Page 81 of Sanctuary of the Shadow
Behave?Yeah, right.“Hard way it is, then.” Malaikah launched at him, claws out and ready to tear some reptile flesh.
When they collided, he crashed backward into the bed but didn’t go down. Instead, he caught her wrists again, using his strength to force her back. But the close confines worked to Malaikah’s advantage this time.
Twisting and yanking, she clawed up the sleeves of his leather coat, drawing blood at his wrists. As he tugged her arms apart again, she lunged forward, teeth bared, and managed to get a grip on the soft skin between his shoulder and neck. She didn’t hesitate to tear a chunk out of him.
He hissed like an angry reptile. Rather than throwing him off his game, however, the wound gave him an extra edge of viciousness. With his next shove, they stumbled backward, Malaikah’s spine digging into the sharp angles of the stove, and then he did that same cursed move he’d done in the alley.
Yanking hard on one arm, he tugged her forward and she spun, her back slamming hard into his front. He caught her other arm and held her there, immobilized, lest the hold break her arms.
She cursed herself across the Territory and back for letting that work on her twice.
She tried to headbutt him like she had before, but he, at least, learned from his mistakes. This time, his skull was out of her reach. Still, she thrashed viciously. As a rule, holding a cat that did not want to be held was an impossible task. They were slippery, vicious creatures.
But then again, so were snakes.
The cold prick of fangs against her neck had her freezing instantly in place.
“You wouldn’t,” she hissed, not daring to move a muscle.
He said nothing, considering his teeth were at her neck and all.
She’d never been bitten by a snake before—or by anyone, for that matter. He had to be venomous, right? Either way, the risk was far too great for her to try calling his bluff.
If she was wrong… Some Hybrid venom was deadly enough to kill in minutes.
“You Goddess-forsaken fucking snake!” Her rage was immense, but her survival instinct was greater. She didn’t move.
A knock sounded at the door. They both tensed.
“Malaikah!” It was Harrow’s voice.
The fangs lifted from her neck. “Answer the door, Malaikah.” His mouth was right beside her ear.
“I told you—I’d rather die. So why don’t you go ahead and bite me?” She considered screaming out a warning to Harrow but knew that wouldn’t help the situation any. Harrow would just come crashing into the caravan to save her.
“I have men waiting outside. Harrow’s not getting away. Don’t you want to greet your friend and make this easier for all of us?”
“Mal, it’s me! Open the door.”
“I’ll kill you for this,” Mal swore.
“No, you won’t. Are you ready to cooperate?”
She growled. “Let me up. I’ll do it. But if you hurt her…”
“No one’s getting hurt, Malaikah.”
“Says the guy with his fangs at my neck a second ago.”
“I always carry the antivenom. I wouldn’t have killed you. But I need you to cooperate with me tonight, and I will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that. Now are you ready to answer the door?”
With a final growl, she nodded, and he released her. Spinning around, she stared into his creepy snake eyes. “If you’re lying to me, I swear to the Goddess—”
“Answer the door, Malaikah.”
With a curse, she shoved him out of the way and stormed to the door.
“Mal? Are you here?”
