“There’s no disregard, Lord McKinny. We will thoroughly read each offer. If we deem no one suitable, we will call for a challenge ourselves,” Devin replied.
‘Is he serious?’ Arianna asked Andrew. Devin would never call for a challenge.
‘No, he’s trying to buy time for us to train you better. If I can get you up to the top form we expect, there will be no dispute. They will all listen, and fear your power,’ Andrew replied. He was actually enjoying the show. Devin was a master of his emotions, and nothing that was said ruffled his feathers or deterred him from his plan. For a baku, who fed on emotion, Devin was amazing.
“This isn’t a discussion. You either honor our ways or not,” the grandfather of the group scolded Devin sternly. “Not one of us will stand by and let a non-head dictate to us. We are issuing the challenge. Disrespect that, and it means war.”
“I’m in,” said the younger blond haired man, starting a chorus of agreement. Before long the whole group agreed.
Devin shrugged, not replying to the insinuation that war was starting. He moved over to the computer to turn it off without even giving the men a reply. Instantly thoughts of war and innocent people crowded Arianna’s mind. Even though each man was far away, she could feel their emotions and hear their thoughts jumble into her head. They meant it. They would start a war for her, and the people who would suffer were those around her. It would not be a war between everyone, but a war against the people she loved. They would attack both the Randolph and Grace lands where she had grown up and where all the people she loved lived. They would attack the night human Tricity where Turner was from. The only place Arianna had ever found that accepted night humans alongside day humans, a place of peace. Arianna pictured face after face of friends back home she had grown up with. They would all suffer to keep her from marriage. The men were planning destruction. Each man thought he could win a tournament, and they were willing to do anything to get ahold of Arianna. Before either Devin or Andrew could stop her, Arianna appeared before the nine men.
“I issue the challenge,” she said, taking her future into her own hands. “Those that wish to participate must talk now and promise to never again attack dearg-dul, lycan, tengu, or baku held lands.”
The men, old and young alike, eyed her like a steak dinner. She was the prize they all had waited a lifetime for. Eagerly they all agreed, one by one, confirming what Arianna already knew. This was the only way to help her people.
“We will do this the way I want it done,” Arianna continued after they agreed.
‘Ari,’ Devin said, sounding desperate. ‘You don’t have to do this. We can keep you safe.’
‘For how long? A day? A week? Months? And what about war?’ Arianna didn’t look at Devin, knowing that she was disappointing him.
‘They will not act. This is all show. Please, let’s at least try.’ Desperation was beginning to seep out of his cool exterior.
‘This is my future and these are my people,’ Arianna replied, not looking away from the screen. ‘This is my choice.’
“The contest will be held in one month. Wherever I make my appearance on the eighteenth of May will be the location. Your competitor will have to be in the main room by midnight to be considered entered. They may only bring two personal guards with them. Until we meet on the eighteenth, I’ll demand that none of the contestants enter Randolph or Grace territories. Anyone that tries to meet me beforehand will be disqualified.” Everyone nodded. Not a soul would disagree with her at this point.
“Each must state your contestant now.” She looked over at Thomas who began writing things down quickly. Thomas was the one who was best at forming plans. Every plan that Devin had made in the last year, Thomas had looked over before they set it in motion. It was nice to have someone so smart on her side, and with her rash decision, it was necessary if she were to stand a chance.
“But that’s not how we do this,” the oldest of the group, the vrykolakas, complained. “Tradition dictates...”
“This is how I do things. I rule over four clans. I do what I please, how I please,” Arianna tried to sound as haughty as her position required as she interrupted him, but deep down she was nervous that they would all see through the illusion. “If you wish to play my game, you play by my rules. I do believe the family of the one being fought over gets to dictate the rules, do they not?”
“But,” the man continued to complain. “The head of the family will set everything up.”
“And that is what we are doing.” Arianna stared at the man, daring him to say more. He did not.
