Prologue
Farren
Where was she? It was dark, and she couldn’t move. Her lips were parted, but when she tried to inhale, it was like breathing through a pinhole.
Her head ached, and it took her several seconds to realize her eyes weren’t open. Her inability to breathe took precedence over everything else, and she focused on the smallest movements until her body started to spasm, and then a rush of oxygen flooded her lungs.
Two, three deep breaths, and then...nothing. Again. Fuck.
A slap stung her cheek, and she forced her eyes open. Dark hair. Wild, hazel eyes. And a smile that chilled her down to her bones. “About time ya’ woke up. Now listen here. I need ya’ to lie still. Ya’ can do as I say, and I’ll let ya’ breathe, or I can take yer air and ya’ can feel like ye’re going to die the whole time. Yer choice.”
After another wave of fresh air Farren gulped down, she managed, “I’ll be...still.”
She wouldn’t. Not in the least. Because whatever this arse was planning, it wouldn’t be pleasant. Not with the blade in his hand. But she’d be good for nothing if she couldn’t breathe.
And how the hell was he doing that anyway? Taking all the air from the room? Fergus Tharp was an earth elemental. Not air. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light, and all around them, dirt walls. Shorn up by the occasional wooden beam. It smelled like the earth. Like wet soil, so they had to be underground somewhere.
He’d tied her wrists and then rolled her onto her back so her arms were pinned. Her legs were free, but as she tried to sense the muscles, they didn’t respond.
Fuck. She could feel them, though.
“Did...ya’...drug me?” she gasped, still reeling from the near suffocation.
“I compelled ya’. Works kinda’ like a drug, I suppose,” he said as he yanked up her tank top to expose her stomach.
“What...? Please don’t...” she said as she tried to wriggle away, but Fergus kicked her in the ribs and her breath left her again.
“I told ya’ not to move. Warned ya’, I did. Now ye’re goin’ to have to deal with the pain.”
Dropping to one knee, he traced the tip of the blade against her side.
Farren’s eyes watered, the lack of oxygen sending black spots pinging in her vision. Until Fergus snarled and pressed the knife harder, so hard it cut into her, burning a line from her bottom rib almost to her hip. Blood dripped along her side. She could feel each little rivulet, how it rolled along her skin and fell to the floor underneath her.
His hand shook, and he cursed viciously, muttered a few words her addled brain couldn’t understand, and let her breathe. Stalking away, Fergus paced the room, continuing to talk to himself.
“I need my air. She’s my air. And once I get her back…” He kicked the wall, whispering again, and Farren’s world went dark and quiet as her entire body strained just to survive.
* * *
Her wolf railedagainst the chains binding her. The beast couldn’t understand why she was trapped—nor did Farren. How long had she been here? Two hours? Six? A full day?
It took her forever just to move her hand enough to feel for the wounds along her side. One long, deep slice. A shorter cut next to it.
Her stomach rumbled. Unsurprising as she and Colin hadn’t eaten since noon. Where was her beta?
“Colin,” she whispered, the single word strained and hoarse. “Where are ya’?”
Only silence answered her.
Until a door banged open and a dim light shone down on her from above. Fergus stomped over to her, grabbed her hair, and slammed her head into the ground.
“Ya’ can’t escape me, bitch.”
The pocket knife snapped open, and he knelt next to her again, his hand shaking as he carved a third line into her skin. Farren screamed as best she could, still barely able to breathe, choking and trying to inch away from him. But there was too much blood. Her wolf howled deep inside, ready to spring and tear this fucking elemental limb from limb, but she couldn’t shift.
“Please,” she whimpered. “I’ve done…nothin’ to ya’.”
He slapped her across the face, and she tasted blood.
