Winning the Legend (28 page)

Nik backed up as he changed into his night
human form. He paced the edge of the fighting area while looking
for Devin’s weakness. As he watched Devin, it came to Nik how to
beat Devin. It was too late to do anything about the pack Devin
carried around. Nik wanted to ask his brother why he hadn’t
mentioned it, since Polo was the strategic planner of the duo, but
Nik didn’t have time. He needed to start this match soon without
getting caught by Devin.

Nik stalked closer, looking for an opening.
His night human claws were already dripping poison; all he needed
was one touch to an open wound and super-human Devin would be down.
It would have worked with Arianna had she not been able to fight
through the poison. Nik’s eyes flicked over to where she sat,
concentrating on the match. That was enough for Devin to make a
move as he flew in inhumanely fast and gave one direct hit to Nik’s
midsection and sent him flying back across the ring. Devin was
instantly on his marker across the arena, waiting for Nik to return
to standing.

The audience cheered as Devin landed the
first blow. The competition was officially on the way. Most had
never seen a day human fight before and were instantly impressed.
Devin had made a reputation for himself over the past five years,
mostly for his service to the dearg-dul head, Lord Randolph, but
beyond the baku and tengu who actually dealt with him, no one had
seen the young man before today. His ability far outweighed any
thoughts anyone had of him.

Devin ignored the crowd as Nik slowly stood.
It had been a direct hit, and with the power of dearg-dul blood; it
had to be painful. Devin was sure that he’d heard at least two ribs
crack. Nik straightened slowly, relaxing the tension from the pain
of the hit.

Nik began his attack. He moved to the side,
trying to get in closer to score a scratch on Devin. Devin
sidestepped every attempt. His longer arms and sharp claws were
actually cumbersome compared to Devin’s exact, quick movements. Nik
swung again, missing by a long shot. Nik backed up, away from
Devin. His attempts were failing. Nik wasn’t used to failing at
anything. He was the strength and future of the vrykolakas clan.
Devin waited while Nik paced, trying to regain his composure. Nik
slowly stalked back to Devin, calculating each movement. Devin
waited. Nik’s claws swept dangerously close to Devin, but he didn’t
move. He waited. Ducking instantly as Nik’s claws would have
connected with flesh, Devin dropped down to Nik’s waist and pulled
at his leg, causing him to fall to the ground. Devin was now at the
advantage, but such close quarters could prove deadly if Nik
touched him. Devin jumped up, keeping Nik pinned with a foot to his
throat. Nik didn’t try to swipe at Devin from this position,
knowing that Devin had the upper-hand and could crush his throat as
easily as Nik could poison him.

“Yield?” Serge asked from the side lines.
The crowd’s cheers almost drowned out Serge’s call. Devin and Nik
didn’t notice the crowd at all.

“No,” Nik replied, trying to grab Devin’s
leg, but Devin had the advantage with his foot at Nik’s throat.

“Yield,” Devin pleaded with Nik. Nik
refused. Devin’s foot crushed harder on Nik’s throat, cutting off
his air supply. Nik smiled, holding his breath. He didn’t actually
need to breathe when in his vrykolakas form.

‘Get Devin to move
now,’
Polo warned Arianna.

‘Move,’
Arianna yelled mentally at Devin who instantly jumped back
across the arena at her command, just in the nick of time, for Nik
was continuing to transform. Nik’s ruddy complexion now was almost
red in color as his power no longer flowed out around him but was
kept bottled up inside.

‘He’ll be twice as fast and
twice as deadly,’
Polo added for Arianna
to relay to Devin.

Polo was correct, as Nik started to move in
just a haze across the arena floor, whizzing around Devin. Devin
ducked and moved as needed to avoid the poison-laced claws that
kept flying at him from every direction. Devin was the picture of
concentration and perfection. Arianna had to hold her breath and
not give anything away when Devin’s shell cracked a little and he
let his feeling of happiness come out. It had been a long time
since Devin fought a foe that was on equal ground with him. Even
when training with Turner, Devin was always better. Devin
concentrated and fought equally with Nik, trading blows. Eventually
he landed a hit, and Nik crumpled to the ground. Devin had been
biding his time for that one exact moment.

