Page 8 of Kiss the Dawn
I want to throttle him. My mark. My sacred mark. Tears blur my vision, and I blink them back. “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to find a way to get free, and I’m going to smash your face.”
He faux winces and shakes his head. “I’d worry more about the strange rash that’s crawling up your arm. You might want to get that looked at.”
“Shay? Food’s on the table,” someone calls from the other room.
He wipes his donut hand on his pants and backs up. “Best go and make nice with the help.”
How many of them are there? “So you’re going to split your bounty with your buddies. How many slices of the pie are you going to lose?”
He opens his mouth to reply then snaps it closedand smirks. “If you want to know our numbers, all you need to do is ask.” He sips his coffee, brow arched, waiting for me to do just that. I want to tell him to go fuck himself, but that won’t get me the information I want.
Heck, asking for it probably won’t. But on the off chance that it does— “How many of you are there? You know, so I know how many asses I need to kick.”
He lets out a bark of laughter. “You’ve got fire. I like it. Five including me. So if your friend brings backup, which I’m sure she will despite my instructions to the contrary, I’ll be ready for her.”
“Shay!” his comrade calls.
He heads for the door. “Get comfortable. You’ll be my guest for the next two hours.”
This time he closes the door firmly behind him.
Maybe my threat got to him after all.
With the light gone, the shadows surge closer, and a prickle rushes over my skin. A chill brushes my nape, and I twist to look behind me. Is there someone there? Not someone…something. Hidden in the deep pocket of darkness.
I strain to see and am sure I make out a crouching form. Bulky but humanoid. My pulse hammers in my throat. The bastard Shay has left someone in here to keep an eye on us. He’s probably been in here all along and the reason I felt I was being watched. Like hell am I going to be intimidated by the sneak.
“I know you’re there. I can see you. Show yourself!”
The figure doesn’t move, but I can make out its shape clearly. A man crouched, head bowed.
“Oi! I can fucking see you; keeping your head down doesn’t make you invisible.”
The head slowly lifts, and amethyst eyes glow in the dark.
My pulse stops. I know those eyes.
I’ve seen them close up. “You…”
He slowly unfurls his frame to stand almost seven feet tall. Larger than I recall. Broader. Fearsome.
My stomach tightens, and it’s suddenly harder to breathe. “Who are you?”
“You don’t remember?”
“The thing from the teapot…”
He moves closer. “How much more must I do?”
“What are you talking about?”
He leans in, and I try to shuffle away but end up toppling onto my side. “Fuck!”
He closes in, his shadowy frame filling my vision as it wraps around me. “Tell me…anything…whatever it takes…” There’s a plea in his voice as his icy breath skims over my face. “Tell me, damn you!”
“Get away from her!” Edwin falls through the figure and lands on the floor beside me.
The figure vanishes, and we both stare at the spot it was in a moment ago.
