Page 106 of Echoes of the Raven
Not that he didn’t do that already.
Saints and feathers!He turned my world upside down and, from now on, nothing will be the same. I thought I knew the power of sex, but I’ve only scratched the surface. Is there more? I can’t wait to find out.
Yet, it’s this small act, this modest bit of attention, that is making me feel a strange warmth inside, making me wonder about this otherRífíor I’ve barely glimpsed at, a side that he officiously keeps hidden from everyone.
Gods!It scares me. I don’t want this other side to be real. If it is, it might be my doom. This desire I feel for him is already more than I can handle, more than I should feel. But if he can please more than my body, if he can soothe my soul with a simple smile, I will forget what he has done to me, and I will fall, fall, fall…
My heart feels fit to burst as I follow his strong shape cutting through the crowd. If only—
Something imperceptible happens. It is negligible, a slight disturbance, a split-second pause in the crowd, an overall change of mood. My breaths speed up.
Rífíor’s head snaps in my direction, his eyes locking with mine, his gaze flashing a dire warning.
My ears ring. My heart hammers.
Is there danger nearby?
My instincts flare, heightening all my senses. The din of the crowd echoes in my ears. The twirl of the dancing couples fills my vision with rainbows of color. The smell of hot bodies, food, and smoke from the bonfire overwhelm my sense of smell. And yet, despite the warning, I react a second too late.
“Valeria! Behind you!” Rífíor shouts across the distance and over the bodies that separate us.
Just as I’m about to turn, an arm viciously wraps around my neck, cutting the airflow. I buck, nails digging into flesh as I fight to get free. Instead, the hold tightens, strong muscles bruising my throat. A wall seems to press against me. I attempt to plant my feet squarely on the ground to lean forward, but I’m lifted clean off until my legs dangle.
Through blurred vision, I watch Rífíor cutting through the crowd, shoving people aside and sending them reeling off balance. He calls myname as my assailant pulls me back into the woods, the thick canopy throwing deep shadows over me.
I thrash and claw, but I can’t get free. A couple kissing nearby startles and runs away, shrieking.
“Be still, Princess,” a female voice sneers in my ear.
A chill shoots down my spine. The wall of muscle is Calierin.
Gods!I should have killed her.
Hoping against hope, I send out my awareness to make a connection with The Eldrystone and to use espiritu to repel her. But as I feared, Niamhara remains elusive, failing me yet again.
“You little human bitch,” she says. “You thought you could get away from me?”
Her free hand paws at my neck, reaching for the amulet.
I clench my teeth, struggling for air, fighting as hard as I can to stop her from taking it. She grabs the chain and pulls. It cuts into my skin, then snaps.
Calierin seems frozen, as if surprised that she finally has it. Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, I buck again. The motion brings my feet to the ground, though she doesn’t let go. Undeterred, I stamp my heel down on her toes.
Calierin, a seasoned warrior, barely loosens her grip. Desperately, I twist my head and tuck my chin. She attempts to regain her hold, but her efforts falter as a body collides with us, sending us tumbling to the ground. My bones rattle. My elbow slams into a rock and pain shoots up my arm. I cry out. Grunts and growls fill my ears as Rífíor pulls Calierin off me, finally setting me free.
With a quick shove, he sends me rolling over the ground, down a slope. My head spins. When I come to a stop, I spit out dirt. Holding my side, I roll to my knees, blinking to clear my vision and reclaim my bearings.
Rífíor and Calierin fight at the top of the incline, punching eachother viciously.
Calierin is as strong as any fae male. She’s fierce, and on top of it all, she has espiritu, which she might use at any moment.
“I should have killed you when I had the chance,” Rífíor says, landing a punch that knocks Calierin to the ground. Jumping on top of her, he proceeds to strangle her. “I have told you enough times that you will never beat me in hand-to-hand combat.”
I start up the slope, the wound in my side pulling.
Calierin struggles under Rífíor for a moment, trying to get free. But she seems as helpless as I was against her. As I reach the top, she braces her hands against Rífíor’s chest, and I know it’s coming.
“Rífíor!” I warn.
