Chapter 16

Sixteen

Fenrick

“ N o, no… Moon…” I shake her, needing her to open her eyes, or take a breath… “You can’t die,” I whisper, as her blood drips down my chin. I swipe it away angrily. I killed her. Just like I’ve killed everyone who’s ever touched my skin since I was five.

My touch is poison. I’m poison. Her Heart Bonded mark is slashed open from where she cut her wrist, trying to save me. I still don’t understand how her blood was able to bring me back from certain death.

Blood Fae can only manipulate blood, or so I thought. Blood has never healed me so much in the past… No more than it would any other Fae. It’s not like I can ask my father, the mad Fae royal. He lost his mind long ago.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, lifting my sleeve, knowing my mark will be gone. The one that showed up years ago, but I didn’t know why. Until now. When I saw her pull her gloves on, I knew… But then, I think I knew from the moment I laid eyes on her at the banquet.

It terrified me, and now I’ve killed her. A wrecked-looking Daire stumbles forward. He’s bleeding, or maybe just covered in someone’s blood, almost head to toe. He falls on the other side of her, and without speaking, slashes his own wrist, dripping the blood between her lips.

“That won’t help,” I whisper. I sensed her half-blood once we entered the Games, but normal Fae don’t heal from blood. They certainly don’t come back from the dead.

“My blood heals,” he hisses, snapping his eyes up to meet mine. “If she dies?—"

“She’s already dead,” I say, shaking my head, but the Vampire sneers.

“If she fucking dies, I’ll rip your spine out your throat, and shove it up your?—"

He never finishes his threat, because Moon gasps, choking on Daire’s blood, before he helps her sit up.

“Oh maaaan,” Moon moans, attempting to lift her arm, but dropping it. “This is one killer hangover,” she says, before collapsing into the other man’s arms. Daire stuffs a white flag into her pocket, and I just shake my head. Who gives a shit about the Games when Moon almost died!

“Unless she’s dead, you know they won’t come for her. The losers all get exiled until the end of the games. I won’t have her half dead with a bunch of losers,” the Vampire snaps.

I just sit there, as I stare at her. She’s alive.

“Why didn’t my touch kill her,” I whisper, and Daire shakes his head.

“I don’t fucking know. Maybe because she’s… not really a Witch. Maybe because she’s Heart Bonded to your dumb ass.” The Vampire gets to his feet, carrying my girl.

“Give her to me,” I snap, but he scoffs.

“She’s not just yours, Prince. And I don’t answer to you. So, suck my dick, and get the fuck out of the way.”

I follow close behind him, as he carries her toward a small waterfall. I’m too stunned to respond to his insults. She’s alive…

“The Light One’s close,” Daire says, and I shake my head.

“The fuck are you talking about?” I snap, and he chuckles.

“Try to pay some attention, Prince. The game just changed. Someone wants our girl dead.”

Moon

“Pay attention, Prince. Someone wants our girl dead.” I hear Daire say but can’t open my eyes. Too heavy. Who’s their girl? Ugh, pain…

“Mmm,” is all I manage, and Daire holds me tighter in his arms, whispering soothing words.

Everything goes black again, and this time, when I come to, I’m able to open my eyes.

“Ah!” I yelp, because ow! Cold!

“Moon, relax,” Daire grumbles, and I realize I’m in a bath. No, pond. I flail around a bit, trying to get to my feet, but I can’t.

“Cold!” I practically screech and watch as the Vampire goes pale.

“Shit.” Daire wraps his arms around me, and I brace myself for him to use his speed, but thankfully he moves at a reasonable pace. “Snakes are cold-blooded,” he says in a much too-loud way, and I shake my head.

“I’m a Witch, Daire,” I sigh, and he chuckles, shaking his head. Weirdo.

“I can warm her,” a man says, and I look up to find Fenrick standing at the edge of the water. He’s shirtless, and I see he’s got his shirt hanging on a tree branch. A shirt with a huge hole in it.

That’s when everything comes flooding back in, and I nearly pass out.

“I’m not dead!” I yelp, and Fenrick shakes his head.

“Nope.”

“Does that mean I can touch you!?” I push free from Daire’s arms and stumble forward on shaky legs. Fenrick realizes my intentions too late, and I see the look of stone-cold terror pass through his eyes, until my bare hands are pressed to his warm chest, and I squeal. “I can!” I whoop, not entirely sure why that’s so exciting.

“Moon!” Fen scolds, and I smile up at him, my grin mischievous. I feel kind of strange. Almost like someone slipped me some magical booze, and I got a bit drunk recently.

“Am I drunk?” I decide to ask, as I frown. I run my hands up Fen’s chest, as water drips down his skin, and he shakes under my touch. “Does that feel good?”

“Very,” his words are a whisper when I hear a heavy sigh from behind me. I look over to see Daire tugging off his wet clothes. “My blood may cause you to feel a bit more impulsive, as well as horny.” He rubs his forehead, and my mouth falls open.

“I haven’t had your blood.”

“You have. After you saved your lover boy, I saved you,” Daire supplies, and I frown.

“Blood does heal you!” I whisper, looking up at Fen once again, my hands still caressing his chest.

