Winning the Legend (21 page)

Andrew was sitting in the open window,
gazing outside. It was still night, but soon, the sun would come
up. He noticed her enter, but was lost in his own thoughts. He
didn’t attend the short meeting with the competitors, as he knew
what Arianna was going to say. It was growing harder for him to
watch the men fawn over her. Now it was even worse, because he had
to let Arianna compete. He wanted to participate and save her, but
she insisted that she should be allowed to save herself.

Arianna tentatively reached up and touched
his shoulder to get his attention without startling him. Falling
from his perch wouldn’t kill him, but she didn’t want him to tumble
out the window anyway.

“Thinking too hard there?” she teased
lightly. Andrew reached back and pulled her up onto the window
ledge beside him.

“I don’t know if I can let you do this,”
Andrew replied into her hair as he nuzzled her. Her scent was so
familiar now that it calmed him.

“We’ve been over this. I’m ready. I am
stronger now. I can do this. You’ve even admitted that much,”
Arianna answered. She liked being in his arms, and was willing to
fight to keep it that way.

“I know you’re ready, I just don’t know if I
can let you do this,” he added again. His hands drifted down her
arms, causing goose bumps to appear in their wake. He pulled her
closer, partially onto his lap.

“Then what do I do? Hope Devin somehow
doesn’t get himself killed this time, or maybe hope Turner is
hiding some great ability to defeat Rhys? If I stand any chance at
all, it’s by myself.” Arianna was finally ready to take control of
her own future. Her new skills made her nearly as strong as the
rest of them. If she had just a little more experience, she would
be unstoppable.

“And what happens if you get hurt? Then our
plans really will fail. We need you to be strong no matter what,”
Andrew said, trying to debate with her logically. Arianna scooted
off his lap and on to the windowsill beside him.

“Do you not think that I can really do
this?” Arianna couldn’t hide the hurt in her voice. Andrew was the
one supporter that never failed her. She thought he would always be
her rock.

“That’s not what I meant,” Andrew replied,
reaching over to pull her back to him. Arianna eased into him. It
had been a long week, trying to pretend that they were not as
connected as ever in front of Rhys. Everyone agreed it was best to
let Rhys think his plan was working, that she was falling for
him.

“Then what did you mean?” Arianna asked.

“I’m just upset. There has to be a way for
me to enter instead of you,” Andrew replied. Protecting her was his
job. He didn’t want her to get hurt and have to just stand by,
watching it happen.

“If we entered you at this point, I think
we’d have more of an uproar from the contestants. We know they’re
already upset that I’m entering. I think the only reason none of
them can argue is that they have to allow it as I am technically
the head of the family,” Arianna logically explained. “I think your
only option is to fight me to take over as head of the family. If
you were head, then maybe they’d let you enter instead of me.”

Arianna didn’t really support that option,
but she needed to make a point to Andrew. They couldn’t enter him
now, even if she wanted to. Every person in the competition was a
direct line to the head of their clan. Even Turner was second in
line to the lycan clan, behind his brother.

“And that’s a plausible solution,” he
sarcastically replied, frustrated that she was right. He would
never truly fight her. She would always be the head of the family
as long as he was around. Besides, he didn’t want that sort of
power, and she knew it.

Arianna turned her head up to look at him.
Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled his head down so that she
could kiss him. It was sweet that he worried so much. Arianna
appreciated everyone’s concern, but she had one chance now to be
free, and she wouldn’t screw it up. Andrew sighed as she pulled
back.

“I can do this Andrew. I have the strength,
and now the ability, to fight evenly with these men. I need to
prove to them that I am in charge. I need to prove it to me,” she
added a bit more quietly. “I get to decide my fate, not someone
else.”

“I believe in you,” he whispered, rubbing
his nose to hers as they sat forehead to forehead. It was all
Arianna ever wanted to hear.

