Jonas half expected to get jumped as soon as he entered the room. However, the sight that greeted his eyes was even more shocking than a group of bloodthirsty thugs ready to crush him: he had found himself in what looked like a high-end motel.
The entire room was full of expensive furniture. There were rugs trimmed in gold, a four-poster mahogany bed that was big enough to sleep five adults, a luxury lounge covered with silk sheets, side platters filled with delicious treats, and many shelves lined with colorful bottles of wine.
There was a crystal chandelier dangling splendidly from the high ceiling, and it was probably the only room in all the Hurts gang that didn't smell dank, musty, and shitty. No, the room smelled like success, and there was a sweetness in the air that was pleasing to Jonas' nose as he gave a few sniffs.
In the corner of the room was a massive mahogany wardrobe, an expensive vanity, and a privacy screen decorated with trees. It was the second-nicest place Jonas had ever been, only beaten by the Glatorius mansion. These were the rewards associated with owning a gang, and Jonas admired the expensive tastes that Howard Hurts had. He never associated the leader with someone who enjoyed colorful wines, silk sheets, and sweet smells.
The sound of splashing water grabbed Jonas' attention, and he whirled around to face a door across the room, presumably leading to the bathroom.
‘This motherfucker has the nerve to bathe while I’m waiting on him?’ Even though he was irritated, Jonas commended the gang leader and thought his arrogance was applaudable. The door swung open. However, it wasn't Howard Hurts that came through.
“Yotama Yuki?” Jonas looked stupefied as he came face to face with a gorgeous Japanese woman wearing nothing but a thin silk bathrobe. Her long black hair shimmered in the candlelight, and her dark phoenix eyes were both seductive and dangerous.
“Jonas Ariel,” her voice was melodious, and her English was impeccable, “Thank you for joining me,” and she gestured towards the lounge, inviting him to sit down. Jonas’ brain was whirling as he tried to figure out why the only woman in the entire Hurts gang would drag him out in the middle of the night just to approach him half-naked for a conversation.
“Err,” Jonas was at a loss for words. “Sorry, what’s this about?” He wasn’t dumb enough to sit, eat, drink, or turn his back on the very dangerous stranger in front of him, regardless of the fact she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, even more than the models and actresses back on Earth. It wasn't just her physical appearance: it was her entire aura that made her seem like a shining star.
“My apologies,” she said while giving a gentle smile. “You must be very nervous right now. I would’ve preferred to meet on different terms, but considering the circumstances,” she said while batting her long eyelashes. “This is a private conversation, and I’d rather nobody knew we spoke.”
'Fuck this,' Jonas didn't speak out loud, but he felt like checking out of the conversation, turning around, and leaving. He knew that if he stayed any longer, Yotama Yuki would try to lead him around by the nose, and he had suffered too much pain and sacrifice to get stuck doing whatever she wanted from him. He knew too well that everyone in Hell wanted something.
“Listen, Yotama-san,” his understanding of Japanese was minimal, but he did know how to use honorifics.
“Call me Yuki,” she spoke, her bathrobe began to slide off her shoulder, and Jonas caught an eyeful of her massive cleavage. He forcibly stopped his eyes from roaming and kept them level with hers.
“Sure, Yuki. I don’t think I can help you with whatever you want from me.”
“How do you know I want something?” She tilted her head and gently approached him, her footsteps were light, and he noticed that she had impeccable movements, and it appeared as if she was gliding on ice.
“Everyone wants something,” Jonas' voice was just louder than a whisper. “Especially from me.”
“You do have a lot to offer,” she agreed as her eyes slowly traveled from his crotch, across his torso, and to his sapphire blue eyes.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” said Jonas, and Yuki noticed a delicate sadness woven with his words: a sadness that would only be noticeable to someone who had also been taken advantage of by bad people. She hadn't changed her expression, but she knew she needed to change tactics. Raw seduction wouldn't work on a man like Jonas.
"Please," she gestured once more to the lounge, "Sit down. I just want a conversation with you, and then you may leave. I promise I will not harm you," Jonas contemplated her for a few moments and realized he didn't have a choice. He sighed, shook his head, and took his seat. She took a seat across from him.
“You’ve been rising through the ranks. I've even heard your name and started to pay attention. You can bet it's the same for both Thomas Vale and Howard Hurts. First, you were nearly put to death by Garth: you were just a poor, abused slave," although it sounded like she was mocking him, Jonas could sense her voice carried a tone of pity. "However, you stood your ground against the strongest fighter in the Hurts gang."
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"Yes," Jonas rolled his eyes. "Poor me," his tone didn't seem to bother Yuki, as she was genuinely impressed by him.
“You miraculously survived the encounter, which caused you to train against a different top-five fighter, Ahmed. You challenged him to a bet where you needed to throw him out of a fighting pit, and you risked life and limb to do so—literally. You tossed Ahmed out of the arena, won the bet, and proceeded to acquire Brow's eye," she crossed one smooth leg over the other, and Jonas almost caught a glimpse underneath her robe.
"He never went all out against me," Jonas chuckled. "Ahmed would beat me to death if he got serious."
