If you have time check out the new one shot I'm going to put up as soon as I read through it once more. This chapter actually reminded me to get it done since they share a common theme. You'll see what I mean. Enjoy!
~Tori~
The crowd all stopped talking to hear what the announcer was going to say. I felt Jade tense in anticipation next to me. Her tendency to get into trouble on purpose just for the thrill of it irritated me sometimes. It was just like that time we had been thrown in a Yerbanian prison full of vampires and wolves who had done worse things than hitting the Chancellor in the eye with a shoe malfunction or murdering his octopus. I almost revealed what I was to my friends a few times due to threats against Jade. Namely in the form of Sheba, a very big and strong female wolf, though she didn't look it, who I somewhat befriended. I was worried for my friends too but my Bond mate always came first. Jade had practically fried my nerves with her suicidal way of angering the inmates; especially Sheba. I shook my head at the memory and trained my eyes on the announcer.
"Anyone participating in the race through the forest, line up right here," he called, gesturing to two boulders spaced apart from each other like a crude form of a starting line. Jade grinned confidently and squeezed my hand before making her way through the crowd. I sighed and watched on in reserved worry. I knew Jade was capable of taking care of herself but I couldn't help it. I saw Mason trade glares with her as he pushed people out of the way to stand by her. I was really beginning to dislike him. There was just something that set me off since I met him but I couldn't place it.
"Ok contestants, no foul play that results in severe injury. Let's keep this challenging but relatively safe. The last thing I need is the Council snooping," he reminded everyone. I could practically feel eyes glance at me once in a while and I ducked my head a little. Being the daughter of the leader had its pros and cons. Right now I wished I wasn't so noticeable.
"On my mark. Ready…set…go!" the announcer yelled, swinging his arm down and sending the racers shooting forward. Mason moved to shove Jade but she darted out of his attempt and gained the upper hand. The trees had been marked with red X's to show the way. The racers passed the most visible one and then disappeared deep into the surrounding foliage. I nervously wrung my hands, the habit I always fell into when I felt at all on edge. I scuffed my feet in the grass under me before turning away with the rest of the dissipating spectators. They each took a place in the other challenges offered but I wandered over to a wide flat rock to sit and wait for the racers to get back. I heard things like this could take a long time depending on what happened out there. I didn't know about the others but I knew Jade could play dirty if she wanted to so I had faith she would be fine.
"She'll be ok," a familiar voice spoke near me, reaffirming my thoughts. I looked up to see Nathan smiling down at me.
"I know she will. Where's Emily?" I inquired suspiciously. I had a feeling I knew where but it still made me groan when he answered.
"She's racing of course. That girl has a serious competitive streak. By the way she butted heads with Jade tells me she's just as competitive," he commented. I nodded and ran a hand through my hair.
"Yeah, that's Jade. She isn't happy until she's proven a point, whether it gets her killed or not," I replied sadly. He chuckled and took a seat in the grass next to the rock I perched on.
"Want to pass the time with a quick game of black jack? No money so I won't clean you out," he promised with a playful smile. I glanced at him curiously, wondering how such a an easy going guy was with someone as abrasive as Emily. I guess anyone would say the same about me and Jade, but our Bond was the simple answer. No matter how different we were we were meant to be.
"Sure, I'm already broke so no worries there," I responded with a laugh. He smiled and got to his feet.
"I would think you get money, and anything else really, from your father," he admitted. I shook my head as I got to my feet.
"I don't ask for much. I'm content with simple things," I told him. He stuck his hand in his pockets and nodded.
"Sure, sure," he replied easily, leading me over to a group of tables. We took a seat with another vampire. The dealer was a half-breed wolf with a serious expression. He dealt the cards and I couldn't help but remember the significance of them to me. A few rounds of black jack later and I was happily joking with Nathan and the other vampire who joined in. She was a brunette half-breed with a brand of humor I enjoyed. She wore cargo pants and layered tank tops with her long dark brown hair pulled back in a pony tail, her long bangs escaping to frame her face. Her ears were pierced, the right adorned with two rings higher up on her ear. She had deep green eyes and a British accent. Her name was Lara, and Nathan seemed to really hit it off with her.
I was just about to comment on a joke she told us and then set down my hand to announce I won when a giant cracking sound broke through the din of the surrounding conversations. It sounded like a tree snapping in half, and by the way the forest seemed to move around us, it was. Everyone looked up to see Jade darting past the last tree on the path and skidding between the rocks that signaled she had made it back to the finish line first. Mason barreled through next, heaving and furious. He ran right for Jade, halfway through his transformation. I tensed instantly and growled, throwing back my seat to rush over. Jade hissed at Mason who advanced on all fours. I was almost there when the rest of the racers came in, skidding to a halt to watch the spectacle.
