Sticks and Stones

Chapter Thirteen

One minute she was standing all cool and confident, the next minute the ground was giving way beneath her feet.

I haven't been trained for this!

She hadn't been trained at all.

She lunged to make it back through the door they'd come through—only it was too far away. That, and the General had other plans.

Oh Gods.

He snagged her, brawny bicep wrapping around her waist.

Any lunging she'd done was pointless when he dragged her back against his chest right as the ground gave away completely.

This is going to hurt.

Sure, she wouldn't die—but Sofia was fragile. She bruised easily, even if she didn't die.

"I've got you."

His words barely found her ear before the wind whistled around them.

How far away is the ground?

How imminent was impact? How close was that pain?

She was going to scream like a little girl. She was sure of it. Sofia didn't cope well with pain. Cas was going to see her crying. And then he'd remind her she'd picked the wrong career field all over again.

Slash—

She breathed.

What was that sound?

Her body slung down, then it slung up, then it stopped.

Holy fuck.

Exactly how strong was the demon?

With a brutal strength and surprising control, he'd stabbed one of the dead werewolf's daggers into the wall, freezing them in the air. And there they hung. With his hold around her body, Caspian held her up with him, just like he held up his promise.

He's taking care of me.

They were a team.

Or—no. Caspian was doing all of the work. Right now, she didn't have much to bring to the table.

But Gods—the strength on the man was staggering.

A second ticked by. A second of Sofia holding her breath and waiting for the dagger to give way. Another second. Another second after that.

We're stable.

He'd stopped them from falling.

"Told you I've got you."

Those words sent a flutter of chills through her body. Caspian was a lot of things—but at least he was honest.

"What now genius? Now we just dangle?"

Only the Gods knew how far away the ground was.

"I happen to like this position," The demon murmured.

Her core brushed over the tent in his trousers, her smile growing.

"That's about right, isn't it?"

He squeezed her tighter.

"I had a feeling this would happen."

Welcome disbelief. "And you didn't think to tell me?"

"It's the same in that other museum I went to. Except that time I had no idea what I was doing. I fell the whole way. Cracked my Gods damn skull open."

As if this situation had brought that other one to mind, he pressed a soft kiss to her head—to her uncracked skull.

"How are you still holding us up?" She asked, begrudgingly awed.