Page 7 (1/2)
Grace stood at the edge of a huge arena of white stone and marble that resethe same sea-covered crystal do? Castle?
Wide and long, the arena spanned the length of a football field The air was scented with sweat and dirt, courtesy of the sixto annihilate each other Their grunts and groans blended with the cringe-worthy clang of metal They had yet to notice her
Her heart thudded in her chest, and she whipped around, intent on running back down the corridor When she spied yet another warrior, this one just entering the far end, she scooted to the side, out of sight Had he seen her? She didn&039;t know; she only knew the nearest exit was blocked The nearest exit was blocked !
"Calm down," she whispered She&039;d wait two minutes Surely the hallould be clear by then; surely for such a short aht here and remain unnoticed Then she&039;d escape Siht you to fight, Kendrick?" one man snarled He was the tallest man present, with broad shoulders and ropelike muscles His pale hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and the long length of it slapped his cheek as he shoved his opponent to the ground "Your sister?"
The one called Kendrick jumped to his feet, sword raised in front of him He wore the same black leather pants and black shirt as the others He was obviously the youngest "Perhaps it was your sister," he growled "After I tureen scales momentarily appeared on the first one
The tall blonde sheathed his sword and held out his hands He motioned for Kendrick to approach him "If I actually had a sister, I would kill you where you stand Since I do not, I&039; to beat you senseless"
A man stepped between the two coly sad features He was unarh," he said "We are friends here Not enehtly older than Kendrick juument He pointed the tip of his sword at the sad one&039;s chest Wet strands of brown hair clung to his teon tattoo that stretched up from his jawline "It&039;s time you and all the other lucifaeres learned you&039;re not infallible"
Renard&039;s golden eyes narrowed "Reut you where you stand"
The "little hatchling&039;s" face paled, and he did as commanded
Grace inched backward a step Breathe , she co to kill each other
"Smart move," another male said This one had strawberry-blond hair and a breathtakingly beautiful face, which thoroughly contrasted with the fact that he was polishing a two-pronged hatchet Dry aolden eyes "Renard has killed uess it helps that he knows exactly where to cut them, where to make them bleed and suffer for days at a ti"
At his words, cold sweat beaded on Grace&039;s forehead Sheto scare you," one of the younger boys gritted out "Don&039;t listen to him"
"I hope you kill each other" The heated phrase came froround "Gods know I&039;?" soart"
Kendrick chose that e blonde With a howl, the twoEvery otherhih, every one of thelance to the hall Empty Relief threatened to topple her She kept her eyes on the combatants and moved another inch backward then another then another
And backed herself right into the table of weapons
In a sudden syether and tottered to the floor
Then silence
All six men stopped, whirled and faced her In the space of a few seconds, their bloody and bruised expressions registered shock, ed in her throat She scra about her shoes A thin piece of ould not stop these e with a barrier between them She tried to lift a blade but it was too heavy
A solid wall suddenly crowded her from behind A very much alive, solid wall
"Like to play with amale arms wound around her waist-and they weren&039;t Darius&039;s This man&039;s skin was darker, his hands not quite as thick But more than that, he didn&039;t cause the same wave of arousal that Darius stirred in her This man&039;s embrace caused only fear
"Remove your hands this instant," she said calret it"
"Regret it, or keep loving it?"
"Who do you have there, Brand?" one of the warriors asked
"Give h voice drew closer to her ear, beco here, hmm?" he asked "Wo arena"
She gulped "I-I-Darius is-"
He tensed against her "Darius sent you?"
"Yes," she answered, praying such an ad her "Yes, he did"
A chuckle rumbled from hi him, our leader sent us a whore I never expected that What&039;s more, I never expected hiistered one portion of his speech A whore? Whore! If they thought she was paid to have sex with them, they&039;d ame She shuddered
"Excited already, little whore?" He chuckled again "Me, too"
Applying the same technique she&039;d used on Darius, she jabbed her foot atop her captor&039;s instep, then rammed her elbow into his stomach He umphed and loosened his hold She twisted, jerked back her fist and let it fly Her knuckles collided with his jaw On i his sandy-colored braids across his cheek He howled and released her
Free now, she attempted to run The other warriors had already encircled her, however, halting any progress Her heart stopped beating Their bloodlust see only lust
One of theuess she doesn&039;t like you, Brand" He laughed
"I&039; to bet she&039;ll like me"
"None of us like you, Madox Why would she?"
"Why don&039;t you send her over here to me? I kno to treat a woman"