Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)(6)
“Then what?”
“The winner in a category receives anything from money to something a nonhuman would value. Whatever you do, don’t ask what the final prize is in my category or you’ll throw up a red flag. Anyone who knows about this fight should know the stakes.”
Her footsteps stilled for a moment, then moved forward again.
Before Evalle could press for more answers he didn’t want to speculate on, Storm turned the conversation back to preparing her before they reached the fight circle. “Let’s focus on what you have to do. I’m your fighter. You’re the only one who can accept or decline a fight offer, but like I said, you have to accept at least one fight once we’re there.”
Disgust rolled through her voice when she asked, “What are you? My slave?”
“Pretty much.” Then to take the edge off her stress, he tried to lighten her mood with, “I wouldn’t mind being a love slave.”
She rolled her eyes and huffed, all an act to hide the brush of awareness that sparked from her. “In your dreams.”
“Always.”
“You’re impossible.” But a smile tugged at her lips and happiness swirled from her.
Seeing her smile gave his heart a punch. From what he’d gathered, she hadn’t had a lot of reasons to laugh before he met her. He didn’t know why it mattered so much to see her happy, but it did.
This night couldn’t end soon enough so they could get back to his house. He wanted to give her another reason to smile.
Eyes locked on the valley they were approaching, Evalle asked, “Who came up with this demeaning event?”
“Greedy people.” He forced his mind back to preparing her. “This is all about posturing, so you need to walk in there like you own the place. No one touches a sponsor.” Which was why she should be safe. “But some people get mouthy. Don’t get physical with anyone, but don’t let them shove you around verbally either.” Or I’ll have to hurt them.
“Got it.” Evalle raised both hands, smoothing loose hairs off her face, then she tightened the elastic band holding her long black ponytail. A simple, yet adorable, look. At five-ten she was a lot of woman, all packed in one fine carry case. Snug jeans covered long legs capable of drop-kicking a demon. She wore a steel-gray Gore-Tex motorcycle jacket, and her black leather boots concealed fighting blades.
Lethal and hot. She was damn hot.
And if he kept thinking how much better she’d look out of those clothes, he’d be limping soon. But, son of a bitch, he wanted her. Had since the first time they’d met. But she’d been hurt by someone, and he would not rush her.
She was a jewel worthy of the wait, whatever time it took for her to feel comfortable with being touched and loved, but it might not be too much longer. She’d been making encouraging noises lately, a sign that she wanted more.
The minute she was ready, he’d give her everything and then some.
Evalle stared off into the distance, muttering, “I wish I’d known about these Beast Clubs. I’d have studied up.”
“You’ll be fine.” He gauged how far they had left to go and took in the stand of trees they were passing. “Stop for a minute and let me have your dagger.”
She pulled the blade out of her boot, whispered something to it and passed the dagger to him.
He felt a buzz of energy coming off the spelled weapon. Pushing aside one side of his knee-length leather jacket, he used the blade tip to pop a yellow diamond the size of a half marble from where it had been inserted as one of the jaguar eyes carved in his silver belt buckle.
He handed the stone to Evalle. “This is your buy-in stake.”
She studied the gem through dark sunglasses she wore even at night, which would seem strange to anyone who didn’t know her. The sunglasses hid her glowing green Alterant eyes that were uber sensitive to any light and offered night vision similar to his.
Except that he had no problem with daylight, or the sun that would kill her as well as blind her.
He unbuckled his belt and pulled it through the loops. “I don’t want to wear anything of value around this crowd. Do me a favor and use your kinetics to toss this up in that tree to your right.”
Closing the jewel in her fist, she asked suspiciously, “What’s this worth?”
A rare canary-yellow diamond? Lot of zeroes for the matched set. “Enough to get us into this event.”
She pointed her finger at the belt he held in an open palm and flicked her hand up toward an old oak tree that had lost its leaves. The belt flew up and double wrapped a branch.
He nodded. “We’ll get it on the way out. Ready?”
She hesitated, saying nothing, but worry rushed off her and raced across his senses. If he tried to console her, she’d just get pissed off. “Make sure you stay close to me without my asking you or they’ll suspect we’re not sponsor and fighter.”
She started walking again. “What would happen then?”
“They’d assume we’re not here to fight, which would be interpreted as a threat. Wouldn’t take much for the organizers to make the leap to us being VIPER agents and the entire place would turn on us.”
“Lovely.” She grumbled something under her breath. “Tristan better appreciate this. If you don’t walk out under your own power tonight, I’ll be the one dragging him to Macha by his family jewels.”