“Begin,” Serge commanded.
Turner didn’t wait for Nik to move as he flew across the floor. It was strike or be hit. Turner landed the first blow, but Nik turned to take the majority of the punch to his shoulder and not to his injured chest. Turner was going for his wounded chest. Arianna wanted to turn away. It didn’t seem fair. She knew how hurt Nik really was beneath his bandages. Nik wasn’t throwing too many hits in return, but doing his best to protect the injury that he was too proud to admit. Again and again, Turner attacked. Sometimes landing a direct hit, although not where he was aiming. The rest were blocked. After two minutes, Turner had more than three times the score than Nik, who was bleeding profusely under the wrappings across his chest.
Arianna turned to Polo, who was no longer watching the match.
‘Call it,’ Arianna told him mentally. Polo looked up to her. He was scared and defeated. Retainers each held the ability to call a match if they feared their competitor would die.
‘He won’t let me,’ Polo replied. He was begging her with his eyes to do it for him.
‘Each minute he’s out there it’s getting worse,’ Arianna tried to reason with Polo as Nik took another blow that forced him to the ground. The blood was seeping through layers of his dressing. Soon it would show through his shirt. Arianna already smelled twice as much blood than she had a minute ago, and it was getting worse. Even without another hit, the blood would be seeping out soon
‘And if I stop the match, he will kill me,’ Polo replied.
‘Turner, keep him moving, but don’t hit him. Another direct hit may kill him. We don’t need to start a war with the Katsulas family,’ Arianna quickly told Turner as he dodged a blow. Nik was getting slower and sloppier with his punches.
‘And so I just dance with him? Just call the match,’ Turner replied, moving to the far end of the fighting grounds. He couldn’t refuse Arianna’s order, but also couldn’t fake fighting without at least hitting his opponent.
‘I can’t. I can tell he’s losing blood because I can sense it as easily as I can smell yours. How do I explain that? We have to wait for it to show through the bandages.’ Arianna winced as Nik tried to attack, and Turner dodged it yet again, causing Nik to fly to the ground. The force of the ground was enough to press the bleeding through part of the white bandage. Arianna immediately stood.
“Match is done,” she called out, and ignored the glare from Nik. He was slowly pushing himself up from the ground. Obviously, he was in a large amount of pain, but pride kept him from admitting it. Even injured, Nik was still the sour-faced, spoiled brat he had been since she met first him.
“On what grounds?” Nik asked, now glaring at Polo, who wasn’t stopping Arianna.
“On the grounds that no one will be dying while I am watching these matches,” Arianna replied, nodding to Serge. “And since these are my games, I can make whatever additional rules I want.” She added before the extra men there complained. They were all ready to plead their argument for the match to continue. Anticipation rolled off them at the thought that Nik would die. Not a single night human there wanted to stop the match.
“Mr. Winter is the winner,” Serge added to signify that the match was complete.
Polo rushed to the field to take his brother away for a second time that day. Nik fell back to his knees, and Polo had to staunch the bleeding. The men around her were all disappointed at the outcome. Nik was still alive. Rhys’ eyes were upon her. He was filled with curiosity over why she would help Nik. Arianna nodded to Polo, who helped his brother more. Polo was grateful at her saving his brother’s life, and the feeling of appreciation poured off him. Arianna smiled and nodded again. Quickly, Rhys’ feelings changed from curiosity to anger. Why was she smiling at another night human?
‘Andrew,’ Arianna didn’t turn around as she talked to him. She felt Rhys’ anger grow. Loan was not a good enough fighter to stand up to Rhys when Rhys was in a good mood. Arianna had no idea what Rhys would do when he was in a bad mood. ‘Help Loan, or he will die at Rhys hand.’
Andrew stood as the men all watched Nik and Polo on the field. Turner joined Arianna, huffing from the exertion of the fight, or rather, the exertion of the running around he had needed to do at the end. Andrew stopped beside Loan, who was talking to his retainer and getting ready for his fight. Andrew slipped a vial into Loan’s hand and disappeared before the night human could even ask why.
‘Stay away from Rhys before the match,’ Arianna said to Loan. Loan’s head snapped up at her voice.
‘How can you talk to me like this?’ Loan asked.
‘I drank your blood to decide who was stronger in the second test. I have better sense than any test,’ Arianna gave a lame excuse she hoped Loan would buy.
‘Just a vial of blood can make you able to communicate with other night humans?’ Loan asked, not even suspicious, but more in awe than anything.
‘Yes, just a vial gives me access to talk to other night humans,’ Arianna replied. Loan swiftly scanned his mind for any silent communication that would have embarrassed him. He was the only one of the men at the competition that was worried about being embarrassed, not worried that she would know they were plotting, because he had yet to join the various groups forming with Rhys at the head of most of them.
‘And this?’ Loan asked about the vial in his hand.
‘The only chance you have to stay alive during this fight,’ Arianna replied. Loan started to look her way, so she quickly added, ‘my blood.’ Loan froze in his movements, unsure if he heard her correctly.
“Mr. Duran and Mr. McKinny,” Serge interrupted their conversation as Nik was finally cleared from the field, and Andrew was safely tucked behind Arianna, listening in on her conversation with Loan.
‘Don’t go near him,’ Arianna warned, as Loan stood to move to the far side of the ring, intent on walking right by Rhys. ‘He can curse you like Nik if he can touch you.’
‘Shoot,’ Loan replied. ‘Then how do I fight him?’ Loan trusted Arianna unquestioningly and veered away from Rhys.
‘He can’t curse you during a fight; he does that before. Just don’t go near him now as you walk,’ Arianna directed Loan. Loan glanced in his hand as his retainer talked to him. ‘The vial is edible. Just break it in your mouth, and no one will know you have my blood.’
Loan took his spot across from Rhys, and popped the blood vial into his mouth, transforming at the same time. The men in the audience all gasped, assuming the increased strength was his, not that he had Arianna’s blood. In the preliminary exhibition, Loan had never shown that kind of power, but now all the men appreciated that he had been chosen for the final matches.
“Does he stand a chance?” Loan’s retainer asked, standing behind Arianna.
“No,” Arianna replied, as the match started. Loan stared at Rhys while Rhys stared at him, neither one in a hurry. The outcome had already been determined once Rhys got pissed off. Rhys was now out to cause pain.
Chapter 25
Arianna was happy to be leaving the matches after Rhys beat Loan unmercifully. The much younger Loan never stood a chance, but with Arianna’s blood within him, he saw through the illusions and was able to protect himself as Rhys beat on him. The sidhe king was an expert fighter, and Arianna cringed with each hit. Rhys was inflicting intense internal damage without leaving outward marks, which would cause the match to end. He wanted to draw out Loan’s torture. It wasn’t that Rhys was necessarily upset with Loan. He didn’t suspect that Loan had Arianna’s blood. Rhys was angry at the rest of the men, including Nik Katsulas, who didn’t seem to get the hint: the only reason Nik was still alive was a promise. Loan’s retainer let the match go for only four minutes before he called it, worried about his charge as much as Arianna was.
The anger radiated off Andrew as they made it back to her room. In the other direction, Nessa followed a few steps behind her brother, who was just as furious. The exertion from the match had done nothing to calm Rhys down.
??
?There has to be something I can do,” Andrew said when they were finally alone in Arianna’s room. “You got lucky today, but I doubt neither Rhys nor Nik will be as kind.” Andrew still wanted to protect her, and had no way to do so.
“Bind,” Nessa said, magically appearing from the open window. Arianna and Andrew already sensed her coming, so neither was surprised when she finally showed up.
Arianna turned to Andrew. It was obvious he had called Nessa in for help. Rhys was her brother, after all. If anyone knew how to beat him, she would. Nessa tossed a small book to Andrew. Andrew caught it and read the cover.
“And that is?” Arianna asked, frustrated that this new world of hers had its own set of rules which often left her feeling one step behind everyone else.
“Would such an archaic practice work?” Andrew asked, obviously understanding what Nessa meant, even though Arianna did not. Neither explained it to Arianna.
“I don’t know, but it’s her best shot. If you bind, she should be able to share strength and experience,” Nessa added. Arianna liked the sound of that, but still didn’t know what it meant.
“Experience?” Devin asked from the doorway, always aware of the goings-on around Arianna. He was obviously upset at Nessa for her suggestion. “I’ve heard that can happen, but not all the time. Sometimes bindings cause power to diminish. Maybe you’re setting her up to fail. How can you be sure it will happen one way and not the other?” Devin’s rapid-fire questions didn’t seem to fluster Nessa at all.
“We can’t be sure,” Nessa responded honestly, not caring for the insinuation that she was there for any reason other than to help Arianna. Nessa had proven her worth to Arianna, and couldn’t see what she had ever done to upset Devin.
“And then what, have her bind, lose her power and be unable fight at all? Even better, suggest she bind to Andrew, the only night human here that could actually beat your brother. That way you’ve killed two birds with one stone. Maybe the binding will take his power away. Such a devoted sister,” Devin sneered. His anger was leaking out of him. Arianna glanced between them. Nessa was obviously getting just as mad.
“Do you think I’d suggest anything that would hurt Arianna? If I truly thought the binding would lessen her power, I wouldn’t suggest it. Andrew called me for help. This is the best I can do.” Nessa’s dark, curly hair bounced as she talked. She was just as ready to pounce across the room at Devin as he was at her. It was obvious that there was no love shared between them.
“Lessen?” Andrew asked, pulling the conversation back to where he wanted it.
“Theoretically, a binding is to combine strength,” Devin replied, in his textbook-explanation tone. “But every so often, when there is a great difference in power, it doesn’t strengthen the one with more power, but weakens them instead. There have only been a few recorded cases of this happening, but it does happen. That’s why I didn’t suggest it earlier.”
“Really? And your undying love for Arianna had nothing to do with it?” Nessa replied, now sitting beside Arianna, trying to keep calm and not strangle Devin. He was trying to stop the best chance Nessa had found for Arianna. “You want us to believe that there wasn’t an ulterior motive, such as you don’t want the love of your life bound to someone else for eternity, and never being able to take her back.” Devin was now fuming and looked like he was ready to lunge across the room.
“There were no other reasons?” Andrew asked, looking only at Devin for confirmation that Nessa was just being vindictive.
“Nothing has changed,” Devin answered, staring daggers at Nessa.
“Sounds to me like he’s changed his mind,” Nessa flipped a few curls over her shoulder, getting impatient at the debate. Devin’s loyalty was admirable, but right now his personal feelings were getting in the way. Nessa and Andrew both knew the truth.
Devin glared over at Nessa. “And you don’t think maybe the sidhe here has other alternatives to helping you? Maybe she wants to weaken you?” Devin accused. Arianna watched from her spot on the couch. Emotions were roiling off Devin. It was odd to see the doors crack open and emotion come out, even if it was anger.
“Nessa is helping us,” Arianna replied, now receiving a glare from Devin.
“So she says,” Devin responded. “And what does she have to gain from you going free?”
“What does she have to gain from her brother winning me?” Arianna replied just as quickly.
“Umm, let’s see, maybe her freedom?” Devin replied.
“She will already get that. She had to pretend to be her brother and move on to the next round. She did that, and now she can be free. And the law that everyone signed means she can’t be forced to marry,” Arianna tried to explain. Nessa had no motive to hurt Arianna.
“Is that the story?” Devin asked Arianna, but he stared directly at Nessa. “What about the fiancé your family already arranged for you back home? Can you leave him now that you did a good job for your brother?”
Nessa didn’t reply to Devin’s jeer. Arianna already had seen inside Nessa’s mind. Nessa would not marry the man that had been chosen for her, no matter what Devin thought. Turning back to Arianna, Nessa continued to talk. “The binding cases where people lost strength were all when a night human bound to a day human. There has never been a recorded case where a night human lost strength when bound to another night human.”
“You’ve each pled your case,” Andrew added, hoping to help stifle the anger in the room.
