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Gaius’s hackles raised. “You were a mistake. An incredible disappointment to me.”
Haven held his breath, waited for the inevitable blow.
It didn’t come.
Thorne’s lips pulled downward in an overstated display of hurt. “You wound me, Father. A disappointment? However might I recover from such a blow to my ego?” He smirked. “I suppose it’s a good thing your opinion matters little to me. I’ve grown in my absence from you. Stronger. Better. Come, Haven.” Thorne held out his hand, extending it to Haven, expecting him to follow.
Bowing his head, Haven did as he was told, leaving Gaius behind.
“What was he saying to you?” Thorne’s voice was rough, grating. Anger hid in its depths.
“Nothing of importance.” Haven attempted to keep his tone steady, to give nothing away. “I was only welcoming him. He is your sire, after all.”
“Indeed. A sire who abandoned me. He wants you, Haven.”
Feigning ignorance, Haven frowned. “Wants me?”
“He’d take you from me if he thought he could.”
Haven met Thorne’s gaze. His usually playful smirk had disappeared, replaced by a frown. A pang of guilt stole Haven’s breath. “I’m loyal to you, Thorne.”
Thorne’s hand came to cup Haven’s cheek. “Of course you are, sweet one. You’re mine. But Gaius is a fiend. He’ll attempt to ensnare you with pretty words. Don’t let him do it, lover. Promise me you’ll stay away from him.”
Haven swallowed, nodding. “Yes, Master. I promise.”
The smile returned to Thorne’s face. “Good then.” Slipping a hand around Haven’s waist, Thorne pulled him deeper into the throng of waiting vampyres. “Let’s greet our guests. Give them a good show, like always, hmm?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Ahh, the dogs are ready.”
A stream of broad-shouldered pets filtered into the room. These ones were broader, thicker, more heavily laced with muscle. They were reminiscent of Cypress in the way they carried themselves, heavy and proud.
Off to the side of the room, Merick’s smile glimmered. He caught Haven’s eye and winked.
“Friends,” Thorne cleared his throat and addressed the group. As all gazes turned to him, he bowed deeply. “Welcome to New Avalon, to this meeting of the Dominion. We’re so honored to host you and usher you into your merriment. Tonight is a night of celebration! We start with the dogs. Place your bets, and we’ll begin!”
Haven watched as a human slave walked among the vampyres, accepting money and bets. The fighters were presented, displayed among the vampyres like fresh fruits among vendors. Merick moved within the crowd, gloating, touching, pinching, and prodding. He barked at them, baring his teeth and snarling.
“That one,” Thorne whispered to Haven. He gestured to a broad, golden-skinned male with wide shoulders and blond hair. “That dog’s going to win.”
Haven swallowed. The Bathory guards rounded two slaves from the group of them and forced them forward into a ring that had been constructed off to the side of the room, made from ropes that were staked to the floor. While both slaves were thick with muscle, one of them, the blond barbarian likely stolen from Feral territory, had an air of ferocity about him. He glared at his opponent, a dark-headed warrior, pinning him with a look of prideful arrogance as though he’d already won the match.
Another slave waved a flag to announce the commencement of the match, and immediately, the dogs tore into one another, teeth bared, sharpened nails exposed and seeking flesh. All around, the vampyres broke into cheers and guffaws, rooting for one or the other. But Thorne’s eyes never left the blond.
In the ring, the dogs scrambled for purchase, knocking each another to the ground. The dark-haired dog made the first hit, seating himself over top of the blond, slamming that golden head into the cement floor over and over again. Upon the third thrust, the blond bucked his hips, uprooting his opponent and sending him tumbling to the side.
“There,” Thorne whispered, his fingers twining with Haven’s. A quick squeeze. “Watch closely now.”
The blond combatant got to his knees, grabbing a handful of dark hair before slamming a fist into the other dog’s face. Blood spurted from the upturned nose as the blond drove his punches home. Once. Twice. Three times. A cough erupted as the dog spat up blood.
“Bite him! Tear him apart!” The vampyres in the crowd screamed out. They grew excited and avaricious, sucking on the necks of pets and cattle alike. The humans were passed among them, stumbling on drugged legs.
In the ring, the blond dog thrust his opponent to the ground, smashing his bloodied, swollen face into the floor. Then he lunged, exposing sharpened teeth and digging into the dark-haired dog’s neck. Biting down hard, he tore out a chunk of flesh and spat it on the ground. Like a ravenous animal, he continued to tear, chewing and spitting, ripping and consuming. He was…eating the other human.
Haven’s stomach clenched. He knew the dogs were mostly starved and fully drugged to keep them ravenous and rapacious, but this was nothing short of barbaric. He wanted to look away but knew Thorne would notice. As if he could read Haven’s thoughts, Thorne squeezed his hand. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? An animal giving into his natural urges. This is humanity at its most base. Look at how free they are. How alive.”
The black-haired dog now lay dead on his stomach, but still, the blond persisted to lay waste to his body. Blood and brain matter, soft tissue and bone all splattered across the ring.
