Page 18 of Heimlock

Bael scoffs, his body relaxing. “Where is she? I just want to talk.”

“Balcony. Now.”

Conversationally, he says, “Nah, I don’t think so. I deserve an explanation. We’ve been together for four years. She can’t just run.”

“Balcony. Now.”

Crossing his arms, Bael smirks. “No.”

Making fists, I cover them in blue fire.

He doesn’t flinch. Why isn’t he scared? Most of them are scared about—

Freezing water slams into my face, extinguishing my fire.

Fuck. He’s a water elemental. Why didn’t I ask what his element was?

Absolute rookie mistake, but no matter.

Knowing I have seconds before he gains full control of the situation, I lunge for his neck. He’s taken aback, giving me the opportunity to use the momentum to swing upward. My legs expertly squeeze around his thick neck.

His hands claw as he gasps. Pressing my palms to his face, I relish the way he screams when his skin boils. His body sways as he panics, flailing as I choke him out.

Go to sleep.

I repeat the phrase silently, hoping he’s a quick fainter. It’s clear he isn’t used to women fighting back.

I’m chucked forward as he bows, the momentum flinging me off onto the floor. Damn. He’s smart.

In a flash, I’m scrambling to stand. He charges, grabbing for any part of my body. One hand is on my neck immediately, squeezing. The other grabs my wrist, grinding bones painfully. Blood roars in my ears; instinctually, I disassociate from the pain.

I kick out, my boot colliding with his groin. The pressure around my neck loosens, allowing a breath. He slams me into the wall; we both grunt. A lamp topples over at the same time all the frames on the wall shatter on the floor.

“You stupid bitch,” he hisses. Big blue wings flare, blocking out the light. “She’s never allowed to leave me, and she knows it.”

He slams a hand against my mouth, pouring water down my throat. A flare of terror blinds my thoughts for a moment. My lungs burn, desperate for oxygen. He’s dousing my power with each drop of freezing water.

Stay calm. It goes quiet in my mind as I assess the situation. Over a foot taller, Bael has longer arms. The space between our bodies is large enough for me to take him by surprise.

Hundreds of hours doing abdominal workouts propel my legs upward, kicking him in the face, then wrapping around his elbow. Using every muscle in my body, I yank my legs down. It bends his elbow enough for his grip to loosen. Taking the heel of my hand, I slam it into his nose. There’s a sickening crunch; he screams. Blood pours from his deformed nose.

I fall to the ground, but there’s no time to catch my breath. Snatching a handful of blue feathers, I ignite my hands.

The flames consume the delicate layers. Bael shrieks, forgetting my existence while he tries to dampen the inferno. I raise a hand; the blaze picks up its speed.

Throat throbbing, it’s difficult to catch my breath, but not impossible. Bael is chasing his wings like a sphinx chasing its tail. If it weren’t so dire, it’d be hilarious.

Standing, I brush off my pants and assess the situation. Half of one wing is gone, exposing charred bones. Raising my hand again, I clench my fingers. The flames disappear, leaving dark smoke curling upward, with embers quietly eating the edges of the feathers.

Bael slowly looks at me, pure hatred in his eyes. He might not have wanted to kill me before, but he probably does now.

Unimpressed, I raise an eyebrow. “Do you want to go to the balcony now, or would you like to lose another wing?”

“You’ll be arrested for this.”

Bored, I examine a hangnail. “Probably not. I’m here at my friend’s house and asked for you to step outside for a minute while she collects her things. You attacked me; the way I see it, you received the ass beating that’s been a long time coming.”

I can hear his molars grinding, but it’s clear he sees the logic. Men like him are slimy, self-serving plops of dung. He’ll always choose himself first. Like most of the men I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting.