Anyextraeffort, because the Barn was located at the highest point on our property, and my ribs and back reminded me they still hadn’t fully healed.The pain was more frustrating than debilitating at this point, so I endured, and before I crested the hill, the wind carried the sounds of whoops and excited shouts indicating someone was likely getting punched in the face.
Landscape lights illuminated the wooden exterior.The red painted planks were faded in a way that made the renovated building look rustic and charming.Additional lights glowed on the ground floor and second-story porches, both of which wrapped almost completely around the Barn.Despite the cloud cover, I could make out the staff and catch occasional glimpses of the two individuals facing off in the center of them.
Both men were shirtless and both were covered in mud.They stood in the same area where previous fight nights had been held, and the recent rain had turned the already trampled earth soft and squishy.
One lean, broad-shouldered fighter had his back to me.The other was Isaiah, one of the vampire staff members.
And one of my murder suspects.
Technically, everyone working for me was a suspect, but Isaiah and I hadn’t gotten off to the best start.He was the vampire who’d bitten Melissa.Turned out, he was right to assume she was a vampire, but he hadn’t moved past the fact that I’d told him he had to pay for the treatment of Melissa’s injury and for her “pain and suffering.”
I scanned the spectators as I joined them.They didn’t notice me, not even Thordis and Phedre, when I stood just behind them.They were all too engaged in the fight.An oof and then a collective cringe from the crowd made me focus on it too.
Isaiah’s opponent had fallen in the muck.Isaiah darted in to finish him.The man tried to roll out of the way and back to his feet, but he couldn’t get traction.He slipped and fell.
Isaiah had the same issue, misaimed, and landed straight on his left hip, which would have hurt if the ground had been harder.
I didn’t see the face of the second man until both fighters were standing again.Christian.
Was I surprised to see him there?No.
Was I surprised to see him fighting?Also no, even though he shouldn’t be.Arcuro had knocked him across a room and almost choked him to death.Astrid’s poultices had sped up his healing, erasing the bruises from his neck and helping bones mend, but it would take a few more days for our bodies to fully heal.
Thordis whooped when Christian landed a solid kick to Isaiah’s ribs.
“Nice one!”she yelled.Then her shoulders slumped.“It makes no sense he won’t have sex with me.”
“It makes perfect sense,” Phedre replied.“He has refined tastes.”
Thordis glared at her… partner?Friend?Sister?I didn’t know their relationship or why they’d taken jobs at The Rain.Most, if not all, the staff members were hiding from some situation in the outside world.I assumed Thordis and Phedre were too, especially since they were Valkyrie.They’d likely pissed off plenty of people.
Thordis’s glare left when she shrugged.“You might be right.But if we both approach him…” She waggled her eyebrows.
A grin touched Phedre’s lips.“We could—”
“I doubt he’s into threesomes,” I said.
Both Valkyrie spun toward me, smiles gone and eyes wide.
“Right,” Thordis said quickly.“He wouldn’t…Wewouldn’t… I don’t think anyone would suggest—”
Phedre elbowed her in the ribs.Both went still and quiet, which were two words I’d never have used to describe them before that moment.
Valkyrie were weird.
“Christian shouldn’t be fighting,” I said.
As if he’d heard his name, Christian’s gaze shot my direction.His blue eyes met mine for one brief second—just long enough for recognition and a beat of connection between humans—but it was also enough time for Isaiah to land a solid blow to his face.
I cringed with the rest of the spectators.
Christian managed to stay on his feet.Isaiah had expected him to go down, which was probably why he didn’t move for several seconds.Christian took advantage, bulleting forward to take him to the ground.He maneuvered behind the vampire and locked in a choke hold, then he rolled, forcing Isaiah’s face into the mud.Isaiah had no choice except to tap out.
Thordis and Phedre whooped.The rest of the staff joined them.I kept quiet but smiled.Christian was damn impressive.And classy.Once he was back on his feet, he offered his hand to Isaiah.
Isaiah glared at it.There was no way he’d accept help from Christian.Christian had thrown the vampire through a window because he’d taken a swing at Melissa, something that was absolutely not acceptable in the human world.Outside of it, the—
Isaiah grasped Christian’s hand, and Christian pulled him to his feet.They exchanged words thatdidn’tlook pissed off.The vampire even had a smile on his face.
