Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
“I wouldn’t say love,” Thor says. “But yes, it is satisfying and motivating to know that every day we don’t give up or fuck up, that man has to face the fact that he…”
“What?”
My blood runs cold as a familiar, rough voice comes to us right in the middle of our gloating. It floats from outside the cave, it comes around the corner, and it assails our ears at the same time.
We have been found. Fate, it seems, loves to fuck you up right as soon as you feel proud of yourself. That’s the saying, I think. I don’t really know. My brain is scattered. All I really know in this moment is that Drako is outside the cave, apparently listening to every word we said.
“Fuck off!” I shout. It’s not a useful response, I know he won’t do it, and I don’t really mean it, but it is my gut reaction.
“Now now,” Drako rumbles from the exterior. “I think we’ve all had enough of this game of hide and seek, haven’t we? It’s time for the inevitable to happen. You’ve stalled long enough, Golden Boy. Are you going to come out? Or do you want me to come in and drag you out?”
“Wouldn’t be enough room for that,” Thor drawls casually.
“You can always come out in pieces,” Drako responds.
I feel a surge of protective anger for Thor. I know I’m mostly safe. I could be pregnant with Drako’s spawn. That gives me some leeway.
“Send the woman out first,” Drako says. “Then we’ll see what we do with you. Maybe we’ll seal the cave up with you inside and leave you there.”
The absolute fury I feel hearing those words makes my blood run cold and ensures that I have absolutely no lingering sentiment for this monster. He played the role of survivor with us well enough, but the moment he had an advantage, he became cold and ruthless and brutal all over again.
I grab the knife we’ve used to kill and skin animals and I tuck it away under one arm, holding it by the hilt.
“I’ll come out!” I say. “But only if you promise not to hurt him.”
“We can seal two in a cave as easily as one,” Drako says. Thor and I look at one another.
“God, he is such a bitch,” I say, making sure it is loud enough for Drako to hear. I wonder if he’s playing it up for his little Vikar friends. He can’t show them that he bonded with us, so like a boy beating up his favorite teddy to prove he’s not a kid anymore, he’s going to publicly bully us. He has no idea how weak that really makes him look.
“Seal me up! I say. “I’d rather die than see your ugly face again.”
There’s a short burst of laughter from outside the cave. I don’t think it’s from Drako. I think I just got a laugh from his boys. That’s got to hurt.
I might not be good at survival tactics, but I grew up with two sisters, so I know how to hit someone where it hurts.
“Come out right now, and the public beating you get will be given with your underwear on,” Drako drawls. “Keep talking back to me, and you’ll be stripped in front of my crew and…”
“Boring!” I interject in the middle of his threat. “I might care if I were naked in front of a lot of people, but your clan aren’t people. You’re animals. It would be no different than being naked in front of my pets.”
“By the gods,” Thor groans. He’s not actively stopping me from talking, but I can tell he doesn’t think this is a good idea.
“I’m going to cut your boyfriend’s cock off if you don’t come out this second.”
Oh, poor Drako. He must have felt such a surge of satisfaction at having realized he had us cornered, but his shit talk game is weak.
“Makes sense. It’s bigger than yours. Sew it on and improve yourself as a man.”
Again that muffled laughter comes from people who know they’re not supposed to be laughing, but can’t stop it.
“You’re going to get us both killed,” Thor says, though he is smiling too.
“At least we’ll go out with a bang,” I say. “Not from Drako though! Because his penis is inadequate!”
“Holy shit. I don’t think I have ever heard the word inadequate used to quite such devastating effect,” Thor snorts.
We are having a good time again. I know that any moment, that good time is going to violently end and terrible things will happen to us and we’ll be powerless to stop them, but that’s why asserting any kind of rebellion feels so good in this moment. When someone has you cornered and fucked up, there’s nothing as powerful as letting them know you still don’t care about them.