’t my thing. I was all about slaying vampires. But I didn’t want to die, either. The raccoon bared its teeth at me. Damn, it looked vicious. I had to make up my mind. And fast.
It lunged for me again, all while people screamed from the bleachers.
“Get her!”
“I wanna see some blood!”
“Use your sword!”
This time, I threw my hand outward and thrust it into the fur on the raccoon’s chest. I followed his trajectory and spun around. I bent to one knee, using his momentum to slam his body into the ground. It earned me a round of applause.
I thought maybe if I got the shifter in the right position, we could talk something out—fake a death or something like that. He could go free, and I didn’t have to kill him. It was a win-win for both of us.
But the little sucker didn’t even hesitate. He gasped at the impact, then lifted his head and sank his teeth into my hand. I let out a yelp but didn’t let go. I curled my fingers tighter in his fur, and he bit back harder. I bent down to his level, where blood dripped out of my palm and onto his fur. He used his little paws to scratch me, sending stinging shoots of pain up my hand.
“I’m trying to help you,” I hissed. “Maybe there’s a way we can both survive. You game?”
Instead of clawing at my exposed arm, he swiped his paw out and sliced across the skin on my cheek. I reeled backward.
“I’ll take that as a no,” I snapped back. I could barely hear my own voice above the cheering.
The raccoon bit down again, and I finally jerked my hand away. It hurt a lot, but the pain barely registered as my opponent righted himself and readied to jump at me again.
“Shift, shift, shift,” the crowd cried out. I wasn’t sure if they meant me or the raccoon. Either way, they wanted us to fight in the same form. No way was I shifting into a raven without my flight feathers. I was staying close to this sword the whole damn time.
I was ready for the next attack, but what I didn’t expect was for the raccoon to shift mid-jump. A human body slammed into me, knocking me on my back. Another chorus of cheers broke out from the crowd. I held my sword up, but the shifter was already running away, heading for the other side of the arena to grab the ax. I jumped to my feet to see that the figure had short hair but a slim middle and wide hips. A woman?
Aw, shit. I really didn’t want to kill her.
If you don’t, she’ll kill you, I told myself. And then there was no hope for getting rid of the vampires. I was the only one who could do it, and I’d do whatever it took until that happened. Even take innocent lives…
The thought made me sick, but it was what had to be done… for the greater good.
I hated when the greater good screwed you over.
I raced up to the woman just as she bent to grab her ax. She whirled around at the last second and moved so fast I didn’t even see her face. The head of her ax clanged into my sword, knocking it out of my hands. Less than a split-second later, her fist swung out and slammed right between my eyes.
I stumbled to the ground, and my elbows skidded across the dirt. Judging by the sting, a good couple layers of skin came off. My vision blurred from the impact, but I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. The girl
stepped forward, her face masked in shadows.
“Ardeat ignis,” I shouted, aiming my hands at her. But all that came out was sparks.
It took me by complete surprise. Since learning the spell for fire, I hadn’t had trouble using it in a fight. Now I’d failed at the spell twice? The theories I’d developed earlier about my magic no longer seemed credible. My latest theory, and worst of all, was that something was blocking my magic, something beyond my control.
Just another obstacle, I told myself. I’ll figure it out.
Says the girl who lost her magical dagger, lost her ability to fly, and now lost her magic.
A heavy shoe connected with my gut. I grunted, and my arms instantly came to my abdomen, protecting from another blow.
Time for my back-up plan. I swung my leg out to connect with the back of the girl’s ankle, then grabbed the knife out of my other shoe. She landed on her back on the ground, and her ax flew from her hand. The crowd shouted all sorts of things I couldn’t process. I quickly scrambled to my feet and loomed above her, shoving the blade of my knife up against her throat.
Her face finally came into view. Shadows flickered across it from the torches, but there was no denying that I’d seen that face a thousand times before. The straight nose, pale skin, blue eyes… they were all just like mine, only slightly tweaked.
All the air rushed out of my lungs. “Jenna?”
She smiled up at me. “Hey, sis.”
8
I should’ve been overjoyed to see my sister, but all I could think was, A raccoon! You never told me you were a raccoon! Heck, I didn’t even know she was a shifter! Then again, I’d never gotten the chance to tell her I was one, either. I guess I should've assumed as much.
“Jenna Bean?” I asked breathlessly.
Her hand shot out to grab on to my wrist, forcing the knife away from her throat. “What? You expected someone else, Rugrat?”
She spoke with such malice that I could hardly believe it was her. But there she was. Her hair was shorter, and she’d lost some weight, but it was definitely her.
“Yeah,” I admitted. “I kinda did.”
“Fight!” someone in the stands roared.
Jenna responded by slugging me hard on the inside of my arm, where she knew from many scuffles as children was my weak spot. I dropped the dagger on instinct. Mostly, I was just too shocked to fight back.
“What are you doing?” I demanded.
“Beating you up,” she sneered. “What does it look like?”
Jenna’s fist swung out again, connecting with the side of my jaw. The taste of copper filled my mouth. She jumped to her feet and readied herself for another blow.
“Jenna,” I protested, still on my knees. “I’m not going to—”
Her foot slammed into my chest, knocking the air from my lungs. Seriously, what was her problem? Had the vamps messed her up that badly? Oh, God. What had they done to her?
That was all I could think as her fist connected with the side of my face again. Pain shot through my cheek, but I just couldn’t bring myself to fight back. Everything I’d done, all the vampires I’d killed, had been for her. Suddenly, it felt like maybe there’d been no purpose in becoming the Ravenite. Maybe I shouldn’t have come to Gregor Island at all.
“Jenna, stop!” I cried.
Her hands flew toward me again, but this time she didn’t hit me. Instead, she fisted her hands in my shirt and pulled my face close to hers.
