Winning the Legend by B. Kristin McMichael
“Sixteen pages?” Arianna asked as he shut the book.
“Not much explaining needed,” Andrew replied. “It’s basically going through the steps of making someone into a night human that’s already night human. I’m surprised more people don’t bind by accident.”
Arianna still didn’t know exactly how to make a night human, but then again it didn’t matter as she never planned to do so. She looked up expectantly at Andrew for more of an explanation.
“And that is?” she asked when he didn’t explain.
“I feed you some of my blood, and then drink your blood. And then you do the same. It has to happen quickly, in a matter of minutes. Something about our blood mixing in each of us at the same time. The process that makes night humans can equally bind someone if both people do it,” Andrew explained, still waiting for her to go running and screaming from him.
Arianna smiled. “Sounds easy enough. Ready to be caught by me forever?” Arianna took his hand and nicked his finger with her now sharp, night human teeth. After taking some blood, she turned her head to expose her neck. Andrew just stared at her. He didn’t think his dreams would ever become a reality. He’d never fed on an awake person before, and now he could. While he had wishful thoughts, it was never in his plans to actually have Arianna bound to him forever. The road to get there had been rough, and Andrew was in awe of his life taking turn after turn toward what he had always dreamed of.
“Second thoughts?” Arianna asked, turning back to him, where he sat and stared at her with a goofy grin on his face.
“Never,” he replied, moving in to finally bite her.
Chapter 26
The next day, Arianna stood by, watching the matches. Two fights were done, and there were three more to go to finish this ridiculous competition for her hand in marriage. As it currently stood, with two people forfeiting to Arianna, she was tied with Rhys for first place with two wins each. Devin and Turner each had a win, leaving both Loan and Nik with none. It angered Nik, but Loan didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was taking it all quite nicely even though his retainer yelled at him. Today would be two fights and tomorrow would be the final match, and any tie-breaker matches that were necessary, in front of a crowd.
Each day, more people gathered outside the estate. There hadn’t been a high-level tournament for decades, and everyone was anxious to see how it turned out, even the people whose Lords were no longer competing. Daily, Nessa had been secretly leaving the estate to find the people who supported Arianna. When the final match came, there would be no easy winner. Nessa had informed them all at the start of the tournament that no matter the outcome, Rhys planned to leave the estate with Arianna. Nessa returned, and Rhys didn’t even notice the difference. She had been lying to him for so many years, nothing changed for them. Nessa slipped behind her brother as they waited for everything to begin.
“Miss Arianna,” Serge called from his seat at the side of the ring. “Your choice.”
Arianna stood and walked over to the cards. Only three choices and only one she wished to actually draw. Arianna took the card and smiled as she handed it back. She grinned over at Turner and wiggled her finger at him as she took her mark, and Serge looked at the card.
“Mr. Winter,” Serge announced.
Turner grinned as he entered the ring. Energy poured off of Arianna, and she was in a good mood. Part of him wanted to get a good sparring match in, but he knew better than to even try. Devin would kill him if he didn’t bow out now. Turner nodded his head, and dipped to his knee.
“Match to Arianna,” he announced. Arianna pouted at Turner and jogged back across the ring. She ran her hand through his hair as she ran by.
The binding had been successful, and she wanted to try it out. Having both Andrew’s reflexes and her power was exhilarating. It coursed through her veins. Andrew’s strategies were playing through her mind, and she’d already had a plan of how to defeat Turner even though she knew he wasn’t going to fight her. The best part of it all, though, was the constant connection to Andrew, which made life easier. She no longer had to keep track of him while watching things around her. It was like his presence was an appendage of herself. Nessa was correct again. Binding to Andrew was the smartest thing she could have done. It instantly made Arianna able to beat anyone there.
“Mr. Durand,” Serge called the next competitor. Serge was already ready for Loan as he knew, along with everyone else, that Turner would not fight Arianna.
