Played by Love (New Adult Romance): A #Played Novella (8 page)

He threw her to the floor and she stumbled, hitting her side on a concrete garbage bin.

“What happened to your gunblade, eh?” Another vampire jeered, ripping off her dark red cape.

Another set of hands untied her sash and tore her coat open. “You little slut. Let’s see what you have underneath.”

“Stop it, stop, please, this isn’t fun.” She chopped at him and tried crawling between his legs to escape.

Muscular arms wrapped her in a black cape, rolling her up and someone tied a gag around her mouth.

Panic clawed at Ella’s throat and adrenaline spiked through her blood as her heart dived to the ground. They were going to rape her this time, and no one was around to save her.

Why was Jaden going to the desert to fight them? It made no sense. None at all.

# # #

Jaden grabbed a tray of snacks and sodas and surveyed the crowd for Ella. Hopefully she wasn’t upset he’d taken so long. When he’d gone back to the hotel room to get his wallet, he’d spied the drunken men harass another female cosplayer.

A quick call to Security and a discreet video had been enough to convince the hotel staff to kick the guys out of their suite.

He texted Ella:
Where are you? I’m at the East side entrance near the photo booth.

Strange, she didn’t seem to be with the Final Fantasy crowd. He spotted Tricia in line for the contest and rushed over.

“Where’s Ella?” he asked.

“She’s looking for you.”

“I shouldn’t have let her out of my sight.” Jaden scanned the room frantically, panic rising in his chest.

“She’s probably out front. I heard some playacting between a Final Fantasy character and some vampires from Hellsing.”

“She’s in trouble.” Jaden dropped the food on a nearby table. He dived through the crowd, bumping people and asking, “Anyone seen a Lightning charcter? Where is she?”

“The Hellsing guys are playing with her. I have it on video.” An Ewok showed him his phone.

“Let me see, replay it again,” Jaden ordered.

The guys on the tape told Ella they were taking her to the desert to see him fight. Dammit. They were serious about this. He’d thought it was an idle threat and had brushed them off.

“Tricia, call my frat brothers.” Jaden dug a grimy piece of paper from his pocket where one of the thugs had drawn directions to the fight. “Take a picture of this and text it to Jax, Kolby, and Vincenzo.”

“What’s going on?” Tricia gasped. “Is Ella in danger?”

“They have her.” He spit out the address to a deserted warehouse in the western foothills.

Around them, various partygoers received text messages and talked about placing bets for a fight in the desert, billing it as Zack Fair against Alucard.

Fumbling with the keys to his rental car, Jaden ran to the parking garage and jumped in the car. He set the onboard GPS and once he cleared the city traffic, he sped toward the warehouse.

His cell phone beeped with a message:
We have the girl. She says to hurry. She’s one hot chick. Be there if you want to see her before you die.

Another message followed:
No police or we kill her. Fighting is your only chance of saving her.

# # #

Tears blinded Ella. She struggled to free her hands and feel for the trunk release mechanism, but the bonds were too tight and her shoulder joints were twisted and aching. Every bump and turn threw her against sharp, hard objects. Without the use of her hands, she couldn’t even protect her face.

After miles of jostling and bumpy roads, the car screeched to a halt. The doors slammed and someone popped the trunk. Rough hands hoisted Ella up and dragged her to a chain linked fence where they tied her.

“Let him go,” she mumbled through the dirty gag. “It’s not his fight. Take me, but let him go.”

The men laughed. “Don’t worry. We’ll have fun with you later and let him watch. Teach him a lesson not to be such a tattler.”

“You’re not going to get away with this.” She bit the gag, almost choking on her spit, hoping like hell someone had called the cops

A slap stung her cheek and pain exploded in one eye, stunning her. “Shut it, bitch.”

They left her whimpering against the fence. More cars lined up, leaving their headlights on to light an elevated loading platform. Ella watched in horror as Jaden stepped from one of the cars. He was still wearing the Zack Fair outfit, including his metal shoulder armor, not that aluminum would afford him much protection.

“Where’s Ella? Where is she?” He rushed the team of vampires. “I want to see her or I won’t fight.”

“You don’t have much choice, nerd boy,” the guy with the megaphone said. “Fellas, place your bets. Zack Fairy against Count Alucard.”

The vampire shook his fists above his head. He stripped off his cape, exposing his muscular build to the gathering audience. The guy had to be over two-hundred-fifty pounds and was built like a truck with stout arms and legs.