"Of course, I know that," Yotama smiled. "Even I'm not sure if I could beat Ahmed. However, this wasn't the end of your accolades. Let's see…" she mumbled in thought, "Oh, Wolf's lackey: Pete, tried to bully you into submission and secretly test your skills on the behest of Thomas Vale. You put Pete into the ground and solidified yourself as a true fighter. You established yourself as a strong person who wouldn't let other people bully you."
"That story sounds about right," Jonas nodded. "Pete was a dick for what he did, but he was only taking orders."
“You beat Pete while also making an enemy of another top-five fighter, Wolf, and his manager Thomas Vale. However, your accomplishments bloomed rewards as Brow allowed you to have your first fight. Only, you needed practice against large opponents, as Javier Garcia is a large man."
"Is there a reason you're narrating everything that happened to me? Do you have a point?" Jonas regretted speaking because there was a dangerous glint in her eye as she considered his words.
"Of course, there is a point. I'm getting to it. Since you're in such a hurry, let me finish. You challenged Wolf's lieutenant, Ralph. He beat you unconscious twice, but you finally got him on the third try. You had your fight with Javier, beat him, and now you're officially a fighter of the Hurts gang. Now, you're here with me, another top-five fighter.
“You should consider storytelling," Jonas leaned back into the lounge. He was waiting for the moment she would stop playing with him.
“My specialty isn’t with books. It's much deadlier,” Yuki said while raising a slender finger and making a slitting motion across her throat.
“You’re a top-five fighter,” Jonas said while trying to keep his composure: he had never dealt with a woman like Yuki before, and it took time to get used to it. “I’m still unsure what you want from a lowly slave like me.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” she gave him an attractive grin. “Here in the Hurts gang, we’re both slaves.”
“What’s stopping you from escaping? Who here really has the strength to make you do anything you didn’t want to?”
"Who can stop me?" Yuki smiled, and she got up from her chair and approached Jonas. He didn't have time to react as she climbed onto his lap and straddled his legs. He was dumbfounded; half his brain was moving at a slug's pace, while the other was ready to throw her off. Furthermore, his heart quickened, his mouth became dry, and his lower body felt numb.
"Yuki," he tried to say, but she quieted him with a finger and used her dainty thumbs to rub circles beneath his eyes. He wasn't sure if she was giving him a massage or threatening him. Her feminine scent lingered around her, and it shortened his breath the way her thumbs were so dangerously close to his eyes.
“You’re still so naïve,” Yuki said while staring at him, her face only inches from his. “I don’t blame you; you’re young, ambitious, and have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
“So, explain it to me,” Jonas didn’t dare to put his hands on Yuki’s body, but he did stare into her eyes: he wanted to show her that she did not affect him. She would not so easily toy with him.
“Do you truly think that a gang like this could keep Garth, Ahmed, Xiao Lin, Wolf, and myself in line with nothing but low-ranking weaklings like Brow?” Her hands slid down his face, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her soft body against his.
“No,” said Jonas, “I’m assuming Howard Hurts and Thomas Vale must be at least stronger than Garth.”
“Oh, they’re both stronger than Garth,” she said as she gently blew on his nose, making it tickle like crazy. “They’re so strong that they are just inches away from being full-fledged Sinners.”
“You mean to say,” said Jonas. “They only need to take the Sin Assessment, and that’s it?”
“That’s it?” She teased. “Do you know how hard it is to pass the Sin Assessment?”
“No,” said Jonas plainly, “I don’t even know what it is.”
“I’m willing to tell you,” she said, “I’m willing to do a lot of things for you,” Jonas felt her press even harder against him. He knew this was the only part of the conversation she cared about, from the moment she forced him to her room, all the way to the moment she had wrapped her arms around him. Everything he had experienced so far was simply building up for the big reveal when Yuki would make some proposition or ask him to complete some daring task that probably would cost his life.
Noticing the blank and slightly unamused expression on his handsome face, Yuki pouted as she asked, “You don’t seem too interested?”
“Of course, I’m interested in knowing,” said Jonas, “I just don’t think I can afford to pay the price of whatever it costs.”
“Why do you assume the worst of me?” Yuki asked as she brought her face closer to his and playfully kissed the tip of his nose. Jonas thought she reminded him of the girl next door that screwed with a horny neighbor because she was bored.
“I’m not assuming anything,” said Jonas, “I just know that everything in Hell has a price, every bit of knowledge, and every person, and that includes you and me.”
“You’re learning quickly,” she smiled approvingly, “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know about the Hell Challenge, I’ll do favors for you, I’ll even let you come to bed with me,” she said as she turned her head to glance at the large four-poster bed covered in layers of soft silks and satin fabrics.
“If,” Jonas continued her sentence for her.
“If you do me one teensy weensy little favor,” Jonas gave her another unamused expression.
“What favor?”
“Kill someone for me.”
“Who?” Jonas raised his eyebrows. Why would a top-five fighter need a lowly slave to kill for her?
“Wolf," she whispered, "I want you to kill that little doggy for me."