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Dust kicked up around me, clouding the air. The tunnel zigged and then split off in opposite directions. Turning down one, I instantly tucked myself into a cranny against the wall, holding still as footsteps thumped by me.
“Where did she go?” one asked in Mandarin.
“Half go this way, the other half go that way. We can’t lose her!” another one barked. Their fear of the woman in charge was palpable. Whoever she was, she had men bowing at her feet, terrified of her.
Holding my breath, I waited in place, the beams of their flashlights consumed by the darkness as they got farther and farther away. Perking up my ears, I listened for any other movement before sliding out of my hiding spot. Twisting, I took off the opposite way, going down a smaller tunnel, my eyes seeing better than most with a torch.
My shoes hit the dirt, my attention drifting over my shoulder, making sure I wasn’t being followed, when hands grabbed my arms. My spine rammed against the wall, a huge body pinning me against the stone. A palm clasped over my mouth, muffling the cry tearing up my throat.
“Shhh. Don’t scream,” he hissed in my ear. His voice poured down my body like lava, licking through me, causing me to shudder as his warm physique pressed hard into mine. Even in the dark, my body knew his, responded to it like he had me conditioned.
He held still another moment, waiting for anybody to come, before his hand slowly dropped away from my mouth.
“You’re all right.” He breathed out in relief, not really asking a question. I could make out his shape, his eyes somehow glowing, rolling down my figure.
“You hurt?” His thumb went to my lip, already knowing there was a cut there.
“I’m okay.” I was too afraid to ask if that strange moment earlier was real. If he had experienced it too, it would make it valid. Something we had to face.
I’d rather not.
“Who had you? How did you get away?”
“Someone who clearly hasn’t gotten over you.” I huffed.
“What?” He leaned back.
“She knew you.Intimately. One of the many you left at the pier as you sailed away.” I couldn’t stop my derisive tone. I hated her, but her words stuck with me. And while I was telling her she was nothing special, I might have to add my own name to the list. Another one left by the Silver Tongue Devil.
“That makes no sense. Why would she threaten me to get the nectar, holding you captive, only because she is some scorned lover?”
“How do I know what you turn these women into? Crazy, clearly.” I tried to push him back.
“Kat.” He clutched my wrists, pushing me harder into the wall, his thigh parting my legs. “Are you jealous?”
“Fuck off,” I gritted, trying to ignore the feel of him and the instinctive response to rub against him, stroke the erection I felt burning into me. “I’m about to turn you over to her myself.”
He leaned over me, a smug tone coating his words. “Definitelysounds like jealousy.”
“Croygen, I’m goin—”
His hand slapped over my mouth, cutting me off, his muscles locking up, immediately putting me on defense.
Footsteps sounded from down the tunnel, heading our way.
“Come on.” Croygen grabbed my arm, pulling me to follow. We started to scurry down the passage when a glow flickered through the tunnel in front of us.
Her men coming back.
“Shit,” Croygen hissed, his hand reaching for mine, pulling me in the opposite direction back where I came from. But flames danced in the distance, telling us the other half was returning as well.
“This way,” he muttered.
“No.” I yanked him back. “Her camp is down there.”
“Fuck.” Torchlight bounced off the walls in every direction as pounding steps came at us. There was no place to hide. I couldn’t shift, nor did I have the energy to fight, and I knew Croygen wouldn’t leave me.
Panic thickened my throat, and I darted from side to side, not knowing what to do.
