Taken

Chapter 7 (Part 3)

I stumbled back, turning in search of the one who had pushed me. My eyes scanned across the trees, but there was no one. Breathing hard, I turned back to find Silas with his arms crossed and a small smirk on his lips.

My jaw clenched. He didn't need whatever precaution that this choker around my neck served as. Not when he already had such a physical and supernatural advantage over me. The plants weren't the only things that could easily kill me here.

I held onto the anger the realization brought, channeling it into a violent picture in my head before the rational part of my brain could try to speak up and plead his case. I built on it, drawing from anger and hatred intended for other targets. Like Jeff. I remembered stabbing him. It had felt disturbing, yet... good. He had deserved it.

Feeling the weight of his eyes watching me, I adjusted my grip on the handle and stepped forward to press the tip of the blade against his stomach again. He didn't react.

Though the knife in my hands stopped when it met his toned stomach through the shirt, the one in my mind didn't. It drove into the stomach of the man whose face slowly shifted through those of men I truly wanted to hurt with the anger I had built up inside. Jeff, Dad, his friends, Andre-

I dropped the knife, opening my mouth in a gasp I couldn't draw in. It landed on the ground with a soft thud as the band around my neck constricted to cut off my airflow. My fingers clawed at my neck, trying to find their way under it to give me room to breathe, but it was impossible with the way it dug into my skin to choke me.

I dropped to my knees, looking up at him for help. My hopes were dashed at what I found. His stony expression that was looking down at me was devoid of emotion. When he further disregarded me to look around our surroundings with a critical eye, I crawled forward and latched onto his leg with desperation. I could barely feel the sticks and pebbles that dug into my knees with the burn in my chest and the pressure I felt growing in my head.

Letting out a breath, he returned his eye to me with a frown pulling at his lips. Crouching down, he reached to brush his fingers over the back of my neck.

I drew in ragged breaths as my head dropped to press against his chest. Hot tears fell from my eyes, racing down my cheeks as I continued to draw lungfuls of air to ease the fire in my chest.

"The winter King's men were after you. Though I dislike them, there must have been a reason. Otherwise, they wouldn't be breaking intercourt law to bring a human here. Until I learn what that reason is, you're staying with me." He brushed his thumb across my skin just below the choker that apparently choked. "I don't know you and can't trust if you've been lying or telling the truth. But if this is some elaborate scheme with the Winter King's men to chase us off, I hope this is enough to keep you from getting any ideas. You won't be able to execute them before it activates."

With that warning, he rose. Standing straight, he stepped back, dislodging my hands from where they were still clutching at his calf. They dropped to land flat on the ground.

"Think of it as mutually beneficial," he said, looking down at me. "I stay alive, you stay alive."

"You said you were taking me to someone who could help me get home." My voice came out hoarse and quiet.

"I will, but even if she provides you with the answers you want, you're going to be stuck here for a while."

"How long?"

He shrugged, turning to continue in the direction he had been headed in before I had made the mistake of inquiring about the magical choker surrounding my neck. "Days, weeks, possibly even months. It depends on how long it takes to get a portal key. If there's even one circling around the underground market."