The mansion doors are just a few feet away.
If I’m fast enough, I can get to safety. Get to Kavian.
“Leave her! She’s mine to deal with personally!” The voice is harsh and cold, and it makes my heart race unnaturally.
The air around me suddenly goes silent, as if nature itself has fled the scene. Unexplainable but truly undeniable fear makes me freeze.
A soft breeze wafts past me and I feel my skin break out in goosebumps—there’s a thin layer of sweat covering every inch of my body.
What is this feeling? A primal fear that makes me want to disappear and hope that whoever is behind me won’t find me…
Before I can even think of turning around to see who the voice belongs to, I’m pulled back by my hair.
A cry of pain bursts out of me and I reach up, desperately trying to free myself.
I struggle violently, causing myself more pain but not caring. I just want to get away.
“Let me go!” I scream, hoping to sound angry rather than afraid. My voice cracks and I know it’s obvious I’m more scared than I’ve ever been before.
My struggle is in vain, whoever got their hands on me is supernaturally strong. I scream again as my head is brought back with deliberate force and I look into the eyes of a xaphan.
This one is bigger than any others I’ve seen before. He’s got intelligent eyes and a nasty, self-satisfied grin.
There is an almost visible aura around him as if he exudes malice. I shiver, fear clouding my mind and preventing me from thinking of anything but him.
Gorran. This must be Gorran. He’s come for revenge against me and Kavian.
As I stare into his eyes, his mirthless laughter makes my heart want to shrivel up.
Oh… is this how I die?
Tears of regret fill my eyes.
I’m sorry Kavian. I let you down. After all our hard work and everything we’ve been through…
28
KAVIAN
Isit motionless at my desk, wondering what I have just done. Contrary to my body, my mind runs amok with an endless train of thoughts, all of them about Meera.
Sighing in defeat, I lean my head back on my chair, staring at the ceiling as I think of my brief but wonderful time with Meera.
Despite the mission of taking Gorran’s slave trade down hanging over our heads the entire time, they were still the greatest days of my life.
“I guess it was simply too good to be true. How could a demon like me have a perfect woman like her? Do I deserve this for telling her I didn’t care about humans?”
I shake it off, knowing my head is talking nonsense. The real reason prevails above all, knowing she’s being sent away for safety and safety alone.
The thought of harm coming her way worms into my mind, of Gorran’s goons or the xaphan himself slaying her, all because I deemed it safe for her to remain with me.
If that happened, I don’t think I could ever forgive myself. As unshakable and stolid as I carry myself, every man has their limits.
“I love you. That is why I must let you go.”
I glance around my study, remembering when we had sex in this very room. I can still hear her screams of pleasure in my head.
But something about them feels strange.