Haunting Darkness by Jordan Wadley (e book free reading txt) 📖

she didn't even seem scared! She looked more bored than anything!" He paced a hole into the concrete floor just as more fighters entered.

 

Ash and Striker stopped their movements to stare at Viper as she walked by.

 

She didn't seem worried about killing someone else in the ring, or the fact that she could possibly lose her own life. She stood tense, something the siblings had grown accustomed to, but her eyes were distant.

 

Striker nearly fell from shock when Razel's loud voice bored across the compound. Fighters all turned and made their way to the cages and waiting for the bell.

 

"My precious fighters, you've all progressed so rapidly and I couldn't possibly be more proud! Tonight we fight with Crowley's fighters, to see who comes out on top! a fight to your best, until you've won the battle. Don't stop until we progress into the warriors everyone said we couldn't be! Prove them wrong fellow children!" His loud deep voice vibrated through the entire room as the light illuminated the cage.

 

Dried blood covered the dirty concrete floors, dents indicating where weapons were in use.

 

Viper wrapped her hands quickly and waited, just as Ash stepped into the ring.

 

"Use your speed, your opponent uses brute force, much like you. Take him by surprise and launch before he has the chance to blink." Ash turned, surprised to find Viper behind her, and let her words sink in.

 

She nodded, her nerves getting the best of her, just as a large male stepped through the opposite side of the cage.

 

Ash studied how he moved, everything about him screamed danger. She didn't know how Viper knew he depended on force, but she was glad she got some advice from the emotionless girl.

 

"C'mon Ash! Tear him apart!" Shouts were heard on their side of the compound, everyone cheering her on as she stepped in front of the large bulky male.

 

He stood at a good seven foot and arms almost the size of Ash' head.

 

He watched with fire blazing in his eyes and lunged.

 

Ash cursed herself for not remembering what Viper told her. With renewed strength, she spun out of reach and threw out a fist of her own.

 

Ash prayed she could combine the two skills like Viper so gracefully did. Speed and strength together seemed to throw the other opponent off, his eyes wide in shock from such a small girl.

 

She used this to her advantage and kicked out a leg sweep, effectively knocking him completely off balance.

 

Ash could vaguely hear the others in the compound yelling and cheering her on.

 

Ash didn't give the male another chance to recover, and jumped on him with a battle cry. Once she had a good grip of his large hairy arm, she twisted it behind her back.

 

"Twenty seconds left in this round."

 

Ash' face paled. Razel told her to end his life during the first round. If he survived through the second round, she'd receive punishment.

 

Viper watched from the sidelines as the man on the ground used Ash' distraction against her. He leapt up with great speed and elbowed her in the lower abdominal region. Ash grunted with pain and struggled to hold herself up from the blow, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. 

 

One minute the man's beneath her, his life coming to an end, then she's on the ground struggling to breath. 

 

He charged at Ash with great speed, she couldn't help but notice Viper was still faster, and crashed down on her. 

 

Striker gnawed furiously on his nails as he watched the male pound down on his sister continuously. Finally, when Ash had an opening, she kicked out and nailed him in the face. 

 

The man stumbled from shock and surprise just as Ash sent another kick to his lower region. 

 

He fell with a shout of pain, his vision blurring at the suffering he felt. 

 

"That's where you belong, dirty bastard." Ash mumbled. She looked up over the cage's rim and noticed Razel's impatient form looming over the rail. He mouthed a few words and Ash had trouble understanding what he meant, until she heard a shout come from behind. 

 

Striker stood waving his hands furiously along with the other fighters, shouting at her to finish the fight. Striker's eyes opened wide with panic when he noticed the clock ticking down faster than before. 

 

Ash's eyes connected with Viper for a moment. It nearly froze her with the intensity of her crystal eyes, black as knight and cold as steel. 

 

"Five seconds." Viper mouthed with a smirk on her thick plump lips. 

 

Ash didn't even register what she was doing, mainly from panic, as she snapped the man's neck with two seconds to spare. 

 

Striker released a breath he didn't realize he was holding until Ash stumbled through the gates clutching her side. He hugged her, not realizing how fast his heart was beating until Ash spoke. 

 

"Are you okay?" Ash asked. She looked up at him with tired eyes and a lazy smile. He knew how much she hated killing but that seemed to be the only way to survive in the compound. 

 

Most of the fighters always underestimated the security levels at the building, but once you passed the first row of guards, more were always waiting. It's like they knew you were there, like they knew every move before you were going to make it. 

 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Isn't it me who's supposed to be asking that instead?" He laughed. Ash smiled up at her brother and hugged him. 

