Whiplash (Through Time 2)

The first one, Pestale, wasn’t aware she was a Fios, let alone a slammer, and Hord

ly was too busy concentrating on taking Trevor down to bother himself with her just yet.

This was the moment, as the last Unseelie prince seemed to be just along for the ride and hung about not doing much of anything.

She centered her magic first on Pestale and Hordly, but as the middle brother inched closer to Hordly, she included him in the set.

Pestale had managed to get his hands on a Death Sword and was holding it between Trevor and himself, sneering all the while.

She took his magic, as well as the magic of his brothers, but it was an enormous burden, heavy with evil, and her mind nearly toppled with its weight. She had an overwhelming urge to puke.

She had to do this, she had to, she told herself. No puking—only slamming.

She got control as she doubled over and then threw everything she had at all three. The dark power she had momentarily stolen and hurled at them hit them with a force of a small bomb.

A resounding and thunderous rocket of black power knocked Pestale into both his brothers in midair as all three went flying. They landed hard at the far end of the corridor and were momentarily bereft of energy—it had worked!

Trevor shifted in close to them, his Death Sword poised and ready to slash Pestale’s handsome, wicked head off his shoulders, but Hordly was the first to recover and diverted Trevor’s purpose by shifting away. With a look of dread, Trev turned, apparently knowing what he would find.

With a sinking sensation, Jazz felt Hordly’s arms go around her as he pressed her back against his hard body.

“Back off my brothers, Seelie, or she dies now,” Hordly growled angrily.

Pestale was on his feet, as was his younger brother, and they stared first at the human girl, clearly wondering just what kind of magic she owned, before turning to Trevor.

Jazz saw that, for a moment, they were at an impasse.

* * *

Pestale surveyed the situation and made up his mind. He calmed himself, for he couldn’t allow his anger to rule him. He made a show by slashing through the air with his Death Sword and said, “What now, Seelie?”

“She dies? That is your threat?” Trevor said with a shrug, “So she dies. It is not what I wanted. But she forced herself on me even though I asked her to stay behind. And my mission is more important than even a magical human. What I want, all I want, is to kill at least one of you, here and now.”

“You don’t fool me.” Pestale shook his head. “You Seelie Royals care too much for the humans, and I think you will bargain rather than allow my brother to snap her neck.” Pestale added thoughtfully, “Besides, that would be a loss. She intrigues me with her power.”

“You are right—I don’t want her dead, but not because of her minimal skills but because I had planned to bed her.” Trevor shrugged again. “But next to killing you and your brothers …” He shook his head. “No comparison.”

Pestale understood putting the mission above all else. He adored Morrigu for many reasons, but he knew he would sacrifice her if he were in the same position. He believed Trevor but said, “Still, I think we shall keep her alive for the time being.” He looked toward the human woman. “It will be interesting to explore her, use her, touch her pretty body, and see how it is she was able to … do what she did. Hordly, take her to Morrigu’s chambers.”

* * *

Bile worked itself into Jazz’s throat. She was pretty sure Trevor could not, did not, mean what he had said, but even so it hurt to hear the words. However, she had a few tricks up her sleeve. She took Pestale’s magic, this time only his magic, and slammed the brother he stood closest to. While both Pestale and his younger brother were still sliding across the stone floor, with all her might she pounded the heel of her boot on Hordly’s sandaled foot. When he yelped with pain, she turned, kicked him in the balls, and at the same time took his magic and slammed him.

Trevor shifted to her at once and wrapped her in his tight embrace. In the next instant he shifted them away.

~ Eleven ~

TREVOR CONCENTRATED. HE knew he had to focus.

A looming structure stood before them. It was made of huge blocks of opaque glass in long, thick shards going every which way. One could not see in, but he imagined every room inside could see out.

It was the only safe haven in all the Dark Realm, but getting inside would not be easy. Danté had had a very difficult time of it when he was here with Radzia. It was the special retreat the Dark King had created for his human love, to keep her safe and comfortable where the world outside was anything but.

Trevor couldn’t allow anything to happen to his Fios. He couldn’t breathe when she was in danger. She was his Jazmine Decker. She had asked him why he continued to use her entire name, because it sounded so formal, and he had told her it was because he liked the sound. In truth, he loved the sound. He would always call her Jazmine Decker.

The first difficulty lay in the fact that he couldn’t find a door—anywhere. He had Jazmine Decker’s hand in his as he dragged her along while he searched for an entrance, a window, some way to get inside. His efforts proved fruitless, and he was left standing and studying the building, deep in thought. He knew that when the Dark Princes figured out where he had gone with his human, they would be after them once more.

* * *