Page 17 of Ransomed to the World
The troll leaned over, slammed her big mitt down on Xander’s shoulder, and hauled him upright. “Me and lover boy here were just playing, weren’t we?”
The ground shook, and Annora whirled—just in time to see a second troll charge out of the woods. She’d swear she heard stones shifting and rumbling beneath her feet, even as the bitch plowed right into her.
Bones cracked. The air left her lungs in a rush. Her feet left the ground as her body went flying. She landed with a heavy thump, her body bouncing slightly, and she skidded a few feet away from the ledge.
Instead of allowing the pain to drag her into the darkness, she welcomed it, using it to fuel her rage, and she smiled as she slowly rose to her feet.
Annora took fierce satisfaction when the smaller troll, who stood well over six feet tall, looked like she’d been through a meat grinder. Instead of attacking her, the troll backed away, looking worried.
“You should never have come to our mountain range.” The first troll spoke, her voice gravelly. She looked Annora up and down with a sneer, as if not being a troll made her less. “You think to take what is ours. I’m here to make sure you don’t even get a chance to try.”
Without waiting for a response, she reached down, grabbed Xander by the back of his pants and threw him at her.
Annora didn’t even bother to get out of the way. She called on the afterworld, and the dark particles slowed Xander down, but not enough to stop him.
She grunted at the impact, falling backwards as her feet were swept out from under her once again…and they both went soaring over the ledge. As she tumbled through the sky, she made a desperate grab for Xander, knowing if she could get her hands on him, she could pull him into the afterworld and save them both, but the distance between them continued to widen.
Wind tore at her hair and clothes, howling in her ears. Xander’s mouth was moving, but she couldn’t make out what he was trying to say. No doubt he was cursing her.
Their gazes connected, and his teal eyes narrowed. He tucked his arms close to his sides, his body arrowing toward her. The air shimmered around him, and her jaw dropped when huge white wings unfurled from his back. She was so focused on his wings that she didn’t notice the rest of him changing until a large beast bore down on her.
The humongous gryphon swooped below her, then rose up until she was sprawled awkwardly on his back. She shifted her legs so she was astride him, then wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Fur and feathers brushed against her. His great wings began to beat slowly, steadying them.
They were no longer falling, but soaring through the sky.
His great body was constantly moving and shifting under her, and she was in awe, unable to keep from caressing the fur at his shoulders. She felt the deep rumble from his barrel chest between her legs more than heard the sound, and when he turned his head slightly, his eagle eye surveying her, and she gave him a fierce smile.
With a sharp cry of victory, Xander began to swoop and dive, the clawed tips of his feet skimming the treetops, showing off for her.
And she loved every fucking second of it.
As they soared higher and higher, the sun finally crested the mountaintops, and his tawny fur appeared to glow, his wings glinting like diamonds catching the light.
He was magnificent.
It wasn’t long before she felt the connection with the other guys burn, worry and fear bleeding through the joy, and bringing her back down to the reality that someone had just tried to kill them.
Chapter Six
Xander coasted past the overlook so the guys could see that Annora was okay, then kept going a few hundred yards beyond them to a small clearing he spotted earlier with just enough space for him to land. He angled his wings, glided over the land, his clawed feet hitting the ground running until he slowed them to a jog.
He circled to cool down, his chest billowing, steam puffing in the air around him. When he came to a stop, it was a struggle to stay still while Annora dismounted. He wanted her to stay, wanted to take off again to keep her safe and nearly sidestepped to keep her from leaving.
He loved having her on his back, loved that she shared his joy of the open skies. He’d worried he would scare her with his form, but he only felt her awe and excitement through their connection.
When Annora stood on shaky legs, he tucked his wings in close and watched her carefully. She’d been hurt, but she was so used to pain that he couldn’t tell it by the way she moved. He carefully sidestepped closer to her, keeping his head lowered in case she got skittish.
He shouldn’t have been worried. The moment he was close enough, she reached out and sank her fingers into the fur on his shoulders, running her hands along the feathers on his neck, and he couldn’t stop from ruffling his wings, his beast preening under her attention.
When she edged back, he took a deep breath and willed the change.
Magic snapped along his flesh, his beast pawing at the earth in protest before finally submitting. He felt his animal recede back into his body, and his human form surged forward. When he lifted his head again, he was crouched in front of Annora, one hand on the ground, watching her carefully.
When he rose to his full height, he should’ve known better than to expect her to cower. Instead, she threw herself at him, and he sighed with relief and caught her close. Her lemon and jasmine scent soothed his beast, and the creature finally ceased fighting him for control.
Xander leaned back, then reached down to tip her head up. “What the fuck were you thinking?!”
Fury burned through him at the risk she took.
