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Marcus laughed. “I’ve gotta hand it to you, Damien. You don’t miss a beat.”
I didn’t understand what they were talking about, but I listened, remaining in place.
“Walk away, Marcus, and I won’t have to put him down,” Damien warned.
Something whipped through the air past my face, and a thin knife sank into the ground at Damien’s feet.
“I’d like to see you try to put me down.” I looked over my shoulder to see a man crouched in a nearby tree, flipping another knife in his hand. “That was just a warning. Next one lands a hit. Can you guess which one of you it’ll be? How fast can you get to me? You’re welcome to try, but it's your gamble. Will you get to me first? Or will I land a knife between those pretty little eyes of hers before you can stop me?"
Damien remained still, fists clenched at his side. How many people were here? My eyes darted around before moving back to Marcus. I hadn’t noticed anyone, hadn’t seen anyone until it was too late.
“Did you tell her your little secret, Damien?” Marcus teased.
Damien remained silent. Did Marcus know about him and the others? Was he the same? An immortal? It would explain the ridiculous strength I’d felt when he attacked me.
I looked back at Damien, desperate. His eyes were gliding along the trees around us before glancing back at me, and the look in his eyes told me that Marcus and his one friend weren’t the only ones here with us.
"Run. Call Barrett and the others." Were the only words Damien said, his voice so low I barely heard it.
Leaves and grass rustled as Marcus lunged into a run for us. Damien’s eyes flared, and he launched forward, reaching out and grabbing my hand, pulling me forward and away from Marcus’ grasp. I landed sprawled on the ground but recovered enough to look up as Damien collided with him. My mouth went dry, frozen where I lay.
Move, Cas!I scrambled to push myself back along the ground and out of the way until my back met a nearby tree. I looked up at the guy hiding in the tree, his eyes focused on Damien and Marcus as they fought. My eyes fell back on them, watching the powerful blows they exchanged.
“What do you want with her?” Damien growled, teeth gritted, fangs bared. His muscles twitched as he braced Marcus’ forearms. Both pushed against each other, but Damien was just a bit stronger than Marcus as he forced him back.
A devilish grin spread across Marcus’ face, which only fueled Damien’s rage. “Wouldn’t you like to know?
I didn’t like the look in Marcus’ eyes. What was he doing here? How did he know where we were? Did he follow us from campus?
Damien hesitated before shoving Marcus away, but Marcus quickly steadied himself, straightening as he pulled a blade from his jacket. He stepped forward and his fingers twitched, itching to wrap around Damien’s neck.
Damien held his hands out to his side, a silent invitation, a sly grin spreading across his face. Black mist billowed out from Damien’s sleeve and a long, black dagger manifested in his palm. “Go ahead. Come at me.”
Marcus rushed for him, and Damien did the same. When Marcus swung his knife through the air at Damien, Damien dropped low, sliding past him. I could barely keep up as Marcus whipped around to face him. Marcus threw a punch, but Damien evaded it smoothly, swinging his fist into Marcus’ gut. I shut my eyes, unable to watch.
What was I doing? I grabbed my phone from my pocket, fumbling as I quickly searched for Barrett’s number. I hit the call button. It rang and rang, my breathes came in short pants.
“Dammit, Barrett, pick up.”
Barrett’s voice was laced with confusion as he answered. “Cas?”
“Barre—" Hands grabbed me from behind. A palm slapped over my mouth, and I was yanked off my feet, phone falling from my hands onto the ground. I screamed, muffled through the palm that gripped my mouth, and my feet kicked in the air. I jerked my face forward, breaking free for a split second to scream. “We’re at Stackhouse! Help!”
I knocked my head back, smacking into the guy’s face. He recoiled and his hold on me slipped. I hit the ground, pain searing in the back of my head where my fresh stitches burned. My stomach twisted, saliva flooding my mouth.
“Cassie, behind you!” Damien yelled, and Marcus used that opportunity to slam him in the gut. Damien fell to his knee, absorbing the full impact of the blow.
Hands grabbed my ankle, dragging me back along the ground. My hands narrowly missed my phone as I tried to grab it. I kicked and grabbed at anything I could to try to get free of his grasp. He released me, but before I could get to my feet, he grabbed me around the waist and yanked me into the air as I flailed.
“No!”
Damien’s head whipped around, his eyes finding me, and the color drained from his face. Four of Marcus’ men surrounded him, blocking his way. They each stepped in, switching with each strike, aiming to overwhelm Damien.
I screamed as he was knocked to the ground, heavily outmatched five to one. Heat flooded me, but no matter how hard I fought, my captor wouldn't release me. But I refused to make this easy for them. I’d fight with everything I had.
The splashing of water drowned out all other sounds as I was carried across the creek bed. With each splash, we grew farther and farther from Damien, and the fear overtook me.
“Let me go!” I jerked my leg up backwards, slamming my captor in the groin. He dropped me as he stumbled back, clutching himself as he crumpled to his knees.
