Stepping away, I watch the blood gush from the open wound and splatteronto my boots and jeans. I don’t even wait to see him drop to the floor. Instead, I turn to look at my father.
I hope he sees the irony.
Blinking, I fall to my knees. I’m losing my energy and fast. All of a sudden, the lights seem to flash and my breathing becomes labored.
I’m grabbed on both sides and dragged out of the arena knowing I passed. But it’s not a victory. It just bought me another year.
TWO
KASHTON
INITIATION
Devotion
Sophomore year at Barrington University
Igroan at the gnawing pain in the back of my head. A pounding fucking headache.
“The fuck?” I get to my wobbly legs. Placing my hand on the wall, I run the other down my face to see if I’m bleeding. Nothing. Then why do I feel like I got the shit beaten out of me?
“Hello?” I call out and look around. I’m in the elevator at Carnage. Of course I’m fucking here. I hate this goddamn place, and my father knows it. I’m only here when the Spade brothers force me to be.
I notice it’s descending, and the button controls inform me I’m headed to the basement. “Fuck.”
It’s my initiation.Last thing I remember is my father calling me to his office. I thought it was odd, but he’s always doing things that don’t make sense to me. He offered me a brandy snifter that I couldn’t object to.
Now I know why—he drugged me. The headache confirms it.
The door slides open and the cold air rushes into the confined space, followed by the smell of blood. More than usual.
Stepping off the elevator, I see the plastic strip curtains. Blood is splattered all over them and dripping off the bottom onto the floor. This is supposed to be my greatest fear. But he better try harder than this. Blood? It doesn’t faze me.
A blood-curdling scream echoes throughout the concrete room,making my heart leap in my chest. “No.” A sob follows. “Please…don’t…” she continues to beg.
I rush through the curtains, letting them slap me in the face. The pits are filled with blood. “What?” I rush over to them, dropping to my knees and shoving my hands through the bars, sloshing the blood around, trying to feel for a body, but there’s nothing in them. I do the same to the others. Also empty.
“Where did all this blood come from?” I grind out.
“Please, don’t hurt me…” the female cries.
I know that voice. “Ashtyn?” I shout, getting to my feet and rushing down the hallway to the cells. “Ashtyn?” It’s Adam’s twin sister. We grew up with her. He would kill me if I allowed anything to happen to her. Same with Saint. He’s one of my best friends, and he’s in love with her.
“Pl-ease?” Her voice cracks and my breathing accelerates.
“I’m coming, Ash. Where are you?” I quickly scan each cell on the left and right as I frantically make my way down the hallway. “Ashtyn?” I shout, starting to panic.
Coming to the last one on the right, I see her inside. “Ash?—”
“Oh, thank God, Kash. Please, Kash. Please save me,” she begs through a sob.
There’s a metal table in the center of the cell. She’s bent over the side, arms out, with her wrists secured to the front legs. Her legs are spread wide and connected to the table legs as well.
“Help me,” she screams, pulling on the restraints.
I try to open the cell, but it’s locked. “Fuck,” I shout. “Hang on. I’ve got to get a key.”
“Wait. No. Don’t leave…”
