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“You’re up against Noah Brown first,” I said, l
ooking at the schedule drawn on a giant whiteboard someone had rolled outside.
Shoot. I’d hoped he could take on someone easier for his first round. Noah wasn’t going to lose lying down. I’d spotted him working out in the training facility. He moved faster than anyone I’d ever seen and had the muscle mass to wrestle a polar bear.
“That’s good,” he replied distractedly. Rolling his head on his neck, he pulled his foot behind him to stretch.
“You’re going to do great.” I grabbed his hand. It felt sweaty and warm against my skin. “You’re the best warrior I know.”
He looked down at me and although his lips remained pressed in a line, I could see the grateful flash of hope in his green eyes. Ever the stoic angel. He wasn’t going to crack under pressure.
The women were up first. It wasn’t surprising to see Ashley among the ten or so competitors, her lips pursed with an attitude that told me she expected to win. In the first round, she easily took out a warrior four times her age, pinning her in less than three minutes. As more women were eliminated from the ranks, she stepped into the ring for her second match against a behemoth of a woman from Asia—another one of Luke’s recruits down in the lab. I cheered until my throat went hoarse, calling out her name.
“She’s won!” I turned to Gabe. He hadn’t said a word this entire time. “She’s in the finals.”
He managed to give me a little smile and nod his head. The muscles in his neck tensed.
“I’d better go warm up,” he said, looking over the crowd. “As soon as the women’s finals are over, they’ll want us out there.”
I nodded my agreement and squeezed his hand in mine. “Good luck.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked down at me, taking in every detail of my face. Suddenly, he pulled me forward and pressed his body against mine. I had no idea if anyone was watching. Doubtful, judging by the noises coming from the ring.
I melted into him, feeling his hand travel up the back of my neck and into my hair. Inhaling the scent of his skin, dark and musty, I softly kissed the bare skin on his neck. His grip on my waist tightened and he pulled me even closer. Dropping his mouth to mine, he kissed me until my head spun, pulling away only when I was good and breathless.
“I needed that,” he said, his lips slightly swollen.
I gazed up at him, unable to speak a word. My head was still spinning.
With a final squeeze of my hand, he was lost in the crowd, headed toward the competitor’s booth on the other side of the ring. I shook off the haze that had settled in my brain and wandered off behind the bleachers. A satisfied smile lingered on my face as I thought about that kiss. Gabe never failed to surprise me.
Shaking my head, I looked to my right and saw Raquel sitting alone on the side of the grassy hill, watching the action in the ring below. Needing a little break from the crowd, I made my way over to her shady spot. Dropping to a spot beside her, I hugged my knees against my chest and watched the ongoing match.
“I’m surprised you’re not down there, competing,” I said, pointing to the ring.
She shrugged. “Maybe next year.”
I studied her out of the corner of my eye. It was unlike my cousin not to get totally wrapped up in the latest happenings—whether that be local Nephilim excitement or celebrity gossip on the internet.
“What’s up?” I asked, nudging her with my shoulder. “You seem kind of down.”
She bowed her red head and stared down at the blade of grass between her fingers. “Nothing. I’ve just been thinking...”
A silence fell between us. I waited for her to speak. Usually, I didn’t have to wait long for Raquel to spill. She couldn’t keep a secret for long.
“It’s just...” she continued.
I smiled. That hadn’t taken long at all.
“I overheard Uncle Luke and Mom talking about your episodes last night.” She glanced at me, her eyes full of worry. “Uncle Luke says he’s worried about you. And that you decided you didn’t want to be a warrior anymore. He doesn’t know what to do. Mom says the demon is taking its toll on you. That you might not be able to fight it off.”
My head buzzed with sudden static. So much for a day without worry. I’d been so wrapped up in my own stress that I hadn’t stopped to think about the people around me, who cared about what happened to me. They were suffering, too.
“It’s going to be okay,” I said, wrapping my arm around her narrow shoulders.
She leaned into me, her bony elbow digging into my side. “I don’t want to lose you.” Sighing deeply, she abandoned the handful of grass and fixed me with a stare. “You’re my best friend. Like a sister. I can’t imagine my life without you, now.”
“You’re not going to lose me.” I tried to laugh, but it sounded hollow to my ears. “The demons are gone, the Hell Gate is closed. If one little demon inside my head is all we have to contend with this year, I’m ecstatic. We’ll find a way. Trust me.”
