“Hang ten while I take one of the others down. Take a little breather, old man”—York winked at Lazarus, whose smile died—“because I’m coming for you.”
“I’m ready for you now,” Lazarus growled.
“I insist, wouldn’t want to say I had the unfair advantage. I have to say that you really are looking a little tired. Should I call a healer?” Fuck, he loved this shit. Loved the way the other male’s face clouded in anger as he charged at York. It was another small advantage he had over the male, Lazarus had a temper that got away from him sometimes. Made him do stupid things.
This blind charge was one of those dumb things. York sprang out of the way at the last moment and kneed Lazarus in the head, using the other male’s momentum against him. The male dropped like a stone, hitting the ground with a loud crash.
York didn’t wait for him to recover, he kicked him hard in the midsection twice hearing a rib crack. Now that he had the upper hand, he took a step back allowing his opponent to get back on his feet. Every single breath would be like a stab to the chest and his head had to hurt like a bitch.
He noticed that Lazarus was in fact taking shallow breaths, that his face had paled significantly. It took a little longer for bone to regenerate. Even so, York knew he didn’t have much time.
“You’re a dick.” Lazarus spat a mouthful of blood on the ground at his feet.
“I told you to watch that temper of yours.” York threw him a wide grin which he knew would piss the male off.
Lazarus’ dark eyes turned stormy as he attacked, throwing a wide right hook that missed by a mile. With precision and focus, York landed two, tight punches to his solar plexus. The air left Lazarus’ lungs in a whoosh and his eyes widened.
It didn’t stop him from head-butting York in the face though. Pain exploded in his nose and his throat filled with blood. Served him right for momentarily underestimating his opponent. It was time to end this.
York took two steps back as he steadied himself before launching himself at Lazarus with a double kick, first to the chest and then to the head. There was another snap, probably the same bone re-breaking. It had the desired effect. Lazarus grabbed ahold of his chest, groaning as he fell back. His nose was a flattened mess.
“Stay down,” York growled.
“Fuck you!” Lazarus shouted as he staggered back up right.
York kicked the male again, this time going easy on him. “Lie down. You’ll make the program easy. I’ve won this round. You need to concede.”
He shook his head in disbelief as Lazarus once again got back up onto unstable legs. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” York growled under his breath. Using every last bit of strength he had in him, he kicked the male so hard that there was a loud crack as his neck snapped.
This time when he fell, there was no trying to get up. Lazarus would wake up in the morning with a bitch of a headache.
York motioned for one of the healers to come and assist.
“Ruthless. I like that,” a familiar voice said from behind him. When he turned, Brant was smiling. “Think you’re right, you’ll definitely make the program on your own steam.”
“Should’ve stayed down.” York shook his head. Breaking his neck had been the quickest way to put him down without doing too much damage in the process. He could’ve pummeled his face and broken a multitude of bones in his body, thereby choosing the path of quickest healing with the least pain. Lazarus was a fine warrior and would understand though. He would be fighting fit in the morning and there was no doubt in his mind that the male would pick up one of the spots.
“You did what you had to do.” Brant could be a cruel fucker. That was for sure. “Now, all you have to do is get through the trials. Human females taste so sweet. They’re impossible to resist. We’re predicting that at least two of the ten males that qualify will have bloodlust.”
There was no fucking way that he had gotten this far only to not make the breeding program because of bloodlust. Thing was, it really did exist. Vampires that were affected with the affliction were a major danger to humans. Could not be trusted anywhere near them.
The trial period was designed in such a way that the top ten would drink from specially selected human females. Those that were unable to stop would be forcibly removed from the females and expelled from the program.
His throat tightened and his muscles bunched. Then he shook off the emotion. He was tough and had strong willpower. There was no way in hell that he had bloodlust. He refused to believe it. In just a few short days he would prove it.
Chapter 3
Her back felt like it was breaking. Her arm felt like it was being stretched and pulled out of its socket.