“What exactly is a binding?” Arianna asked, looking from person to person.
“That, he should discuss with you,” Nessa pointed to Andrew before walking to the doorway where Devin stood. She wasn’t as angry now. Andrew was right. She had pled her case. “We don’t need to be a part of this discussion.” Nessa shooed Devin back, and, surprisingly, he let her. He had presented his case equally well.
“Care to walk me back to my room, in case I decide to plot more against you?” Nessa sarcastically added. Devin huffed, and followed behind her.
“Please think about everything carefully,” Devin added before leaving.
Andrew stood and followed them both to the doorway. They were walking down the hallway side-by-side, neither talking, but still just as mad at each other. And maybe a little something else. Andrew smiled as he shut the door. Maybe Devin had the ability to show emotion all along, he just needed the right person to pull it out of him.
Andrew shimmered back to the couch to be beside Arianna in an instant. He was happy with the new idea, and anticipation poured off him. He had never heard of anyone doing bindings recently, but the thought that he could bind Arianna to himself forever was a great idea. He liked even more the idea that she would gain his experience. He would never have to worry about her in a fight again. They would be unstoppable. His worry was completely gone.
“Explain,” Arianna said, crossing her arms and staring at him as he tried to take her hands in his own. “Details, now.” Andrew smiled slyly and snuck his hand into her hand anyway.
“Before the clans were divided so completely against each other, to cross species, people would bind to each other instead of just getting married and seeing what type of night human their child would be. It was said that if the gods looked favorably upon the binding, you would be joined in body and mind. People thought it was a way to get their children to have both their traits,” Andrew explained, wanting to get on with the actual binding.
“And did it work?” Arianna asked.
“No, but the people who did bind claimed to be able to use each other’s power and strength. If Nessa is correct, by binding, you would fight tomorrow using my experience. It may actually work. This might be the way that I can help you,” Andrew answered.
“Why didn’t Devin tell me this before?” Arianna relaxed her crossed arms and let Andrew take both her hands.
“Because, even though you’re a purebred night human, and can take lots of keepers, you can only bind to one person.” Andrew waited, holding his breat
h. She would have to choose, and never go back on her decision. She had chosen him the day they jumped off the train to come to this competition, but he still detected something in her when she looked at Devin, too.
“Shouldn’t that be my mate, then?” Arianna replied, unsure why Andrew was so worried.
“Me or Devin?” Andrew played with her fingers as he waited for a response. For once in his life, he was completely uncertain. It didn’t matter how much he loved Arianna and wanted to be beside her forever. It was still her choice. She could always pick Devin.
“Do you have to ask?” she replied, pulling her hand from his. Sadness filled the air as Andrew couldn’t help his emotions from showing. Arianna reached up and gently stroked his face. “You’re my mate, not Devin.” Relief hit Arianna instantly as Andrew’s arms snaked around her, pulling her into a tight but gentle hug.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Andrew whispered into her hair, not letting go of her.
“Did you expect me not to?” Arianna gave a muffled reply.
“Honestly?” Andrew let go a bit so that she could pull back and see his face. “I didn’t know. I wanted you to choose me, but…” He trailed off the thought. Arianna waited for him to finish. “Devin sort of made the choice for you last month when he told you to choose me. I figured maybe there was something still there, and you still wanted him.” Devin had told Arianna to choose Andrew, but it was still her choice.
“I choose you, Andrew Lucan, as long as you want me,” Arianna replied.
Andrew answered with a kiss that made Arianna tingle all the way down to her toes.
“Now, how do we do this binding thingy?” Arianna asked, as Andrew pulled back and smiled at her.
“Not really sure.” Andrew picked up the book from the couch. “Ready to be stuck with me forever? You know, forever is a long time…” Arianna scooted closer to him and pulled his face down to meet hers.
They sat nose to nose, staring into each other’s eyes for a moment. “I couldn’t think of a better person to be stuck to forever.” Andrew leaned forward to kiss her again, before reluctantly pulling away. He opened the small book and skimmed through it while Arianna watched.