He slept and dreamed.
They ran away.
The Order of the Black Light sought out escaped prisoners, imposing terror and cruelty. Richard gave up on waiting for Black Gaia reforms. The woman's scream ran through the meadow leaving her muscles rigid. James and Ian had said nothing, but they had only pistols, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Faith was chained and trapped in one of those huts and the camp was suddenly in complete chaos. The men who attacked just looked like humans and he tried hard to ignore it. The Order ...
They were invoking the spirit of the old Duke's Vengeance captain. That alone would be bad enough. How can you fight something that cannot be killed? - but ICHICHOS, ah, that was worse, much worse. He feared for the worst; during the last hours when, for thanks, wait, dark or devastating scenes. He hated having to wait. The woman was not dead. The tribute would be delivered during the witch's ritual. Richard would simply know if he was dead. The feeling was that a huge hole was drilling through his chest.
ICHICHOS were not creatures that could be controlled. Even the Order should know that. Morgan and Michael struggled to evacuate the village.
Choosing himself in the darkness, Richard moved forward determinedly. I was going to put a stop to it. Get Faith away and make her safe. At that moment, he could not invoke the power of the inner wolf and execute the change of form, not so far from the center of magic that was created. They weren't in Garrone.
He opened a surprise door with no guards. The girl was tied up next to the fire. Anger burned him. The beautiful face shows bruises, abrasions, and scratches on the arms. A deep cut was bleeding from his hand. But that look ...
-Don't approach! - she shouted
Her look was vague and distant. Terrified eyes saw much more than the interior of that cabin. To summon the staff's power, Faith had glimpsed the Duke's Revenge. It was certainly not anyone's dream vision. The legends were told that over the years Jackwill had turned the ship into hell itself to punish the damned.
He cursed, putting the gun away. He had not considered this situation at all. It was a curse. Faith was drugged.
- Come on, angel. - He spoke slowly and approached with his hands flat in the air. At some point, she seems to have recognized him.
She was terribly scared and in shock. What did they do to her?
-Leave me alone. -Faith shouted again.
The woman would end up attracting the attention of unwanted visitors. That became another problem. Giving up on diplomacy, Richard chose to ignore his useless protests. The alarm finds life and saves poured out like water from a dam.
She looked at him suspiciously as she struggled to free her from the shackles. The sight of the skinned wrists in an attempt to escape revolted him. It was clear that she would never be a tolerant prisoner, it just wasn't her nature.
-Faith ...
-No! - she struggled to get away from male hands.
Richard ruminated endlessly when he used force to continue. Unable to move away, the young woman had just cringed. He watched in amazement. Faith cried and sobs broke or tore. She never cried and that or left without knowing how to act.
-Angel, look at me. - He stopped to not scare her even more. His arms wrapped around her tightly. "You are safe now.
The words were whispered with forced calm. He didn't have time for this. I needed to get her out of there fast. If the ICHICHOS ...
An amethyst's eyes were startled and were too big on the face of agonized expressions. Richard decided to forget all the reasons that could interfere with his feelings about the woman. He was a wolf and she was a witch. This was never going to work. Only she was there, in his arms, alive and was the embodiment of all her deepest desires. That was enough. The world came down to that moment.
-No ...
-My Angel, it's me. Look at me. Nobody's going to hurt you.
His hands hold her face with infinite care glued to yours. I could feel it shaking with the low temperature. They pretend to kill a woman like that even before the cursed ritual. Richard kissed her as if he doubted it was real. The kiss was devouring, desperate. Hungry and overwhelming.
That woman had the ability to make his blood warm in the veins.
Faith still doubted as she responded hesitantly trying to breathe between the brief kisses. He waited for what seemed like an eternity. He removed a small box from the inside of his coat and poured the powder on her wrists, rubbing it carefully. Tear powder. It hid any sorcerer. Would it work against ICHICHOS? He hoped he didn't have to find out. Slowly she showed signs of recognition. The eyes shine and astonished they looked at him with doubt and then astonishment.
-Rick ... - Her voice was low and painful.
The smile on his face was genuine.
-Yes, my angel. It's safe. I'll get you out of here.
She gasped. The breath came in painful gasps. He vaguely felt the trembling hand that held his, the skin throbbing and numb. The stone around his neck was a lifeless, frosted crystal.
-Rick ... He ... They are ... - The effort to speak undermined like her strength. She was freezing. Not the final moment when he believed it would be the end, she had conjured up her last charm with the accumulation of energy absorbed by her brother. An old and forbidden charm. only thought about protecting her sister. There was magic through the blood bond for Cassie that could protect.
- They're using ... Want ... Does he want ... KASSUIM? Where's Cassie?
