book #3 DARK KNIGHT ***COMPLETE***

#17 little pet

they all took a moment before pushing through to the castle. Not only did they need to let everything sink in but they needed to come up with a plan. The weight of two worlds were on them. this part had to be without their beast form. they knew this was the best way to keep their element of surprise with king Jonathan. Zara and avaly walked side by side as Alana swam up the river next to the women. they were all acutely aware of what was at stake if they lost and none of them chose to talk about it. they wanted to give no notion to what if they lost. they did not put it out there for fear it would manifest a loss for them. instead they just kept moving forward in their science that blanketed them. their moods somber and their souls unrelenting. soon they all stopped, looking at the palace that lurked before them. it was a magnificent building made from stone from all over the realm. the colors of the stones were a beautiful shimmery grey with speckles of different greens. "if it weren't housing such a monster it would be gorgeous. " Zara was speaking the words they all were wanting to say. "be on alert. it seems quiet but it feels like a trap. Don't be complacent. that's what he wants."

they spread out keeping Avaly with Michael and Finn for added protection. they needed to find a way into the castle without alerting everyone in it. they could all hear the warriors training from the courtyard. Zara took a deep breath as she drew her weapons from her back. she was prepared to fight to her death to save Earth and Ithica. she took a deep breath and inched her way around the giant stone wall looking for a way in. there had to be an entrance somewhere. the thundering noise of the warriors training rang out into the sky. clouds were starting to form casting shadows and threatening rain. Zara looked quizzically at the sky. she hadn't seen it rain since she had entered this realm. Zara was frustrated groaning out loud. she hadn't realized there was someone behind her.

she felt a hand snake around her waist and over her mouth. help! she called out through her mind link to Leif before her entire world turned black. her head was pounding and she could hear a small chuckle in the dark. her eyes flung open as she tried to bring her vision to focus. she felt something on her wrists and looked down. silver cuffs. of course he used silver. Zara felt sick to her stomach as she started to move. her body felt like it was on fire. "ugh" she groaned out load. "coward used wolfsbane on me." her voice was hoarse and her head pounded harder at the noise.

" I see you are awake little pup." she knew that voice. that voice that made her sick to her stomach and made her want to put wood steaks through her ears until she could no longer hear. "are you ready to play?"

"Jonathan I feel at a disadvantage since you shot me with wolfsbane and put silver on my wrists." she sat up slowly. her body not wanting to move. " and the fact that I am female."

she heard him laugh out loud and the sound rang like a bomb. "oh dear princess, I don't think you being female is a disadvantage. I underestimated you once but I definitely won't again." his arms went up into the air as his wild eyes glared into her. "welcome to my dungeon my pet."

"I'm not your pet you peice of shit." his eyes turned a darker shade and bore into her. she could see flashes of anger dance across his features. he didn't like being insulted. he didn't like disrespect.

she felt him reach out grabbing her by her chin squeezing his fingers tight. she could feel the bruises forming from his rough grasp. his hold was like a vice squeezing harder when she struggled. his voice sounded like venom from a snake as he spoke. it was low as he growled out his words to her. " oh but you are now my pet. no one is here to save you." he pushed her away and sat back in his chair. Zara knew she was in trouble. she also knew she would fight to the death before letting him touch her. she heard his body shift and she closed her eyes. she could hear the wind whooshing as he brought his hand up in the air. bringing her leg out in front of her she kicked as hard as she could and connected to his knee. her eyes flew open as he dropped to the cell floor in agony. she knew even for a shifter this was a damaging blow to his knee cap and would take a few days to heal. "guards!" he yelled. her chains were too short for her to get to him again as he rolled his body away. men came running in as she scampered to the corner of the cell pushing herself against the cold stone wall.

Zara was trying to make herself small so not to be a threat to them. she could see there stunned faces at the tiny woman in the corner and Jonathan on the ground screaming out in pain. she knew she bought herself a small amount of time but when he came back she was in trouble. the guards helped Jonathan out of her cell and locked the door behind them as they left her there. "Goddess please get the others through. help them defeat him." the cell was dark and damp. the cold peirced through her skin. if she were able to shift she could stay warm. she pulled on the chains to see how strong they were. she could see they were attached to the stone wall. she looked at the wall. it was old. starting to crumble a little in spots. Zara pulled on the chains watching the wall crumble a little with each pull. she smiled a little. "leave it to Jonathan to not make repairs when needed." Zara started pulling harder at the chains slowly loosening them from the wall. her wrists were raw from the silver on them. she was so close she kept pulling gritting her teeth from the burning biting at her. pulling one last time she felt the chain give as it fell to the ground. "now I just need to figure out the door. "

Zara slumped to the floor. exhaustion washing over as she closed her eyes. she thought she had just slept a short time when her eyes opened. she was still in the same cell slumped to the ground. out of the corner of her eye she saw Jonathan smirking at her. he rose slowly walking towards her a slight limp as he came. "well,well, well little pet. looks like you had some fight in you the other night." a gaurd came from outside the open cell door placing a chair in front of her. she gazed as Jonathan sat down his tone mocking her. she said nothing. she didn't dare look to see if they noticed her chain was no longer attached to the wall. she kept her face stoic and her eyes fixated on Jonathan's muscular figure. "I have a surprise for you." his smirk turned to a wide evil grin. Zara refused to allow the fear she felt come out. she was not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing what he was doing to her. her eyes were drawn to the cell door as the gaurds began to move. someone was brought in with a bag over their head. she could see it was a female.

Zara looked back at Jonathan still no emotions on her face. his smile did not falter as he stood from the chair. the gaurd walked the female closer to Zara and pushed her to her knees. the cell grew quiet as Jonathan came to her side. pulling the covering off her head, Zara gasped. she was not prepared for this at all. her long hair was matted and her clothes were torn from obvious torture. panic rose up and her stomach threatened to spill bile. Zara swallowed as she realized what this meant. Jonathan was in control and there was nothing Zara could do. everyone on earth and ithica was in trouble. no one was safe from this man and his lust for power. her hands still in chains reached out to cup the females face. tears were in her eyes as she looked at her ice blue eyes. they said nothing in that moment. Both knowing how serious this situation was for them and both worlds. Jonathan leaned in placing his chin on her neck as he gleefully whispered to Zara. "surprise!" his laugh rang out like an ocean wave crashing down like a tidal wave. zaras heart was pounding so fast she could feel it thundering in her ears. they had lost. they didn't make it through. she closed her eyes trying to calm herself. once she felt her breathing relax she opened them once more as Jonathan sat back down in the chair.