Chapter 54
Havali
Atem was giving him no mercy.
He was under no delusions as to why.
Scarlet had forbidden him from killing Havali for his crime, but that didn’t lessen the aggression that would have built inside him from learning of it.
Scarlet’s permission for Havali to bite her and drink her blood was irrelevant.
In Atem’s eyes, Havali had committed a crime and therefore he must pay for it in some way.
But where Havali had submitted himself to Atem’s punishment before, now, he fought back.
It took some maneuvering – during which time, Atem’s claws cut multiple, burning lines along his arm and, at least one, across his cheek – but he eventually managed to get his leg up between them.
He planted the ball of his foot in Atem’s gut and, when the next blow came, he grabbed Atem’s wrist and threw him over his head.
Atem twisted in the air, coming down on all fours. Havali was already rolling, coming back up on his feet, ready for the next charge that came after him.
He had prostrated himself to Atem before, willing to accept whatever pain, up to death itself, that Atem declared fitting for his crimes.
But he knew better now.
He had committed no crimes. He stood strong against Atem’s assault, unable to fully block every blow, but refusing to be defeated. He fought as an innocent man accused of a crime.
Because it did not matter what the rest of Turv thought of their relationship, what Earth would think of their relationship. The only thing that mattered was Scarlet and himself. How happy they were with their relationship.
Scarlet asked for him to bite her. She offered herself to him because it gave her pleasure. He took it because it gave him pleasure. They communicated and they understood each other, and they consented to everything they took from each other.
And that was what made what they did honorable and good and right.
It was the first lesson he learned from humanity. He suspected that there would be many more as their people came together, but this first one was priceless to him.
His mate, wise healer that she was, had confronted that self-hatred he carried and banished it with her knowledge and understanding. He owed her nothing less than to stand, proud and strong, as he fought his Dominani.
His unflagging determination only served to anger Atem.
The other male snarled as, unexpectedly, he brought his knee up and around, driving the hard point it into Havali’s flank.
He roared in pain even as he grabbed Atem’s thigh, claws sinking into the flesh.
He ripped up, sending a shower of blood to the mat.
Lacerating deep. Cutting through muscle.
So that when Havali slammed his elbow into Atem’s chest, sending him stumbling back, his leg could no longer hold his weight and it buckled.
But Atem caught himself before he could hit the ground. He kept his balance on his one good leg as he snarled at Havali.
“You are unworthy of my sister,” he said, angry and bitter.
“That is for your sister to decide.” Havali faced him proudly, blood dripping from his claws. He licked it up. Tasting the sweet blood. Honoring his Dominani in that way by acknowledging him as a foe worthy enough to bring into himself.
Atem was injured, but that was not the end of the fight. Though his leg was weakened, his claws remained strong, and Havali did not back down from the next charge.
The flurry of blows that fell against him now were driven as much by rage as they were by skill. And despite Atem’s leg being hurt, he wasn’t at all weakened.
More lacerations opened up along Havali’s forearms as he defended his face, neck, and chest. Their blood flowed freely, coating both men in its sticky warmth.
His arms were getting more sluggish and difficult to control with each swipe as his muscles, in turn, were damaged to the point of being nonfunctional.
Havali was so focused on Atem’s upper body, so completely sure that he needed his one good leg for balance and therefore his legs weren’t a threat, that he didn’t see the next kick coming.
It was slightly weakened, but still strong enough for Atem to knock him just off slightly off balance, allowing his fist to slam – crunch! – across his face.
Havali hit the ground with a grunt of pain. Dizzy. Jaw aching from the blow. The savory taste of his own blood filling his mouth.
Before he could push himself back up, Atem was there, foot on his neck, forcing him down. Pushing so hard that Havali actually found it hard to breathe. It was difficult to choke a domini, but it wasn’t impossible, and Atem was certainly strong enough to accomplish it.
And with his foot on his neck, Havali couldn’t rise again. He clawed at Atem’s legs until his blood soaked his face, but it was the leg he had already cut through and Atem wasn’t one to succumb so easily to pain.
“Suvitrala,” he sneered, insulting him in ancient Domtri.
Havali snarled at the slur. Most literally, it meant ‘weak’, but that translation lost a lot of the biting disdain, contempt, and disgust that the original word contained.
It didn’t just mean ‘weak’ as in ‘not strong’.
It was a way of calling someone worthless.
Accusing them of being unwilling to fight – not even just unable, but actively refusing.
It was a terrible thing to call someone.
“Surrender, suvitrala,” Atem ordered.
“I will not,” Havali grunted, still trying to force Atem’s foot up.
“You do not deserve my sister!”
“I know that!”
Atem started, surprised. His foot lifted slightly. It was a brief moment. Just long enough for Havali to knock his leg away and roll out from under it. He came back up on the balls of his feet, claws at the ready for the next blow.
But it didn’t come.
Instead, Atem was glaring at him, contemplatively.
“You know you don’t deserve my sister?”
Havali scoffed. “Of course, I know that. You think I cannot see? She is strong and capable and fierce. There are few who are her equal. And a male who likes to bite and drink her blood is certainly far from that.”
“Havali…” He heard her calling to him, sadness in her voice, but he didn’t turn her way.
He kept his gaze on Atem. His Dominani’s burning red gaze was heavy. Judging. He faced it with pride and determination.
“You know you don’t deserve her, yet you persist.” It wasn’t a question, yet Atem clearly expected an answer as he stared him down.
Havali held his head high, breathing hard after having his neck stepped on. “It doesn’t matter what I think I deserve. Scarlet has deemed me worthy. I please her. I honor her. I respect her. That is what she asks of me, and I am only too happy to oblige.”
Atem scoffed. “She goes too easy on you.”
“Perhaps.” Havali smirked. “Yet, she is mine anyway. I would never seek to dishonor her by telling her that I cannot be her choice. I fight because she desires me, and that is the only reason I need to withstand any assault.”
Havali dropped back into his stance, raising his claws. Ready for the next onslaught.
Atem only continued to stare.
Until, after a long moment, he smirked, a single corner of his lips lifting. He grunted and brought his fist up to pound against his chest in a salute.
“You are a strong domin. I know my sister will be safe with you. And if she is not, I will come after your hide.”
Surprised at hearing the words of acknowledgement and defeat in the fight, it took Havali another moment to gather his wits enough to respond.
He straightened and returned the salute. “If I fail her, I will offer it freely.”
Atem gave him a look that promised retribution if Havali ever did truly harm Scarlet before he turned and stepped from the training ring.
Peony was immediately there, fussing over him with her free hand.
Havali didn’t have to go to Scarlet. She was already rushing his way, frowning at the myriad of marks all over his body.
“Are you two insane?” She asked, hands hovering over his arms. There was more muscle than flesh thanks to the many blows that had fallen upon them. The pain was screaming along his nerves, and he could just imagine how the peaceful human female would see the injuries.
But he could only smile at the way she worried over him.
“Healer, I have proven myself capable of defending you. Will you accept me?”
Scarlet’s head lifted, eyes widening. As though shocked he wanted to continue.
But he had already started this. He couldn’t stop now. Not until she had either accepted or rejected him in her nest. The need to keep going was ripping at his mind with sharper points than Atem’s claws in his arms. His hunger sank heavier in his gut than Atem’s boot on his neck.
He could still walk. He could still claim her. He had to keep going.
“Will you accept me?” He asked again. Pressing her for the answer she needed to give.