Page 12 of Sticks and Stones and Broken Bones

“Excuse me?”

Something about him told me this guy was used to getting his own way. He tried to tower over me, but I just stood there and smiled sweetly. Was it wrong that his grumpiness was just a tad adorable?

“I said no. I don’t know who you are, what you’re planning on doing but there is no way I am letting you out of my sight until we figure out how I got you here.” I also didn’t want to admit that I didn’t want to let him out my sight. Something inside me was demanding that I keep him close, but I had no idea what that meant.

“I’m here for revenge,” he hissed softly, his voice filled with venom and hatred at whoever his target was.

“That makes two of us.”

He stilled, confused by my words. I got it, I didn’t look all badass and evil, so I bet he didn’t think I was capable of something like that. But I was, or I would be. I had some witches to make an example of.

His hand snaked around my neck, and he pulled me towards him, his eyes drilling intently into mine as if searching for the truth behind my words.

“You’re such a small thing. Perhaps I should just kill you?” he said with a growl, looking like he was actually considering it as he tilted his head slightly.

I leant in closer and brushed my hand along his jaw. “What’s your name?”

“Hawk.”

I grinned at his immediate answer then chuckled when he growled under his breath, seemingly annoyed with himself at answering so quickly.

“Hawk,” I said softly, testing his name with my tongue.

He gripped my neck tighter. “Don’t use my name.”

I leaned in closer. “Why not?”

He shuddered and his voice dropped even lower. “Because I have not given you free use of it, draguta.”

Beloved.

That’s what he’d called me. Still amazed me how I knew that. I’d never been to Romania, let alone studied the language.

“My name is Raevyn.” His hand relaxed around my throat, and I took a step back. “Why don’t we see if we can come up with a plan?”

“Where are you going?”

I pointed at the guys behind me. “To speak to them about—”

“No,” he growled, and snatched me to his chest. His form exploded back into the swirling mist, and I was, once again, climbing higher into the sky. His hands suddenly dwarfed me as he held me tightly to him, and holy shit, I was so far away from the ground.

“Hawk.” Korbin’s soft voice carried up to us which was impressive considering he hadn’t needed to shout for me to hear him all the way up here. “I need you to put Raevyn down.”

There was a wicked glint in Hawk’s eyes before I was falling through the air. I let out a startled scream as he shifted back to his normal size, ready to catch me in his arms. “Better?”

I laughed as he cradled me to his chest. “Put me down, Hawk.”

“No,” he replied.

“Why not?” asked Rook.

“Because she’s mine.”

Well, fuck. How was I going to get out of this one?

Chapter Seven

Casmir

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