She waited and found that no one else wanted to add to the conversation. She was breaking tradition, but what they didn’t know was that she didn’t actually know the tradition. So little had been explained. Arianna was doing her best to fake it and get along without anyone turning to war.
Finally the younger blond man spoke. “Rhys McKinny, Sidhe.”
Slowly, the men around the screen realized that it was going to happen in the way that Arianna chose. Each added their name or their son’s name to Thomas’ list. Devin watched it all unfold. He already knew who each man was, and who was likely to be entered. Devin had been dreading this scenario since the first day he met her. Even if Lord Randolph had been around, it would be the same. While Lord Randolph talked about how he would make her marry, he never meant it. His insistence at tradition had driven Arianna’s mother away, and he would have never done the same thing again.
As the last man added his name to the list, Devin stepped out from behind Arianna.
“Devin Alexander,” he said.
‘What are you doing?’ Arianna demanded.
‘Saving you from having to marry someone you don’t even know. If I can survive and beat everyone, you’d be free to marry Andrew,’ Devin explained while staring down the men on the screen.
‘No, you can’t do this. I can’t lose you in this fight,’ Arianna tried to desperately get him to understand her feelings still muddled between him and Andrew. The men all stared in horror at Devin.
‘This is my choice, not yours.’ Devin kissed the top of her head. ‘Let me be your champion.’
‘And if he doesn’t enter, I will,’ Andrew jumped into the conversation.
‘Not yet,’ Devin replied to Andrew. ‘She won’t survive without us for blood. Not yet.’ Andrew nodded in agreement.
“Impossible,” the older vrykolakas said. “None from her own clan can enter.”
“Devin isn’t from my clan,” Arianna replied, fighting back tears. She wouldn’t be dissuading him.
“He’s Randolph’s left hand man, of course he’s of the dearg-dul clan,” another man added in agreement with the vrykolakas.
“I’m not a dearg-dul, nor will I ever be. I’m a day human and belong only to the day humans,” Devin said to the men.
The second man began laughing. “A day human wants to enter the competition. By all means, be our guest then.”
“Brenton Winter,” Turner added his formal name also to the list so that they would all know exactly who he was. He wouldn’t let Devin take all the glory of protecting her. Turner challenged the men on the screen. He had been dealing with political men like them his whole life. “I’m not a dearg-dul, so there shouldn’t be a problem there.”
THIRTY-ONE
Arianna stared out the window. The sun was peeking out behind the rain clouds that had finally passed. The train had been moving for over two hours now non-stop. After a day of constant travel to lose the night humans trying to follow her, they ended up on a train. Soon Andrew would take her hand and ask her to jump off the moving train with him. Over a year ago, she would have thought him crazy. Now it seemed like the best plan. Only a few could actually survive such a jump, but for her and Andrew it would be simple. Devin and Turner stayed behind at the cabin to greet Nik when he arrived for his younger brother. Gabriel would be bringing Thomas and Molina to their new location to help train her, Molina for fighting and Thomas for all the rules. While Arianna wan
ted to do her own thing, she would have to follow the rules. Traditions could be ignored, but the rules could not.
Andrew picked up her hand and laced his fingers between hers. She wanted to lean into him and pull someone of his strength into her, but she could not. A part of her heart broke when Devin chose to enter the challenge rather than help take care of her. He made his choice clear. He gave up. It was no longer a choice between Devin and Andrew because Devin quit. Now Devin and Turner would be away from her for a month. Andrew saw the difference in her.
“He’s doing this for you,” Andrew said quietly, stroking her head and pulling it to his shoulder.
“Running away to be the savior is for me, not for his hero complex?” Arianna was bitter.
“Don’t we all get a bit of hero complex when around you?” Andrew admitted. Arianna finally smiled at him. “You’re the future, and we can all see that.”
How could she explain to Andrew that part of her felt for Devin the way she felt for him?
“If you don’t want me to stay, I can always go and trade places with him,” Andrew honestly offered. “I’m not of your clan either.”
