Page 108 of The Star's Sword

On my way, I saw weres and vampires I had donated with, and talked to.

Even they wouldn’t look in my eyes.

“How could she let her coach say those things about Vasara,” one murmured.

“Can’t be allowed in this world,” another said darkly.

I just gave them a glare, because if their disgusting friend hadn’t tried to blood-force my friend, none of this would have happened.

“Vampires can’t take responsibility,” Cayne said, as one tried to spit at him and he swung his ax out in warning, sending them scuttling back. Today he was in black barbarian apparel, hair held back by a black headband, ax out at all times.

Samael was at my other side, wearing his slayer outfit, black bandages wrapping his body, lacking his customary chains. But his boots with the spikes on the front were on and his mean-looking black katana was in a sheath at his hip.

Griffin, Os and Mor were walking behind us, while Simon was already waiting in the spectator area, presumably.

I was wearing a white tank top, black jeans with combat boots, and a little bit of body armor Samael had made for me, with small, light plates that were enchanted to hover over my skin to protect my forearms, biceps, and neck, without impacting my movement.

Having a celestial boyfriend had its benefits.

My sword was in its tiny sheath. Just in case I needed it.

But after what Vasara had done to my friend, I knew I’d use the night sword at any moment if I had a safe time to do it.

As we walked past the human settlement, the morning sun bore down on us, making sweat gather on my neck even in the cool fall air.

There was a large fighting arena cleared back here, with grass pulled back to make way for a hundred square feet of sand, marked with lines, fenced in all around with a holographic barrier.

Excitement thrummed through me as I saw weapons in racks at the side, and Vasara standing with a sword, testing it.

Finally, we got to fight one on one.

Where she couldn’t run.

She looked up and her ice blue eyes locked on mine. Her lip trembled, despite her attempt to shove her chin out.

That’s right, I thought.You know you’re lying, and now, for my friend, I’m going to end you and show everyone what you are.

She couldn’t stand to hold my gaze and looked away nervously, rummaging through the racks like she didn’t know what to use.

It was hard to fight without a bunch of gossip and pawns, it appeared.

“Cleo!” Simon yelled, running over to us. Today he was wearing an oddly simple blue tracksuit, and his right arm was bandaged. “Look at you! Armor, even! All ready for battle?”

I stretched, still strengthened from my night with Samael before, and with him and Zadis before that.

My inner demon was stoked with flames.

“Yes,” I said, putting an arm around Simon in a side hug. He flinched slightly, and I narrowed my eyes at his bandage. “What happened here?”

Cayne moved forward as well, grabbing at Simon’s arm. “What the fuck?”

Simon jerked away and gave us a glare of warning, lowering his voice for only us to hear. “Don’t make any more trouble. Let’s all just ignore everything else, and get through this.”

“If she’s hurting you.” Cayne cracked his knuckles.

“For the last time, I’m handling it. I let down my guard the other night, but I’ve explained to the vampires that anyone using forcible injections in my keep is now likely to be punished with barbarian death and that seems to have calmed things. I’m a vampire, Cayne, very durable. And no, she’s not hurting me. Much. She was out of line but she won’t try it again after what happened. This bandage is because of my own experiments. Now let’s go.” He walked over to me and began pushing me toward Vasara, as I walked over slowly, not really wanting to be in her general area.

“Cleo,” she said, looking up at me and frowning. “Good to see you following the rules, rather than murdering innocent vampires.”

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