Four Cameron. One Week Later

A fist made of sharpened bone hit the side of my head so hard I face-planted on the floor. I felt the blood leak from my gash before my skin tingled, and it healed.

Cheers rang out, a thousand voices screaming as the ghastly beast stomped around me. He tossed his massive arms in the air, all four pumping wildly, encouraging the crowd. The bands strapped around his biceps carried small bone fragments of his last victims.

“Puny celestial scum,” he snarled as he turned toward me.

I spat at his feet and pushed myself up, every muscle aching. The floor shook as he walked toward me. The screaming of the crowd grew tenfold, row after twisting row of armored beasts and beings from every walk of life. Some seemed to be on a break, puffing smoke from the cigars that hung from their mouths. Others slammed tankards of shimmering liquid against each other, toasting as they watched the fights. A few beings skulked around the edges, trying to blend in. Regardless of who they were, they were all here for the blood sport.

“Your precious World Ender’s remains float amongst the stars now.”

He kicked the side of my head hard enough that my vision blurred. Flashes of Rashearim burned behind my vision. Images of all of us sitting around laughing, Samkiel’s face the brightest.

“You all thought you could best us!” he roared.

Another kick had me spinning through the air, my back hitting the rusted, mangled fence surrounding the arena. I crashed to the floor, my ribs cracked, and my back screaming. I suppressed the healing of my wounds a little longer just to feel the pain.

“War songs were made for you and your ilk. Now look at you. Pathetic.”

His foot slammed into my back hard enough to crack the ground beneath me. Even that pain didn’t slow the memories of that damned council room. I again saw the symbols etched into the floor, and chains strong enough to hold the god I knew wouldn’t last much longer, and it was all because of me. One glance and I hated myself, hated as I turned away and followed after Xavier, the entire time knowing the consequences.

“No more protector for you.” Another kick to the face, the crowd growing hungry for more bloodshed.

He was right. There was no one, not anymore, not for me or them. This was Iassulyn.

I tried to push myself up again.

“I think when I am done with you, I will find the rest of your precious Hand brethren and finish them too.”

I coughed a laugh as he knelt and grabbed me by my hair, ripping my head back.

“Maybe I will start with the dark-haired one. What was his name? Xavier?”

I was on my feet in the next second. Gasps overtook cheers as I rammed the jagged talons that replaced my nails through his chin. Pure hate oozed from his eyes, followed by blistering pain. I hoisted him up, my hand driving a fraction deeper, spearing through the fleshy tissue of his tongue. He glared at me and gripped my wrist with two hands while the others flailed, trying to fight me off.

“I think you talk too much.” Fangs replaced my teeth, and I brought him closer. “Let me help you with that.”

His pulse quickened, and his heartbeat was erratic. Blinding hunger ripped through me. My fangs sank into the rough flesh of his neck, blood thick and heavy filling my throat as I fed. My nose and ribs snapped back into place, the lacerations, scrapes, and bumps tingling. I gorged, gulping greedily, the viscous liquid dripping down my chin as every wound disappeared. His heartbeat slowed, and his body jerked before the last beat fluttered to a stop, the resulting silence destroying another part of me. I leaned back and took a deep breath before tossing him to the ground. He landed with a thud, and I eyed him with disgust, swiping my hand across my face.

The silence lingered for a few stunned moments before the crowd burst into screams even louder than before. Cheers turned to whoops as a voice cracked through the room, but I didn’t stay to hear the announcement.

I stalked to the gate, and the guards stepped aside, not even trying to stop me. I grabbed my discarded shirt and tossed it over my head, not slowing down as I headed for the exit. The crowd bickered, yelled, and exchanged money as I ducked around them.

I felt him more than heard him. Spinning, I avoided his outstretched hand. A single curved horn protruded from his head, Nismera’s damned gold and black armor covering his body. A commander from some fucking legion. He had been eyeing the entire fight, watching his favorite soldier pummel me.

“You owe me a fucking soldier,” he snarled at me.

I snorted. “I don’t owe you shit.”

The crowd grew louder as two new opponents stripped out of their armor and stepped into the ring, the sound of fists against flesh punctuating the noise. Commander Hornhead, or whatever his name was, took another step forward, blocking my view.

“You give me a soldier, or I take you.”

His hand whipped out, attempting to grab me by the throat but stopping a fraction away. A massive hand concealed in dark armor wrapped around the commander’s wrist. The room shifted, the darkness growing and filling every corner. The crowd’s cheers and murmurs turned to whispers before going silent, and I knew why.

“What do you plan on taking?” Kaden’s voice was soft. Maybe it was my newly enhanced hearing that made it seem foreboding. “Tell me again.”

The slits of the commander’s eyes dilated as he realized who held him. Kaden towered over him by a foot and a half, his shadow of a brother looming on his left. Both men were massive and powerful, demanding the attention of anyone in their shared space. The room felt heavier now, thicker, as if the air had fled in fear.

I didn’t know why I hadn’t seen just how much they resembled Samkiel until now. They were all one and the same, containing too much power in a single form. One glance, a single motion, and even the strongest would tuck tail and run. The only difference was Kaden and Isaiah didn’t carry that flicker of light Samkiel had. They did not smile or ease others as he had. There was no happiness in them, no real joy. They were monsters that stripped away the last living ember of hope this realm or the next had, and I had been an instrument in that.

I hated myself.

Chaos erupted as every single being in here grabbed their armor or belongings and headed out of the arena. I didn’t know if it was because Kaden and Isaiah had shown up or the fact that Nismera was never too far away. Either way, no one wished to stay.

“My apologies, High Guard. I was simply seeking reimbursement.”

“Reimbursement?” Kaden laughed and looked at his brother. Isaiah’s smile was a thing of nightmares.

