This was insanity but she wasn’t on Earth anymore and she wasn’t about to be whored out to Berrr’s company. The only way to stop that from happening was to kick Alluwn’s ass and win the right to be bound to Berrr. As she stared at him she let her love for him flood her thoughts. He was worth fighting for to stay at his side so she didn’t have to be given to Vinlotti. A new possibility opened up in her mind. As Berrr’s bound she could have children. Biting her lip, she let that concept fill her with mental images. She’d always wanted kids, she knew perfectly well that Berrr wanted at least one more baby, and then her focus turned to Alluwn. There’s the bitch who is standing in the way of my happiness.

Shanna sucked in air and blew it out, doing a little stretching to limber up in preparation for the fight. She glared at Alluwn, the woman who wanted her dead, who had given her to nine men to rape, fourteen if she counted the guards the bitch had tossed an invitation to over her shoulder as she’d left the room. Shanna knew one thing for sure.

“Bitch, you’re going down,” she whispered, hoping that saying it out loud would help.

Vartas Yatgo moved into the center of the grass, regarding each woman for long seconds, and then put his hands together. “As judge there are no rules but weapons aren’t allowed. This is to the death unless the winner shows mercy.” The man gave his full attention to Shanna. “You are from Earth so let me explain a few things to you that you might not know. If the loser is spared they will be immediately removed from Hyvin Berrr’s home forever, the winner to decide where the loser goes, and there is no debate on where you are sent.”

Shanna caught that he said “you” while staring at her. The guy didn’t think she could win either. It made her just a little hotter under the collar. These Zorn guys really thought humans were pathetic.

“If you were to win then you would go before Hyvin immediately after the fight to ask his permission to be bound to him. At that time he will accept you or deny you. If he denies the request then you will remain his house helper. Are the rules clear enough for you to understand?”

Shanna nodded. “I understand.” Her gaze flew to Berrr to see that he was watching her back, still looking angry and worried. She shifted her gaze back to the older Zorn man. “Thank you.”

Vartas Yatgo gave a nod. “Let it begin. The fight continues until one remains down or takes their last breath.” He turned then, letting his hands drop to his sides as he moved off the lawn area to the side of it with the other onlookers.

Game on, Shanna thought, moving toward the center of the grass as a furious-looking Alluwn mirrored her from the other side. Shanna forced herself to remain calm, knowing that if she panicked she couldn’t think or react quickly. She needed all her focus on the advancing woman. Putting her arms up so she could block her face faster, Shanna kept her attention glued to Alluwn’s slightest movement.

The woman lunged forward suddenly, barreling right at Shanna, a mix between a growl and scream coming from her throat. Shanna reacted instantly, ducking under one of the arms that barely missed her head, bringing her knee up hard as she gripped Alluwn’s side, fisting her shirt to keep hold of the moving target. Pain shot up Shanna’s leg and knee as she made brutal contact with the woman’s middle.

Alluwn grunted, doubling over, and Shanna didn’t hesitate to release her with one arm, lifting it, and slammed her elbow down hard on the back of the other woman’s head. She spun then, totally releasing Alluwn, and got behind her. She didn’t think, just let her training take over, only without the rules of good sportsmanship this time, and kicked the bitch in the ass hard while she was still bent over. Alluwn went crashing face first into the grass. Shanna froze, staring at the downed Zorn woman. She hoped Alluwn wouldn’t get up.

“Finish it,” Berrr snarled. “Don’t let her recover.” Hesitating turned out to be a mistake as Alluwn snarled, shoved her body up off the ground and whipped her head in Shanna’s direction. The hate-filled glare said it all.

Shanna knew she should have followed Berrr’s advice as the larger woman got to her feet, spitting out grass as she spun around, and lunged at Shanna again.

Ducking avoided most of the blow as the woman threw a punch but part of her knuckles caught Shanna’s shoulder, sending her reeling back, stumbling. She recovered enough to grab the larger woman by the shirt as Alluwn threw her arms around her in a bear hug. As Alluwn jerked Shanna off her feet to probably crush her in the anything but loving embrace, Shanna managed to bring her knee up, slamming it hard into the vee of the woman’s leather pants.

A gasp came from the larger woman a second before she dropped Shanna, stumbling back to fall on her ass. Both of her hands went for her injured sex, cupping it, and Shanna winced. That hurt bad, she knew, because she’d been kneed there once. She reached up to her throbbing shoulder, feeling something wet on the curve of it, and tried to not flinch at the pain that was going from a dull throb to a burning ache. She glanced down and realized that not only had Alluwn punched her but she’d torn into her skin with her nails. Blood ran down her arm and over the back of her shoulder. She couldn’t tell how bad it was but her shirt was torn and there was a lot of blood.

“Finish her,” Berrr roared.

Shanna released her injured shoulder, rolling it to make sure it was still working, and felt grateful that although it hurt, she had full motion range still in that arm. Her attention went to the woman sitting on the grass still cupping her crotch and decided she didn’t want to be hit again. If the woman had punched her full on instead of clipping her, Shanna figured she’d be out of commission. Alluwn hit the way a prize boxer did, minus the protective gloves. Taking a deep breath, she realized what needed to be done. The old Zorn had said the fight was over once the person was done and stayed down. Shanna circled Alluwn, who was still in her own world of hazy pain, and got behind her.

Shanna struck fast, figuring the woman would recover in less than a minute.

Shanna jumped on Alluwn’s back, wrapping one arm around the woman’s throat, her other arm going around her breasts. Shanna wrapped her legs tightly around the woman’s waist, riding her back. She took a deep breath as Alluwn tensed, then tightened her arm to cut off the other woman’s air supply. Alluwn’s arm lifted and Shanna was able to throw her face down against the bigger woman’s shoulder just in time to avoid the frantic punch that was sent her way. The larger woman panicked in seconds, Shanna could feel it in the way the woman started to freak out, her body jerking.