"Let's get right to the fight, shall we?" Mason snarled, grabbing at Jade. She scrambled away but Mason burst into his full wolf form and bounded in front of her. He slammed a claw into her side, throwing her backwards on the ground. Her shirt tore and blood ran but she healed quickly. I tried pushing through the crowd that gathered and cheered. A hand pulled me back and I spun around to yell at the person keeping me from my mate when I realized it was Lara.
"You can't intervene. I've been hanging around here long enough to know. Once a challenge is accepted and begins there is no help unless the fight began with two on two," she warned. Her understanding green gaze pleaded with me and made me wonder what someone like her was doing hanging around these savages too. I sighed but nodded reluctantly, looking back to see Jade had a hold of Mason around the neck. She wrestled him to the ground but he rolled over on his back, upsetting her footing. He then flung her around so that he pinned her to the ground. His jaws clamped on her shoulder and she cried out in pain. She was struggling to get out of his tight grip on her, the crowd cheering them on while I was going to die of a heart attack. Jade was smart though, as I always knew she was. She was also not above playing dirty, I reminded myself once again. Her hands clawed at the grass until dirt was upheaved.
She grabbed a fist full and tossed it into Mason's eyes. He reared back with a howl and a shake of his head. She quickly got to her feet and jumped at him, the force of her tackle slammed him into the ground hard. Her teeth went for his neck, white ivory glistening, when another wolf joined the fray. It was a female. She snatched Jade by the neck and tossed her aside. Jade hit the ground at an angle and rolled, coming to a halt on her back. The female wolf licked at Mason's muzzle. Even though Jade only managed to cut him across the chest in the scuffle, she treated him like he was gravely injured. I scented the air to realize they were Bonded. I looked over at Jade who was picking herself up. I darted over to her, pulling away from Lara. The battle was already interrupted so I had no qualms about stepping in. I held Jade by her upper arms as soon as I was close enough.
"Geez Jade, don't do that! No more fighting! I can't stand by and watch you get hurt!" I yelled at her. She smirked lazily and dusted off her clothes.
"I'm fine pup. No worries," she replied. I took one look at her blood spattered clothes and shook my head. Jade only smiled but it was replaced with a hard edged glare when her eyes landed on something over my shoulder. I turned and shielded Jade, confronting the female wolf who stopped the fight. She had long blonde, almost platinum, hair, angular face, and piercing cold winter blue eyes. A snarl twisted her fair features. Mason stood behind her, shoulders squared. As soon as the fighting had stopped the crowd watched on in silence.
"I won't have my mate fight like this," she spat. I tensed at her tone. She made it seem like it was Jade's fault.
"Mason challenged her! If anything he asked for it, and I don't like my mate fighting either for your information!" I retorted. She just sneered and turned away, returning to Mason's side.
"We still have a game of black jack to attend to," Mason panted heavily.
"Fuck off Mason. You're a poor sport and I'm not going to waste my time on you," Jade snarled. His Bond mate stiffened before pushing Mason back who was trying to get at Jade.
"Sabine, let me go! That fucking vampire deserves this!" he shouted. However, Sabine shook her head and stroked his hair back, giving him a pleading look. He grunted and shot daggers at Jade before giving in.
"This isn't over newborn. You better watch your back," he threatened ominously.
"Enough Mason," Sabine scolded. Jade snickered and draped an arm over my shoulder at the exchange between Mason and Sabine. Sabine gave him a look that clearly meant she really did have enough. Then the two walked away, taking wolf form, and bounding into the forest. I watched the big burly dark brown wolf and the slim white wolf disappear before turning to Jade and smacking her arm.
"Fucking shit Vega, let it go. You knew I would be fighting him," she said, turning away to rest against a tree with a sigh. The crowd began to part, two vampires deciding to duke it out so that the attention was on them.
"Yes, but…he could have really hurt you and I was scared," I told her truthfully. Jade smiled softly and pulled me closer so that she could hug me.
"I'm fine," she assured me. I nodded and let her go just as Nathan, Emily, and Lara walked over.
"You owe me a fight too newborn," Emily commented with crossed arms. Jade gently removed me as I took a step between them.
"Excuse me, but what place did you come in?" Jade taunted scathingly. Emily was instantly provoked. Lara tugged on Nathan's hand when he tried to reason with the livid vampire but it was no use. He saw this and sighed, turning away to follow Lara back to the card tables. Emily spared him a quick glance, frowned, but didn't seem to care otherwise. Her attention was back on Jade.
"Dismiss your dog and let's get this over with," Emily challenged. Jade bared her teeth, angered at the slander towards me.