“I’m going to kill you,” he growled, loud enough to be heard without the mic. “Bet on me, Count Rockular, boys and girls. Zack Fairybutt’s going to be dead.”

Jaden strutted toward the announcer and grabbed the megaphone. “Listen here everyone. I’m Jaden, and if I win, they free the girl. I don’t want any of your money. Ask the organizer to pay it back to you when I kick his sorry ass.”

“Win it man, fight for your girl.” A line of Mexicans patted Jaden and rushed to bet on him. “We’re for you, vato loco.”

“Fight’s starting,” the organizer’s voice boomed. “No stopping until one of them’s knocked out, dead, or dying.”

“Whoohoo!” The crowd stomped their feet and screamed. “Hit it, kung fu man, show them your stuff.”

“Rock, Rock, Rock,” the other side chanted. “Cut him up. Pound him. Send him back where he came from.”

Jaden threw the first punch. It went wide, missing and putting him off balance. Rock took advantage and punched him in the gut. A fireball of pain clutched his belly and he almost threw up. Crazed, he bent forward and slammed his head on Rock’s jaw, knocking him down.

The vampire’s friends picked him up and pushed him at Jaden. He charged, his arms out to tackle Jaden, who leaped forward as if blocking a kick. They crashed in midair and both tumbled to the ground.

Arms and legs tangled, as the men grunted and huffed, punching and twisting.

Onlookers jumped onto the loading dock and pulled them apart.

“Fist fight and kicks only,” the announcer said. “We want to see a knock out.”

Jaden circled the muscular Rock in fighting stance. He punched, Rock blocked, then spun around and landed a kick in Jaden’s face. Blood splattered in bright red droplets all over the concrete.

Ella screamed through the gag. “Stop the fight. Stop. I’ll pay whatever you want.”

No one heard her over the din. Jaden fell forward, holding his cheek, his hands on his knees.

“Get up and fight like man,” the announcer jeered. “There’s no forfeit here. Come on, put your dukes up.”

Rock locked onto Jaden’s head, turning his face toward Ella and said, “Maybe you need some motivation.”

Two of Rock’s friends approached Ella and untied her. “Bitch, you’re getting a front row seat. Watch him die.”

They slammed her on the hood of a full-sized pickup truck, oblivious that in their haste to loosen her from the fence, they’d also untied the sash around her wrists. Ella held her hands still behind her back and waited for a more opportune moment.

“Get up, geekhead.” Rock shoved Jaden onto the ground. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt your pretty baby face?”

“Look over here,” one of the men next to Ella yelled. “She wants a real man, not a dipshit Asian nerd.”

Swiping the blood from his cheek, Jaden launched himself at Rock and ran right into an upper cut. Pow, his teeth snapped and bit his tongue as pain rocketed through his skull.

Jaden staggered back, his arms windmilling, and crumpled to the ground. Breathing hard, his head spinning, he struggled to his hands and knees.

“There’s no knockout yet, place your bets,” the organizer shouted. “Get up and fight.”

Two bystanders propped him up and shoved him toward Rock.

“No, no, let him go.” Ella jumped off the truck and climbed onto the loading dock.

Rock lunged at her. With a snap of his wrist, he yanked her into a chokehold and stuck his slobbering tongue in her ear.

Ewee … Ella cringed, her stomach turning loops of nausea.

“Get away from her,” Jaden yelled.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ella saw Jaden push off the bystanders and charge. He jumped and planted one foot. “Aaahhhhh!!!”

Grabbing Rock’s head like a soccer ball, Jaden leaped high and kicked for the goal.

An explosion of blood and sweat jogged Rock’s head, and he dropped Ella, before falling backwards. He hit the concrete like a limp bodybag.

There was a moment of stunned silence before cheers erupted from the people who’d bet on Jaden. They surged to collect, obscuring Ella’s vision.

Where was Jaden? Where could he be? She could be trampled by the mad crowd. She crawled, grabbing at arms and legs, but she was too short to see.

“Ella,” Jaden shouted. He muscled through the mass of crazed spectators and scooped her from the ground.

“Jaden, your stitches burst.” She clung onto him. “You’re hurt.”

Sirens rang in the distance and the scene changed from collecting bets to panic. All around them, people ran for their cars. Engines roared to life and tires screeched.

