Page 40 of The Desert Prince's Jewel
MATEO
Itry not to panic when I awaken on a musty, dusty pile of blankets, bound by my ankles and wrists. But it doesn’t take long after opening my eyes to go into full-blown panic mode, screaming until my voice is hoarse from the effort. The gag in my mouth muffles my cries for help, but not enough to force me to stop.
“Ranbir?” I ask, hope warring with uncertainty in my chest as a shadow with a tail surges towards me.
I scream for help. The only thing strong enough to finally get me to stop screaming is a swift kick to the chest. Or, more like a slap since I catch the end of a rattle and a scaled tail, not a foot.
“Ahhhhhh…” I wheeze, the will to fight knocked out of me along with my ability to breathe.
Through blurry, tear-stained eyes, I look up and try my best to glare at the man towering above me. I know my look is more pathetic than menacing, seeing as Jaideep simply chuckles.
I knew it was him. I saw him in the mirror before he bit me. I know this, yet I fooled myself into thinking it was a terrible dream. But now I can no longer pretend reality isn’t what it is–horrendously bleak.
And just when I decided to abandon my grumpy ways. Sometimes cynicism is warranted. And silly me, while wrapped up in my fairytale ending, I had shed my basic survival instincts and left Ranbir’s side to play hero. I guess I’m a certified damoiseau in distress needing my prince to rescue me. But I can’t summon my usual endless supply of anger and self-loathing. If I’m numb now, given my circumstances, it might be over for real. I’ve lost the will to fight.
“Jai…deep,” I whimper, unable to draw much-needed air into my lungs.
Did he break a rib? If so, I hope I go quickly. I’m not the rugged-torture-survivor type. I always said I wanted to die first in a horror movie, seeing as those are usually the more gruesome kills. And I’d stand by that if I could stand.
Jaideep rolls his eyes, not paying me any attention as he slithers away, clicking something in his hands. I groan and moan, eyes swinging around the dark room, attempting to find anything to help me locate where I am. But all I see is an empty, decrepit building, the darkness so inky black I can’t make out much of anything outside Jaideep’s shadow looming under the spotlight.
Spotlight?I twist my aching body just enough to look at an overhead light.
A row of them, spaced out in the way that reminds me of…
“An… art… exhibit?” I wheeze, then blink, my fear and confusion giving way to realization.
My blood runs cold, like I’m half-naga. There’s no way this is my family’s abandoned art museum, is it?
I stew in the abyss for a while, not feeling well. Then there’s prickling in my toes. Bitterness burns my ragged throat, and despair clutches my rapidly beating heart.
Fuck this and him! I’m not dying here.
Jaideep sneers down at me as I struggle against my binds, green eyes flashing with glee mixed with rage—a lethal combination.
“Mateo Lorenzo Torres. Because of you, our mighty Singh clan was falsely–” I wiggle enough to spit out my gaga.
“Oh, save me the supervillain monologue, you piece of shit! Just hand over the stone and his mother’s painting; no one needs to get hurt! Remember, asshole, you’re not royalty anymore. Kidnapping and torture? You’re going to jail!” I shout with way more conviction than I have.
In response, he moves to slap me. Enraged, I twist my body until I can sink my teeth into his tail.
“You’ll regret that, peasant,” he seethes, dragging me to my feet.
Man, are all of Ranbir’s cousins elitist assholes?
Before he can choke me, I hear Cy wail, “Wait!”
He charges forward from the darkness, his wrists bound but his ankles free. He can’t knock Jaideep down, but he knocks me free. I use the opportunity to lift my legs, rubbing the ropes against a broken, sharp pedestal. Cy wails from behind about how Jaideep’s a short dick bastard and traitor, and how he was faking his moans.
“How do you have a monster cock smaller than a normal guy’s!” he screams, bashing Jaideep’s face in with his fist, as he struggles to hold Cy still.
As soon as my ankles are free, I quickly slice through my hands. I guess I’m more cut out to be the final guy in a horror movie than I thought I would be.
“Useless, filthy thing!” Jaideep hisses, thrusting Cy away and into my arms.
I waste no time, screaming, “Run!”
“Man, I just wanted some good, rich dick, not a damn psychopath!” Cy whimpers as we run, hand in hand, through the former exhibit hall. Now, it looks like a den for strays, with cats hissing and darting through the dark. Even though it’s been years, I know my way. We make it to a door, the back door, but it’s swinging wide open.
