Page 136 of Court of Evil

Crossing my arms, I sit back in my chair, determined to ignore him and the others. I don’t need this floor. Let them fight over it.

But if they win, they will think they won against me and my monsters.

I can’t fucking have that, so even though I don’t care that much, I get my ass dressed and head downstairs.

What’s one more battle?

CHAPTER 57

“Well, where is she?” Major Williams asks, cracking his neck as he jumps up and down on the spot. All the group leaders and majors are here, ready to fight for the elite floor and what it means—all but ours.

“Maybe she won’t come. It will make it easy for me to kick all your asses,” Major Isa scoffs as she stretches her muscles.

The others start arguing between themselves, but Williams steps up to us. Shamus promised she would be right down. I feel the others bristle at the hostile environment. The fae looks them over boredly, while Addeus simply stares them down with his cold, hard gaze.

“Well, you’re all her little toys, so where’s your master?” he spits. “Or maybe she’s scared. She can end a war with our help, but she doesn’t think she can win against us, does she?”

It’s all battle talk, and insulting each other is what hunters do. He might be an ass, but he’s not evil. It doesn’t make “Tate’s Toys” happy though. I feel their magic reach out, washing across the area.

Glancing at the big fucker next to me, I mimic him and cross my arms. My muscles don’t bulge nearly as much, but we present a united front.

“She’ll be here,” Shamus calls out as he stops between us. “Impatient to bleed, major?”

“Impatient to claim my new rooms, sir.” Williams bows his head in respect but throws us another glare. “The time was clear. If she isn’t here soon, she’ll forfeit her right to them.”

“Then they’ll be mine,” Isa declares, making the gathered crowd laugh. Their teams wait for their new floor allocations, coming to cheer on their leaders and watch a fight.

Hunters love bloodshed.

“Three minutes and then that floor is mine. Maybe your lieutenant isn’t as strong as she seems when she’s all alone.” Williams smirks as he steps closer, going toe to toe with me. Before now, nobody could see me, but with the help of the fae and my own powers, we let them. I don’t want to be invisible in Tate’s life.

“And maybe you should eat less garlic. Your breath stinks,” I taunt.

“You little fucker—” His hand raises, but it stills midair, his eyes widening in fear before he abruptly steps back. I puff up in pride as I stick my tongue out at him.

“Yeah, you better step back—oh, they were scared of you,” I mumble as the others part next to me for Tate. She’s wearing leggings and a sports bra.

“Well, it isn’t going to be you, cutie, sorry.” She winks before her expression turns cold and empty, and the transformation shocks me, making me realise how much she shows us without meaning to. “Let’s do this. I’m hungry, so we’ll make it quick.”

The mood instantly changes as she steps into the impromptu arena. Unlike the others who are warming up, she simply waits, scanning them before she nods and looks to Shamus. “The rules?”

“There are none. Last person left standing gets their pick.” He smirks as he lifts a flare gun. “Ready?” He pulls the trigger,and the red lights soar into the air, but her eyes, as well as ours and the crowd’s, are on the hunters circling each other, waiting for their chance to pounce. Williams hangs back, trying to play it smart and be the last one standing while the others fight it out. Isa takes the initiative and leaps on the back of an unsuspecting major, her muscular arms wrapping around his throat and dragging him down to the ground as she chokes him out.

Tate watches and waits. She kicks out when someone gets too close, but otherwise she simply observes, knowing she is the one to beat. She doesn’t waste her energy or time on the smaller squabbles she could win with her eyes closed.

Isa leaves her opponent knocked out in the dust as she turns to the closest man and yanks him back, slamming her fist into his face over and over until he joins the pile of her conquests. A big bastard is taking on two—I think his name is Mo. He’s pretty new, but he takes out two old-school leaders quickly before focusing on Isa.

She shakes out her arms, her buzzed head glowing in the sun as she circles him. Williams is finally in the game, fighting off two other leaders, but he seems to be winning. I glance between them as Tate sighs.

“This is taking too long,” she mutters. “Can you hurry up?”

That seems to enrage them all, and Williams knocks out one of his opponents with a brutal headbutt before the other drags him to the ground, and they tumble around, exchanging blows. Mo and Isa are still facing off.

“You’re big,” she comments. “I’m better.” She leaps at him, but he smacks her out of the air, and she hits the ground hard. She throws herself around his legs and up his back, dragging him backwards with a chokehold, and once he’s more at her level, she throws some epic punches into his side before he lifts her over his head and tosses her aside. It only seems to infuriate her, and with a mighty roar, she leaps at Mo, wrapping her legs aroundhis neck, and she takes him down, pummelling her fists into his face until Shamus has to drag her off.

“He’s done,” he snaps as he pushes her aside.

Williams leaps to his feet, covered in blood, but then they both turn their attention to Tate, who is inspecting her nails with a bored expression.

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