Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
“To my left—” St. James starts and stops when Angel slips into the ring and points to me. He frowns and shakes his head, but I step forward anyway.
Jaeger comes alongside me and settles a satin robe on my shoulders. The lion robe Kaiser was wearing. It’s way too big, dragging like a train behind me.
“—representing Fraternitas and the Poisoner’s family. Introducing Belladonna Bosco.”
Behind me, Fraternitas breaks into a shout. “Fraternitas,” their voices echo off the high ceiling. “Fraternitas.”
Angel helps me out of the robe and holds the ropes while I scramble into the ring. St. James has disappeared. It’s just me and the Giant and the crowd screaming around us. I wish they’d shut up, but I guess it’s on me if I get distracted.
The lights are hot on my face, and I feel like I’m going to throw up.
Is this how normal people feel? Mortal? Fragile?
My heart is beating so fast, it might fly out of my chest. I grit my teeth and force my breathing to slow.
I’m doing this for Kaiser.
And my mother. And Livia.
And myself.
I’m Belladonna Bosco. The Poisoner. I’ve got plenty of poisons up my sleeve.
It won’t be easy, but I can do it.
I just have to not die.
41
Bella
* * *
The bell rings, startling me out of my thoughts.
The Giant faces me, looming on his side of the ring. He’s got two pentacles tattooed on his cheeks.
“Hi there.” I bounce and give a little wave. “I’m Bella.”
The Giant squints at me, confused. He looks around, as if to say, “Is this for real?”
The Bulls are screaming for my blood. “Hit her! Kill her!” And worse. There’s a whole crowd of them, excited to watch me bleed. And die.
I smile at my opponent. His back stiffens automatically. He doesn’t understand what’s happening, and my behavior is weirding him out.
Good.
“Shake?” I hold out my hand. There’s a second while he hesitates, and I wonder if the Vesuvios figured out how I killed the senator.
But then his hand engulfs mine. I’m dripping sweat already. Shit, I hope the poison sticks.
We shake slowly. His fist is the size of my head.
Don’t let him hit you, Jaeger said. One blow will cave my skull in.
I try to step back, but the Giant’s still holding me. He looks me up and down, a bit mesmerized.
I’ve got a lot of skin on display.
“What happens now?” I say in a little girl’s voice.
“Now you die.”
Shit. Okay.
Your best offense is a good disguise.
I lick my lips. “I’m scared.”
“It’s okay, little girl. It’ll be quick.” He’s staring at my chest.
With my free hand, I tug at my bra top. “It’s hot in here.”
“Take it off.” The Giant leers at me.
He wants a public peep show. Gross. I don’t have to fake a tremor in my voice as I ask, “What will you do to me if I do?”
He clamps a hand on the back of my neck. I stiffen, leaning back, but he draws me forward, the way Kaiser does. No, no, it’s wrong. I don’t want anyone else touching me like that.
I’m shaking as he grips my head in one huge palm, forcing my chin up. He lowers his face. He’s going to kiss me.
No! Only Kaiser does that.
I fight, but he’s already mashing his lips against mine.
So I bite his lip.
He roars, jerking back.
I spit in his face. He releases me, surprised. He wipes the spit off the bridge of his nose and scrubs at his eyes.
Then backhands me across the ring.
I go flying.
I slam into the ropes, and they snap me forward. I hit the floor, tasting metal.
Fuck.
Fuck, that hurt.
I blink, dizzy. Fuck me, why did I let him hit me first? That was a terrible idea. He didn’t even punch me. Just a casual slap and he could’ve killed me.
Someone’s shouting. I see Angel’s desperate face. “Get up, Bella,” she mouths the words, but there’s no sound. Well, if there is, I can’t hear it.
The taste of blood is overwhelming. Fuck, did he knock out a tooth? I let my jaw go lax. Blood fills my mouth, along with the bitter taint of something else—the poison I’ve ingested. My gift to anyone who dares to try to fight me.
But fuck, I might be in over my head.
I rise slowly, trying not to jostle my skull too much.
The Giant is strolling back and forth on his side of the ring. Glaring at me. Why didn’t he finish me?
I look past him into the stands. The crowd’s on its feet, screaming, but I can’t hear them over the ringing in my head.
And Dominus is there, smiling. The fucker is smiling.
I have to win this.
Dominus signals to the Giant, and the big man turns and lumbers to me. I don’t move; if I run, I might pass out, and my plans are for him to touch me as much as possible, anyway.