Page 119 of Darling Wildfire
I looked past him to the monitor the men had been on but the chairs were thankfully empty now. He yanked my face to him as I shifted, trying to escape my release quickly blazing a trail through me. This time he didn’t stop and as I came, he pushed down on my hurt hand, making my body explode in a painful climax of anguish and agony.
“Yes, come for me, Kraven,” he purred as I fell forward.
My sweat slicked forehead landed on his thigh and I didn’t have the energy to lift it. The room spun, so I closed my eyes, my body shaking as the sweat grew cold on my skin.
His hand caressed my hair, and I tried to hold myself together.
“You bleed so prettily for me,” he murmured, petting my head again in a long, smooth stroke. “Sleep now, I’ll take care of you.”
I didn’t want to pass out, but my eyes wouldn’t open and he continued to pet me as I sank into the blissful oblivion of unconsciousness, pushing everything that had just happened away.
I’d make him pay one day. For now, I’d survived another day, and that was enough.
I told myself nothing that happened to me here meant anything—it was all a means to an end. Fuel for the fire that would one day wreak havoc on the world and burn down everything in its path until all that was left was Vetticus and then I’d burn him too.
But not before I fulfilled my promise—to show him what it really meant to break.
59
THERON
TWENTY FOUR MONTHS CAPTIVE
I was kneeling in Vetticus’ dining room again. The guards had come for me shortly after dinner. The door opened behind me and the sound of Vetticus’ footsteps across the wood floor announced his arrival. I stared straight ahead, eyes anchored on a point across the room and fists tightly clenched in the cuffs that held them.
Not for the first time, I wished I was free. Anywhere but in this nightmare I’d found myself in.
Vetticus came around in front of me and dropped a pair of camo pants and combat boots on the floor.
“Put these on. We have somewhere to be.”
I didn’t speak but did as he asked. Once dressed, he led the way out the door, his guards escorting me behind him. As we walked through the house, I realized it was a lot larger than what could be observed from outside and the structure actually extended far back into the mountain itself. We finally came to a set of large oak double doors and Vetticus pushed them open revealing a large ballroom. In fact, it was huge.
The ceilings towered high above me, disappearing into the shadowed dome. The polished floor was black and so were the pillars and stone walls. Despite it being nearly empty, it was obvious Vetticus was hosting a gathering. The household staff scurried around the massive space, setting out food and drinks.
Vetticus led us across the expanse of the room to where pedestals lined the far wall. They were just large enough for a man to stand on comfortably and several feet off the ground to provide height. Spotlights shone down on each one. Vetticus shoved me towards the middle one—I counted seven.
“That one is yours.”
I stood facing the room and Vetticus pulled a chain from behind thestand, locking it around my ankle. It didn’t allow for any movement besides a few inches either way. Stepping back, he looked up at me, gave me a smirk and headed back across the room leaving me alone on my perch.
I’m not sure how long I stood there, but slowly people began to filter in. A few more men were placed on the pedestals around me and I realized this was a showcase of sorts. A time for the other sponsors to show off their top players. Statistics were projected on the wall behind the other players and I turned my head to see a similar set up behind me. It showed my name—Kraven—and a list of notable stats. The number of kills I had to date. How many games I’d played and the number of my victories vs my losses.
Looking at the other men, I only recognized one: Kai
He stood on the pedestal to my right. We were far enough away to make talking impossible but I caught his eye and he subtly flipped me off, letting me know exactly how he felt about seeing me. All of us were shirtless and I noticed we all had different brands to signify the team we belonged to. Except for Kai and myself who both had V’s. It made me wonder why Vetticus was allowed two teams.
As more people filed into the ballroom, the atmosphere became more lively with music and chatter filtering through the air. People would come up and observe us, making me feel like an animal put on display. The longer the night went on, the more aggravated I became. The whole thing was bullshit. Showy, pretentious bullshit.
A group of men came to stand in front of me, studying me over the rim of their drinks. They held themselves with importance and seemed to draw attention from people in the room. One of them, a man with blond hair and a sour twist to his mouth tilted his head as he studied me.
“This is the one who killed O’Connor in the forest, isn’t it?” He asked.
“Yeah—I heard Albatron was not happy,” one of the other men snickered. “That was his top player.”
Before they could continue with the gossip, Vetticus sauntered over to the group. The men straightened up and the atmosphere changed, tension charging the air.
“Gentlemen,” Vetticus purred. “Admiring my top player?”
