Chapter 87

Danica's POV

The rest of the afternoon had gone by somewhat smoothly and we had met up with Jeff, Chad and Shawn and got ice cream. Eventually after an hour Mathew had turned up. Without waiting for the other two we hit the Arcade. For the remaining two and a half hours before dinner and the match we had challenged and fought each other on the variety of games available, Jeff and Mathew going beyond expectations on the dance floor game and setting new records.

Eventually though it was time for food, and we had an early dinner at a chip shop where, finally, Derick and Lisa joined us. I ignored them as best I could, and it seemed they were doing the same.

Now outside at the fountain I looked to my phone. It was nearly seven. Looking around I saw Rodger swaggering over dangling all the passes in one hand while holding a large paper bag in the other. He smiled and looked to the boys as they stared up at him with eyes wild in excitement.

"There you guys are!" He shook his head. "I thought for a moment you all went home." He handed a pass to Kaden then Aden as they jumped like puppy dogs in front of him. Rodger smiled at their reactions then looked up and frowned. "Why is there one more?" he pointed to Lisa.

"Oh, I'm not going to be able to watch." Lisa looked to her phone and Rodger looked to the key chain his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"This year's new fighter I see." Lisa looked up and grinned.

"Something like that… I got to go." She kissed Derick's cheek. "Wish me luck." She winked then ran off towards a door on the opposite side of the hall. Rodger raised an eyebrow.

"Wish me luck? Is she fighting tonight?" He looked to me and I shrugged as I turned away.

'She's the Banshee' His face remained expressionless as he handed out the rest of the VIP passes.

"She's a fighter…" Rodger looked to Aden and nodded and he squatted down to look at him on his level.

"Really?" Aden shrugged.

"She says she fights." Rodger shrugged.

"I can't say I've seen her before but that just means she doesn't fight for me. And with that token on her phone she's new around here too." He grinned and pulled the paper bag around. "Also, remember you asked for something from me?" Aden looked to his brother and they both seemed confused. Rodger laughed and pulled out two large boxes.

The sound the boys made caused everyone to jump and turn. There in Rogers hands were two Bella Donna action figures. He gave them to the boys then chuckled at their delight.

"Come on. We should get in before the crowd swallows us." I nodded and gave a wave.

"I'll get to those books." He nodded as he escorted the group to a side door. I kissed Dean goodbye then walked away. I made my way to the lower levels of the mall, where one of the staff doors was located, then frowned. Someone was following me. I slipped towards the bathrooms but whoever it was still followed me inside. I got to the little turn table then made a show of not having change and turned around. My eyes fixed on that familiar Vampire.

Hel hesitated as I looked at her then turned to the change machine and slipped a note into it.

"We seem to be meeting a lot." She sneered as the rattle of coins filled the air.

"I needed the bathroom." I nodded.

"So, you followed me past two bathrooms to this particular one?" She frowned.

"This one is cleaned more often." I nodded and waved a hand.

"Don't let me hold you up." She pointed to the machine

"I need change." I grabbed the quarters from the machine and handed her one.

"On me." She took the quarter and hesitantly went to the bathroom turn table under my gaze. She slipped the quarter in and went around the corner. I waited for a few seconds then dashed away and out of the mall. I darted along the building to the east side then turned around the corner heading towards the fighters entrance to the Phantom Plaza. I took a few turns and slipped into the shadows near the door then climbed up onto the industrial air-conditioning unit cage.

A few minutes passed and Hel appeared with two other vampires and one werewolf. She seemed pissed.

"How the fuck could you lose her?" A male shrugged.

"How the fuck did she spot you?" Hel placed a hand to her head.

"We need to get rid of that bitch. She's ruining our plan." The group spread out and I watched as one of the vampires got closer. He was standing right below me as I squatted in my hiding place. I let one arm transform and my claws came out as he lit a dogend of a cigarette and shook his head then began to play with his mobile and called someone.

"No, Veronica got spotted and we lost her." He rolled his head back and nodded. "I know, she's a half breed accountant but she's fast." He finished his cigarette and flicked the but away. "Yeah... will do." He put his phone away and joined the others.

I let my hand return to normal and watched. Once they had left I mind linked Rodger.

'Send someone to let me in. There are some vampires and a werewolf after me.'

'No problem. Where are you?'

'On the air-conditioning unit east side.' He chuckled a response. I kept my eyes on the door waiting for someone to open it then became aware of someone behind me. I spun around my claws out, but Enoch was there. He grabbed my wrist and grinned as he looked over my hand. With a strong tug he pulled me to his vent then tossed silk at me. I frowned then felt the world shift as he dragged me into the vent and through the darkness.

I sat uncomfortably in the strange room watching Enoch as he ate a piece of chicken from a bucket. He offered me some then went back to his watch looking through the air vent. I took a piece of that golden chicken and peeked out to where he was watching. We had a birds eye view of the ring and the early matches had begun.

