Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

NATALIE

I have no idea where I'm going. No idea where this tunnel leads. All I have is my flashlight to guide the way, and I pray I don't come to any dead ends. Once I got far enough away, the hobgoblins stopped chasing me, so I assume I'm safely out of their territory. Of course, that's a small comfort. Who knows what else dwells in these underground caves? Shit, for all I know, I could fall off a ledge or stumble into a river.

I shake my head, chastising myself. Seriously, what did I think I was doing? I threw some snacks in a backpack and just marched into a cave, like I was totally prepared for whatever might come my way. That's laughable. I have zero cave experience and no real idea what kind of normal animals might live here, much less cryptids. Kill came right out and told me that the goblins voted to murder me, and the hobgoblins made their intentions clear too.

I'm a fool.

A filthy, bloody, dumbass whose family was right. I need to stop fucking around with my life and actually get it together. What did I even hope to gain by proving monsters are real? Family respect? Please. If I wanted that, all I'd have to do is call Griffin and ask how to best help the town. He'd give me some assignment and that would be that. I'd be a proper Bishop.

Except…I've never wanted that.

I've never wanted to organize a festival or renovate a lodge or run for public office. I don't want to own a store or build on the family legacy. I want something for me . I want to be respected for being Natalie , not for being a Bishop. And I couldn't do it with any of my previous hobbies, so I decided to become a monster hunter.

What a joke.

I swat a tear from my cheek. I don't know if I'm crying because of the pain of getting bitten and slashed, or because I'm realizing how depressing my life is. It's probably both. And honestly, the best thing to do for both is to go home. Get some antibiotics and have a come-to-Jesus with Haven, who I trust to help me find my way.

With a sniffle and a renewed sense of purpose, I continue my way through the tunnels. It's a complete maze, and there's no real way to tell which way I'm going, but I know that ultimately I need to head up. So I do my best to stick to paths that seem like they might ascend, and I follow sounds of water when I hear it, hoping the underwater rivers and streams are fed by the lake. Even if I come out twenty miles from my house, at least I'll be aboveground.

I don't know how long I've been trudging when I finally hear something that makes my heart sing: footsteps. I don't know what's making them, but whatever it is sounds bipedal, so I'm happy to take a chance.

"Hello?" I call out.

"Natalie?" a deep voice responds, making me frown.

"Keep talking! I'm following your voice!" I shout. As he does, I come to a bend in the tunnel. When I round it, I emerge in an open cavern. There's a ledge along this side that's plenty wide enough to walk on, but the other side is a precarious drop into the darkness.

But that's not all I find.

When I step out of the tunnel, I crash chest-to-chest with Brock, of all people. I grab him to catch my balance, then take a step back and rub my eyes, sure this must be an illusion. Why would he be in these caves?

"Brock? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you!" His brow furrows with concern. "Nobody knew where you were, so I did some searching. I found the ATV parked at the mouth of the cave, so I figured you had to be in here somewhere. I've been searching for hours."

He seems concerned, and it's weird as hell. We haven't talked since the night he gave me a black eye. Sure, he's been texting, but I thought ignoring him sent the message that I never wanted to see or hear from him again.

So this is strange.

"But why? We broke up, and it's not like I was lost. What in the world compelled you to come looking for me?"

He gives me a lopsided grin. "Come on, Nat. We may not be together anymore, but I still care about you. I don't want you to disappear in some nasty cave. I thought you might need help."

I try to ignore the use of the nickname I hate—one he's always used, despite my protests—and focus on the positive. He was worried. He cares. He came looking for me. That's…nice, I guess? Still, I know how his mood can change on a dime, and being alone in this cave with him is not exactly my idea of a fun or safe time. If something sets him off, I have no idea how he'll react.

"Wow. I can't believe you found me. These tunnels are never-ending. The odds of us both ending up here are super low," I say.

Brock shoots me a wink. "I guess it must be fate."

Ugh.

