A/N: Hey! This is my first Hunger Games fanfic, and it's extremely gory, so if you have a weak stomach this is not the story for you... Take caution before reading, and don't say I didn't warn you :) Hope you like it! Review please! criticism is welcome!
Chapter One: Let the Games Begin
It stuck the target with full impact, sinking deeply into the bark of the tree, as I reached for another blade pulling it out in mere seconds and throwing it towards my target with perfect aim. I watch it sink into the hilt of my first blade, smiling to myself. I continued one blade after the other as a bead of sweat forms on my brow. The only thing I focus on is my target and the weapons that come and go from my hands. Everything else becomes a dark blue haze as my targets and weapons become clear. I try centering on the task I assigned myself, but every once in a while my thoughts would drift to Kaius and my anger would get the better of me, and before I knew to stop myself I was throwing my blades with such force that they became impossible to release from the fierce grip of the tree bark. As each blade of mine left my hands and reached it's destination with such ease my mind started to recap the events that happened just a few hours ago.
Waking up in the room I recognize all to well as that of my lover, Malakai, I felt at ease here. It was the safest place I knew existed in my life, and I would spend as much time as I can in the warmth of his arms before reluctantly dragging myself out of bed. This morning I was the least willing to get out, knowing what I had waiting for me when I started my training today. I lay in Malakai's arms for what seemed like hours before willing me to get up, knowing it was better to get it over with then wait here and fear what happens.
Malakai groaned in protest, "not yet" he says, eyes still closed but his grip around my waist tightens. I smile and grab his arm, telling him to let go through touch, which is how we know the best way to communicate with each other. The way we have done so since we were determined preteens. He loosens his hold, but refuses to let go as he props himself up on his elbow looking at me with concern that I know all too well.
"Stop" I say in mocked annoyance, lifting his arm off me and getting out from the warmth of the covers and my lovers body. I instantly regret it when I stand up but I continue to get dressed anyway. "He won't try anything" I say going over to the small wall mirror near the door. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, the obviously large cut that trails from my left eyebrow to my jaw was healing well, and I could see it was starting to leave a very visible scar. "He better not" Malakai says with a low growl. I roll my eyes; he always has to make things sound worse than they are. "He won't Malakai" I say turning around to face him "He won't lay a finger on me before Reaping day, he's smarter than that" He shakes his head slowly, not tearing his eyes away from mine. "If he touches you again, you're not going to be able to stop me from slowly, and painfully killing him where he stands" he says in a low controlled voice. He was trying to hide the fury in his tone but it was eminent in his eyes.
I walked over to him, lying beside him as he instinctively wraps his arms around me. "That scar reminds me everyday of what he did" he says, his body growing tense under mine. I rested a hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat go from a rapid pace to a slow natural rhythm to my touch. "I'm the one who must wear it for the rest of my days Malakai" I say; trying to keep my voice controlled "and I will never allow him to gift me with another long lasting wound ever again" I said with the intensity of truth that is spoken through my words. He kisses the top of my head softly, "Be safe" He whispers in my ear. The hairs on the nape of my neck stand up from the reaction to his warm breath on my skin. "If he tries anything, use your blade, I will feel much better if I know you're properly armed" he says, reaching across me to grab the blade from the nightstand and handing it to me. I smirk "and when have I ever not carried my blade with me?" I say and the answer is clear in the way he looks at me. I roll my eyes, "one time I leave it here and I never hear the end of it" I say sitting up and turning my back on him. He quickly picks me up and slams me into the bed closing the distance between us. We are so close our noses are touching and I can feel the soft vibration in his chest coming from the growl that escapes his lips. "you would not have that scar if it weren't for you being unarmed, and I would not have had to stitch you back together for you forgetting your blade" he says, his voice so low that only I could hear him, even with no one else in the room with us. "So you will take your blade with you so I don't go completely insane while you are away" His voice shows rage that only the mention of Kaius can bring, but his eyes show worry and concern that I hate more than anything I put there. I kiss him softly on the lips to show my understanding, and he relaxes immediately and places his head on my chest to listen to the steady rhythm of my heartbeat.
It felt like hours lying there in my lovers' arms, feeling completely safe. I sigh as I know it is time to leave, Malakai must know it as well because he tightens his grip on my waist, willing me not to go through his touch. I smile to myself as I sit up and start putting on my hunting boots; I can see him staring at me through the side of my vision.
"What?" I say as I grab a ribbon from the nightstand and tie up my long dark hair as it falls past my shoulders.
