1
JACE'S POV
For the umpteenth time that day, I stared at the giant of a man I was to fight and wondered what I was doing in a ring with a man that was two times my size and probably had the ability to break my jaw with a stroke of his hand.
In another life, I would've been the one outside, watching the fighting going on, not being the fighter.
But this wasn't another life.
This was my life.
The life of Jace Wilder.
The life of a man who had to fight on the streets to take care of his family. The life of a man who had to have his face bruised and practically torn apart to fend for himself.
"Are you ready?"
I looked at my friend, Xander, who served as my coach and my team all in one.
He had been the one by my side when I had my first street fight at sixteen, and now, six years later, he was still beside me.
"Well, I'm not going to lie when I say I am not. Have you seen the size of that man? A punch from him will make me lose most of my teeth."
Xander looked across the ring at the man who was practically growling and slamming his chest in readiness for a fight.
"You win this, and you might get your biggest paycheck in a long while. You know you need it."
In truth, I needed the money. My mother whose tuberculosis had seemed to get worse during the week would benefit a great deal from the drugs I would be able to buy with whatever I made.
"And what if I don't win?"
Xander smiled, a smile that showed off the dimple that didn't show up until it was beckoned upon.
"You lose, and we'll have to find a hospital that will want to treat you even though you'll be owing a huge chunk of the bill."
I stood up, tightening the dirty looking hand wraps around my hand.
I had no choice. It was eat or be eaten.
"You in?"
I sneered at my best friend and coach.
"As if I have a choice…."
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome, once again, to the circle of death. In this circle, there are only two things that happen. You either live, or you die! And tonight won't be any different, I assure you."
I glanced at Christopher, the pot bellied man who owned the basement where we fought. In the daytime, the basement served as a mechanic workshop, and in the middle of night, it was the circle of death.
"In the corner on red shorts is the champion, Jace Wilder, the black ball of fire, the young wolf. A man who has won nearly all the fights he's fought in since he was discovered six years ago…"
"Can we skip to the part where the fight takes place?"
Impatient voices from the crowd cried out, waving their dollar bills in the air.
I looked around at the crowd, and I was aware of how bloodthirsty they were. Men in suits, women in expensive dresses. People who had the ability to change my life by offering me a job.
But no, they wouldn't. They would rather watch me fight myself senseless. They would rather bet on us, the fighters, to battle to our death than do anything else with their money.
"And in the other corner is the challenger, a champion all the way from the streets of Tennessee, a man known for his ability to smash people's heads in without the slightest of hesitations. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Carlos "The wrecking ball" Thomas!"
Carlos, the giant I was to fight, roared, a roar that bounced off the walls of the basement.
I turned to look at Xander, who smiled at me before proceeding to nod as if giving me his blessing to go ahead and fight. Easier said than done.
"Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets. This is going to be the greatest fight of the night yet. Two champions, one from a different region and our very own Jace Wilder. This is going to be quite a fight!"
I watched from the corner of my eye as people in the crowd placed their bets. Some of them, those who had probably placed bets on me, stared right at me with eyes that scrutinized me and seemed to threaten me without even saying a word.
"Are we ready, ladies and gentlemen? I'm sure we've all placed our bets by now."
There were murmurs and mutterings from the crowd that signified that they had done so.
"The circle of death is ready to carry the weight of the dead tonight. And.. fight!"
I eyed the huge man before me closely, keeping my fighting stance closely.
In my head, my strategy was simple. Wait for him to come to me. Counter attack after he attacked. The disadvantage of doing it was great, however. One mistake, and I would be lying on the stone cold floor of the circle.
"You ready for your head to be smashed in, boy?"
I smiled, my fists clenched. Talking distracted me. The last thing I wanted was to exchange words with him.
When he saw he wasn't getting a reply, he launched his first attack at me, his roar sending loads of spittle flying my way.
Alert to his charge, I ducked cleanly to the side as his hand flew past. I turned just in time to see his hand almost graze my jaw as he sought an uppercut.
Damn, he was huge!
I took my stance once again, my fists clenched and at the ready.
He came charging at me again, brows furrowed, his roar getting lost in the bloodthirsty chants of the crowd by the side of the circle.
However, at that moment, time seemed to slow down.
I was aware of how vulnerable he was, how open he left himself. There was no defense. All he did was attack.
As soon as he threw his right hand, I aimed, striking his neck, exactly where his esophagus was located. His supply of air cut off immediately, his body slumped forward, practically landing on top of me.
Drawing my right arm, I slammed it fist first into his face, a knock out blow by the side of the head that stunned him to silence and unconsciousness.