“You’re a monster,” I mutter, trying to blink back tears.
“A psychopath,” he corrects. “I’ve seen many experts about it. They can’t help me.”
Blade glances at me, and I try to wipe the tears away. He needs to concentrate on this fight, not what's happening over here, and fuck knows, I’m sick of crying. As if he reads my mind, he homes in on his opponent and backs him into a corner before punching him over and over. I bite my lip to stop me screaming words of encouragement. It shouldn’t be enjoyable, and in any other circumstance, I’d probably vomit, but he’s trying to save us and he’s doing a damn fine job of it.
“Well, look at that,” says Viktor. “You have a little psychopath of your very own,” he muses.
Another man enters the ring. This time, Blade doesn’t waste any time. He beats this guy down within seconds. Viktor signals for another man to enter. Blade’s beginning to look tired, but he doesn’t give up. The third guy is a little fresher and catches Blade a few times in his already broken ribs, then a fourth guy steps into the ring, teaming up against him. “That’s not fair,” I yell.
Viktor grins. “Your boyfriend won’t get out of the ring alive, silly girl.”
“I am not a silly girl,” I hiss, glaring at him. “You spoke about living by a code and here you are letting your men beat him to death. How about you get in there with him!”
I don’t see the slap until my face stings and my eyes water. He grabs a handful of my hair and drags me back to the hay bales. He throws me down and lands on top of me, smirking. “Violence does something to me,” he whispers, running his tongue up the side of my face. “It’s the blood.”
I try to shove him, but he’s heavy and his weight alone is crushing me. He grips my wrists in one of his large hands and holds my arms above my head. I catch a glimpse of Blade fighting two men. He’s getting in a few punches, but he’s tired and injured. A panic takes hold of me and my breathing comes out in short, raspy puffs. I can’t die like this and I can’t let this man take what he wants from me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I feel him running his hand up my leg. Think, Tillie, think.
“You’re pinning me down,” I whisper, and he stops his roaming hand. I try to force myself to relax. “You like violence, yet you pin me down. Are you afraid I’ll hurt you?” I smirk, and he narrows his eyes. “At least let me fight.”
He grins, his psycho curiosity getting the best of him. “You’re right. I love nothing more than a helpless woman thinking she can win me. Let the real fight begin.” He releases my wrists and I slap him hard. He laughs and his eyes light with pleasure. He pushes his erection against me and I begin to flail around, hoping to buck him off me, but he places a hand around my throat and squeezes. It’s gentle to begin with, then he adds pressure a little at a time, watching me with curiosity. He seems so zoned in on what he’s doing, he’s oblivious to my fight. I rake my nails down his face, drawing blood. I watched a documentary once that said the police always check fingernails for DNA. If I die tonight, maybe they’ll catch this bastard.
I raise my knee, but he catches it before I can make contact. His fingers dig hard into my thigh and I cry out. “I’m gonna fuck you in every hole until you bleed on my cock, then I’m gonna drink my finest malt and watch my men hold you down and tear you apart,” he grunts in my ear. “And I’m not gonna let you die, I’m keeping you around until I get bored and who knows when that will be.” I look towards the ring. Blade is on his knees, rasping and coughing blood onto the ground. I can’t spend the rest of my days being tortured by this nut job.
I push a hand into the waistband of my jeans and grip the pen I stole earlier. Blade catches my eye and we share a moment that must last all of a second but it feels like minutes pass. In slow motion, he reaches for the nearest guy’s ankle, producing a knife from the guy’s sock, then slices the back of his ankle. The guy screams out and falls to the ground. Viktor glances back to see what all the fuss is, which gives me the opportunity to pull the pen out, making sure my grip is firm like Blade taught me. Blade throws the knife and it lands perfectly in the other guy’s eye. I tap Viktor on the face and he glances back at me. I smile, which confuses him, and I push the pen into his eye hard and fast while wrapping my legs around his waist, tight. The squelching sound makes me wince. Viktor reaches for the pen and pulls it out, rolling onto the floor with a thud. I roll with him, sitting astride him and taking the pen a second time before pressing it into his neck at the point where Blade showed me.
When I pull it out, a fountain of blood squirts out, creating a pulsing river across the ground. The gravity of what just happened hits me and I scramble away from his writhing body. I see the blood on my hands and hold them in front of me like they’re diseased.
Blade’s standing over a man, slicing his throat like he’s chopping up meat for dinner. I get onto all fours and vomit into
