—Back to the Present—
You groan, head aching as you sit up, wondering if you’re late for work—and realize that instead of your bedroom ceiling above you, there are stars. Lots of stars, mixed with a heavy dose of light pollution from the skyline surrounding you.
Yeah, you’re definitely not late to work, considering it’s still the middle of the night.
So…that’s the bright side. Because it slowly dawns on you that you’ve been kidnapped, and really you’ve got to look on the bright side in these sorts of situations, because what else can you do?
Especially considering your mouth is still stuffed with a fabric gag, and you discover your aching wrists are bound behind you.
This…this can’t be good.
And there in front of you, perched on a low rail overlooking the pitch darkness and crisp night air beyond, is your kidnapper.
He’s handsome—for a kidnapper, anyway—the kind of guy who would make an excellent book boyfriend with his chiseled jaw and sharp features, angry, red eyes glowing.
Yikes.
Red eyes!?
Or maybe that’s just the glow of the fireball he’s tossing in his hand, gazing out over the rooftop where he’s got you tied. Not tiedtoanything, so if you can get to your feet, you could run, considering those aren’t bound.
But…you survey your options with a frown. You can’t see any other buildings from where you’re sitting, and the wind feels colder and somehow thinner than usual—though that last part could be your imagination. Either way, it’s clear you’re not on some low building. You’re high above the city.
Your head spins, stomach lurching as you imagine the ground far below.
How is it you always seem to find yourself in these sorts of situations?
“So you’re awake,” your kidnapper says, cutting the silence. He makes no move to get up from his perch on the low rail—just keeps tossing the fireball in his left hand, catching it occasionally with his right before lobbing it back.
Even his hair is red, glimmering in the glow of the magical flame. He’s obviously not human. Could he be a sorcerer like you?
“Mwho vare wyou?” you mumble through your gag. “Hahnd vwhat voo vyou hwant with bhe?”
Your kidnapper smirks, as if he finds your attempt to talk funny.
Jerk.
You struggle against the bonds tying your wrists behind your back, but that just causes the ropes to dig further into your skin.
“Call me Sy,” he says, lazily tossing the fireball and continuing to catch it. “Z is my twin.”
Well, that would certainly explain the resemblance.
It doesn’t, however, explain why he decided to kidnap you and tie you up.
“My brother is a menace,” he continues, and you narrow your eyes at him. If you were ungagged, you might give him an earful about how kidnapping and tying someone up sure seems like a lotmoreof a menace. “He’s been causing destruction across the plains for days.”
You wince.
Oh.
Is that what Ziros was talking about when he mentioned it being dangerous to be around you?
Okay, so maybe Ziros’ wind power does make him alittlebit of a menace, but it’s not like he wants to be or anything. At least, you’re pretty sure.
Maybe once upon a time, he did, but the Ziros you know is actually a total sweetheart beneath his sexy vampire-demigod exterior.
“Anyway,” Sy says, standing from the ledge and walking back toward you. “You, little human, arebait.”
