Veda’s eyes widened. Had the gargoyle truly returned to rescue her?

After he opened the door, she asked, “Are you mad?”

He shrugged with a half-smile. “I’m wondering the same thing right now.”

She blinked and shook her head. Was he joking at a tense moment like this?

“It seems only right considering you’re in this predicament because you freed me,” he added.

True. Perhaps she hadn’t thought through the consequences when she’d acted. “But, he’s out looking for you. If he finds you…”

“Then I won’t let him find me.” He attempted to loosen the knots in the rope fastening her wrists.

“Knife.” She raised her chin in the direction of the table. “Over there.”

He hurried over to the table and shuffled through the contents on top of it, scattering a hawk’s feather. “Where?”

Ugh, it was a mess. Neither she nor Kai were meticulous about cleaning up.

“I don’t know. Somewhere there. Hurry!”

“I would if I could. There’s so much crap here.”

Her heart trembled. What if he had taken the knife with him? They’d be wasting time looking for an object that couldn’t be found.

“Never mind,” she said. “Go back to trying to untie me, please.”

He turned back to her, but paused. “Found it.” He raised a knife with a victorious smile.

She exhaled. It wasn’t the one she had in mind. This was tiny. It would take infinitely longer to make progress.

Still, it was better than nothing.

“Okay. We don’t have much time. He could be back at any moment.” She glanced at the door.

He sliced the fibers of rope that kept her restrained. While he focused on his task, she stole a glimpse at his face. His eyes were a honey brown and intense as he concentrated at the task. His eyebrows were dark and thick, much like his hair, which had a hint of red and fell to his chin. His nose was strong as was his jawline. And his lips were carved in a sensuous line.

A shiver of heat tickled her nerve endings, vanishing deep within her core.

A sudden awareness of their closeness came over her. They were alone. She laid across the bed. With her cape open, only the thin cotton of her dark dress covered her, leaving her exposed. Sensual images of them on the bed invaded her mind.

“Got one.” He raised the piece of rope with a victorious smile.

She shoved the inappropriate thoughts from her brain. What the heck was wrong with her?

With her arm free, she shook her wrist, releasing the tension. He moved around to the other side of the bed and started on the other one. She wiggled her feet. Why? It wouldn’t help. All it managed was to increase the soreness with the friction of the rope biting into her flesh.

After he freed the second wrist, he moved down to her ankle. She pulled herself upright, searching out the window. It only revealed the barest sliver of the outdoors with the trees in the distance. At least, Kai’s face wasn’t there, glaring at them as he waited to strike with his staff.

Oh, how she hated that thing. He was the only one in the coven who used one. He’d said he wanted a vessel to harness his magic.

She attempted to untie her other ankle, but the rope was too tight. It would have to be cut, and they only had one sharp object between the two of them. She leaned back on her forearms. While the man attended to her leg down at the end of the bed, she fantasized about him kissing her ankle and moving up higher…

Seriously, what was wrong with her?

Think of step 2, not hot stranger who came to your rescue.

Right. If this man freed her in time, what should she do next? Getting away from here was key. But, Kai would likely hunt her down. He would consider her betrayal unforgivable.

And would make her pay.

Her heartbeat pounded out the seconds as she waited for the man to finish the task. Once both legs were freed, she jumped out of bed.

“Come on.” She grabbed his wrist. “We have to get out of here before he returns.”

“You read my mind.”

Once outside, she circled around to search for Kai. When she turned back to the man who’d come to her aid, his black wings were outstretched behind him. Spectacular.

He opened his arms. “Hold on to me.”

She took a hesitant step backward. “Why?”

“So, I can fly us out of here.”

Fly? No way. “What, are you mad?”

His eyes widened, and he peered at her like she was the one out of her mind. “It’s the quickest way out of here.”

Her hands turned clammy as a tendril of panic swirled in her gut. “But, we’ll be in the sky. I could fall.”

He nodded his head. “I understand. You’re afraid of heights. Don’t worry, I haven’t dropped anyone—yet.” He smirked.

He was teasing her. She grimaced. “Funny.”

“Veda!”

Hearing Kai roar, she spun. He waved his staff, and sparks flew from it.

“Now!” The man swooped for her.

She gasped. In the next breath, her body was pressed against his several feet above the ground as his wings flapped, bringing them higher.

“Oh, gods!” Her pulse drummed like the hooves of a stallion galloping over the plains.

She clutched his back and wrapped herself around him as if she were a serpent. Highly inappropriate behavior with a strange man, but modesty fell away in the desperation to flee.

Kai howled as he blasted a lightning-like bolt of fire at them.

The winged man cried out as his body lurched. “Fuck!”

He loosened his grasp on her for a moment, and she shrieked.

“Hold on!” He tightened his grip and beat his wings more quickly.

As he flew them away from Kai, the scent of singed flesh reached her nostrils. Sparks crawled over one of his black wings, marring their sleek obsidian with destructive orange flames.

“He struck your wings!” she cried.

“I’m well aware of that.” He gritted his teeth.

Kai let out a string of curses. Another bolt of light danced across the onyx night, reaching for them like a spindly claw. She pressed her chest against his as she hugged him. They had to get away. Quickly! His wings were already damaged. Another strike might send them both crashing to the earth.

Certain death.

Although the beat of the damaged wings slowed, the man continued. His face was a mask of pain and determination.

She didn’t want to look down and see how high they were, but she had to. Kai appeared smaller now, and she could barely make out his silhouette. Yet, the fiery light that curled toward them left no doubt he hadn’t given up.

She squeezed her eyes shut. When she reopened them, the light was fading. They were far enough away that it couldn’t reach them.

The man’s skin under her fingers turned clammy. She glanced at his face.

He was sweating, under immense strain. “Can’t hold on much longer.” He lurched, as if to punctuate his point with turbulence.

She squealed. “You have to. We’re in the air!”

They were too high up. If he couldn’t keep them airborne, they’d crash.

And, they might not survive.