Page 23 of Dark Souls

Kill Or Be Killed

“R ip his fucking head off!” Sammi yelled at the top of her lungs. I couldn’t stop laughing. I realised that my sense of humour was pretty fucking twisted and extremely inappropriate. Just like seeing Eddie Hughes’ dick in his mouth, watching Sammi become this feral, potty-mouthed cheerleader while supernaturals ripped limbs from each other was rather amusing. She was now standing on her chair, hollering and whooping as the wolf/vampire hybrid pinned the warlock to the floor and sunk its fangs into his neck.

It was the semi-finals and whoever won this fight would face The Dealer. My nerves were shot and my excitement sky-high. Tonight was eye-opening in more ways than one. Yes, this event was entirely immoral on so many levels, but at the end of the day, every fighter was there by choice. They signed up for this, hoping winning would earn them millions, fame and glory. So did I feel sorry for them when, at the end of each round, only one remained? No. They knew what they were getting themselves into and, I had to admit, it was thoroughly entertaining to watch. I’d only ever associated violence with my hunger or anger. To protect or to feed. They were the only reason I ever used my vampire skills. So sitting back and admiring the way a fight truly unfolded, to feel the explosion of feelings while being a bystander, was rather refreshing. But I also felt a small pang of guilt. My upbringing and my obligations to my parents taught me I shouldn’t enjoy this so much. It was wrong. If any of my family members were here, they wouldn’t be happy to see this. But I’d never tried to hide the fact that I was different. Sometimes, I just had to tame the wildness. But tonight, I could be free.

“Go for his hands! Remove his connection to magic!” I threw caution to the wind as I jumped up on my chair to join Sammi and shouted words of encouragement to the hybrid. Sammi had a lot of money riding on him, making it to the final, so the least I could do was show my support.

I doubted the hybrid heard me over the roar of the crowd, but he maimed one of the warlock’s hands a second later before finishing him by tearing his limbs from his body.

“Wooohooo! Yes!” Sammi turned and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me violently as I laughed. “I’m giving you a grand for that!”

“I’ll give you a grand to sit your fat ass down! Can’t see a thing with that full moon,” a spiteful voice from the row behind us caused us both to turn and glare at the bulky man with a face like a slapped ass.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Sammi roared, diving at him to claw his face. Quick as a flash, I wrapped my arm around her waist and held her back before she started an actual fight in the stands and got us kicked out before the final.

“Not worth it, Sammi!” I warned her when I saw two bouncers walking down the aisles. I pushed her down in her chair by her shoulders as she gritted her teeth. “Just think of all that cash you are about to win. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves and get kicked out now.”

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as my gaze snapped over her head to the man, who was smirking at me with a seedy expression. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, so his face was in direct line with mine. “You’re a good friend, sweetheart. Or maybe you should let her get kicked out, so you can sit that pretty ass on my lap for the night. At least your ass is small enough, unlike hers. You’d fit perfectly.”

“Why? Do you have a small dick?” I smiled sweetly as his eyes squinted into slits, but he continued to smirk.

“Why don’t you come back here and find out?”

“I would if you didn’t look like you had just emerged from a slow cooker. I could work with a small dick but that face... nah.” I turned back around as Sammi burst out laughing and ignored the snarky comments, calling me a stuck-up bitch.

“Oh my god, you are brilliant,” Sammi said as the staff rushed into the ring to clear up the body parts that were decorating the bloodstained concrete. “Are you coming to next week’s event? Please say you are! I’d love to hang out with you again.”

“Which event is that?” I asked casually as I watched the hybrid take a swig from a bottle of water and wipe the blood from his face with a towel. He stared intently at the dark tunnel on the other side of the room, his shoulders tense as he waited for his final opponent.

“The theme is ‘The Pleasure Den’.” Her eyes twinkled as she wiggled her eyebrows. “A night where we can indulge in many hedonistic pleasures. Exotic drugs, ecstasy potions, aphrodisiacs, to forbidden and taboo sex acts.”

I scoffed. I think I’d had enough ecstasy potions, which led me to make some questionable sexual choices lately. But then again, if people’s inhibitions were lowered, it would be easier to find out more about Heathen.

“Yeah. I’ll be there.” I smiled as she clapped her hands together just as the host announced for everyone to take their seats for the final. My heart did a little somersault and I had no idea why. I must have been way more invested in this fight than I thought. “Hey, earlier you said something about The Devil’s Pet. Who is that?”

I read her mind as she shrugged her shoulders. But what she said was the truth. “I’m not sure. I’ve never met him but Daddy says he is nearly always around. Watching from the shadows. Apparently, he’s an identity stealer, so he often switches between people throughout the night so no one knows he’s there until, you know, it’s too late.”

“Too late?”

“The Dealer’s the authority around here but The Pet is sent to end you if you put a foot wrong.”

I swallowed as my eyes widened. Heath. It had to be. Heath was The Devil’s Pet.

“Final Round: Ripper VS The Dealer.”

