Page 100 of Bound By Earth (The Nature Hunters Academy 1)

“Or so you think,” Shelly said. “I don’t need you to rescue me, Tara. I’m tough. If you put yourself in danger, I will annoy you for the rest of yourlife.”

“You already dothat.”

“But I had plans to give you a break when we graduated.” Shelly let out a yelp when Tucker turned her and slapped her hard across theface.

“Shut the hell up,” he barked at her. Then he turned back to Tara and his face softened. His demeanor changed so fast it gave Tara the creeps. “Have they hurt you, babe?” Tucker asked, his voice full ofconcern.

Tara’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “I’m going to cut your balls off for touching my best friend because you are a spineless, gutless, ridiculous excuse of a man. Don’t pretend like you give a damn about me. If you did, you wouldn’t be hurting one of the very few people in this world that I careabout.”

“I’ll let her go if you come with me. It’s up to you what happens to her,” he said. “I just needed your attention. Tara, these aren’t good elementalists. You need to come with me where you will besafe.”

She tried to take a step forward, but the arm around her held her fast. “Let mego.”

“Can’t do that, luv,” Elias’s voice said near her ear. “I can’t lose you, but I can promise you we will get Shelly. I give you myword.”

“You’re not going to get her,” Shelly said as she tried to slap Tucker but missed when he shoved her away from his body. Then he spun her, yanked her back against him, and wrapped an arm around her, locking her arms to her sides to prevent any further strikeattempts.

“This looks bad,” Shelly said as she stared up at Tara. “But I’m just pretending to besubdued.”

“Sure you are. You’re a badass,” Tarasaid.

“Damnstraight.”

Tara saw people step up on either side of her. She turned her head slightly and saw that Ra was now standing on their right, and Liam and Aston were on theirleft.

“You have sentenced yourself to death simply for touching the human,” Ra said. His deep voice was so menacing that Tara shivered. “Give her to us and I will allow you to get a head start when you run,” hecontinued.

Tara shifted her eyes back to Shelly and noticed her friend’s eyes land on Ra. They grew wide and her mouth dropped open. If her best friend’s life hadn’t been in danger, Tara would have laughed at the lust in Shelly’s eyes. She was definitely smitten by the muscular, stoicguy.

Tucker ignored Ra and looked back at Tara. “Are you going to come with me?” he askedher.

“Let me go you damn, impotent, son of a monkey’s ass.” Shelly growled as she tried to kick Tucker, but he held her fast. Apparently she’d finally been able to tear her gaze from Ra. Or maybe seeing him had made her want to try and get away instead of sacrificingherself.

“She is not coming with you.” Elias answered Tucker’s question before Tara could. She made a note to kick him later forthat.

“Very well,” Tucker said and then literally tossed Shelly to another man who suddenly stepped from theshadows.

His hands were covered in flames, and Tara was sure her best friend would burn the minute he touched her. Tara screamed and lunged forward, but Elias wouldn’t releaseher.

“Shelly,” she bellowed, and her heart felt as if it were going to beat up out of herthroat.

When the burning hands grabbed Shelly, she didn’t scream. She tried to fight, but the man was too strong. He held her effortlessly. Instead of hurting her, he simply held her and then began tochant.

“What is he doing?” Tara asked as she panted from trying to get away from the Neanderthal holding her. “Is he opening a portal?” The chanting reminded her of what Zuri had done when she’d brought Tara through the portal to the academy. There was a flash of light, and Shelly’s body wentlimp.

Tara felt her legs go weak. Had Elias not been holding her, she would have collapsed. Her friend looked dead. There was absolutely no movement. “No,” she breathed out as tears fell from her eyes. “No! Shelly! Dammit, dosomething!”

A portal did indeed appear. To Tara’s horror, all she could see were flames through the shimmeringopening.

“I’m sorry you’re making me do this,” Tucker said, but Tara didn’t take her eyes off the man holding her best friend. He turned to the portal and tossed Shelly’s limp body through it like a ragdoll.Ra roared an inhuman sound and flew through the air. A rush of heat hit her face, and Tara saw he was being trailed by a line of flames. At the same time, a huge sword bathed in fire appeared in hishand.

Ra brought his sword down with such speed that the other man had no time to defend himself. One second, he was standing there, and the next he was headless, and his body crumpled to theground.

Ra turned to the portal and jumped toward it. Before he could pass through, itdisappeared.

“Shelly,” Tara screamed, and it seemed to be the herald of a battle because people suddenly erupted from the forest and from the door behind her. Bodies clashed in a torrent of swords, light, fire, and wind. The earth shook beneath their feet, and the sky opened up as sheets of rain fell, reducing visibility to almostnothing.

“You have to go inside,” Elias said as he picked her up effortlessly. That was when she realized her fighting his hold had been a joke. He’d let her stay outside because he wanted to. Maybe he wanted her to comfort Shelly. Maybe he'd wanted her to see Tucker for what he was. But it was clear by his strength he could have taken her back inside without anytrouble.

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