Chapter 17

Ada

Aheavy thud sounded right in front of me, and I stared, aghast, at what looked like a furry calf lying in front of me.

Diablos then tossed what I could only—disgustingly—assume was the bladder of said animal, water splashing out of it from the vines that secured the top.

"What is that?" My tone dripped with disgust as I stared at the carcass and bladder, then looked up at him.

"Dinner." His tone was bland, as if he thought I were stupid for not seeing the obvious.

"I'm not eating that." I curled my lip and tipped my chin up in indignation. "Do you want me to get sick and die? I kind of need my food to be cooked. Not to mention I'm not about to drink water out of an animal's bladder. Pretty sure you didn't sanitize that shit."

I used my foot to push both items away until they bumped against his shin.

He looked down at it, kicking it back toward me, the leg hitting my foot hard enough that blood from the stump smeared across my pants.

"Eat up. We are leaving after. I won't stop because your little Fae stomach growls for sustenance."

"Leaving for where?" I couldn't stop the panicked tone in my voice.

"Far away, little thing." He turned and picked up what might have been an arm for all I could tell as he brought it to his mouth. He tore at the flesh with his teeth, blood dribbling down his chin.

I placed the back of my hand over my mouth as my gag reflex rose up. Coupled with the nasty stench in the cave, I couldn't hold back anymore.

I turned to the side and threw up, but I didn't have much in my stomach, so it was more dry heaves than anything.

"Are all Otherworld beings as fragile as you, weakling?"

I spit out to try and clear the sour taste from my mouth, making sure to stare at him as I did it.

"I'd rather starve." I pulled my legs up to my chest, wrapped my arms around my knees, and presented my side, refusing to look at him.

I didn't know how long we sat there in silence, or more so me trying to ignore his constant pacing. It was getting to the point where it was obnoxious and distracting.

I'd hoped that he'd take some time to rest, maybe sleep so that I could figure out how to escape, but I'd had no opportunity.

Resting my head on the rock, I exhaled. Gods, I wanted to sleep for an eternity. I wanted to have Sebastian hold me again as he kissed the top of my head, then the side of my face, and slowly pressed his lips to mine.

He'd show me how soft and gentle he could be even if it wasn't in his nature.

Something in the air changed, and I felt the hairs on my arm stand on end as I opened my eyes and looked around.

The Diablos's brow furrowed, and I could see his muscles contracting as if he were gearing up for whatever was about to happen.

He felt it too… whatever it was.

He stalked toward the cave entrance, and that's when I glanced around quickly, noticing a pile of bones in the corner. One of them looked long, the end sharp.

A femur bone possibly, if creatures here even had that type of anatomy. With his back turned toward me, I quietly kept to the side of the rocky interior until I got to the pile of bones, snatching up one and moving back to my place.

Just as I had the bone behind me, wedged between my spine and the rock, he turned and stalked back, muttering in that strange language of his.

My heart was thundering so fast, and I knew he heard it by the way he slowly turned his head in my direction, a scowl covering his face.

"You're afraid," he rumbled.

"No shit," I snapped. Being snarky was a nice defense mechanism. "Being kidnapped by the likes of you will do that to a person."

He turned, facing me fully, then took a step forward. I gripped the bone harder, ready to stab the asshole with it.

But just as I was about to defend myself, there was this sudden heavy feeling that settled all around me. It was getting hard to breathe, and I gasped, trying to suck in air. I could tell he was feeling the same effects as his big body tensed, his muscles contracting.

His big hands were curled tightly at his sides, and I could see blood dripping from his fingers and splattering along the dirt-strewn floor.

The bone fell from my hand, the weight of the air around me too intense to even have control of my body.

I started feeling tears move down my cheeks, unable to stop the intense fear that I felt because… I had no idea what was going on.

And then as quickly as I felt it come about, there was a massive wave that pulsated through the cavern.

I cried out as I fell fully to the ground from the force of it, the side of my face smacking into the rocks, my cheeks digging into the stones and tearing up the flesh enough to pull a hiss out of me.

Torvic was storming toward the entrance. I righted myself and grabbed the bone, knowing I didn't have any more time to waste.

I also didn't have time to wonder what the hell was going on.

I didn't know what that was, but it had garnered his attention enough to where I hoped his concentration would be elsewhere.

I'd briefly looked around the outside of the cave when we first landed, but I'd been so scared and pissed that I hadn't taken note of much.

I had noticed a narrow passage that seemed to lead off to the left. I had no idea what was around the bend, but it was better than nothing.

For all I knew it was a dead end, a steep drop-off, or… a way off this damned mountain.

I wasn't thinking anymore. Just acting.