Page 5 of The Labyrinth
And striding front and center was Deacon.
Chapter Four
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Deacon addressed, his voice loud enough to quiet the spectators.“Welcome to my labyrinth.In a few minutes, the betting book will open and the cashiers will be walking around to record your wagers.”There was a low rumble of anticipation that buzzed through the crowd at this statement.“As a reminder, this labyrinth changes every weekend, so the fighters cannot get used to any one pattern.This ensures both parties are on even playing fields.”
Marion glanced around and saw awe and excitement on everyone’s face.She could’ve sworn she saw a forked tongue come out of a nearby man, like a snake testing the air.Had to be a trick of the light.Or maybe he was one of those people who did body modification.What concerned her was that several people stared at her, looking equal parts suspicious and confused.
Fake it till you make it, she thought wryly.
“Oh, one more thing,” Deacon said, and all the murmurs around the room quieted.“Nothing is held back in the labyrinth.Beast versus beast.A treat as two deadly predators battle for dominance.”
His words released the tension in the room as the foretasted grip that siphoned through the audience immediately shifted into wild excitement.Truthfully, Marion never liked watching two men fight each other to a bloody pulp.Was this what Peter was into?The reason he stopped calling home?
Had he been hurt?
Did this fight club kill him?
Then Deacon took off his shirt, revealing an incredible physique that had her eyes glued to him.Her eyebrows shot up and her mouth went dry.Muscles moved with a fluidity that surprised her.Ripped, powerful arms.A dusting of dark chest hair that tapered down chiseled abs and led to the Adonis belt that played peek-a-boo with his low-riding pants.Damn, the man was absolutely mouthwatering, but he didn’t stop there.With a wicked smile, he unzipped his pants and let them fall.A collective gasp of feminine approval rose from the female populus, herself included.The spandex shorts he wore revealed strong calves, muscular thighs, and a bulge between them that was very, very impressive.
He let out a loud snort, and once more, expectation rippled among the spectators.Then the air around him shimmered for a brief moment, and right before her eyes, Deacon started to transform.Although he was tall and muscular, he seemed to grow bigger.Dark fur sprouted where skin used to be.His face completely changed, no longer human as a snout elongated.The muscles surrounding his neck thickened to support the bones as they shifted and twisted.Ridges formed over his unfathomable eyes.Even his feet turned into cloven hooves.The final coup de grâce to this little show were the horns that erupted on each side of his head.Long, pointy, deadly.Half man, half bull.
Holy fuck,she thought.Am I dreaming?Having a psychotropic episode?I have to be tripping on some drug I don’t remember taking.He’s a minotaur!
The crowd erupted, cheering wildly as Deacon held out his arms and spun around like a practiced showman.Marion had this off-kilter feeling that she’d fallen down some rabbit hole, complete with the crazy world of Wonderland.Or maybe she was in Hell, because her brain just couldn’t catch up to what she was seeing.
Deacon snorted one last time and then dropped down into the labyrinth, landing on his cloven feet with a thud.At the entrance, a giant wild boar was released from a cage, and the creature took off angrily, its long tusks pointy and deadly as it ran along the elaborate path searching for the end.At the same time, the bull started its hunt from the opposite side.
What the fuck was going on?Was some kind of hallucinogen released in the air, feeding into everyone’s excitement but causing her to have an adverse reaction?Maybe she slipped, hit her head, and was in a coma.Or all of this was a huge joke.Marion tried to believe any of those excuses, but it was difficult to convince herself none of this was real when all around her people were loudly cheering.
Deacon maintained focus as he moved through the labyrinth.If he ran into a dead end, he quickly backtracked.A high-pitched squeal from the boar snapped Deacon’s head toward the sound, and he stalked his way ever closer to the wild animal.Then, they met, and everyone collectively gasped.The boar popped its jaw with foam dripping from its chin, working himself into a fighting mode.Deacon pawed the ground and horned the side of the labyrinth in a typical threat display.Despite walking upright, he really didn’t have the advantage, and Marion hoped this wasn’t going to be a bloodbath.
The boar charged and Deacon lowered his horns.They clashed in a series of grunts and snorts.The crowd went wild.Marion couldn’t take her eyes off the savage battle between the two monsters.The boar managed to scrape one tusk along Deacon’s outer thigh, and he let out a roar that rattled her nerves.It seemed like the battle lasted hours, although it was only a few minutes.
Suddenly, Deacon impaled the boar on one of his horns, and with a feat of unbelievable strength, lifted the squealing animal in the air.It fought valiantly to get free, in an effort to save itself, but the wound was mortal.The boar’s feet jerked once, twice, and then ceased moving.Marion couldn’t help but feel sorrow for the poor creature that only wanted to survive.With a loud roar, Deacon lifted the dead animal off his horn, then threw the carcass to the side.He lifted his arms up in a winner’s pose, and the crowd went wild.
With blood dripping down his body, he slowly spun in a circle as he absorbed the cheering.Then their eyes met, and he paused as anger flashed in those black eyes.
