believe he could overcome them all to save her. She had to believe. “He will kill all of you.”
He moved closer and sniffed her. “How long did it take for him to have you?”
Chills coursed through her.
“My guess is less than a day.” He took her hand, held it up and touched her ring.
Her ring turned to liquid, falling to droplets and disappearing into the rock. The only item she had from Vale vanished like it never existed.
“No!” She managed to turn and rubbed her hands along the floor only to find nothing but the splash of her own tears. She swallowed, refusing to cry or break down in front of this monster. These creatures knew everything down to the fact that Vale was near. She had to do something to throw them off their guard.
“Humans are so gullible.” He stood and turned to the rest. “Even my half-wit, half-brother could convince her to conspire against us!”
“I didn’t know you were here. I only wanted to learn about the element.” She pushed herself up. Maybe she could reason with him.
“I only wanted to learn about the element,” Xander mimicked her voice.
She got up on her knees and looked at the floor once more in search of her ring. “That’s the truth. I want nothing from you.”
“You miss your mate and his pledge.” His voice mocked her and he grabbed her face. “Maybe you shouldn’t settle for second best. Look at me.”
She kept her focus just beyond him.
“I told you to look at me.” Xander moved into her field of vision and his eyes began to glow.
Vale’s beautiful face flashed in her mind. She remembered when he put her into a trance to calm her and prove he was real. Strength found her. She would remain in control. She shut her eyes so as to not fall under any spell, and spit right in his face “Get away from me!”
“And you call us animals.” He struck her across the face, his claws ripping her skin. “I wouldn’t soil myself with a useless human.”
Her flesh burned, searing hot where he sliced her. The pain radiated through her body. Her blood droplets made an abstract pattern on the silver floor.
“But I will teach you about my world.” He picked her up by her hair and shoved her against the wall.
“No!” She resisted, lashing out with her arms and legs, but he managed to clasp her wrists above her head. The rock melted around her hands, oozing between her fingers and hardening, leaving her dangling, her toes barely able to touch the ground. She hung her head back, resting it on the jagged wall. How would she get out of this? She couldn’t even move her fingers.
“I’m the only one who can free you now.” His breath scraped across her ear. “Pretty soon you’ll be begging for only the best.” Before he backed away, he dug his claws deep into her stomach. “Let’s see how well humans do with healing.”
She cried out as blood seeped from her middle down her legs, soaking her pants. The only way she could break through the agony was to try to focus on every moment she had with Vale. She inhaled, taking her time exhaling, breathing through the pain, but all she wanted to do was close her eyes and disappear.
She willed herself to stay conscious. Vale would not find her dead. She was his mate .
****
Vale shoved a knife into his waistband, checked the other three he strapped on, and prepared himself to land right in the center of a trap. If Xander wasn’t luring him to the pack, he would have either found Kira’s body on the bank of the lake, or he wouldn’t have gotten this far without a fight. The only formality Xander missed was to send him an engraved invitation.
After hiding in a chamber, he climbed into a passageway high above the caves where he could take his time. No doubt Xander counted on the fact he would act in haste.
His connection and his love for Kira allowed him to sense her before he saw her. His arms went weak. The metallic taste of the blood she’d shed settled in the back of his throat. Yes, she was alive, but
He moved closer and sniffed her. “How long did it take for him to have you?”
Chills coursed through her.
“My guess is less than a day.” He took her hand, held it up and touched her ring.
Her ring turned to liquid, falling to droplets and disappearing into the rock. The only item she had from Vale vanished like it never existed.
“No!” She managed to turn and rubbed her hands along the floor only to find nothing but the splash of her own tears. She swallowed, refusing to cry or break down in front of this monster. These creatures knew everything down to the fact that Vale was near. She had to do something to throw them off their guard.
“Humans are so gullible.” He stood and turned to the rest. “Even my half-wit, half-brother could convince her to conspire against us!”
“I didn’t know you were here. I only wanted to learn about the element.” She pushed herself up. Maybe she could reason with him.
“I only wanted to learn about the element,” Xander mimicked her voice.
She got up on her knees and looked at the floor once more in search of her ring. “That’s the truth. I want nothing from you.”
“You miss your mate and his pledge.” His voice mocked her and he grabbed her face. “Maybe you shouldn’t settle for second best. Look at me.”
She kept her focus just beyond him.
“I told you to look at me.” Xander moved into her field of vision and his eyes began to glow.
Vale’s beautiful face flashed in her mind. She remembered when he put her into a trance to calm her and prove he was real. Strength found her. She would remain in control. She shut her eyes so as to not fall under any spell, and spit right in his face “Get away from me!”
“And you call us animals.” He struck her across the face, his claws ripping her skin. “I wouldn’t soil myself with a useless human.”
Her flesh burned, searing hot where he sliced her. The pain radiated through her body. Her blood droplets made an abstract pattern on the silver floor.
“But I will teach you about my world.” He picked her up by her hair and shoved her against the wall.
“No!” She resisted, lashing out with her arms and legs, but he managed to clasp her wrists above her head. The rock melted around her hands, oozing between her fingers and hardening, leaving her dangling, her toes barely able to touch the ground. She hung her head back, resting it on the jagged wall. How would she get out of this? She couldn’t even move her fingers.
“I’m the only one who can free you now.” His breath scraped across her ear. “Pretty soon you’ll be begging for only the best.” Before he backed away, he dug his claws deep into her stomach. “Let’s see how well humans do with healing.”
She cried out as blood seeped from her middle down her legs, soaking her pants. The only way she could break through the agony was to try to focus on every moment she had with Vale. She inhaled, taking her time exhaling, breathing through the pain, but all she wanted to do was close her eyes and disappear.
She willed herself to stay conscious. Vale would not find her dead. She was his mate .
****
Vale shoved a knife into his waistband, checked the other three he strapped on, and prepared himself to land right in the center of a trap. If Xander wasn’t luring him to the pack, he would have either found Kira’s body on the bank of the lake, or he wouldn’t have gotten this far without a fight. The only formality Xander missed was to send him an engraved invitation.
After hiding in a chamber, he climbed into a passageway high above the caves where he could take his time. No doubt Xander counted on the fact he would act in haste.
His connection and his love for Kira allowed him to sense her before he saw her. His arms went weak. The metallic taste of the blood she’d shed settled in the back of his throat. Yes, she was alive, but
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