Page 148 of Crucible
Ronnie panics and tries to run for cover, but another yellow arrow to the leg keeps him from getting far. He collapses to the ground with a scream for help, but the only thing that answers is four more arrows, both green and yellow, when he tries to crawl away. After far too long of trying to cling to life, Ronnie eventually slumps in the snow with a haunting death rattle.
“Aurelia,” Pete calls for me, and I tear my gaze away from the steering wheel to meet his through the dirty window. What’s happening?” His hands are shoved in his red hair and he’s crying. He’s the only one still alive, and it’s because Seth, Thorin, and Khalil want it that way. They’ll want him to suffer in order to punish me.
I’m not even aware of my hands leaving the steering wheel and moving to the door handle until I’m already standing on the other side and moving over to Pete. I’m careful not to look at all of the blood and bodies staining the once white snow.
When I reach out for Pete, he flinches and backs away from me, and I don’t yet understand thatI’mthe unknown thing he’s afraid of until he speaks. “Please don’t hurt me. I’m sorry, okay? We just wanted to have a little fun. You wouldn’t have even remembered anything!”
What?“Pete…” I try once more to reason with him—to save his life. “We don’t have time for this. We need togo.”
His eyes fly over my shoulder without a word, and I know then it’s already too late.
I feel his presence like an angry cloud looming over my head before he even speaks.
“Wolf.”
Hearing Thorin’s voice, I squeeze my eyes closed. I can feel the other two there as well, adding to Thorin’s fury with their crackling energy and endless deluge. If Thorin is the cloud, then Khalil is the lightening and Seth the rain that makes up this storm I’ve caused.
The three of them try to close around me, to cut me off from Pete, so I turn to face Thorin, Khalil, and Seth before they can, using my body to protect Pete’s. My gaze bounces between my three captors because I can’t decide which one is my best chance to reason with.
Seth looks like a rabid dog.
Khalil keeps trying to edge around me to grab Pete.
And Thorin still hasn’t lowered the compound bow.
“Don’t hurt him. Please. It’s my fault.”
“Of course, it’s your fucking fault,” Khalil snaps. “We warned you.” Grabbing my neck, he yanks me away from Pete and shoves me into Seth’s waiting arms.
“Please! Don’t hurt him!” I turn to Seth when Khalil and Thorin ignore me. They’re closing in on poor Pete who’s trembling like a kitten staring down two pissed off mountain lions. “It’s not Pete’s fault. He was just trying to help me.”
“Pete, huh?” Seth’s eyes seem greener than ever.
“Are you fucking serious?” I gape when I realize he’s actually jealous of me simply saying another man’s name.
“Areyouserious?” Seth yells back in a rare show of anger. “Him?” He flings a disdainful hand toward Pete and then takesmy arms in both hands. I almost can’t believe my ears when he shakes me and says, “How could you hold his hand, Sunshine? How?”
I should have known Seth was the last person capable of reason.
Hearing the first punch land, I plant my hands on Seth’s heaving chest and shove him away. He lets me but only enough to turn around so I can see what’s happening, and then he wraps his arms around my waist like we’re lovers taking in a beautiful view instead of a murder scene.
“Be a good girl, and we’ll make it quick, Sunshine.”
“Like hell we will,” Thorin barks. “Khalil.” Khalil stops pummeling Pete long enough to look over his shoulder at Thorin, who unsheathes his big, scary hunting knife and tosses it into the snow next to them. “Take his fucking hands for touching our girl.”
“What?” I scream and renew my struggle. Seth curses and tightens his hold when I nearly get free. “Are you insane? You can’t do this!”
“Yes, the fuck we can,” Thorin says while staring at Pete. “You have a lesson to learn, and since we’re not willing to give up any part of you, Pete here will rescue you after all.”
“I’m sorry! Please. I won’t try to run again. I swear! Just leave him alone!”
“You know the harder you fight for him, the worse we’ll make it, Sunshine.” When I kick Seth in the shin, he grunts and then huffs out a frustrated breath. “Fuck it. I’ll do it. Give me the knife.” Tossing me down in the snow, Seth stalks over and picks up the knife.
Pete manages to land a punch that loosens Khalil’s hold on him, so Thorin steps forward and aims the crossbow before he can even think about getting away.
This is real.
This is happening.
