Page 122 of Vengeance of the Gods

Vega wiggled her brows and her fingers, reaching out for Marlena’s hand. “Bet on it?”

Marlena put more space between them, focusing on Vega’s dark veins like they would jump out and bite her. “If I cut your hand off, would it regrow?” Flames licked at Marlena’s feet. “If you touch me again, I’ll take them both to see what happens.”

Vega continued to offer Marlena her hand, lightning sizzling from her fingertips. “Take it. Let’s find out.” She couldn’t see Death’s shadow inside her mind anymore. It was no longer lying in wait. It was inside her… and it was hungry.

Marlena pulled a dagger out with fast fingers and lunged.

Their parents had taught them the basics of hand-to-hand combat growing up. Their school in Aeris had battle skills, but no one took it seriously unless they hoped to join the military one day.

Vega dodged Marlena’s attempt to connect with her side and continued to circle her. “I guess the handshake before a match is out.”

It wasn’t until Bridger came along that Marlena decided to push Vega and the others to spend a little extra time honing the skill.

If only Vega knew then what she knew now.

Regardless of the motive, without the encouragement from Marlena, she never would have become the threat she was today.

Vega knew a good warrior was more than just physical strength. They had to be able to keep their wits about them the entire fight. From beginning to the very end.

For now, Vega forgot everything else—giving herself one target, one goal: get a hand on Marlena. Feed Death.

A happy chuff of approval echoed inside Vega’s mind.

She tore the world away and stepped onto the mat with her sister. Marlena knew Vega’s weaknesses, but so did Vega. She knew the second she let someone get into her head, it was over.

So she wouldn’t let that happen.

Disconnect. Get lost in the moment. Leave it all on the mat. Have fun.

She took all the advice Bridger had ever given her and mixed it with the version of herself she’d become—the last version she’d ever be.

Vega dodged another blow, jumping back to avoid Marlena’s blade. Marlena disappeared, but Vega could still sense when she got close.

Death trembled with longing whenever Marlena was near.

Lightning cracked across the sky, and all Vega had to do was blink to pull the energy to her. A piece of lightning fell from the clouds, absorbing into her body like a sponge. By the time she’d opened her eyes, Vega had already wielded the current at Marlena.

The bolt slammed into the center of her chest, her body twitching from the high voltage. She shimmered with a sheer blue electric current, until it slowly started to shift to green. Marlena’s eyes rolled back from inside her head and landed on Vega.

What. The. Fuck.

Death pulsed through her veins again, its claws grabbing at Vega’s lightning to yank it back inside like it was protecting her from Marlena’s mimic.

Marlena recovered quickly, bouncing green lightning from palm to palm. “You know, I don’t play with this enough. I really should, shouldn’t I? Since you’ve gotten so good with it.”

The terrain under their boots had become saturated and slick with mud. “Aw, did you just compliment me?” she mocked. “I’d say I’d teach you all about it, but I think I want to be the only lightning-wielder again.”

Before Marlena had time to react, Vega pulled her bonded dagger from the waistband of her pants, the material clinging to her wet body, and flung it directly at Marlena’s heart.

It stuck.

And for the briefest of moments, Vega hoped maybe, just maybe, this would be the end. That somehow it could be that easy.

It was foolish to believe, but Vega hadn’t expected it to have zero effect on Marlena. They couldn’t die, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t feel. Getting stabbed through the heart should still cause pain!

I would know.

A figure Vega knew well slinked out of the brush behind Marlena, camouflaging herself completely with the backdrop of the open field.