Page 124 of Bratva Knight

The crowd went wild, the screaming and cheering so loud, I had to cover my ears.

Shewas the Crimson Death? She was rumoured to be one of the deadliest assassins on the planet. I was beyond shocked. I’d grown up hearing stories about her. Her identity had always been a secret, but the few glimpses of blazing red hair had been what had given her the moniker of the Crimson Death, because that was all her marks saw of her before they met their end. Her skills were renowned. Fast. Efficient. Resourceful. Intelligent. Incredible hand-to-hand combat. Expert marksmanship.

No wonder the crowd was going so fucking crazy. Individually, my father and this woman were legends. But together? Together, they were a powerhouse couple.

Father was a pro at hiding his emotions. However, the moment the announcer revealed the woman’s identity, even he couldn’t hide the flicker of surprise that went through his eyes. He looked down at her and she smiled up at him brightly, full of cheekiness. Like they weren’t about to fight for their lives or anything.

The crowd was still going berserk, cheering and chanting for the Deadly Duo. The announcer couldn’t even finish introducing them because they were screaming so loud, impatient for the fight to begin.

“Alright! I see everyone is eager to get the night going! So, why don’t we get to it?! Ladies and gentleman, Round Two of the Til Death Games!”

Tense, nervous energy filled me when the oval flooded with light and the cameras panned in on the fighters. I had complete faith in my father and his skills, but there was something truly sickening about watching someone you love in a dangerous situation, regardless of how good they were, and not being able to do a damn thing to stop it. Anything could happen. And I would just have to stand there and watch it.

Music came on in the background, something dark and bassy to fit with the event of the night. Father and Autumn (that was the name next to her image on the jumbotron) spread out, sizing up their targets. She took Lily and he took Roger, clearly having come up with some sort of attack plan prior to the fight. They stayed close enough so that they’d be able to reach each other if need be, but far enough away to be able to fight unhindered.

I continued my lap around the Arena ground floor, making out like I was doing my job, monitoring the crowd, when really my entire focus was down there in the oval.

They were in the grass terrain and small obstacles had been placed throughout it: rocks, boulders, logs. There was even a small stream running from one side to the other, separating the two teams.

There were only two weapons that I could see accessible—an axe and a machete—which would mean it would be a fight to get to them first. They seemed to be placed at an equal distance from each team, so it would all come down to who was faster.

There was no countdown. No ticking clock for when the fight was to begin. Both teams just stared at each other from across the field.

Then everything snapped into action.

They ran for each other, leaping over whatever obstacle was in their way as they sprinted towards the weapons. Father was quick, despite his big size. So was Roger. They reached the axe at the same time and both chose to leave it and engage in hand-to-hand combat rather than risk bending down to pick it up.

Father front-kicked and Roger leapt to the left, dodging it. Father swung a reverse elbow and then pivoted quickly to jab at Roger’s abdomen. He groaned at the blow but recovered fast, lashing out with his own strike. They exchanged blows, neither one holding anything back as they punched and kicked, using all of their quickness and strength to try to catch the other off guard.

Autumn and Lily were in the same situation, both fighting each other ruthlessly to try and get the upper hand. Lily slipped and Autumn rolled along the grass, picking up the machete. She swung for Lily's head. Lily dove out of the way and scrambled, looking for something to use to defend herself. Someone threw a shield down into the oval and Lily picked it up, using it to block the blow Autumn delivered right at the last second, the sound of metal on metal ringing through the air.

My gaze moved back to Father and Roger. They were circling each other, fists up and bodies crouched, coiled to strike. The crowd screamed for more bloodshed. More violence. They wouldn’t be happy until they’d torn each other limb from limb.

Roger kicked some pebbles near the stream into my father’s face. He hissed, scratching at his face and Roger charged, tackling him to the ground. The crowd groaned in unison. Roger started pounding and Father did his best to block but the MC president had the upper hand. He held the advantage.

Get up. Get up.

Father deflected his blows and then reared forward, wrapping his arms around Roger’s head in a headlock and pulling him down. He tried to get free, but Father held tight, his legs curling around his waist and strengthening the hold. Roger’s arm shot out to the side, his hand searching for something to use as a weapon. His fingers curled around a rock and then he struck Father across the face with it.

The blow was hard enough to disorient him and Father’s hold loosened. Roger burst free and raised his arm, rock in his hand, preparing to strike him again. Out of nowhere came Autumn. She rammed into Roger from the side, tackling him off Father.

The crowdroared.

They rolled along the ground, fighting for the dominant position, and when they finally stopped rolling, she was on the bottom, her arms around his neck and legs locked around him in a perfect, textbook rear naked choke.

Roger struggled. Lily shuffled over, trying to get to him to help him, but her leg was dragging behind her. Had Autumn broken it?

Father jumped to his feet and kicked her in the chest when she tried to pass him. Lily went flying back, landing in a heap with a pain-filled cry that could be heard over the roaring crowd. Father didn’t hesitate to pick up the axe and, thanks to the hold Autumn had on Roger, lodged it deep into his exposed chest with a powerful swing.

Roger screamed in agony, his whole body bucking. Autumn let go and shuffled out from underneath him as Father prepared to strike again. The axe cut into his arm next, the force behind it so strong that Father severed the limb entirely. Blood sprayed, drenching him from head to toe, but that didn’t stop him from swinging again. And again, and again. He hacked into Roger until he was in tiny little pieces, not stopping even when the man was long dead.

Autumn made her way over to Lily, who was still clutching her chest, groaning in pain, her whole body curled up into a ball. Both women were covered in dirt, water and blood. The tell-tale signs of a brutal and vicious fight. I’m pretty sure I could see locks of Autumn’s blazing red hair out there in the grass. Hair-pulling hadn’t even been off limits. Women fought dirty.

Autumn picked up the machete casually, kicked Lily onto her back and then swung the weapon without a shred of hesitation, the sharp edge of the blade lodging deep into Lily's forehead. Her face froze in a mixture of horror and pain and then her entire body slumped, her life vanishing into the night.

There was a brief moment of silence and then the crowd broke out into an enormous cheer, screaming and chanting ‘Deadly Duo! Deadly Duo!’ They stomped their feet. Banged whatever they had along the metal railings. They tried to make as much noise as was possible to convey how much they fucking loved what they had just witnessed.

Father joined Autumn at her side, blood literally dripping down his face and his body covered in gore. The axe was still in his hand.

---