Chapter One

Venom

I never should have come here. If I had stayed at home, heck, if I had gone to dinner with my brothers then mine eyes never would have befell him.

Then I never would have felt my heart beat.

Then I never would have fallen in love.

Then I never would have found myself in this position. Watching mine own mate fight for his freedom, fight for his life.

Hell's Pit.

The greatest sporting arena in all of the Realms at home on my level of Realm Helliem. I used to revel in its savagery. Bathe in the brutality of it all. But now I despise it. All of it. It looks so primitive at this moment. Like we were cannibals of old. Killing for sport. Watching while men and women fight for their freedom. Their very lives and cheered on when they fell.

It is only now that I see the ugliness of it all. No longer holding the thrill of violence for me. My heart skipped a beat at every thud of flesh against flesh. Fists to face. Knees to body.

Stop! I wanted to shout.

I wanted to kill everyone here. Every god and goddess, every demon, every vampire, every living creature that supported this. Those who look upon my mate with hatred, with lust, with their thirst for blood. My panther howled inside my head so loud that it was becoming hard to keep him on his leash.

I watched, with bated breath as my mate fought like a wild animal. Cheers all around whether he received a blow or dished one out to his opponent who was easily three times his size. I honed my senses. Listening to his steady but labored breaths and the thumping of his heart was almost as wild as he looked. His scent was hard to pick apart from the mass of over perfumed females and males alike, the pungent smell of sweat and blood, puke and shit and piss. He was airborne, body flying in front of me.

Then his scent hit me, like an entire planet being thrown at me. Fresh rainfall and earth that I picked apart from the sweat and blood.

My panther moaned, almost purring. Our mate smirked at his opponent as he landed gracefully in a crouch. He's trying to get himself smashed by Hulk. Because that smirk only set off the big Minotaur.

My mate was all over the place. His lithe body dancing to the war drums. It was then I figured out his strategy. He was tiring out the big guy before going in for the kill. The Minotaur heaved hard as he started stumbling around. My mate slashed down the Minotaur's chest, blood splashing onto the sand and my mate tossed away the broken sword.

Fuck! What the blazing fires is he doing? A minotaur was hard to kill bare handed.

The roar of the patrons was deafening as my mate's right hand sunk into the slash on the Minotaur's chest and violently pulled out his heart. The entire arena went silent for a few seconds and then it was pandemonium as cheers went up.

My mate didn't make a move to indicate his victory, instead held the organ in his hand, almost cradling it. The Minotaur fell to his knees then onto his back.

My mate then fell upon his knees next to the beast and cried? Yes. Tears silently streamed down his cheeks as he leaned over close to the beast's ear, lips moving as he shuddered. Cheers went around the arena. Everyone screaming at each other forgetting the loss of life that just occurred mere moments ago.

"Ladies and gentlemen! There you have it! This slave has successfully won his freedom... For this month. Ha ha!" the announcer shouted, his voice quieting the arena.

"Now that the semifinals are completed this slave along with the other three are going to the grand finale!" cheers erupted.

"You all know what this means, don't you?" the bastard smirked. "You, our supporters can purchase a slave, providing their owners are willing to sell and prepare them for the finals. Should your slave win then they earn their freedom and you earn three chests of gold and bragging rights until the next Hell's Pit competition!" more cheers as the other three contestants lined up beside my mate.

The arena emptied and only a handful of people remained to speak with the slave owners. I watched on while they bartered. Only two slaves were bought over. My mate wasn't one of them. As the satisfied customers left with their purchases I made my way towards the owner of my mate.I sniffed. Shape shifter.

"Greetings unto you" I said to the slaver as he bowed slightly in reply.

"I would like to purchase your charge" My beast shrieked in excitement as we were surrounded by his scent.

"What is your offer my lord?" the slaver asked.

"What is your asking price?" I countered.

"To be honest I wouldn't know what to sell him for"

"What do you mean?" curiosity is a cat thing.

"I only partake in the games so at least one slave can have a chance of freedom." I quirked a questioning brow.

"You see in our tribe the omegas automatically become slaves. Most of them are satisfied with that life. But then there are those who want the chance at freedom. I sponsor them at the games" he explained quickly.

"That is very kind of you" I murmured.

"I would pay you back every cent you've spent on all your charges so far and an interest of thirty percent of the costs if you give me this one".

The slaver's eyes widened "m-my lord! That is too much!"

"No. Please accept it. I will take possession immediately unless there are people whom he'd like to reunite with"

"Non. There is no one" my dick stirred and my panther clawed reveling in the soft baritone of our mate's voice.

"Then it is settled" I transferred the funds into the slaver's account all the while holding my will to claim my mate back. I was quickly losing that battle.

"I am not familiar with this realm's customs but please take care of him. He may fight well because he has to; it's the only way he knows. But inside he's fragile" Johnson, as I've learned is the name of the slaver says softly glancing behind us at my mate. His eyes softened in a way that I know in my heart is worry but my brain and my instincts wanted to gouge his eyes out for looking at my mate. Business concluded I fought within myself to reign in my inner battles with my panther.

I approached him slowly as one would a deer. Finally able to look my fill. Apart from the filth that covered him he was a little thing. Big doe eyes swirling with all the colors I could think of. He barely reached my pecs. Little hands, but big feet and if the old saying that you could tell the size of a male's cock by the size of his feet then my mate is well endowed.

Slender hips with nice curves. Slender shoulders too, almost delicate. His skin was brown, like honey. Pink lips, long lashes and small ears: they were cute. His black hair was a mass of dreadlocks reaching his knees. A nice sized butt and the curve of his calves were oddly arousing.

After my inspection I realized that he was shaking. His nostrils flaring, heart rate spiking and he threw off a heat that lured me in. Closer and closer. His scent filling my lungs until all I could smell was him. My panther suddenly surged up and my eyes shifted for a moment. I reined it in when my mate whimpered.

I did not want to scare him, I wanted to love him.

A/N

So it's finally here. sigh!!!!

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