An hour later, standing around with the five other surviving fighters from this month’s Showcase we make a grisly scene. Our cuts, wounds, black eyes and bleeding are still obvious for a few more hours before the shifter healing completes. I notice Rufus, a man I sparred with, did not make it through his round. A pity. Yet here I am, clad in a black, soft robe with a thick red trim, still alive.
Instead Denton, a black-bearded criminal gives me a silent throat slitting gesture and a smirk. He had also made it to eleven wins tonight, under the self-assigned name of Denton the Destroyer.
His rival in sin, Xavier, a tattooed, wiry shifter whose sadistic cunning enhanced his physical strength had also made it to eight wins. We grimly nodded at each other, the other three had survived their first ever Cage. Rufus, Maxwell, and Brent replaced by another three identically rough looking men.
Faceless entities for now.
However while these new victors all licked their lips and muttered obscenities about how they’d loved the battle, I kept quiet. When they started boasting about just how much dick they were going to slam into their prizes tonight I tried to zone out. I have never picked a prize. A woman. The very idea sickens me to my core. Back in my old pack, this kind of depravity would be unthinkable.
Despite my wish to die I have no desire to make their lives any worse.
Tonight, for the first time when the iron door opens and the patter of bare feet on concrete reaches my ears an invisible force almost commands me to look upwards. For the very first time I take in the women before me. A collection of shivering, practically naked young women who have been made up to look like willing whores. It is a pitiful sight.
None of these women had chosen to be here, the whimpering and shaking made it obvious. The handcuffs might have been removed but the bruises on their wrists remain. A hulking guard with a cattle prod lurking in the background was enough to prevent any escape attempts. Kingsley soon followed, clad in his smart black suit, the door slamming loudly behind him.
Both men and women automatically formed a half circle, as if lining up to play sport together. Kingsley stood in the middle, taking his time to full ogle and belittle each woman with his eyes.
“Ivan picks first tonight,” Kingsley said firmly, suddenly turning to face me, like a viper targeting its prey.
“He never picks anyway!” Denton mocked, arms folded across his huge barrel chest, “it’s all beneath him, fucking eunuch.”
“Probably why he fights so hard, angry about having no cock,” Xavier joined in. Like a hook around my neck, my vision was helplessly drawn down the line to the last girl. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. Her eyes were the clearest blue, wide with fear. It was a blue I’d never seen before, dark as the sea and they were suddenly fixed directly on me.
For several seconds we found ourselves staring at each other. She seemed to be holding her breath and I realised I was too. I did not recognise or know anything about her, but my wolf, Kohl, howled within for me to say something.
/Take her. Take the blue-eyed one/ he hissed urgently in my mind.
“Pick or leave it Mr Inferno,” Denton groaned, “I’ll be taking two if you don’t just so you know.” I was still so angry at my wolf for taking control of my body in the fight again I was tempted not to pick anyone just to spite him.
Xavier’s hand slid inside his silver-trimmed robe, clearly touching himself, “Fucking hurry this shit up!”
“Why the fuck we having to take turns anyway,” one of the new faces grumbled.
The blue-eyed girl’s mouth dropped open in shock and her eyes flitted towards the other men in horror. Xavier hated to be stared at with his disfigured face.
“You, blondie, give me those eyes again and I’ll fuck them clean out of your skull,” his voice dripping with cool venom, then started openly stroking his shaft in front of the group. “Are you ready for this?”
“Knock it off,” Kingsley snapped in irritation, “you’d think you blew off enough steam back in the Cage.” Turning to the grumbling newbie, “Vincent ranks your fights. Ivan pleased the crowd most, so he got first pick. Think about it for next time you stupid bastard.”
I continued staring at her whilst the group simmered down. Her long blonde hair fell to her hips. The singed waves were hastily styled in what the staff thought was attractive. I couldn’t help noticing how her large nipples were clearly protruding under her silk negligee. I wondered if Kingsley had turned down the heating for such an effect. He was the type of man who lived for those kinds of cheap thrills.
“Well Ivan?” Kingsley said, his thin lips curled into a sneer. He was moving down the line, lifting each girl’s chin to make them look into his silvery grey eyes, enjoying the way each one cowered.