The room exploded into a hurricane of activity as the strobe lighting flashed around the room before landing on the entrance of the tunnel. I stood up to join the crowd that was on their feet, shouting and cheering. Feeling a strange uneasiness, I licked my lips and squeezed my hands into fists for no reason. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but I suddenly felt extremely nervous about this fight and I never get nervous. My eyes darted between the dark, silent tunnel and the hybrid, who was pacing one side of the ring, growling and hissing through sharp fangs, with his eyes changing from red to black.

The Dealer sure liked to take his time. The suspense was driving me and everyone else crazy. The energy in the room had heightened. People were pushing and shoving, craning their necks to get a view of the non-existent champion.

“What an arrogant prick. Clearly, he loves to keep the crowd waiting,” I whispered to Sammi.

“I guess he needs to make a grand entrance,” she answered. “He’s basically a celebrity here.”

Suddenly, the crowd’s volume rose considerably and people started screaming his name with hysterical abandonment. Frantically bobbing my head to each side, I tried to see around the lanky fucker in the row before me, but it was no use. I’d never hated being 5ft2 more. I couldn’t see a thing. Groaning, I jumped up onto my chair, ignoring shitface’s protests behind me, and turned to stare at the man that had just emerged from the darkness.

My next breath failed me.

That unruly crimson hair flopped forwards dipping into fierce red eyes that were slanted into a terrifying scowl. One that I had seen before. The lights flashed across his sharp features, catching the multiple metal piercings in his face and ears. The face of my soulmate.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I muttered to myself, my heart pounding uncontrollably against my ribs as my body trembled.

“I know, right! I told you. He’s sexy as fuck. God, I’d give nearly anything to ride that dick for a night, but I don’t fancy waking up dead so…”

Rue hissed through me before I could control her possessiveness at another female wanting to have sex with our mate, while in my head I wondered what the hell she was talking about. And then it hit me. The shock ebbed away, and the connection fell into place. Red, my soulmate, the asshole who did a fuck and chuck on me, was the ruler of The Underground. And… he was about to fight to the death. My chest started to rise and fall as I struggled to keep my breathing even. My eyes hadn’t left Red since he’d emerged from the tunnel, looking all kinds of sinfully irresistible. Sammi was right. He was sexy as hell.

Shirtless, he paraded around the ring, his broad shoulders rolling as he cracked his neck to the side. His wide chest showed his breathing was steady, unlike mine, as his long legs ate up the space of the ring effortlessly. Athletic muscle and black ink covered his upper body, making my mouth water just at the sight. But it wasn’t just his perfect tattooed body that had me hypnotised. He had this presence. It was electrifying. It was as if you could physically see the molecules in the air shifting around him just to give him a wide berth. His lethal gaze showed he wasn’t here to play as his lips curled up into a vicious, cold smile directed towards his opponent. My heart beat faster. What were the chances of him being killed during this fight? I was still furious, and I wouldn’t let some hybrid kill him before I got the chance.

‘You best be joking!’ Rue argued. She was itching for me to go to him, to make myself known, but I was fighting her every urge to stay hidden in the crowd, even though it physically pained me to do so.

‘When did you lose your sense of humour? Of course, I am not serious.’

‘When it comes to our soulmate, stop fucking around with that shit. He is about to risk his life. Stop him!’

I hesitated, feeling torn. ’He’ll be fine. And anyway, he deserves a beating. ’ I didn’t sound convinced.

‘You just watched five other fighters get brutally murdered, and you aren’t the least bit concerned that he might be next?’

’Yes, I’m concerned but what do you expect us to do? Jump down there in front of all these supernaturals that have bet millions on this fight and be like, ‘oh sorry everyone but this is my mate so stop fighting please’. Come on, Rue. There is fuck all we can do about it. This is his choice. He’s the ruler of this entire club. We don’t even know him. He could be completely evil. You heard everything Sammi said about him!’

‘All rumours!’

‘We don’t know that!’

‘Well, he didn’t kill us when he slept with us, did he?’

I swallowed the arousal as my vision zoned in on his large hands clenching into fists and he licked his lower lip. Memories of the hottest fuck flooded my brain and I had to inhale a deep breath to keep my shit together. How was I going to watch this? I had to leave, but I couldn’t tear myself away from the seat.

“Get out of the way, bitch!” the man who really wanted my fist to meet his face tonight started shouting behind me. Ignoring him, I fought down the rising anger that made me want to tear his head off his shoulders. I’d never had to show so much restraint in my life. My breathing became rapid and shallow, and I found it difficult to get enough air. I was having a mild panic attack, not knowing what the hell I should do.

Red’s head moved to the left, his blazing eyes scanning the stands for a moment, as if he could sense me watching him. His dark brows tightened with confusion as he searched the sea of faces and I turned my head in panic, facing the man behind instead so Red would only get a view of the back of my black wig. Why was I hiding? I doubted he’d even recognise me in this disguise, but still, I didn’t want to take my chances. Not yet.

“What’s up, sweetheart? Are you feeling squeamish? Wanna distraction?” The man sneered, grabbing his gross dick and pulling it out of the zip of his jeans as his friend laughed. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. If I hadn’t felt sick before, I definitely did after that. I turned back around, feeling too out of it to even come up with a witty comeback.

