Lukas pulled his arms up near his face, bouncing nearer to the massive legend. Warwick smirked, letting Luk get closer and get a swing in. Warwick’s gaze darted to me with humored smugness. Lukas was no more than an irritating fly to him.
Glowering at Warwick, my lips rose.
“If you hurt him...” my ghost slunk behind Warwick, my lips brushing his ear. “You deal with me.”
It was enough to distract him for a moment.
Luk’s fist smashed into his face, splattering blood from his nose onto the mat. The crowd roared as Warwick wiped the blood from his face, a deadly grin curling his mouth.
Fuck.
An animalistic noise came up his throat before he lunged for Luk.
My mind didn’t even contemplate what I was doing as I leaped. Using Warwick’s strength and my own, I shoved Luk out of the way. His body flew, landing hard on the end of the mat, rolling off into the crowd. I didn’t give him a second glance. I knew he was fine. If I hadn’t jumped in, he wouldn’t have been.
The group gasped in unison as I took Luk’s spot, facing Warwick on the mat, the legend jerking to a halt at my sudden appearance, his nose flaring.
“X!” Luk scrambled up, trying to get back into the fight.
“No!” I held my hand up to Luk. “This has nothing to do with you.”
“What the fuck are you doing, Kovacs?” Warwick snarled, both of us starting to circle each other.
“Finishing what we started in the Games.” I snarled back. “You angry? Then fight me. It’s what you want anyway.”
He grunted, his head shaking. “You sure about that, princess?”
“Fuck yeah.” I lowered myself into a defensive stance.
His eyes sparkled, his lips twisting with wickedness.
“You think I’ll go easy on you like I did last time?”
“I hope you don’t, because then I won’t have to go easy on you.”
He snorted like it was funny.
My blood burned through my veins; adrenaline and the need to fight clawed at my bones like a fiend. I needed it like air. Craved the high between life and death like a drug. I could taste it on my tongue, sense it calling to me, ready to pull me down into its dark depths.
Warwick’s licked his lips, his eyes wild, as if he needed the same high. This was the place we both belonged. The space between... where the monsters lived. Every pulse of our blood, every twitch of muscle, we could feel each other.
On the outside, this fight might not look fair, but it was equal.
“Again, you gonna spend all night dancing with me?”
He chuckled darkly. “Remember, princess, the only thing I do all night is fuck.”
“Typical man... exaggerate your prowess.” I rolled my eyes. “You barely lasted an hour.”
“Who said I was anywhere near done?” Warwick taunted, stepping closer.
We moved around each other like wisps of smoke, weaving and rolling, taking me back to our fight in the Games.
Faster than I was ready for, he lurched for me. Ducking too late, his elbow clocked me in the eye and nose, bursting light behind my lids, blood flying out of my nose as my face hit the mat with a smack.
Fire zoomed up my spine, energy arousing me.
I could feel him hesitate for a second.
Rule one with Bakos—never hesitate.
With a grunt, I shot my feet out with all the force I had, my heels slamming into the weak tendons in the knees, sending him tumbling to the ground. Instantly I sprang for him, my fist cracking along his jaw, cutting his lip. My other fist barreled down for his throat. In a blink, his palm wrapped around my wrists, halting my attack.
The air filled with shock as the audience watched us with anticipation.
Holding my hand away, he wiped at his mouth with his free hand, looking at the blood. Hunger, hate, and desire built behind his irises, a cruel smile hinting on his face.
The wolf was being released.
I tried to scramble up, but he flipped me onto my back, crawling on me, his hand pinning my arms to the mat.
“You actually make this fun, Kovacs.” He leaned over, licking the side of my face where my blood leaked down. I sensed the eyes of the crowd on us, wondering what was going to happen next, but like when we fought before, all I felt was him. The heat of his heavy erection pressing into me, tipping my head back, spiraling all the logic from my head.
Lust.
Hate.
Want.
Anger.
“Fuck you.” I thrashed against his hold.
“Finally, your mouth and body are agreeing.” He nipped at my ear, rolling into me. “I can feel how much you want to fuck me, Kovacs. Violence and death turn you on. I’m happy to help you out since your other boyfriends don’t seem to satisfy you.”
I growled, hating how easy he could wrap around me, ensnare me in desire. I would not let him win.
With a move I used on Lukas, I shifted my weight dramatically to the side, tipping him off-center. Absorbing his energy, I mentally and physically shoved at his chest. Warwick toppled to the side, letting me slip away.
Getting to my feet, I felt a punch burrow into my side, his feet trying to knock me back down. Spinning, I kicked, the tip of my boot clipping his chin with a thwack. His head snapped back, red liquid dripping down from his jaw onto the mat.
There was a pause. He touched his chin and peered at the red liquid staining his fingers, bruises already darkening the skin. Slowly his head rose to look at me. Flames scorched his aqua eyes, his nose flaring as he leaped to his feet, his chest heaving. Threatening. Brutal. Vicious.
Fuckfuckfuck.
“Get out.” He growled, his shoulders rolling forward. The horde of onlookers looked at each other, no one knowing who he was talking to.
“I. SAID. GET. THE. FUCK. OUT.” Warwick’s voice boomed, the order driving through the room like a scythe. People yelped and quickly started to dash for the exit. Luk tried to get to me, but I shook my head at him, halting his steps, his brows furrowing.
“Come on, pretty boy, buy me some coffee.” Kek pulled Luk to the door.
She wiggled her eyebrows at me as she shut the doors, the room silent except for our breaths.
Warwick’s eyes never left me, his physique primed to kill. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline scorching my skin with fear and energy, turning me just as feral.
“You upset because I actually hurt you, big man?” I mocked.
“Hurt me?” He sneered, his intense glare never leaving me as he prowled forward.
My feet stayed planted while he stalked up to me, his expression stone. He loomed over, his hands curling into claws, as if he could snap my neck in a moment.
“You think you hurt me?” He drew his fingers over his bloody chin again, coating his fingers. He reached out, painting his blood over my lips, pushing his thumb into my mouth. The metallic and rich earthiness burst on my tongue like whiskey. “This is just foreplay, princess.”
Desire thrummed down my thighs at his intake of air when I sucked and nipped at his finger. He leaned into my ear, withdrawing his hand.
“I wasn’t talking about physically.” My gaze was full of meaning.
His eyes flashed, his voice low and cold. “Better run.”
He gave me a beat to retreat before he charged for me again. I twisted around, looking like I was going to run, but instead swung back, slamming my fist into his temple. A snarl rose from his throat, fire igniting his eyes.