Read Online Woman Beware by Tianna Xander - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tianna Xander
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he know her story unless he was the one Artu had trusted with their predicament? However he knew didn’t matter. She was an illegal in this land, so she didn’t argue, and she didn’t put up a fight when three men grabbed her and locked a pair of odd handcuffs around her wrists and forearms.
The man pumped his fist in the air. “Throw her in jail! Keep her away from our defender, who would believe her lies.”
Staring at him, her eyes wide, Lena’s heart pumped violently in her chest. Of all the people here, she only feared the one man who called for her incarceration. The demonic light of fanaticism practically glowed in his eyes. If she could see it, why couldn’t his own people see that the man was as crazy as a sack of beavers?
“Throw her in jail!” he screamed again. “Give her the death penalty!”
Now, wait just a minute. A death sentence was a bit extreme, wasn’t it?
“Better yet, kill her now!” The man pulled what Lena could only guess was a weapon from his jacket, pointed it at her and fired before anyone could react.
When the blast hit her in the center of her chest, Lena fell to her knees before hitting the floor on her side. Someone, she wasn’t sure who, rolled her over onto her back. Someone else shoved a jacket under her head. It was a small comfort, but there nonetheless.
Glancing up at the nearest man who stared down at her with nothing short of horror, she said, “Tell Artu that I love him and…I’m sorry.”
Lena knew now, that it was too late, that she should never have opened the door without Artu standing here with her. “I knew it.” She said irreverently, knowing that she breathed her last few breaths. “I knew I was going to die the minute I saw that damned red shirt.”
Chapter Sixteen
Artu entered his home and zoomed toward his bolt hole. He should never have left to try to talk sense into Benton, but he hadn’t been home. It wasn’t until he saw the crafts outside his home that he realized that Benton had managed to rat him out yet again.
How had the other man known about the bolt hole? No one knew about that but those who helped build it, and they were long gone from this world. Artu moved as fast as he dared, knowing he had to get there before Lena opened the door.
Though he knew that they wouldn’t find her unless she came out on her own, he feared that she would inadvertently help them by coming out without coercion.
“Let me pass,” Artu said with a growl as he pushed his way through what seemed like a battalion of men. He had to stop them. Artu couldn’t allow them to put his Lena in prison. He would go himself before he allowed them to put her in with the blood thirsty criminals and thugs he had helped to incarcerate. They would kill her when they found out he’d attempted to keep her out of there. A commotion at the front drew his attention, and he narrowed his eyes at the open door.
“She loves him!”
Artu’s heart swelled at the words. Had she said that? Had she really told others that she loved him? Perhaps, if they were lucky, that declaration would keep her out of jail.
“For the love of Brigit, what have we done?” one of the men said as Artu pushed through the crowd.
For the first time in his life, Artu felt fear, true fear, as he pushed his way through. The crowd had grown eerily silent as he made his way to his door.
Whatever he did, he knew he must declare his love for her to keep her with him. Nothing short of death could separate a defender from his mate.
Turning, the men faced him and grew silent. Artu’s stomach churned as he drew toward the front of the crowd and didn’t see Lena standing before him. Deep in his gut he knew something was wrong.
Heart in his throat, he shoved his way through the last of the men to find Lena. She lay on the floor, still as death, her lovely face white, a blue tinge surrounding her lips.
Slowly, he shook his head as he took in her appearance and the dark stain in the center of her
The man pumped his fist in the air. “Throw her in jail! Keep her away from our defender, who would believe her lies.”
Staring at him, her eyes wide, Lena’s heart pumped violently in her chest. Of all the people here, she only feared the one man who called for her incarceration. The demonic light of fanaticism practically glowed in his eyes. If she could see it, why couldn’t his own people see that the man was as crazy as a sack of beavers?
“Throw her in jail!” he screamed again. “Give her the death penalty!”
Now, wait just a minute. A death sentence was a bit extreme, wasn’t it?
“Better yet, kill her now!” The man pulled what Lena could only guess was a weapon from his jacket, pointed it at her and fired before anyone could react.
When the blast hit her in the center of her chest, Lena fell to her knees before hitting the floor on her side. Someone, she wasn’t sure who, rolled her over onto her back. Someone else shoved a jacket under her head. It was a small comfort, but there nonetheless.
Glancing up at the nearest man who stared down at her with nothing short of horror, she said, “Tell Artu that I love him and…I’m sorry.”
Lena knew now, that it was too late, that she should never have opened the door without Artu standing here with her. “I knew it.” She said irreverently, knowing that she breathed her last few breaths. “I knew I was going to die the minute I saw that damned red shirt.”
Chapter Sixteen
Artu entered his home and zoomed toward his bolt hole. He should never have left to try to talk sense into Benton, but he hadn’t been home. It wasn’t until he saw the crafts outside his home that he realized that Benton had managed to rat him out yet again.
How had the other man known about the bolt hole? No one knew about that but those who helped build it, and they were long gone from this world. Artu moved as fast as he dared, knowing he had to get there before Lena opened the door.
Though he knew that they wouldn’t find her unless she came out on her own, he feared that she would inadvertently help them by coming out without coercion.
“Let me pass,” Artu said with a growl as he pushed his way through what seemed like a battalion of men. He had to stop them. Artu couldn’t allow them to put his Lena in prison. He would go himself before he allowed them to put her in with the blood thirsty criminals and thugs he had helped to incarcerate. They would kill her when they found out he’d attempted to keep her out of there. A commotion at the front drew his attention, and he narrowed his eyes at the open door.
“She loves him!”
Artu’s heart swelled at the words. Had she said that? Had she really told others that she loved him? Perhaps, if they were lucky, that declaration would keep her out of jail.
“For the love of Brigit, what have we done?” one of the men said as Artu pushed through the crowd.
For the first time in his life, Artu felt fear, true fear, as he pushed his way through. The crowd had grown eerily silent as he made his way to his door.
Whatever he did, he knew he must declare his love for her to keep her with him. Nothing short of death could separate a defender from his mate.
Turning, the men faced him and grew silent. Artu’s stomach churned as he drew toward the front of the crowd and didn’t see Lena standing before him. Deep in his gut he knew something was wrong.
Heart in his throat, he shoved his way through the last of the men to find Lena. She lay on the floor, still as death, her lovely face white, a blue tinge surrounding her lips.
Slowly, he shook his head as he took in her appearance and the dark stain in the center of her
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