Page 46 of Shadow's Chosen

Nezka plopped Elise down in the seat next to Krow’s and left without looking at her. Elise watched him step over to the ring, ready to enter.

"Hold on now there, tough guy." Krow laughed. "No shields, suits, or weapons. You can keep your pants if you want, but the pads go. This is a skin only sport."

Nezka hesitated for only a moment then began to shrug off the Red Blade chest shield with the arms pads followed by the inner long piece shirt. When he peeled it off and revealed his naked torso, Elise felt herself shiver, thinking back to when she saw him washing in the room. She turned her gaze away and saw the others watching closely, including a few women who whispered to each other, eyes lingering on his body. Nezka's spines rose across his back and the crowd "oohed" and "aahed" at the sight. Krow waved his hand to someone in the throng, and a very large, badly scarred lizardman—a grex Nezka called them—entered the ring.

Elise considered closing her eyes and just not allowing herself to watch, but she knew it would be a futile attempt. She sat up straight as the pair circled each other, waiting for Krow to give the word. When he raised up his arm and made a cutting motion downward, the crowd leaned in and so did Elise.

The grex hissed as he circled once more, venom dripping from his mouth. He struck fast, going for the jugular. Nezka was quicker. He swerved to the side and hammered his fist into the side of the grex's face. The grex turned to bite him, missing by an inch. Nezka landed blows on the lizard, but he didn't falter. Not like the others. His skin was tough to break and his bones too thick to crack. The lizard came at him like a savage beast, trying to rip and tear and bite. Nezka was backed into the wall. Even as his strikes hit, the grex kept coming. The lizard opened his jaws wide, ready to clamp down, and Nezka took hold of the skin and muscle around his snout and jaw, keeping his mouth from snapping shut. The grex tried to back up, but Nezka already had a firm hold on him. With strength Elise had yet to witness, he opened the grex's mouth wider, forcing him on his knees, and pulled his jaws apart. Elise heard the crack of his jaw breaking as the grex fell to its side on the ground. The crowd laughed and howled, and Krow clapped beside her.

"Not a bad first run," Krow said. "A little short for my taste, but I imagine many of them will be with you." He grinned. "No matter. I'll have to challenge you better."

Nezka's spines flexed before they lowered along his back. He didn't acknowledge the grex on the ground as he stepped closer to the rail by Krow.

"I'm ready for the next," Nezka said. Elise almost shook her head but stopped herself.

Krow looked him over for a long moment then bobbed his head. "All right." He smiled. He waved his hand again, and another fighter entered the ring.

Elise watched Nezka take out two more opponents before Krow decided it was enough for the night. The ring was colored red, pieces of fur and hair and teeth scattered along the edges. Nezka had taken a few bad blows, but they had barely slowed him. Krow whooped and hollered so much, leaping from his seat, shouting at Nezka to hit harder with each match, that he looked more tired than the fighters, sweat trickling on his brow.

"You are a treat. A real treat to watch," he said, slicking back his hair. "Best I've seen in a long time. And I'm bettin’ many here made some good credits off of you. Yes, you are something."

"Good," Nezka said, barely out of breath. "I will take my leave tomorrow then."

"Oh, now, why the rush, huh?" Krow waved over a bar girl with a few glasses. "Your mistress can wait. You can tell her I kept you for my own benefit, I don't mind. Let us celebrate. Come on, have a drink and sit. The others are dying to meet you."

Both she and Nezka knew he'd not let them go so soon, but Elise was grateful that Nezka had at least tried. As he exited the ring, a slender, dainty drogin female came up and said something to him Elise couldn't hear. The woman whispered in his ear, and he tilted his head and said something back. The woman used a towel to wipe the blood off his torso, letting her hand move across his chest and stomach in a slow, seductive manner. Nezka didn't pull back, watching her with curiosity. They spoke a few words and Elise, realizing her hands were clenched tight in her lap, opened them.

Much of the crowd dissolved back into the club with smaller groups lingering at the various tables and bars. Krow had a table situated back by one side for him and those most loyal to him, including Jona. Elise dared not move from her seat, knowing if she got up, Nezka would be forced to put her back in her place, likely with a short cuff to the face for good measure, just to be convincing. She watched as Krow made room for Nezka, pouring him a drink and, as Nezka sat, the drogin woman made herself comfortable on his lap.