Brock can be charming when he wants to be, but I'll never forget that he hit me once, just for giving him a teasing nickname. He's unpredictable and self-centered. There's a feeling growing within me, and it's more than distaste. Like, I really don't want him here. I feel less safe now than I did with the hobgoblins.

I take a step back and inhale slowly. I need to handle Brock with care. "The thing is, I'm not really lost. I just wanted to spend a few days caving. I appreciate the concern, but it wasn't necessary. I'm perfectly fine." Bloody arm and leg notwithstanding.

He frowns. "Well, no one knew that. You didn't even leave a note."

That's true, but even if I had, it wouldn't have been for him. It would have been for family. Besides, how does he know I didn't leave a note? Did he go in my house?

"Brock, I'm an adult. I don't have to tell people when I'll be away for a few days."

He rolls his eyes. "Whatever. It's getting late. Come on." He grabs my arm and tugs me back toward the way he came.

"Brock, let me go." I pull my arm, but he doesn't let go. "I'm not ready to leave just yet." Before I saw him, I was fully set on getting out of these caves and relaxing at home. But now that he's here, I'm feeling very different. And I have no interest in going with him.

"Nat, it's gonna be dark by the time we get out of here. You've had your fun, and there's nothing to see here but dark and maybe some gross-ass bats. Let's go." He tugs on me again and I yank my arm out of his hold.

This guy. He thinks he can just order me around? And insult bats, which are cute and a vital part of the ecosystem. Yuck. "No. I'm not going with you."

He heaves a put-upon sigh. "Jesus, you're such an unappreciative bitch. I came all this way to help you, only for you to act like this." He crosses his arms over his broad chest and stares at me like I'm the problem.

I glare at him. "Oh, fuck off. I never asked for your help. In fact, I told you I never wanted to see you again!" I turn to go back the way I came—there has to be another tunnel I can take.

He lunges forward and grabs me again, spinning me, and I shout. Instead of releasing me, he wrenches my arm to keep me in his grasp, making something in my shoulder scream in protest. I don't know if it's intentional or not, but pain shoots through my shoulder blade and down my arm.

"Ow, Brock, you're hurting me!"

"Only because you're being unreasonable! Stop fighting me and come on."

My nostrils flare as I inhale, ready to really let him have it. But before I can say anything, a deep, menacing voice echoes through the cavern.

"Take your hands off of her."

KILLIAN

It was bad enough when I lost sight of Natalie in the hobgoblin swarm. After I yanked a couple of those little fuckers off of her, we got separated. I saw them herd her toward a tunnel, and then lost sight of her in the flood of blood and bodies.

Knowing she was injured but not where she went made me fucking feral. I tore through the rest of the swarm, killing everything that stood between me and the woman I was meant to protect, then sprinted through the darkness, following her scent. A useful side effect of the mate bond.

I was relieved not to scent any additional blood in the tunnels, and there were no hobgoblins in my way, so I assumed she merely got lost in the caves. I expected to find her lost and maybe a little frightened.

I did not expect to find her being menaced.

Seeing her here, struggling against a human who is much larger than she is and is clearly intent on taking her against her wishes?

I see fucking red.

A rage like I've never felt swirls through my veins as I demand that he unhand her. He may be bigger than Natalie, but he's not bigger than me. I'll physically remove him from her if I have to.

The human male's eyes go wide as he sees me. It's obvious he's never encountered a goblin before, and he has no idea what to make of me, tall and horned and pissed beyond belief.

"What the hell are you?" he asks, dropping Natalie's arm in shock. She immediately walks over to me, standing against my side. The sense of relief at having her close again gives me a modicum of peace.

"This is Kill," she says, touching my arm. "He takes his name very seriously, so I suggest you be on your way."

I smirk. She's not wrong. It's not like I go around killing for fun, but I have no issue taking out anything or anyone that threatens me or my clan. Which includes Natalie, whether she knows it or not.

"What the fuck?" The male yells. "No way am I leaving you here with some weird-ass horned creature! What the fuck is that thing?"

I bare my teeth at him. "I'm a goblin, these are my caves, and you are very unwelcome. You should take her advice." I stalk toward him, ready to drag him out of the cavern if I have to. Hell, I'll rip his heart out if I have to.