Jaden helped Ella off the loading dock. They barely missed getting hit by the cars driving out of the lot.

“Jaden, Ella, over here.” A trio of motorcycles skidded to a stop in front of them.

Oh, good. Ella’s heart surged with relief. It was Kimber and her friends from the KAO fraternity.

“Go with Vincenzo,” Jaden said, lifting Ella onto one of the bikes.

“Kimber,” Ella said, “am I glad to see you and the frat guys.”

“About time, girlie.” Kimber was sitting behind her boyfriend Jax. “Let’s get the hell outta here.”

Meanwhile Jaden jumped onto the back of the third motorcycle. He gave Ella a thumbs up to reassure her. “You were great. The night’s not over. Let’s party.”

Ella rolled her eyes. How could Jaden be so upbeat, bleeding and injured? But then, he’d won the fight, saved her, and called in the cavalry.

“I love you, Jaden,” she yelled as the motorcycles gunned their engines. They sped off just as police cars rounded the corner.

Ella buried her face in the back of the man called Vincenzo and held on tight. These were Jaden’s frat brothers, and they were the good guys. She’d been wrong to stereotype them.

She owed Jaden a huge apology.

Back at Berkeley.

The victory party was all set back at the Muze, and all the players and their hotties were rolling in. One side of Jaden’s face was still swollen and his stitches itched, but he wasn’t going to sit this one out.

He hadn’t spoken to Ella since they were both taken to the emergency room. She’d left earlier with minor bruises and cuts, while they’d held him longer to glue his face back together.

“Hey, Jaden, dude, ready to party?” Vincenzo shoved him a can of beer and slapped his back. “Look at all the hot chicks. You gonna take someone to the funhouse tonight?”

Jaden rubbed his mouth and smothered a scowl. It wasn’t Vincenzo’s fault he was determined to cheer him up. All his brothers had noticed the gloom he walked around in since leaving Vegas.

He crunched his fingers against his cell phone and stared at Ella’s last message:
Let’s make it a clean break. Thanks for all the fun.

And his:
I’m all for dirty. One more night?

That had been an hour ago and she hadn’t replied.

Vincenzo grabbed his head and gave him a noogie. “I swear, Jaden, you’re going to have fun tonight.”

“Yeah, right. Leave me to my misery.”

“Don’t tell me you got your boxers wrapped around a girl. Get over it.” Another one his frat brothers punched his arm.

“I’m cool, doing good.” He moved away from the bar and cruised through the club. All around him, couples were wrapped around each other on the dance floor and the alcohol flowed freely.

Ah heck, he might as well show his brothers he wasn’t down on one girl. One who burned his heart and fried it to a crisp. Who played him good.

He downed the beer and headed to the dance floor. Maybe he had been only a dream, a fantasy character from her to-do list. Maybe he meant nothing to her after all.

A group of Asian girls ganged up on him, holding their hands out.

“Dance with us,” the bravest one said.

“All of you?” he winked. “I only do one on one.”

He couldn’t help laughing at their shocked looks. They surrounded him, giggling and dancing, each showing more skin than the next.

The music moved to a slower number and he thanked the girls. One whipped out a Sharpie and asked him to sign her chest.

Vincenzo grabbed his shoulders from the back. “Pick one. I’ve got champagne in the funhouse for you. The Lanai Room.”

Jaden scrawled his name over the woman’s cleavage and elbowed his frat brother. “You go, take any one of these babes.”

Vincenzo pumped his bicep and said, “Hey, baby,” in a low drawling voice.

The girls giggled and squealed, then skittered off with shy, backward glances.

“Oh, now look what you did.” Jaden punched Vincenzo. “Scared them away.”

“They can’t handle a hot blooded Italian.” Vincenzo laughed. He dragged Jaden to the exit and into the elevator leading to the Private area of the club.

“I’m not going there,” Jaden argued.

“Yes you are.” Kolby, the president of the frat, stepped in his face and jingled a key. Behind him, Nick and Xavier loomed.

The guys formed a wall and herded him toward the door of the Lanai Room, one of the private ones decorated Hawaiian style.

“I’m not going in there. I swear.” He waved his hands. “One of you take the prize.”

“She’s hot and waiting for you,” Kolby ordered. “Go in or you’re out of KAO.”

“I paid my dues. This is stupid. I don’t want anyone but Ella, okay? I’m leaving.”

Someone opened the door, and his brothers shoved him through the threshold.