Page 99 of Rising Out of the Darkness
Declan’s shadows surrounded the two men, tightening around them like rope. He launched them into the air, then slammed them into the ground with a deafening quake. Moanstore from the men as he raised them up once more, feet just barely hovering above the ground.
The Lord of Shadows stepped between them, unsheathing his sword and raising it high. When he spoke, all air fled my lungs at the otherworldly sound that crept out of him
If death had a voice, this would be it.
“Every slash and scrape those who died endured, I will make you feel. You will suffer the way they suffered. You’ll die the way they died, terrified and alone.”
The men’s pleas rained over the courtyard, but were silenced the moment Declan’s blade met flesh. Each slice of the sword was more devastating than the last, and my head thrashed against Killian’s chest.
However, nothing could peel my eyes away from the man hacking the life out of those before me. It was as if I hoped that he’d feel my searing gaze and stop.
No matter how much I hoped, it didn’t end until the ground and Declan were soaked in scarlet. The final blow sent a rain of blood over the crowd, misting my entire body.
Lifeless bodies fell to the floor, and Declan turned to face us. Alastor grinned, his lips moving silently. The delight in his eyes made my stomach upend.
Declan’s chest rose and fell in heaves, his gaze now pinning the six remaining guards off to the side. With a flick of his wrist, his shadows grabbed one of them by the ankle and dragged his body towards them.
“NO!” I screamed, ripped away Killian’s hand and ran towards Declan.
The shadows fell from around the guard and leapt towards me, pushing me down to my knees in the gravel. Shouts rained all around us. His father, Killian and Liam unsheathed swords left and right.
All of it fell away.
The only thing that held my attention was the man stalking towards me, shadows blazing off him like ruinous flames. He towered before me as he wrapped his hand around my throat and dragged me to my feet. Chest heaving, he pulled me in closer until we were only inches apart.
Placing my trembling hand over his heart, I pleaded to the man trapped behind the darkness.
“Come back to me.”
His face contorted and his body tensed as if something inside was battling for control. Fingers tightened around my throat with a bruising grip. Just when I began to feel air slipping from my lungs, all at once everything ceased.
He released me, stumbling backwards, his emerald eyes wild. His knees caved underneath him. Tremors broke out over his body, his breath coming out in short spurts as he stretched his arm towards me.
“Elena,” he gasped.
Our fingertips brushed just as massive arms grabbed me around my middle and lifted me backwards.
Guards.
“Release me!” I thrashed, kicking and swatting my arms at anything I could.
“Elena!” Declan snarled, trying to claw his way to his feet, but only stumbled into Liam’s and Killian’s arms.
My elbow collided with the guard on my right, and my body dropped for a second before someone else took his place.
The last thing I saw was Declan’s outstretched hand grasping towards me as he screamed my name from behind his brothers in arms.
A fist slammed against my head and my world faded to black.
Chapter 38
Declan
Unhinged fury burned through me, every part of me ignited and ready to combust when those bastards carried her away. When Elena’s flailing body went limp, the roar that tore out of me could have broken the glass windows of the castle.
“Declan!” Liam yelled, struggling to keep hold of my thrashing body. “She’ll be okay, we’ll—” My elbow crashed against his gut, and he fell forward with a grunt. “Calm the fuck down, brother, so we can take care of her … together!”
Struck out of my frenzied rage by the distress in Liam’s voice, I stilled for a moment. My brothers’ terrified faces were drenched with blood.
