Page 16 of Bloodmoon Ritual

“Is there an exit?” I cried, turning to Craig.

But his eyes were already dead and empty, filled with a weak cringing fear of the man stalking with chilling menace toward us.

“Thérèse. . .my boyfriend said, his hand on my arm, dragging me in front of the glass door.

“Here she is!” he called. “Don’t hurt us.”

“Stop!” I hissed, struggling in his grip, and his hand bit down on my arms.

“Get your hands off her!” Rhyder barked angrily.

My brother’s work pants, fitting perfectly across his hips and strong thighs, only emphasized his fluid predator’s walk.

“Take her, holy warrior,” Craig said gratingly, bowing his head low as the men in the cities are taught to do around the Congregants. “Do what you want with her.”

Panic surging through me, I kicked at his shins as hard as I could, Craig desperately trying to hold onto me.

With my other hand, I scrabbled desperately in my bag, my fingers closing on the sharp blade of a nail file.

I brought it out and jammed it into Craig’s side, making him grunt in pain.

He turned, his face filled with anger and panic.

“Little bitch!”

“Get heroutthe fucking door,” his father ordered.

Rhyder was only a few strides away now.

“Keep your hands fucking off her or I’ll kill you,” he threatened, even as blood seeped out from between Craig’s hands where I had stabbed him.

But that was my brother all over.

I turned and bolted the door, then I drove the sharp blade of the nail file as hard as I could directly into the glass.

“Stop,” I warned Rhyder as pieces of glass began to flake off around my blade. “Don’t come any closer or you’ll hurt me.”

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