Page 59 of Tempting Jupiter
“Sure, I can do that.” Toby’s face scrunched in worry. “Is he a bad man?”
“No. He’s a good man, but he’s going to be upset. He has good reason. And he doesn’t know you all are coming. So, I just need to talk to him before you meet him, understand?”
“Yeah,” Toby acknowledged, but he didn’t look happy about it.
The girl came back looking more relaxed, but she still slipped her hand into Toby’s.
Feeona gave the kids the signal to move forward and follow. She led them to the edge of the clearing where the ship sat and indicated they should huddle down and wait. She winked at Toby then set off across the clearing alone.
TheHawley’shatch whooshed open and the ramp came down. Seneca was on the ramp looking worried by the time she reached the ship.
“Where’s Jupiter?”
Feeona focused on keeping her breathing steady. “Let’s talk inside, okay?” She didn’t want the kids to see the full wrath of his reaction. It would make it harder for them to trust him.
“If he’s in trouble, we go now.” He was firm and more aggressive than she’d ever seen him.
“Jupiter’s okay. There’s nothing we can do right now. Let’s go inside and I’ll explain.”
Seneca’s attack took her totally by surprise. He slammed into her, carrying them both to the ground. Her back smacked hard against the hard packed dirt. Pain exploded along her shoulder blades and at the base of her spine. The air rushed from her lungs and before she could get her breath, his hand wrapped tight around her throat. She couldn’t breathe.
“What have you done?” Red rage flushed his cheeks and darkened his eyes.
Her lungs burned. She pounded her fist against his shoulder.
Air rushed in as he loosened his grip. She sucked it in greedily.
“Tell me!” He showed his teeth as he waited for her response.
Her heart pounded loud in her ears. She couldn’t lie, but she wanted to. In that moment, she wanted to do whatever it took to get his hand off her neck, but if she lied now it would be worse when he learned the truth. For all his lazy smiles, she had no doubt he was capable and willing to kill.
She grasped his sides and met his eyes. “We’ll get him back. I swear, we’ll get him back.”
For a handful of heartbeats, he studied her. Hope and rage at war battling in his features. Rage won. “What. Did. You. Do?”
She wanted to scream that she hadn’t had a choice, but that would be a lie. She had chosen. It had been her best option. But how could she make him understand.
He leaned in and growled centimeters from her face. “Your tears won’t save you.”
Was she crying? “You need me to get him back.”
Seneca shook her, tightening his grip on her neck. “Answer. Or I’ll crush your windpipe and leave you to suffocate while I track your scent back until I find him or his scent trail.”
The edges of Feeona’s vision dimmed.
A shrill scream swelled into a shriek. Seneca jerked above her as something hit him from the side. His hold on her throat tightened, but his attention had been temporarily pulled away. It should have been a moment to escape, but shadows crept further into her vision.
“Stop!” The voice seemed small and far away.
Seneca growled.
The boy shrieked again. “He’s killing the Angel,” Toby shouted. “We gotta stop him!”
A cacophony of inhuman noises swirled in her ears.
Seneca jerked again as something thudded against him. And again.
The children. Their small bodies swarmed Seneca like angry ants. Feeona’s heartbeat thundered in her chest. Don’t hurt them. Please, don’t hurt them. Her vision had faded away and she couldn’t move her limbs to fight.
