Fallen Angels (23 page)

“Ravyn?”

“Hmm?”

“I won’t let you die again. I won’t let anyone die,” I whispered, hoping like hell I could follow through with my promise.

“I know, but only I can fight Peter, my love,” she replied.

“You will protect Chloe?”

“She is so much like you, I see you when I look at her. I will do whatever it takes to protect both of you.”

“Don’t you dare think you are going to die for us Ravyn! I can’t live through that again,” I begged.

“You can do anything now that you have Chloe,” she said with a smile.

Suddenly the door opened. “Young Kara? Little one? Are you…” Lokie’s words faded away when he saw Ravyn and I still alive and unharmed lying on the floor together. He gave a curt nod and crouched next to Ravyn.

“It is time,” he announced solemnly.

Chapter Eighteen

Ravyn

Final Test

Lokie stayed behind with me after instructing two guards to take Kara; neither of us argued our separation. We both knew there would be plenty of fighting soon enough. I turned to my ally when she was out of sight.

“What does he want, Lokie?” I asked, struggling to get to my feet. Lokie quickly gave me a hand.

“He wants Chloe, her power, and he knows you will protect her. This isn’t a test of anything. It’s all a game. Peter doesn’t want to have to kill. He has other people do it for him. He thought you would kill Kara after draining you. I have to admit I was very worried for young Kara. By the looks of you, you didn't feed at all.”

“No, I will feed soon enough. Can I have my shirt?” I asked, pointing to my black tank top in his hand.

“Of course,” he said.

I unwrapped the towel and pulled the shirt on, Lokie’s eyes were inspecting the wound that was still healing on my chest. “Well, let’s do this then, shall we?” I gave him a nod.

“You will need all of your strength. Let me help you,” he urged.

I gave in and let him help me out to the elevator platform that had carried me into the ring of death so many times before. I stood on my own; what little blood I had left boiled with a fiery anticipation. I wanted this fight, and even in my weakened condition I was wound up and ready for the kill.

“You must follow Peter’s rules. He won’t hesitate in killing your friends, even at the slightest mistake. Kill all of the challengers and you will face Peter. Do not underestimate him. Here, you will need these,” he said, drawing his ancient Katanas and handing them to me. He bowed to me and backed away.

The floor above opened, and the elevator lifted me up into the center of the arena. It was odd, without the cheering crowd, the lights, and the music. I was always so fired up before a fight, but right now I was barely able to walk. The lights were on and Peter greeted me in the center. I glared at him, and my grip tightened around the handles of Lokie’s swords. All it would take was one swift motion, and I could watch his head roll. He pointed to the left, and my eyes followed to find Chloe standing by herself next to the wall.

“Protect the child and your friends will live,” he hissed, pointing to his right, where my friends stood in small individual metal cages. Two men guarded each cage, their weapons ready to strike my friends down. 

“Why protect her?” I asked.

“The child must be introduced to your violent world in order to fulfill her prophecy.”

“The prophecy said she would be born, a new breed. Well, here she is,” I said with a smile.

“The new breed will purge the human race, and create a new inferior race,” he replied.

“Let’s get this over with Peter. Rules?”

“Protect the child by killing all challengers. Do not harm the child and you may not feed from your competitors. If you break these rules I will in turn break your friends,” he said with a grin.

“When you say feed from, can you be specific?” I asked.

“Not a single drop of blood from your competitors, dead or alive. Not a drop,” he ordered.

“I need time to get to the child and talk to her, so she does not interfere. Will you allow this?”

“Let me know when you are ready,” he said, motioning for me to join Chloe.

It took a few minutes to just to reach her, dragging my feet through the fine powder along the way. Chloe stared at me curiously while I scanned her for any sign of injury.

“Hey there, little one.” I greeted her with a soft smile. I was actually glad she wasn’t hurt.

“Ravyn, they hurt you?”

“They tried. Did they hurt you?”

She quickly shook her head. “They won’t let me see Mommy. Why can’t I go to her?”

I dropped to my knees in front of her, letting the swords fall from my hands. She quickly tucked herself in my gentle embrace. “You haven’t fed?”

