Page 34 of The Blackened Blade

His words run through my mind, time slightly slowing with my thoughts, “You’ll be so broken and bruised…you’ll have to crawl back…”

Crawling…haven't I done enough of that throughout my life? Of crouching smaller for others, of giving into demands and orders easily? Of pretending to be blind and deaf to my own pain, while silently praying for peace and relief from it every day?

Even now my body just wants to stop, to give up, to curl into a ball in some hidden space where no one can reach me anymore…to where I don't have to feel the pain that comes with just breathing and existing.

And as for being ‘Broken and bruised’…there aren’t enough pores on my body or blood in my veins to measure the amount of times I’ve beenbroken and bruised.I’ve experienced more pain in my twenty-seven years than every last one of these horrid pricks combined and then some. And now they want to addmore?

No.

No more.

Even something as small and as helpless as a mouse has teeth, and as long as I can breathe, I can continue to fight.

“I thought the others were disgusting trash.”

Dean stills his movements, his eyes meeting mine as I continue. “But you three take beingscumto a whole new level.”

He moves his hand from his trousers and grabs my face, roughly clutching my cheeks and chin in his hand as he gets into my face.

“You think talking shit is going to help you? Whores like you never shut up unless there's something shoved down your throat to keep you quiet.” He gives me a dark grin before twisting his head around to Cole and Leon.

“I think one of you should keep her mouth preoccupied while I fu–”

His words are cut off, the air pouring from his lungs as his eyes go wide.

Shifters are a hard bunch to go against, especially with the superhuman strength, speed and quicker recovery than most. But there'soneplace that's a weak spot to all men, even supernaturals.

“Dean?” Cole calls, his brows furrowing as he watches his friend bend forward before falling to the ground, a low whimper leaving his lips as his hands cup his crotch.

“What the fuck?!” Barks Leon.

Cole crouches beside Dean as Leon reaches for me.

I let him grab me, his grip bruising on my shoulders as his face gets closer to mine. That's when I rear back slightly and throw my head toward his, watching on through my own pain, as he lets go and stumbles backward.

You think they would have learnt the first time around.

I slide a hand through my hair, pushing it back and finding my fingers now coated in a familiar crimson liquid.

“Leon!” shouts Cole. “You’re fucking crazy! Do you know what you’ve just done?! You’re fucked now!” Glares Cole as he pulls himself up and takes a step away from Dean and toward me.

He moves forward, as I slowly take a step backward and in the direction of the bin that Leon knocked over just moments ago. Thankfully some handy items tumbled from the metal bin when he crashed into it, including a dark empty glass bottle.

Before Cole can reach me, I scoop down and grab the glass, brandishing it between my fingers as he stands just feet from me.

My gaze flickers to Dean, still whimpering on the ground behind Cole and then to Leon, one hand on his head as he tries to steady himself.Best make this quick then.

“What do you think you're gonna do with that?” Cole's lip curls up as his eyes glow gold, taking another step closer as he continues.

“We both know you won’t do anything, you're too weak, and we’re all shifters anyway.” He shrugs, a taunting smile stretching his lips. “Weheal…butyouwon’t.”

He tries to take another step, but I move quickly, smashing the bottle on the wall nearest me and twisting the bottle around toward him.

“Of course shifters heal, but the real question is…how fast,” I take a step closer to Cole as his eyes flicker between my face, and the broken and jagged bottle.

“You think you can get me with that? I’m faster and stronger than you Micai.” He scoffs.

“But I can still do damage, Cole. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and hit an artery?”

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