Page 104 of Outcast Fae
Behind my attacker, I could hear Sinasre snarling, presumably fighting others to get to me. Arryn’s sobs also reached my addled brain. She was calling my name over and over but thankfully seemed to have been pushed out of the circle.
There was a loud snarl, followed by a heavythud. Blinking, I was able to focus my vision long enough to see my attacker turn his head and glanced back over his shoulder. This was my chance.
Taking advantage of the disturbance, I bucked my legs and set him off balance. As he tried to right himself, I reared up and slammed my elbow against his cheekbone with a crack. Pain shot up to my shoulder, but gritting my teeth, I watched with satisfaction as the shifter collapsed to the floor, holding his face.
I struggled to my feet, swaying from side to side and spitting blood. There seemed to be three of everything.
It took my eyes a moment to focus, but the first thing I noticed was Vaughn crouched on top of a table, his sharp green eyes scanning the mess. When he spotted me, he let out a loud snarl like the one we’d heard just a second ago and leaped off the table, landing right in the middle of the circle, his heavy boots thudding against the floor.
Slowly, he rose to his full height, his gaze locked with mine. “Everyone stop,” he growled in a commanding voice that sent a shiver up my spine.
Seeing him always made my chest tighten and my pulse beat faster. During our time on the island, he’d made my heart race for a completely different reason. Now, the sight of him made me sick. Yes, he betrayed me to protect his cousin, but that didn’t make what he did okay. He’d tricked me, acted like he cared about me, and then betrayed me and Arryn, trapping us here while the rest of our group escaped.
I hated him. I hated having to be anywhere near him.
Several of the shifters who were fighting Sinasre pulled back, looking like dogs with their tails between their legs. A few others continue to fight, indifferent to Vaughn’s order, which meant they weren’t werewolves but other types of shifters that didn’t need to heel to a strong alpha—at least not one of a different species.
Vaughn grabbed a blue-clad male by the back of his neck, hauled him away from Sinasre, and slammed him to the floor. “Everyone stop I said. Or else…”
The hanging threat did the trick. The fighting stopped. The shifters retreated. The three I had fought lay on the floor, groaning and holding their heads.
I smirked. I’d done as I’d promised, more actually. I’d split three heads open instead of one.
“Back to your cells.” Vaughn waved at the other guards who started ushering people out of the dining hall. Since when had he become their leader?
The witches and warlocks moaned that they hadn’t been able to finish their meals, but still, they complied and filed down between the empty tables. We’d seen a few times what happened when you defied the guards. Once, a warlock had been made to stand in a corner for two days with no food or water. Eventually, he passed out and they’d dragged his body away to who knew where. Another time, I’d seen them beat a mouthy witch until she lay bloody on the ground.
Vaughn turned and marched in my direction, his features sharp and mean. He grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me back until I hit the wall. I blinked, still trying to clear my vision. At least there were only two Vaughns, not three. I was getting better.
“You caused this.” He pointed an accusing finger straight at my nose.
“They were bullying Arryn, and I won’t allow that.” Anger, raw and potent, filled my chest.
He rolled his eyes. “All for one fucking piece of bread?”
What? He’d been watching? I hadn’t even seen him when we arrived. “Today, it’s a bread roll. Tomorrow, if I don’t do anything, it’s her entire lunch.”
“You’re going to ruin this for yourself,” he hissed.
Ruin this for myself? He made it sound like I was on some sort of vacation. My anger flared hotter. He had no idea what it was like to be an inmate in this place. How dare he lecture me about how I was supposed to behave.
He lowered his voice, speaking this next part just for me. “Don’t you want to get out of here? Go with the new recruits instead?”
So that’s what he was referring to… going outside of the dome, back to the island to play babysitter to the fresh batch of New Starts’ campers who had arrived earlier today. I didn’t like to leave Arryn or play by Adaline Habermann’s rules, but I didn’t have much choice. Adaline had promised to keep Arryn safe and eventually let her go if I cooperated. Whatever the case, Vaughn needed to keep his distance.
“Take your filthy hands off me,” I spat.
His jaw clenched and his mouth twitched. “We’ll have to work together once we’re out there.”
“Like we worked together before? Because it went so well for Arryn and me.”
“You know I had—“
I pushed against his heavy arms, interrupting him. “Take your filthy hands off me,” I repeated between clenched teeth. “I have nothing to discuss with you.”
He threw his hands up and backed away.
Arryn ran to my side and wrapped her skinny arms around my waist. “Tally, are you alright?”
