And yes, now my hunger wants to eat him, too. Heisflesh and blood. If I drained him dry, my monster is certain it would make me feelallbetter. And if anyone deserved to be devoured, it’s this guy.
But there’s enough of me that’s still me to realize thatthat would not end well. That even on a good day, the fae don’t make easy prey. And, let’s face it: I’m a total wreck.
That’s when things finally get clear. There is no escape. I’m absolutely at his mercy. And I don’t get the impression mercy is his thing.
Sneering down at my smashed body, his glare drips with disappointment and hate. “You could have been so useful to me, incubus. But you ruined it.”
He then raises his sword to strike, baring his teeth. “I swear to all the stars of the frozen night, I’m going toenjoycarving you up!”
13
He plungeshis sword downward while I helplessly cringe, bracing for ice-cold metal to slice into my flesh when?—
BOOM!
A thunderclap erupts from somewhere behind the car, and the elf twists and spins as if he were slammed in the shoulder by a fast ball. Immediately, he drops out of sight. It happens so fast, all I can do is squint stupidly at where he was standing.
Then, on the ground, next to the open driver’s seat door, I hear a mewling grunt followed by short, abrasive scrapes. (The elf’s armor dragging on the asphalt as he tries to get up?)
There’s another tremendous, cracking roar, and the movement stops.
Heavy boots crunch toward me on the wet road, and then a very large man in a black Kevlar duster is above me, holding a shotgun. He throws a quick glance into the car and?—
Oh! It’s the Monster Hunter.
Rafa.
One look at me, and his eyes widen with horror. Then his expression hardens to stone as he turns his gaze down toward his feet.
I lean over, unsteady, and see the elf face-up on the ground. Large holes have been blasted into his armor at his right shoulder and left thigh, and he’s barely able to cover them with trembling hands. His sword is out of reach, his expression frozen in shock. He looks pale and nauseous.
Rafa slams his boot onto the fae’s chestplate, pinning him. Then he places the barrel of the long gun directly under the prince’s chin.
“Elf. Do you acknowledge that I have bested you and that it is within my power to end your life?” Rafa speaks with formal precision. The words sound like something he’s rehearsed.
The fae warrior glares back at him with hate, but says, “Aye.”
Rafa doesn’t move the tip of his weapon. “And so you acknowledge that if I choose to spare you, you will owe me a life debt?”
“Yes, Hunter,” the elf snarls, furious. Fighting pain. “That is so.”
“My price for your life is that you agree to never bring harm to myself, those I care for, or any other human for the rest of your days. And in case it’s not clear, that includes my friend Alvin here.”
The elf sneers and shifts his focus to me. “Oh,doesit?Thisis your fr?—”
Rafa jabs the barrel of his shotgun into the elf’s throat, immediately wiping the elf’s sneer away. “Do not test me, fae! After what I have seen tonight, I know you are capable of great evil. But I also believe in the possibility ofchange, and I am giving you this one opportunity to save your own skin. Do you accept my terms?”
The elf glances at me one more time. Safe bet he’s reviewing every word Rafa said, searching for any loophole or technicality that might allow him to eventually rip me to pieces. (And it was a lot of words! Who knew Instagram Terminator could give such a speech?!) The elf’s gaze thins for a moment, and I can’t tell if he found what he was looking for or not.
He turns back and meets Rafa’s eyes, voice dripping acid. “I agree to your terms. Spare my life, and I will not knowingly bring harm to you, any other human, or those I am aware you care for. And that list currently includes Alvin Alonso, whom you consider a friend. Is thatsatisfactory?”
Ah. I see what you did there.
But Rafa doesn’t. Because he thinks I’m human.
The Monster Hunter nods. “Yes. It is.” He steps back, removing both his gun and his boot. “As I’m sure you’ve realized, the buckshot I used contains cold iron. It’s going to take you a long time to get it all out, which means you’re not going to be able to use any magic, including teleportation.” He regards me briefly before returning his attention to the elf. Angrier. “But thesmartmove for you right now would be to get as far away as possible, as fast as possible, before I change my mind.”
“As you wish,” the elf growls. His eyes slide to peer upthrough his lashes. “Will you allow me to sheath my sword, Hunter? Or must I leave it behind?”