"I'm not going anywhere," the male says, widening his stance.

I grin, though there's no humor in it. "We'll see about that."

NATALIE

The menace is pouring off Kill in waves, and I wonder if there's something wrong with me for finding it hot. Because I do. And he is.

There was a time when I thought Brock was good-looking, with his sandy hair, blue eyes, and tall frame. But now that I've seen Killian, Brock pales in comparison. Looking at him now, I'm ashamed I ever dated him.

"Get out of here, human," Kill growls.

"Or what? You don't own these caves."

Oh, Brock. Wrong move.

Killian stalks closer, towering well over Brock's 6'2" form. "That's where you're wrong. I do own these caves. And if you don't leave willingly, I will remove you with force."

Brock glares at him, and then the idiot actually throws a punch.

Killian catches his fist in one palm and uses the momentum to push Brock backward.

"Brock, don't be a dumbass. Just go," I call out.

"Fuck you, Natalie. I can't believe I wasted my time trying to find you when you were over here doing god knows what with this thing . You're a bitch and a whore!"

The growl that emanates from Kill's chest is positively beastly. He dives at Brock, and the two of them go crashing to the ground in a whir of fists and shouting.

I can't really see what's happening. There's shouting, and rocks come loose and go skittering over the edge. There are thuds and grunts and then, in a magnificent show of strength, Killian somehow manages to throw Brock off of him and gain his feet, turning to face his opponent.

With a snarl, Brock clambers up and charges him, but Killian, the more agile of the two, neatly sidesteps. Brock realizes his error too late, and though he pinwheels his arms to slow himself, it doesn't work.

The next few seconds happen in slow motion.

Brock's arms are flailing.

I take a step forward, reaching out.

Killian throws an arm across my chest, stopping me.

Brock shouts in terror.

And then time speeds up as he plummets over the edge of the crevice and into the blackness below. After a few seconds—longer than I expect, honestly—there's a sickening crunch.

Oh, holy fuck. The porridge I ate hours ago threatens to come back up.

"Brock?" I call tentatively, but no surprise, he doesn't answer. I try again. "Brock?"

Nothing.

Killian's arm tightens around me, offering comfort. Because someone I knew…is dead.

Brock is dead.

I feel a little bit dizzy, which compounds the nausea. My knees give out and I start to sink, but Kill's arm slows me so that I land gently on the ground.

Did that seriously just happen? I know Kill said he earned his nickname, but he didn't technically kill Brock. Brock died because of his own stupidity. But if they hadn't been fighting…

I shake my head. If they hadn't been fighting, Brock would have physically dragged me out of these caves and done who knows what to me. Killian rescued me.

I don't know how to feel. At the moment, I think I'm just numb.

I didn't like the guy, and he certainly needed some counseling or rehab or something, but I didn't want him dead. And I sure as hell don't want to have to answer any questions about what might have happened to him. Although…him getting lost in these caves and succumbing to nature is a believable story. And it's sort of true.

Killian, who sat when I did, leans forward.

"Are you okay?" he asks, worry in his glowing eyes. "Did that male hurt you? Were you attacked by more hobgoblins? What happened when we got separated? I'm so sorry I didn't stay with you!" He sounds frantic.

My need to comfort him snaps me out of my morbid thoughts. I reach down and give his hand a squeeze. "Kill, take a breath. I'm okay. All I did was run away when we got separated, and the bleeding from the hobgoblins has stopped. I knew that I'd either find my way back to the surface or you would track me down. As for Brock, he didn't really hurt me. I can't believe that just happened, though." I stare over the edge again.

"Good riddance." Killian bundles me in his arms and scoops me up. "If it's okay with you, I want to bring you back to my quarters. I'll clean your wounds and find you something to eat. I just…need to hold on to you for a while. I was so worried." He brushes my hair back from my face, his large palm warm against my skin.

I have no idea what's come over him, but I'm into it. I could use a little cuddling after everything we just went through. I nod. "I'd like that."