M&L03 - SS Read online

  Scarlett’s eyes went wide. “Oh. My. God. I can’t believe you two are mated. Well, yes I can, you totally belong together, but I never thought anything would make Solomon settle down.”

  She pulled Renee in for a hug and her mate, Noah, stepped up behind her. He was big like Doyle and from what I’d heard; he was wicked fast and deadly with a blade. Scarlett met him right before the curse was lifted and though they got off to a rocky start; their mating bond was now complete.

  Noah extended his hand to me. “Congratulations on your mating.”

  We shook hands then he stepped back just as Scarlett finally released Renee. Scarlett was beaming with happiness but Renee just seemed a little shell-shocked. Scarlett had never been this warm and friendly before she met Noah and it looked like Renee wasn’t sure what to make of it.

  “Thanks, and I guess I should say the same to you,” I said nodding toward the mating marks on his arms. “And if I’m not mistaken you’ve taken the plunge to become a nightshifter - bear I’m assuming.”

  “Ah yeah... Thanks.” He replied rubbing the back of his neck.

  There was a moment of awkward silence that dimmed Scarlett’s hundred-watt smile then we said our goodbyes and exited the elevator.

  Once the doors were closed Renee asked, “Was that really Scarlett, or has she been possessed by aliens since the last time I saw her?”

  I laughed as we started heading towards the lobby. “I don’t think it was aliens but she’s certainly not behaving like her old self.” I shrugged my shoulder. “Mating has that effect on some people I suppose.”

  “Who is that guy she’s mated to anyway and where did he come from?” Renee asked taking my hand in hers as we walked down the dimly lit corridor.

  “I don’t really know a lot about him, we’ve only met once or twice before but he seems to be very good for her.”

  “I wonder how Gunther is taking their mating. Everyone knows he wanted Scarlett to be his life partner but she wouldn’t have anything to do with him. Not that I blame her at all, Gunther is an overbearing asshole, but he’s also their clan leader and someone who doesn’t like to be crossed.”

  “I’m sure he’s giving both of them a hard time but you know Scarlett, she’ll find a way to push back and since fate chose him to be her mate, Noah can likely hold his own as well.”

  We continued talking as we walked and it felt just like old times. She told me about the projects she’d been working on and I filled her in on the renovations of The Gateway. The grand reopening was set for the end of next month and I’d been worried Renee would miss it. Now she said she wouldn’t miss it for the world and we discussed what type of show we should put on for the big night.

  As we strolled casually through the lobby and out the main entrance, I noticed a variety of reactions on the faces of the people we passed. Renee did her best to ignore them but whenever someone else whipped out a smartphone to spread the latest gossip her shoulders tensed and I gave her hand another reassuring squeeze.

  When we finally reached the arena, we found Katerina sitting with a bunch of our friends near the front row. The group consisted mostly of women because the first event was a free-for-all elimination match to narrow the playing field for the hand-to-hand competition.

  Katerina looked up at us and smiled. “I thought you might be on your way so I saved these seats for you.” She indicated the empty seats to her left. I sat down beside her with Renee on my other side.

  Something about the gleam in her eyes made me think there was more going on than the obvious. “How did you know we were coming?”

  “News of your mating has already been retweeted more times than you’ve had sex in your very long lifetime.” I doubted that was possible as she continued, “They’re discussing every move you make on probably every form of social media known to man.”

  Renee leaned forward so she could look around me at Katerina. “How is that even possible? You’d think cell service in alternate dimensions wouldn’t be that great.”

  Katerina laughed. “Thank your boyfriend. He’s the one who rigged up the magical equivalent of a cell tower. Before that we couldn’t use cell phones here at all.”

  Renee glared at me and I held my hands up in surrender. “It sounded like a good idea at the time. I didn’t know it would come back to bite me in the ass someday.”

  Renee sat back muttering something under her breath that sounded like, “I’ll bite you in the ass.”

  “Sometimes the rapid spread of information can be used to our advantage,” Claire commented from the other side of Renee. Then she reached out and patted Renee’s hand. “You should keep that in mind dear.”

  “Um, thanks Claire, I’ll do that.”

  With Claire, you never knew why she was giving you advice, but if she was giving it at all, it was important and you should take it seriously.

  Just then, Serafina came down the stairs followed by six of Rook’s best security people. Claire smiled and removed a bag from the seat to her left just in time for Serafina to sit down between her and Josephine. Niko, Rook’s second in command, leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

  Serafina shook her head. “I don’t care what kind of chatter Rook’s been hearing. I’m not going to be any safer sitting up there in that throne than I am sitting down here with my friends. Do whatever you feel is necessary but I’m not going back up there.”

  We all stifled a laugh and with a resigned sigh, Niko started moving people out of the immediate area that weren’t part of our inner circle of friends. Then he stationed guards at the corners, another one directly in front of Serafina and finally he sat down behind her.

  About that time, I realized there were several new people that Renee might not have met yet, including Serafina, Angela and Liliana. After making introductions, I sat back and let the women talk while I looked around.

