Chapter 53 #3
“Why have you come here?” Atem snarled, claws twitching.
“I am Havali, First Guardian of Turv. I come to retrieve my mate.”
Atem snapped, teeth clacking together. “You dare claim one of my clan?! You have not proven yourself worthy. I will not surrender her to so weak a domin.” The words were challenging, deliberately provoking.
Havali met them eagerly, his own claws shining in the light. He had buffed them for the day. “Then, I challenge you to prove my worth!”
“I accept!” Atem smiled, but it wasn’t a joyful expression. It was the kind of creepy, ominous grin a monster gave in a movie. “To the sparring grounds.”
Peony and Alanna were suddenly there at Scarlet’s sides – Viktor curled up in his mom’s arms like a comfy kitten. Scarlet grinned as she let them pull her to her feet and escort her after the bristling, aggressive males about to fight for her sake.
Havali had to prove to Atem, her current guardian, that he was strong enough to protect her. Normally, that would require actually defeating him in combat.
But Atem was, quite literally, the strongest, most skilled person on all of Turv.
He had proven it in front of his entire planet.
He had beaten Havali in combat before. So, in this specific case, it wasn’t a matter of Havali proving himself stronger, it was just a matter of impressing Atem enough that he conceded.
The sparring grounds on the ship were in the training area.
The domini fought a lot and they needed the dedicated area to get out their aggression.
The large room had three square arenas depressed into the ground by a single step covered in mats to help break any falls.
The center ring had been cleared for the match that was about to happen.
And most of the crew that were off duty had gathered around to witness.
Scarlet’s face burned when she walked inside to see the crowd.
There had been no such audience for Peony or Holly’s claiming since the sparring grounds they used was a private training area in Atem’s palace.
There was no such private area here, it was basically an open invitation for everyone to come watch.
And they did so, eager to see their Dominani fight their First Guardian in person.
The two males stepped into the ring while the girls stopped just outside it. Scarlet and Peony shared a grin, both of them excited to see their males fighting.
The domini had this idea in their heads that the humans absolutely abhorred violence. And while it was true that they didn’t like seeing them get hurt or anything of the sort, it was incredible watching these males at their prime fighting like beasts.
Just like beasts.
Weapons weren’t allowed for claiming fights. It was meant to be claws and fangs. A show of their personal strength and skill.
There was no official call to start. The moment both males were in the ring, it was open season. But neither attacked first.
They were both deceptively calm as they walked towards the center. Havali went first as he was the challenger. Boldly, he kept his back to Atem – even after he stopped. It was basically an invitation for Atem to attack.
One that the Dominani did not rise to. He remained just a few steps from Havali. Both of them so still, Scarlet didn’t even think they were breathing.
There was no sign, signal, or the slightest hint that either of them would move-
-when, suddenly, they both did.
Scarlet had no idea who moved first. One second, they were separated, then the next, they were locked together.
Atem’s claws were nearly at Havali’s neck, kept back only by Havali’s grip on his wrist – both of their hands shaking.
The claws of Havali’s other hand were almost at Atem’s belly, also kept at bay by Atem’s grip on his wrist.
The two males were shaking, both trying and failing to force their claws forward as their opposite hand held the other back. Both were snarling.
Scarlet’s smile fell.
She had been there when Romival had fought Atem for Holly.
It had been impressive and brutal – as was common for the domini, if just a bit more so since Atem’s protective instincts for his clan had been riled.
But despite that, there had still been a sense of safety.
Even playfulness. They were fighting, but she had never gotten the impression that they were trying to seriously hurt each other.
That feeling was gone now.
The look on Atem’s face now burned dangerously close to hatred. Havali’s didn’t quite reflect it, but there was a dark hardness that made her uneasy.
A feeling that only worsened when she saw just how hard their hands were shaking. Particularly, the hand that Havali was using to just barely keep Atem’s claws from digging into his neck. The very tip of Atem’s longest claw cut into his skin, drawing a bead of dark red blood.
The sight of it made her frown, but before she could do anything, Atem kicked out.
He drove his heel down onto the instep of Havali’s foot making him cry out.
He took advantage of his recoil by slamming his head forward causing a loud clacking sound that made the three human women wince as Havali stumbled back.
Atem was on him with a snarl, tackling him around the middle and sending them both crashing to the floor. He struck down with both claws as Havali did his best to avoid or minimize the damage from the low position.
“What is he doing?” Scarlet asked, her previous joy fading, taking a step forward.
A strong hand fell on her shoulder, and she turned back, almost surprised to see Tuvo standing there with a grave expression.
“Do not interfere,” he said solemnly.
“But he…” She faced forward again, belly tight with nerves.
“We try to gentle ourselves for you humans, but please do not forget that this is how domini have solved problems since the beginning of our species. Let them fight. I promise, they will better for it.”
Scarlet hesitated. She hated to see Havali and Atem actually fighting, but she also knew that Tuvo was right. While this would not at all be an acceptable means of conflict resolution for humans, violence was, in fact, how domini worked through animosity.
And Atem had built up a lot towards Havali.
It hurt, but she said nothing as she bit her lips, watching anxiously.