Night Fae (Dark Fae Kings #3) - Meg Xuemei X. Page 0,57

return the favor?” I asked nicely, then without waiting for a firm answer, I tossed his dagger right back, faster than he could sidestep. The dagger went through his throat. He’d missed, and I hadn’t.

Everyone was shouting, and Hawaiian Shirt screamed, “You killed him, Fae bitch! You killed him!”

I drew Netherbane from an elaborate scabbard that Baron had made for me. “You’re next,” I said good-naturedly. “I tolerated you long enough, Hawaiian Shirt, but you just forfeited your chance to live. I’m setting an example, starting with you.” I scanned my defeated opponents as they pulled farther away from me.

“You’re my prey, all of you,” I said, channeling the dark part of me that had awoken after the archangel’s power blossomed in my veins. It reveled in maiming, killing, and destroying. “I warned you what would happen if you assaulted me. But you were still hellbent on murdering me to save yourselves. I would have shown you mercy if you hadn’t turned the knife on me after we’d settled the hand-combat rule. I’m done with bad apples. So, now you die.”

He picked up two swords from the ground and lunged toward me. I moved behind him in a blur and sliced his throat with Netherbane. He gagged as blood splashed out of his neck and fell facedown.

“She-demon!” cursed another unremarkable guy whom I’d kicked to the ground.

They still hadn’t seen enough of my brutal side to discourage them from further fighting and meaningless death. These weak human brutes couldn’t wrap their minds around the fact that a woman was stronger than them.

I cocked my head. “She-demon means succubus, but I don’t belong to the category of a sex demon. Seriously.” I drew the Glock 19. “And you don’t insult a true queen and get to live.”

Bang. I shot the dude between the eyes.

Everyone was so shocked at me killing a few dudes without effort or mercy, they appeared speechless. I’d told them that every decision and action had consequences, but people never listened. That dude hadn’t believed that I’d shoot him even after I’d killed two of his pals.

“Never pick a fight you can’t win,” I said with a tight smile. “When you can’t help your stupid self but insist on picking a fight, expect a surprise. Now, who else wants a hot bullet from this psycho bitch?”

I looked around to see who volunteered this time. None. Surprise.

No one called me names again, either. They slunk away. No one made eye contact with me either. Rude.

“All right, then,” I said, glancing at my team. Richie looked especially pale. He hadn’t seen this side of me in college, and I didn’t blame him. “Let’s get going before the next hunters arrive. Brigantia won’t be sending a bunch of untrained humans again. The new hunters won’t just be hunting me. They’ll kill everything and everyone in their path, and you’re disposable in my evil sister’s scheme.”

“I’m considering joining you and your team,” said the girl with the blonde ponytail haughtily. “My family is rich and powerful.”

“Wow, I’m flattered,” I said, pressing my hand to my heart. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to pass.”

She blinked in disbelief and anger. The chick had always gotten what she wanted, but today wasn’t her day.

“All of you who stood against me don’t get a second chance,” I said. “I’ve already shown you mercy by letting you live. Come after me again, and it’ll be your last day on Earth.”

I started running, and my team followed. We left the rest of the group to their fates.

Richie caught up with me. “What about Tania? We can’t just leave her behind.”

“You’re welcome to stay with her if you want, Richie,” I said. “No one’s stopping you.”

He kept running beside me, even as Tania wailed.

I didn’t care. They’d made their beds. Call me callous, but only my team’s and my survival mattered. Richie was smart enough to know that if he stayed, he’d die with her.

“Move faster!”I barked. “We must find a shelter before the hunters get here.”

Those mean fools I’d left behind and let live had wasted enough of my time. I should have just put a bullet in each of their heads and moved on quickly, but something—a last ounce of humanity—had held me back. Thanks to my human family.

A sound pierced my ears, and the hunting horn blared across the arena.

The next wave of hunters had entered the game.

Chapter 18

I scanned my surroundings under the thick canopy of trees. My instincts told me that the