  This stadium was easily three times the size of the largest football arena in the human realm and judging by the number of people still pouring in it was going to be full to the brim. Down below in the battle zone, fighters were starting to trickle in and many of them were doing stretches or other warm-up exercises.

  Realizing I hadn’t placed any bets yet, I typed out a quick text and sent it to my favorite bookie. Renee read over my shoulder and asked, “How many fighters will move on to the next round this year?”

  “The first fifty fighters to make it out of the maze will move on to the next round.”

  There was a loud noise like a crack of thunder then a familiar voice filled the arena. Kasper had been the announcer at The Pit and at the annual tournament for as long as I could remember. “Welcome one, welcome all to the nine hundred thirteenth annual tournament!” The crowd cheered and applauded. “Before we move on to tournament business I have an important announcement to make. For those of you who have not already heard, the widely renowned sorcerer Solomon has finally mated his lovely assistant Miss Renee Jacobs.”

  Renee’s face turned bright red but I couldn’t stop myself from laughing because I knew whatever Kasper said next was bound to be interesting.

  When he continued I wasn’t disappointed. “I know a lot of you ladies out there will be deeply saddened by this turn of events but rather than stocking up on batteries I wanted you to know I am available for all your sexual needs.”

  The crowd erupted with laughter and Renee’s eyes went wide as she sank down into her seat.

  “I know, I know. Some of you may be thinking I’m not up to the task, because hey, who could live up to Solomon’s reputation, but there’s no harm in giving me a trial run. After all, a warm body with a hard shaft is better than a vibrating piece of silicone any day.”

  Lot’s more laughter now as most of us doubled over with tears in our eyes.

  When everyone started to calm down Kasper moved on with, “Most of you know how this tournament works but for the newbies or anyone who might have forgotten there are five events including marksmanship, sword fighting, hand-to-hand co
mbat, dance club transformations, and maze creations. This year we have chosen five sorcerers to participate in the two magical competitions and since they will be creating the mazes used for the hand-to-hand combat, they are excluded from that event. The marksmanship and sword fights are open to everyone.

  As usual, we will begin the tournament with a free-for-all elimination round for the hand-to-hand competition. The first fifty contestants to make it out of the maze alive will be eligible to compete in the next round. Now, if the contestants will gather in the center of the ring young Mr. Grayson, the official sorcerer of Supernova and this tournament will erect the first maze of the tournament.”

  The fighters moved to the center of the ring as directed and Grayson stepped forward with his runic stones already in hand. Moments later a complicated maze erupted from the sand filling the battle ground thirty feet below us with stone walls that were ten feet tall and four feet thick. The contestants were trapped in the middle until Kasper gave the word, at which point Grayson would open the doors allowing them into the maze.

  Another spell had already been cast over the arena that would amplify the action for the spectators. We could zero in on any part of the arena and the spell would zoom in and show it to us from the best possible angle.

  Excitement ran through the crowd like electrical currents and all eyes focused on the maze.

  “Before we begin,” Kasper’s voice once again filled the arena. “I’ve just been informed that Solomon has agreed to take young Grayson on as his apprentice. Perhaps with proper training and erection skills like that, magic won’t be the only thing he excels at.”

  The roar of laughter this time was deafening.

  “He did not just say that.” Renee gasped beside me.

  “Yes...” I couldn’t stop laughing. “Yes he did.”

  With the laughter still thundering through the stadium Kasper bellowed, “Let the games begin!”

  The crowd went wild as hundreds of the best supernatural fighters surged into the narrow corridors of the maze battling each other for the right to compete in this year’s hand-to-hand competition. Males and females alike cut through the weak, leaving only the strongest, most skilled fighters to navigate the twists and turns of Grayson’s maze. One by one the unworthy were left behind. Most of them were probably still breathing, but there was no way to tell until it was all said and done.

  In front of us, Liliana and Angela were watching the action with wide eyes. When the first throat was ripped out, they turned and asked together, “Is that legal?”

  I shrugged. “There aren’t really any rules. We try not to kill anyone during the tournament, but sometimes things get out of hand. Most of us wouldn’t die from something like that though.”

  “Doesn’t that hurt?” Liliana asked, her eyes following her mate as he swiped his claws and ripped a vampire’s chest wide open.

  “Yeah, we might heal the damage quickly but it hurts like hell to get your throat ripped out,” I told her shaking off unpleasant memories.

  The scene below us took on a gruesome edge as rivers of blood ran through the sand and more than one vampire lost a limb or two. Kasper kept up a running commentary loaded with his usual sarcasm. The noise from the crowd grew louder as everyone cheered for their favorite fighters and urged their loved ones to be victorious. Throughout the stands, bookies worked frantically to take bets before the action came to an end.

  “Damn, I’ve never see anyone get their limbs ripped off at the annual tournament before, in The Pit yes, but not here,” Renee murmured taking in the savagery of our clansmen as they tore through one vampire after another.

  Her whole body shivered and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders pulling her close. “Shapeshifters heal fast but they can’t regenerate limbs like vampires and most nightshifters can. So far, the only ones to lose their limbs have been vampires so there’s no permanent damage yet. With the hatred that burns between us and the vampires from New Orleans I’d say this is actually pretty tame.”

