JESSICA
What the hell?
Hlook around again. Neat me is an empty field with lots of flowers. Pretty white flowers. Moonlight pools over the clearing, making the damn flower glow like they’re mocking me.
“Move it, Jess” Riot said, pushing me to move. “You think your enemies will wait while you admire the scenery?”
I hate his condescending tone,
“This place is–”
“Perfect,” he cuts me off, dropping a heavy bag that thuds against the dirt. “Isolated. No witnesses.”
The bag unzips with a violent scrape. Metal glints in the moonlight–knives, I realize. My stomach twists.
“I didn’t sign up for this,” I mutter, but my feet stay rooted. “I don’t know how to use weapons.”
“And I didn’t sign up to babysit Grayson’s latest fuck–up,” Riot spits, pulling out a wicked–looking blade and testing its edge with his thumb. Blood beads instantly. He licks it off without flinching. “But here we are.”
He’s stripping off his jacket while talking, revealing arms covered in scars–some fresh, some old.
“You got two choices,” he says, tossing a knife at my feet while simultaneously lighting a cigarette. “Learn to fight or learn to run faster than bullets.”
W–What?
My eyes widened, watching as he drops his smoke, grinds it under his boot, and disappears into the darkness.
Just… gone.
I spin around, searching the shadows. The knife glints at my feet. I bend to grab it when a hand suddenly clamps over my mouth from behind. Another twists my arm up between my shoulder blades. Pain shoots through my joints.
“Dead,” Riot whispers against my ear, his stubble scraping my skin. “And I wasn’t even trying hard.”
He shoves me forward. I stumble, catching myself before I face–plant into the dirt. When I turn, he’s on me again swinging the knife.
“First lesson,” he says without looking up. “Never bend down for a weapon when there’s a threat nearby. Makes you vulnerable.”
“You could have just told me that,” I spit out, rubbing my shoulder. It fucking hurts. ” That’s cheating!”
He lunges suddenly–I yelp and dive sideways. Too slow. His boot catches my ankle and I crash down hard, dirt smearing my palms.
“Moon goddess!” I roll to my back just as he drops his knee onto my chest, knife pressed against my throat.
“Dead again,” he whispers, face inches from mine./’It’s not cheating if you’re this weak, Jess!”
His weight crushes my lungs, but rage burns hotter than pain. I twist my hips violently, catching him off–guard and bucking upward.
“Get. OFF!” I snarl, slamming my forehead into his nose.
Blood splatters. Riot jerks back just enough–I wedge my knee between us and kick hard into his stomach. He stumbles backward, knife still clutched in his hand, a surprised laugh escaping his bloody lips.
1/3
Chapter 70
“There she is,” he says, wiping crimson from his face with the back of his hand. “Was wondering when you’d app playing victime
I scramble to my feet, dirt clinging to my sweat slicked skin, “You’re an asshole
“And you’re still alive. Congratulations.” He circles me like a predator, flipping the knife casually while keeping those cold eyes locked on mire Ha don’t last this long.”
“What does that-”
He lunges again. This time I’m ready–I drop low, pivoting on my heel as his blade whispers past my ear. My elbow connects with his ribs. Not hard enough. His hand tangles in my hair, yanking my head back.
“Better,” he murmurs, breath hot against my neck. “But still dead.”
I stomp hard on his instep, twisting away from his grip even as strands of hair tear from my scalp.
“Fuck you,” I growl, backing away, fists raised. My heart hammers against my chest, but something wild is awakening inside me.
Riot grins through bloody teeth. “Maybe after training. If you survive.”
www
“You wish,” I spit, feinting left before diving right, watching his movements more carefully now.
His eyes track me, calculating, but there’s something else there – amusement? He’s enjoying this. The bastard.
I grab a handful of dirt and fling it at his face. He blinks reflexively – just enough time for me to lunge for the knife I spotted by the bag.
“Getting creative,” he calls out, already moving toward me. “I like it.”
I slash wildly, missing by inches as he dodges effortlessly.
“Stop moving!” I hiss through clenched teeth.
“Sure,” he laughs, “I’ll make it easier for you to kill me. Brilliant strategy.”
He’s on me in seconds, sweeping my legs. I crash down hard, the knife flying from my grip. Before I can react, he’s flipped me onto my stomach, knee in my back, yanking my head up by my hair.
“Pathetic,” he growls, cold metal pressing against my throat.
I squirm beneath him, trying to throw his weight off, but he digs the knife deeper. A sharp sting makes me freeze as warm liquid trickles down my neck.
“Blood looks good on you,” Riot murmurs, his voice a dangerous purr. “Keep still or there’ll be more.”
My chest heaves against the dirt, panic making everything sharper. “You’re insane.”
“No, I’m realistic.”
Suddenly, he flips me over, straddling my waist, knife how pressed under my jaw. His face hovers inches from mine, eyes fixed on the blood.
“You rely on others too much,” he says, eyes scanning my face. ” Pierce. Grayson. Do you think they will protect you?”
I thrash beneath him, trying to buck him off. “Get off me!”
I force myself to stop struggling, to think through the panic clouding my brain. However, this is always my problem. I always think fight. I had so much sympathy and while that is good when it comes to fight, that is a death sentence.
You cannot afford to hesitate.
Kindness gets you killed.
2/3
nanic during the
Chapter 70
Basically, in order to be a good warfler, you have to be an animal first and I think I’ve been refutine that it so long now that aby b bottom. However, gone is the Jess who showers kindness to anyone.
She’s fucking dead. I already killed her.
Comment
Send gift
い
