“It’s time, Zoey. You know what to do,” he whispered and leaned down like he was about to kiss me. Everything in me yearned for the brush of lips I anticipated.
But just as his lips would have finally touched mine, the actual world rushed back in. I flailed around me until my vision adjusted from the blinding sunlight to full dark. We were still in the forest.
Fin lay on the ground, his throat cut ear to ear, and Esteban held the captain with his magic, squeezing the life out of him.
I crawled across the ground, trying to stay low and unseen. It wasn’t mine to use when Fin needed it more, but I tucked some of his magic around me, hoping to hide from Esteban as I hurried to Fin’s side.
He lay in a pool of blood, his skin going white. I could see the man who leaned over me on the beach. His easy smile, the shine in his hair.
I wouldn’t lose him like this. I put my hands over the wound and shoved everything I had into him. My magic, my life, anything and everything I was I forced into his body. Then I prayed.
I whispered for him to heal and asked anyone, any god, any mage, any fairy, to hear me and help Fin. My vision darkened at the edges, and I pulled back. The wound had closed over to one clean scar across his neck. I slapped his face and shook him, but he didn’t wake up. Frantically, I ran my fingers over his throat to catch a pulse. It was there; faint and barely fluttering, but it was there. I lay my face down on his bloody chest and sobbed out a sigh of relief.
The captain struggled against Esteban’s hold. He had the captain in a choke hold.
I surged up, pushing off Fin to stand behind Esteban. He didn’t see me until it was too late. I got a hold of his neck and yanked him backward. The captain’s body came flying at me and toppled me to the blood-soaked earth.
I moved to shove him off me, but he grasped my hands. I peered up into the captain’s eyes, but behind them, Esteban looked out.
Not good.
He held me down and pressed his pelvis into mine, grinding at me in a way that made the bile rise from my stomach.
Fuck off with that shit.
I dragged my hips upward, trying to dislodge his grip and his balance, but it didn’t work. With more force than necessary, he kept me pinned down.
“Fight him,” I whispered. The captain was still in there somewhere. “Fin needs you. I kept him alive for now, but he needs you.”
The captain jerked his eyes up to Fin, switching back to the captain’s dark brown gaze.
Then his eyes shifted back as Esteban reasserted his control. “Nice try, Zoey, but it will take more than a weak mage to keep me out of his head. I was born to wear people like clothing. I’ll enjoy removing this one’s entrails while you watch.”
I snorted. “Cool. If you‘ve been watching me, you should know there isn’t any love lost between him and me. I only came here with him tonight because it was my job. If he died, no one would miss him except maybe Fin.”
“You think your little mind games will work on me, little one. I was born playing these games. So what should I do? Have him remove your limbs below the knee to keep you from running again? Your hands so you can no longer fight back? Oh, don’t worry. I’ll leave the parts of you I want for myself intact. You don’t need limbs to be fucked.”
I shoved at him with all my strength, but he just laughed.
I snarled into his face. “You’re disgusting. Did you run out of women who actually want you?”
“Even your insults to my manhood won’t w
ork. I know what you are girl, and I have a use for you. I’ll get you with child and use you for my own personal magic machine.”
I froze underneath him, and bile rose in my throat. “Are you saying you plan to use me as breeding stock so you can sacrifice your own children to strengthen your power? Is there no limit to which you will sink?”
He leaned in and I jerked my face to the side. His breath fanned across my cheeks and mouth, and it was enough to make me gag.
“No,” he hissed. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do for power, and if you were a true mage, the same would be said for you. We could create a partnership. Share the magic our children would bestow on us.”
I spat at him, and he reared back, finally. He released a hand to wipe my spit away. I head-butted him as hard as I could in the nose. Part of me felt bad for hurting the captain but he would understand. I would be belly deep on a dagger if our situations were reversed.
He stretched out to grab my arm while blood streamed out of his broken nose. I used his off-balance position to buck him off me and slip away.
He popped to his feet.
“Now, where were we?” I asked, standing up to fight. “Oh yeah, you can go fuck yourself.”