Arianna looked over at him. Andrew was offering to step away. What was it with these men? Why would they walk away rather than stay by her side? Andrew waited, and she could see through his calm exterior. He didn’t want to let her go. In fact, his words were the exact opposite of what he was feeling. Arianna smiled at him. He wasn’t ever going to let her go. Arianna hated to admit it. Devin was right all along. Andrew was what she needed. While she needed to be strong and protect her own clan, she needed someone beside her that would always fight to be there. Andrew would always fight. She could see that now.
“I think Thomas already is calculating that into everything. And no, I want you to stay,” Arianna replied. She already knew that was the truth, but it was the first time admitting it to Andrew. There wasn’t much of a choice. She could’ve asked to stay with Devin, but he would always be closed up; even Devin couldn’t change that. Andrew would always be open with his love. That was the life Arianna wanted. It just hurt to leave Devin behind.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Andrew trapped her against the wall with his arms on either side of her so that he could kiss her.
“And what if I had said switch with Devin?” Arianna asked, mocking him but actually wondering at the same time.
“What? You’d say no to all of this?” he teased, gesturing to himself. “You couldn’t say switch,” Andrew whispered, leaning in close so that they were now cheek to cheek. Arianna felt his breath on her ear and shivered. He kissed gently down her neck. “I know you love Devin, but you’ve always loved me more.” His smugness filled in around them as he pulled back and smiled at her.
She huffed at his reply and tried to push him away. It was true, but she didn’t want to admit it. Andrew leaned back down and this time found her lips.
Gabriel opened the cabin door. “Your stop is coming up.”
Arianna ducked under Andrew’s arms quickly at Gabriel’s entrance, though the old baku didn’t seem to notice them. She nodded and followed her uncle into the hallway. Andrew trailed close behind. Gabriel opened the door of the moving train.
‘Three miles northeast.’ Gabriel directed her with mental pictures of the run. It was still daytime, and the night humans that were sensitive to sun wouldn’t be out yet. ‘Stay along the border of the lands. Just inside the border is the estate. The Wurdulac are very much like you and have a strong compassion for what you’re going through. They will keep you safe.’
‘Wurdulac?’ Arianna asked of the new term. She hadn’t heard that name the day before. They were not one of the thirteen clans coming to greet her in a month.
‘A night human race that’s going extinct due to feeding habits like yours,’ Andrew replied, standing beside her, never letting go of her. ‘They can only feed on those who love them.’
‘So there are more beyond the thirteen?’ Arianna asked both Andrew and Gabriel.
‘Many more, but only the thirteen own land in the Americas,’ Andrew replied.
‘Now, be on your way at the next bend in the tracks,’ Gabriel ordered, giving her one last, brief hug. It was time for her to take over. There was nothing left he could teach her. All he could do was stand back and support her in the role she would have to take. Arianna was the future, just as Andrew had said. It was time for her to realize that. Gabriel was passing the torch to Andrew and hoped the young man would prepare her for the fight of her life, mentally and physically. This wasn’t going to be an easy game to play.
The tracks approached the turn. Arianna didn’t look back. She only looked at Andrew’s hand clasped firmly in her own. He was willing to fight to be beside her. He trusted her. He was her rock. With him, maybe this night human world would be more bearable. Now it was time for her to fight to be free to live her own life. Arianna had one month to prepare to meet her fate. She would either save the night human world or destroy it.
Arianna jumped.
SNEAK PEAK Coming Soon—Book 3: Winning the Legend by B. Kristin McMichael
Arianna Grace looked up from the floor where she lay sprawled on the training mat. Her dark blond, sweat-soaked ponytail was hanging limp. It had been twenty-nine days of endless training, and she still couldn’t fight back well enough to defeat Andrew Lucan, even though he wasn’t even fighting at full power in his baku night human form. She had gained ground in fighting him in day human form, but once they were night humans it was hopeless. Andrew had too much training. Arianna brushed back a chunk of soggy bangs and pushed herself off the floor. Her muscles ached, but she wouldn’t quit. She couldn’t quit. The fate of everyone Arianna knew hung on her ability to win. Strength was the only ally she had at this point, and the only one that would save everyone. She had to get stronger.