"Is he going to make you train today?" he asked getting out of bed and getting dressed, coming over to me and wrapping his arms around me from behind. I instinctively lean into him, as he trails his lips across the pale skin of my neck. I shiver in his touch. "Probably, He might not touch me because of the Reaping but that will give him all the reason to destroy me physically for tomorrow." He sighed, and turned me around to face him. He tilted my chin so I was meeting his gaze; it was like swimming in an ocean when I looked into the Light blues of his eyes. "You are my life Ebony Aspen Morella, and you will remain a constant part in it even after the Games, you understand me?" He said, gazing into my green eyes with such intensity I could have sworn I was shaking with pride.
"Now look who's being bossy" I said with a smile, kissing him softly and then heading out of his room. He could always open up to me, I knew how he felt, even though he never said that he actually loved me; and he knew how I felt, even though I've never told him. There's a certain amount of affection you can give your lover if you're being trained to be in the Games. Not like you can't open up and say how you feel, you just feel weak and incapable if you do.
I walked towards the Gym of the Training Academy Malakai and I call our home. When children are born in District two their parents have the choice to send them to the Training Academy when they turn four, or in special cases—like Malakai and myself—from birth. I was an orphan at birth, but instead of my teenage mother putting me in an orphanage where I would have grown up weak and spineless like the rest of the orphans in district two, she made the only decision she has ever made on my half and put me in the Training Academy.
I don't know who she is, but I know when I enter the Games and she watches me on the big screen winning, and gaining the supreme pleasure of being one of the most respected people—not only in district two—but in all the districts, she'll be proud. Even though she abandoned me at birth I must give her credit, she made my life what it is today, and I will always thank her for that. I also have this strange want to make her proud, and maybe when I win, she'll find me and I'll finally be able to see my mother.
I was interrupted from my reverie when I heard yelling coming from the gym. I knew who both those voices came from. I sneak up close to the two double doors to the gym and eavesdrop on the argument.
"You spineless worm, Stand up and fight back!" I knew that voice. It was Kaius, and he was obviously not pleased with whomever he was training.
"I can't…" That was Brindon, the district two boy that was suppose to volunteer with me for the Games. He sounded shattered, and broken. What did Kaius do to him?
"You don't belong in the Games! You're a disgrace to district two! You are a disgrace to your family!" I could tell Kaius was getting heated; his voice kept rising with every breath he took. I rolled my eyes. If this Brindon kid doesn't die from Kaius's hands, he'll die from mine for leaving Kaius so angry before my scheduled training session.
"Get out of my gym you pathetic maggot! You will receive your punishment later!" Kaius said. I could hear Brindon whimper as he stood. I paid attention to the rhythm of his footsteps as he made his way to the only Gym entrance/exit door. I swung the door open just as he was about to open it himself and it hit him square in the face, causing him to fall down with a grunt of pain. I smiled and leaned over him, anger filling the contours of my face. "Just because you're from district two doesn't mean you're on my good side, you better watch your back when you enter that arena" I said leaning into him and whispering in his ear "because my blade is going to be sticking out of it" I smirked and flicked the crooked arch of his broken nose. When he winced in pain I smiled from the pleasure of it and stepped over him, walking towards the sweating, and angry body of my mentor.
He looked me up and down with a smirk on his face. The way he looked at me was unlike the way he looked at any of the other trainees. He looked at me like I was a prize he just won. It made me uneasy and very pissed. I wish I could slice the look off his face with one flick of my wrist.
I stepped inside the ring and began to stretch. I knew he was going to be hard on me—just like he was with Brindon—but that's the difference between him and me. I won't let Kaius step all over me, just like Brindon would.
"So Morella, you get a good night sleep?" Kaius asked adjusting his fighting gloves; I just shrugged, no matter what I had to say he wasn't going to change what was going to happen in the next hour.
He laughed and ducked down into a fighting crouch, I mimicked his moves. We looked like two crouching tigers ready to hunt down its prey. We circled each other, both not daring to blink; knowing in that one second where your eyes go black you can end up on the floor with a broken nose and busted lip.
It seemed like hours went by, both of us not daring to make the first move, knowing the other will be prepared for that and get the first hit in. It's like a prize for district two tributes to gain the advantage when they go after their prey, it's like you can hear the audience cheering you on as you slaughter your victims.
I was interrupted from my train of thought by Kaius lunging towards me. I dodged him quickly and that's when I knew the fight has officially started. He regained his composure within seconds and he threw in a punch to my nose that I dodged quickly. counteracting his attack—stretching out my hand like it was one of my blades—and piercing the back of his neck, where his shoulder meets and paralyzing him for a few seconds. I did a backwards flip so I was the farthest away from him I can get and crouched down again, waiting for his seconds attack.
He laughed as he stood up, stretching out his neck so he can regain some control—most likely it's still numb—and he looked at me, crouching down as well.
"I've changed my mind" He said, as we circled each other once more. "Oh yeah? What about?" I asked, not really paying much attention to the words coming out of his mouth. Kaius has been known to use communication as a key of distraction. This is also how he won his Games, because his brute strength and excellent weapon skills weren't good enough.
