Page 46 of Urban Gladiator

“Ah ah! I think Rowan will want this,” the vampire stated, his gaze averted over my shoulder. “You need to get dressed before Rowan returns and be prepared to depart.”

“Who the hell are you? Last I checked, shifters and vampires didn’t get along.”

“Simon Falk. Your mate and I have been friends since the war. Now, if you don’t mind. I would prefer he not rip my head off because you’re naked.”

I rolled my eyes. I knew what it had looked like. But it wasn’t my fault. “I was taking a bath, and Ian charged in. It wasn’t like I wanted to be his prisoner. Although that appears to be my lot in life.”

Dejected, I located my dress in the bedroom. It was worn and dirty, but with my powers absent, there was nothing I could do about it. It was this or nothing. Once I was properly attired, Simon said, “Let’s walk to the entrance and await Rowan. It’s best if we put distance between you and the scene of the crime.”

“Crime? There was no crime committed.” Although Ian was about to kiss me before their timely interruption. Not that I had given him any encouragement. Quite the opposite.

“It won’t be how Rowan takes it. Not after you ran away from him.”

“Only because he plans to sacrifice me. It’s called self-preservation and the desire to continue breathing. When you think about it, my leaving was really his fault.”

He ushered me down the long winding halls. Thank the goddess I had him here assisting me, or I never would have located the way out of this maze. “I’m afraid he won’t see it that way. You’re his mate.”

“You’re wrong. I’m nothing of the sort. The mating fever is too strong for shifters to deny. Everyone knows this.”

Simon’s red gaze landed on me, and even with the dampener hampering me, I felt his timelessness. I wondered at his age. “It depends on the shifter and their ability to exert control over their wolf. Rowan’s the next alpha of his pack. He has control for days. But even he has been known to snap when warranted. If I were you, I would tread carefully.”

We rounded a corner and almost ran into Rowan. His wolf gaze narrowed at me. “Come. We’re leaving.”

“Where’s Ian?” I asked, because for all the griffin’s faults, he wasn’t a bad guy. Just misguided in his choice of brides.

It was the wrong thing to say. Rowan snarled and snapped, then took a menacing step forward. “Never utter his name again. The coward flew off during our fight.”

“Want me to go after him?” Simon asked with a sadistic grin.

We emerged from his home. The view was quite lovely with the vast rolling field before us.

“No. But thanks, old friend. I can take it from here,” he nodded toward me. “If you want to jet.”

Simon and Rowan stared, having a wordless conversation. Simon glanced at me for a moment with something akin to pity in his eyes and handed over the key to my freedom. He bowed his head, and in a blink, he was gone. I knew vampires were fast, but Simon might be the fastest one I’ve met yet.

Then Rowan’s icy gaze landed on me and bored holes into my soul. He shifted into human form. It was then I realized he held a length of rope. Before I could retreat and attempt to escape, he caught my hands and bound my wrists tightly together.

I ignored his state of undress. Then did my best to squelch the desire burning red hot through me at the sight of his form. I’d missed it before, but he had what looked like a giant collar hanging loose around his neck. After he secured my wrists, he tied the rope to the collar, then shifted back into wolf form.

“Come.” He uttered the word with such finality I shivered. I was tied to a wolf who proclaimed I was his mate. One who believed to his core that I had betrayed him by escaping and leaving a wealth of destruction in my wake. And he’d found me naked with another man.

Would I even survive the night?

19

I stumbled behind the brutal pace Rowan set. At this speed, we were a few days from reaching Avalon City. We’d arrive just in time for me to be sacrificed.

Night had fallen during our trek. It had been two hours since we left Ian’s home. Two hours since he’d spoken. Two hours for me to seethe with anger. I had never wanted any of this. All I wanted was to keep my sister safe. This was the longest we had ever gone without seeing each other. And I prayed she was all right, that the coven mother would uphold her bargain.

But I was tired from the forced march. Tired of being treated with such rabid disdain purely for existing. My feet ached. I needed water and rest. It was night, and my body was running out of steam. The dampeners were affecting my energy on multiple levels.

“Rowan, stop. Please.”

He acted like he didn’t hear me. Just kept his hurried pace, making me run behind him.

A single tear slipped down my cheek. And then another. And another, until they fell too fast for me to stop. I let them come.

Until I couldn’t take it anymore. Fury rose inside me. My tears dried on my cheeks. I planted my feet and yanked on the rope. But his strength was too much. I fought with all my might.

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