Dangerous Allies // Cato Hadley

Part 18: The Sting of Death

Eve wasn't blind to the looks Clove was giving her the next morning. If her piercing eyes alone could kill, Eve's face would be shining in the night sky.

The longer her glare followed her around camp, the shorter Eve's patience was strung. "Why don't you say something?"

The cold look in Clove's eyes didn't grow nor did it lessen. Everything about her demeanor stayed the same as she stared her down.

"There's no point." Clove said with masked emotion. "You'll be dead soon enough."

Eve's knuckles turned white against the spear in her hand. "How about you try to make it now?"

Clove's eyes drifted down to the vole she had been practicing her mutilations on. "Careful what you wish for."

"You hear me loud and clear." Eve held her arms wide. "Come on Clove. Make my dreams come true."

"Enough." Cato's voice cut between them.

"Stay out of this." Eve shot him a sharp glare before turning back to Clove.

"What did you just say to me?" He all but growled.

Eve didn't pay his threatening voice any mind as she grinned at Clove. "How about you show everybody how good you are."

"I could kill you from clear across this stage." Eve said, mocking her words from the interviews.

Clove's eyes darted to her and before she could say anything more, a knife was soaring towards her face.

She jumped out of the way, barely missing the second knife as it struck the grass behind her.

Before she made it to her feet, Clove's body crashed into hers.

Eve landed on her back with Clove on top of her, pressing her knife to her throat.

She froze, looking with wide eyes up at the girl from District Two.

It was a turn of events she hadn't expected. She could very well be dead in the next few minutes.

Clove's eyes looked wild as she smiled down at her. "I could kill you from clear across the clearing, but I'd rather make this personal."

Eve didn't move, nor did she speak as her mind turned around what was going to happen next.

"Where'd that smile go?" Clove cooed, tracing her knife over her pink lips.

"Maybe I should carve you one." She said, pressing her knife against the edge of her mouth.

Once the hot burn of the blade cutting into her skin hit, she moved quicker than she ever had in her life.

Her fist connected with Clove's jaw, sending her into the grass.

Eve scrambled on top of her and let another fist fly. It cracked against her jaw and as she was disoriented Eve settled on her chest, closing her hands around her neck.

As Clove's eyes focused on the girl leering over her with blood leaking from her mouth, dread filled her chest for the first time.

Eve enjoyed the fear in Clove's eyes. It showed she did have emotions. She wanted to see more.

She pressed her fingers into her throat, cutting off the oxygen from her lungs.

"You getting nervous, now?" Eve asked as she watched her eyes grow red.

Her mouth opened and closed as she tried and failed to pull anything into her burning lungs.

"Please-" she gasped, squirming under her.