Night's Darkest Embrace (12 page)

“A Grievance? That’s ancient—from when the Five Clans needed to clear bad blood.”

“Now it’s where the best warriors of all three cartels compete for the ultimate prize.”

“Conception.”

Leto nodded. “And with the ultimate risk. Only at a Grievance can a Dragon King be killed as punishment for losing.”

She took a deep breath and blew it out through her nose. “Don’t you see what they’ve done? They’ve co-opted our traditions and made them into something disgusting. And what’s the point of earning conception if it comes at the cost of another Dragon King slain?”

Leto led his charge toward the Cage and opened the gate. “The perpetuation of our own lines. Protecting the futures of our families.”

She shrugged from under his touch. “That’s a selfish way of looking at our people’s march toward extinction.”

“Not my problem. In you go.”

He ignored her disgusted glare and locked them in together. The hum of the mesh steel’s damping surged to life. White noise. It was a signal deep in his brain to prepare. Win or lose.

No matter his opponent, Leto won.

The collar felt lighter. He stretched his neck from one side to the other. Muscles and joints loose. Ready.

“So what can you do?” she asked, arms crossed.

“I’m Clan Garnis. What do you think?”

“Speed. Reflexes.”

In a blink, he shot behind Nynn. His crooked elbow held her in a chokehold. She gagged behind her collar. “A great deal of speed, and
excellent
reflexes.”

Yet he suspected it was more than that, and had for a long time. On occasion he felt as if he could see his opponents’ next move, even before their minds twitched with the thought. To his knowledge, there were no other Cage warriors of Clan Garnis. He had no one to ask. And why would he reveal something so advantageous to anyone he might one day face?

He shoved her away. Nynn landed on hands and knees on the padded floor. A coughing fit arched her back.

“Fight me,” he said, voice uncompromising. “Or I get nasty.”

She held up her middle finger.

Another blink. Another fathomless surge of his powers. He kicked her in the gut.

She rolled and clutched her stomach. Then she clasped one hand over her mouth as if she were ready to be sick. The heavy supper would fuel her body . . . eventually. Right now it was a hindrance. He’d be impressed if she managed to keep it all down.

“This will only get worse if you resist
.
”

Hair in disarray around her heart-shaped face, Nynn glared at him. Fiercely. When narrowed, her unearthly blue eyes took on the look of a predator. Leto was surprised by the snap of primal awareness. Manhandling her, watching her wash, seeing her naked, hearing her beg—nothing had jolted him so strongly. Instead, it was her outright defiance.

A killer instinct, with titanium behind it.

A true warrior.

He had hoped for competence. Maybe even skill. The wrath in her expression was a bonus that affected him physically. He would teach her, watch her win.

And then he would have her as his prize.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that she was not his goal. Only her training.

Again, a blink. He moved with speed that could barely be seen, or so he was told. He landed a punch against her exposed side. Right to the kidney.

She screamed. “You freak. Give me a chance, for the Dragon’s sake.”

“You speak of the Dragon but you lived as a human. It’s blasphemy.”

“I can’t help how I was raised.”

“Bullshit, as you say.” Leto leaned against the mesh steel. “You were cast out, I assume. Was he worth it?”

He couldn’t afford to give a damn about this woman. But he asked the question anyway.

She stood. Slowly at first. Knees unsteady. But she managed. She lifted her chin. That killer instinct had returned. Leto breathed in, relished the sight.

“He was worth everything I’ve endured, everything I will endure.” She wore such a nasty expression for such a beautiful mouth. “And you’ve never felt its like.”

Anger lifted in Leto’s chest. Almost pain. Almost shame. Because she was right.

Blink. Kick to the lower back. Scream.

This time she didn’t fall. She whirled on the balls of her feet. The blaze of her silvery eyes caught with his. An uncanny glow stopped him cold.

Fireworks.

He tried to shake away the illusion, but they remained. Intensified. Thousands of fireworks bubbled inside a concentrated circle between Nynn’s hands. Sparks. Pinging blasts of flame. All trapped in a circle of energy that built and built. A balloon ready to burst. Nynn’s face contorted. Sweat trailed down her cheeks. She shrieked with the fury of a Pendray in the throes of a full berserker rage.

The bubble burst. Leto scrambled out of its path, but even he wasn’t fast enough.

Pure concussive force threw him against the mesh steel. He hit face-first and grunted. Had he landed on the brushed concrete of the genuine Cage, he would’ve busted both kneecaps. He couldn’t hear. With any more force, she would’ve broken every bone in his chest.

He used the mesh steel to climb to his feet, ready to defend himself.

But Nynn was on her knees. She breathed heavily. Her arms shook.

He hadn’t expected her to leave her first Cage match with all four limbs. Instead, she possessed the most remarkable gift he’d ever witnessed. Like a volcano bursting its top—and flinging out its burning, breakneck debris.

Nynn merely rasped, “What was that?”

Then she sagged onto the Cage floor.

He staggered forward. His senses slowly returned, as did the use of his powers. But he had no opponent to face.

From a distant corner of the arena room came the sound of slow, deliberate clapping. A shuffle and the thump of a cane followed. Leto scanned the darkness. He found the source. Entirely bald and pushing eighty years, Old Man Aster emerged into the light. His maniacal grin carved wrinkles into the strange pantomime of a clown’s smile. He was only missing the face paint. His sallow complexion—after having spent most of the last five decades belowground—was eerie enough.

No matter his value to the Asters, Leto never failed to be taken aback by that warped, skeletal appearance.

“I told you, didn’t I?” His voice was smooth, cultured, but scratched by his advanced age. “I told you she was amazing. She’ll rival you one day, my champion.”

Leto straightened to his full height. Within the Cage, he had the higher vantage, but that didn’t matter when staring into his master’s eyes. His pride twitched at the implication of those words. “Is that what you want, sir? For her to best me?”

“No, Leto. You will help me take down the other cartels. Permanently.” He nodded toward Nynn’s fallen body. “To do so, you will fight with Malnefoley’s cousin . . . as your partner.”

We hope you enjoyed reading this Pocket Star Books eBook.

Sign up for our newsletter and receive special offers, access to bonus content, and info on the latest new releases and other great eBooks from Pocket Star Books and Pocket Star Books.

or visit us online to sign up at
eBookNews.SimonandSchuster.com

Pocket Star Books
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2010 by Jeaniene Frost

This title was previously published in the anthology
Haunted by Your Touch
.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Pocket Star Books eBook edition November 2012

POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or [email protected].

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

ISBN 978-1-4516-9816-9