“I think it is time to go over everything else one last time with Thomas,” Andrew replied. He was the picture of perfection. His wavy, almost black, shoulder-length hair wasn’t even messed up as he gazed at her with steel gray eyes. He didn’t take any pleasure in beating Arianna. He was probably one of the strongest opponents she would ever face, but even that did not deter her.
“One more time,” Arianna begged. Andrew reluctantly stood back in his starting spot across the room from her. He hadn’t yet even broken a sweat, but Arianna was relentless. Arianna already knew she’d won that argument before he even moved. Little did she know, but her persuasiveness was actually her strongest trait. Andrew could never really say no to her.
“Fine, but after, you promise to go straight to Thomas? No begging Molina next.” Unfortunately, Andrew was already two steps ahead of her.
Arianna grumbled at his suggestion. It was her plan to beg Molina next, but she wasn’t going to admit that. After a month of hapkido, jiu jitsu, jeet kune do, keysi, and street fighting training for eight hours a day between Molina and Andrew, Arianna was getting better. She could now fight in both night and day human form toe-to-toe with Molina. Arianna preferred to fight with Molina, who didn’t have to hold back. Andrew was still much stronger and every fight showed how unequal their abilities still were.
Andrew mockingly bowed to Arianna and waited for her to make the first move. He was anxious to stop her overexertion, but he knew it was best to use her skills against herself rather than attack first. Arianna moved first, and Andrew countered the punch, deflecting her momentum. Arianna regained her footing momentarily, only to find Andrew had a lock on her arm. Instantly he twisted her arms while swiping her feet. Arianna flipped to counter his move but found she exerted too much spin on her flip causing her to grab Andrew’s arm for support. Arianna let him flip her around to lessen the damage as she hit the floor, knowing that in that moment of grabbing Andrew’s arm he gained the upper hand. Andrew rested, pinning her on the floor beneath him.
“Fine,” she mumbled, tapping the floor. The full-grown baku pressing her to the floor made her belly flip, but she wasn’t about to g
ive him the satisfaction of not only beating her in less than two minutes, but also making her go weak in her the knees just by his presence. Arianna closed her eyes to not have to look at him as she admitted her defeat.
Andrew smirked and leaned down to kiss her. He already knew his effect on her was the same as hers on him, but he was much more schooled in hiding his thoughts from others. Andrew’s lips gently touched hers. Arianna wanted to pout more but couldn’t. She eagerly returned his kiss, sliding her hands down the chiseled chest that was keeping her pinned to the ground
“Is this a new method of teaching?” Thomas asked from the corner of the room where he had watched Arianna get beat and then turn it into a make-out session on the training floor mats. Most of the fights ended that way these days.
Arianna blushed as Andrew very deliberately stood slowly and pulled her up with him, keeping his hands on her exposed abdomen. Just his touch alone was enough to cause the blushing to escalate to a full-scale red face. Andrew chuckled as his hands skimmed the top of her shorts as she marched over to Thomas and ignored Andrew.
“So, what was the bet this time?” Thomas asked Andrew, trailing Arianna. In all her fighting with Andrew, she had only once actually put a scratch on him. After that, Andrew had beat her every day, though she didn’t give up trying.
“I gave her the day off,” Andrew replied reluctantly, following her, disappointed that Thomas had to be there right now. Andrew wouldn’t mind having a few extra moments alone with Arianna.
Arianna sulked. “No motivation makes me do worse.” She wiped the sweat off her face and retied her ponytail.
“I doubt you need much motivation beyond the joy of actually beating him,” Thomas mumbled as he watched her. Everything about her was perfect from head to toe, yet all he could feel was the intense need to protect her. His attraction to her wasn’t physical like Andrew’s but more of a family bond. Thomas wanted to feel the passion he always saw between them. They were amazing when they were together, either in combat or not.