"I'm not sending Brindon in for the Games this year" he said a slight smile on his face. I knew this should mean something to me, but who cares? If Brindon won't be in this years' Hunger Games then someone else will and I will kill them as instantly as I was going to kill Brindon. I thought I should amuse Kaius anyway; I don't really feel like pissing him off today. "So who are you planning on sending instead?" I asked, eyeing the way he takes his steps, so easily, like he knows exactly where to step, exactly where to go seconds before I even do. He's so incredibly built as well. I think it should be illegal to be as built as he is. I know Malakai can take him out with a single punch; he's just as big as he is, and he's faster and knows exactly what he's doing.
Just then he stands up straight, and looks me straight in the eyes. You can see his shoulder length black hair falling down in glorious waves, again with the perfection. I think it's down right wrong to have a guy have better looking hair then a girl. It's just really unnatural and a little too feminine. He clears his throat, obviously uncomfortable with the sudden topic. That's when I decide to pay attention to him. Kaius doesn't get uncomfortable, with anything. What was he planning on telling me?
I straighten my back, looking at his face, trying to figure out the emotion behind it. But like always all I see is boredom. Kaius has always been the one to mask he's emotions through the way sets his face. "I'm sending Malakai in."
My heart stopped. He's sending my lover in the Games that I'm supposed to be in as well. Is this amusement to him! To sit and watch two lovers fight to the death? He doesn't belong in district two he belongs in the Capitol, where the perky, annoying, people who dress from the colors of the rainbow have their fun. Who started the Games in the first place!
I back away from him shaking my head in confusion. I could see the smile on his lips without even looking at him. "Please don't do this" I said, stooping down to begging, but I don't care. I just want Malakai away from the Games this year. "Anyone but Malakai" I said my voice cracking a little. Damnit! I hated looking this weak; I hated giving him that satisfaction.
"What about me?" I turned around to see Malakai walking towards the ring. He was wearing a tight black shirt that showed off his obvious muscles and dark blue jeans with his hunting boots. His extreme curly brunette hair was cut short, just enough to run my fingers through.
My breathing grew rapid, I knew I was hyperventilating and I knew if I didn't get it under control soon I was going to have an asthma attack and I refuse to give Kaius that satisfaction.
Malakai immediately noticed my panic and started making his way towards me with concern written all over his face. I shook my head and ran, making a dive—feet first—under the ropes of the ring and ran to the only doors in the Gym. I could hear Malakai and Kaius having a heated discussion but I refused to pay any attention as I slammed into the door and ran down the hall. There were only two places in the Academy I could go to calm down. My lovers' bedroom and where they hold target practice, outside.
I ran out the back double doors of the East wing and walked up the narrow path that leads into the back woods where different targets are set up for students who think they need a little help in free throwing. When I got there, four students—all younger than me by at least four years—were using the targets, throwing various weapons—blades, throwing stars, axes, swords—at the different targets. I cleared my throat and they all stopped what they were doing, looking at me frozen in fear.
Everyone here knew not to mess with me. They knew I didn't care about the punishment, if they tried anything with me I wouldn't hesitate to kill them where they stood; most of the time Malakai tried to keep me in check. I was stubborn and impatient and everyone knew it. I killed a girl for thinking she can beat me in free throwing. One thing you don't try and compete with are me and my blades. After beating her effortlessly, I grabbed a sharp, curved blade—one of my favorites—and sliced her throat open with one clean swipe.
Needless to say I spent the next two weeks locked in the basement cell, with minimal food and water. Only getting out of my cell twice a day to get lashed twenty times and put back in to bleed and endure countless nights of pain. I guess I deserved it. Malakai was none to pleased with me. He could only visit me once a day and that was usually after my second lashing so he can put disinfectant on my wounds so they wouldn't get infected.
This was special treatment for the cells. When you get punished to spend weeks in the cells you're suppose to only be allowed one visitor a week, not counting your mentor. Yet, even though Malakai and I have this burning hatred for Kaius, and he for us, we are his favorites. We are his shining stars, the best he has, and he pushes us over the edge just because of that reason. He was the one who pushed Malakai into visiting me everyday; he was the one who brought down my eighty lashings a day to forty. Even though I hate him—now more than ever—I must admire all he has done for me. Even though right now he's doing the worst possible thing ever, taking away the one thing that keeps me sane in this world.
"Leave now" I said nodding behind me to the path I just came from. They all nodded and dropped the weapon they were working with and left me be. I went over to the blades and picked my favorites, testing their serration before letting out all the stress I had towards Kaius for putting Malakai in my Games, towards Malakai for having so much effect on me, towards the Games for destroying me before even playing. I threw a sharp curved blade at my destination, letting it skin the tree of its bark. Let the Games begin.