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flailed
backwards and covered the wounds with his hand. Bright red blood gushed between
his fingers.
    Vindictive pleasure
surged through Aiden at knowing he’d permanently disfigured the bastard.
    Murder darkened Jacob’s
eyes. Aiden braced himself for an attack, when reason slowly returned to the
other man. Jacob narrowed his eyes, malice giving them a certain gleam, before
he turned and ran. “This isn’t over.”
    Aiden fumbled with
the key. With one last twist, the door to his cell creaked open, and Aiden
inhaled reflexively.
    Freedom had never
tasted so sweet.
    He watched the man
disappear into the shadows then turned to see the woman who’d saved him being
swept away by the current. A growl rumbled in his chest.
    Vengeance urged him
to go after his captor, but he couldn’t let her die, not after what she’d
risked to save him. And if he lost her, his best chance at rescuing the rest of
his people would go with her.
    “Damn it all to
hell.”
    He turned away from
the entrance and sloshed after the woman. The excitement had worn him down,
each step physically exhausting.
    He heard her sputter,
spotted her fighting to catch her breath, and he increased his speed. The woman
struggled for purchase, but the current was swifter here, drawing her
inexorably away from him.
    Then he saw where she
was heading.
    The old aqueduct tunnels
expelled waste from the castle, dropping the water some thirty feet below into
the ocean. If she managed to survive the ride, the fall would kill her. He ran
and leapt the distance between them. He landed on his stomach in the water, his
hands brushing against hers before clamping his fingers around her wrists.
    The heat of her silky
skin almost burned. Her touch was like a spark, it snaked under his skin,
bringing things into sharper focus. He wanted more and clutched her close,
afraid that it he lost her, it would all prove to be a horrible lie and he’d
wake up back in his cell.
    The water swept them
away too fast for him to stop their descent. He tucked her slight body against
his larger frame, cushioning her against the harsh stones. She was so delicate
he feared his harsh grip would break her, but refused to loosen his hold.
Already, he could feel the water trying to tug her away from him. They entered
the tunnel at an alarming speed. If he hadn’t lost weight, he never would’ve
fit.
    Stones scraped
against his back and sides. His elbow lost a chunk of skin when it hit some sharp
rocks. Blood blossomed in the air as his skin was scraped away, his clothes no
barrier to the harsh abrasions. When she burrowed her face into his shoulder, he
tucked his head lower and clutched her closer, sheltering her petite form as
much as possible without smothering her.
    The fresh scent of
tangy citrus and sea rose from her, and his beast wanted to rub it all over and
revel in it. The floors dropped, the sharp angle making them pick up speed, and
his arms tightened possessively.
    Then they were
flying.
    The woman gave a startled
squeak, flailing as the world dropped away and they plummeted toward the sea.
    It took everything he
had to maintain his hold on her.
    Even in the dark, he saw
the churning water rapidly approach.
    “Tuck yourself up tight.
Take a deep breath. Whatever you do, don’t let go.”
    Then they plunged beneath
the surface.
    The brutal impact
tore the woman from his arms despite his desperate bid to keep her close. Air
was knocked from his lungs. His limbs grew heavy. The cold snaked around him as
the frigid grip of the sea dragging him deeper and deeper.
    His temple struck the
craggy rocks, the pain stealing the last of his breath. He sank, struggling
against the lure to finally be able to rest. Impotent fury roared through him that
his body had failed him just when he’d finally gained his freedom.
    He refused to die,
drowned like some unwanted pup. He had to snap out of it and find the woman.
She wasn’t strong enough to withstand the rip tide. The heat of her imprint
still