THEO
DESPITE MY CURRENT hellscape, I was surprised to find myself relatively…calm. Waiting. Biding my time for the right moment to get the fuck out of here.
Shep would be so proud.
He also would’ve known better than to use handcuffs on me if he didn’t want me to escape. Really, cuffs were child’s play, and I was almost insulted that the hired hand didn’t think I needed some heavy-duty rope work.
Not a very smart guy, this one.
He was also a noisy eater, and whatever he’d unwrapped and was currently shoving down his throat was enough to cover any sound I made as I carefully slid out of the handcuffs. I was still pretending to be knocked out with my head hanging down, eyes slammed shut, though every now and again I’d crack one open to get a sense of where he was and what he was doing.
I set the handcuffs on the ground between my ass and the rock wall, and the relief was instant. They’d been too tight, and straining against them meant the wetness I felt there was probably blood.
Just add that to the list, then, since I could feel the warm trickle from my head wound as it dripped down the side of my face.
I was the picture of royalty, wasn’t I? The world knew I was rebellious, but they had no idea getting taken in the jungle was just another Tuesday night.
The sound of several somethings squeaking echoed in the shallow cave, and then I felt a rush of air over my head and heard a string of curses from the merc.
“Goddamn bats,” he said, and I made the mistake of peeking to see him jumping to his feet and swinging on the flying bloodsuckers.
I should’ve just kept my eyes shut, because now it was next to impossible to sit here and not run for my life.
Really, the priorities, Theo,I thought. Fear of death by merc? Nonexistent. Fear of bats? Ready to burn the world down to get the hell away.
A shudder ran through me as the merc continued to swat at them. His attention was off me now, and I took advantage by opening my eyes and scanning for a weapon or anything I could use.
Putain, really? The idiot was swinging at the bats with his crowbar, which meant that was off the table for me to grab. He had a couple of guns strapped to the sides of his pants, but I didn’t know if I could get close enough to steal one of those.
What else, what else…
I quickly scanned the cave floor, which was nothing but packed-down dirt. There were a few small rocks scattered about, but nothing significant enough to cause the damage I wanted to. Blood flow was just now coming back into my hands after being practically cut off for however long I’d been taken, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to use them to full capacity. At least, not in the next thirty seconds.
I wiggled my toes and shifted my legs a little, making sure they were in working order. Other than feeling a bit numb—which hopefully wouldn’t fuck me when I stood up—they seemed okay.
“Yeah, and stay out, you fuckers,” the merc grumbled as the last of the bats flew out of the cave. I quickly grabbed the few small rocks within my reach—pathetic, but with good aim it could buy me a few seconds. Since my body obviously wasn’t in great working condition, I didn’t know if I could overpower this asshole the way I usually could. My head was throbbing so bad my vision was starting to blur a little around the edges. Maybe that was from blood loss. Either way, it wasn’t good, and though I was a reckless fool most of the time, I wasn’t about to die in the middle of the jungle. I tried to keep hold of the rage I felt, but even that was slipping through my fingers.
All I could focus on now was getting away. Getting myself free and back to Shep. That was the plan, and Iwouldmake it happen.
“Still sleeping, Your Highness?” the merc said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he turned his attention back to where I was “knocked out” again. I could hear his footsteps as he moved closer, could feel his presence looming over me like a shadow. “I heard you were more of a fighter, but you’re just a pussy like the rest of them, aren’t you?”
It was all I could do to keep my body still, especially when he kicked my foot.
I want to tear out your heart with my bare hands and make you eat it.
Then the idiot did exactly as I hoped—he crouched down in front of me.
I took my shot then, swinging my arm around and smashing the motherfucker square in the jaw with the rock I held. A howl of pain ripped from his mouth as he careened to the side, and Ishoved up from the ground with every ounce of energy I could muster.
Once on my feet, I turned and landed a hard kick to my captor’s stomach, then one to his head. He groaned and spat blood onto the ground, but when he started to stand, I knew I needed to get out of there. He had more muscle than me and more fuel in the tank, and if a rock to the face and a boot to his temple hadn’t slowed him, nothing would.
That was when I did the one thing I loathed more than being on my best behavior—I ran away from a fight.
Merde.There was nothing I hated more than being weak, but I was also smart enough to know when I was at a disadvantage.
I hightailed it out of the cave and straight into the one place I promised myself I would never,evervisit again if I survived this horror show—the jungle.
I shuddered at the thought, trying not to think about the fact I was leaving behind one nightmare for another kind altogether. God only knew what I was running into, and with blood all over me as well.
