31. Chapter 26
It’s too hot to be out in the yard, but Reaper insists they need to train more. They only have a few weeks before they leave, so it’s understandable he wants them to be prepared. It’ll improve their chances of survival. At least for two of them.
This last year has been harder than the previous and several of our brothers haven’t made the cut. Fallon’s training has taken a dark turn and we’re all on edge, so tired by the time we’re allowed to sleep that we’re out as soon as our heads hit the pillow. Reaper and Hunter and our two other remaining brothers have had it worse. They only have a month before the final test.
They have to prove themselves in the wilderness.
Hunter nudges my shoulder with his, forcing me to tear my eyes from the circle. “Ready to get your ass kicked, shrimp?”
I dig my elbow into his ribs. I’m far from a shrimp. I grew almost three inches this past year and am now an inch taller than Viper, though Fallon keeps saying only Breaker will manage to get as tall as Reaper and Hunter.
“I’m ready to kick your ass,” I tell him, returning my gaze to the circle where Reaper fights with Seeker one on one.
Hand to hand combat training is my least favorite, although I am good at it. I’m fast and have even taken Viper down several times.
“Bet you can’t take him down.” Hunter points to Raid. My eyes move to the large boy, sitting on the bleachers at the back of the yard, his blonde hair shaved, gleaming like rabbit fur in the sunlight.
I don’t really know him well. He’s older, closer to Hunter and Reaper’s age, quiet and sits alone a lot, not interacting with us much. Raid never has. He is fast though and stupid strong, with a mean streak that makes Viper seem sweet.
I glance at Hunter. “You know damn well you and Reap are the only ones who may be able to take him down. And that’s a big maybe.”
He winks. “Wanna make a bet?”
I shake my head. “No. You’ll lose and look like an asshole with a broken nose in front of everyone.”
Hunter’s laughter makes my stomach flicker weirdly.
“How about this,” he says, turning to face me. His lip curls into a grin as he looks down at me. “If I win, you have to give me your lunch for a week. If he takes me down to the dirt, I’ll give you my lunch.”
“I don’t want your lunch.” And I don’t want him in the circle with Raid. He turns vicious the second he enters the circle. That’s why no one wants to train with him. As big as Hunter is, he’s still not as largely built as Raid.
Hunter grips me by the back of my neck. My breathing stops as he squeezes. When he lets me go, he steps forward and points at Raid. “You!” he calls.
Raid’s gaze lifts from the circle and land on Hunter as he approaches. My gut twists when he stops next to the bleachers, and he braces a black boot on the bottom step. I can’t hear them, but I see Raid’s gaze move from Hunter to the circle.
Reaper and Seeker have stopped sparring and stand with arms crossed listening to whatever Hunter’s saying.
Idiot. He’s going to get the shit beaten out of him.
Raid stands and stretches, muscles flexing in his chest. Hunter is solid, broad chested, and muscular, but he’s got nothing on Raid. Fallon always says Hunter and Reaper are going to be his largest, meanest sons when they’re full adults. It’s easy to see why, but they’re only nineteen.
“Is he crazy?” I turn just as Viper comes up to stand next to me. His auburn hair looks streaked with red in the afternoon light. He doesn’t shave his head like Reaper and Hunter and keeps it a little too long. The others tease him, saying he has hair like a girl, but I like it. It reminds me of burning embers or a waterfall of fire curling around his ears. His eyes meet mine. “He’s going to get his ass kicked and Reap will have to save him.”
Taking a deep breath, I face the circle again, dread climbing up my arms as Hunter and Raid enter the walled-in pit. It rained last night, so it’s just mud now, but usually the circle is hard packed dirt that hurts like hell when you land. At least when Raid drops Hunter, the mud will help break his fall.
“Fucking dumbass,” Viper says. He sounds like Cook, cursing every chance he gets whenever Father isn’t around.
Reaper shakes his head, but hops out of the pit, casting a warning look over his shoulder at Hunter as he walks toward us. If Raid doesn’t take him down, Reaper may.
“Reap’s pissed,” Viper says. “It’s a dumb move. They only have a month before the final test and Fallon won’t care if he has a broken arm. He’ll still make him go.”
I nod, catching sight of Breaker entering the yard from our sleeping quarters. Viper waves him over.
“Does he have a death wish?” Breaker asks when he stops next to Viper.
“He’s just trying to show off.” Viper glances at me, then says to Breaker, “You know he’s always trying to get someone’s attention.”