* * * * *

The new fighting pit was outside, and
bleachers lined the much larger area. The pit dwarfed the much
smaller fighting circle in the training room, but for a reason.
These fights were meant to be more spectacular for the audience.
The square was bigger, at least forty feet across, maybe more. The
ground was raked flat since it was outside terrain, unlike the
polished wood floor inside. The new area would add to the fights,
and thus they would be longer. It would be a trial of strength, and
all the competitors were ready.

For the first few matches, there would be no
spectators, but there would be a non-partial judge: the wurdulac
head, Serge Moro. From what all the competitors knew, Moro’s clan
resided in North America, but they didn’t hold any more land than
the area their houses now sat on. Several races of night humans
were in the same position, no longer powerful enough to compete
with the top thirteen clans. In the last war between the clans,
those that were too small to help fight for either side were
ignored when territories were redrawn. With no land and no power,
the wurdulac were no threat, and a completely impartial judge for
the competition. At least that was what every man there beyond
Arianna’s own thought. Little did the thirteen clans know that the
clans without power were all in agreement in supporting Arianna,
for she would be able to bring change back to them. Arianna was
predicted to be the great equalizer of the clans, and Nessa had
shown her the key to doing so.

Arianna sat in one section of the bleachers
with Andrew, Thomas, and her guards. Everyone arrived shortly after
she did, like moths drawn to light. They were constantly searching
and following her around, even if they knew the meeting time was
more than ten minutes away. None of them beyond Rhys knew why this
new feeling came from them. Even their retainers could not
understand it. They all had changed their minds and wanted to
actually win over Arianna’s heart, not just her blood. She tried to
ignore them as best she could, but they were all a bit like
love-sick puppies as they eagerly waited for her to pat them on the
head and say “good job.” Arianna counted the men as they arrived,
and not a single person was missing. Once she was certain they were
all there, she stood and walked in front of them. She had expressed
to Thomas once about feeling crushed by love, but this was exactly
what she felt as all the men stared back adoringly.

“I’d like to introduce everyone to Serge
Moro. He is here from the wurdulac family to judge the competition,
in case we don’t have a definite winner.”

By now no one needed an explanation. This
was the one part of the competition that was tradition, and there
was nothing Arianna could do to change that. She nodded to Serge,
who came and stood before the group of competitors and their
retainers. Even with him by her side, none of the men looked over
to gauge the older man. She was everything in their eyes. Arianna
wanted to find a cave to hide in, but instead had to settle for
returning to her seat. She would have to feel the stares on her
back instead of her face.

“Welcome everyone. I will be the judge for
this competition. My name is Serge Moro. I’m the head of the
wurdulac family. We hold no lands and thus will be impartial to
this competition as we have no stake in any clan winning.” Serge
paused to see if anyone would object. Not a single person found
anything wrong with him for the choice. “This is to be a fair
fight. The rules are that any technique can be used except for a
kill shot. If you maim your opponent they must concede loss. If you
feel you cannot compete, you concede a loss. At any moment, either
player can voluntarily quit or I may choose to end the fight.
Points are awarded based on hits. There is a ten minute time limit.
If I feel one person is too far ahead of the other, I will call the
match,” Serge paced the competition floor as he talked. The
competitors all nodded. They knew the rules better than anyone;
their ancestors had made them.

“To keep things on the fair side, we will
draw names instead of having a set lineup,” Serge continued. All
the men tried to half watch him, but they were really watching
Arianna out of the corner of their eyes. Even her competition was
watching, except for Devin, who could sense her almost as easily as
Andrew. “Arianna will draw the first name. My lady, are you ready?”
Serge looked as worried as Andrew had been before.

Arianna stood and pulled off her bulky
sweatshirt before walking over to Serge. She sensed the men watch
her and the pleasure they had at her competing. She was dressed
head to toe in her training gear and was sure that was now part of
the draw, as the tight-knit material left very little to the
imagination. There was nothing she could do about that as she
needed the complete ability to move to fight properly. Arianna
wasn’t worried about the competition. Turner and Devin would refuse
to fight her, giving her two easy wins. Arianna reached the table
and took a card and handed it to Serge before going over to one
side of the fighting area.

