Artemis
"Artemis! Artemis!"
The crowds roared my name louder even the rumble of thunder, it was louder than I expected.
My name shook the whole ring. Tonight was a special night and you can tell by the crowds, they had doubled or maybe tripled. Everyone in New Orleans who cared about war and blood came to watch the fight between me and one of the notorious killers the world has ever known.
His name was Venom. He was as deadly as his name,Of course, people came to spectate because they knew it was going to be bloody. This wasn't his first match. I've seen him break bones with his hands.
But I already knew how this would end.
I always ended up winning.
After all, he was a human while I was a werewolf.
That was the secret sauce to my wins. But rule number one was to fight among humans, that's how I made money.
The man rolled into the ring barking like an untamed dog, even from a mile away I could smell whiskey on his breath.
His tattooed body muscles looked ready to crush me. He was strong. I'll give him that, but I was stronger, and if he were a wolf like me maybe he would be able to take me down.
The fight commenced, he struck first throwing a fist towards my direction I dodged it, my knuckles cracked in the process but healed quickly, I let him punch me in the face so many times before my forearm caught his jaw, and my leather boots slammed into his ribs, he fell to his knees and the crowds roared in shock, we were barely five minutes into the match, that was a crazy sight to behold .
He tried to get up but I kicked him down.
This time he fell face flat, and silence descended on the arena.
They knew what was next.
The match wasn't named ' fight till death for nothing.'
I held his neck and with just one sharp twist, I was done with him, there was a loud eruption in the arena. I looked down at my opponent's limp body on the ground as people cheered me.
I should have had mercy on him and let him live but he wouldn't do the same to me.
The crowd was going wild now, "Artemis! Artemis!" They chanted my name like I was some kind of Greek god.
The referee lifted my hands, "And the winner is….Artemis!"
As soon as I got out of the ring the promoter threw the heavy bag of cash on me patting my shoulder.
"Hope to see you in the next match!" He said.
But I wasn't sure it was going to happen anytime soon.
I walked out of that ring without looking back.
But by the time I got home, the happiness from winning had faded leaving nothing but the aches, the bruises of a broken nose, and the gash along my shoulder plus the old scars that never quite stopped burning, I never take painkillers for them because I knew someone who preferred to take care of me.
Cressida.
She was lying on my bed like she owned it wearing nothing but one of my oversized shirts. I could see her bare legs dangling in the air, her brown hair spilling down her shoulders, she sat up immediately she heard me come in, a seductive smile playing on her lips, I knew what that meant, she was happy to see me.
Cressida and I have been dating for a year now and she has been faithful to me. Her loyalty was unmatched but she just wanted more, too much that I was afraid I couldn't give.
"Hey baby, welcome back," she purred softly, and getting up on her feet she spotted the bruises on my face. "Aww, you are wounded again."
I set the heavy bag of cash on the dresser table. "Nothing comes for free love."
She walked to me barefoot and cupped my jaw so I could look at her brown eyes. "So… how did the match go? Wait let me guess, you won!"
I pulled away, taking off my bloody shirt. "Obviously! Otherwise, I won't be with the prize money."
She rolled her eyes, or I thought she did, it was something she did whenever we talked about my profession and how cool I acted towards it, she wants me to be open, tell her how bad I hate what I do but I've never been a man of many words, even if I was dying inside.
She led me to the cushion, then brought out a pack of ice pressing it on my face. Then she pressed a damp cloth into a bowl of warm water pressing it against the old cuts on my back gently but firmly and at the same time. I clenched my teeth at the sting.
I normally heal faster but not when I'm always getting lashed all the time, it tends to slow the healing process for a wolf.
"Please hold still," she muttered.
As soon as she was done, she sat beside me staring into my eyes dreamily.
"When are you going to come meet my family? You know my mother can't wait to finally see this invisible boyfriend of mine, they are starting to think I'm lying." She grinned but it wasn't funny. Not even a bit.
"Very soon, Cressida," I said, avoiding her gaze.
She chuckled, "Soon," she repeated, she got up on her feet to stand to face me. "Be honest with me, Artemis. You're never going to come, are you? Because I've been asking you for months now."
I could sense the pain in her voice. She wasn't wrong, I've made promises and failed not because I enjoyed but because I just can't.
I let out a sigh. "Cressida, you don't understand!"
"Then make me…"
"I'm a wolf, your family, they would never accept my kind. Or what I do as a profession."
She scoffed, "I love you for who you are, Artemis, and about the profession that's easy, you could change," she said quickly, desperation laced in her tone. "You could work at my father's company, he'd gladly take you in."
Yeah, she came from a wealthy family but I won't take advantage, I liked working for my own money.
"No!" That was a full sentence. " I grew up relying on no one. Fighting is what I know, that's how I stay connected to my true nature, I can't abandon all of that, my duties to my people just to please your family."
She batted her lashes so fast. "You have duties to everyone but me." She said smiling angrily as she began to slip into her red dress hastily.
And finally, the guilt sank in, she didn't deserve this.
"Hey Cressida…"
"No." She says clutching tight to her silver purse. "I've begged you for months, Artemis, and still you won't bulge because I'll never be enough for you."
With that, she walked away, her floral perfume lingering in the air.
I sat there for a few minutes in silence shirtless, reflecting on her words. Was she right? Was she truly not enough for me?
No, I love her so much, I just can't imagine a family with her, Cressida was perfect, from a well-to-do family, she has good manners and is extremely hospitable, she loves me for who I am but maybe I'm the problem. I knew she deserved better.
Eventually, I threw on a shirt and crossed over to the coffee shop at the end of the street to get two cups of coffee for my uncle Silas and me.
It was like a tradition, we loved coffee not because it did much but only heightened our senses making us extra vigilant.
I was back within a few minutes and as I stepped into the house I heard a deep baritone voice.
"Welcome back, nephew!" My uncle Silas said his vibes resounded across the room.
"When did you get back?"
He was in the kitchen carrying a brown paper bag of groceries, his gaze fixed on what he was doing. Finally, he looked up to glance at me.
"Not too long, I saw Cressida storm out angrily and she looked pissed." He said opening the cupboard. "No coffee?"
I offered him one, "Here! I got one along the street."
"I fear I'm beginning to get old, I'm losing hold of my sharp sense of smell, Thank you but what's really going on with you both? A few days ago y'all couldn't get your hands off each other."
"She wants more than I can give."
Silas raised a brow as he sipped his coffee "Like marriage?"
I didn't respond. He struck the nail on the head. It was like he was reading my thoughts.
"You know Artemis, you've lived long enough to know one truth. Life doesn't wait for anyone. I know you think your duty matters more than anything but one day, I hope you don't regret letting go of someone that brings you happiness and peace at the expense of your duty to the wolves."
I stop sipping my coffee and look up at him, "Those wolves are hiding at the bayou unprotected, they need me, uncle, my duty comes first, I'm the only one that can protect them and you know that!"
Silas walked over to my side, "Maybe you are right. But duty won't do life with you, duty won't keep you warm at night."
"Uncle…"
"Think about it before you ruin something good," Silas said, patting me on the shoulder before leaving me once again in the silence.
That's when I felt it.
A presence, it made the hair on my neck rise.
No I can't be wrong, because I could feel this strong sensation of being watched.
My eyes darted to the window and a female silhouette ran fast.
Someone was watching me.