“I waited for you,” she hissed. “For two damn years. Do you have any idea how long that feels when you’re trapped on an effing island?”
“Jenna, I’m sorry—”
“Why didn’t you come sooner?” she snapped, delivering another blow.
I barely felt it this time. I didn’t care. I deserved it, because she was right. I should’ve come sooner.
“Because I—”
“Because you’re selfish,” Jenna bit, tossing me across the ground.
The momentum took me a mere foot from the edge of the cliff. I stole a quick glance at the steep drop, but I could barely process it. I was still trying to take in the fact that my sister was standing right in front of me after all this time. Jenna reached down and grabbed my clothes again, pulling me to my feet. She had a strong punch, and my eye was starting to swell because of it.
“Are you going to kill me?” I whispered. I loved Jenna more than anything in the world, but this wasn’t the Jenna I knew. It broke my heart.
She heaved my body upward and slammed me to the ground. The sound of cheers grew so loud around me that I hardly heard what she said when she bent to whisper in my ear.
“No, I’m not going to kill you,” she said. “Just play along. They like a good show.”
“So, you’re not really mad at me?” I asked in a raspy whisper.
She smirked. “Oh, I’m pissed. But we can discuss that later. Wanna punch me?”
No, not really, I wanted to say. The fact was, I’d rather hug her. But hey, what are sisters for? I curled my hand into a tight fist and swung it at her face.
Jenna let the momentum take her. She rolled to the side, clutching her cheek.
I should’ve felt bad about punching her, but I grinned like a lunatic. That punch to the face was proof that she was here. My sister was alive, and we were together again!
I threw myself at Jenna just as she was getting to her feet. My arm locked around her neck, and I held her in a headlock.
“What now?” I whispered in her ear while she clawed at my arm. “I won’t kill you.”
“Knock me out,” she hissed.
“What? No.”
“You want this to be over? Kick me in the face.”
Punching her was one thing. Knocking her out was another. I didn’t want her to end up with a concussion or something.
“I’ll fake it,” she said. “Do it now!”
Apparently, Jenna had developed a thing for pain since the last time I’d seen her. I swung my knee up just between her eyes, and her whole body went limp. I let her body fall to the ground, and the crowd went crazy. People shot up out of their seats, clapping and hollering.
I stared down at Jenna, horrified. For a moment, I thought I’d truly knocked her out. That kind of blow from a shifter could kill a human being, but surely Jenna would be okay. Right? Right?
She opened her eyes for a mere split second to wink at me. Relief flooded through me. I wanted to kneel beside her and drag her into a hug, but Valkas was already strolling out into the ring. He grabbed my hand in his—shudder—and held it above my head.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Valkas called, causing the crowd to quiet. “I give you your champion!”
The vampires went ballistic again.
“So, that fight to the death thing…” I said to him. “Just a rumor?”
Valkas smirked, as he always did. I was starting to wonder if it was a permanent expression. “Something like that. I’d have liked to see what would’ve happened if you took it seriously.”
Valkas started toward the trail, and I had no choice but to follow him, seeing as he was still holding on to my hand. He gestured to Rogers, who immediately stood and followed behind us.
“What now?” I asked, glancing back at Jenna. She hadn’t moved an inch. All the other vamps were starting to get up out of their seats, leaving her forgotten. “What about my sister?”
“Relax,” Valkas said with a wave of his hand. “I wouldn’t waste good shifter blood. She’s too… sweet.”
Repulsive! There was no doubt by the way he said it that he’d fed on her before. My heart ached for my sister. How was I going to get her away from here?
“Where are you taking me?” I demanded.
He tugged on my arm. “You ask too many questions, darling. From now on, I’ll be the one asking questions.”
“What kind of questions?”
I didn’t even realize the irony until Valkas reacted. In the blink of an eye, his hand left mine, and it shot toward my throat. Instinct
overtook, and I threw my arm up to block him. His face contorted with anger, and his other hand clamped around my neck as he shoved me hard up against a tree. My shirt rode up, and the bark skidded along my lower back, sending a raw pain across my skin. I couldn’t breathe, but I didn’t fight back, either.
Rogers just stood there observing, his hands folded in front of him. He didn’t speak a word.
“I will not tolerate you taunting me,” Valkas snapped. His face was only inches from mine, sending my heart pummeling against my rib cage. He lowered his voice and spoke in warning. “Your sister’s blood can turn bitter real fast. So I suggest you don’t make this a habit.”
He wasn’t lying. That much was clear. My sister’s shifter blood couldn’t protect her forever.
“Yes,” I said in a raspy voice. It barely sounded like anything.
Valkas dropped me, and I inhaled a gulp of air. He grabbed me by the hand again and dragged me behind him before I could find my footing.
“Come,” he snarled. “We must celebrate.”
My stomach bottomed out. I didn’t know what celebrating entailed, but there was something in his voice that suggested I didn’t want to find out. Which meant I was still useful to him… for now.
I had to make sure it stayed that way.
9
Valkas led me back to the privacy of his room. The bed had been made, and the dagger he’d left on the desk was no longer there.
Rogers entered the room behind us and stood to the side. I swore the guy was just there for decoration. Which was crazy, considering he wasn’t even that pretty. I mean, sure, he had the tall, muscular thing going on, but slicked-back hair was so not my style.
Valkas forced me to sit beside him on the bed. You’d think when a guy brought you back to his room, he’d be gentle about it and treat you like a lady, but it wasn’t like that with Valkas. He practically yanked my arm out of the socket.
All I could think about was Venn, how he’d act like a gentleman if this were him.
Except Venn would never be in this type of scenario. He was too kind to run any sort of shifter fight club. And he definitely wouldn’t bring a girl back to his room without asking.
