Page 93 of Bride By Initiation

The dam breaks. Our lips connect in an explosion of fire and ice, taunting us to go to the place we've always flirted with but never dared crossing into.

Everything disappears. It's Zara, me, and the devil giving us the green light.

It finally hits me that the stomping has stopped. The crowd chants, "Performance! Performance! Performance!"

I pull away, catching my breath as much as she is, needing more.

When can we get out of here and be alone?

The darkness begins to fade as dawn tries to break through. The crowd quiets.

Valentina shouts, "Phase two starts now!"

I spin with Zara and freeze.

All twenty-three corpses of the failed initiates hang from flag poles lining the arena. A bed with a white silk sheet is positioned in the middle of the original stage, directly over the fresh bloodstains. Candles have been arranged in the shape of a heart around the bed, and pink rose petals lie scattered around them, contrasting with the deep maroon of the blood-soaked boards.

Zara inhales sharply.

I pin her to my body, turning to Kirill, demanding, "What is this?"

He replies in a smug, dark tone, "The performance phase. It's time to consummate your marriage."

My throat turns dry.

"Sean," Zara whispers, her voice shaking.

I stand taller. "That's not happening here."

"It is, or your bid for initiation is over. And no one goes through partial initiation and leaves," he warns.

Zara glances around the arena, gripping my hand.

I open my mouth.

He interjects, "Any more resistance to fulfill your initiation will be considered a forfeit."

Zara closes her eyes.

The crowd stomps again.

Kirill steps closer and adds, "You always have two choices. That's it. There's never a third."

My gut falls further.

Zara turns to me. "Sean?"

I put my hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry. This is the only choice."

She closes her eyes and nods.

I demand, "Take down the corpses."

Valentina steps forward, declaring, "Their blood is on your hands. They stay. Now, take your bride to the bed or concede to The Underworld."

Against all odds, the room grows louder, the energy turning more frenetic.

Zara trembles harder against me, and I grip her tighter.

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