I slashed in a three-stepmotion again, going for the softer kill zones. Throat, chest, gut.
He threw out an arm toprotect his throat and my weapon sunk into his bicep with a sickening sound andI faltered. That was so much worse than the little cuts from before.
He took advantage of myhesitation and threw a knee into my stomach. The wind rushed out of me as Ikeeled forward. I kept my grip on the sword, but wasn’t able to move before hisfoot clipped my forehead, throwing me backward. I hit the ground hard, and ashis large form lunged over the top of me, I knew death was stalking me. Everythingmoved in slow motion then – the snarl, the fangs, the blood of his woundsraining across me. His hands were around my throat as he went in for the oldfashioned kill. I knew he was strong enough to snap my neck and possibly takemy head from my body. I felt the strength in his hands and limbs. But I was notprepared to die here today.
My eyes flashed across tothe section where I knew Jayden and Ryder were sitting. Lucas was close by. Allthree of them had believed in me; there was something special in my blood. Iwas the first freakin’ female ash. I had to do this today. I had to be strongenough.
A surge of strength shotthrough me, despite the fact that I couldn’t breathe and dick ash was aboutfive seconds from killing me. I smashed up with my sword and at the same time buckedviolently managing to dislodge him a little. I shouldn’t have had so much reachfrom my position, but somehow I rolled to the side, tucking the sword againstmy body. Heat infused in my center, and I wondered if this was the fire thatRyder was talking about. I continued to roll, avoiding his heavy boot he hadaiming for my face.
Time to die, asshole!
I jumped to my feet, mymovements smooth and controlled for once. Must have been channeling my trainer.My opponent seemed to expect I would go for his head again, but the moment hewas within arm’s reach, I dropped again. His eyes widened, and I had more thanenough time to slash out at his ankles. As the hilt of my sword whacked intohis injured ankle, he came tumbling down flat on the ground. I got to my feetagain, wasting no time, trying to think about what I was about to do next. Iwas a robot. All humanity had left me. My heart pumped with adrenaline as thesword came down and bit into his exposed neck.
The blade was sharp, andcut through the initial skin like paper, but there was resistance as I foughtto finish the job. I was struggling to not stop. I wanted to scream, or vomit,or throw the fucking sword far away where I couldn’t see it again. But this waskill or be killed. I had no choice, although sometimes it felt like that wasjust an excuse. I simply wanted to live, and today luck had fallen on my side.
My arms shook as Ifinally finished. The ash was still, his head connected by just by a sliver ofmuscle.
The crowd roared as Idropped the sword. There was a whining in my ears and I could no longer hearthe shouts as my chest began to heave in shock. Suddenly Ryder was there,whisking me up into his arms. I fought him at first, but then let him take meback into the locker room. He set me down and was holding on to my biceps, hisgrip firm but not painful.
“Charlie!” His voicepushed past my shock.
Oh God. I killed someone.I cut his head off … I cut his … I tried to move my face away but I couldn’t. Ithrew up all over Ryder’s shirt.
He didn’t seem fazed,those silver and green eyes flashing at me. “Your first kill is always thehardest.”
As if I could ever getused to this. I wasn’t sure I could do that again, but if I didn’t I’d be theone missing my head.
Since the fighting was over for the day,Ryder took me to my room. I felt cold, chilled to my bones. I just walkedbehind him, mindlessly following and doing what he said. He sat me at the edgeof my bed and handed me a bottle of blood and I drank it without pleasure. ThenI lay back as Ryder unlaced my boots and I curled into a ball. He placed ablanket over me and told me to rest up until the next fight, in which I wouldbe fighting doubles. A sliver of me was sad that I was too out of it to reallyenjoy this more caring side of Ryder, but I was already too far gone. I closedmy eyes and the deep kiss of sleep engulfed my mind.
A soft hand stroked my neck.“Mmm … Ryder,” I mumbled, opening my eyes.
Jayden sat before me,black eyes twinkling and shit-eater grin in place. “Oh my God, if we weren’tabout to go into a battle for our lives, I would tease the shit out of you forthat one.”
I sat up quickly. “Wait,we?”
Jayden grinned. “Yep, yourhomeboy Lucas must have some pull with all of his high-up friends, because wehappen to be paired together, and we happen to be fighting the two weakest andinjured guys.”
I squealed and jumpedinto his arms. He winced and pushed me back a little.
“Oh, damn. Sorry, Jay. Areyou still hurt?”
He nodded and lifted hisshirt to show stitches on his ribcage, and I noticed then that his calf wasstill bandaged.
“You don’t mind having agay gimp for a partner?”
My mouth dropped open.“You’re gay?”
He rolled his eyes. “Ilove you, bitch.”
I smiled. “Right back atya, bitch.”
And that was it. In ourown special way we had just said goodbye.
Jayden and I stood in the training roomwith Bryan, Jayden’s trainer, and Ryder. On the bench sat a short dagger and ashort wooden stick with a spiked ball hanging from the end. Our twochosen-by-the-other-side weapons. Freak me. I shivered.
Ryder lifted one foot andrested it on the bench seat, which from my angle only emphasized his muscularthigh and ass cheek. Damn, Ryder’s ass …not the time, Charlie.
I focused on my trainer’swords. “You two have a serious advantage here. No one in the culling becomesfriends, it’s every man for himself. Even these two will be against each other,trying to get the last spots. The buzzer rings as soon as two ash die. Itdoesn’t even matter which two or which team.”
