Page 84 of Dark Fey Captive

“Any chance you’ll open this gate so we can pull the vehicles inside?” the man asked.

“What’s your name?”

“Eric.”

“You’re safer out there, Eric. Trust me. How’d you get this message?”

“Radio,” he said.

“Infected coming our way,” the guy on the roof called.

“If you’re leaving with us, you need to decide fast,” Eric said.

“I’m not leaving. Tell Gwen I said it’s a new moon.”

Eric’s expression hardened. “You’ll need to tell her that yourself.” He reached out, flipped the latch open, and started pushing the gate aside.

I grabbed it to stop him, but he was stronger.

Stumbling back a step, I couldn’t do anything as he grabbed my arm and tugged me toward him.

“Sorry, lady. We need the supplies your friend promised.” His gaze lifted, sweeping over the house. “And whatever supplies you have here.”

The engines started up behind me as he dragged me aside to let the vehicles in.

“Last chance to listen,” I said. “Leave now.”

He chuckled, his gaze raking over me. “I knew any woman with the guts to set up a fence in the middle of town would have backbone, but yours is steel, lady. You might want to learn to soften it a little. Women who can’t bend tend to break.”

Fear skittered up my spine.

“Nav!”

His name echoed off the houses and made Eric frown.

“You’re not alone?”

The question was barely out of his mouth when grey streaked between the trucks outside. The driver’s side doors opened and closed, leaving a man slumped behind the wheel, a quiet engine, and a confused passenger or two.

Eric, hearing the doors and the silent engines, turned to look behind him as the man on the cab of his truck was yanked off and disappeared over the other side.

“Austin?” he called.

I tried to tug my arm free, but Eric held firm, turning me with him.

A second later, Nav hit the top of his head with a closed fist, like he was playing whack-a-mole, and Eric’s knees buckled. Nav pulled me into his arms and buried his nose in my hair.

“Desperate humans are too dangerous, Arena,” he said softly.

“I know. I’m sorry. You were right.”

Hugging him, I patted his back, hoping he wouldn’t hold my decision against me. I didn’t regret going out to meet them. But it did worry me that Gwen was reaching out to unknown groups and promising supplies to them if they rescued me. She had to know she was endangering the islanders like that. People would be hunting for us now, looking for the supplies she’d promised.

Eric groaned on the ground, and I heard a truck door open.

“The female and her supplies are not yours to take,” Nav said. “Leave with your lives and do not return unless you no longer wish to live.”

The passengers tugged the unconscious drivers out of their seats and took their places. As the engines roared to life, Nav kicked Eric. It was more of a strong nudge, but had enough power to move him a few inches and elicit a groan.