“They won’t let me. They won’t feed you either?” her tiny voice asked.

“No. Chloe, you have to listen to me. I have to do terrible things in order to keep you and your mother safe.”

She suddenly pulled away, glancing at the swords. She stared into my eyes. “Mommy doesn’t like it when you fight,” she said.

“I know. Sometimes we have to do things that nobody likes in order to help the people we love. Peter will hurt them if I do not fight. I will not let that happen, do you understand?”

“Yes. How will you fight? You need to feed,” she whispered.

“I do. I only need a little, can you help me?” I hated asking this of her. It seemed weird and creepy to feed from someone so young, but Peter failed to mention Chloe was not an option, and I desperately needed some of my strength.

“When will I feed?”

“Very soon, I promise.”

She slowly proffered her tiny wrist to me. I quietly released my demon and carefully let the tips of my fangs slice into her skin, while my mind worked to send her a tickling sensation, instead of my usual pleasure. She giggled while I sipped at her blood, forcing myself to stop after only several seconds. Her blood was like a raging river of power, instantly giving me a majority of my strength back and healing the wound across my chest.

“Thank you, Chloe.”

“He’s coming,” she whispered as she shrank away from me.

“I said not a drop!” Peter shouted.

I stood with a smirk. “That you did Peter. Not a drop from my opponents, which does not include the child.”

He quickly closed the distance, and his hand flew toward Chloe. My hand clamped around his wrist, stopping him from touching her. And for the second time I saw fear in his eyes.

“I would leave the ring before we start, unless you wish to end this now?” I pushed his arm away before releasing it.

Peter glared at me, debating, then stepped back, moving to the stadium around the ring.

I grabbed my swords and positioned Chloe against the wall. “Do not move, do not speak, do not watch,” I instructed.

“I want to watch,” she replied.

“You must understand the reasons for this fight if you are to watch,” I said softly.

“I do.”

“Very well. Don’t move an inch.”

Peter announced the start of the first match, and I turned to see my challenger. A man in army fatigues was rushing toward us with only a knife in hand.

“Interesting,” I breathed, twirling the swords in my hands.

I abruptly turned, bringing the swords down directly in front of Chloe; leaving them to stick out of the ground, I turned to greet the shouting man.

I slammed one hand into his wrist causing the knife to fall away from his grip, and then my other hand grabbed his throat, squeezing lightly. I shoved him down to the ground beside Chloe. I kneeled on his back and pushed his head against the ground.

“Give your arm to the child,” I instructed, stepping on his other arm. To my surprise he listened. “Feed the little one, and be quick about it.”

Her small fangs quickly appeared and sank into the man’s wrist, while I held him down and watched. She was taking longer than I wanted, and I could hear my next challenger approaching quickly. I looked to see a larger, stronger man wearing the bronze knuckled gloves. A boxer? I rolled my eyes.

“Chloe, that’s enough,” I said firmly.

She quickly pulled away from the man. “Mommy says thank you. She wants me to close my eyes.”

“Then cover your eyes.”

I smiled, watching her quickly cover them with her hands. I immediately snapped the army man’s neck, and then stood for my next challenger. Jeanie had taught me to be patient in the arena, to work the crowd, and as I dodged the boxer’s punches, habit had caused me to forget, I had no crowd to please. I could kill these men as quickly as I wanted, and be as brutal as I loved to be. I smiled at the thought, and then struck with the full force of my power, sending my fist slamming into his chest, shattering his breastbone and crushing his heart.

I knew then the quicker I killed these weak human opponents, the quicker I would get to fight Peter. After my first two bloodless kills I was ready to spill it freely. I crouched down, sliding my hands through the powder in my usual ritual.

“The child must open her eyes or her mother dies,” Peter announced.

“Open your eyes, Chloe,” I said. “Do not forget why these men will die today.”