  “Tame?” Liliana gasped incredulously, turning to stare at me with wide eyes.

  “Imagine what it would look like down there if the goal was to be the last man standing instead of the first one out of the maze.”

  Her eyes got even wider as her mouth formed an O.

  “I’d wondered why they used the mazes, why not just go for a knockout,” Angela said shaking her head. “Now it makes a lot more sense. I don’t think I could sit through this if all those fighters had to be rendered unconscious to be disqualified.”

  “In the early days of this tournament that was exactly how it was done, but we lost too many of our best fighters that way so we adopted this method instead.”

  Katerina sat forward suddenly and we all followed her line of sight to where Danarius was surrounded by a group of his own vampires. I expected to see a bloody fight, and even with five against one, I would have given Danarius pretty good odds, but then he surprised us all and proved why he was king of the vampire mountain. Danarius casually walked up to each vampire and twisted their heads off while they stood still as statues, unable to break his psychic hold over them.

  “Quite impressive, isn’t he Katherine?” Claire asked when Danarius moved further down the passage towards one of the exits.

  Katerina turned to the psychic and sighed. “I do wish you would call me Katerina. I haven’t gone by Katherine for over two centuries now.”

  Claire shrugged and smiled serenely. “No matter what you decide to call yourself, your given name will always be Katherine.”

  Katerina rolled her eyes and let it go.

  A few moments later Rook tore his way through a couple of vampires and emerged through the exit across the arena from where we were sitting. The crowd cheered as he disappeared through the tunnels to the locker rooms.

  “That’s one down. Rook was one of the people I picked for the top fifty.”

  “Do you have to pick all fifty right to win anything?” Renee asked, her eyes never leaving the battle zone.

  “No, but the more I get right the better.”

  Renee’s shoulders stiffened and I followed her intent gaze to where Dimitri was being slammed into a wall repeatedly by Noah. When he was finally left face down in the sand, Renee turned to me with one eyebrow raised. “That smirk on your face is entirely too satisfied Solomon Reynard.”

  “You can’t expect me not to enjoy watching him get his head bashed in,” I scoffed.

  She rolled her eyes at me. “Well at least you’re not the one doing the bashing.”

  I inclined my head thinking it wouldn’t be long before I had my turn, but wisely keeping that comment to myself.

  “Will the next round be won the same way?” Angela asked over her shoulder, shouting to be heard over the cheering crowd.

  “No, the rest of the hand-to-hand competition will be more like a hunt,” I answered.

  Angela looked like she wanted to ask more but the crowd surged to its feet and we all followed suite trying to see what the excitement was about. I scanned the arena and finally spotted Dragon near one of the exits where he was kicking the ever-loving shit out of Bran. The roar of the crowd grew to deafening levels as Dragon rained blow after blow down on the most hated wolf in the history of The United Clans. When Bran was nothing more than a bloody heap at his feet, Dragon let out a roar that vibrated the stands then he turned and strode out of the maze.

  A few moments later, all eyes were on Doyle as he fought his way through a group of vampires. He moved so fast even supernatural eyes could hardly follow him.

  “Wow, I’ve seen Doyle fight before but not like that.” Angela shook her head as Doyle savaged one vampire after the next. The vampires kept coming at him but he tore through them as if they were standing still.

  “It’s too bad Doyle doesn’t realize the exit is right behind him,” Renee commented.

  “I don’t think he’d care if he did,” Katerina observed. “He seems to be enjoying himself.”

  With
one final kick, Doyle sent a vampire crashing through a wall to land on the other side. He turned, looking for his next victim but the remaining vampires were backing away with their hands held out in front of them. Doyle smirked at them, then turned and strolled out the nearest exit. Once he crossed the finish line, he threw his head back and howled. The other contestants who’d made it out of the maze joined him and their triumphant animal voices mingled as they celebrated their victories.

  Kasper’s voice rang out through the stadium. “Well hot damn, that was a hell of a fight! It’s almost a shame we have to move on to the marksmanship preliminaries next...”

  Kasper kept talking but with the first round of the marksmanship competition up next, the stands were already clearing out.

  “Why is everyone taking off so fast?” Liliana asked glancing around at the lines of people heading for the exits.

  “They’re probably going to get something to eat or drink,” I answered.

  “Don’t they want to watch the marksmanship competition?”

  “Most of us think marksmanship is pretty boring until the targets start moving,” Katerina told Liliana honestly. “But cheer up; we’ll all be glued to our seats for the marksmanship finale.”

  “And why is that?” Liliana asked, her eyes narrowed.

  “Oh no,” Katerina laughed. “That would spoil the surprise.”

  Before Liliana could press for more information Dragon, Rook and Lucien arrived freshly showered and ready to greet their women. When the kissing and hugging went on long enough to make Renee look uncomfortable I grabbed her hand and we followed Katerina out of the stadium. After a quick debate, we decided to check out the vendors set up around the stadium rather than fighting the crowds at The Outer Rim. Katerina said she had some things to check on but promised she’d catch up to us before the sword fights began.