Richard shook his head. They would try in a desperate attitude to regain control of the Duke's Revenge to face a navy. He was in charge of everything. They hadn't killed the woman, however, he looked like clothes torn with a knot in the guts. She needed care. had to take her away from there. He looked quickly at his companions, evaluating what he would do.
-Kassuim ...
Richard sighed.- Calm down. Kassuim is with Morgan. You probably saved the girl's life.
-But, but ...
- Did they hurt you? Did someone molest you? - he managed to ask in agony. The simple idea that the woman suffered made him swallow hard.
Faith shuddered violently, shaking her head. That man was coming back.
-N-no. - She was crying again. His voice was very low. - IIi ... - I want to go home.
Richard nodded, numb, and cold.
Home? Heavens, she had grown up most of her life aboard a ship. The last place where a child must grow up. He held her close to him, overcome by a sensation that was not just desired.
At that moment she looked like any helpless and fragile young woman, in need of protection. In need of him. He also knew that he had inevitably lost the battle against emotions. All he wanted was to have Faith in his arms and protected.
-Angel, I swear we're going home. Neither you nor I will worry about that damn order any more. I swear to you.
"They had, through divine intervention, managed to escape from the camp."
Richard woke up drenched in sweat and disoriented.
----
This was becoming torture. He did not remember the last peaceful night of sleep. He slowly stretched, scratching the bar before leaving the bed.
It was then that he felt. The mark engraved on his forearm, previously a faint smudge stood out clearly on the white skin.
His puzzled look stopped there.
It was the mark of the elders. Previously indistinct and almost invisible, it was now totally clear. The last time it happened ...He cursed a rosary. The mind evoked images that he refused to name. They had no way of completing the ritual after all. Or they...?
Faith was dead.
----------
"I went crazy. Simple as that."
Sometimes it was normal for a sorcerer to go crazy ... That was even worse than you could imagine. She had crossed all limits. Only what could not be an illusion, the ground beneath his back was terribly real.
It had been her fault. She shouldn't have used magic like that. The ancients said it was dangerous. God, she had ... Faith winced. She had done everything that was most forbidden. He gave up her magic to protect Kassuim. Promised the girl who would come back for her. Her eyes rested on the water mug that was held out.
Sir, she was hallucinating with thirst. But they used to drug the captives. Anyway, it wasn't water that made his mouth water. It was another terribly attractive thing. Was this how wolves felt when they didn't hunt?
"I'm not a wolf. I never was! What's going on?"
The old lady in front of her sighed. Girls like that didn't usually live long. He was a free spirit who would not tolerate confinement. The nodular fingers of arthritis carelessly touched the stone that was attached to the neck. The girl had been transformed.
And Faith's head spun again. Two years! Two years had passed and she didn't remember? Should anyone there know her? Hadn't anyone looked for her in those two years?
-Maybe you want to feed. Or wash, maybe new clothes. We can burn these.
Faith looking like she doesn't know what to say. He took a deep breath, containing a strange cry. The sharp blade ripped through his skin, piercing the flesh and slicing. Desperate screams of women echoed in the night whenever the silence could be heard between cannon shots. was going to kill Mayra.
It hurt until breathed. She was not going to survive, neither she nor the baby. Blood ran between his fingers. It was as if they were tearing it inside.
"She is going to lose her child. The placenta has taken off. The bleeding doesn't stop."Baby? What baby? Her?"Take him out. Take him out now. He's choking! Lili!"
Her hands touched her flat belly in shock.
- The baby? What did you do with the baby? Did I lose the baby? Why don't I remember? - Her voice was shrill.
The reality was a terror. She closed her eyes.
She could suddenly feel the sensation of the strong arms that tightened with provocation as he held her close to the male body. Anger was replaced by something much stronger and overwhelming. His voice is delicious whispers echoed in his ears. She drowned in those passionate kisses admiring his sly look.
- I will not be part of these auctions! Hear my words, old woman.-And do you think someone will look for her? Don't wait for your people to come.
Search for her? Faith felt herself falling into the abyss.
Did they believe she was dead?
She got up, inflamed by adrenaline with surprising agility, and in an instant, her hand was holding the old woman by the neck. It was a stone of light that gleamed around the neck and reduced Faith's fingers. A faint glow illuminated the purple texture of the stone the old woman used.
She got lost again.
She felt the pleasure of the hunt, experiencing freedom. She was going to kill that man. Kill him for everything he had done. The fangs plunged into the soft flesh without his opponent fighting. Her blow had been unexpected; in a fraction of a second, it was a delicately hot liquid, soothed the pain that burns his throat causing pain. Something deliciously wet and so irresistible that it could only be human. She listened to the heartbeat that slowly lost its rhythm.
"No"! It's forbidden. We don't hunt humans! "the voice was imperative to echo in your ears".
She saw only the blinding jet of light that ran towards her before falling unconscious.