I pulled one of the swords from the ground and stood a few feet in front of her, waiting for my next kill. It came in the form of three Indian warriors. I rested my hands on the top of my sword handle, waiting for the warriors to step into my death trap. The fastest of the three broke to the front of the small pack, running full speed at me with his tomahawk pulled back, ready to strike. I gently kicked the bottom of my sword, causing the point to swing up just in time to meet the warrior’s chest. The warrior’s momentum did the work for me. I shoved him away from Chloe and took his weapon as he fell with my sword still in his chest. I met the second Indian, burying the tomahawk in his skull, and beheaded the last one with a small knife.

I was bored as hell to be honest, and we all know what happens when I get bored. My brutality skyrockets, and the next few so-called warriors felt the fury of my brute strength. I crushed skulls, tore off limbs and heads, and turned my demon loose long enough to rip out a heart. I was finally having fun, so much so I completely forgot Chloe was watching until Kara’s silent reminder echoed in my mind.

I turned to look at Chloe just as another warrior jumped from the stands above her. I grabbed one of my swords, pushing Chloe out of the way, and then I leapt into the air to meet him. Lokie’s sharp sword sliced through him like he was made of butter, from his groin all the way through his head, splitting him in two. I rushed to Chloe’s side to check on her just as two more men leapt into the ring. I strode out to meet them, slashing my sword across the chest of the first, causing him to double over, then finished by cutting his head off. Moving to the second I blocked his attack then spun around, slicing his body in half and piercing his heart as I walked back to Chloe.

When I moved back to Chloe, she shied away from my bloody body. “Chloe? Are you hurt?” I asked.

“No, Mommy is very angry with you,” she whispered.

“I’m sure she is. Let’s go talk to her about it,” I said.

“Can we?” Her body straightened while her excitement grew.

“Yes. You have to take my hand though.”

I tried to wipe the blood from my hand onto my shirt. It only smeared it, so with a shrug I proffered my hand and she promptly took it. I tightened my grip on the sword in my other hand, and we began the trek toward the cage on the other side of the ring.

“Ravyn? Where is it you think you are going?” Peter’s voice boomed.

“The child wishes to speak with her mother,” I said without a pause in my step. I could see Kara watching us with concern.

What are you doing? You’ll get us all killed!

Kara’s worried voice entered my mind, but I ignored her. Turning my attention to Peter I smiled at him. “You can continue to send your worthless fighters, if it makes you feel better. I can kill them just the same while the child speaks with her mother,” I said with a shrug. I wanted to push his buttons. His game was pointless, and my patience was wearing thin.

“This is not allowed!” he barked, moving to step into the ring.

I held my sword up, pointing it at him, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. “If you step in this ring, you better be ready Peter,” I warned while passing by him.

“Guards, bring me the child and her mother!” he ordered the numerous Swiss Guard surrounding him.

The guards surrounding the cages moved for Kara. I released Chloe’s hand and gave her a wink. “You stay right by my side, little one and do not be scared.” I strode toward the guards around the cages.

“Kill her! Kill them all!” Peter shouted.

The guards abruptly turned to the nearest cage and shoved their weapons between the bars, trying to strike my demon friends. I knew they could dodge the attack, but for how long? I saw Abby struggling to hold onto the wood of the halberd that was half in her cage, and then I saw the guard preparing to strike behind her.

“No!” I roared as I threw my only weapon at the man trying to stab her in the back. The tip of the sword plunged into his neck, just as Abby won the halberd from the other guard. My friends were fighting for their lives and winning, but I had to get to Kara. Just then Lokie jumped out of the stands and retrieved his sword from the dead man’s neck; he swiftly cut down the remaining guards by the cages.

I smiled and gave him a curt nod. “Chloe go to your mother,” I said, watching Lokie reunite with Angela. “Lokie, can you get them out?”

“I will try. Can you handle them on your own?” He motioned to the lines of Swiss Guard forming behind me.

“I will try,” I said with a cocky grin.

I turned to face the flamboyant uniforms. How many of these men would I have to kill in my lifetime, and where did they keep coming from? Two lines of fifteen men, my biggest challenge of the day. I freed my demon with a tremendous roar, and then charged the line. I didn’t need a weapon, I used my claws, strength, and speed to annihilate the men. Most were so scared they ran.

I moved back to my friends who were almost free, except Kara and Nebiros. I looked them over, only small cuts here and there; other than that everyone was just fine.