Page 50 of Stone Heart
He bared his fangs. His attacker tried to take him down, grunting. Rhodack’s feet slid backwards before halting for a hard stop. He fought to remain standing, knowing that if he fell, the demon and others would follow him down.
With a growl, Rhodack wrapped his forearm around his assailant’s throat, cutting off his air supply, pressing it close to him. He used his strength to snap the neck. The demon’s body went slack, dropping to the ground.
Rhodack pushed out a deafening roar and took in the chaos that consumed the rooftop. Demons, Fae, warriors, and gargoyles stumbled from the force of his power that exploded from him.
The gargoyles and Fae fought fiercely to defend the rooftop. There would be no way that they would allow the demons to go down through the building and enter the underground lair.
“Vikuth,” he called for his head of security, who had just thrown the body of a demon to the ground.
“You’re in charge. I’m going after Rina,” he said.
Vikuth arrived at his side. “I’ll go with you—”
“No. The demons must not get inside the lair,” Rhodack replied, moving closer to his longtime friend. He narrowed his eyes at Vikuth. “I need you here to ensure they don’t make it below the surface.”
“Yes, my lord.” Vikuth nodded before returning to the fight.
Rhodack squinted at the sky, looking in the direction that the winged serpent had carried Rina off into. He leaped up on the ledge of the building and dove off.
The wind blew around his face, and he flexed his leathery wings, which carried him off toward where he needed to go. There was no telling where the beast would take her. His wings increased his speed. He had to get to her.
His mate was in danger.
His beast growled again, and he picked up the presence of bodies near him. He whipped his head around. Three serpents encircled him. He homed his gaze in on the beasts as they flew closer to him.
The first one dove in. Rhodack flipped over on his back and gripped the serpent’s neck. Its mouth snapped at him, and they fell through the air. His wings tried to steady him, but he was unable to push the slithering beast off him.
He growled once more—another one jumped on him. His wings were immobilized by the second serpent.
Fuck.
He was falling through the air with the ground rushing up.
Fast.
The serpents wrapped themselves around his body, still keeping him from being able to flap his wings. His arms were trapped at his sides, and his captors pulled him up, stopping him from slamming into the ground.
He bit back a curse.
They slowly rose higher. The more he moved, the tighter their long tails became. His wings, crushed against his back, were unable to help him.
They picked up speed, cutting through the air, and he gritted his fangs together. Wherever they were taking him, Rina had to be there. He’d allow them to take him.
The minute he was free, he’d kill them.
All three of them—and whoever was at the location they took him to.
Nothing would keep him from Rina.
