49. The Real Blood Match
The Real Blood Match
Rez
Ican feel Knox’s anxiety through our link, and I know he’s struggling to give me a strong front, so I take matters into my own hands.
I block our connection myself. It’s amazing how easy it is when I think about it.
It’s like building a strong mental wall around myself, kinda like what Murmur had me practice.
I miss him, but not his training. L.A.M.B. would be proud of me right now, and how I handled Captain Brooks. Spotting his lies was easy, and having Bitch in my ear, going over the plan gave me the confidence to follow through.
‘I told you, my name is not Bitch,’ she seethes.
‘And until you actually give me your name, Bitch it is. So get used to it.”
Captain Brooks mentioned that there is a rightful way to protect my mate. That was a bunch of bullshit. I’ve already claimed and protected my mate. He just wants a way to hurt me and kill me legally under Shifter Law.
As we walk through their camp, shifters move out of the way for us. I keep my head held high and keep an annoyed look on my face, which doesn’t take much, since he’s sidelining our Gauntlet time with these creepy woods. We still need to head back to campus.
We stop on a platform above a massive circular pit that’s roped off below us. If I’m not mistaken, the dark circles that dot the dirt floor are dried blood.
I turn and face the good old Captain. “I see, you cleaned up for me.”
“Only for the best,” he sneers. “Let’s go.” He turns to leave, but I don’t budge.
“Are you forgetting something?” I casually throw out, leaning back on my hip.
He pauses and looks back over his shoulder.
“Rules of engagement. I am a human,” I emphasize, “like you pointed out earlier, and this is my first Blood Match. Can I get some time with my family before you eat me alive in that ring?”
His eyes widen slightly with shock, as if I wouldn’t stand my ground, and he slowly turns to face me.
“Of course, how could I forget?” he tells me with hard eyes, and his fists clenched. “The Blood Matches are simply a fight to prove a point.”
Lie.
“In this instance, your point is to formally claim Knox as a mate.”
Another lie. Keep addin ’em up, fucker.
“There are usually no rules in The Blood Matches, but for you, Nerezza, I will make an exception.”
Truth. What’s he playing at?
“To give you a fighting chance, I won’t shift for the first five minutes.” Truth. “That is, if you even last that long.” His cruel smile doesn’t hide his meaning at all. He doesn’t expect me to last his human form for even five minutes.
Cheers ring out across the area with hoots and hollers, and I get a flash of deja vu, at least from the noises from my vision. I’m not about to take my eyes off Captain Brooks, but I’m sure this is what I was getting flashes of—the Blood Matches.
“And if I last that long?” I ask, making him say what he is secretly implying with his silence. He obviously doesn’t think he needs to spell out what he will do, but I’m not backing down from the challenge.
He steps closer to me until he’s nose-to-nose with me. He’s so close that I see the faint golden flecks in his iris, but what really catches my attention is the slight movement under the skin of his cheek. I can’t see the color, but I know it’s there.
Show me what is hidden.
There, right where I couldn’t see before, is the Rebel’s tattoo slithering under the skin.
“Then, Miss Taylor, I won’t make it a fast kill. I like playing with my toys, but make no mistake.” His eyes travel up and down my body. “My orders are to kill you, and I don’t disobey,” he whispers.
I smile up at him coyly. “Careful, Captain. Your tattoo’s showing.”
Without hesitation, his hand goes to his cheek to cover what isn’t showing for everyone else, but verifies that he’s definitely guilty beyond a doubt for me. “Thirty minutes and we meet back here?”
He snatches his hand away and growls, “Fifteen,” before turning around and stomping away.
“Kitten.” Knox takes my hand and pulls me into him, giving me a bear hug. His arms squeeze me, almost suffocating me, but I know he’s doing it out of fear, so I open our link and flood it with reassurance and love.
He pulls back, and I see trapped tears in his eyes.
“Can you take us someplace? We only have fifteen minutes.” He nods and begins leading me down a path to a small, lone cabin.
The rest quickly follow, not saying a word until we’re in a cottage that’s big enough that we can comfortably sit in the living room.
There’s a kitchen and a small bathroom off on the side, but that’s about it.
“This is just a waiting cabin specifically for The Blood Matches,” Knox tells me as he sits down and pats the area next to him.
As I get comfortable, a blood-red paper falls from the air and into my lap.
I didn’t bleed for nothing.
