Page 7 of Shattered & Returned

I turned to glare at him too.

“Get in, Bloom,” she said, opening the driver’s door and sliding behind the wheel. “Let’s go, guys. We found her. They might be on the move too.”

“Who are they?” I demanded.

“Another group who wants you dead,” she said as Dante shoved me into the backseat.

I tried to kick him in the face, but he grabbed my ankles before I could land a hit. Then he shoved himself in after me, settling beside me with his arm wrapped around my torso, his leg crossed over mine to pin me there.

“Be careful with her, Dante,” Orren warned. “She isn’t some package we’re delivering. She’s a person! Damage a hair on her head and you’ll have to answer to Nero.”

Nero? I’d never heard of him. If he was the mastermind behind this…

I shouldn’t think about how I’d teach him a lesson when I met him. I needed to deal with the situation now, so I wouldn’t have to meet the big bad.

“Why don’t you sit by Carrot and take care of her?” Dante snorted.

“No, thanks,” Orren said, getting into the front passenger seat. “I can take a few punches from her, but I don’t want her spitting on me.”

“She spat on you, Dante?” Morrigan laughed.

“This is the wrong approach,” Orren sighed. “If we just talk to her nicely instead of scaring her…”

“We’re running against the clock,” Dante snapped. “We need to get the fuck out of here before the other team arrives.” He turned to give me a side glance. “Believe me, compared to the other party, we’re the good guys.”

I swallowed, my heart pounding wildly. Two groups wanted to kidnap me, and this trio had gotten to me first. Where werethey taking me? Was there some kind of sick game going on? I doubted they’d enlighten me, so I didn’t waste my breath asking.

The vehicle started with a purr. A raven flew by the window, cawing a warning.

“Please lift your leg off me,” I barked.

“Will you behave if I do?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, my lips pinched.

He gave me a suspicious look, then released his arm and leg, but he watched me like a hawk. One wrong move, and he’d be on me again. I slumped in the seat, looking defeated to show him I wasn’t trouble.

Gradually, he relaxed beside me.

“So, Carrot, did you live alone all this time?” Orren asked.

“I’ve been alone for two weeks since Mom died,” I answered to catch them off guard. “It’s just me now.”

From the front, Morrigan and Orren shared a look. I knew what they were thinking; two weeks ago was when their master started ‘sensing’ me.

“It’s dangerous living by yourself near the forest,” Orren said, continuing his attempts to strike up a conversation. While he tried to disarm me with somewhat normal talk, I was doing the same by answering him, even though the situation was anything but normal.

“I was fine,” I said. “I was safe until you lot came.”

“Sorry about that,” Orren said sincerely.

The van picked up speed. Morrigan drove like a maniac.

Just as the vehicle reached the busiest part of the town—it seemed they had to cross the town to take me to wherever they’d planned, and they might even take me out of France—I struck. This was my only opportunity to escape.

I’d learned from books about Kidnapping 101. Once the kidnappers got me to their destination, my chance to flee would be nearly zero.

I drove my elbow into Dante’s temple with all my strength. I had to, though I hoped he didn’t die from it. Dante jerked to the side, appearing dazed, and I lunged across his legs toward the car door.

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