After we entered the tunnel, the doors slammed behind us. The Wraiths’ heavy boots echoed off the stone floor. We walked for what felt like miles, until we arrived at another large set of doors. Beyond these doors were more steps, followed by many hallways. The head Wraith paused just before leading us down the left tunnel. “You have been privileged, Viktor,” he said proudly. “Master wants to see you and your fighters.” His gaze then fixed on Valentin, and ice filled my muscles. “He wants to meet the monster that slayed his sister.”
Valentin tensed beside me. But Viktor played into the role. “I’d be honored,” he replied, and the head Wraith smiled.
“Come,” the head Wraith ordered. We followed him down the narrow hallway. With every step, my mind raced with what we would do if Master wanted to punish Valentin. I prayed that Valentin wouldn’t react first when coming eye to eye with the male that had called his sister back to his pit. The male that had become Master to his sister. The male that was using her for sex.
The hallways were winding and long, but eventually we entered a large hall, the size of it surprising. A table stood at the end of the space, and around it were three males. I immediately sought out Arziani. He carried himself like many of the crime bosses in New York did—arrogantly, like he was the most powerful male in the world. I supposed here, in this underground town, he was.
His expensive shoes tapped on the floor as he approached us, his two guards following closely behind. I stood between Zaal and Valentin. I almost choked on the hate pulsing from their bodies.
Master stopped before us, and I got a good look at his face. I hadn’t been sure what to expect, but he was nothing special. It was the glint he had in his eyes that betrayed the true nature of his black soul. The glint that showed his ruthlessness was underneath, the male that took enjoyment from others’ pain.
Arziani’s eyebrows rose as he roved his excited gaze over us all. His lip hooked into the briefest smile when he saw Zaal. He stepped closer to Zaal and lifted his hand to trace his tattoo—221.
Zaal’s teeth ground together as Master’s fingers dropped down to his torso. When he looked back into Zaal’s eyes, he said, “One of the Kostava twins. We had long imagined you dead.”
Arziani looked to Viktor. “The Volkovs gave him to you?”
Viktor nodded. “Yes, Master. They wanted to use him to kill for them, but he was unsalvageable. Too far gone in the head.”
Arziani stared back at Zaal. “He appears docile enough now.”
“It is the drugs, Master. We bought the Type A from you. We use it to keep him obedient.”
Arziani nodded his head, then looked to me. “And him?”
“Our gulag’s ultimate champion. A Russian. Known as Raze. The previous Alaskan champion. We bought him after he was found by a smaller Georgian organization that knew of our gulag in New York.”
“Is he good?”
“Unrivaled.”
Arziani smiled and said, “Good. My champion is a Russian, too. Taken as a child from an orphanage and raised to be exactly the kind of killer I dreamed about.” His face then flashed with annoyance. “Though he has lost my favor of late.” He stepped back, eyes bright. “This 818 seems he could perhaps give him a challenge. I will look forward to seeing it.”
Master then moved to Valentin and his lost his humor. Valentin stared straight ahead, frozen to the spot. Master lifted his hand and brushed his fingertip over the scar on Valentin’s neck, but he didn’t stop there. He moved to his scarred face and traced the lashes that Valentin’s Mistress had meted out for his disobedience, permanently disfiguring his face.
Master stepped back and regarded Valentin coldly. “So this is the mutant that slaughtered my sister?” Silence. The air pulsed with electricity as we waited for what would come next.
I could feel our byki loosening their holds on our ropes. They expected a fight. So did I.
But when Arziani’s lips spread into a wide grin and a booming laugh came from his mouth, that expectation fell away. Arziani slapped Valentin on the shoulder. “That woman was the bane of my life. You did me a favor by killing her.” He looked to Zaal. “And her asshole of a lover. The one you killed. You did me a favor. Jakhua had thought himself higher than his station. I had already issued his death warrant. You just beat me to it.”
I waited as Arziani’s eyes fell back to Valentin. I waited for him to mention his sister. I waited for him to taunt him with the fact that he had her under his control and in his bed. But Arziani didn’t say a thing. I wondered why, then thought that maybe he didn’t know. Maybe he didn’t know Inessa was Valentin’s blood. Maybe his sister had never told him.
Arziani looked to Viktor. “Your gulag must be strong. You are the last fighters to arrive, and none have males to rival yours. After the tournament we should talk.” He smiled. “We Georgians need to keep our business close to home, no?”
“Of course, Master,” Viktor replied. Relief trickled down my spine.
“We have quarters for you and your fighters. The tournament begins tomorrow. You will receive good fights. I’m interested how your males will stand up to my champions, but maybe they are matches for the later rounds. If they make it to the final round, they will be awarded the champions’ quarters, and you will be given better accommodations, too. We honor our victors here in the Blood Pit.”
“Thank you,” Viktor said. Arziani flicked his wrist in dismissal. The head Wraith led us out of the hall and down the hallway. With every step, my blood pumped faster and faster around my body. This could actually work, I thought to myself.
We walked through three long hallways, then arrived at a section filled with several large rooms. When I looked through the open doorways, fighters of all nationalities sat inside. They glared as we passed, holding their weapons or sitting drugged on the floor.
We arrived at an empty room, its walls and floors made of dark stone. Several beds lay on the floor, with a side room at the back that was probably for washing. The head Wraith pointed for us to enter. Viktor hung back and was told, “Your food will be brought to you. You don’t leave these quarters until training. The fighters will be taken to the training pits and will be there all day. If they win, monas will be provided for relief.”
Valentin growled beside me at that news. Zaal discreetly put his hand on his arm to shut him up. He did, but his body shook as he held back his need to kill.