Page 21 of Dark Captivation

Knowing he, too, couldn’t outrun it, Malek did the best he could. He squeezed me tight, shielding my body with his larger, sturdier one, holding me so tight there was no room to breathe, let alone move. In the split second I had until impact, I did the only thing I could, prepare for pain.

CHAPTER SEVEN

LIVY

Ablinding light raged around us, accompanied by a searing heat.

The wind howled violently, and gravity was rendered useless as Malek catapulted us into the air. I thought we were flying as we reached twenty feet high in the blink of an eye. High above the trees, we then descended like rocks. Malek had only jumped out of the blast’s path, we were never flying.

I yelped, desperately holding on around his neck for dear life as my belly dropped out from under me.

Malek pressed me to his warm and firm chest, holding me princess style. “Brace yourself, Sunny,” he howled, as we cruised toward the grassy clearing near the picnic blanket. Our landing on the grass was rough but Malek’s powerful legs absorbed most of the shock and apart from soreness, I wasn’t injured.

“Who is that man? Why is he doing this?” I asked, my eyes frantically searching the clearing as Malek’s did the same.

He was nowhere to be seen.

“One of the Grand High Mage’s underlings. The old crone must be getting desperate if she’d dare send assassins here.” A thunderous explosion erupted from a few feet behind us and Malek leapt ten feet into the air, narrowly escaping the second blast.

Or at least I thought he did. A stabbing pain forked through my forearm as beads of blood soiled my blouse.

Rage twisted through Malek, morphing his gorgeous face from a canvas of beauty into something monstrous. Malek’s feet hit the ground, skipping a few feet, and he turned to glare murderously at the mage.

“Brother, are you okay?” Ferina ran to us, bumping into Malek’s hip.

“Take Sunny and go hide with her in the forest. I’ll handle the assassin.” Malek handed me to Ferina.

“I’m not a damsel here. I can still fight.” I coughed, my fist pounded repeatedly into his chest.

“She’s right.” Ferina agreed. “Female warriors don’t run from battle any more than male ones do. This isn’t the middle ages, Mally.”

“Sunny is injured. Can’t you see? Just take her and go.” Malek’s voice was wrought with concern, he stabbed a finger at a thicket of trees, giving his sister a look almost as savage as the one he’d given the mage a moment ago.

Ferina noticed my bloodied shoulder and her lips formed a straight line. “Oh, that mage is dead.”

“Yes, he will be, once you two get out of here. Now go.” Malek barked, and finally obeying, Ferina propped my legs up higher, holding me against her.

She took off, and before we got more than a few feet away, an explosion rang out, cracking the ground.

A fourth blast, white as fresh snow, came at us like a bullet.

Malek sprinted to get between us and the blast, digging his feet into the ground. His chest puffing out like he meant to deflect it with his own body.

He transformed before my eyes, going from large to enormous. His seven feet became nine, his thick muscles now so large he could compete with the demi-gods in monster form. His fangs stretched down to his chin, his claws now long enough to separate a tree from its trunk.

Dark energy rolled off of him like a mist, his power so palpable you could taste it on the tip of your tongue. I trembled at the sight of it, in awe at the godlike power he exuded. The being standing in front of me was no longer a demon, he was a god.

The blast collided with Malek’s sprawling chest, reflecting like light on a mirror. Bouncing off Malek, the beam shot into an oak, disintegrating the mighty fixture on impact.

Eyeing Malek’s frightful appearance, a layer of dread obscured the mage’s face. He looked left and right before hastily retreating into the trees.

Tracing so fast, my eyes struggled to follow, Malek materialized in the mage’s path, blocking his escape.

Veins beat a visible pulse under the mage’s skin. He paced back several steps, muttering nonsense. It was the babble of a man, maddened by fear, one who knew he’d made a terrible mistake. The last mistake he’d make on Earth.

“Here it comes. You might want to close your eyes for this part,” Ferina looked downward, her arms going stiff as plyboard.

“What’s Malek going to do to him?”

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