Free Djinn by Laura Catherine Page A

leader. I stared at his face, shadowed by the Ute's headlights, until he had no choice but to look me in the eye. I searched Will for any sign that he might spare him. In my mind I begged, like he might read my thoughts.
    "We're leaving," he said, tearing his eyes away.
    "Will?" Pyke said in disbelief.
    "Leave him." Will turned his back and walked down the driveway.
    "You can't be serious," Pyke called, shaking his head.
    "Will is right," Mia agreed.
    "You're both idiots," Pyke said. "He deserves to die."
    "We want her to trust us," Mia reminded Pyke, though I had no idea why they thought I would. "If we kill him, she never will. Their bond is too strong."
    "He deserves it!"
    Mia pushed me away into Pyke's arms like she was done with everything, and followed Will. I tried to push away from him, but he gripped my wrists, holding me in place. His eyes locked on mine, so full of anger.
    "Please …" I said. "Please. Don't."
    Something in Pyke's eyes softened, like he saw my desperation, but it was gone in an instant and he spun me around, arms behind my back again.
    "Get moving," Pyke said and pushed me forward, forcing me away from Dad. I tried to turn back, but Pyke kept me marching.
    I thought if Pyke looked back at Dad he might reconsider letting him live, so I stopped fighting. I could only strain my neck, trying to keep my eyes on Dad, knowing it was probably the last time I would ever get to see him.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
    Pyke guided me down the driveway and out to the main road. The rain had eased, but it was still a light mist over the world. Not that it mattered; we were all soaked to the bone anyway. I spotted a black car parked on the side of the road in front of the driveway. It was the same car I'd seen at school the day before.
    I didn't want to go with them. I had to get back to Dad, he could be dying. The thought made my pulse race and I stopped in my tracks.
    "Keep moving," Pyke said, pushing me forward, but I wasn't going anywhere.
    I kicked my leg back and hit Pyke in the shin. He immediately let go of me and reached down to his injured leg. I spun around and punched him in the jaw. He stumbled back, running his hand along his chin before charging at me. I tried to land another punch, but Pyke tackled me into the side of the car, pinning my arms to my sides. His body was pressed up against mine, blood in the corner of his mouth where I'd hit him. He was breathing hard, eyes darting.
    "Let me go," I said, breathing equally as hard.
    Pyke's chest was warm against mine. I could feel his muscles moving under his soaked shirt. His face was close to mine, eyes locked with me. He moved his hand and I flinched.
    Was he going to kill me? Would he go back and kill Dad?
    But all I heard was the click of the car door opening.
    "Get in," he said and shoved me onto the seat.
    Mia was already in place on the far side, seatbelt fastened. She looked at her reflection in a hand mirror while trying to fix her damp hair. She was putting extra effort into ignoring me.
    Will was in the driver's seat, hands on the steering wheel, waiting until Pyke slipped into the passenger seat next to him. He started the car and the engine purred, so unlike our Ute, that had spent a lot of its life in auto shops.
    Will's hand flicked a button on the steering wheel and all the doors locked in place. I looked to the handle nearest me, wanting to try push it open, leap from the car and run back for Dad.
    "Don't even think about it," Mia said, reading my mind. She was applying more eyeliner, despite the fact that none of her previous make-up had come off.
    A pile of bloodied tissues sat between us. Mia had tended to the knife wound on her cheek, which brought my thoughts back to when I stabbed Will in the side and it left little more than the scratch on Mia's face.
    "What are you?" I blurted out. "I don't understand what's going on. The things you can do, and Dad …" I paused for moment remembering him