“The blonde on the end,” I said curtly just before his disgusting hands touched her. With a shove from the beefy guard she tottered towards me, her silk nightgown rippling down the length of her body. /Well done/ my wolf urged, In complete irritation at Kohl meddling in my decisions yet again I turn on my heel and angrily walk out.
“Come along!” I shouted after a second, remembering the girl I had left behind.
“Maybe he does have a cock after all,” I heard Denton chuckling to Xavier.
I had no desire to see how the rest of the selection panned out as a wave of nausea hit me. I’ve hit a new low, taking part and selecting a woman, what the hell was I thinking.
Stomping along the grey corridors and up several flights of stairs towards the daylight I was desperate to get back to my rooms and shut myself away for another month. It was only the quick pattering of bare feet behind me that made me remember I would not be entering alone.
I unlocked the door, a large red circle daubed on it in paint, and swung it open, allowing her to enter first. Her eyes remained trained on me, as her steps slowed down. Of course she didn’t want to enter my chambers. Well, she had no choice now.
To return her back to Kingsley or Vincent would be a fate worse than death.
Resisting the urge to give her a little push inside I waited for thirty seconds while she took some deep, trembling breaths. Finally her tentative little footsteps met the soft rugs on the floor. Whilst the outside of my chambers was cold and grey, here at least there was some comfort.
The huge king-size bed dominated the space and she stood as still as a statue staring at its crumpled sheets. Until she heard the click of the door lock, then she spun round as quick as a bird. Her startled blue eyes met mine in a silent scream of terror.
Shit, I am going to have to talk to her. Sighing, I pointed across the room to a closed white door. “I’m going in the bathroom to clean my wounds,” then pointing to the table and chairs at the far end of the room, “there is food and drink for you.”
As I walked past, I saw her flinch in terror and it hurt my already miserable soul. Continuing towards the bathroom, preparing to take off my robe I gruffly muttered, “I’m not going to hurt you. I won’t even be touching you so calm the fuck down.”
Calm the fuck down he said. What the hell am I supposed to do, just let this red haired, beast covered in open wounds haul me to his bed? He might have looked the sanest of the men in the group but that isn’t saying much. His green eyes are dull and tired, yet he walked so quickly I had to scamper after him. How can I possibly believe he isn’t going to hurt me? The man with one eye, the way he was touching himself, eager to enjoy violating one of us. If he had picked me…I shudder and try to shake the thought away before I break down. My mind is wandering yet I haven’t moved from where my new captor left me. The sounds of water and undressing from the bathroom suggest he is telling the truth, yet I am frozen. I try to lift my tongue, to form any kind of word but it is stuck too. True, catastrophic fear, the likes of which I have never known before, has rendered me both mute and a statue. I need to run away, test how strong the bars are on his windows or see if there are any guar
My last remaining adrenalin must have exhausted itself as somehow, I fell asleep. I even dreamed. They were not nightmares of being kidnapped but instead peaceful dreams of ascending, like reaching the top of a wooded hill and basking in the nature around me. Very soothing and calming. Perhaps my brain is trying to soothe my fear-soaked body into believing I will be okay. However the instant Ivan rolled over in the bed my eyes shot open, tense, and ready, staring up at the mattress, fists clenched and ready. I am not being naïve enough to assume that just because he didn’t harm me last night he won’t pounce in the morning. Instead I hear manly stretching, grunting noises then a rustle as a face quietly peers over the bed to see where I am. Surrounded by a dozen towels in a strange little den, just my face peering out and a mass of blonde hair. I am fully aware I look ridiculous. For once his face changes, a strange little half-smile forms and he mutters, “you look like a mouse,”
I make my way down to the training area. The large wood-panelled exercise halls almost make me like a young teen back in training. Except the pommel horses have been replaced by boxing rings and blood spattered punch dummies. Denton in particular liked to punch them until his hands bled. Some pathetic display of strength I guess. It certainly intimidated the newer recruits. There were twenty men including myself.Six rooms became available last night after the Showcase, seeing as they always end in an opponent's death, therefore six fresh faces sat eagerly on the front row of the benches as instructed, each holding their newly issued robe, the colour corresponding to their living quarters. They were a mix of old, grizzled, desperate and terrified. All had probably succumbed to building up debts with Vincent’s Axelon group. Sometimes fathers built up the debts and sent their sons to pay the price. A disgusting betrayal of family, they never lasted beyond one fight. If you are not
