Free bedeviled & beyond 07 - beset & bewildered by Sam Cheever Page A

liquid ran from my ears.
    There were more voices, calling my name as I opened my mouth and started to scream. A big, hard hand slapped over my mouth and another, softer than the first, touched my forehead and sent fire into my brain to mix with the knives.
    The world went black.
    I awoke some time later when someone slapped me. I made a feeble attempt to block the next strike but I couldn’t lift my arms fast enough and flesh hit flesh again, my head snapping back. “Hey!”
    “She’s awake.”
    I pried my eyes open and glared up at the square-jawed male and his orange-eyed mate. “I haven’t had enough pain so you decided to punch me too?”
    Caninra rolled her eyes. “I just slapped you a little. Don’t be such a baby.”
    They reached for me and, still sloggy from the aural attack, I couldn’t keep them from wrenching me to my feet.
    “Ouch!” Their grip was amazingly strong and their skin was as hot as fire. Rubbing the spots on my arms where they’d grabbed me, I glowered at the keeper and her mate. “With friends like you...”
    “Yeah, whatever,” Caninra said. She glanced down the passageway and whistled in a pitch so low I barely heard it. The pitter pat of giant paws immediately followed her summons and soon the two hounds appeared, tongues lolling like dogs. “Are they coming?” Caninra asked her hounds.
    The bigger one shook his head, his fiery gaze intense. The smaller one approached me, extending her nose to sniff the puddle of blood by my feet. Then she looked up and whined softly.
    My glower faded away. I got the sense the beast was commiserating with me and I felt self-conscious. Scraping the back of my hand beneath my nose, I sniffled. “We need to get going.”
    “Ya think?” Caninra’s mate said.
    Energy bubbled beneath my skin as I threw him a glare. “What is your name, anyway? I like to know the names of the people I can’t stand to be around.”
    “Randshted. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, Princess.” He bowed low, sweeping an arm as he gave me an insincere smirk.
    I shook my head. “After we get out of here you can tell me what I’ve done to make you dislike me so much. Until then, I’d appreciate it if you’d try to control your disdain.”
    “At your command.”
    My lip curled before I could stop it. I took off running, no longer caring if they joined me or not. All I wanted to do was get out of that castle and away from whatever was playing brain billiards with my head. As I ran I wondered why we hadn’t come upon any guards yet. Ahead of us was an open cell door, the surface covered in blood. I slowed as I approached it, my hand tightening on the hilt of the sword.
    “There is no reason for concern,” Caninra told me. She loped easily along just behind me and I had the distinct feeling she was letting me lead.
    I was sawing air through my lungs like a fish demon flopping on the shore while the other woman was completely at ease. She wasn’t even breathing hard. “Where are the guards for this level?” I slowed to a stop and skimmed along the wall across from the open cell, my eyes scouring the space for trouble.
    Caninra walked beside me, unconcerned. “We killed them all.” She pointed to the cell. “That was Rand’s cell.”
    I peered into the blood-covered space and grimaced. When she said “killed” she clearly meant to say eviscerated and dismembered. There was nothing left but a pile of lower devil parts. “Yummy.”
    She shrugged. “I was angry.”
    Sliding her a look, I lifted my brows. “Remind me not to ever make you angry.”
    “We must go, Ninra.” Her mate placed a hand on her back. “Someone comes.”
    “The refuse room should be close. It’s usually on the back wall of the castle, lowest level.” I skimmed a look toward the wide, scarred wooden door at the end of the passage. “Which should be right there.”
    “Lead the way, Princess,” Rand said smugly.
    I got the distinct impression he knew the title annoyed me. I