Elise turned her eyes away but kept a sharp ear to their conversations, most of which were Krow stroking his and Nezka's ego. Nezka said very little save to answer a question. From the corner of her eye, she could see him drinking heavily, his arm wrapped tight around the woman on his lap.

The night dragged, but Elise refused to let her patience thin out so quickly. When it was near dawn and the men and women had drank themselves stupid, Krow finally ordered them out. Nezka took Elise back up to their suite without so much as a glance her way. The drogin woman, who called herself Sona, had offered to come back to his room, but he had declined, saying he was too tired. Elise felt some relief in that, knowing she wouldn't have to listen to them pounding at the walls, but the relief was short-lived when the woman pressed herself against him and said, “Another night,” and he smiled back with one of his wicked grins, tracing a finger across her neck like it was a promise. Then he took Elise back into their suite and didn't say a word as he unbound her and went to his bedroom, closing the door.

Elise sat up till morning, annoyed and wired. The fights had been as brutal as she feared. Worse than the ones he had fought in the pit which she hadn't thought possible. She didn't know if she could take another night of it, but she told herself she had to endure.

Eventually, she slept, and when she woke up, she was alone in a chair, her mouth dry and her stomach growling. She forced herself to eat what food Krow's men had left on the bar and drink water from the bath tap as they'd left nothing but booze. The day went by as she waited, pacing her room, trying not to knock on Nezka's door. When night finally arrived, his door opened. She started to say something but seeing his dark expression silenced her. Knowing there was nothing she could really say to better the situation, she gave him her wrists, and he took her back out.

The night went nearly the same as the last. Elise watched Nezka violently destroy his enemies in all manner of ways while Krow shouted beside her, rousing Nezka to be faster, deadlier. Elise felt sick after but kept her composure. After the matches, Nezka made another comment that he should be going, but once again, Krow shot him down, too intrigued by this lethal fighter to give him up so soon. Once more, they sat around and drank, Krow even offering Nezka some of the red haze which Nezka took without complaint; even, dare she say, gladly. Sona returned to take her place on his lap, giggling and whispering in his ear, and Nezka, in turn, trailed his fingers over her slender waist and back, making Elise glance away as a strange ache settled in her chest. Other girls fought for his attention, but Sona kept them away with a snapping growl, reminding Elise of one of those toy poodles her aunt had when she was a kid. Elise didn't so much as move from her spot though she was ignored well enough that she wondered if anyone would even notice if she left. Surely Nezka would.

Besides an occasional glance in his direction, she kept her gaze straight ahead. By the conversations she eavesdropped on, she could tell Nezka was warming up to them, especially to Krow. He talked more and—when she chanced to look—noticed that he smiled more, made himself more at home as he lounged back in his seat as if he were suddenly on a vacation. He was so relaxed, unlike her, but she supposed that was part of the act. Though she hated how easy he made it seem.

Once more, they stayed up till near dawn until Krow ordered them back to the suite. Thankfully, Sona did not ask to return with them, feeling too sick from drinking, so they entered the suite alone together. He unbound her hands like usual, but before he could leave her without a word, Elise grabbed his arm.

She opened her mouth to say something but was again frozen by his expression. His cold stare made her shudder, and she let him go. She stood staring at his closed door, her fists clenching and unclenching. She wanted him to talk to her, to tell her what he was thinking. She wanted to ask him how much longer, but she could guess the answer.

"As long as it takes."

***

Another day and night passed in Krow's domain. Elise remained in a corner as Nezka sat drinking with Krow and his group, grinning and talking as if they were close friends. He brought Sona close to him as she nuzzled his neck then bit his ear, her hand slipping down his bare chest. He'd elected to leave his gear off after the fights, and Elise found it increasingly hard not to stare. She wished she could say she was numb to watching him get touched all over, but she wasn't. If anything, she felt a sort of red-hot pressure growing in her head. She told herself over and over it was an act and that she felt nothing as she continued to untighten her fists and unclench her jaw.

She was just concerned for him, that was all. Though it was stupid to think he needed her concern. He was having a swell ass time by the looks of it.

Meanwhile, Elise had been dodging a pair of eyes on her all night from a drogin with a jet-black stare. She hoped he'd not be tempted to come near her if she didn't look his way, but when she did let her eyes pass over in his direction, he remained watching her intently. Thinking it couldn't be helped, she looked his way and locked eyes, hoping her glare told him enough that she wanted to be left alone.

No such luck.

He smiled at her and came over, seating himself beside her.

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