The crowd erupted into cheers over Serge
calling the match done. The day human was much better than any had
anticipated. Devin ignored the noise. He was happier for the win
than impressing the night human audience. He had done his part, and
was now tied with Rhys for wins. If Rhys won his match against
Arianna, there would have to be tie breaker matches to decide the
winner. If Arianna won, she would outright win her own freedom. It
all came down to the next match.

Arianna glanced briefly down the row of
seated people. Multiple sets of eyes were watching her, but one in
particular caught her attention. Rhys was watching her. He was
waiting and planning. Arianna couldn’t hear inside his head as he
conversed with no one, but she knew the intent. He planned to win
at all costs. It was time to show the world that she was stronger
than he was. She was stronger than everyone. With solid resolve,
Arianna stood and walked to her place on the floor.

Chapter 30

Arianna stood in the middle of the arena.
Instantly the crowd went silent. Not a soul spoke as they viewed
her. She was magnificent, standing there as she prepared to face
her future. Power radiated off of her. Rhys casually moved to his
spot. Like everyone else, his eyes were glued to her. Serge stood
between them and gave the audience a moment to drool over the power
falling off of Arianna. Serge needed her allies to see what they
were supporting. The match would be enough to convince the audience
to support her wholeheartedly, but Serge wanted to make sure they
beheld everything about her.

“The rules are the same as the other match.
No intentional life-threatening hits. Ten-minute maximum.
Understand?” Serge looked to Rhys first. He nodded while still
staring at Arianna. Serge looked to Arianna, and she nodded with a
curt bow.

‘Time to show everyone what
you can do,’
Andrew told her.
‘Just follow your instincts and use any power you
want. Let the show begin, but just promise me your head won’t
explode from hero worship when you get done. I can already tell the
audience is mainly here to cheer you on.’

‘Jealous much?’
Arianna retorted as Rhys eyed her over, waiting
for her to make the first move.

‘Not at all, babe, just
want to remind you who your mate is.’
Andrew relaxed just a little bit. He was way more worried
about the match than he was jealous of the people adoring her from
the stands.

‘Like I could
forget.’
Arianna rolled her eyes and Rhys
looked from her to Andrew.

‘Exactly, princess.’
Andrew smiled at her.

Rhys analyzed her movements and could tell
that she was communicating with Andrew. Rhys saw how much they were
connected, and rage began to fill him. She would never be his
alone. Andrew was the one she would always love. He could have her,
but he would never have her adoration. Andrew was the problem. He’d
been the problem all along, but now Rhys saw the truth that was
standing in his way. Rhys turned and jumped into the stands
directly at Andrew.

Andrew raised an arm to block the hit coming
at the same time as Devin did.

“Lord McKinny, you cannot leave the fighting
area,” Serge yelled from across the arena. “Disqualified.” Arianna
had just won her freedom, but that didn’t matter. Rhys had begun
his war.

Rhys didn’t listen to Serge, and neither did
Andrew or Devin as they stood together and pushed Rhys back to the
arena floor. Andrew yanked Devin across the way to stand in front
of Arianna. He then moved to face Rhys head on. Anticipation rolled
off of him. This is what he wanted all along, to keep the creep
Rhys away from Arianna.

“Protect Arianna,” Andrew called over to
Devin, as the people from the stands began to move down and choose
sides behind Rhys or Arianna. “He’s mine.” Devin nodded as Andrew
moved to walk away.

Rhys quickly cast a spell that cocooned the
arena floor from the stands. Only his own allies could pass the
barrier, and they slowly trickled behind him. For Arianna only
those already on the floor were still inside the faerie ring. Nik
and Polo stood behind Rhys, though Polo looked like he’d rather be
anywhere but there. Over fifty elite sidhe fighters moved in behind
Rhys and Nik. They might not completely support Rhys, but he was
still their king.

“This is between you and me,” Andrew said to
Rhys, calling him out.

