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“You’re good for her, you know? Not as serious as all of... this.” I waved my hand around the room, and Cade smirked.
“Part of me is still human, and humans all understand, deep down, that life’s just too fucking short not to go all out, balls to the motherfucking wall. So, you gonna chase that girl down, or do I need to smack your ass, too?”
I huffed and rolled my eyes at him. “Stay here and try not to get us all in trouble. I’ve got to go find some pretty words.”
“She doesn’t care about words, my guy, unless they come from the professor. Kana’s all action. Think a little more with your cock.” Cade chuckled to himself as he turned back into the bedroom and sprawled out on the blanket, closing his eyes immediately.
I shook my head, wondering when I’d gone and gotten so fucking serious myself.
My life used to be the thrill of the hunt, the adrenaline of devising the perfect plan, and the simple satisfaction of taking care of my crew and my mom. Thinking about Undertow as I walked toward my own rooms made me realize - it wasn’t becoming Kana’saimathat scared me.
It was becoming a fucking King.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
LUCA
Not seeing Kana was really wearing on my nerves and confidence, but it wasn’t like I’d given myself another option.
Still, it hurt to see her with the others and know I had no ideas on how to fix the mess I’d made. I took the end chair at the competitor table, and Vento took up his usual spot against the nearby wall as the crowd grew.
There were still six chairs at the table, and I didn’t miss how none of the competitors took the one next to me. Jillian was closest, then Kas. Blaise slid in next to Kana, who kept on the opposite end from me, not really looking at anyone. The fae wasn’t around, and they were evidently still keeping Cade out of sight.
You ready for this, pup?Vento slid into my mind with the wolf speak, and I sighed, hanging my head back to stare up at the ceiling.
I was ready for the whole fucking thing to be over tonight.
I’d fight match after match without rest if I had to.
Anything would be better than this endless facade of celebration, I said back to Vento as Merden swanned into the hall, her nobles following her around like dogs sniffing for treats. Except they weren’t even worthy of being compared to dogs.
Maybe hyenas. Yeah, I liked that image better.
It was hard to believe these same people had just watched her kill her own son rather than give him the throne. What exactly did they think that meant for their future with her?
I only halfway listened to the old cunt go on and on about how great the Queendom was with her in charge. She boasted about things that had barely happened and recapped the rules for the eightieth time, and finally the mist swirled in, cutting her off.
My muscles tensed as I watched it flow in a line down the floor in front of our table. Blaise again. The mist made a mini vortex around her chair, and she stood, holding a deadly-looking dagger in the air as a big section of the crowd cheered. She was well-liked among the regular vampires - the ones not all up Merden’s ass.
Then the mist turned, and something in its iron gray shimmer winked at me. I shuffled my feet, standing almost before it reached me.
“Let’s do this,” I called to Blaise, and she grinned wickedly. It would be a good fight. I wouldn’t mind losing to her, but I sure wasn’t going to aim for that.
Kana watched me with a tight expression on her face, and I could tell she wasn’t pleased to see us paired up together.
But we would all fight our friends at some point in this game.
“It’ll be okay, spicy kitten,” I whispered as I passed her, and her breath hitched in a way that made adrenaline flood my system. Fuck, yes. I might not be able to touch my girl, but she still wanted it. With that sort of intel on my mind, there wasn’t a fight I wouldn’t take on.
The crowd had parted for us to pass, and I dropped down into the pit. Blaise had already armed up and taken her spot, eager to begin.
“Do I get the teeth and claw treatment tonight?” she called over to me, and I chuckled.
“Oh, yeah. You get it all.” I grabbed a crossbow from the weapons rack just in case - it wouldn’t hurt to have something long-range as backup, and I sure as shit had better aim thanMerden. Then I readied myself for the crowd’s screams of excitement as I threw myself into the shift.
Standing as tall as Blaise in my ice wolf form, I snapped my huge teeth at her and wagged my tail playfully. She grinned even wider and flexed her wrists, twirling blades in each hand. The mist parted, and Merden gave her usual battle cry to begin.
But we’d already started.