-B
Oh yeah, Bez! I hold in a snort as I reread Bez’s note. Yep, that would be the type of note he would leave me. Short, sweet, and to the point.
Wait! How the hell does he know what’s going on? I quickly search around the room for any cameras or mechanical birds, but there’s nothing. Knox peers over to see what’s in my hand. “What’s that?”
“It’s a love note,” I tell him as I hand it over before reaching into my now accessible S.I.N. box and taking out the item Bez reminded me of. It’s something I might need for Captain Brooks. “I just don’t understand how he knows that I’m here, if there are no cameras,” I murmur to myself.
Everyone watches as I silently prep, and the tension is killing me.
“Want me to piss on his leg?” Lynx asks.
I straight up laugh. ‘I love you. Thank you for breaking the tension.’
‘That’s what I’m here for, Rezzi-bear.’ Lynx winks at me.
“What did Brooks say to you?” Moni asks. “We couldn’t hear him,” she admits.
“Oh, he said his orders are to kill me.”
“WHAT?” the room yells collectively. I’m sure Nova heard everyone.
“Yeah. At least I know he’s not working for Aaron. Because he wants me alive, so that excludes him,” I say, nodding.
I hold up a bottle of something that I didn’t have the chance to take before the Gauntlet, and to be honest, I had forgotten before Bez’s note.
Popping the top, a hint of vanilla greets me, along with dark, earthy patchouli, smoky, leathery spice, and musk, creating a powerful aroma that’s both beautiful and biting—just like Bez—his essence.
I can’t believe I’ve been holding onto this since the meet-and-greet.
Without thinking twice, I shoot it back, letting the warm liquid absorb through me.
“What did you just take?” Zeke asks, shooting up from his spot on the floor.
“A present from my father figure,” I tell him honestly, standing so I can attach my glaives to my leathers.
“Here.” Ryker comes up to me and hands me four knives. “I know you’re good with your glaives, but just in case he’s too close, use my knives. They’re laced with poison already.”
“Aww.” I take them reverently, testing the weight, and, of course, find them perfectly balanced. “You sure know how to spoil a girl.”
“Always, Goddess.” He grabs my chin to angle it up, giving me a deep kiss that makes my toes curl. “Now skin that fucker alive,” he says, pulling away and smacking my ass.
I chuckle as I put his knives in my thigh sheaths. Up next are Moni and Chester, who both give me hugs and offer to come to the rescue by jumping in to save the day if they have to, but I can’t have that.
“Come on, guys, we are better than that,” I tell them.
“Yeah, but Captain Brooks sucks,” Moni whines.
“He does, but look, I can easily take him. Of that I have no doubt,” I tell her, feeling confident. “We’ve taken on bigger enemies.”
“Yeah, we have, but you’re going solo,” Chester mumbles, but I still hear it.
I shoot my brother-in-law a look. “You, sir, are supposed to worry about Moni and make her feel better; this isn’t doing it.” The disapproving look I give him makes him cower for a moment.
“Sorry,” he mumbles, and I give him a wink to lessen the blow.
I walk over to Zeke and JP, kissing them both passionately, but before I leave, I look to JP.
“I know you hate doing it, but did you—”
“You already know what he plans. He’s going to try to kill you. He’s just shocked that you knew how to delay your death.” JP shrugs.
“Thank you.” I squeeze his hand. “I can’t wait to be done with this shit and take a long soak in my tub before sleeping in my own bed,” I admit with a sigh.
“Ditto,” Lynx mimics.
“Don’t you sleep on the floor?” Knots counters.
“Don’t you sleep on a wall?” Lynx replies.
“I love you two,” I tell them as I go over and kiss and hug them both. “Feel free to bicker all you want while I fight, just no killing.”
“No promises,” they each say.
Levi comes up and pulls me over to him, cupping my cheek.
“Why is everyone acting like this is goodbye?” I ask, loud enough for all of them to hear. No one answers that, but Levi pulls me into a sweet kiss and smiles at me, popping that cute dimple I rarely see anymore.
“I just wanted to let you know, I reinforced your leather, since you’re going up against Captain Brooks. He’s known to cheat.”
“Cheat? In which way?” I ask, needing to know this type of information.
“Lynx isn’t the only one that can partially shift while in human form.” Levi gives me a pointed look.
“Got it.” I chew on my bottom lip while I take that news in. “Thank you, Levi.” I give him a deeper kiss before turning and finding everyone standing around like I’m about to walk to my death.