After bathing Martha escorted me back. Despite her niceness to me she was still a part of this awful system, how could be a good person and exist in here? My damp blonde hair was up high in a large bun. As soon as I got back to the room I locked the door, took off the hideous silken gown. Grabbing the grey hooded top from last night, a peculiar apple scent hit me, sending a warm feeling down my body and I hugged it closer to me. This must be what Martha meant about a shifter's scent. Is that why Martha made me have such a potent soak? Well right now I reeked of oranges and lime so hopefully Ivan will be fooled into thinking that is my particular smell. Why I clasped the grey hooded top to my chest like a comforter I have no idea. My random nest of towels has been cleaned away, the room is stark and basic. I frantically searched through his large mahogany drawers for something else to cover my naked body. Martha might think Ivan is better than the others but nobody likes finding s
Cherish, a beautiful name, looked at me like I do towards those animals Xavier or Denton. Perhaps naively I had forgotten that she would see me as a scum, no different to the rest. I don’t have to help her, I can just bide my time until the next bout and then get the hell out of here… “Who is the other person?” she asked softly, snapping me out of my dark thoughts. I realised I was still standing against the door frame, guarding her like a savage. My muscles ached with tension as every millimetre Vincent came towards crossing my threshold made my hackles rise in anger. Turning around I blew out my cheeks and ran two hands through my already dishevelled russet hair. “Other person?” “The one who says pussy mileage, compares me to a whore…I…I think that is not entirely your own voice?” Her eyes were blue and crystal clear. They looked to be free of judgement, no longer narrowed or scowling at my very presence. Instead she remained sitting inside my bed, white covers up around her wi
It’s been three days since he grabbed me, and I haven’t said a single word to him. I go to the bathhouse, he goes to his training, sparring, whatever it is he does all day. I won’t be forced into anything I don’t want to do. I’d rather die. I’d tell him that too if we were talking but he appears to be waiting for me to cave. Instead I glower at him and read the same limited book again. More fool him. He ambles about coolly, my eyes still seeking glimpses of his muscular body as he wakes and retires each day. Each morning I hear him turn over in the bed, his face peering over from the high mattress, wondering if perhaps I was going to give up being frosty. Not a chance. Today he slammed the door as he left, clearly frustrated with me. Good. Provided with the modest clothes, Martha told me Vincent was away on business so there was no risk to us while I was in the room. Meaning Ivan could stay the hell away from me. Martha still came for me every morning though since she witnessed
The girl can hold a grudge that is for sure. She is far more hot-headed than me, which I think riles her up even further. Even I have my limits though. She has no concept of how much danger she could be putting us both in. Thank fuck Vincent is away on business and that Kingsley doesn’t like calling on me, otherwise we would be in serious trouble. Heading down to training I had hoped maybe this morning she would drop the childish act. A night of tossing and turning in my sleep has left me agitated. Koh now fills my head with vivid, colourful dreams when it has been blackness for so long. Such intense dreams, recalling the beauty of Silver City and its castle left me more tired than when I went to bed. To roll over and see a frosty, angry face that considers me a murderous demon does not help matters either. But the sparks. That brief contact had sent Kohl spinning in confusion, as much as he enjoyed it, he cannot place her wolf. Perhaps it has retreated from the trauma of her kid
Genevieve’s reality terrified me to my very bones. So much so that I paced Ivan’s room restlessly once Martha escorted me back to the room. Eventually my own desperation to make things right got the better of me and I took a few steps outside the corridor. The slightest noise had made me as skittish as a mouse but after ten minutes of aimless wandering I heard raised voices. When I realised one of them was Ivan my body set off running before my brain could even process it. I cannot explain it, it was as though another force was in charge of propelling me forward. Though I didn’t disagree with the action, it was bolder and more confident than I would ever dare. When I rounded the corner and saw his face, that fire of russet red hair and blazing green eyes I only sped up. I expected when I leapt at him to be overwhelmed with the same tingling sensation as before. A flash of disappointment hit me as there was only the boring, unexciting sensation of material. Had I imagined the sensa