“Ahh!” I roared and brought my face down to the man’s neck. The adrenaline causing my body to use more oxygen than was available, the burn in my lungs was close to unbearable. I found a soft spot on his neck and bit down hard.
“What the fuck!” Brook grunted as he put his hand on my chest and tried to push me off him, but I used my arms and locked them around his head. I let the rest of my body go limp, the only strength I was exerting coming from my grip on both his head and his neck. He roared loud as the bursting metallic taste flooded my mouth and threatened to go down my throat, and still, I didn’t let go. I stayed latched on as he flailed back and forth in that tight space. When the sound of him screaming began to dim, and his legs folded underneath him, I still didn’t let go. It wasn’t until the pulse of the blood threatening to drown me stopped pumping; I let him go. He fell to the floor in a twisted heap, his large frame too big to collapse completely.
My head swayed, and I sucked in shallow breaths. I looked through the glass at the surprised yet amused faces of all the men and women who put me in this position and screamed. I banged my fist on the glass, loving the feeling of the vibration beneath my hand. I watched as Lou and Roth made their way toward the box as my vision turned to pinpoints. The immediate rush of oxygen as the door was swung open had me falling toward the door and gulping down giant lung fulls of air with the blood of a dead man still coating my face. They pulled me out and dragged me back the same way I’d come. Large splashes of champagnes and useless tickets were thrown in my direction. Some people happy, some people angry that they won, but no one seemed to mind in the least that a man had just died for their entertainment.
I let them drag me back to the room and drop me on the floor in front of Angel.
“Oh, no! Ink! Inkpop, it’s okay. You’re okay.” The little girl bent down to the floor and cradled my bloodied face in her lap as she cried and tried to wipe the blood away. I wanted to get up and tell her I was okay, but I just didn’t have the strength. I let her comfort me and fell asleep on her lap as she whispered encouraging words to me.
I woke up a few hours later, my ribs smarting from the knees I’d taken, and my face busted and bruised, but I was amped up. I felt like I could take on the world, I had taken out the undefeated opponent, and I was still standing. They had underestimated me, and I was sure they’d do it again.
The door to the hall opened, and I heard another set of footsteps coming toward us. I did the best I could to stand up and put Angel behind me, but it was more like I was leaning on the little girl for support.
The footsteps were different than what I was used to; one of them clicked like female shoes. Heels.
The door swung open, and both of the Giles stood in front of me.
“You won.” Ruby let the words slide out of her mouth like venom. “I would have bet money you would be the one dead today; in fact, I did.” She chuckled and grabbed onto her husband's arm. “Well, I guess we know better for next time, won’t we darling.”
Harrington nodded his head in affirmation, “Indeed, that was quite the clever move to tear his throat out like that. We’re used to seeing more carnage, but that worked just as well.”
“I think our gladiator and his little girl deserve a reward, don’t you?” Ruby said as she glared at us both. I instinctively grabbed onto Angel, Ruby’s rewards were never painless.
“Yes, he did quite well today. I think a small reward is due.” The man walked out into the hall for the briefest of seconds and came back in with two large covered plates. The aroma coming from them was enough to have my mouth watering.
“These are for you and your little friend,” Ruby spoke, giving me a slick smile and then turning to walk out.
Harrington put the plates down on the floor, “We would never have bet on you to win, such a surprising turn of events.” He gave us a tight smile and turned to walk out following his wife.
I waited for a few seconds trying my hardest to keep Angel away from the delicious smelling food.
“Ink, that’s for us! We should eat it right away.” She pulled at my arms, her sharp wrist bones reminding me just how skinny she was. I let her go, and she dropped down to the plates, lifting the covers off to show the large helpings of chicken breast covered in a rich brown sauce, a sautéed potato with a spattering of green and orange vegetables. There was bread and even a chocolate chip cookie for each of us.
I dropped down next to her and used my hands to pick up the potato and pop it in my mouth. It tasted better than it smelled. I watched as she shoveled handful after handful of food in her mouth, a bright smile plastered on her greasy face. I picked up half of my vegetables and put them on her plate.
“No, those are for you.” She tried to push them back on my plate, but she needed the nourishment more than I.
“No, I don’t eat green things. Yuk.” I played as I picked up