“No, not all blood.” Fen grabs a necklace out of his pocket and slips it on over my head. I pause, waiting for him to explain. “It blocks magical signals. You can’t be seen by the game's cameras if you're wearing it, and neither can anyone you’re touching.”

“You feel like warm stone,” I mumble, distracted by his hard muscles and soft skin. I’m shivering, so I strip my wet shirt off and toss it on the tree branch next to his before I wrap my arms around his middle. My head rests on his chest, and I listen to the sound of his heart racing as my body heats up.

“You feel like heaven,” Fen whispers, as he tentatively touches my back with his bare hands, making goosebumps erupt on my skin. “I’ve never—” But Fen doesn’t get to finish that statement, because a charging Mungus busts through the clearing, headed straight for Fen and me.

He freezes, and I turn, smiling.

“Sweet girl!” I shout, and she skids to a stop when she realizes I’m not in danger. Her nose bumps straight into my chest, and I wrap my arms around her, as Fen jumps back.

“Careful!” Fen snaps, and I look over my shoulder to see him pulling on a new shirt, mask, and gloves. “My touch could still kill others,” he says, and I nod.

“Right, I’m sorry.” I nod, but my attention is snapped away when I hear two men stomping our way. I knew who it was before I even saw them, but I’m shocked to see them in their current state.

“Fuck,” Cato huffs, as he falls to his knees, sucking in air like he’s been running for days. He’s covered in blood, and I can see a couple of wounds still dripping with fresh blood. Odas is in his other form, but when he sees Cato on his knees and then finds the rest of us scattered about the small pond area, he shifts back into a pocket-sized Cyclops.

“Danger Lizard. Lying meatloaf.” I greet them with a head nod to each man. This is literally the opposite of my plan to escape them. How am I supposed to finish each trial on top if I have man shadows?

“Oh shit! The trial!” I shout, but Daire nods to my pocket.

“Your flag,” is all he says, as he leans against a tree, and Sweet Girl makes her way over to the pond and dives right in. I watch her disappear under the surface and get nervous when she doesn’t come back up. But I’m guessing she’s made for water, so she’s probably fine. Still, I keep my eyes glued until I see her little ears pop up through the surface.

I relax and turn back to the blood-soaked men. I put my hands on my hips and glare.

“Are you two gonna die?” I snap because they look like crap, as Cato finally stands on his two feet and looks around.

“You’re okay?” he asks, looking around until his eyes land on Daire, and he glares. “Do I need to kill him?” Cato sneers, and Daire lifts his wrist, shakes it at the Dragon, and then drops his arm, leans his head back against the tree, and closes his eyes.

“Guess not,” Odas says, and my glare turns to him.

“Speak when spoken to,” I hiss, and he snorts a laugh, before dropping the hand that was hiding his dick from my eyesight. Obviously, he doesn’t get to keep his clothes during his shifts. He makes his way over to the water and jumps right in. Dick no longer in sight.

“You have so much attitude, Moon. Do you need to be spanked? Or maybe fucked?” Odas’s bold words make my mouth drop open, and my eyes go wide.

“No!” I shout. Too loud. Too quickly. Cato strips out of his bloody clothes and follows his friend into the water. I guess they aren’t worried their nakedness will offend Sweet Girl.

“Right,” Cato chuckles, and I somehow find the inner strength not to murder him.

“Okay, well, this has been super great.” I throw my hands up and look around the area for my backpack. Nowhere to be found. Great, guess that means I need to get a new one. I look around for a supply stash but don’t see anything.

“You’ll have to stick with us, unless you were planning to venture out on your own with no supplies?” Daire asks, eyes still closed, and I scoff.

“I think I can manage.” I straighten my spine and lift my head as I walk over to my still-damp shirt. It’ll have to do since it’s all I have. I won’t lie, I’m super annoyed by the fact that there are holes in it now, from being fucking stabbed.

Double balls. Goblins, and cloaked bad people. Could have used that little murder snake earlier.

That thought gives me an idea.

If I find the little murder noodle, and bring Sweet Girl with me, I might be alright.

With that thought, I start searching the bushes for the little bugger, even though he’s probably way back by the first pond. I can probably make it with just Sweet Girl.

The question is, how do I sneak off? I could lie about needing to poop. Say I’m taking Sweet Girl as my bodyguard…

I’m about to call for the Mungus when a pair of reptilian eyes meet mine. I freeze, because now that I’ve found the murder noodle, what do I do? I take a step back, and it keeps its eyes on me and then starts to transform.

“Oh, balls…” I yelp, but it’s too late to retreat. The danger noodle grows until its size rivals Cato’s dragon, and I don’t dare look over my shoulder to see if the others have noticed this shit yet.

I grab the hilt of my knife because I’m not getting swallowed whole. I will cut my way out, I swear to fuck.

The head of the cobra sways, and I lean forward, still feeling the effects of Daire’s blood I think because I suddenly want to pet the murder noodle.

“Light One!” someone shouts, but it doesn’t matter, because the giant snake wraps its tail around me and lifts me off my feet, before slithering away so fast that I black out.