Just before we disappeared through the doorway back to the tunnels, Spencer leaned in on more time, planting a soft peck on my cheek. “Let’s get going then before they send out a search party.”
I took her hand and let her lead me back through the winding tunnels, trying not to notice the way my skin tingled under her touch.
But as we rejoined the group, it wasn’t just my energy that had shifted. The entire Hollow was churning with new traffic, frenzied murmurs bouncing off the high ceilings even through the droning bass.
Leo’s eyes flicked between the two of us suspiciously as we carved our way through the dancefloor, but before she could ask any questions, Leo raised her own. “What’s going on? I haven’t seen it this hectic since?—”
“Fight Night’s starting!” Chels called as she bounded over, grabbing Spencer and Leo by the arm.
My saviors exchanged an uneasy look as I looked to them for clarification. “Fight Night?”
Avoiding my gaze, Leo turned to Chels, who was already getting swept up in the crush of bodies funneling toward one of the darkened tunnels I’d spotted earlier. “Fight Night isn’t supposed to be for another few weeks.”
Chels shrugged as they gave a tug on Leo’s arm. “I don’t know. I heard they’re pushing it up for a fresh kill or something. Either way, I’m trying to get a good seat.”
I had no fucking clue what this was. But what I did know is that there were answers down these tunnels, and I was intent on finding them.
Before Spencer or Leo could back out of it, I stepped forward, my grip on Spencer’s hand firm as I slipped into the flow of the crowd. “Come on. We don’t want to miss the good seats.”
46
KIERA
“Kiera…”Leo called out hesitantly from behind me.
“What’s the hold up? I told you I want to see what you get up to while I’m gone.”
She frowned. “This isn’t the best ex?—”
“Don’t be stupid. Look at how excited everyone is.” The crowd was crushing in from either side, tearing us away from Chels and Tanner and Bella as they excitedly herded toward the biggest tunnel.
“Who cares about all of this? We can still go home. Have some fun of our own?” Spencer hedged, but I ignored the implication.
“I’m having plenty of fun here. Come on.” I marched onward, giving them the option to either chaperone what happened next or leave me to my own exploration. And exactly as I predicted, they chose the former.
I was determined to keep moving forward. No matter how tight the ball of anxiety in my chest grew, I knew I needed answers.
But god, I fucking hate crowds.
Being stuck underground was already a big no for me. At least after Spencer showed me how close the fresh air was, I felt a little safer.
Though, as the crowd shoved down the long tall tunnel, I realized Spencer hadn’t been kidding about the other dangers lurking in the dark.
Along the hall’s edges were a few makeshift stalls with rusty, corrugated metal for roofs. The wood display cases out front of them showcased all sorts of forbidden goodies. But the most popular by far was the stand selling glass bottles with clear liquid inside.
Vodka?
Tons of the bikers around us were chugging the shit. But when an open container of it wafted past me, the smell nearly made me empty my stomach.
Spencer leaned into my ear. “Moonshine, baby. Nasty stuff. It’ll have you fucked up for a week.”
Scrunching my nose, I went back to observing. Another stall had weapons, mostly knives and axes. A special sign showed the prices for personal inscriptions.
How many of them are carrying weapons like that right now?
Before I could question it, the crowd carried us forward. There was a bright light at the end of the tunnel: beyond it, the roar of a crowd was already swelling to an apex. I shielded my eyes against it, still trying to adjust from the dim, red lighting from the main tunnel.
But with each step, the light grew closer, brighter, inescapable. I turned my head just in time to see the last stall before the exit.
