Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
I turn back, and before my eyes, my sister appears in the cage, followed by one of Cinitta’s sisters. I quickly look for Cinitta, and when my eyes land on her, she doesn’t appear shocked, but her hands give it away as they ball into fists. Her brows form a straight line as she watches her sister.
“Why?” I ask, barely breathing, not looking at him but knowing he can hear me. I attempt to step closer to the cage when his hand touches my arm, holding me back. When I face him, he squeezes his eyes shut, as if touching me hurts him. How could that be possible? A simple touch.
“Because entertainment is what the people want, so it’s what they shall get.” He removes his hand and claps.
It’s then I realize my sister didn’t see who was opposite her until now. Her brows pull together, and she glances around the room.
“She can’t see you,” Viper says with pleasure in his voice. “You could take her place.” He says it so low that I almost miss it.
“I’ll do it. Bring her out.” Tatiana looks exhausted. Her hands are covered in mud, her hair looks like it hasn’t been brushed for days, and she needs rest. But she’s ready in her fighting stance, just as I knew she would be.
“Are you sure? One will not leave that cage until the other is dead.”
“Bring her out.”
“It shall be done.” He claps and the room goes white. I blink a few times, and when my vision clears, it’s me standing in the cage opposite one of Cinitta’s sisters.
“Talia!” I hear my sister screaming my name, but I can’t pay her any attention. My eyes zoom in on the woman with the violet hair. She looks puzzled until a voice comes through, then her back straightens.
“To the death,” is all it says, and as the last word rings in the air, I watch as she turns into fire, scales covering her body, and she takes a tentative step in my direction.
What the hell have I done?
Shit.
I pull the leather jacket from my body and let it drop to the floor—it won’t be of any assistance for this fight, as it doesn’t give me free range in movement.
“She said he would play with you,” Cinitta’s sister says.
“What’s your name?” I ask because I do want to know. She will be my first kill. The vampire I killed didn’t have a soul so I do not count him, but her, I want to remember her name.
“You cannot defeat me, but because I know you will die, I shall give you my name. Araba, and I am sorry for your death,” she says before she moves toward me. I watch her closely, though, her moves almost angel-like—fast and smooth. But even without my powers, I can tell when she’s going to take her next step. She descends on me, and as she reaches for me with her fiery arm, which would be sure to scorch my skin, I duck and quickly elbow her in the ribs as I slide under her. She groans at the contact but turns fast to face me again. Anger now mars her face at the knowledge that I’m not going to be as easy a kill as she first thought I would be.
I turn to look behind me, for just a fraction of a second, to see if I can find my sister, but I can’t see anyone, and that time cost me. Because before I can stop it, Araba strikes me hard in my stomach, then a hand goes to my face. I turn quickly at the sensation, and her fiery palm touches my skin, pulling a scream from my lungs as I fall backward. Her feet coming toward me are all I see as I try to drown out the pain with my mind.
I should be moving, screaming.
Fire! Fire sure is a sad way to die.
And painful.
Araba’s hand reaches out to hit me in my face again, but this time I move, and she grazes the side of my cheek. It’s like putting your hand over a flame for just a second. It burns, but it doesn’t register straight away.
It gives me enough time to kick my legs out and trip her so she falls. I get up when she does and reach for my jacket, knowing I won’t be able to touch her skin without causing myself pain. I quickly pull the jacket over my hands to cover them so I can punch her back. She stumbles but manages to grip on to my arm to stop her from falling. The pain of her touch is excruciating, but I can’t stop to scream or pull her off, because if I do, she will have the upper hand, and I’m afraid of what will happen to me if she gets it.