Page 53 of Red Fire

“I am truly sorry to hear that.” Pyro’s eyes cloud with disappointment.

“Who wants to take me on next?” Tank yells. “Who wants to die?” He walks among the men, his arms stretched wide. He looks completely insane. His eyes shine brightly. It’s bloodlust; he’s feeling it acutely. A male like Tank will want more blood on his hands.

My ribs are on fire. They throb in time with every heartbeat. My hope is that the pain will subside to a more reasonable level by tomorrow. Perhaps I will stand a chance.

“Who will it be?” Tank yells.

No one steps forward.

“Anyone?” he yells. “No one?”

“That’s not how it’s done,” Pyro yells. “You will get a chance to fight again soon enough. Wait your turn.”

“Why wait? I will beat any who stand before me.” Tank glares at me. “I am going to win. You may as well hand the female over to me right now. Put her on her knees so that I may fill her womb.”

I snarl as scales erupt all over my body. My teeth sharpen, and my claws lengthen. I step forward.

Tank smiles at me. “What about you, Creed? Should we finish this now? Unless there are takers?” Tank scans the crowd. His gaze moves from one male to the next. We can all see that he is crazed at this point. His muscles bulge. His cock is hard and dripping seed.

Rage courses through me. I growl low.

Octavia puts a hand on my arm. “Don’t let him get to you.”

Too late.

It’s too fucking late.

“We need to follow the rules!” she yells.

“I hate to break it to you, human,” Tank sneers. “If no one wants to fight me, then I am the last male standing.” He pounds his chest with his fists, leaving red marks that disappear almost as quickly as they appear. “I get to fight the champion. It looks like there are no takers. That means I’m it. It’s well before sunset, which means that the final bout would take place today still. Right now. Unless…” He starts walking around again, arms spread. He sure knows how to put on a show.

I know why he is doing this.

I know, and for the first time in my life, I am afraid.

19

Octavia

This can’t be happening.

What is that asshole, Tank, doing?

Why is he doing this?

There was a plan. It was supposed to buy us time. It’s falling apart at the seams. I watch him parade around. It makes me sick to see his erection. Not only that, it’s dripping with semen.

“No one. Not even you, Creed? Come, wife.” He looks at me, and Creed snarls again.

I look at him, noting that he is bigger, taller, more muscular. His eyes are slitted like those of a dragon. His skin is covered in scales. His teeth are sharp, and smoke wafts from his mouth when he growls at Tank.

“Last chance,” Tank yells. “What about you, Pyro? You’re a strong male. Maybe you can beat me.” He grins, making it clear that he doesn’t think it possible.

Pyro looks over at me; he has that same disappointed look as before. He sighs, shaking his head. “No. Not today, but I will stay until there is a victor.”

Shit!

I was the one who told Pyro not to take on Tank. The selfish part of me feels like an idiot; the other part would have hated to see Pyro lose and die. That’s what would have happened. Pyro is big and strong but no match for such evil.