He was too hyped to care if Isaiah called him sir or not. They only had a few hours to give Fi some kind of fighting chance. The doors opened and he guided Fi in, then hit nine.
As the doors closed, she asked again, “Where are we going?”
“To turn you into a fighting machine.”
She frowned. “Are you making a joke? Because now is not the time.”
“No joke.” The elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened. Security hadn’t arrived yet. Good. He held his hand out. “This is where all sanctioned challenge battles take place. The arena.”
They stepped out and walked toward the double doors, each side guarded by a towering Bast statue. As they passed, Doc brushed his fingers over the chest of one statue, then touched his heart. Fi needed all the help she could get.
He pushed a door open and let Fi in ahead of him.
“This place is huge,” she whispered. The cavernous space swallowed her words.
“It’s meant to hold two prides.” He took her hand, gentler this time, and held it as they made their way to the center of the arena.
She kicked her feet through the layer of sand on the floor. “Hey, it’s like a giant cat box.” She laughed nervously.
“Sand makes the blood easier to clean up.”
“Oh,” she answered. In the great oval space, surrounded by rows and rows of stadium seating, she looked very small to Doc. She pulled her hand out of his and wrapped her arms around her body. “I can’t do this.”
Voices rang out from behind them. “Maddoc, we’re here.”
Fi spun. “Who are they?”
From behind her, Doc clasped his hands on her shoulders. She was trembling. “My council members. They’ve offered to train you.”
She tilted her head to look at him. “Really?” She glanced at the approaching shifters and smiled a little. “Guess I’m not the only one who thinks Heaven’s the wrong woman for you.”
Omur stuck his hand out in greeting. “So you’re Fiona.”
She shook his hand. “Yep.”
Barasa offered his next. “You’re a brave woman to fight Heaven.”
“I don’t know about brave. Stupid maybe.” She frowned at Doc. “Love does that to you.”
Both men smiled. Omur nodded. “Love is a good reason to fight.”
“But now you need to know how,” Barasa said. “We’re going to help you as best we can.”
“How does this”—Fi waved her hands over the arena floor—“work exactly? Are there rules?”
Omur nodded. “Very few, but yes. Once a match begins, the first one out of the ring before the other opponent is beaten loses. In the case of a… a…” He trailed off and looked at Doc.
Doc’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t a death match. It’s a mercy match.”
“Are you sure Heaven knows that?” Fi asked.
“She knows.” Doc motioned toward Barasa. “Time’s wasting.”
“Wait.” Fi put her hand up. “Doc, can I talk to you alone for a minute?”
“Sure.” He shot a look at Omur and Barasa, but they were already headed for the door. “Back in five.”
They nodded as they left. He looked at Fi. “What’s up, baby?”
“What Omur said about the first person to step out of the ring. I was thinking…” She bit her lip and flickered a little. “I might have a plan.”
“Tell me.”
“If I can get her close to me—”
He scowled. “I don’t like this already.”
“But if I go ghost at the right time…”
He nodded. “I see where you going.” He studied the arena. “You’ll have to be positioned just right.”
“I can do that.”
“You’ll only get one shot.”
“That’s the part that worries me.”
“Then you still need to train.”
“Agreed.”
He whistled loud and long.
Barasa stuck his head through the door. “You ready for us?”
Doc clapped his hands. “Let’s give her everything we’ve got.”
For the next few hours, Doc, Omur, and Barasa showed her every trick they could think of, patiently correcting Fi until she got each move right. She was a good student. Not surprising since that’s what she’d been when Mal had sunk his fangs into her.
Panting and dripping with sweat, Fi held her hand up. “One more round and I think I’m done. I won’t have anything left for tonight.”
“Enough, then. I’m proud of you. You did great,” Doc said. He didn’t want her worn out for what was to come.
Omur nodded. “You did very well.” He turned to Doc. “Where is she going to stay until—”
Shouting from outside the arena interrupted him. “What do you mean no one’s allowed in? I’m not no one, you stupid bunda.”
Doc rolled his eyes. “Heaven.” Like the rest of them couldn’t tell. “I’ll deal with her.” He kissed Fi, tasting salt on her upper lip. “One of you take Fi out the back and let her stay at your place until it’s time.”
“I was just about to offer,” Barasa said.
Doc squeezed Fi’s hand. “They’ll take good care of you, baby. And don’t worry about tonight. No matter what happens, you’re going to live through it.”