Page 83 of In Between Darkness
Ryder’s expression contorts, and a smile smothers his face. “But I’m feeling generous, so I’ll make it easy for you. No Gifts, just fists.”
Ryder strides into the centre of the room and waits for Alex’s acceptance. Alex grunts and nods. They are standing opposite each other. Ryder is taller than Alex by a few inches, and I can make out their positions through my slightly blurred vision. Ryder stops for a minute and reaches into his back pocket, pulling out his black hankerchief. Alex stares back, perplexed as he wraps and ties it to the back of his head so it is resting above his eyes.
“I win and you leave her alone, you understand.” Ryder points to me, and Alex nods his head, still wary about what he is getting himself into.
“And if you lose?” Alex’s face turns sour, and I can see rage sparkling in his eyes again.
“Then I will leave you to do whatever you please with her.”
Alex smiles, and I gulp. This hardly seems fair. I hope he knows what he is doing. The blindfold slips down so it’s covering his eyes, and Ryder’s arms rest down by his sides.
“You can’t be serious.” Alex’s voice gains strength as he realises his opponent is going to be sightless, his posturestraightens with confidence, and Ryder just smiles, beckoning Alex with his hand.
“Alright, but I warned you,” Alex snarks, underestimating his opponent.
Ryder steps surely into the room’s centre and Alex circles him like a vulture. I find myself holding my breath, waiting for the action to unfold. Ryder has cooled off a little now. He looks calm and centred, like he is in control, whilst his opponent is red with fury and his forehead is aglow with a thick sheet of sweat. I hope Ryder knows what he’s doing because if Alex wins, I am the consolation prize.
The vulture makes the first move, lunging forward and aiming a jab at Ryder’s temple. At first, I think Ryder is going to take the hit, but he blocks it with his forearm at lightning speed. He grabs Alex’s wrist tight, and I can see the shock spring on his face clear as day. With his other hand, Ryder pulls him into a brutal knee jab, knocking the wind clean out of him. Alex coughs and stumbles back to catch his breath before lunging at Ryder again, this time faster with more jabs. His hands are moving almost too quickly to see, but Ryder, in his blindfolded state, blocks every one of them, and Alex hasn’t landed a single punch. Now Ryder is just showing off.
Alex is losing stamina. He stumbles back again and looks towards me dumbfounded, probably regretting the wager he made. He charges at Ryder again in a blur with one final burst of energy. I hold my breath as Ryder remains still. It looks like he’s going to be taken down on this one. I watch, and it almost feels like slow motion. Alex is inches away from spinning Ryder’s jaw, but Ryder doesn’t look tense. In fact, he looks happy. He’s smiling? He ducks fast and lands a punch on Alex’s jaw, snapping his head in the other direction. The thump follows his fall as Alex crashes to the ground. He grimaces as he prods at the side of his face, wincing at the pressure, and in this moment, Isee fear in his eyes. The cocky and arrogant Alex who sauntered into this office is changed; scared and vulnerable.
“Not giving up, are you?” Ryder questions Alex’s lack of movement with a smug smile on his face. Gods he looks so attractive right now.
“I don’t have to stick around. You want her so bad you can have her,” Alex snarls through gritted teeth and points a thick finger my way. “You freaks stick together.”
He spits and rises to his feet, groaning and a little disoriented. His shoulder pushes past Ryder as he stumbles towards the door.
I notice a change in Ryder. He no longer looks calm and steady; he looks tense and bitter, his breath heavier as he works his jaw.
“No, I’m done playing nice,” Ryder says and body-blocks Alex from exiting the office, sliding his blindfold up onto his forehead.
The colour has drained from the vulture’s face; he is going to go hungry tonight. Ryder’s strong hand grips Alex’s chest and plummets him to the floor in one swift easy move. Alex groans in pain as he lands with a thump on the concrete, and I swear I feel the ground quake. I see the black venom in Ryder’s arm pulsate like it is alive as he holds Alex down, I watch him squirm and groan in an effort to get out of his immoveable grasp, but it is no use. Ryder is stronger than him, and now Alex looks defeated.
“Call her a freak one more time, I dare you,” Ryder spits as he leans over Alex, his hands now around his neck.
Ryder is lost in a fury of rage, his eyes are locked onto Alex’s and his teeth are gritted tightly together. He balls his knuckles into a fist and launches another hard hit to Alex’s jaw, his head slaps forcefully onto the concrete, and blood erupts from his mouth and nose. Ryder hits him again and again and again. There is no compassion in Ryder’s eyes, no remorse. This is thesoldier he was brought up to be. Alex groans and grunts for mercy, but Ryder ignores his pleas and continues hitting him. Alex’s face swells black and blue; his eyes are puffy and forced shut by the bulged tissue around his sockets.
“STOP! YOU’RE GOING TO KILL HIM!” I scream, hoping my voice gets through to him.
Ryder’s eyes are still glued to Alex’s lifeless body. He is still hitting him even though he is almost unconscious.
“HE’S HAD ENOUGH! STOP!” I yell again, unable to watch this any longer.
I wince as I steady myself on the wall and pull myself up. My leg cries in agony as I put pressure on it, but I breathe through the pain and limp over to Ryder, who is still in a trance of rage.
“Ryder… please stop.” I place my hand on his shoulder and reason with him a little softer. “He’s not going to hurt me anymore.”
Ryder suddenly stops and slowly turns his head towards me. He looks up at me with sorry eyes. I know he knows he has taken this too far.
“It’s okay. He’s not going to hurt me anymore,” I repeat in a whisper. He rises and looks down at Alex’s limp body.
Part of me is a little scared of him. If I weren’t here, would he have killed him? He crouches low by Alex’s ear and whispers loudly.
“You tell anyone about this or even touch a hair on Asha’s fucking head, I will finish you off.”
He kisses his teeth, and Alex nods his head slightly in acknowledgement. He grimaces as he wobbles to his feet and scurries out of the office. I cringe as the pounding in my head returns. I hold my head in my hands, and a groan escapes my lips. Ryder is looking at me, his face written with concern. I can no longer focus as the pounding in my head increases. I hear Ryder say something, but I can’t make it out. Maybe he is askingif I am okay, but I can’t respond. I feel my body weaken, and then everything goes black.
Chapter Thirty-Three
