“Bad leech.” Frack growled, whirling to reveal the blood dripping from his snout.
Javad wasn’t stupid enough to think he’d actually wounded the demon, but he had Frack foaming at the mouth. The more he infuriated the creature, the more likely it was that he would take stupid risks.
“I see you have a few more armor bits attached,” Javad said, pretending to admire the metal while he judged the best way to get through it. The only way to kill the orc was to cut off his head. An impossible task without a magically enhanced weapon. Or to cut through the heart that was located in his lower stomach. “Getting soft in your old age?”
Frack snarled and charged again. Javad waited for the orc to get close before he kicked out. This time, however, he didn’t bother aiming for the head. The demon’s skull was as thick as a brick wall. Instead, he smashed his heel into the armor covering the demon’s lower stomach.
The satisfying sensation of the armor denting beneath the blow traveled up his arm. Unfortunately, the price of getting so close to the beast was being unable to avoid the arm the size of a tree trunk that slammed into his side.
The blow cracked Javad’s ribs and sent him flying across the cage to smack into the iron bars. Another bone snapped in two.
Javad hissed in pain, ignoring the roar of the crowd as he regained his balance and started to circle the orc, breathing through the agony. He needed a few seconds to heal his wounds.
“When was the last time you bathed?” Javad taunted. “You smell like a rompo demon after feasting on a rotting hellhound.”
Frack scowled as he awkwardly turned to keep his wary gaze on Javad. “Stay still, leech.”
Javad flashed his fangs in a direct challenge. “You want me? Come and get me.”
On cue, Frack bent low and lumbered forward. He intended to use his skull as a battering ram, but Javad easily skipped to the side, once again kicking at the armor. This time, the metal split, the sharp edges digging into the orc’s thick hide. Frack howled in pain, but with surprising speed, he slashed out with his claws, scoring deep gashes into Javad’s side.
Javad grimaced. He’d managed to injure Frack, but he was incurring too much damage in return. His hours wrapped in the silver net had drained his strength, making it harder than it should be for him to heal.
If he were going to try and make an escape, he had to do it now.
Pretending to charge toward the waiting orc, he used his momentum to leap up and grab the top of the cage. Then, with sheer brute strength, he pulled apart the iron bars to make a wide enough space to crawl through.
“Javad.” Terra struggled to move toward him, only to be jerked back by the troll holding her captive.
Fury raced through Javad, distracting him just long enough for Frack to grab his leg.
Shit. Javad tried to pull himself through the opening, but Frack had all the leverage. Not to mention a couple hundred extra pounds of muscle.
With a savage yank, Frack had Javad away from the bars and was carrying him over his head like a trophy. The crowd went nuts, screaming for Javad’s death.
So much for my adoring fans, Javad wryly acknowledged.
Struggling to break free of the orc’s crushing grip, Javad was helpless as the bastard bent his arms to ram his tusks into Javad’s back. The razor-sharp weapons sliced through Javad’s flesh, leaving a gaping wound.
Javad could feel his blood draining away at an alarming rate. Dammit. He had to do something. Now.
Closing his eyes, Javad concentrated on his powers, releasing just enough to cause a small fissure beneath the cage. The sharp sound of cracking stones echoed. Frack grunted as if confused by the tremor beneath his feet. Thankfully, the creature didn’t have the brains to realize the danger he was in. It wasn’t until more cracking sounded followed by a loud snap as the thick foundation abruptly split that he finally sensed the peril. By then, it was too late. The cage tilted, and he was forced to release Javad as he tumbled backward.
Landing heavily on the mat, Javad struggled to his feet. The crowd screeched for Frack to end the battle, but all Javad could hear was Terra’s soft cries of horror from above.
Frack took a second longer to shove himself upright, snarling in frustration as he stomped forward.
“Me squash you.”
Javad could sense the last of his energy draining away, but a flare of hope raced through him as he caught sight of the blood that leaked from beneath Frack’s armor. The creature’s assumption that he was impervious to harm just might be the means for Javad to win the battle.
Javad motioned toward the orc, his smile taunting. “You can try.”
Frack lumbered forward, smiling in anticipation as Javad pretended to be too weak to avoid the attack. Then, wrapping his arms around Javad, he squeezed him in a brutal grip. Javad ignored the excruciating pain of his bones snapping as he focused on his last hope of defeating the creature.
Curling his fingers, he rammed his fist into the armor. Over and over, he pounded at the same spot, forcing the metal deeper into the orc’s body.
The crowd noise receded, and his sight began to narrow as he started to black out. Still, he continued hitting the metal, driving it through the flesh and into the soft heart. Abruptly, the stench of orc blood filled the air.
Frack shrieked, belatedly
