Page 27 of Taken By Shadows

“Most females beg, in fact.”

“What kind of criminal are you that you think you can charm or flirt your way through this?” I couldn’t hold back the disgust in my voice.

“Criminal?” He sounded comically wounded.

“What would you call kidnapping a woman? Lawful? Helpful? Charming?”

“You mean female?” He dipped his head to one side, raising a brow. The motion shook loose strands of hair from over his eyes as he examined me.

“Yes. I just—”

“Don’t seem to see yourself the way others do,” he interjected.

His observation of me was a little disarming. To have this male say something so real. I expected another jab, but it didn’t come.

As the rain began to fall, his eyes hummed blue in the night’s luminescence, and his lips were painted as if the moon herself had kissed him.

And I was staring at the worst type of demon. The type that could ensnare with just a look.

He tugged the shadows around my wrist and urged me forward. I resisted on instinct, and he pulled a little harder. “I will throw you over my shoulder. Don’t test me.” He barely turned his head back to me as he spoke, that scar flashing in the pale light.

My insides rippled at his words, and I felt all the blood in me rush a little lower than I was prepared for.

We walked in silence, and my eyes took in only what the moonlight allowed. I wondered whether his fae sight offered more than I could see.

As we neared the gates, a half dozen soldiers slouched at their posts.

“Don’t try anything stupid.” He turned to me as he released my wrists, the shadows fading into the darkness around us, as he tugged my hood up onto my head to cover my ears.

I forced myself not to pull back from his nearness as he gripped the fabric of my cloak tighter around me.

“Are you going to hurt them?” The muscles of my neck were tense as I looked at him. I didn’t know these people. I didn’t owe them anything. But no one deserved to be hurt because of me.

“No one needs to get hurt if you do as you’re told.” The command grated on me, but I bit down on any retort.

The teeth of the portcullis gaped before me.

Don’t do anything stupid … I repeated the words in my mind as we headed towards the soldiers. I was surprised to see human and fae ears from beneath their helmets.

I could just call out. Scream. Run to them.

Don’t do anything stupid …

As we approached the gatehouse, the soldiers straightened from their listless stances as they took in the sight of the male before them. Whether they knew him or his reputation simply preceded him, they stood to attention. Two of them took a couple of steps back, their faces going a milky pallor.

My breath caught in my chest as I waited for them to notice me behind him. Or for him to attack them out of spite. My hands were unbound, he was distracted, and we were out in the open with eyes on him.

Maybe I could run. Ice crept up my spine. How far would I actually get before he caught me again?

But no one was attacked. No one was bleeding.

He spoke to one of the guards, too low for me to hear, and we were ushered through.

The streets of my prison shone with the falling rain, and I followed my jailer.

Chapter eight

Smooth pale walls of stone-carved buildings glistened with moonlit rain as we moved through the quietening streets.