Arianna was only surrounded by Devin,
Thomas, Turner, Gabriel, and Molina. The rest of her personal team,
including Nixon, Jackson, Nelson, and Mica, stood outside the ring
as they fortified Arianna’s exit through the mass of people waiting
outside the ring. They could easily enter the faerie ring, but
chose not to at this point. Mori advised her team to remain outside
and not show their power yet. So far Rhys didn’t know the extent of
Arianna’s abilities, and they needed to use as that as a surprise
if needed.

“You got that right,” Rhys sneered. “You
keep touching my queen.”

“If you hadn’t noticed, you just lost the
match,” Andrew pointed out. “Arianna is free to choose her own
destiny now. Sorry. I don’t think that includes you.”

“If you hadn’t noticed, I’m taking her home
with me now, and you can’t do anything to stop me,” Rhys replied,
gesturing to his men, who outnumbered Arianna’s more than five to
one. People around the faerie ring that supported Arianna began to
protest and push against the barrier. No one could enter.

“Sorry, but I’ll pass,” Arianna said from a
few feet behind Andrew.

“Not an option, Princess,” Rhys replied.
When he called her ‘princess,’ Arianna couldn’t help but cringe.
“Besides, didn’t you want to be free of your fate? Well, you are
free. No need to stay with the baku boy here. You can come be the
queen with me.” Arianna was momentarily shocked. Rhys was still
delusional, thinking that she might choose him over Andrew.

“Yeah, about that,” Arianna added, taking
another step toward Andrew. “I’ve already decided. And I chose
Andrew.”

Shock registered on Rhys face. He didn’t
imagine that she actually wanted to be with Andrew. When given the
freedom to choose, he assumed she would choose him. He was stronger
and had more power than the baku, who wasn’t even in line to rule
his clan. Rhys had more experience and overall felt he was always
the better choice. There was no way Arianna would pick someone else
over him. He would just need to get her away from her captors. They
had to be forcing her to stay.

Arianna made it to Andrew’s back and grabbed
his hand before he moved further. Her hands rubbed down his bare
arms, sending him her energy.

“Be careful,” she said quietly. “And come
back to me in one piece.” Andrew reached behind him and pulled her
in front of him so that he could still watch Rhys across the way.
Lifting her in his arms he kissed her briefly, yet passionately,
before he set her back down.

“Listen to Devin,” he said. “And I’ll be
back in five minutes.”

Andrew handed her off to Devin and moved
forward to meet Rhys, who was now fuming.

Rhys backed up and sent his men forward as
he tried to maneuver near Arianna to take her by force. Andrew met
four men moving at him head on. Turner jumped up beside Andrew and
divided the men. Size or numbers were no match for the two of them
together. They each perfected their new night human abilities, and
could use them at will. Rhys didn’t watch the fighting as he moved
through the crowd. Suddenly, he was beside Arianna and Devin turned
to meet him.

“No,” Arianna said as Devin moved to engage
Rhys. Nik came up from the side, out of Devin’s view. Arianna
moved, blocking the blow headed for him, giving him time to turn
and face Nik instead.

Andrew and Turner were busy as they fought
man after man heading their way. Molina, Gabriel, and Thomas were
fighting their own opponents. Arianna was the only one not battling
against someone. Now, with Devin facing off with Nik, Arianna was
left to fend for herself. She couldn’t even ask Devin to help as
she knew Nik’s intentions which included redeeming his pride at
losing to a day human.

‘Little help,’
Arianna said to Mori as she stood face-to-face
with Rhys. Slowly, her transformed night humans began to walk
through the barrier and Rhys didn’t even notice. He was fully
focused on his prize, which was only feet away from him.

“Now that you are away from them, we can
leave,” Rhys said to her kindly. He had won. He got to Arianna, and
they could run away together. He was still delusional.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Arianna
replied. “I chose Andrew,” she repeated, hoping he would listen.
Talking was better than fighting, but she was now afraid of what he
would do once it really sank in.

“He’s off fighting,” Rhys waved behind him,
still not turning around to the people entering his spell-cast
ring. “You don’t need to pretend any longer.”

Arianna stopped and stared in shock at him.
Rhys wasn’t lying. He truly thought she was just pretending. In
Rhys’ world, she was always meant to be with him. He truly viewed
Andrew and her team as her captors. Rhys offered her his hand, his
palm open.