Loan took a card and didn’t even look at it before going over to his mark. He was still healing from his match the day before, and knew now that Arianna’s blood was the only thing that had kept him alive. She’d already seen that he would lose the match and would need the power upgrade to just survive. Loan winced as he turned slightly to catch Rhys in his peripheral vision. Rhys was smiling at the pain it took to move. Loan’s retainer likewise saw the pain, and immediately stepped up before the competitor’s name was called.
“Loan will be out the remainder of the tournament,” his retainer announced.
Loan looked back at the older man. He had been yelling at him for the past hour about how he had disgraced his clan by not doing better against Rhys, and now he was pulling him out. Serge looked up to the retainer standing in front of him and nodded. Anyone there could see that Loan, while being able to walk and move, was still severely injured.
“Match to Mr. Katsulas,” Serge announced. Nik had gotten his win, but he was obviously not happy about it.
Loan nodded to Arianna as his retainer handed him another capsule of her blood, and they made the slow trek back to the manor. If she gave him any more blood, she risked changing him like she did everyone else, but she also knew that Loan didn’t deserve the beating he got from Rhys.
‘Thank you,’ he said mentally to Arianna.
‘Heal,’ Arianna replied. ‘I don’t need the death of a future clan leader on my hands.’ Loan smiled slightly and bowed his head to Arianna as he passed.
‘My life is yours to command,’ Loan declared before walking away.
Arianna huffed at his reply. She didn’t want his life to command. Why couldn’t any of the men around her see that? She didn’t want to command anyone. She wanted to live in the world she thought she’d lived in before. She wanted to go back and be naïve. She wanted to think that everyone was equal and could be anything they wanted to be. She really wanted to be free.
Andrew’s hand rubbed down her back, bringing her out of her funk. He was as discreet as he needed to be, but she was thinking too much to notice.
‘You don’t have to command anyone,’ Andrew explained, pulling his hand back as Rhys glared across the way at them.
‘That’s what you’re all expecting isn’t it?’ Arianna replied, as Serge nodded to both Devin and Rhys who were standing to enter the ring. This was the match Arianna didn’t want to watch. Rhys was ruthless and hated Devin with a passion, and Devin was just recently healed.
‘Everyone is looking for a leader. You’re already that. Loan appreciated that you would be willing to heal him even if he wasn’t one of your own clansmen. That’s a very rare trait in the night human world,’ Andrew explained. She was an oddity to this world in so many ways.
Andrew watched Devin move. Devin reached in his pocket and took a strip of paper from a small matchbook-sized container. Everyone around assumed it was gum, as that was what it looked like. Devin was serious. He took a second strip and placed it in his mouth beside the first. The smell of his blood changing caught her attention, along with Turner who was the only other one that could smell it. Arianna raised her eyebrow as she sensed what was on the second blood strip Devin took. How did Nessa convince Devin to use her blood, too? Arianna searched Devin’s face for a clue, but found nothing. Either Nessa convinced him, or Nessa just added her blood to the strip. Arianna couldn’t be certain.
‘Rare trait?’ Arianna asked Andrew while reaching forward to mentally check Devin before the fight started. His internal injuries
“Be careful,” she said quietly to Devin. Devin nodded and stepped into the ring and waited for Rhys.
‘Compassion,’ Andrew replied, focusing on the match before them. Arianna couldn’t respond as the match had started.
Devin moved in a wide arc to avoid Rhys, even though it wasn’t needed now. With Nessa’s blood within him, he saw beyond the tricks Rhys would play. Avoiding Rhys was a strategic way to avoid any curse he was planning to use. Rhys was already transformed into the elegant sidhe king he really was. His blond hair was now longer and flowed behind him, moving as if there was a breeze blowing just for him. Vines grew from nothing and wrapped around his arms to form a protective thorn-laced shield over his arms and long claws from the vines that settled over his hands. His facial features were more beautiful than humanly possible, but it was his eyes that caught Arianna’s attention. His murky brown eyes were brimming with hatred as he stared at Devin. Rhys was one of the most impressive night humans Arianna had ever met, and no one would want to find themselves on the other side of the battle with him. She shivered a bit at the sight before her, knowing that she would have to fight him either later in the afternoon, or the next day.