The only one who looks remotely happy is Reaper, and that’s because he’s chewing on a huge ass bone. Now that I truly look at it, it might be the last contestant’s femur. Eww.
“Okay, guys. Really?” I say, my hands on my waist. “Do you really have this little faith in me? Hello? I’m a Fate for fucks sake,” I finally admit it out loud.
“We’re just worried, that’s all,” Knox says, approaching me like I’m a wild animal. Hell, I might be with how on edge I’m feeling. “We’re allowed, okay?”
“No,” I say. “I would like some faith. I’ve taken down a Typhlotic Chicken by myself, I’m trained, we’ve gone through Hell, and I even have Bitch with me,” I say, as Knox envelopes me in his arms.
‘That is not my name,’ Bitch growls in my head.
“Bitch?” Knox asks, glancing down at me with those beautiful green eyes.
“Yes, the voice in my head. She won’t tell me her name, so I’m calling her Bitch until I get one,” I explain.
‘Gah!’ she screams. ‘Fine! My name is Zareen,’ the voice—I mean, Zareen relents. ‘Just stop calling me Bitch, especially to my mates,’ she growls.
“Oh, excuse me. Her name is Zareen.” I smile up at Knox.
His chest rumbles beneath my chin, but I squeeze his waist and send love down our link before raising on my toes and blinking my eyes.
“You know you love me, so stop your growling and kiss me to wish me a quick kill. Or just wish me that I make him pay for torturing you for all those years.” Knox’s eyes flash with warning. “Either way, he’ll pay,” I promise him.
He meets me with a scorching kiss, making the room spin as he deepens it.
“Just follow your instincts and block out everything around you, okay?” Knox cups my face as he stares into my eyes.
I understand how hard this is for him, as an Alpha, so I nod and give him a reassuring smile.
Reaper’s barking pulls my attention down to him at my feet.
“Okay, buddy, I’ll give you some love too,” I tell him as I get down on the ground.
I spend what time I have left hugging and kissing on Reaper until Lynx comes over and pulls me up.
“Come on, Rezzi-Bear, let me carry you out like a true warrior.” He gives me the biggest smile, and I giggle as he bows to me.
As I bounce along the path back to the ring, I can’t help but smile as Knots groans.
‘I can’t believe you actually let him carry you like that. Aren’t you supposed to portray a badass persona before battle?’ Knots points out.
‘Maybe that’s what warriors do.’ I smile at him over my shoulder as Lynx continues to bounce me on his back. ‘But remember, I’m just a human to Captain Brooks.’ I wink.
“Why don’t I ever get a ride like that?” Moni whines.
“Because you can fly,” Ryker snickers.
“I want a back-to-chest ride.” She turns and looks at Chester expectantly.
“It’s called a piggyback ride,” I tell her, and she cocks her head back at me, turning a seafoam green.
“Piggyback? Since when did Lynx become half a pig? Oh my God. Is he sick? Did something happen to him during the Gauntlet? Is it contagious? Should you be on his back? Do we need a shot? I don’t want to turn into a pig and become bacon.
I heard that’s worse than slop in the human world.
Chester!” She wails, and I watch as her eyes roll back before Chester picks her up and continues to carry her.
“I think this might be for the best if she sleeps it off during your trial,” he suggests.
“I agree,” Levi concurs as we come upon the rowdy crowd.
Once they see it’s us, they part ways and allow Lynx and me to step forward, but they don’t make it easy for us. They heckle and squeeze into us, and I can feel the frustration boiling in Knox, but we take it as we travel up to the platform once again.
Captain Brooks snorts when he sees me on the back of Lynx and then straight up laughs when Lynx bends down to let me off.
“Pathetic,” he says, while taking off his shirt and throwing it aside.
“The only thing I see is a pathetic grown unmated shifter, following orders against his pack leader to harass and harm a mated human,” I say nonchalantly while putting on fingerless gloves.
Captain Brooks snarls and spins around so fast that I swear I see gorilla fangs poke out of his mouth.
‘Oh, someone has hit a sore spot,’ Zareen practically squeals in joy.
‘Yes, and I plan on poking at it all night.’ I grin.
“In the ring,” he growls, his voice distorted a little, but I understand it perfectly.
He’s done playing the gracious host. Good, because I’m done playing the sweet human.