Gigi held Drake’s hand as the pair waited on a sofa in the glamorously decorated hall that evidently led to Lili’s office. Her ears sunk low as the weight of the rules she had drunkenly broken forced them down. The goblin had never been in the vampire’s office. She had been told by the other fighters it was not a place you wanted to be. The halls were lavishly adorned with portraits of champions from days passed in golden frames. Placards of their title’s reigns were placed below them. The paintings felt mocking, showing her something she would never be now.

She eyed the large, foreboding black door that led to the mistress of the pit’s office. Jörg had been called in first. Gigi had caught only a glimpse of Lili in her chair, but her porcelain skin was creased with rage. Then the door shut, and all they could hear were the echoes of the hall. Now, she felt like she was back in school, waiting for the teacher to scold her. Or, more accurately, she now waited for the executioner to call her to the gallows. Gigi sighed and squeezed her sweaty palm against Drake’s dry one. Wasn’t he nervous?

She couldn’t say why, but when they had been walking from the pit, she had felt the need to reach out and grab his hand. He had looked surprised but gave her a reassuring squeeze back. Whatever punishment fate had in store for them, they would face it together. She owed him that much.

At a minimum, she assumed she would get kicked out of the league for this. Even if she had been well-intentioned, she doubted that it mattered. It never seemed to in life. She looked to her companion. Frowning, she wondered what penance could await him for getting involved. Gigi sighed and put her head in her free hand. She had been the one to bring him down here, then left him alone so that she could play the hero. Of course, he was going to follow her if he thought she was in danger.

She had walked right into the serpent’s trap. Sure, she had gotten in one good hit, but she knew she lost that fight. If Drake hadn’t been there to save her, Gigi would be in the exact same situation Mai had been in. Her thoughts turned to her idol, who had to be carried out of the pit. The memory stoked the embers of rage that still smoldered within. In the end, she hadn’t been able to shut Jörg up. All she had done was realize how far she still had to go.

“Drake, I’m sorry for getting you wrapped up in this,” she said as tears invaded her vision. Drake squeezed her hand and then slid his shoulder against hers.

“It was certainly an exciting night,” he laughed. “I can’t say I’ve ever had one like it.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Gigi reddened in embarrassment at a new realization. Did I take him on a date? It occurred to her that she had—their first date. At least, it was the first that hadn’t just been doing chores together. It had gone more poorly than she could have ever imagined. Drake had been beaten, berated, and haunted by ghosts of the past. Perhaps her sisters were right. Maybe she was cursed.

“I had a great time,” Drake said as he leaned into her.

“Don’t lie,” she sobbed.

“I’m not. I got to see a whole world I never knew existed, met some interesting people, and saw the woman I care about more than anything punch a jerk in the gut for disrespecting her idol.”

Gigi’s ears perked up. “You’re just saying that,” she said, wiping her tears away.

Drake shrugged. “Whatever happens in there, I’m glad that I came. I’m happy I got to be there for you.”

She sat in stunned silence as a tear rolled down her cheek. Gigi didn’t know what to say. She wanted to hug him again and tell him she was happy he had been there, too. To say to him that fishing him out of the river had been one of the best things she had ever done. It seemed so strange to her; he had been in her life for such a short period, but she was starting to have a hard time imagining him ever leaving. Moreover, there was a sticky feeling inside her that she didn’t want him to leave.

She set her head against his and let herself melt into him. “Drake…”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you…” She wanted to say so much more to him. To tell him that she would never forget what he had done for her tonight and what his faith in her meant to her, but the simple words of appreciation were all she could find.

“Hey, Gigi,” he said, turning his head to face her.

“Hmm?” She intoned as her brown eyes found his blue ones.

“If it makes you feel any better, I think you did the right thing trying to save Mai, even if it was against the rules.”

It did make her feel a little better. A new feeling came over her as she gazed into his eyes and tried to think of what to say. It was an alien urge that she didn’t recognize at first. She wanted to lean in just another couple of inches and kiss him. Her breath caught in her chest at the thought. Gigi had been kissed before, but she had never felt the urge as strongly as she had in that moment. The goblin could feel herself involuntarily leaning forward.

A second later, the sizeable black door opened, shattering the moment. The dread of the situation returned to her fully as she saw Jörg slither furiously out of the promoter’s office. The serpent spared a venomous glance at the couple, growled, and slunk away.

“Gigi and human, Lili will see you now.”