Free Skin Deep by Sarah Makela

radiated through Angelique’s jaw as she returned to consciousness. Her eyelids felt leaden and impossible to lift. A meaty palm smacked her cheek, leaving a sharp sting in its wake.
    “Come on, you imbecile. Snap out of it.” His weight pressed her into the bed.
    She groaned and moved a little, unable to muster up much strength. Every muscle in her body protested. She tried opening her eyes but couldn’t. Fear built within her chest. Who knew how long she’d been out? Who knew what he’d done to her, since she couldn’t feel much except intense pain. The only thing she remembered was Kira breaking out from the window.
    “Ah, finally awake again, are you? You think you’re so clever sending away your cat?” His voice quivered with fury like none she’d heard before. “I tried to be nice. I tried not to go overboard with you.” He sighed, and she felt him swipe a cool sticky substance around her eyes. “At least look at me when I’m talking to you.”
    She felt power soak into her skin and the heaviness in her eyelids eased. Cracking open her eyes, she saw Mahon staring down at her with an unusual mixture of pity and anger. Her confusion must’ve shown in her gaze because he shook his head. “I don’t—” Her voice cracked, and she coughed, creating even more pain in her throat.
    He scowled and pinched the bridge of his nose, looking frustrated. Sucking in a deep breath, he settled. “Okay,” he said as if talking to a child, “Listen. I will ask a final time for you to part with your gift. You will say yes.” His neat row of tools and knives were disheveled from him straddling her, but he picked up a short, pudgy-bladed knife.
    “Wha—” she rasped, sounding like a demented frog.
    “It’s a skinning knife. What’ll happen is,” he said, tilting it before her eyes, giving her a closer look at the wickedly sharp blade, “You say ‘yes, I will freely give you my power,’ I take it, and I’ll put this knife away.”
    She cocked an eyebrow at him, which hurt like hell. How did he expect her to say all those words when she could barely complete one or two?
    “If you say no, I’ll finish disrobing you, skin the flesh from your body, and wait for your cat to return, which it will have to do eventually.” He rested his chin on one fist and watched her, waiting for her response. With his other hand, he toyed with the knife, tossing it up by the blade and catching it with the handle.
    What was she supposed to do? As far as she knew, giving up her familiar would mean death for her and, most likely, Kira. Even if it were possible for her to survive it, she’d be condemning Kira to a life of being this druid’s slave. “Wa-water,” she said at last, knowing she needed to give her answer.
    Mahon’s lips pursed with curiosity. “Water?” He shrugged a shoulder and then hopped off the bed. He used the knife’s blade to peek into her grocery bag. When he found the bottle of water she’d gotten at the checkout, he brought it over, twisting the tip as he walked to her.
    “You’ll give me an answer?” He sat on the side of the bed as he had before.
    She tipped her head forward. Even that slight movement created a whirlwind of hurt in her head and neck. She’d give him an answer. Although she knew she’d suffer severely for it. This was her only option.
    Cradling her neck, he held her head up a little, and he pressed the bottle to her lips. “Good girl. Sip slowly. Wouldn’t want you to choke.”
    Angelique took a few swallows of water. They burned her raw throat, but she felt a little better.
    After a couple more drinks, he set the bottle aside. “Now then, I gave you the water. Give me what I want.” He held her chin in his hand and placed the knife’s edge against the skin of her neck.
    “Never.” Her voice croaked, but she could answer. “You’ll never have my gift.”
    His fingers tightened on her chin, and he roared in rage. “Damn you, stubborn girl. I tried to give you every