Shit! What the hell was he doing? He could die!
Shrieks echoed. Bodies fell. More of them appeared, rushing him.
Nooo!Her scream lodged in her throat—
A sizzling sound exploded, like electricity short-circuiting. No, not electricity! A frenzied wave of lightning flew out from him, crackling and hissing, sweeping over the mass of attackers. Screeches bellowed as they burned to ash within seconds while he stood there, unmoving in a column of powerful lightning crackles.
Oh God, oh God!The cold sunlight spared her nothing of the carnage taking place caused by justoneperson.
The surge of lightning suddenly zapped back into him.
Leya stared in shocked horror, blood pounding in her hurting head.
“Most impressive,” Skinhead drawled. He didn’t even seem to care about those other men who’d just died, who had to be a part of his clique since they all sported shaven heads and brown uniforms.
Aerén turned, and nothing crossed his face as his gaze shifted from her to Skinhead.
“Let her go.” His tone sliced like shards of ice down her spine, and she shuddered.
Her captor laughed. “You want her, come and get her!”
Her body dissolved, and she cried out, everything around her vanishing…
They reformed again.
The freezing air had Leya gasping for breath as she lurched, trying to find her balance. Her teeth clattered, the immense cold seeping into her as if she’d been dumped in a vat of icy water. She rubbed her arms, covered only by the thin sleeves of her t-shirt, taking in the dim interior of the deathly cold, musty cave.
“So weak.” He sneered as he tied the nylon rope to one of the several metal rings embedded in the rough walls. “Now, let’s see if you’re important to him.”
Leya sagged against the wall, tucking her icy hands under her armpits, dread twisting her belly. “W-who are y-you?”
He ignored her.
A shuffle sounded.
Her kidnapper snatched the stolen dagger from his waist, grabbed her by her hair, and stepped behind her, the cold blade pressed against her throat. “It seems he does move fast for someone he supposedly just met.”
Two figures appeared at the entrance of the cave.
Skinhead growled and shoved her away, her shoulder hitting the granite surface. More pain spread. Christ, she wanted to kill the jerkwad, but trapped as she was, she could only mentally curse the ass.
“What are you idiots doing here?” he snarled at the newcomers. “You should be guarding the outside!”
Leya shifted, rubbing her fists down her jeans, trying to find some warmth, causing the heavy metal ring to clink against the wall, drawing their attention.
The thinner ass, with a mole on his brow, glared at her like she’d asked to be shoved through a portal into this ice pit. “Another one, Saij? They don’t last in our world and slow us down—”
“Shut it, Alcoy!” her abductor growled. “Voices carry. She’s just bait. We need to move once we get theishkhen,before the damn warlord of this place senses us and has his enforcers crawling all over these old caves.”
The two grunted, and their fists shot up like a salute. “The Revetori!”
“Aye. The Revetori will rule,” the jerk muttered with his own salute.
Oh, God. These must be the rebels Aerén spoke about.
Dread knotting her gut, Leya tugged at the rope. She had to get free, but the numbness was starting to creep through her fingers and toes. God! She was going to die—
“Can’t have you dying just yet.” Skinhead grabbed her braid, yanked her head to the side, then sucked her neck.