My eyes bulged when I realised the fight had just started. The hybrid and Red were moving so fast around the ring with their vampire speed, it was impossible to keep up. The sound of gut-wrenching punches and the slamming of their bodies over and over against the barrier and the concrete floor was making bile rise in my throat. This was so different from all the other fights where I’d enjoyed being a spectator. I wanted to scream at them to stop. Rue was fighting for control to take charge and dive down there to end the fight herself, but I knew I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t make a scene in front of every member of The Underground. I promised Heathen I’d be inconspicuous. My family made me promise I wouldn’t get into any trouble.

The hybrid shifted into his wolf and, in a violent move, locked his jaw around Red’s side, brutally chucking him across the ring and ripping a gash through his stomach. I hissed through my fangs as my heart felt like it was about to be torn from my chest at seeing my mate being attacked and hurt.

I don’t even know him. He is probably evil. He doesn’t want me. He told me to forget him.

I repeated the mantra again and again, reminding myself to stay exactly where I was.

“Fuck. He’s distracted,” Sammi cried, slamming her hands over her cheeks. “He never takes this long to kill. It’s already been two minutes. What is he looking at? He keeps looking this way.”

I swallowed as I realised she was right. Any time there was a gap in the combat, Red’s head would whip this way, his confused red eyes searching the crowd. The hybrid would take the opportunity and land another blow. My heart flipped. He must have sensed me but couldn’t see me. No, no, no . I would not be the reason he died.

Doing the only thing I could think of that would give him his answer but not give away my identity, I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted, “RED!”

He froze. His eyes found mine. He frowned, even more confused by my yellow eyes and black hair.

“Concentrate, you fucking asshole! You die and I’ll never forgive you,” I shouted, just as the wolf bulldozed into his side, tackling him to the ground. I swore, leaning forwards slightly, my hands flying up to cover my mouth as Sammi stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

I felt a subtle hand slide up the back of my leg towards the top of my skirt. I hissed, my fangs snapping down as I swatted the man from behind’s hand away. “Don’t fucking touch me, wanker.”

“You bend forwards like that, and you’re asking for it, sweetheart.”

I growled but forced my attention to stay on the fight as Red spun the wolf onto his back and ripped his sharp claws through the wolf’s chest. A howl ripped through the air, but Red narrowed his eyes on me, his chest heaving and his fangs hanging over his lips. He was testing me. Wanting to see my reaction to his darkness. Heat pooled between my legs as I watched him rip open the wolf’s ribcage, the vile cracking sound filling the air as the crowd went ballistic. Blood covered his chest and arms, yet he never took his eyes off me. My heart was racing like it never had before. Adrenaline coursed through me, watching my mate kill. Kill to survive.

Fingers dived under my skirt from behind and the intrusion across my underwear made my eyes widen, and a shocked gasp left my lips as I whipped around to face my attacker, ready to tear him apart.

The man smirked at me, lifting the hand he’d violated me with in front of him. “Dirty bitch. Violence makes you wet, hey? I can help with that—”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence because, in a split second, his arm was no longer attached to his body.

“Oh my goddess!” Sammi squealed next to me as a few gasps resounded around us.

The scream that left the man’s lips had my mouth drop open as he fell to his knees. There, standing between us, was my mate, covered in blood and holding the man’s torn arm in his hand. He threw it over the crowd, and it landed in the ring with the wolf’s mangled corpse.

Red turned slightly to stare at my shocked face. His eyes scanned every inch of me as he remained cold and calm on the exterior. But his eyes gave him away. Those eyes that blazed with so much fire.

“What did he say to you?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but my voice failed me for a moment. The pure viciousness in his gaze held me captive.

“What. Did. He. Say?” He punctuated each word with venom and a sliver of fear skated down my spine.

“He called her a dirty bitch. And said, violence made her wet,” Sammi stuttered helpfully next to me.

His eyes darted to her briefly and then back to mine. “He fucking touched you there?” He hissed through his fangs, violence radiating off him in waves.

Composing myself, I pulled back my shoulders. “I was handling it. I don’t need you to—”

He grabbed the man’s head under his arm. In one brutal action, he ripped his head off and catapulted it down to the ring, sending his headless body after it a second later. The room echoed with the sound of shock before it fell deathly silent. All eyes were on us. However, our gaze remained locked on each other. His jaw ticked. He cracked his neck to the side. He was livid.

“Get her the fuck out of here,” he hissed, staring me straight in the eyes and then zoomed away in a blur.

“Wait!” I called out after him, but before I could follow him, two bouncers blocked my path.

“Come with us.”

“Only if you take me to see The Dealer.” I folded my arms over my chest. “As a member of this club, I demand to see The Dealer! And I will fight my way to him if I must.”

One bouncer chuckled, exchanging a glance with the other. “Your funeral.”

Sammi gave me a half-convincing thumbs-up as I walked past her and followed behind the bouncers while every single pair of eyes in the room studied me. I put my head down, hoping no one would recognise me and ground my teeth together.

So much for not making a fucking scene.