The furious snarl inside his head cut off, and Kace turned to see what caught the maniac’s attention. A heavy kick landed on his stomach, but other than an uncomfortable exhale of air he continued to stare through the chains of the cage, unable to look away from a woman that looked very similar to the same one that haunted his fucking dreams, and had drawn over and over again.
Darkness drawn to the light.
What the fuck?
* * *
EVA
Eva watched Kace dominate, his movements quick and precise despite his size. Her throat burned, hunger almost overwhelming even as she fought the repulsion of Lucas’s hand on her thigh, his thumb brushing higher and higher beneath the skirt he forced her to wear.
If he recognised the red-headed fighter he hadn’t acknowledged it.
“Come on, come on!” he grunted beneath his breath, a betting slip held tightly in his other fist.
It was the first time she’d been allowed outside since she had woken up dead. She wasn’t even sure how long it had been since the overwhelming pain had pulled her from a groggy sleep, her body cold and a hunger so endless she had attacked Lucas with a strength that surprised her.
She remembered his laugh when she bit into his arm, content to tear and maim until his blood had hit her tongue and she swallowed until the ache in her stomach lessened. She remembered how his laugh changed into a sensual moan, his fingers gripping her closer until the same blood in her mouth had turned to ash.
She had released him as quickly as she had attacked, crawling away with a body faster than before, but not as fast as Lucas, or as strong.
She had learned pretty quickly vampires required regular blood, otherwise they weakened until they were almost back to human. Which was the only reason Lucas was able to keep her as long as he had, his grip tight to stop her from running away.
She missed warmth, her new body unable to regulate temperature when starved, a bloody walking corpse.
“You stupid fucking bastard!” Lucas cried beside her, his fingers pressing hard enough her bone creaked at the force. “Hit him back!”
Eva made no noise, not even a whimper at the increasing pain. It was a distraction from the aching in her throat, at the continuous control it took not to grab one of the shouting men beside her and to sink her fangs into their flesh until she was full.
Two months ago that thought would have made her recoil in disgust, but now her new improved canines punched down as blood splattered the floor of the cage, so sharp they pierced into her bottom lip. Her stomach grumbled, a sweet tasting saliva filling her mouth as her fangs throbbed…
Eva froze as Kace turned, a frown pulling his brow as his eyes met hers. It was only a split second, not long enough for her to react before he returned to his opponent. But long enough for any hope she had to shrivel and die like her soul.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuckety-fuck!
What was she thinking? She barely recognised herself in the mirror, her skin a shade paler than her already fair skin. Her blue irises she had inherited from her mother had darkened to black, which was apparently a sign of rage, or intense hunger. She was both.
Lucas had explained she wouldn’t truly die from starvation, but it would teach her a lesson. He wanted her to beg, to obey.
She would rather die.
Eva felt the beat inside her chest, which was a comforting surprise considering Lucas had enjoyed joking about how his Breed had no hearts. She wasn’t truly dead, not when she still had a heartbeat, still breathed and felt pain. She just wasn’t human anymore.
“I can hear your heart from here,” Lucas growled.
So could she, the boom, boom, boom overstimulating against her heightened senses. Her hearing was able to pick up every conversation in the large room, the voices all muddled together unless she concentrated. Even her sight had improved, everything seeming brighter, more defined. It was distracting, her mind unable to focus.
“Filter your senses and calm down before someone notices.”
She opened her mouth, a sharp retort ready but no sound came out. Only the infinite burning that had stolen her voice, every swallow excruciating.
“I think I prefer you like this,” Lucas said before he returned to the fight.
Fuck you, you small-dicked piece of shit!If only her gaze could cut.
She looked around for someone else, anyone else. No one turned, not even a flicker of care as they watched the cage. The place was busy, the wooden benches that circled the fight so full, many people stood at the back. There was a betting office, the front covered in a metal lattice with a small section cut out at the bottom. Boys, maybe early to mid-teens ran the bets between the office and some of the punters, carefully manoeuvring the chaos.
Cheers, as well as cries of despair as the fight continued with brutal speed, the smack of flesh on flesh igniting the crowd. The man next to her stood, arms wide as he roared. Another joined him, and then another until a whole row obscured the view.