'Rodger… why am I in a room in the air-conditioning system?'

'Enoch lives there. He's agreed to keep you safe until your match.'

'He lives in the air vents?' Rodger giggled inside my head.

'Perfect for a spider.' I felt Enoch pat my leg and point excitedly. I watched the match and saw the newcomer knock down his opponent. Slowly I leaned forward as I bit the chicken.

"I thought you couldn't eat this stuff..." He shrugged.

"I can… it extends the time between feeds and holds me over until I have to eat again… it's like a half meal. I like the taste better too." He looked away from the ring as the fight was over. With a crunch he ate the chicken bones then took another piece and grabbed something from a cooler. He offered it to me and my eyes widened. I shook my head.

"I don't need to drink blood…" He nodded and bit the bag then pulled out a bottle of water and gave it to me. I thanked him and we sat watching the beginning matches. After a while I lay down on the strange silk bundle and closed my eyes.

Derick's POV

The fighting was going well. Some of the beginning matches had actually been very entertaining and the participants showed potential. Rodger had been here for some of the matches and even got a close up of the fights on the tv, but when one of his fighters was in the ring, he would disappear down to the ring side.

I looked to the boys as they took a nap. They really wanted to see the Banshee but their little energy levels had dropped with all the fun they had had at the arcade. With a little fight I had managed to make them sleep and promised to wake them up when the Banshee was up.

Suddenly there came a round of Boos so loud it woke the boys. I looked to the screen and frowned. The Pink fighter was up and she was using the Banshees theme. Aden and Kaden looked to the screen then sighed in disappointment.

"Why doesn't she get her own music?" Kaden asked then put his head back to the pillow Rodger had given him.

"She did try to take the Banshee's name…" I frowned. There was something familiar about her. I looked over as there was a grunt from Jeff.

"What?" He gave me a look and shook his head.

"Nothing… I was just thinking she looks too familiar…" He sipped his water as Rodger came back.

"How's things going?" I nodded.

"Fine… but how long has that fighter been here?" Rodger shrugged.

"Not one of mine so I don't know exactly." He pulled out his phone. "The Siren, she's apparently been here for…" He frowned.

"What?" Rodger shrugged.

"The data entry has been altered… there's nothing for her..." He made a quick phone call. With a frown he watched the fight then refreshed his page. "The Siren, she's been fighting for a year under… Crap… she's one of Vox's fighters." He smirked. "That could be why the data was altered. But there's no way someone with that terrible form is the Banshee." Shawn cleared his throat.

"I hate to say it but… I think I know her…" He looked around. "There's just something so familiar about her stance. It's uncannily like Lisa..." Mathew nodded and I shook my head and watched as the fight commenced.

Danica's POV

I woke as Enoch shifted and made a few strange noises. He patted my leg and pointed then looked to the ring as a new match was announced.

'Who's fighting?' I heard Rodger sigh.

'The Siren… the fake Banshee.' I heard a round of boos and music blasting out. It didn't surprise me when I recognized the ride of the Valkyries. 'Little bitch won't quit.' I smirked.

'Now you see her in the ring does that not look like Lisa?'

'Who?'

'Derick's girlfriend, I pointed her out to you outside when you handed over the passes.' it went quiet in my head and I sighed then listened as a familiar scream bellowed around the ring. 'Did they just play a recording of my scream?' Enoch even frowned and looked at me.

"They stole your scream…" I nodded.

"I thought that." I blew a strand of hair out my face. "When am I fighting do you know?"

"In two more matches." I looked to the ring and watched as the Siren faced up against a Vampire and frowned. Although they were moving around the ring and throwing punches something was off and I could not put my finger on what.

As the match went on into the fourth bell Enoch let out a grunt and turned away eating the last of the now cold chicken. I could see the annoyance in his eyes as he cleaned the oil from his fingers.

"You're not impressed?" He shook his head.

"No." I nodded.

"Why?" He gave me a look.

"They're not fighting." I nodded and looked to the ring. "They're just wasting time. Neither has thrown a proper punch this whole time. the whole match had been choreographed." He sighed. "Don't know why but Rodger was expecting something like this to happen." I nodded.

"Did he say why?" Enoch shook his head and pulled my fighting gear out from a bag.

"He gave me your locker key too so you can change here." I frowned.

"What?" He shrugged.

"He's worried people will try to get to you before the match." I took my gear from him and saw him shift uncomfortably. He scuttled back to the air vent in the low roofed room and staired at the match as I changed my top then folded my t-shirt.

"Where should I put my things?" Enoch never looked back as he pointed to the bag he had pulled my stuff out of. I nodded and looked inside. It was empty. I slipped my shoes and t-shirt inside and quickly finished changing.