The Ace of Swords

Chapter 22

"C'mon Ace, get in the van," Storm was begging at this point. She can beg all day long, I am NOT getting in that van. They kidnap me and expect me to willingly get into another van.

"I will not get into that van! It smells funny and it looks just like the van I was kidnapped in," I whine.

"It is the van you were taken in but you are not being kidnapped now. Your already here. Why would we kidnap the same person twice? Now get your butt into that van or I will shove you in there," Storm glares at me. I glare back. I know they aren't kidnapping me but I will bother I'm that disgusting van. It's like a moving disease box.

Storm grabs my wrist and begins dragging me into the thing. I dig my heels into the ground. The gravel digs into my bare feet but I don't let up. I'm still moving forward at a slow pace. Storm isn't letting up. I look over and see Sanders coming towards me. He picks me up and gently tosses me into the smelly van. Storm hops in with me and the door closes behind us. She sends me a smile.

"Don't worry. It won't take long to get there. This fight is really close to our home. Did your paint smear at all?" She examines my face looking for any imperfections. She painted my face, neck, and arms with intricate black and red vines. She is a really good artist. She does everyone's tattoos. I'm also wearing the fighting gloves I received from Storm. She's wearing her's as well. I was hoping they would hide the shaking of my hands but they make it more noticeable. I stare at the wall across from me. Storm is talking about something. I'm not listening though. I just stare at the wall listening to the sounds the van makes as it drives. It sounds like it is going to either collapse in on itself or blow up. I haven't decided which one. As terrifying as the sounds are they are nothing compared to fear I feel when they stop along with the van. I can hear people shouting outside the van. There are a lot of people and more than one of them sound drunk. Most of their words slur together in their drunken rant. I can smell the alcohol in the air. I can hear dogs barking aggressively. I hear several snarls and growls coming from an unknown source. I'd say it sounds like a tiger or lion or something like that but that's just crazy. This is a person on person fight. We don't fight animal too. Right?

The van doors squeal as they open. Storm elegantly jumps out and stands close to one of the guards. I, on the other hand, am pulled out and pulled into Sander's side. He leans down to whisper.

"Don't leave my side. These people would love to just take you. I can't allow that to happen. You and Storm will be taken into the arena together. Don't loose her. She can protect you if the need arises," he attempts to make himself look bigger as he and two other guards escort us into a broken down stadium. It's covered with years of grime and other substances that I don't care to know about.

Although I've been told that I am fighting a person I can see a variety of other creatures. There are large muzzled dogs with no ears or tails led on chains, tigers prowling back and forth in cages too small for their enormous sizes, and roosters with sharp metal covering their beaks and claws. The poor things all look miserable and some even look scared. I would free them if I wasn't in the same boat as them. We are pulled away from the animals and down to the front of the crowd.

One of the guards hands a stack of money to a guy who looks to be in his early twenties. He thumbs through the money. His lips move like he is counting it. He smiles at the guard and shakes his hand. He spits out the tobacco that had been in his mouth and takes a microphone out of nowhere. He must be the leader of the ring.

"Alright, we have our next opponents. We have these two lovely young ladies. Who would like too take these two on?" Before he has the chance to go on another guy hands him a stack of cash. He pulls another guy behind him. He has chains wrapped around his neck. His chin is held high despite being held by the chains. His muscles are huge and his face has a large ugly scar going from the right side of his forehead down to his throat. He sends me a smile that makes chills go down my spine. His head tilts to the side as he studies my reactions. His murky green eyes dance with delight as he watches me. Storm steps in front of me and blows him a kiss. She blocks his view of me and my view of the man. The first doesn't bother me one bit.