Page 79 of Captured Immune

I drop Arella’s feet to the ground to free a hand, then chuck fireballs at the men. Clumsily, I hug Arella’s upper body against mine, dragging her with me as I stumble backward and dodge the fireballs flying toward us.

“Arella!” I shout as I shake her. “Wake up! I need you!”

Her immunity would be so fucking helpful right now. Fighting people off is a hell of a lot harder without her invisible wall of protection.

The men are gaining on me. Another fireball rockets through the air and grazes my arm. The heat sears my skin before the fireball lands in the grass behind me, setting it on fire. The ground rumbles beneath my feet as two tree roots pop out of the ground. Their sharp ends fly straight toward my chest. I fall backward and land on my back just as the roots swipe the air where I was just standing. I lose my grip on Arella, who rolls away from me and lands on her side.

The Terra attacking me points his fingers at the ground again. The dirt rumbles beneath me until another tree root shoots out of the ground and circles my legs.

“No!” I shout as the roots drag me away from Arella.

In the corner of my eye, I see the Terra lift his hands into the air. His roots whip me upward, then slam me back onto the ground. Searing pain tears through my ribs. I clutch my side as I’m lifted into the air again, then my face crashes against the hard ground. More agony fires throughout my ribs. I cry out as the tree roots fling me toward the sky a third time. I’m bracing myself for the impact when suddenly, the roots stop. I dangle above a tree as the man below me cries out in pain.

“You little bitch!” Ruby says through hisses.

The tree roots around my legs glow red. They’re warm against my jeans until they slowly break apart and release me. I fall to the ground, landing face first—on my ribs again. The agony burns like hell.

“Sorry,” Katie says. “I didn’t know how else to get you down.”

I push onto my knees and clutch my side. I taste blood again, and it’s so hard to breathe.

“Get up, Trey!” Katie shouts as she tosses ice balls at someone behind me.

What the hell does she think I’m trying to do, have a tea party?“Give me a fucking second, will ya?”

“We don’t have seconds. You need to get her away from here.”

I’m barely back onto my feet when Pixie shouts, “No!” Then she puckers her lips and blows toward the large man hoisting Arella over his shoulder.

Katie and I race toward the man as he drops Arella onto the ground and clutches his ears. My girl limply rolls onto the ground.

With a grunt, Katie hurls her fist into the man’s face. Then she draws back and does it again. The petite woman sure hits hard. The man’s pain mirrors onto my own face, but it’s nothing compared to the agony in my torso.

“Go, Trey!” Katie shouts. “Get her outta here and hide!”

Aching, I pick up Arella off the ground and cradle her against my burning chest. Then I run.

18

ARELLA

A rustling soundmakes my eyes flutter open. I’m lying on my right side with my head against a hard floor—a dirty floor. It’s covered in mud, dry leaves, and who knows what else.

It’s dark. Some slivers of moonlight shine through the cracks of... tires? I’m lying under a large table pushed against a corner with tires stacked around it.Where am I? How did I get here?

Wherever I am, it smells like rotten wood and stale dung that’s been rained on.Gross.At least I’m out of that evil lair now.Well, I think I am.Why else would there be moonlight?

Someone’s lying behind me with their arm limp beneath my neck. Their other arm rests over my ribs. It’s Trey. I don’t need to turn around to see his face for confirmation. I know it’s him by the sound of his steady breaths and the familiar way his muscular body feels against mine.

My left arm is throbbing. There’s something wrapped around it. I reach up to feel it. It’s a shirt.When did a shirt get tied around my arm?The last thing I remember is that knife slashing me. Everything beyond that is a blur.

I have to get out of here. I have to get away from Trey and anyone else with magical powers. They’re trouble. Every last one of them. Once I get away, the first thing I’m doing is contacting the police. They’ll keep me safe for sure. After that, I’m going to find a baked potato and some bacon. I’m so hungry, I could probably eat the whole pig right now.

With the gentlest of fingers, I pick up Trey’s arm draped over me and slowly rest it over the nasty floor. His breathing remains steady. Dry leaves crunch and crackle beneath me as I move to sit upright. I go slow, careful not to wake him up.So far, so good.

Once I’m upright, I take a closer look at the tires barricaded around me. They’re stacked in rows, three high. I only need to move one row to give me enough room to get out.Maybe if I go slow enough...

More leaves crunch beneath me as I maneuver into a kneeling position. Trey moans softly as his head slumps against the floor. I hold my breath and wait for him to move again. When he doesn’t, I exhale.

---