Page 13 of Bound

I’ve become brutal when I don’t need to be.

Just weeks ago, I was hired to clean out a group of banditsplaguing the road to the marketplace. When I was surrounded by them, I went alittle crazy. I killed all thirty, and only barely managed to hold off killingthe females traveling with them. My rages are getting worse.

Cian might fade from existence like a candle being slowlysnuffed out, but I fear I’ll go out in a blaze of blood and death. Dante isunder strict instructions to use vampire technology to kill me if necessary,but I doubt my cousin will be able to do it.

Meg is the answer to all my problems. I bow formally to thewoman I intend to wed. At least she isn’t trying to run. Yet. I’m sure I’llhave to deal with that eventually. I felt a small piece of her soul when Itouched her. She’s a stubborn young woman. She’s also a lonely woman. I don’tneed to see into her soul to know how alone she is. Lonely and scared.

What did she leave behind on the Earth plane? Has she leftbehind a husband, or worse, children? She’s of an age to have children. Myconscience hurts at the thought of leaving a baby without a mother, but there’snothing I can do about it. She will learn there is no way back to her plane.Only a Planeswalker can take her, and she won’t like the cost of the trip.

I shake off thoughts of her and try to concentrate on thebattle ahead. I take a deep breath and feel the sand beneath my feet. I let thewarmth of the sun stroke my skin, centering myself. I trained in an arena likethis one back when I had loyalists who thought they could get me back on thethrone. Fighting in a place like this is second nature. The vampires willstruggle in the beginning because they train in far more modern settings. Itwon’t take them long to adjust. I never underestimate the vampires. They mayseem soft because their true passion is business, but they are fiercepredators. When the fight begins, they will be in touch with their primalnatures.

“Your Highness,” a young Fae says, not quite meeting my eyesas he walks toward the exit.

He’s the first of ten men who walk past me. Theirdisappointment hangs around me like an albatross. They paid their money andlaid their hopes on the line, too. I can’t afford the guilt I feel. I have todo whatever it takes to save my brother.

“Bastard,” one of the vampires spits as he walks up. Hisfangs are out, a sure sign of his rage. “Don’t even try to pull that shit onme, Finn. You aren’t a late entrant. Those fucking gnomes kept you out of sightuntil it was too late. None of us would even have tried, knowing you were goingto be here.”

I go still, though I watch every move the vampire makes. Helooks vaguely familiar, but I can’t place the name. “I paid my money like therest of you. I’m not responsible for the list of competitors.”

The vampire sneers, and now he has others backing him up.The sidhe are all gone, but the vampires are still standing againstme. “Right. You don’t have any sway with the gnomes.” His voice is filled withsarcasm. “They still see you as their king. Are you taking a cut?”

Anger thrums through me, a familiar but dangerous friend. Afew of the smarter vampires take a step back. “I only want the woman. I’m notgetting anything out of this except her.”

Meg is watching. I should have forbidden it, but I don’thave the right yet. I can’t lose control or she’ll be terrified of me. Sheprobably still will be.

“We’ll see about that.” The vampire’s fangs are already longin his mouth as the referee enters.

The vamps retreat. They talk amongst themselves as the gnomeneedlessly explains the rules.

Everyone knows them. No technology is allowed. Ancientweapons are the only ones permitted. The vampires are able to use their fangsand claws. If Cian was here, I would be allowed to use our psychic connection.Other than that, there are very few rules. Mercy must be given if asked for. Ifa combatant requests quarter, the warrior fighting him must give it. The fallenfighter will leave, and the battle will resume. If no quarter is asked, thendeath is an acceptable outcome.

I focus on the weapon in my hand. It’s my sword, once myfather’s. It is one of the few things I managed to save as we fled Tír na nÒg.It has been said that my uncle mourns its loss. The sword in my hand is thetraditional weapon of the Seelie King. No amount of money or power can replacewhat it means to my culture. Some claim that as long as I still carry thesword, there is hope.

I’m not sure about that. A large part of me simply wants tolive out my life in some form of comfort. The idea of being king is nothingmore than a vague dream. I only want to save my brother and find a stable life.Winning Meggie is the first step.

A roar goes through the crowd as the referee holds up asmall black flag. A battle horn sounds, and the tournament begins.

There isn’t a burst of fighting. The vampires have usedtheir time well, plotting and planning how to take me out. The vampires stalkme, attempting to distract me while some of their brethren work their wayaround to my back. I can read this game plan. They intend to surround me. Theywill work together to take me out, and then they’ll fight each other.

They don’t understand how I fight. I very much prefer itthis way. Chaos is the true enemy. If I know they’re all coming after me, Iknow exactly who to kill—every blasted one of them. Adrenaline begins to coursethrough my body like an old familiar drug in my system. I hold my sword calmlyat my side, patiently waiting for them to get into position.

“Fucking idiots! He loves the pack rotation,” my cousin isshouting. It shouldn’t surprise me that even in a crowd of peasants watching afight, Dante stands out as obnoxious.

The term he used is a technical term for this type of fight.The vampires are circling me like a pack of wolves. I happen to be particularlytalented when it comes to defending against a pack rotation, but Dante doesn’tneed to point that out.

I make the mistake of glancing my cousin’s way. Dante hasleft his seat and stands at the edge of the railing. The problem is he’s notalone. Meg is right beside him, her face sheet-white as she watches the mensurrounding me.

She feels the connection. I just know it. A surge of hopespills over my rage. I expected the connection. I opened myself to it slightly,but if Meg felt it, too, it must be strong. It’s the only explanation for whyshe’s standing there, looking like her world is about to fall apart. She knowswe belong together. She might not be willing to admit it, even to herself, butthe bond is already being formed.

This can work. If I treat her gently, she might be happywith me.

And then all thought flees and instinct takes over.Something comes at me from my left, fast. I have a bare second before thevampire is on me. I lean over, trying to time it perfectly and get the rightangle. The vampire hits my back, and I shove up with everything I have. Themotion sends the vamp flying through the air, knocking down a rival on theother side of the circle. I swing up on my feet, because they’re going toattack from the other side next.

Vampires are fast. They talk fast and move even faster whenthey need to. When battling a vampire, it’s more important to rely on myinstincts than my eyes. Sometimes a vamp can move faster than the eye cantrack. It comes down to anticipating the next move. Vampires are immenselylogical creatures. They train extensively and tend to do everything by thebook. It’s why Dante has trouble fitting in. Dante thinks more creatively thanthe majority of his brethern.

In this case, the vampires’ slavish devotion to the methodis about to come in handy.

In my mind, I number them one through fifteen. Eight tumblesstraight into Two across the ring the vampires have formed. Both are strugglingto get back to their feet. It gives me a chance to concentrate on the nextassault, which will come from Twelve and Five.