“Loan Durand,” Serge read. Loan stood and
moved to the other side. Serge looked over to Arianna and could not
judge her reaction to the draw. He was willing to call any match on
her behalf.

Arianna took a deep breath. She wasn’t
staring at her competition, but at Devin and Andrew, who were now
sitting next to each other. They were both giving her silent,
last-minute advice. Saying she wanted to fight for her own freedom
was completely different than standing across from her first
competitor. At least with Devin or Turner, she would know their
fighting style even if they didn’t fight. Loan’s dark eyes just
smiled back at her. She thought she’d be scared, eyeing over a man
that would be soon attacking her, but she was not. Loan was
radiating nothing but happiness. There wasn’t a hint of fight in
him. She was more confused than scared.

“Do you have any questions?” Serge looked
first to Arianna, and then to Loan, who both shook their heads no.
Then Serge looked to the other competitors. No one had a
question.

“Then we will begin. Opponents, take your
mark,” Serge directed, and Arianna did not move. She was already
standing on one of the bright red lines on the ground. Loan moved
to his spot. “You may begin.”

Adrenaline coursed through Arianna’s veins
as she experienced the nervousness of her family affecting her,
along with her own edginess. They all feared for her. Only Andrew
sat still, completely confident in her ability. Arianna fed on his
confidence. If Andrew believed in her, then she would believe in
herself. He didn’t smile, but his worry was gone. She could fight
Loan and win. Arianna looked over to Loan and waited for him to
attack. She didn’t want to make the first move. Loan didn’t move to
attack, instead he smiled and bowed his head to her.

“I concede defeat,” Loan said loudly to the
crowd that was all holding their breath.

Arianna looked up in shock as Serge nodded.
She had won the match without having to throw a single punch. Loan
walked the distance between them slowly. Reaching her, he bowed
down and picked up her hand to kiss it. As her hand was close to
his mouth, he paused.

“A true gentleman never hits a lady,” he
said, quietly enough for only her to hear, a slightly southern
twang to his voice. “My momma raised me with manners, and I won’t
disappoint her, or the lady I plan to marry and bring home.” Loan
kissed her hand, and walked back to the stands.

“Win to Arianna,” Serge replied, nodding to
her to take her seat.

Arianna would not compete again until the
second matches later in the day. She already had one win now and
was one spot closer to her own freedom. She returned to her seat in
front of Andrew, and his knees rubbed against her back. Everyone
around her let out a collective sigh of relief when she returned to
them unharmed. Arianna allowed the comfort of Andrew’s touch sooth
her nerves. It had happened so fast. She had been ready to fight.
Thomas handed her sweatshirt to her, and she was glad to put it
back on as a protective barrier from the stares of the men around
her.

“Devin Alexander,” Serge called.

Devin rose and walked to Serge to take a
card. Devin smiled as he read the name and handed it back. Devin
wasn’t one to show emotion often, so the eagerness from him made
Arianna wonder who he had drawn.

“Brenton Winter,” Serge read, and Arianna
knew why Devin was happy. The best friends were looking forward to
this fight just for the fun of it.

“Go easy on him,” Andrew teased from behind
Arianna as Turner stood. “You know he’s still recovering.” Turner
laughed. Going easy on Devin was never part of the plan. He’d take
any advantage he could. They were pretty much evenly matched, but
Devin still won the majority of the time.

“I’ll go as easy on him as he will on me,”
Turner replied. Devin grinned from across the floor. Yep, he
planned to go just as easy on Turner, if that was what it was
called when they sparred. “What? No mojo?” Turner asked as Devin
threw his coat to Gabriel on the sidelines. Turner had gotten in
the habit of calling Lord Randolph’s blood “mojo.”

“Nah, I figured I can do this one without.
Maybe this afternoon, but I don’t think my opponent now wants me to
beat him so quickly that he’ll get embarrassed in front of the
lady,” Devin replied, taunting Turner.