Lord of Destiny (The Dragon Demigods #6) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,79

anything to happen to him. I’m so nervous, my throat is dry.

“You can’t have her,” West snarls at Stephan. “Raven’s place is with me.”

I want to roll my eyes. West is being…I guess he’s being West. He really needs to let this go. Let us go. I wish he would. He thinks I haven’t forgiven him for cheating on me, and he’s so wrong. I have! The cheating was a byproduct of a bad relationship. I love West, but only as a friend. It’ll never be more. I’m not on the rebound. West and I have been over too long for that to be a possibility.

Hearing Stephan claim me publicly has only solidified that fact for me. I know it’s possible he only did it to try to help me, not because he actually wants to claim me, but I don’t care. I felt something when he said the words. Just as I felt something when I bit down into him. It felt right. We feel right. I’m hoping we can somehow get out of this. I want to tell him what he means to me before we are forced to hit the road yet again. Maybe one day… Maybe he’ll wait for me. It all sounds so dramatic, but there it is…my life! I push all of those thoughts aside because I’m getting too far ahead of myself. We need to get out of this first. My stomach is in knots.

“Looks like the two of you are interested in fighting again.” Tarek looks amused. “I think it’s a great idea. A fight to the death, and winner takes all.”

It’s a terrible idea. My heart is thrumming in my chest.

“You win,” he points at Stephan, “and you can take her when you leave. You lose, and she stays here with West.”

“That’s fucking bullshit, and you know it,” West snarls.

“Those are my terms,” Tarek says to West. “Things change. That’s one thing in life that you can count on…change. I’ve changed my mind about the girl. Either the two of you fight, or she will be mated off to someone else entirely.” He laughs. “I can’t believe Raven has so many parties interested.”

West’s face is bright red. He starts to say something and then holds back, clenching his jaw instead.

“I might be out of luck.” Lance sniffs at my hair. “But I think they’re both cowards, so maybe not. I think I’ll get you in the end, no matter what.”

That’s my fear. Tarek plays by his own rules.

I elbow Lance in the solar plexus. He crunches over with a loud grunt. The guy holding my other arm grips me tighter. “Stop aggravating her,” he says to Lance. Lance grunts softly, holding his belly.

“Yes!” West yells, his eyes stormy. “I agree!”

“No!” I shout. “Don’t!”

They’re fairly evenly matched from a size point of view. Stephan is slightly bigger. Only, West has a whole lot more anger in him. That, and he has more experience fighting than Stephan. I don’t know this for sure, but I’m assuming it’s the case. Stephan is breathing hard. I can see him thinking it through. Bottom line, I don’t want to watch them tear into each other. I don’t want to watch one of them die.

“You don’t exactly have a choice here,” Tarek says to Stephan. “Fight or you lose the girl. Which will it be?”

Maddox looks stone-faced. He doesn’t offer an opinion either way.

“You can’t!” Jarrod shouts. “Don’t let this fucker bully you.”

“Insolence, young man.” Tarek’s eyes blaze. “I will have you beaten before I let you leave.”

“Are you a pussy?” West taunts Stephan, whose jaw tightens. “Fight me!” he snarls. “Scared I’ll win? I can’t wait to hurt you…to make you bleed…”

“Stop!” Maddox’s voice booms.

“Yellow-bellied pussy!” West shouts.

“I’ll fight,” Stephan says, his muscles bunching and roping. Everything in me turns cold.

“No!” I scream. “Don’t do it. No! Stephan…don’t! Please!”

Tarek looks like the cat that got the cream. “Good. In order to win, you must kill your opponent, or all bets are off.”

“Don’t do it!” Jarrod shouts, cupping his hands around his mouth. He shakes his head, looking crestfallen.

This is terrible. “Please leave it alone, Stephan. I’ll be okay!” I shout, pulling against the hands holding me tight. “Don’t! Please!” He ignores me. I can see just by looking at West that he isn’t going to budge on his decision.

“This will be interesting,” Lance chuckles. I ignore him. He’ll just get off on my pain and my fear.

“Make space for the two opponents.” Tarek rubs his hands