Andrew instantly took away her anxiety without even touching her. That was another of the benefits from their connection. Arianna relaxed, but still worried for Devin. He was good, in fact probably the best fighter she had ever seen, but was he good enough? Could he face Rhys and come back unharmed?
Devin waited on his mark as Serge told the match to begin. Devin wouldn’t make the first move. Nessa had explained to Devin earlier that Rhys always set a trap for the first attack. It was his tried and true strategy. Rhys smiled and waited, taunting Devin with his vine claws. Devin remained where he was. Nothing Rhys did would make him move. Devin was a very patient man. Even most older night humans had not lived through as many battles as Devin had in his nineteen short years.
“Getting a bit scared now?” Rhys asked, flexing the vines at his fingertips in a gruesome fashion. “Wondering if you hit me, will the pain be returned to you?” Rhys called out, but Devin stayed far enough away from the vines that stretched out in front of Rhys. “Ahh, I get it. The Randolph pup only fights those he knows he can beat. That’s why you didn’t fight Arianna. You couldn’t beat her. Then again, from what I can see, you couldn’t win her over either as she chose the baku over you.”
Devin didn’t move. Rhys’ taunting did nothing for him. Rhys took a step out of the protective circle he had cast on his walk to his spot. The edges of the magic were visible. He knew exactly where he could and couldn’t fight Rhys. He quickly formulated plans. Nessa’s blood was all the help Devin needed.
‘He needs both feet outside the circle to be exposed,’ Nessa explained to Devin while Arianna listened in. ‘Don’t attack until he is completely out.’
Devin waited while Rhys tried to taunt him more. Yet Devin remained the emotional steel wall he always was. Rhys hadn’t expected Devin could be so closed up, as he tried more to jeer Devin into action. Rhys glanced over to Arianna, and discovered Andrew had his hand on her arm again. Distracted, the sidhe king stepped out of the circle, and didn’t notice that Devin instantly was upon him, making his move. Two direct hits to his head and stomach snapped Rhys back into action and to the battle at hand. The fight had officially started.
Devin struck first, but Rhys returned hit for hit. For at least two minutes, Rhys and Devin evenly exchanged blows. And it became obvious that they were evenly matched. For every hit Rhys landed, Devin got another in. Rhys directed the fight back to his protection circle, and Devin flew back instantly to his original spot across the way. Rhys smiled, realizing that Devin knew what he was doing.
“Interesting,” Rhys added to Devin. “You know a bit of sidhe magic. Maybe there are a few secrets you’re not telling your lady love back there. Oh wait, she isn’t your lady any more, is she?” Rhys laughed, but it was Devin’s smile that stopped him.
“And she isn’t yours, either.” Devin nodded back to Arianna and Andrew. Andrew already knew his touch drew Rhys’ concentration from the match, and with Devin staring at him, he knew what to do.
Andrew slipped his arms around Arianna. She didn’t even notice because she was intently watching the match. Andrew’s touch was so natural after the binding. It wasn’t until she looked between the two stalled fighters that she realized they were both looking at her.
‘Andrew, you can’t. He’ll come after you next,’ Arianna quickly replied, but Andrew kept his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head. Men all around them growled, but it wasn’t for them. It was a show for Rhys specifically.
‘Now I can take him directly without any tricks,’ Andrew replied. ‘We’re stronger than him. We’re stronger than everyone. You don’t have to fear ever again. Together, we’re unstoppable.’ Arianna looked up at him as he spoke in her mind. Everything he was saying was true. She could feel it also. Strength. Together, they were unstoppable.
“Match to Mr. Alexander,” Serge called, interrupting Arianna and Andrew’s moment. Rhys was face down on the ground, not moving. His pulse still beat, but he was out. Nessa hurried over to her brother with fake concern.