Kaden’s hand tightened on the commander’s wrist until he gritted his teeth and fell to his knees. Kaden didn’t let go until the commander screamed. The commander cradled his wrist with his free hand.

“I think you’ve been fully reimbursed, yes?”

The commander nodded, jumped to his feet, and fled. Kaden didn’t even spare him a glance as the fleeing commander pushed past the dwindling crowd.

“I think he may have pissed his pants,” Isaiah quipped, watching him leave before turning back to me.

“Well, well, well.” Kaden glanced at me the way a predator gazes at a nervous fawn. “The little hunter is all grown up and winning pit fights.”

“And beating berserkers.” Isaiah whistled, grabbing the collar of his armor. “I’m impressed.”

“While this is lovely, I’d rather not talk to either of you. Ever.” I spun on my heel and made it two steps before my body froze. Every muscle tensed, leaving me completely immobile. I couldn’t talk or move. The only things that still worked were my lungs and eyes. What the fuck?

Kaden and Isaiah stepped in front of me. Isaiah’s eyes glowed red and swirled with power. He’d done this to me. Oh gods.

“Release him,” Kaden said.

Isaiah smiled as I half fell forward, trying to adjust to having power over my body again.

“What the fuck?” I snapped.

“It’s not important right now, little hunter.” Kaden smiled. “What is important is that I need something from you.”

“Oh yeah? Go fuck yourself.”

My knees bent, hitting the floor. I growled and glared at Isaiah. “How the fuck are you doing that? Mind control?”

“Nope.” Isaiah smiled.

Kaden knelt near me as I clenched my fists at my side, fighting Isaiah’s control. “You might actually like this request, though. I need you to find Dianna.”

My head reared back. “What?”

“That’s right. We both know you were Samkiel’s favorite tracker, and now your power is magnified. I bet you’d find her quicker than an entire legion.”

I thinned my lips, trying not to laugh as realization hit me, but it didn’t work. It started as a snort before I chuckled, then morphed into full-on laughter.

“You want me to be your little bitch? Fuck you. You turned me, left me to deal with the insatiable hunger, and above all, you let your bitch sister take Xavi.”

Isaiah growled and stepped closer.

Kaden raised his hand. “Stop your whining. You’ve been fed, and Xavi is not yours to keep. If you wished that, maybe you should have acted sooner.”

“Xavi?” Isaiah asked, glancing at Kaden.

Kaden waved his hand as if he meant nothing. “The dual blade wielder. Nismera shaved his head and sold him.”

My heart lurched, remembering how they had to drag me out of the room when I learned what she was going to do. How Kaden chained me up for a week because the Ig’Morruthen beneath my skin rebelled so hard I killed two guards. Nismera had me beaten as if that were a worse punishment. No, the worst punishment was that I didn’t even get to say goodbye. By the time I had healed and regained consciousness, Xavier was gone, and no one would tell me where.

“Oh.” Isaiah snorted. “I know four men that look just like him. We’ll get him a replacement.”

Kaden made a mocking face. “You can’t. The little hunter is in love.”

Isaiah’s smile dropped, then his head tilted as he looked at me.

“Actually, I changed my mind,” I said, still bound to the ground. “Both of you can go fuck yourselves.”

“I’m not asking.” Kaden’s hand whipped out, grabbing me by the back of my neck. “You’re helping me find Dianna, little hunter. It isn’t a debate or question.”

“So let me get this right. You killed her sister, gutted her mate to actual death, and now you want to find her – to what? Make her love you again?” It was my turn to grin. “And you make quips about who I love.”

Isaiah sighed. “I told you it was a stupid idea.”

“Shut up,” Kaden snapped at him, and Isaiah only rolled his eyes.

“You are actually fucking insane, Kaden.” I shook my head. “I didn’t believe it, but you really think that finding her will help you? You know she hates you just like everyone else?”

Isaiah glared at me, his eyes flaring with power. My back bent, and I gritted my teeth in pain, feeling my blood boil and my body shudder. Isaiah finally released his hold on me, and I fell forward, my palms pressed to the floor as I struggled to catch my breath. They both stood as I stayed half-crouched, panting.

“I’m not asking for your opinion.”

“What are you going to do? Call your sister on me? You know, the one who locked you up for a week. How was that, by the way? I have to admit, that was the first time I’d felt joy in weeks when I heard what happened to you and those monsters you made. I guess it explains why you’re such a prick. Your own sister doesn’t care about you.”

His fist shot out, the punch landing against the side of my face. I fell to the floor, blood dripping from my cheek.

I licked my split lip and struggled to my feet, small tingles reaching my toes as I regained every ounce of movement back from Isaiah’s hold. “No, I’m not helping you. We both know you’re asking for death. After what you’ve done, what I . . .” I paused, my jaw clenching as it ached, the muscle layer beneath healing. “We’re all fucking dead, and you’re a fool to think otherwise.”

I expected him to hit me again, maybe a kick while I was down, but his eyes only bore into mine. “Do you want to find Xavier or not?”

My eyes narrowed on him, and he smiled, knowing he had me practically by the balls. I’d prefer to be kicked.

“That’s right.” He added. “You find her, and I’ll tell you where he is. You say no, and I can make sure you never find the outpost where she shipped Xavier. I know you’ve been looking, asking too many questions.”

My teeth worried my lip before I sighed. “You won’t have to worry about finding Dianna, trust me.” I pushed myself up on my feet. “After what you did, what you all did.”

“What you helped us with as I recall,” Isaiah snapped, defending his hellish brother.

“I’ll do it,” I said. “But take it from me. You won’t like what I find. Samkiel’s death will have broken her. We all saw what Gabby’s death did to her. Dianna will find us and make everyone pay. She’s probably slaughtering her way through realms as we speak.”