"Watch it," she warned. Emily only cocked a brow and raised her hands in a come forward gesture. Jade pushed me further aside and launched at her, the two hitting the ground. They each got a swipe at the other's face before they fell into wrestling each other for the upper hand. Their claws raked over skin as they struggled, Jade bit into Emily's arm when she had almost pinned Jade down. She lashed out at Jade's eyes in retaliation but Jade evaded the blow. Emily took advantage of the slight vulnerability to tear into Jade's side. Her fingers hit bone, using it as leverage to drag Jade off her feet. She hit the ground hard, flinching. Emily straddled her and proceeded to tear at Jade further when I darted forward with a growl. I skid to a halt when Jade suddenly speared Emily under her jaw with her fingers and gripped her jaw bone like a handle, her fingers showing in her mouth. Emily's eyes widened in shock before Jade threw her off. She crouched down on one knee, still holding onto the other vampire.
"If you don't admit defeat I'll tear your fucking jaw off!" she threatened fiercely. Emily's gaze hardened but even she knew when it was over. She nodded and Jade retreated. She held a hand to her side where the huge gash that tore her open was slow to heal. Even if the fight with Mason was stopped, he still got in a few hits on her. In a way, she really did beat Emily while injured from the other fight. I was proud but completely done with this whole place. I regretted bringing her here now. Nathan and Lara ran over at that moment. Nathan tried helping Emily but she refused, shouting and pushing him away. She stalked off, leaving Nathan to mope. Lara sighed with a shake of her head and patted his back.
"I think we should get going. I'll accompany you home if you want," she offered. He smiled sadly but nodded.
"Thanks," he replied. I propped Jade up against my own body and began the slow process of walking.
"We so have to do this again," she told me with a playful but bloody smile.
"You're crazy," I responded, shaking my head in disbelief. She laughed heartily but nodded.
"This was better than the Gorilla Club any day, and you know how much I liked spending my time there," she pointed out.
"Yeah, how about we go back there instead?" I suggested, but Jade disagreed.
"That place is boring now. It isn't so death defying as here," she replied. I could hear the teasing in her tone and rolled my eyes. Lara glanced at me and Jade before jogging over to catch up.
"Hey, just wanted to exchange numbers. We should keep in touch," Lara asked us, a shy but hopeful smile on her face. I returned the smile warmly and nodded.
"Sure," I agreed. Her smile brightened before she pulled out her phone and I told her both my number and Jade's who frowned at my side.
"Who said I wanted her to have our number?" she demanded, her soft gaze on me betraying her angry expression. Lara however was not versed in Jade's way of speaking and instantly became uncertain.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" she rushed to apologize but Jade cut her off with a laugh.
"Don't worry, I'm just fucking with you. It would be nice to have another vampire around who isn't planning something devious," she amended. Lara relaxed but then turned curious.
"Planning?" she wondered.
"It's nothing. Listen, take care of Nathan, yeah? You guys really hit it off," Jade told her, a suggestive grin directed at the suddenly shy half-breed. Nathan was busy looking around for Emily and just returned to Lara's side when he heard this. If vampires could blush he would be. Jade let go of me and leaned on Lara, two hands braced on her right shoulder so she could whisper dramatically.
"We all know she doesn't deserve him and treats him unfairly. Plus, they aren't Bonded. He's all yours," she teased, patting her back. Lara looked from Jade to Nathan and back again with wide embarrassed eyes. Jade just laughed and pushed her closer to Nathan.
"Let me know if you two want to hang out again. You can give Nathan our numbers," Jade told her with a smile before taking my hand.
"Ok, see you two later," Lara responded softly with a nod.
"See ya," Nathan said, waving to us.
"Bye," I replied. I turned away and Jade followed, but I didn't miss when Lara slowly took Nathan's hand in her own. He looked at her with a happy grin and she looked away but had a smile too. I hoped those two worked out. They were so cute together. We walked at a slow pace back towards town.
"Would you look at that. Jade West helping someone," I pointed out, swinging our arms between us. Jade snatched her hand back and crossed her arms.
"I was not. I was trying to make her look like an idiot and embarrass them both," she denied.
"No, you actually got along with Lara and wanted to help her out," I said with certainty. Jade only groaned and shoved my shoulder.
"So, are we going to the lake?" she asked hopefully. I could practically hear the suggestive undertones and my smile widened.
"Yeah, if you still feel up for it," I told her, my eyes studying her slightly labored stride. Jade's arm snaked around my waist and pulled me closer.
"I'm up for it all right," she mumbled, leaning in close and pressing a kiss to my jaw. I melted against her and she laughed. We continued to make our way out into town, keeping close to the outskirts, and then back into the forest closer to the lake. I couldn't wait to spend some quality time with my Bond mate.
Nathan and Lara are based off two of my favorite adventure game characters. Can you guess who they are? I think it's pretty obvious...