My jaw tightens, my gaze dropping to my boots. I feel my cheeks warm, but I don’t want them to notice.
“Leave him alone,” Reaper says, catching my expression when he stops next to me and turns to face the circle. “Hunter’s ego is bigger than the whole yard. He wants to impress everyone.”
Viper smirks. “And one person in particular.”
A muffled grunt grabs our attention and I look up in time to see Hunter land a punch to Raid’s jaw. Wincing, I cross my arms, hope curling in my gut that maybe this will end quickly, before Raid can land too many hits.
Lunging forward, and dipping low, Hunter hooks an arm around Raid’s thigh and uses his shoulder to help lift. Raid falls backward and hits the mud with a thud. Dark water splashes up and sprays across Hunter’s gray shirt like a smattering of blood. Raid’s guttural scream of rage makes my blood freeze. Before Hunter can complete the move, Raid swings his leg, forcing Hunter to lose is grip.
“Shit,” Reaper says, already moving forward.
Raid twists from Hunter’s grasp and changes positions, hooking him around his waist, bringing both men to their knees. Like he already knows what Raid’s trying to do, Hunter releases him and attempts to hook him around his neck. Raid anticipates his movements and grabs Hunter with both arms and lifts. Hunter’s feet leave the mud as Raid stands, bringing Hunter up higher and higher.
Then I watch, air leaving my lungs as he slams him down. Hunter hits the mud with a sickening smack that sends pain through my teeth like it was me hitting the ground. The hiss of pain that leaves him as his head lands makes my eyes blur, then sharpens to focus as red colors the world around me.
The world seems to fade, all color bleeding away until it’s just hazy scarlet with Raid in the center. I feel my feet moving. Feel my hands reaching for my belt. Feel the cold metal buckle against my fingers. Hear the leather hissing as it slips from the belt loops. How my boots squelch in the mud as I stalk forward. But then all this noise gets drowned out by the thump, thump, thump of my heart beating in my chest, pounding like war drums.
Smooth leather wraps around my hand as I wind the belt over and over, until I know it’s the perfect length, the metal buckle dangling from the end. The muscles in my shoulder and arm stretch and ache as I pull back, then release violently as I slam the leather down. The metal hits with a vicious thwack and a guttural scream breaks through the sound in my head.
The world snaps back into focus, everything around me vividly outlined. Reaper’s on one side, Viper on my other. Breaker at my back.
I do it again, feeling the hit reverberate up my arm. When I release the belt again, a slick satisfaction curls in my gut. Then again, not caring that I recognize the sickening screams as a boy’s skin slices open.
Not caring its me causing the pain this time.
I want to hurt him.
He hurt Hunter.
My chest heaves, breaths bursting from me almost painfully. The belt lands again, then again and again and there’s a part of me that’s surprised no one is stopping me. That I’m not stopping myself.
I could if I wanted to.
But I don’t.
When it lands again, Raid whimpers, and it jolts through me like a bolt of lightning.
“Striker.” Reaper’s voice blends in with the whimpers for a second, but I drop my arm, letting the belt uncoil and fall to the mud. “He’s had enough.”
“Has he?” I ask, turning my head to look at Reaper by my side. “Has he learned his lesson?”
“Please,” Raid says, his voice hoarse from screaming. He touches the thin red lines on his cheek, bruises already forming under swollen skin.
“Ah, fuck,” Hunter says, sitting up. Mud smears his cheeks and lumps in his hair. His dark eyes meet mine and teeth flash as he smiles. “You’re a crazy son of a bitch, Strike.”
My heart stutters at seeing his smile. Seeing him sitting up, then pulling himself to his feet.
I glare at him, anger making my stomach roil. “You owe me lunch.”
His laughter cuts through me sharply, but my shoulders ease when he hooks an arm around my neck, pulling me to him. We both watch Reaper offer a hand to Raid. He refuses and staggers to his feet, boots sloshing in the mud. He casts me a lethal glare.
“You’re lucky Strike here has a good hold on his temper,” Hunter says to Raid.
Viper’s chuckle breaks through the tension as Raid storms from the yard.
Hunter releases me and grips my shoulders, turning me to face him. I suddenly feel more like myself again. That surge of electric rage fleeing me when his midnight eyes fall to my lips.
“I told you I’d take him down,” Hunter says, that smirk returning.
“He fucking nearly cracked your skull,” I snap, my heart picking up pace all over again.
“Sometimes I forget you’re just a boy,” he says, hands slipping up the sides of my neck.
And sometimes I forget he’s supposed to be my brother.