 

Most of the time they yelled and argued with one another, neither really understanding the other's views, but every time one left the ring after a fight, it was another victory and another day to live. 

 

"Please welcome, your favorite from the lower level cells... Viper the Demon Slayer!" Shouts and screams of pleasure roared through the crowd seemingly not even affecting Viper in the least. 

 

"Seems like they know you pretty well." Striker grinned. Even with his heart pounding ferociously in his chest, he couldn't help back laugh at the surprise on Ash's face. 

 

"I didn't think you were that well known. I mean, damn, I know you're good but.... just wow." Ash stumbled over her words, careful not to offend Viper. 

 

Viper glared for a moment taking in their gleeful face, everything about them told Viper to run in the opposite direction. They smiled too much for someone that lived in this hell hole, it nerved her to say the least. 

 

She didn't spare them another glance before walking through the gates. 

 

Lights illuminated the floors, shadows hung from every corner the way the rails dipped over the top cage. 

 

"And please welcome one of our favorite fighters, Derrek Snider!" Ash and Striker stared wide eyed at the large boy walking through the gates.  

 

Ash had been waiting for the moment for Viper and Derek to fight, but not in the ring. Only one could come out alive, and something about this fight screamed danger. 

 

Viper didn't move a muscle as the boy walked into the cage. She couldn't be sure if it was the same boy she'd fought with in the hall, or someone vaguely familiar. 

 

"Let's get this over with; I've got a mission to get out of the way." Viper muttered, glaring at the boy with eyes as cold as ice. 

 

Viper nearly felt like laughing, everything about him reminded her of herself. 

 

Derek grunted and slowly began circling her; she didn't even look at him. 

 

She stood completely stiff and alert in the middle of the cage, the way her eyes glazed over told him she already knew what he was trying to do. She smirked and snapped her eyes to him, taunting him to end this. His eyes, even for a small moment flickered with an emotion of anger. Viper couldn't comprehend how his eyes managed to darken to the color of his black hair, it reminded her of the monsters Razel told her about her first visit in the compound.

 

He leapt out with speed he didn't even know he had, swinging out at her face.

 

Viper dashed out to the side with wide eyes. It was the only expression other than irritation that Striker had the chance of seeing. He soaked up Viper’s short moment of surprise and clung onto the cage, trying with all his will to creep in closer to the fight.

 

His sister looked at him sideways with a worried glance. Ash didn’t want either of the compound’s best fighter’s dying, not for something so common and stupid. For Ash’ entire life, the only person she had to worry about was her brother. Nothing else in the world mattered.

 

Yet, as Viper and Derek fight vigorously against one another, she can’t help but fear what would happen if one didn’t come out alive. The compound would fall because the other fighters would beat them without a second glance. It’s how they were trained, just like Ash and Striker were.

 

“C’mon Viper! Razel’s testing what you got, don’t let him down grumps!” Striker shouted when he noticed Derek slowly getting the upper hand.

 

It didn’t take a genius to still see the shock on Derek’s face. He’d never met a woman who could match his pace so evenly; it took him years to accomplish his goal. Now, as he looks into Viper’s stone cold gaze, he can’t stop himself from wondering how long she’s been training here without him knowing.

 

She kicked out with a greater force than expected, and struck out her elbow just enough to clip the edge of Derek’s temple.

 

His head throbbed and it felt as if light had blinded him from behind his eyelids. He couldn’t make out anything but a small bur of movement, and with a slight pain to the back of his neck, he fell into darkness.

 

Viper stood over him and wrapped her hands around the base of his neck to end the fight once and for all, a shout stopped her.

 

She jerked her head up at the crowd looking down at her with outrage and horror. She’s killed before, it wasn’t no surprise she beat him. She’s studied him before without him even realizing it, so he stood no chance.

 

Razel leaned ever so slight over the railing with a palm raised toward her. He didn’t want her to kill him. His face was a mask but the pride behind his stone face nerved Viper. She hated when she actually pleased the bastard, nothing about him was good. But, then again, she wasn’t either.

 

With a final nod at the other fighters, she walked through the gate and sat down on her bench. She unwrapped her hands knowing Razel would most likely end the other fights for tonight. The crowd didn’t seem too pleased with the outcome; some probably lost too much money to smile.

 

With one final disgusted look at Derek’s crumpled body lying on the floor, she walked casually stiff down the corridor to her room.

 

 

 

 

Imprint

Publication Date: 07-06-2014

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To my mother and eldest brother, who've taught me not all things are bad. This book isn't just a fun book to read, but a great life story about a young woman fighting to find herself. Dedication fully goes to my brother, Nathan Wadley. A very missed friend that I know God