I attempt to strangle soph with my bare hands. Her neck is covered by chainmail. Cool to touch. Rough to feel.

  I feel a tug on my shoulders. It is maya again.

  "Killing is barred."

  I jerk my hands and let go of her small neck.

  I twitch, unsatisfied.

  Soph coughs uncontrollably. Her body spasms as she is unable to process the pain and panic.

  I shift my attention to Maya. She is already walking towards the gate I came from.

  I follow covering my wound throughout.

  I spare one last look at the audience. Their faces do not reveal much but their posture speaks of volumes.

  They are all staring at me. Shift as my eyes land on them.

  The air smells like Maya again. Her back guides me through the hallways.

  I follow without saying a word.

  My mind is still reeling from the fight, blood loss makes me feel light headed.

  Maya stops suddenly. She examines the walls around us. A few moments pass by.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Then she touches one of the sides and it opens up.

  We go into the opening.

  I find myself surrounded by the same landscape as in Aphrodite's room.

  I sit across Aphrodite again.

  Same table, different time.

  She says, "You can fight again, can't you ?"

  I take of my mask.

  Her smile widens.

  Maya sighs standing beside me , " Come. "

  She extends a hand.

  I stand up and take it.

  I look behind me again. Only my chair remains there.

  " A hologram ?"

  Maya replies, " You should look at your face Dionysus. That grin is hard to miss and you're drooling."

  "Is that--"

  Maya removes the hand covering my wound.

  She enters my space. I reciprocate.

  She licks my saliva and pushes her hand through my wound.

  A soft moan escapes my lips as she enters.

  " The bitch got her sand in you." She whispers in my ears.

  I feel goosebumps all over my body as she removes her hand.

  Simultaneously, the ground splits into two as some medical equipment and people emerge from it.

  Maya pushes me on the stretcher. The medics start working on my body.

  My mind however is on overdrive. The stimulation is ethereal.

  I focus on keeping the feeling.

  I look at Maya's hands as the blood slowly trickles down her fingers and falls on the ground.

  Only two things register for me, the bloody hand. And the sound of blood falling on the ground.

  Plop.

  An untamable desire resounds in me. It requires to be fed. To be sated.

  Plop.

  My heartbeat increases.

  Plop.

  The smell of iron thickens in the air. My tongue presses against my teeth without me noticing.

  Plop.

  The lights above me feel distant. The medics’ voices stretch and blur as if they are speaking through water.

  Plop.

  My fingers twitch.

  ......

  Warm blood falls from my hands. I look at my opponent again.

  Weak.

  This one loses his legs but the performance doesn't deserve a bow.

  I keep staring at my hands as this one is taken away and another one comes in.

  I do not look at the screen. Too impatient.

  I just close the distance as soon as I can. He needs to be within 30cm of me for a good time.

  I catch him off guard.