Page 85 of Sworn to Revenge
“What? How do you know?” Pedro asks, surprised.
“Just as I suspected,” Alin’s cold, calculating voice cuts through the tension. “They’re waiting for something... but the question is, what?”
Accept me already! Stop resisting the pain—you’re only making it worse, and we’re both suffering!the dragon growls again.
“Then tell me what you’re planning first!” I hiss back, still unable to fully trust the creature living inside me.
Another roar rumbles through my mind, and suddenly Pedro stands up, positioning himself in front of me, shielding my body sprawled on the sand, as a voice calls out from behind the rocks. We all turn towards the direction of the sound, noticing four more men emerging.
“We brought him,” one of them announces, shoving a man forward. His clothes are torn, stained with blood, his right hand missing, and a black cloth covers his face. He collapses onto the sand from the force of the push, and before I can process what’s happening, the armed man kicks him hard in the ribs.“Get up, you worthless creature!”
The injured man gasps from beneath the cloth, a wheezing sound cutting through the tension in the air.
“What do you want?” Pedro’s voice remains cold, though the sparks of electricity now dancing at his fingertips behind his back betray the storm raging inside him.
I told you to release me!
“Shut up!” I hiss through gritted teeth, trying to make sense of the situation unfolding before us.
“We’ve heard a lot about you, capo’s wife.” The man who kicked the captive smirks, his eyes settling on Alin. “Mariana didn’t hold back on the details.” He sneers, like he’s clearly aware of who we are. Is that why they came prepared? What do they know?How muchthey know?
“Mariana? The woman I sacrificed to the Coral of Life?” I ask, confused. She knew about us?
Pedro turns to Alin instantly. “Mariana was Stas’s woman,” he informs her. My gaze lifts to his wounded back before he asks, “Could he have told her what he knew?”
Alin’s carefully controlled expression morphs into anger, her brows furrowing. “How did I not catch that?”
“We all missed it. Believe me.” Pedro sighs, taking advantage of the fact that everyone is focused on Alinnow. He quickly bends forward, reaching into her bag and pulling out his gun.
Does Pedro really think his gun is going to help us right now? It’ll onlypiss them off more. The man in front of us reaches for his right ear and pulls out the strange wax that covered it. I quickly open my mouth to let out my screech, but he raises his hand toward me, as if predicting what’s about to happen—stopping me from taking my next move.
“You don’t want to make that mistake. One signal from me, and this man gets a bullet to the head.”
What’s he talking about?Who’s this guy?
“I’m not sure you understand how a threat works. Why would I care what happens to him?” I retort dismissively, unable to keep my mouth shut, but the burning in my chest intensifies, making me gasp right after.
“Chris, bring him here!” the man orders one of the others who came with him, raising his finger in a signal, and soon, two of them hoist the captive man from the sand, pulling off the black cloth covering his head.
I gasp in shock, my eyes darting to Alin—her gaze meets mine, startled.
“Miguel? What are you doing here?!”
“Run! They kn—” He tries to shout, but the man holding him shoves the black cloth into his mouth, silencing him. Now that Miguel has recognized us, he’s fighting back with everything he’s got left, but to no avail.
“Is that enough of a threat for you,PrincessBay?” The man’s voice drips with malice.
My body freezes in place. What in the actual hell does he know?
“Alin, what’s going on? How do these humans know about us?!” I can’thide the shock, and the dragon inside me won’t stop tormenting my body.Please, stop torturing me! This is not the time!
Just release me already! What’s not clear?!
I don’t know what you’re planning! I won’t let you hurt my family just to save both our skins!I snap back, laying the truth bare. I don’t trust him to save all of us—he’s too selfish.
I don’t think you’ve realized yet. Your pain is my pain now. I’m trying to save all of you.His voice now... is it pleading? That’s new.
“What do you want?” Alin asks through gritted teeth. Pedro doesn’t bother hiding the electricity now flowing around his hand. The crackling current wraps around his right arm like a loaded weapon, just waiting to be unleashed. Can he control his powers now? What have I missed while I was away?
