“Run,” I whispered to her. “It’s too late for me.”
As much as she wanted to fight and even though there were more of us than there were of them, we’d made a mistake. We’d underestimated them and now they’d taken me as a reward. I blinked back tears. Told myself to remain strong. I could handle anything, even death.
Slowly, the humans that I’d spent the last twelve years with begin to disappear back into the forest. One after another, they edged away, giving the Vakarrans a wide berth. I heard them running away, until there were only two of them left.
Sophie and Liam.
Two of my biggest supporters.
“Go. I’ll be fine. I’ll escape and return back to you,” I whispered.
Tavik chuckled beside me.
“If you hurt her, I’ll fucking kill you all,” Sophie called out, her bravery and courage surprising even me. She met my eyes one final time before slowly backing away, with Liam in tow. Cautiously, she watched the four Vakarrans until she was completely out of my sight. The forest was silent for a long time after that.
When everyone was gone, Tavik dropped the gun, but didn’t take his hand off my throat. For some strange reason in that moment, it felt comforting and I didn’t have any idea as to why. He holstered his weapon, then reached for the trap remote on the ground and picked it up. He powered down the gravity trap and then proceeded to toss it to one of his men.
“Why don’t you all introduce yourself to my little captive, men?” Tavik asked.
One of the men stepped forward. He had remarkably enchanting copper-red eyes that narrowed with dark seduction as he gazed down at me. Something about him felt threatening and incredibly ominous. He fingered a dagger on his belt and I got the distinct feeling that he was the most dangerous of them all.
“I’m Zane,” he said. He made me nervous, but there was also something about him that excited me.
“I’m Valdus,” the next one said. His horns had a distinctive violet-colored vein that swirled through the brown and tan colors. He seemed cold as he appraised me. Very unapproachable and he quickly averted his eyes, like he couldn’t stand to look at me. It left me feeling unsteady.
“Caleb,” the last one said with a soft smile. At least he seemed friendly.
Four Vakarrans had come to seal my fate. Had come to steal me away like my sisters. And now, it was just me and them and I knew I couldn’t stand for it.
I had to fight. It was in my blood. I wouldn’t go down without a struggle.
I watched their body language, saw them visibly relax now that it was only the five of us. I dropped my gaze, smirking as they underestimated me. I knew they were used to obedient humans, those who submitted with simply a stern look or word, but that wasn’t me.
I was a Stryke.
I snaked my fingers up to the hand on my throat and quickly grabbed his for
earm. In a feat of strength, the result of much practice, I used my body to propel him over my shoulder, slamming him on the ground. Now free from his grasp, I took off into the forest. I ran because my life depended on it. I wove in and out of the trees. Behind me, I heard their footsteps crashing into the ground and I sprinted harder. I had the advantage. I knew the land.
But I hadn’t known just how fast they were. Even as I sprinted as fast as I could, I could tell they were closing in on me from behind. Each step was closer, and I knew I was fighting a losing battle, which made me run all the harder. My heart pounded, and my breath tore in and out of my lungs, but I was no match for them.
In a matter of minutes, they had me surrounded.
Each one stared me down. Tavik looked furious and my core began to tingle with anxiety.
“I need you to calm down, Kaela. If you’ll just listen to us, we’ll explain why we’ve come for you,” Caleb said, his voice still friendly, but now laden with a note of desperation.
“She just needs to be punished first. Then we’ll force her to listen,” Tavik growled.
“I agree. If she were my human, I’d bare that ass of hers and whip it with my belt for even trying to get away and for having the audacity to shock us with her electric weapon,” Zane added.
“I don’t belong to anyone,” I yelled, whipping around and throwing a punch that just glanced off Zane’s cheek. His expression darkened considerably as he caught my fist easily in his hand. He didn’t look angry, instead he looked excited. I began to feel nervous.
“Fuck, now you’ve done it,” Caleb whispered.
“I think Kaela needs a lesson on who is in charge before we set out. What do you think, boys?” Tavik exclaimed and I shivered, hard. Fuck. What did that mean?
I felt Tavik come up behind me. I tried to pull my fist from Zane’s grasp, but my strength was useless against his. He held me still as Tavik reached around my waist, unbuttoning my tan cargo pants and shucking them down my waist, baring my panty-clad ass to his view. I struggled all the harder, but they were so strong. It was like trying to push a cement wall out of the way. Completely useless.