Free Six by Rachel Robinson Page B

punishment for stealing is in our circle?” he asks. I quickly sit up as my heart starts hammering in my chest. My knife is no longer in my grasp and I realize I have released it in my sleep. I pat around the pallet for it and am unable to locate it. Knowing it is gone I slowly bring my gaze up to meet his. Louis’s smile transforms into a sneer as he brings my knife out from around his back. He holds it up in his other hand. It is not until I realize I am defenseless against the male darkling that terror sets in. I know why he is here. I know exactly what he wants.
    “Where is Lana?” I ask, knowing full well she is out hunting.
    “She is deep in the forest, killing. She won’t be back for some hours. It gives us plenty of time to do everything I’ve been fantasizing about doing.” He drops the brown sack to the ground and I watch as the carrots bounce across the dusty floor.
    “Because you stole from my circle, Finn’s order of protection means nothing.” Louis sheathes my knife in his leg holster and pulls his sweaty shirt over his head. I scoot back further on my pallet and the wall stops me. My gaze takes his whole body in. He is the second male darkling I have ever seen. The curiosity to know what he looks like wars with the feelings of dread that roil my stomach. Though his appearance is somewhat pleasing, I am not interested in him at all. I want to disappear from this place. I want Lana. I want Finn more.
    “We can do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way. Take off your clothes, darkling, or I’ll cut them off you with your own blade. I won’t cut gently either—I like a little blood.” His evil smile reaches high, crinkling his eyes. It has been days since I felt my dark magic and in this moment when I call on it, it is absent. I cannot will my eyes to turn white and forcing my magic to well up is useless. The human part of me is here right now and humans are weak . I am suddenly angry at the darklings for making me helpless. I am livid they have broken their promise to protect me. I can lie back and give in to the male darkling’s wishes or I can fight.
    The human in me wants a fight.
    I scoot forward on the pallet, closer to him, and will my weak, blue eyes to appear soft and my expression submissive. I smile at him. I bite my lip. I pretend . His wolfish smile is predacious. I shudder. I am unsure how far I can take this ruse without exposing my intentions. I pull my shirt and camisole over my head and toss them away, completely baring my chest. His gaze is ravenous. His chest rises and falls at a more harried pace.
    “I want to do this the easy way. I want you,” I say, imitating the purr I hear so often from the other female darklings. He firmly rubs his hand down the front of his pants, over the growing bulge there.
    I turn my head to hide the violent fear and loathing I know is streaking across my face. I try to will my magic up one more time as he creeps toward me unbuttoning his pants, but it eludes me. I only need to reach my knife—it is the only way to end this.
    “Wait,” I say, holding both my palms out in front of me. He pauses, but he slits his eyes warily and cocks his head in question. “I want to take them off,” I whisper. I stretch my hand out toward his pants. My arm visibly shakes. I edge closer. He does not speak or stop me. I touch the top of his jeans where the button resides and his breathing stops altogether. He brings his hands up to touch my breasts and I wince away, unable to withstand his disgusting hands on my bare body. I grasp once in a futile attempt to release my knife from his holster and fail. It is firmly snapped into place.
    “I knew it, you fucking bitch,” Louis rasps. He grabs my hands and pins them over my head with one of his. I kick out as hard as I can as he tries to remove my pants. One of my kicks lands squarely on his stomach and he is shaken enough to release my hands. There are no emotions in this moment and I think it is because