Page 34 of Beg the Night

athena

After the disturbing announcement from Director about attending a ball, the men killed time fighting each other.

Again.

“This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever witnessed.” Margaret and I flinched in unison when Carter punched a man a couple of inches shorter than him directly in the nose.

Yep, I definitely heard a crunch.

This, naturally, resulted in a round of whoops from the men watching from the surrounding circle.

“I don’t know,” Margaret replied. “I once saw one of the guys strangle another over the last piece of bread after they forgot to feed us for a day. I mean, come on.” She sighed. “It was only one day. One day is for rookies.”

I gave her a sideways look, and in return, she arched a brow.Okay. She was definitely not joking about that last part.

“What’s the point of all this anyway?” I asked.

Carter walked over to us, shaking his hands out, chest puffed up, clearly satisfied with himself. “Entertainment, mostly.” Sweat dripped from his skin as he stopped a foot away. “But we like to stay in shape for when we finally get out of here.”

“That optimistic?” I smiled sideways. Carter was easily my least favorite mystic in this place, always walking around here with an arrogant stride and annoying smirk.

“It wouldn’t hurt you to learn some combat skills, sweetheart. Especially if you’re getting out of here after the ritual. You ever fought before?”

I shrugged. “Here and there.”No. Not at all. Not physically, at least.

“Great. Let’s see what you’ve got, then.”

“She isnotgoing to fight you.” Margaret glowered up at him. “We all know you can’t behave yourself.”

Carter laughed, his eyes narrowed on me.

Shit.With a grimace, I stepped into the semicircle and pulled one arm over in front of me, stretching, then the other.This looks natural, right?

“Leon, get in there,” Carter ordered. “But go easy on her, all right?”

Leon smiled softly and stepped forward. He was lean and muscled and clearly strong, but he didn’t creep me out the way Carter did. I could take him if he went easy on me.

Before he could make his way into the circle, Sinner stopped him with a hand on his arm. “No.”

Leon froze.Everyonefroze.

“You wanna fight?” Sinner let go of my would-be opponent and took his place in the circle a couple paces from me. “Let’s fight.”

My stomach sank. “You want me to fight you?”God, please say no.

He shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

“Um.” I glanced at Margaret, silently trying to communicate to her that her brother had lost his mind.

She only stared back with wide, amused eyes.

No help.I made a mental note to yell at her later.

“Great. Okay.” I bounced on the balls of my feet. “Let’s fight, then.”

I swore as he took a step closer, the guys gathered around us took a step back. Yep. This was going to hurt.

He kept his arms relaxed at his sides as he moved in. It didn’t matter. He was a massive wall of destruction. Everything about him was a threat, a warning.

---