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Caitlin stood over Maelíosa—she wasn’t limp, but they’d bloodied her up pretty good. She kicked her in the ribs again for good measure. There was a loud cracking sound, and Maelíosa gasped. Caitlin had to admit she’d put up a decent fight, but against her and Dillon, the female púca had been no match. Caitlin ignored her and continued pacing. She walked to the opening in the stones as she watched and waited for Dillon’s return.
Movement from behind drew her attention. Maelíosa was struggling against the ropes that bound her hands behind her back. Her efforts were weak—she was in bad shape. Stupid púca had thought she was talking to someone who worked at the construction site, and she was, but they’d tricked her. Dillon had kept her talking, and then Caitlin had sliced her. Maelíosa had a long slash across her stomach with blood oozing out. She’d fought them when they bound her hands, but Caitlin put a stop to it when she pummelled her with punches. Her face was now covered in bruises, and her lip was busted.
“Don’t bother trying to loosen the ropes. It won’t work. And pretty soon Dillon will be back with something to knock you out.”
Caitlin paced the ancient fort as she waited for her lover to return. He’d gone to deliver the note to Pier House and break into the vet’s office to steal horse tranquilizer. She knew a lot about the púca, but she had no idea whether that would work. Still, she wasn’t completely cruel. If she was going to kill Maelíosa, she’d try to be humane about it and attempt to knock her out first. Caitlin almost admired her. She was surprised she wasn’t unconscious already. Her tolerance for pain must have been high.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Why?! You really don’t know?”
Maelíosa shook her head slowly. “You don’t have to do this.”
“Actually, I do. My family has served the púca for far too long. My aunt talks about how noble you creatures are...like you’re royalty, for fuck’s sake. You’re not. You’re nothing, and I won’t be a slave. I won’t be pathetic like my aunt.”
“She’s not a slave.” Maelíosa spat blood from her mouth. “We treat her like family, and she remains healthy because of us. We healed her.”
Caitlin shrugged. “So what? She would have died of cancer years ago. Better than being ordered around for the rest of her life.”
“You really think bearing our mark means enduring a lifetime of labour, orders, or whatever twisted conclusion you’ve come to? You’re utterly ridiculous. You’re pathetic.”
Caitlin closed the distance between them and slapped her. Hard.
Maelíosa’s head was forced sideways. She’d seen it coming and didn’t even flinch. Her eyes hardened. “And crazy.”
Caitlin couldn’t help it—her admiration went up a notch at the púca’s badass attitude. If she’d been human, they might’ve even been friends. But Maelíosa was a freak of nature.
“Watch yer mouth unless ye want me to stuff a gag in it.”
She turned away from the beastly creature. Where was Dillon, anyway? He should’ve been back already.
Babysitting that animal was simply a means to an end. It’d send a message to the clan they wouldn’t soon forget. The chieftain’s daughter deserved what was coming to her. Caitlin wasn’t about to put her entire life on hold to become a servant. She had hopes and dreams of her own. Her aunt might have groomed her for this, but it wasn’t like she’d ever been given a choice.
It’s your fate to follow in my footsteps.
She rolled her eyes as she remembered her aunt’s words. Caitlin would forge her own destiny. She couldn’t believe her good luck; sharing her family’s secret had given her a way out. Everyone would get what they wanted. The púca would have to face the world. And if everything went according to plan, they’d become nothing more than a tourist attraction.
