Prologue

The cheers of the spectators are deafening, chanting for their favorite. Up there, the air is clean and the smell of food makes my stomach growl. Down here, under the arena, the Underground we call it, we are only fed when we win. You’d think they would want to keep us all healthy and well fed, they brought us here as modern-day gladiators, after all. But that’s not how it works.

Here, only the strongest survive, and I am one of the strongest.

My name is Tana, and I am one of the last Elemental Dragons in existence. There are only four of us left. One for air, one for water, one for earth and me, the one for fire. My captors do not know what I am, my fate would be far worse if they did. We’re not allowed to shift in the arena anyway. We must fight in our human form, which works to protect my secret.

The ones who imprison us do not care of our well-being. Supernaturals are easy to find, if not so easy to capture. There are very few of us who survive the first month of the arena, but there is a never-ending supply of fighters coming through the doors every week.

I’ve lost track of how long I have been here, I think it’s a year, but maybe it’s more. Our jailors keep us weak so that we cannot stage an uprising and get out of here, not that most are here long enough to even consider it. Every fight is to the death. If you don’t kill your opponent, the Commander of the arena will kill you himself and claim the other as the victor. I’ve never seen it, but we can hear everything from the Underground.

Cedric is fighting now. He’s been here nearly as long as I have. It’s only through our survival that we’ve become something like friends. We’re the two that have lasted the longest and because of that, we look out for each other.

He is an Alpha werewolf. I know this because I can smell the wolf on him and his aura is strong. He thinks I am also an Alpha werewolf, because I’ve hidden my scent and only someone that strong could survive here. I've never told him what I really am. The only other supe that has lasted close to our length of time is a tiger shifter, but he’s a loner and has no interest in getting to know us.

I’m standing at the gates, when Cedric is brought back in. He’s a mess. We always are after a fight. Based on the burns, I’m guessing he was fighting against a warlock or a faery. I watch as they drag him past me, hoping to catch his eye, but it looks like he’s unconscious. If I’m back quickly enough, I can help heal him. I’ve done it before when he’s been injured badly. It’s part of how we’ve bonded. He has made sure my food wasn’t stolen when I was unconscious, and I help him heal.

I turn back to the gates as my match is announced. Both Cedric and I are fan favorites and they begin chanting my name.

“Tana! Tana! Tana!”

The sounds of their feet stomping on the floor of the arena causes the ceiling of our prison to vibrate, making my scales ripple under my skin.

I hear the crowd begin to cheer as my competitor is released into the battleground. I only have to wait another minute and the gate is opening for me.

I slowly make my way to the battleground, to kill yet another supernatural.