Page 121 of Darling Wildfire
Kai tightened his grip and I ground my teeth together as my chest heaved with each hiss of breath.
“Do you want to know—what happened—to the last person who—said that to me?”
Kai threw me away and I collapsed into the dirt again. I spit out more blood and looked up at Vetticus. He was standing against the fence now, gripping the metal links.
Kai was right. But I needed to prove a point. Even when he’d taken everything—even when he thought he was in control—it was a tenuous power because I was not broken. I did not fear him. I was not a pet to be caged.
My fingers curled in the dirt as I sensed Kai behind me.
I’d proven my point. It was time to prove another.
I turned and flung dirt into Kai’s face.
He was completely caught off guard and I was on my feet in seconds. The crowd gasped and instantly the volume escalated as I advanced on Kai quickly and methodically. I attacked and dragged his arm behind him before delivering a brutal hit to his elbow, instantly breaking his arm. His cry was lost in the crowd's thirst for blood. He collapsed and I kicked him the rest of the way down.
My heel pressed into his neck, cutting off his air and for the last time, I lifted my gaze to Vetticus. I didn’t think it was possible, but he looked even more angry than before. I barked out a laugh and crouched down on top of Kai, putting even more pressure on his airway. He struggled, clawing at my leg, but he only had one arm, the other lay useless at his side, clutching at dirt.
“You’re right Kai, this is a game—” I hissed. “—mygame—and I don’t plan on losing.”
I jerked my entire body down, putting all my weight into my heel and Kai’s body went limp, the light faded quickly from his eyes as I crushed his airway.
As soon as I stepped away, the crowd became deafening.
I looked up but Vetticus was gone.
I’d pay for this later. I’d pay for making him look like a fool. He would not tolerate his toy playing him in front of these people. Not to mention also killing his other top player.
Was it a reckless thing to do?Absolutely.
But for right now, victory was sweet.
I laughed again and my shoulders shook with it. I couldn’t stop. Even when the guards came and cuffed me, my laugh followed me back through the ballroom, back through the house…it echoed off the mountains as they led me all the way back to the cell.
The guards uncuffed my wrists and the door clicked shut at my back. My men all looked at me as I continued to chuckle. I had to look a mess—cut up, bloody and covered in sand. Not to mention deranged because I was practically leering at them.
Nyx blinked. “Do I want to know?”
I shook my head and walked off towards the bathroom.
“Someone told me this was all just a game.”
Preacher scoffed and shook his head. Atlas ran a hand over his face in exasperation and Nyx barked out a laugh. I passed a confused Ridley.
“What am I missing?”
“He killed the last man who said that to him,” Preacher said.
I turned on the water and the spray blocked out any further conversation. I didn’t bother waiting for it to heat up but stepped into the cold, letting itshock my system.
I was playing the game—mygame.
But this was also a game of survival—and there were no rules.
60
THERON
It was no surprise that Vetticus was in a bad mood when I was delivered to him a few days later. He was sprawled out in an armchair dangling a glass of whiskey in the air with a scowl on his face. He waved his hand at the guards escorting me and they pushed me into the matching chair across from him before going to stand on either side of the door.
