Page 20 of Lycan King’s Claim (Lycan King’s Reign Duet #2)
He turns back to Carina, the malevolence in his voice making me shudder.
"You'll marry him. If not, I'll let the entire guard have you, and make your pathetic mate watch," he spits out before turning on his heel and marching out of the barn.
I watch him leave before turning my gaze back to Carina.
The four vampire guards stalk her as she scrambles back on her hands and feet.
One guard laughs, standing on her heavy dress, while my heart races in my chest.
The horrifying reality of the situation dawns upon me.
Carina, just like me, is a pawn, forced to play by rules not designed to be in her favor.
As the barn doors shut behind the king, leaving Carina alone with the guards, my heart clenches in my chest. This is not just a game anymore; it's a war, and we're the ones paying the price.
I can feel my heart slamming against my rib cage as Carina, caught in the grips of these brutes, struggles desperately against them.
They slam her on her back when she tries to get up, and then she switches off, her gaze going unfocused, and her head rolls to the side.
Her terrified eyes meet mine for a moment.
My limbs go cold, and I feel sick to my stomach—I have to do something.
My mind races as I search for a way to help Carina before it's too late.
The guards start unbuckling their belts, an insidious chorus filling the barn, and my stomach churns. I can taste the fear in the air, a bitter tang on my tongue.
One guard lurches forward, covering Carina's mouth with a thick hand to stifle her screams. His actions are horrifying theatrics, a dance of dominance and submission I can’t bear to watch.
A tremor ripples through me as I watch the violation unfold. Carina's dress rips, the sound a harsh jolt against the quiet hum of the barn. The threads of her dignity and honor start to unravel along with her clothes.
A pit opens in my stomach when I see one guard, a monstrous man, forcing a belt into Carina's mouth. The muffled sobs are gut-wrenching, piercing the air with their heartbreaking vulnerability. But as much as I want to turn away, my eyes drift to the pitchfork stabbed into the hay.
I can hear my blood rushing in my ears, a low thunderous roar as I seize the pitchfork.
My heart is a stampede, pounding against the confines of my chest. I creep down the stairs, each step, my stomach churns as I watch them rip her underwear away, one man holding her hands into the dirt while one forces her legs open.
Carina thrashes beneath the man trying to break free when she spots me sneaking up behind them when the man holding her arms lifts his head, and his eyes widen in surprise when he notices me.
With an adrenaline-fueled surge, I lunge at the guard closest to me, the pitchfork plunging into his back.
His agonized scream reverberates off the barn walls, slicing through the haunting silence.
The other guard turns, shocked, as their companion drops to the floor while the man holding her arms lunges to attack me.
Carina seizes the opportunity, launching herself at another guard.
A brutal, heart-pounding fight ensues, our shared desperation lending us strength.
However, numbers are against us. Carina takes down one guard while I scramble back to my feet, I duck under one's arm as he swings at me, only to be grabbed from behind, strong corded arms wrap around me lifting my feet from the ground, Carina fights another man while the fourth one runs at me.
I kick out, my feet hitting the dead center of his chest, knocking him back when the man holding me tosses me.
My body flies through the air and I smash into the hay bales.
Dazed, I sit up to see Carina kill one guard when the rear door of the barn opens.
More of King Vin's men race in to help to try to restrain her when she suddenly flees, leaving me, yet before panic sets in completely.
A heavy blow to the head sends me sprawling back to the ground. I gasp for air, the wind knocked out of me. Glancing up, I see barn doors slam shut as she races into the night, leaving me alone.
The sting of betrayal is a harsh slap, further fracturing my already shattered heart. The guards close in, their lecherous grins widening, and I can't suppress the panic welling up in me when I am tackled not having seen the man coming up behind me, too focused on the ones in front of me.
The man on top of me starts tearing at my clothes, and a scream tears itself from my throat. The terror is a bitter bile in my throat, threatening to choke me.
Suddenly, the man above me freezes. He gasps, a grotesque gurgle that rings in my ears. The air grows quiet, save for the sounds of a scuffle nearby. The man crumples, falling off me and revealing a bloody spectacle behind him. Xandros, his hand coated in blood, and in his hand is the man's heart.
My eyes flicker between Xandros and the man on the ground. The hole in the man's back is a brutal testament to Xandros' power. A small sigh escapes me as I realize Carina hadn’t abandoned me; she had gone for help.
The remaining guards, their faces contorted in fear, scramble to fight Xandros and another man, Javier. The barn fills with their shrieks as Xandros and Javier rip them apart while Carina races to my side.
Tears streaming down her face, gratitude filling her eyes as she reaches out for me with trembling hands. “Thank you," she whispers shakily, pulling me into a tight embrace that fills me with warmth despite the chilly night air around us.
Xandros and Javier move so quickly they almost seem a blur, fists flying faster than my eyes can follow. The barn fills with their shrieks as Xandros and Javier rip them apart.
The battle is over too soon, and all that remains is the silence of death. The guards lay motionless on the ground, their blood mixing together into a gruesome pool of crimson liquid.
When it's finally over, nearly all the guards are in the barn, along with his parents, who take in the death and carnage. Xandros turns to us, demanding an explanation. Carina, ever the actress, lies smoothly, blaming the whole incident on an opportune moment the guards had seized.
He shoots me a questioning look, his eyes a piercing gaze, under which I feel exposed.
"Is this true? Why were you down here?" Xandros asks me, but thankfully Carina answers.
"She came down to help me feed the horses," she answers with a shrug.
I know I can't lie, he'll sense it. His suspicion hangs heavily in the air, a palpable tension that makes me uneasy. So, I remain silent.
"Get her inside, I need to find your father and order any remaining men off my land," Xandros orders, his jaw clenched tight. Carina hauls me to my feet, guiding me back to my room. Her eyes tell me everything. We share a secret now, one that ties us together.
The night may have darkened our lives, but dawn promises retribution.
As Carina leads me out, I peer over my shoulder when I see Xandros step onto the stairs of the loft, he bends, picking something up and sniffing it, looking up.
Javier walks over to him, and he hands whatever it is to Javier, and I notice it's my apron; I glance down at my uniform before my eyes widen just as Carina steers me around the corner. I see him climb the stairs.