Read Online Fight For You by Kayla Bain-Vrba - Free Book Online
Authors: Kayla Bain-Vrba
Tags: F/F romance, fantasy
Ads: Link
vowed. "I'm going to make it happen."
She curled up alongside Berlin like a little girl, careful not to touch her injured chest. Through the pain, Berlin smiled, then finally allowed her heavy eyelids to sink closed. Her Cherry was back.
*~*~*
It felt wrong, standing alone in the arena tunnels before her first fight. Berlin was home, lying in bed, and Cherry certainly didn't begrudge her that. Waiting without Berlin, however, made her feel uneasy. Ever since she had started fighting, Berlin had always been there with her—talking her through the fight, giving her pointers on her opponent, distracting her from her nerves. This time she had no one, and try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness.
The fight was fast and flurried, and Cherry barely remembered any of it. Her opponent was some brutish thug, and unnerved and determined, Cherry caught her off guard and knocked her out in two and a half minutes with only some bruises and a split lip to show for it.
The second fight was a disaster. Maybe she was too self-confident; maybe she was just outmatched. Either way, the brute she was fighting threw her around like a rag doll for ten minutes before finally knocking her unconscious. Other than a severe dose of cuts and bruises, she left the fight with two bruised ribs, four broken fingers, and a fractured or severely bruised collarbone, the lot of which locked her out of the fight bracket for four weeks.
Cherry wanted to get her final fight over, busted bones or not, but Berlin told her not to. Cherry had seen firsthand what came of not listening to Berlin and held her tongue. Berlin needed the extra weeks to finish healing before they sailed for Valeria.
Berlin's recovery was slow, much slower than Cherry's; the years of wear on her body were taking their toll on her healing process. But Cherry stayed beside her through it all and never gave up. She practiced every day, even though she couldn't practice with Berlin, and slept gently curled alongside Berlin every night, dreaming of the day they would leave The Zone for good.
*~*~*
Cherry was getting out; she and Berlin were getting out. That was the only thought on her mind as she stretched for the fight. There was no loss in her plans—it was win or die, as far as she was concerned.
The woman she was fighting looked like a sorceress from the southern deserts, shiny scars tracking across the dark skin over her muscles. She was impressive, that was for sure, and Cherry allowed herself a moment to marvel before throwing herself into the fight.
The fight was long . It seemed like the tall woman never stayed down, and Cherry began to wonder if her opponent would even accept defeat before death. The thought made her stomach roll.
The endless barrage of attacks was exhausting, and Cherry was quickly covered in a sheen of sweat. She had to remind herself to be careful so as not to slip.
The sweat proved to be the downfall of her opponent, who kicked out and her foot slipped against Cherry's slick chest, throwing her off balance. Cherry dove as the desert woman fell to the floor, aiming a kick at the bones outside her eye socket. The woman dropped, but this time she didn't get up.
Not even noticing the crowd erupting in the arena, Cherry dropped to her knees, immediately feeling for a pulse. She was so relieved when she found one that she could have cried; the feeling only intensified when she collected her prize money.
She hurried back to Berlin. They were getting out of The Zone.
*~*~*
Berlin was half asleep when she heard the front door slam open. No screams followed; all the girls were either training or at the arena. She was alone.
Of course it was her room that the capitol boy broke into. He had a sneering grin and dark gleaming eyes when he saw her lying on her cot, still bruised and tender. He didn't even speak, just pounced like some giant cat, holding her down with one arm as he fumbled with her clothing. Instinctively, Berlin froze. He
She curled up alongside Berlin like a little girl, careful not to touch her injured chest. Through the pain, Berlin smiled, then finally allowed her heavy eyelids to sink closed. Her Cherry was back.
*~*~*
It felt wrong, standing alone in the arena tunnels before her first fight. Berlin was home, lying in bed, and Cherry certainly didn't begrudge her that. Waiting without Berlin, however, made her feel uneasy. Ever since she had started fighting, Berlin had always been there with her—talking her through the fight, giving her pointers on her opponent, distracting her from her nerves. This time she had no one, and try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness.
The fight was fast and flurried, and Cherry barely remembered any of it. Her opponent was some brutish thug, and unnerved and determined, Cherry caught her off guard and knocked her out in two and a half minutes with only some bruises and a split lip to show for it.
The second fight was a disaster. Maybe she was too self-confident; maybe she was just outmatched. Either way, the brute she was fighting threw her around like a rag doll for ten minutes before finally knocking her unconscious. Other than a severe dose of cuts and bruises, she left the fight with two bruised ribs, four broken fingers, and a fractured or severely bruised collarbone, the lot of which locked her out of the fight bracket for four weeks.
Cherry wanted to get her final fight over, busted bones or not, but Berlin told her not to. Cherry had seen firsthand what came of not listening to Berlin and held her tongue. Berlin needed the extra weeks to finish healing before they sailed for Valeria.
Berlin's recovery was slow, much slower than Cherry's; the years of wear on her body were taking their toll on her healing process. But Cherry stayed beside her through it all and never gave up. She practiced every day, even though she couldn't practice with Berlin, and slept gently curled alongside Berlin every night, dreaming of the day they would leave The Zone for good.
*~*~*
Cherry was getting out; she and Berlin were getting out. That was the only thought on her mind as she stretched for the fight. There was no loss in her plans—it was win or die, as far as she was concerned.
The woman she was fighting looked like a sorceress from the southern deserts, shiny scars tracking across the dark skin over her muscles. She was impressive, that was for sure, and Cherry allowed herself a moment to marvel before throwing herself into the fight.
The fight was long . It seemed like the tall woman never stayed down, and Cherry began to wonder if her opponent would even accept defeat before death. The thought made her stomach roll.
The endless barrage of attacks was exhausting, and Cherry was quickly covered in a sheen of sweat. She had to remind herself to be careful so as not to slip.
The sweat proved to be the downfall of her opponent, who kicked out and her foot slipped against Cherry's slick chest, throwing her off balance. Cherry dove as the desert woman fell to the floor, aiming a kick at the bones outside her eye socket. The woman dropped, but this time she didn't get up.
Not even noticing the crowd erupting in the arena, Cherry dropped to her knees, immediately feeling for a pulse. She was so relieved when she found one that she could have cried; the feeling only intensified when she collected her prize money.
She hurried back to Berlin. They were getting out of The Zone.
*~*~*
Berlin was half asleep when she heard the front door slam open. No screams followed; all the girls were either training or at the arena. She was alone.
Of course it was her room that the capitol boy broke into. He had a sneering grin and dark gleaming eyes when he saw her lying on her cot, still bruised and tender. He didn't even speak, just pounced like some giant cat, holding her down with one arm as he fumbled with her clothing. Instinctively, Berlin froze. He
Similar Books
