Connor, doona
He hung up and dropped the phone into his sporran. He debated fetching his sword, but decided to leave it behind. Instead, he retrieved a wooden stake from his sporran. No sense in drawing the lightning to him. Although he wasnt quite sure it was lightning.
A drop of rain plopped onto the top of his head, and he glanced up. Another raindrop splattered on his nose, then rolled a chilly path across his cheek. He wiped his face, then focused on the area where hed seen the flash of light. Everything went black.
He materialized in the dark shadow of trees, his feet landing on the soft cushion of pine needles. The light patter of raindrops sounded overhead, not yet heavy enough to filter through the thick canopy of treetops. He moved silently through the forest, tracing the scent of burnt wood and smoke.
When he heard a mans voice, he edged close enough to hear the words but remained hidden behind a large tree trunk.
You left them still alive! the man yelled. I had to go back to finish your job.
Connor stiffened. Either these were Malcontents, or hed stumbled across some mortals on a murdering rampage.
We received our orders, the man continued. The humans were all supposed to die.
Malcontents. A mortal never referred to his own kind as humans. Connor tamped down on the rage that seethed within. He needed to stay calm and controlled. His grip tightened on the wooden stake. He had four more in his sporran and the dagger in his knee sock. But before he attacked he needed to know how many bastards he was up against.
A female whispered a response, too faint for him to hear. Even so, the timbre of her voice lifted the hairs on the back on his neck. It brushed his skin like a caress. Bugger. This was no way to react to a bloody Malcontent.
Her voice grew stronger as she made her final declaration. I can no longer do this.
Was she rebelling? Connors heart lurched. If he could capture her alive, she could tell them all sorts of information.
You must follow orders, the man snapped.
There was no reason for them all to die, she argued. I only wished to spare the children.
You have failed to follow orders, Marielle, he growled.
You must pay the consequences.
No. Her whisper trembled. Zack, please.
The fear in her lovely voice made Connors gut clench, and he was seized with an overwhelming need to protect her. Bah, protect a Malcontent? She deserved to die.
This is your third act of disobedience, the man announced in a booming voice. The decision has been made. You will be banished.
No!
The anguish in her voice was more than Connor could bear. Bloody hell. He would save her.
He slid the dagger from his knee sock. As far as he could tell, there were only the two Malcontents: the male called Zack and the female, Marielle. Hed take the male by surprise, turn him to dust, then grab the female and teleport her to Romatech where he could thoroughly question her.
A dagger in one hand, a stake in the other, he zoomed toward their voices.
An intense flash of light stunned him, and he halted, his eyes squeezed shut against the pain. Bugger, how could he save her when he couldnt see?
Her scream tore through him.
Nay, he growled. He fought through the pain and forced his eyes open. His vision sparkled with stars so badly, he stumbled over a fallen branch and bumped against a tree trunk. Still, he could discern a glowing fire ahead, and he headed toward it. The scent of burnt flesh wafted toward him, and a sick feeling coiled in his gut. Had the bastard set her on fire?
She screamed again. To hell with this. He ran toward her, shoving branches out of the way.
A ball of fire exploded with another searing, blinding light. He turned his head, eyes squeezed shut.
Boom. A blast of air whooshed against him, tossing him through the air and slamming him against a tree. His head hit hard, and he collapsed onto the ground.
He lay there dazed, pain thrumming in his head. What the hell was that? Some kind of bomb? Even with his eyes shut, stars twinkled with painful brilliance against his closed eyelids. He rubbed his eyes, willing the stars and pain to go away. Somewhere in his confused mind, he realized his weapons were gone. And the rain had stopped. How much time had passed while he lay there helpless?