Page 67 of Bite Me

Ky could handle his own pain. But seeing this woman, a human he should be protecting, one whose raven black hair reminded him of Jada’s, suffer even though she didn’t show it, had shredded him.

What if this bastard had captured Jada?

He’d made his own wrists raw fighting the shackles. They’d be bloody if he wasn’t so damn dry.

Ky’s heart literally hurt at the thought of Jada in this monster’s hold. He had to get out of here and make sure those fucking demon dragons never got anywhere near her.

“How could I have done that to her?” Azynsa whispered. Her face was streaked with two tear tracks she’d tried her best to hide.

“Don’t turn your hatred inward, little sister. Focus it all on the beast. It will help us when we find a way to kill him and get out of here.”

Azynsa gulped in an escaped sob. “It’s my fault. If I hadn’t tried to stop him, to stand up to him, this wouldn’t have happened. I never fucking learn.”

She sniffed and wiped at her cheeks, smearing the tear tracks with the ash in the air.

Tears.

Water.

“Azza. Got any more of those tears left in you, sweetheart? Bring them on over here. You may have just given us our first break.”

“I don’t know. I’m surprised I cried as much as I did. I’m so damn dehydrated.”

“Try for me, will you?”

The Black Dragon meted out the final three lashes. Not once did Fallyn cry out. She was one tough cookie.

Thank the First Dragon that was over.

Those last three snaps of the fire whip pushed another tear from Azynsa’s eyes and Ky concentrated on the little droplet and the remaining wetness on her face. He didn’t need much, but it was hotter than Hades down here and dryer than the Akashic plane. The moisture in that one tear wouldn’t last long.

He pulled it to him and spun it around and around like a water saw, grinding away at one link in the shackles that bound him. He only needed it to erode away enough of the metal to weaken the link.

A thin line bored into the metal, but the drop evaporated within a few more revolutions. Shit.

If he had even an ounce of spit he’d use it. But, every organ in his body was shriveling up by the second from lack of water.

“Azza?”

She shook her head and slumped to the floor at his feet. “I…don’t have anything left. I’m sorry.”

Kur-Jara chuckled, having enjoyed his activity. Would he keep his word and leave Azynsa alone?

“There, cowardly bitch. She’s taken your lashes.”

Azynsa slowly turned to look at Fallyn. She mouthed the words “I’m sorry,” but Ky didn’t think Fallyn saw.

“Tell the nice people how old you are today, daughter. How many lashes you’ll get for your birthday.”

Fallyn raised her head and wrapped the chains from the rock around her hands in another turn.

“One-hundred and fifty-six.”

Azynsa gasped and the tears she did not think she had flowed down the dirty tracks on her face.

“One.”

Retreat, Hell

---