Page 18 of Hidden Kingdoms

All this adrenaline wasn’t good for my health.

I was only twenty-eight, I didn’t need to be having a heart attack any time soon.

My chest ached, throbbing heavy under my fingers, I was going to have to see a doctor after all this. Glacial air attacked my skin—hardly surprising considering I was practically naked—burning with its frigid touch, even as the heat generated from our desperate escape coursed through me. Sweat rapidly cooled as I shivered in the dirt, curls of hair plastering my face and neck.

Someone shifted next to me, slumping down onto the grass and laying back, grey eyes trained at the sky as his breaths came short and fast through his mask. Reaching for my hand he squeezed it once before letting go to run his fingers over the sharp daggers lining his chest.

It would seem for now we were safe behind the ward—safe with psycho kidnappers. I still felt exposed out here in the open.

I sat back stretching my tired legs in front of me, uncaring of the wet patch that I would inevitably get on my ass, winding my finger through the tangles of gold bracelets that wrapped around my wrist. My other hand settled in the hollow of my neck, fingers fluttering in the now empty space that should contain my pendant. The familiar comfort of the gem under my touch, gone.

A commotion I had no intention of getting involved with, started behind me. Angry voices mixed with the grinding sound of metal against metal, was followed by the heavy groan of wood. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the gates were now opening, but whether that was a good or bad thing, I had no idea.

The sun had made it over the horizon, sending soft light spilling onto the ground, though the air remained icy on my overheated skin. I looked at the man beside me just as he pulled off the black mask that had been covering his face.

Sighing in relief as the chill touched his skin, I held back my own sigh as I laid eyes on him for the first time. The hair that brushed against the grass in waves was a dark mahogany reminiscent of the rich soil that made up the woods of my home and framed a face that despite only being in profile, surely belonged in a renaissance painting. Eyes that I knew were a storm-grey were closed, framed with thick black lashes that brushed high cheekbones. A dark beard covered the lower half of his face, full plush lips parted slightly as he focused on his breathing. A peek of tattooed skin visible in the gap between his beard and clothing.

He was a gods-damned work of art, and I was helpless as my eyes roamed the rest of him to see what else they had blessed him with when his snapped open, a glint in them as their full focus held my gaze.

A low chuckle escaped his lips as he shut his eyes once again, both hands reaching up to fist in his hair, and my stomach flipped at the noise.

Ergh, why did I have a handsome kidnapper?

“What was that?” I asked quietly, still watching him. I wasn’t sure if I was brave enough to hear the answer, but he was my best bet for information. He took a moment before turning to look at me, grey eyes searching mine. To his credit, his eyes stayed locked on mine instead of dipping to my heaving chest where my cleavage was very much on display. I didn’t want to think about the show they just put on during our wild sprint here.

“We don’t know. But I can tell you we weren’t expecting it.” He looked towards the lightening sky, one arm draped casually over his chest. I noticed the black tattoos wrapping around his fingers before I turned to the fog-drenched expanse beyond the ward.

“You’re not going to run again, are you? I don’t think I’ve got the energy to chase you.”

I huffed a short, bitter laugh as I looked at him, shivering as the ground leeched any amount of warmth I could generate and wrapped my arms around myself. “I think that thing has just made your jobs a little easier.”

Heavy footsteps from behind gave me an excuse to look away, and I groaned as I realised that Big Man had made his way over.

I was a lot happier when I didn’t know where he was.

The dark-haired angel lying next to me jumped up in one swift motion I would never be able to replicate as his friend came to a stop next to us.

Tilting my head back, I looked at them both. Their voices were kept low, but I didn’t miss the urgency in their words, nor did the glances towards the sky go unnoticed. I made no attempt to get up, prompting Big Man to reach down with both hands and hoist me to my feet.

I didn’t resist, because honestly, it wouldn’t have done me much good. Eyeing the bare face and black mask hanging from his friend’s fingers, his mouth thinned in annoyance, but he kept his own in place.

The adrenaline had left my system, and as my heart rate returned to normal, I failed to repress the shivers that wracked my body. With everything I was, I wished I’d put more clothes on before bed; a lace bra and shorts were not suitable outdoor clothing.

I also wished I was still safe in bed, but here we are.

This bralette left nothing to the imagination, and I didn’t need to look down to know there was no denying I was cold. A small smirk tugged at the lips of my unmasked kidnapper as his eyes flicked to my chest. A low growl sounded, followed by the release of a buckle and the rustle of fabric when a very large, very warm black jumper was thrust at me, and I stumbled back a step, clutching it to my chest. Big Man rebuckled his weapons belt over his shoulders without a look my way. I wasn’t going to turn down the warmth, pulling it over my head and watching as it fell to below my knees. I decided against being a polite little girl and thanking him.

My finger poked through one of the small, ripped holes that peppered the too-long sleeves, blood smearing my skin. I glanced over at his arm, and sure enough there were holes in the black top that was plastered tight against his body, muscles straining against the fabric. Blood darkened the edges and I put the pieces together, realising where they had come from as fury burned within me.

Titan had made those.

They must have done something to him in order to gain access to my room and gotten bitten in the process. I had seen Titan moments before he launched himself at the very thing thathad chased me here, but that only meant they hadn’t managed to keep him away.

From the looks of it, they had definitely tried.

“What did you do to him?!” The idea of them trying to hurt him turned my vision red as I rounded on him, magik pulsing in my fingers. Sparks flew over my palms with an ease I was unfamiliar with and the fingers on his injured arm twitched in response.

“What didIdo? He fucking bit me.” His eyes glowered as he looked down at my hands buzzing with energy, lifting his own as flames swirled his entire forearm.

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