Abyssal (ManxMan)

The Queen's Pet Part 2

They hadn't expected it out of him. They hadn't expected anything out of him. He could sense their immense displeasure; they didn't want an Astrian to win the fight. He grinned, glad to have been the reason these pompous bastards were going to part with their precious coin.

King Marius clapped.

Kai turned to look at him with cold eyes, his chest rising and falling laboriously. It wasn't that he was exhausted; it was the damn aphrodisiac fumes filling the amphitheater.

Marius smirked amusedly at the icy, withering look he received from his pet slave, and then opened his mouth to say, "Next."

"My queen, would you like to place another bet?" The butler urged, head bowed.

"Ray," The Queen called, her face stoic. Her loss hadn't fazed her, it seemed.

Another pet slave stepped into the ring.

This one was slimmer and shorter than Bahavas, but still bigger and taller than Kai.

Swallowing another deep breath, Kai put up his fists in front of him. "Bring it on."

****

By the time the queen nominated a third opponent to enter the ring, Kai was seeing double. He was hotter than ever, and every brush of skin when he grappled with his opponents caused his flesh to be set alight. It craved to be touched, to be caressed, to be soothed. Kai doubted he'd find any soothing in the ring. The memory of Piercings and Albino's fight was still fresh in his head.

"I can't believe it; he fights!"

"Did you see how he defeated Bahavas? I haven't seen such good entertainment since the last pet his Majesty had!"

"Our King has excellent taste in pets."

So far, he was winning his fights, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so. They were wearing him out, exhausting him with each consecutive fight with not even a drink of water to go on by. It was only a matter of time before his strength and wiles deserted him and he lost. It was simple logic.

But what could he do when they kept pitting more pets against him, throwing them into the ring like lions set upon a gladiator? Even if he wanted to end it quickly, they would not let him.

He eyed the queen's newest selection, who went by the name Cecil. The other two had already been dragged off somewhere, both unconscious. Kai had a feeling Cecil was different. He could see something that wasn't in the other two's eyes: shrewdness. He suspected it would be difficult to bait this particular opponent.

Is he your trump card?

When Marius gave the signal, Cecil didn't pounce like the other two had. He stood assessing Kai from head to toe, a hand on his hip, his stance relaxed.

Kai took the chance to size him up as well.

Cecil was only taller than him by a few inches, and he was built similarly to him as well. He had blonde hair, blue, almond eyes and tanned olive skin. Greek? Italian?

"So, you're the Astrian Prince," Cecil said, a small smile decorating his handsome face.

Kai nodded.

"I expected you'd look different," he admitted.

"How so?"

Had he realized that Kai was teetering on his last bit of strength, and was trying to draw out the fight? It seemed that the longer he was exposed to the aphrodisiac, the more weakened he became.

And how was he the only one being affected so? Why? Cecil's face wasn't flushed, and his erection looked... healthy and not drug-induced. Was it because of long exposure? Were Cecil and the other seasoned pets, simply used to the drug to the point that it affected them minimally, if at all?