Page 79 of Hot in Witch City
Sebastian
After that monster threw Gianna into the harbor, I ran after her. This other damn one I’d been fighting tackled me. As we rolled on the dock, my head mere inches from the dark water, ice froze my veins.
The sea. A watery grave, just as he’d taunted. My utmost fear.
Figures approached, coming toward the dock shouting at us to stop.
“Let’s go, Jakob,” the one who’d thrown Gianna commanded. “Leave him for another time.”
With crimson eyes and vicious fangs, this Jakob dude continued to parry.
“This isn’t the time. We need more to fight them,” the older guy commanded before he dove into the water.
Who?
Jakob stole a quick glance behind me at the figures and then at the water. “Do you dare come after us, little wolf,” Jakob mocked with a sneer before he leapt in.
I stared at the rippling surface of the dark water where they’d gone under, and my muscles hardened. My fur stood on end in the cool winter air. I had to get to Gianna, but I froze. All the memories of being a young pup rushed back in a flood. Falling under through the ice and struggling not to drown. The torment that had followed when older pack mates held me under water. All of it played in my head like a fast-motioned horror film, paralyzing me.
My wolf was just as fearful, conflicted between rescuing our mate and the terror of drowning.
Gianna was under there. Restrained. I had to face this fear and get to her. Had to. There was no choice. It was Gianna or nothing at all.
The voices that approached were muffled as I struggled to summon enough courage to face this lifelong terror.
Forget those other times. Think of the time in the pool with Gianna.
She’d stayed with me there, holding my hands, distracting me with sensual promises and soothing me with sweet comfort until the petrification passed.
Wait, this wasn’t my greatest fear. It wasn’t drowning or even being rejected by my mate. It was losing Gianna.
Yes, I could face this. I’d do whatever I had to do to save her.
Shifting back to human form so I’d have use of my hands, I took a giant inhale and dove into water. The frigid water hit me like a brutal slap. Forcing myself to ignore the sting on my flesh and saltwater burning my eyes, I swam down and searched for Gianna.
Ahead the two male beings had shifted into a tailed form and swam ahead. Several women with tails shimmered in the distance. Momentarily stunned by seeing beings like this, I stared in awe.
Movement below snapped me from my spell. A woman with long dark hair and a turquoise iridescent tail struggled near the bottom. It was Gianna!
I swam down, using all my willpower and strength to fight against the urge to resurface.
When I touched her bound arms, attempting to help her, she gnashed around with fierceness as if trying to defend herself.
Shit. This was bad. I couldn’t free her if she thought I was there to attack her.
I wanted to talk, to tell her that it was me, but couldn’t beneath the water. The pressure on my lungs grew more intense.
She stopped fighting. She must have realized it was me.
I unwrapped the anchored rope from around her lower body, mesmerized by her stunning tail. When I’d finally removed it, I reached for the rope binding her wrists behind her back. This wasn’t as easy as the knots were fastened tight.
Precious seconds ticked me as a panicky sensation rose. I forced myself to keep going, to keep at it to free Gianna, while my vision narrowed.
Finally, finally, the rope fell from her arms.
But it was too late. The blackness closed in.
Swallowing me.
