Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods #5) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,99
here.”
I grab my coat from behind my chair. It’s lightweight since the weather has been great. I link my arm with his, and we head out. We decided to walk, since this restaurant is just two blocks up from where Bolt stays.
The skies are clear. I can see a few stars twinkling above us. I look up at Bolt. He’s frowning. He looks…troubled, which is puzzling because we’re having an amazing night. Our trip to New York was amazing. Everything has been great. “You okay?” It might be work-related. Why would he be thinking about work right now?
He perks up and gives a nod. “Everything is perfect when I’m with you.” From the way he looks at me, I know he means it.
“These last few days… Ever since I met you…have been…the best. I have something I—” Someone tackles Bolt from behind. I still have my arm linked in his, so when he’s shoved forward, I’m pulled along too, and right off my feet. The first thing I think is that I’m glad I decided to wear pants, otherwise my knees would have been torn apart on the sidewalk. I hear thudding noises, and my brain registers what just happened. What is happening right now.
Bolt.
I turn my head. A man – he’s older – has Bolt on the ground. He’s punching him. Pummeling him would be a better description. He’s laying into him, and in a big way. The man is huge…maybe bigger than Bolt. It’s not fat, it’s pure muscle. I realize that I’m screaming. I’m lying there on the ground, screaming.
I start to get to my feet. My plan is to jump on the asshole’s back. I have to try to help Bolt. Thank god he has recovered to some degree and is fighting back. He’s blocking punches and getting in some body blows. I need to get the guy off of him.
As I’m scrambling to get up, someone grabs me and picks me up, easily. “Bitch!” the person says. “You harpy piece of fucking shit.”
“Excuse me?” Why am I being so polite? “What do you want?” I yell. It’s another man. This one is younger than the one fighting Bolt.
He smiles, and I swear his teeth look sharper than they were a second ago. “I want my power back,” he yells at me. “Give it back or die!” He has to be a junkie. He just seems odd. I mean, he’s saying the strangest things. His whole expression softens. “You’re still the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.”
Power?
Still?
I don’t know this guy. I’ve never seen him before in my life.
“No!” Bolt shouts. “Stop!” I turn to him and see that he’s fighting harder. He’s struggling because the older guy is still straddling him. The older guy seems bigger than he was before, but that isn’t possible. Bolt’s attacker makes this awful moaning noise that gives me the creeps. I hear the thuds as his fists make contact with Bolt’s face and body.
“Let me go,” I shout. “Stop! You’re going to kill him!” I scream in Bolt’s direction.
The older guy stops the pounding. He puts a hand around Bolt’s throat. Bolt tries to punch him, but his arms are too short. How is that even possible? Bolt is six and a half feet tall. He tries to pry the other guy’s hand off his throat, but that doesn’t work either. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone more powerful than Bolt. The older guy looks up for just a second, and I think I only see one eye in the middle of his forehead. He looks away before I can say for sure. It’s dark. Too dark. I realize in the next breath that this attack was probably planned. This is the darkest part of the street. The streetlight above us is out. It’s also a quieter section. I feel a chill run through me.
“I have some money,” I say frantically. “My boyfriend has a watch. I don’t know what kind, but I’m sure it’s worth a ton of money. Take whatever you—”
I stagger back as his hand connects with my cheek. His slap isn’t hard enough to bruise…I don’t think, but it’s hard enough to sting. To make my eyes water. I have my hand on my face. This can’t be happening. What do they want?
“It isn’t her!” Bolt shouts. It’s like he knows why they are here. I don’t understand. “Please—” Then there’s a choking noise.