Page 89 of White Raven

“Your friends are wiser than you.” Onyx reached for me, his hand threading through mine, extracting me from the men, his eyes never leaving Stigr. “You even look in her direction, and I will pull out your heart with my bare hands. You understand?”

Not giving him time to respond, Onyx’s hand went to my lower back, curving away from the group.

“That Day pussy must be spectacular,” Stigr taunted. “Can’t wait to make it bleed. Hear her really scream.”

Onyx stopped, his muscles rippling under his skin.

“No—” The word barely left my mouth before he turned around, swinging for Stigr.

The crunch of bone and flesh ricocheted off the walls with a clap. Stigr stumbled back, only held up by his companions. His hand went to his face, blood trickling from his nose, fury radiating in his eyes as everyone around us gasped, getting out of the way as the two men dove for each other again.

“Whoa! Whoa!” Bjørn was there, darting in front of Onyx, shuffling him back. Onyx’s attention was locked on Stigr, his body heaving with anger. “Sjef, calm down.”

Brynn came up on his other side, her nose curling with disgust at the man opposing us.

“Brynn . . .” Stigr oozed. “Good to see you, beautiful.”

“Can’t say the same,” she retorted.

Another figure came up beside Onyx, pulling Stigr’s attention. superior smile played on his mouth. I glanced over to see Sven placing himself with his troop, rolling back his shoulders.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the newest baby recruit.” Stigr wiped at his nose, his tone condescending. “The king’s own nephew. I wonder how you got that position?”

My head swung back to Sven. He was the king’s nephew? The ruthless, barbaric leader who had me kidnapped? And Sven was his family? Sven seemed so sweet, eager to impress his hersir and fellow hunters, and he’d been nothing but polite to me.

“Even know how to use your dick yet?” Stigr mocked.

“I can show you how I use one of these.” Sven reached for the bow and arrow on his back.

“Oooooh.” Stigr laughed when Brynn stopped him, her head shaking. “Mommy said no.”

“I’d shut the fuck up, Stigr.” Another voice came up, turning our heads. Bloody, sweaty, and with a swollen eye, Renyx hobbled up, directing my gaze back to the ring, where the champion lay on the ground, unconscious. The entire room was now encircling us, their attention on the strain throbbing between the groups. “He may be young, but he can put that arrow straight into your brain through your eye socket . . . if you have a brain in there to hit.” Even beat-up and exhausted, Renyx stood with them, ready to brawl.

“No fighting outside the ring!” The announcer came up between the men. “In the ring or get out.”

Onyx’s jaw clenched, but he stepped back, his hand going to my back again, leading me away, the rest of the Night Hunters following suit.

“What’s wrong, Onyx?” Stigr bellowed out. “Your little Day whore has your dick soft and trained now?”

“Fuck.” I heard Bjørn sigh right as Onyx whirled around, his teeth baring, leaping back for Stigr.

“In the ring!” the announcer demanded, holding up his arms between them.

“After you.” Stigr gestured to the spot, everything about him challenging Onyx.

Onyx strode for the ring, fury straining his body. The crowd chanting and cheering, adrenaline pumping in the air as we all followed him back.

He ripped off his shirt, tossing it to the side, his muscles flexing. I fully took in his toned physique under the blazing torches. I had seen him without a shirt the night he marked me, but the room had been dark, not allowing me to appreciate every detail. His body was a weapon. Muscles corded down his arms, his pecs sculpted, his torso rippling with the years of conditioning. A tattoo covered one shoulder in rune symbols, going down to his hand where the matching one of mine was. And what I thought was tattoos over the rest of him . . . in the light I could see they were scars. Slashing over his arms, stomach, and back. Ones old enough to turn to white lines, and others that appeared newer.

It made him look feral. A beaten and starved animal ready to kill.

Stigr darted across the white line, not waiting for the announcer, his fist smashing hard into Onyx’s face, stumbling him back.

A yelp tore from me, the crowd responding with a gasp.

“For en kuk!” Bjørn hissed under his breath. “Only way Stigr can fight him is to catch him off guard.”

Onyx shook it off, bounding back, blood dripping from his split lip.