My heart pumped hard and fast as I understood what the brothers were saying. Jared had won. I was not to be tortured. I was not to be killed—not immediately, anyway. Jared was keeping me prisoner.

It seemed a beautiful word under the circumstances.

I told you he would protect us.

“Don’t make this difficult, Jared,” said a new male voice I didn’t recognize. “It has to be done.”

Jared said nothing.

“We don’t want to hurt you, Jared. We’re all brothers here. But we will if you make us.” There was no bluff in Kyle’s tone. “Move aside.”

Jared stood rock still.

My heart started thumping faster than before, jerking against my ribs so hard that the hammering disrupted the rhythm of my lungs, made it difficult to breathe. Melanie was incapacitated with fear, unable to think in coherent words.

They were going to hurt him. Those lunatic humans were going to attack one of their own.

“Jared… please,” Ian said.

Jared didn’t answer.

A heavy footfall—a lunge—and the sound of something heavy hitting something solid. A gasp, a choking gurgle —

“No!” I cried, and launched myself through the round hole.

CHAPTER 16: Assigned

CHAPTER 16

Assigned

The ledge of the rock exit was worn down, but it scraped my palms and shins as I scrambled through it. It hurt, stiff as I was, to wrench myself erect, and my breath caught. My head swam as the blood flowed downward.

I looked for only one thing—where Jared was, so that I could put myself between him and his attackers.

They all stood frozen in place, staring at me. Jared had his back to the wall, his hands balled into fists and held low. In front of him, Kyle was hunched over, clutching his stomach. Ian and a stranger flanked him a few feet back, their mouths open with shock. I took advantage of their surprise. In two long, shaky strides, I moved between Kyle and Jared.

Kyle was the first to react. I was less than a foot from him, and his primary instinct was to shove me away. His hand struck my shoulder and heaved me toward the floor. Before I could fall, something caught my wrist and yanked me back to my feet.

As soon as he realized what he’d done, Jared dropped my wrist like my skin was oozing acid.

“Get back in there,” he roared at me. He shoved my shoulder, too, but it wasn’t as hard as Kyle’s push. It sent me staggering two feet back toward the hole in the wall.