Underworld Bride Trials 1 Playboy King - Meg Xuemei X. Page 0,22
intel on demons, and I’d encountered many other species during my galaxy gladiator days. I didn’t expect any surprises.
But demons were one of the worst kinds. They relished inflicting pain and tormenting their prey before allowing their victims a final death. In Hell, they had the benefit of being the natives of the land of fire and sulfur. And they’d try their damn best to defend their king’s virtue and prevent a female of another species from snatching him up. Ego was involved as much as their stupidity, prejudice, and lust.
Most demons had the height, the build, and the brutality. While their powers varied in caliber, some of them could spit acid. The very powerful ones could feed on their victims in close proximity without touching their prey.
In contrast, vampires had to sink their fangs into the veins of their prey to feed. The corporation vampires didn’t dwell on mindless killing. They had a purpose. They weren’t as strong as demons, but they were faster. Their speed was their top weapon, and their venom could neutralize their victims within seven seconds.
Valkyries were a warrior race, and nearly all of them were well-trained.
The Fae were another fierce and formidable race. Their magic was elemental, and their warriors were excellent swordsmen. I was part Ice Fae, but I was different than most Fae. I was more. An eon ago, the Fae were one nation, before four different branches migrated to different worlds and realms. That’s when we lost contact with each other.
Shifters were slightly sunnier creatures, yet no less violent. Their strength could match or even overpower a vampire when their animals took over.
The shifters in the pit were in their animal forms now, most of them wolves. A large white wolf leapt toward the vampire clan, and the rest of the shifters followed their alpha, tearing into their natural enemy. Politics were at play here, since the shifters wouldn’t allow the vampire princess to be the Queen of Hell and thus unbalance the power of the supernatural world on this planet.
The vampires slashed their lethal claws across the wolves’ hides while the wolves lunged for their throats.
Veronica placed herself in the center of her clan’s protective ring and fought from a safer position. I noticed she still had a slight limp from the effects of my silver bullet, but she had survived the poison due to her vampire blood, so she should appreciate it. And to be fair, my bullet hadn’t been meant for her in the first place but for the Demon King.
She saw an opening and lunged, raking her claws and opening the belly of a smaller wolf. Two giant vampires stepped in and battled a massive panther when the panther went after the princess.
Vampires usually looked alluringly beautiful, which was how they lured and fed on their prey. But when they were in a battle, they were all fangs and claws.
Five minutes into the trial, hundreds of contestants went down and never rose again. A dozen or so lucky ones escaped a brutal fate by surrendering just in time.
“They’re coming!” Darcy shrieked and pointed at several big-ass demonesses jogging our way.
“Don’t throw spells at them no matter how bad it looks,” I advised as my gaze remained fixed on the charging demonesses, blood on their claws and faces from a fight they’d just won. “The guards will execute you on the spot if they catch you. They might even do me in too if you lose your shit, thinking I’m your partner-in-crime. Just get behind me and lie low. I’ll do the fighting for both of us.”
She eyed me nervously. “You sure you can do that? You don’t look like much of a fighter either. Maybe we should just run until the gong rings to end the trial? If we’re fast, they might not catch us.”
“There’s nowhere to run,” I said. “Remember, do not use spells under any circumstances.”
“I won’t. Besides, I might accidentally hurl one at you. I’m bad luck like that; that’s why I don’t have a boyfriend. And I don’t do well under stress.”
Great. It seemed like I always attracted bad luck.
Five demonesses of different shapes and levels of ugliness swaggered toward me, their sharp horns bouncing a little. Spittle dripped from their sharp teeth.
“Oh God, where are you?” Darcy murmured to the heavens.
“He can’t hear you,” I said. “But I won’t let you die on my watch.”
When the demonesses drew closer, I lifted my hand to halt their advance. Amazingly, they paused.