‘Get out of here before he wakes,’ Nessa advised Devin, who nodded his answer to her. ‘I’ll keep him under until you’re back in Arianna’s room. Don’t leave her side now. He’s going to be irate.’
Andrew and Arianna both listened to her words. Andrew took Arianna’s hand and rubbed the back of it with his other hand as they stood with the other spectators, who were just as much in shock from the match as they were. Everyone’s focus was on Arianna and Andrew, and none had noticed how quickly Devin subdued Rhys.
‘Guess we best be going before the monster comes back to life,’ Andrew teased Arianna, trying to relieve her anxiety.
‘You heard that, too?’ Arianna asked, as they walked back fast. She just realized that Andrew heard Nessa talk. Their connection was complete. Andrew had Arianna’s abilities too.
‘We share everything now,’ Andrew replied. ‘All our abilities are the same, we are bound.’
Chapter 27
Arianna wasn’t happy to be going back to the matches later that evening. She was the last to arrive, and as she walked to her seat, all eyes were on her. Behind her, she could hear the thoughts as the men silently conversed. She didn’t need to listen in to know that they were all plotting, yet anxiously looking forward to her upcoming match. They were all waiting to see her skills, and she would not disappoint them. The two people she didn’t wish to fight were now her next two opponents, today and tomorrow. Since everyone else now had at least one loss, she didn’t have a choice. To win her own freedom, she needed to win all of her matches, and they wouldn’t be easy. Neither Rhys nor Nik would back down from a fight with her. They wanted her more than they wanted her safe.
Nessa was right that Rhys was mad. He was furious when he woke. Arianna could even feel it from her warded room. She was happy to find that Rhys didn’t take his anger out on Nessa, and had yet to find anything to incriminate her; otherwise she would already be hurt or dead. Arianna needed Nessa’s help a little longer.
Arianna didn’t want to wait. She didn’t sit still at all, instead choosing to pace around. The connection with Andrew and his experience would be helpful, but she still had to fight either Rhys or Nik today. Rhys radiated anger, and Arianna wasn’t sure if she could actually stand up to him at this point. Skill and power might not be enough against his desperation.
“Arianna,” Serge called, and knowing the drill, Arianna walked over to him and picked one of the two cards.
Andrew’s nervous energy bounced around. He still wasn’t completely happy that she was doing this on her own, but she was right. She needed to do this for herself. This was her fight. And if anything happened, he was going to step in and crush some heads. Arianna gave a small nod to him, but he still didn’t relax. The opponent
“Mr. Katsulas,” Serge called.
Nik stepped into the sparring field across from Arianna.
‘I begged him to bow to you, but he will not,’ Polo said mentally to Arianna. He was sincerely trying to save her from his brother and future lord. Arianna had won Polo over completely. Too bad that didn’t extend to Nik.
‘I never expected he would,’ Arianna replied.
Polo was worried for Arianna. Yet again in this strange world, she had turned an opponent into a friend. Polo already carried her in high regard for saving his life two months ago, now he held her even higher because of her care for his brother who didn’t deserve her pity. Nik had complained and sulked the entire time they had been there, and Nik wasn’t going to back down from fighting her now. Arianna should have let Nik get hurt worse during his match with Turner. It would have been more advantageous to her, but she didn’t. Arianna saved Nik.
Nik didn’t waste any time charging at Arianna and landing the first hit to her shoulder. He smiled at her shock, as he had done well. However, Arianna’s surprise was from finding that he actually hit with less force than Andrew. The shock wore off rapidly, and she was glad for her month of training with Andrew. She was ready when Nik made the next move. This time she slipped by him, placing her hand just right to knock him to the ground. Nik quickly bounced back up as Arianna moved away from his extending nails as he transformed. She turned herself into her baku-dearg-dul night human form and blocked out the gasps and sighs from the spectators at the sight of her. Female night humans were rare, but her power was what caught everyone’s attention. Nik didn’t even pause.