My Chainling champion rose to his feet, dark robes sweeping the floor. He strode to the middle and turned, bowing to me from the waist.
“I send…” Belial’s grin grew wider when I leaned forward, unable to conceal my anticipation. “Lady Savage.”
Fucker. I glared at him, refusing to slump down despite the crushing disappointment.
Belial’s eyes glittered dangerously. You thought I’d make it easy? he mouthed.
I just shook my head, rage simmering under my skin.
It was a cheap trick, but an effective low blow. A lot like being punched in the emotional gut.
My mood didn’t improve when Lady Savage pranced out, twirling her daggers.
The Chainling just waited, still as a statue, while she whipped up the crowd. One of the demons nearly swooned over the wall when she jumped up and clung to the edge to kiss his cheek, leaving a crimson lip print behind.
I grit my teeth as the fight began, to be astonished almost immediately. The Chainling whipped his murderous spiked chains around, driving Lady Savage back despite her speed. Each chain split into several more like after-images burned into my eyes, until he was a whirling forest of death.
Even Lady Savage looked taken aback, dodging and ducking the crashing links.
She wasn’t Tascius, but there was a good chance I’d steal one of Belial’s champions away from him. Maybe she wasn’t the one I’d wanted, and maybe I wanted to cut her a few times myself, but she’d be a worthwhile addition to my fledgling army.
I looked over at the Prince of Wrath, unable to contain my rising glee, but that emotion was immediately snuffed out and replaced with pure burning fury.
A succubus I didn’t recognize pulled herself up onto Belial’s bone dais and curled herself next to his leg, her hand roaming over his leg and up to the bend of his knee. She wore what amounted to scraps of sheer silk, and looked up at him with an inviting smile, her lids lowered. He glanced at her coldly, his fire iced over.
The pounding of my furious heartbeats crashed through me, feeling like they’d explode right through my pressure points.
But Belial was staring back at me now. He raised an eyebrow, like he was asking, what are you going to do about this?
I didn’t realize I’d gotten up until my feet hit the familiar polished stone of the arena, carrying me past the fight to the bone dais. I stepped over one of Yraceli’s forgotten chains and climbed the steps, dark fire sparkling at my fingertips.
“Get the fuck out.”
The succubus tore her gaze away from Belial and her eyes widened. She was there one moment, scrambling away into the crowd in the next.
I took a deep breath, forcing my fire back inside me where it belonged. The urge to wipe her off the face of Hell had been far too attractive a temptation.
“What’s this, angel?” Belial leaned forward, his grin more feral than ever. “Do I smell jealousy?”
He could’ve just pushed her away himself instead of forcing me to show my hand. The jealousy simmered in my stomach like a sickness.
“Hardly.” I tried to laugh, but the sound was wooden and hollow. I’d wanted to shred the succubus limb from limb.
Still wanted to, in fact, just for daring to touch him.
“Are you sure about that?” He leaned back, looking far too self-satisfied. “You wanted to be free of me so desperately, after all. What else could possibly bring you storming back over here? If you want to work off your territorial aggression, I’ve got a bed, and I can handle anything you dish out.”
He seemed completely uncaring about the succubus, no matter how inviting she was. The rational side of my brain tried to cool my jealousy, but he wasn’t getting away with it so easily.
“I’m not jealous,” I hissed, clenching my fists. “And I’m not interested in anything you have to offer.”
“No? Thanks for scaring away my night’s entertainment, then, since you’re so obviously disinterested.”
But his smug grin had slipped, the same rage I felt mirrored on his face. He spat the words like he could wound me with them.
And they did wound, deeply. Even if he immediately looked regretful under the fury.
Any notion I’d had of destroying my pride and asking him for forgiveness was gone.
“Have all the succubi you want, prince,” I said through clenched teeth. “You deserve them. I’m just disappointed you lured me here under false pretenses. Where is my mate?”
“There were no false pretenses.” Anger simmered under the fake-pleasantry of his tone. “I offered you a bet, and here we are.”
“You know there’s only one male I’d come here for.”
Let that blade sink in.
His aqua eyes flashed, rage deepening into something other than wrath. The desire to strike out and hurt me, too, no matter what was destroyed between us. A cut for a cut, the thousand little slices combining into one mortal wound.
I could almost see him swallowing back whatever words he was going to say, his teeth snapping together.
“No, go ahead and say what’s on your mind, Belial. There’s nothing I’d love to hear more right now.”
“I don’t think that’s wise, angel.”
His smile was pulled tight, almost painful. Strands of gold glittered in his hair, and his teeth were sharper…
“Then make me a trade.” I felt a stab of guilt for pushing his temper so far, but he averted his eyes, gazing at the fight I wasn’t watching. “Trade me for Tascius. I’ll fight my seven rounds again if you free him to my half of the Circle.”
Belial’s eyes snapped up to my face, his anger still white-hot. “What good would I get out of that?”
“I’d be back under your thumb.” I tried to keep my voice even. “Right where you liked me.”
“It wasn’t under my thumb where I liked you best,” he growled.
I crossed my arms over my chest, hating the way his growl made me feel- like he had a direct line to the strings that made this puppet dance, made her fall into his bed.
“Then that’s where you’ll
