Rejected Queen by Meg Xuemei X.

 

CHAPTER 3

Tessa

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh, joy,” I said, smiling at Loki’s ex-lover.

Both of them were throwing shit my way.

The vampire princess stayed twenty yards away from me, which indicated that she feared me. The blood of the ones I’d killed tainted my armor. She’d probably seen how I’d eliminated the biker gang and shot down a chopper.

“I’m far from being a whore,” I added casually, calculating how fast I could reach her and snap her neck.

My energy weapon would have done its beautiful work and reduced her to dust if I hadn’t exhausted it by destroying a helicopter and the billboards. It’d need to recharge for a week, like magic, and I wasn’t even sure if Earth energy was a good fit or not.

“Last I checked, I’m still a virgin,” I revealed. “Well, technically. I don’t plan to die a virgin though. You might not think so, but I have much to live for.”

I wouldn’t count the sex my avatar had with Loki’s in the fantasy as real sex. But I’d had a taste, and it’d been mind-bendingly delicious. Even my ex-mate couldn’t ruin it. After I handled my business on Earth, I’d take the fight to that fucker.

I heard a chuckle before it turned to coughing.

“Who gives a fuck that you’ve never fucked?” Veronica hissed. “I don’t want to listen to your issues. I have my own! King Loki was mine until you came. You’re so going to die! And then he’ll be mine again. He’s my fated mate.”

I laughed. “You shouldn’t read too many trashy romance novels. Fated mates are overrated. Let me offer you a piece of advice for free: never trust anyone with a dick, especially a powerful, nice-looking dick. By the way, we’re in show business now, and show business breaks your heart.”

Before I finished talking, I zoomed in toward her at a blinding speed.

Cut off the head of the snake, and her minions would scatter.

Veronica’s eyes widened in shock and fear, and I struck, thrusting my fingers toward her eyes. An unseen wall formed before me, pulsed, and sent me flying backward. My shoulder collided with the hard ground. I clenched my teeth at the pain, rolled to a crouch, and shot back up in the next heartbeat.

Veronica had wrapped herself inside a magical bubble. I could shatter her shield with my combined Titan and ice magic, but that would violate the rules of the trial, and the price might be too high to pay.

The vampire princess had walked into the second trial with a shield, and she could argue that she wasn’t using magic since someone else had warded her before the trial.

“Kill her!” Veronica shrieked, pointing her slender, shaking finger at me.

Sharp, whooshing sounds cut through the wind, and hundreds of arrows flew my way.

The only way I could avoid being hit by every single arrow was to use my magic to raise a shield, but then I’d forfeit my life by breaking the rules of the trial.

I twirled my sanjiegun over my head. It blurred into motion, fending off the arrows. Loud snapping sounds rose all around me like firecrackers.

My hair flew wildly in every direction. My skin felt so tight it hurt my bones. Sweat drenched me. I fended off the arrows at an impossible speed, but more arrows kept coming. I wheeled toward a two-story building that wasn’t too far as I brandished the sanjiegun at all angles.

A mixed horde of vampires, demons, and mercenaries marched toward me behind the shield of arrows. I’d always been hunted, but this time, I was a lone wolf being chased into a corner. Rage burst within me. My ice magic coiled, but I couldn’t let it out. It took every bit of self-control inside me not to blast all my enemies with my power, but that would be my last resort.

If I stayed longer and fought, I’d be dead. The previous battle and escaping the missile hits had already worn me out. My bones ached.

I drew a bomb gun and shot into the mass, dropping a dozen and sending limbs flying into the air. My sanjiegun slowed down for a second. The mercenaries let their machine guns roar bullets toward me. My sanjiegun blocked most of the arrows and bullets, but a dozen rammed into me.

If it hadn’t been for my armor, I’d have been riddled with bullet holes and arrows. But my armor could only absorb so many onslaughts. The pain from each hit nearly undid me.

I shot another bomb and then another into the mercenaries and archers while I bit my lip in pain and kept darting toward the building.

I tossed away the empty gun and pulled out a new one from my coat. With that, I fed a sheet of bullets into the enemies who blocked my path.

We tore into each other. I spun and cut them, dropping them as if they were meat and butter. An enemy hit me in the ribs with his mace. I stumbled. Another foe thrust her spear toward my thigh. I tossed out half a dozen throwing stars, which spun and cut down a few more targets.

I cut down my foes like a dervish, severing limbs and prowling through the path of blood until I’d cleared the path ahead of me.

But then more foes rushed me from either side. It’d become a competition to them for who would be the champion to take me down.

A nasty spell somehow broke through my defense and cracked my armor, which had suffered a torrent of non-stop onslaughts. I wouldn’t make it to that two-story building, but I had reached a taller building.

I pushed the end of the sanjiegun against the ground to give me a boost as I leapt up the sangria-colored brick wall. I caught a dent near the roof with one hand, but before I could pull myself up, an arrow pierced the bottom of my left foot.

I hissed in agony. My senses told me that the arrowhead was coated with poison. I could feel it already, seeping into my body. My hands numbed, and burning acid filled my being.

I had no choice but to let go of the brick wall.

This was the end for me, taken down by worthless beings.

Finally, I’d failed my team, my people, and my kingdom.

I looked at the dusty blue sky over Manhattan. There was one last thing I could do.

I’d kill everyone here with one final blast of my magic before the poison took me.

Before the poison took me under, I’d unleash every ounce of my magic and level the entire block. All my foes would die with me.

I wouldn’t leave any woman alive to be Loki’s queen.