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"Damn it!" I cursed as a small pillow struck me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I doubled over, unsure it the pillow was full of marbles or metal washers.
Then she hit me again.
Marbles. Those were definitely marbles.
I looked up just in time to see Caramel preparing for another swing at me while Trippy and her squad started heading towards me. I shrieked, scrambling to defend myself, panic and adrenaline shooting through my bloodstream.
Blows rained down on me from all sides, the bunnies working together with ruthless efficiency.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
I was outnumbered and overpowered, no match for their combined strength. Pain exploded across my body as fists and marbles and Trippy’s brick struck me.
I struggled to fend them off up, dodging and weaving as best I could while managing to land a few mediocre blows of my own.
The whistle blew, cutting through the chaos like a knife through warm butter. The bunnies retreated instantly, fading back against the gold ropes of the ring.
I scanned the room, searching for Ransom. I jumped when I realized he was standing at the edge of the mat. He was watching me, arms crossed over his chest.
He looked pissed.
“What the fuck are you doing in there?” he demanded through clenched teeth.
“Trying not to get the shit kicked out of me!” I snapped back. His eyes flashed at my insolence, but I didn’t care. If he wanted me to be obedient, then he should’ve kept me on my leash and out of this fight.
He motioned for me to kneel down to him. He wasn’t going to crawl in the ring and coddle me this time.
“Callister told me that you knew how to attack and defend, so why aren’t you doing it?”
“Uh, maybe because I studied fencing, not this insane bullshit!” I argued, shaking the fuzzy hot pink pillow in his face. The coils of razor wire inside rattled gently among the feathers. “What if I accidentally kill someone?”
“This is a controlled environment. They’ll be fine,” Ransom said through tight lips. “The magic of imagination heals all things in Wonderland.”
“Then why isn’t mine working?” I demanded, pointing at the leather collar around my neck. “Why did you take my power away? You’re making me fight at a disadvantage!”
“A disadvantage?” he scoffed. “You’re the only bunny I’m instructing tonight. Regarding your imagination, you haven’t proven yourself responsible enough to be given that privilege. You have to earn it, just like all the other bunnies,” he said, still frowning at me.
“Ugh! How long is that gonna take?”
Clearly doing his best to temper his anger in front of his guests, Ransom clenched his jaw and shot me a cold smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“That depends entirely on you. I’m doing all of this for your benefit, and you’re being nothing but unappreciative.” He leaned closer and reached through the ropes, hooking his finger on the gold ring of my collar. Thence pulled me close. “Callister and I have a wager on whether you’ll succeed or not,” he snarled, his tone severe. “If you’re so selfish that you aren’t willing to fight for Wonderland, stop wasting my time and get out of the ring.”
He had a bet with Callister about me? What the fuck? It was obvious which one of them had bet against me. For all I knew, Callister was in the crowd, watching me, placing more bets on me, expecting me to fail.
Anger roiled up inside me as I thought of that slimy caterpillar. I’d called him a worm the last time I saw him, but he wasn’t even that. He was scheming, two-faced snake.
Ransom started to pull me towards him. I dug my heels into the mat and held my ground, refusing to crawl through the gold ropes.
“Oh, so now you want to stay and play?” he mocked, still holding onto my collar.
“I’m not here to play,” I snapped, tightening my grasp on my pillow. “I’m here to win!”
“Then prove it,” said Ransom as he let go of me and took a step back. All the coldness left him as his gaze took on a heated, hungry look. It was the kind of look that said he couldn’t wait to fuck me when this was all over. “Do keep in mind that you’re swimming with sharks now, bunny.”
He paused to give me a seductive wink.
“So be a fucking shark.”
