AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The professor caught Cole’s flaming fist in his bare fucking hand and twisted. Cole screamed as his wrist cracked. The fire died in a hiss of smoke, and then Razai drove two knuckles into the soft patch of Cole’s temple.
Cole went limp and collapsed to the ground.
The entire fight took less than ten seconds. Ten fucking seconds. Everything had been quick and precise. Vicious and efficient. Razai hadn’t even been touched once. It had been like watching a brutal choreography.
Razai smoothed out his shirt. Blood spattered his tan skin and pale hair, but the professor didn’t appear so much as winded. When Cole tried to rise, Raza gripped the boy’s jaw roughly, forcing him to look up. The steely warrior stared out of those normally mischievous eyes.
Unyielding.
Merciless.
A sick pit formed in my stomach.
Chapter Forty-Five
Voice tight with quiet rage, he said, “I know you’re your father’s son, Cole, but at least he knows how to torture without leaving such a messy fucking trail. You’ve never quite had his flair for controlling the psychotic urges, have you?”
He pouted in mock sympathy and pulled out a small knife. The blade cut into Cole’s cheek like butter. Cole gasped, eyes rolling while he squirmed.
“Where I come from,” Razai said evenly, even conversationally, while turning his blade this way and that, “we remember the ancient ways. We remember the honor of true retribution.”
Cole whimpered and gasped, but no words came. Why wasn’t he fighting back? He just… sat there while Razai carved his face.
Razai turned Cole’s jaw to the left, then to the right, examining his macabre work like an artist would a painting. “This will disappear when you’ve earned it. Only if you earn it. Fitting for your kind if you ask me. Enjoy the Coward’s Path, Cole Highland. When you have your questions, I’m sure you’ll figure out a way to find me.”
Razai flung Cole away like a piece of trash. And then, this terrifying, beautiful warrior was crouching before me. He scanned my body, jaw clenching in rage at the sight of my bruises and blood and the wounds on my legs.
He mouthed my name. My real one. Not saying it aloud to keep the others from hearing him.
My face was already wet with crying and sweat—again, my first day of torture and all. But the softness in his gaze… the pain he felt by looking at me…
Fresh tears pooled in my eyes. For another reason, this time.
He is just a man, I realized, watching his steady hands slice through rope and pull at knots holding me in place. He doesn’t fight like one. He fights like I imagine the gods would…
“Razai?” I asked, unable to speak above a whisper.
The restraints holding my legs loosened and then fell off completely. “The blade will have to stay in for now. Pulling it out will only make you lose dangerous amounts of blood, even for an immortal. I have someone who can help.”
“Just… an emergency room will probably be fine. But you… are you okay?”
His gaze snapped up. The depths of those glittering eyes held only the deep cold of rage. “I’m always okay.”
The words tried to tease. He even injected a little smirk. But only empty fury stared back at me.
“You’re a terrible liar,” I replied softly.
His head dropped down, and he continued with the stupid restraints. I could have sworn that he was being way, way too careful. As if he was handling porcelain that would crack with one touch. “You’re the one who just got kidnapped and tortured. You shouldn’t be asking me if I’m okay.”
“I’ll do what I want.”
This made him pause. Even with his head ducked, I caught the way his brows furrowed. “Interesting choice of words.”
Behind Razai, Cole struggled to a seated position, his face pale.
The last of the ties came loose. “What did you do to them? It’s like you nullified their power.”
“I’m not all sunshine and rainbows, love. Secrets are a commodity. Maybe I’ll tell you later.”
