Bound by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #2)(60)

“How do you know I won’t survive?” I sneered, refusing to show the fear that was pumping through my veins.

“Because you’re going up against your beloved cousin, and I have no doubt that someone of your principles would rather die than kill a family member.”

Cold horror spilled through my veins, and I turned my head just in time to see Mika’s cage being hefted onto a forklift.

“NO!” I railed at the bars of the cage, slashing at Danrian’s throat, but I couldn’t reach far enough with the shackles binding my wrists. “You bastard, leave Mika out of this! Let her go!”

“I’m afraid not.” Danrian stood up, and regarded me with his cold, dark eyes. “I warned you not to get involved and you didn’t listen, so now you’re about to pay the price. Boys, put her under.”

One of the men beside him stepped forward, that tube-like instrument in his hand again, and I ducked my head to avoid the first dart. But the second one struck me in the shoulder, and my vision went hazy in a matter of seconds. The last thing I saw was the forklift approaching my cage, and then I was out.




I came awake with battle fever pounding through my veins, the urge to kill so strong that I lunged forward without even knowing whether or not there was an enemy in front of me to kill. My forehead smashed into the iron bars, and I snarled, falling back against the hard floor and clutching my head.

Fuck, that hurt!

The pain cleared my head a little, and I sat up into a crouch. The battle fever continued to sing through my veins, and I trembled with the effort of holding myself together long enough to take stock of my surroundings. Not that I really needed to – the bright lights jabbing at my brain and the fighting cage looming just thirty feet from me told me that I was at the Royale.

Gritting my teeth, I turned my head and scanned the other cages in search of Mika. She was only two cages down from me, gripping the bars and snarling like a madwoman, her eyes bloodshot and her fangs dripping saliva. The sight stirred my own bloodlust, and I growled, my beast wanting her blood.

Stop it. Mika is family.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!’ the announcer cried, and I turned my head to watch him. “Thank you all for coming out tonight! For our first match, we have a very special treat – black panther vs. jaguar! In case you don’t know, these two cats are actually the same species, so it’s a matter of light versus dark rather than a battle between species. I hope you placed your bets accordingly!”

The crowd burst into excited whoops and yells, and I braced myself as I watched several of the humans stride purposefully toward my cage. I tried to attack them as they dragged me from my cell, but they were fast and well trained, and I was still weak from the drugs as well as lack of food – I hadn’t eaten since that measly sandwich in the early morning, and it had to be past nightfall by now.

The humans shoved me up a set of stairs leading to the platform, and then through the doors. I waited for them to unbind my wrists, but they simply slammed the doors shut on me, and I watched in horror as they walked off.

How the f*ck am I supposed to fight if I can’t even get my hands free?

By Magorah, no wonder Danrian wasn’t concerned about my odds. He’d set me up so that I couldn’t defend myself even if I wanted to.

They tossed Mika into the ring next. I watched as she staggered in, my anxiety growing as I noticed her bloodshot eyes glowing with malevolence. Just what shit had they drugged us with? She snarled as soon as she caught sight of me, and a white glow enveloped her body as she began to change.

“No!” I cried. “Mika, it’s Sunaya! You don’t want to kill me!” My own battle fever was tempered by the icy fear flooding through my veins – if I rushed to attack Mika like this, there was no way I’d win, shackled in human form with my magic cut off from me. My sense of self-preservation was much stronger than the drug they’d pumped into my system.

But it was too late. She’d shifted, and her eyes blazed with battle fever as she crouched, tail whipping back and forth right before she pounced. I darted out of the way as she sailed through the air, and she went crashing into the silver-coated bars of the cage. She let out a pained yowl, and I winced as I caught the stench of burning hair and flesh. Hopefully the injury would slow her down a little.

Mika landed on her side, but she quickly rolled back onto her feet, then flexed her powerful leg muscles before pouncing at me again. This time, I took a gamble and rushed forward, my arms outstretched to meet her halfway. Her jaws closed around the chain binding my manacles, and I forced them all the way down to her mandibles, pushing her back. She lost her footing for a moment, and when she finally yanked away, two of the links ripped free.

Yay. At least I could use my hands now.

Mika reared up on her hind legs and swiped at me with a paw, and I hissed as her claws raked across my upper arm, leaving deep gashes. I twisted away, darting to the other side of the ring, but I knew it was only a matter of time before she caught me with a fatal blow.

Just as Mika spun around to face me again, I felt something thump onto the ground next to my boot. I glanced down, and elation burst through me at the sight of my chakram pouch and crescent knives. Finally, they’d arrived! Thinking quickly, I snatched up the knives first, then rushed forward to meet Mika as she lunged for me again. This time I twisted to the right, letting her pass me, and I raked the blade along the side of her rib cage, making sure the cut was deep enough to cause significant damage without being fatal.