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Heat pools in my belly as I drink in the blood, the chaos, the carnage. I look across to Gabriel and I see he’s affected too. He jiggles his labret piercing with his tongue, and his eyes are heavy with need. The scent of blood in the air sets off something primal in each of us. I can’t wait to get him home so I can fuck him every imaginable way, fucking him like the lioness sinking her claws into her lover.
My cousin raises his arms out wide, his smile giddy as he drinks in the debauchery. The lion tears the traitor’s legs off, spraying more blood across Antony’s face. He loves it, and so does everyone here. No one is mourning Brutus’ absence – they already have a new leader in mind.
On the VIP balcony, Nero snaps his fingers for another bottle of Champagne. He’s been lording it over the place all night, with Eli’s mother at his side. The smile on his lips turns my blood to ice. Suddenly, I’m not horny any longer.
Every word Antony told me is a lie.
And somehow, it’s all part of Nero’s plan.
Eli is in danger. I know he is.
“We’re done here.” I stand up. Gabriel tears his eyes away from the arena. He slides my coat over my shoulders, and we walk down toward the edge of the arena, where the Barbarian emerges from the stalls. He wears a silk robe embroidered with the August insignia – the sword and the laurel – and his terrifying mask remains firmly in place. His arm is bandaged where the whip dug into his skin, but the dressing is already soaked with blood.
Women flock from the audience to surround him, chattering and simpering as they reach out to touch him. One leans down and runs her tongue across his collarbone, licking Snakebite’s blood from his skin.
I see red.
He’s mine.
My monster.
I launch myself forward, forgetting the danger of our situation in my desire to see that woman’s blood splattered across Noah’s chest. My fingers fly to the knife I’ve hidden in my sleeve, but Noah’s faster. He grabs the woman by the scruff of her coat and flings her away. She crashes into a table, sending glasses and plates of food flying everywhere.
Noah storms toward me as fresh blood stains his bandages. He grabs me roughly and attacks my lips with his. The kiss is fierce – a claiming kiss. He is declaring to everyone present that the Barbarian is spoken for. I wrap my arms around him, grabbing hold of his horns and dragging him closer, making it clear that I have a claim of my own. I taste his opponent’s blood on his lips. It’s sick and twisted and hot as fuck.
As we draw back, Noah’s breath kisses me. “We should leave.”
“Agreed. I want to take you home and fuck you senseless.” I lick a speck of blood from my lip. I’m molten hot again, desperate for release. My boys can do that to me, especially when they’re bathed in the blood and sweat of a fight. “And you can leave the mask on.”
Noah’s lips turn up into a smile. He throws his uninjured arm around me, and the three of us head back toward the locomotive bars. Nervous now, the women step back as we pass. My gaze flicks across their faces, searching for something I can use when I confront my cousin with this – my father’s old allies, the people with weaknesses he taught me to exploit—
Wait a second.
It can’t be.
I stop in my tracks. Noah curses as he trips over me. Gabriel tugs my arm, but I don’t move.
I’m frozen.
I can’t stop staring at a couple jogging toward the exit.
They turned away so quickly, I’m positive they didn’t see me. I had only a fleeting glimpse of their faces, but as I take in the shape of their bodies and their distinctive gaits, I’m sure of what I saw.
It’s George and Eli.
Shit. Shit shit shit.
My head buzzes. George and Eli. How did they find this place? How did they get in? They’re wearing ridiculous outfits I’m guessing came from George’s thrift store.
They saw Noah fight.
They saw a man torn apart by a lion.
They saw Nero lording it from the VIP lounge.
They saw Antony basking in the adoration of the criminal underworld.
They saw me. They saw me with my old family.
