Page 2 of Challenged
“Always,” Aksel whispers, his hand brushing against mine, a fleeting touch that offers support and comfort.
The crowd continues to roar as Blaze stands victorious over his defeated opponent with a blank expression.
Blood still fresh on his hands, he’s escorted into a back room.
I survey my surroundings as I follow Blaze from a distance, not wanting to be separated. Aksel, Griffyn, Felix, and Rion follow right behind me.
“Stay with us,” Rion whispers, his voice barely audible above the distant cheers from the crowd.
We don’t enter the room, not wanting to expose ourselves as Blaze’s backup but we can still see inside.
Blaze stands tall before a greasy-looking man and his security detail.
The greasy man sneers, his beady eyes glaring at Blaze. “You put up quite a show out there, dragon boy. You know what happens when you miss a fight, though, right?”
“Listen,” Blaze interjects, his voice steady. “I fought, and I won. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? Let’s just call it even and move on. It won’t happen again.”
“Is that so?” The man smirks, crossing his arms over his chest as he appraises Blaze.
I hold my breath waiting to see how this monster is going to react.
He surprises me by laughing. “This fight won’t count toward your debt which has just doubled.”
“Understood,” Blaze replies, his voice a low growl. I can tell he’s biting back the urge to lash out at him.
“Good,” the man says, turning to leave. “Now get out of my sight.”
My heart races as we leave the illegal fighting ring, the cold air biting at my skin. Blaze’s fight still plays in my mind, a brutal reminder of what we are dealing with. Felix walks beside me, his hand gripping mine tightly. Aksel stalks ahead, his energy crackling with tension, while Griffyn and Rion flank us, their eyes scanning the area for any potential threats.
“Are you okay?” Felix whispers in my ear, his breath warm against my cheek.
I nod, unable to find my voice. I can’t shake the feeling that things are about to go from bad to worse. We need to be prepared for whatever comes our way.
When we finally reach our house everyone’s on edge. We’re all expecting minions to still be waiting inside.
“Stay close,” Aksel orders, his eyes narrowing as he pushes the door open.
We enter cautiously, our senses heightened as we search the shadows for any signs of danger. But the place is empty, eerily quiet. The relief is palpable, but it does little to ease the tension coiling within me.
“Let’s make sure everything’s secure,” Griffyn says, his grey eyes glinting with determination. “We can’t afford any surprises.”
“Agreed,” Rion adds, his Irish accent thick with worry. “I’ll help you.”
“Blaze, come with me,” I say, grabbing his hand and leading him into the kitchen. Blood trickles from the cuts on his fists, a reminder of the brutal fight he just survived.
“Spark, you don’t have to—” he begins, but I cut him off with a firm shake of my head.
“Sit down,” I order, pointing to one of the chairs. He obeys without another word, watching me silently as I gather the necessary supplies to clean his wounds.
As I work, I can feel the weight of his gaze on me. It’s heavy, full of unspoken apologies. Ignoring him, I focus on cleaning the cuts, trying not to think about him lying to me.
“Guys, we need to talk,” Aksel announces as he enters the kitchen, followed by the rest of our group. They all wear expressions of concern, their eyes darting between Blaze and me.
“This house isn’t secure any longer. They could have bugged it or even planted explosives. We can’t let them know where welive,” Aksel says, pulling out his phone. “If we’re going to take on Blaze’s debtors, we need a safe place to work from.” His fingers fly over the screen, already searching for potential locations.
I can’t help but agree with him. Despite the emptiness of the house, it feels like we’re being watched – like we’re vulnerable here.
“Anna,” Blaze whispers, his eyes softening as they meet mine. “Thank you.”
