Obsidian Souls (Soul Series) Read Free Page B

the last thing I wanted to do was get Mike worked up. Everything needed to stay calm. At least until all hell broke loose.
                  The doors finally cracked open into the stock room, and I could still hear the clang of chairs and feet in the bar above as the staff was finishing up. 
                  “Don’t alert the guys yet, and keep everybody out of the side alley. No reason to get everyone’s feathers ruffled.”               Taking two steps at a time, I shot up the stairs, crossed the bar, and was in the alleyway less than a minute later.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
     
                  “If you don’t let go of my arm you’ll regret it.” It was an empty threat. I knew it, and even worse than that, he knew it too. I might as well have been a rag doll as he swung me closer to him. His large sweaty club of a hand encircled my upper arm completely. His sloppy exterior had turned out to be as solid as a rock, and I knew I was in deep trouble, so much for martial arts. They should tell you, it is almost worthless once someone much larger than you gets a hold on you. Biggest problem was, I didn’t think I could even stun him enough to be able to break away. If I ever got out of this mess, I was going to go back to that gym and demand a refund.
                  “You don’t want to do this Carl. You’re a nice guy with a lot going for you. Why would you want to jeopardize that?”
    It wasn’t working. He didn’t budge. He actually had the nerve to chuckle at my attempts to reason with him. Maybe he didn’t actually have much going for him? What do you say to a psychopath that really doesn’t have anything to lose?
                  He lifted his fist, and I choked on my own bile as I knew it wouldn’t end well for me. He was seconds away from knocking me out. It’s crazy how things like this always seem to happen in slow motion, the seconds dragging out. If he knocked me out, it would be over. Everyone knows what happens once an abductor gets you off the street to their place. You’re as good as dead.
                  I started kicking and punching again. When that didn’t budge him I devolved into scratching, as my perfectly painted pink fingernails became my weapon of last resort. I was screaming like a banshee. I gave it everything I had, and it was useless. His raised fist came slamming down toward me. Somehow, I managed to block the blow with my forearm, but still almost went black from my arm colliding into the side of my head.
                  “Let her go.” A deep gravelly voice echoed and filled the alleyway. I clung to consciousness as the stubborn fuzzy spots filling my vision battled but lost to my fierce determination.
                  I couldn’t see who the voice belonged to, but it stilled my attacker instantly, giving me precious moments to regain my strength. As my head cleared, I realized my arms were pinned tight to my side so I couldn’t turn to see where the voice had come from. All I could see was Carl’s face and it was a mixture of rage and fear. I didn’t care who the person was as long as he was stronger than Carl and as mean as a junk yard dog.
                  “Let her go,” the deep voice repeated.  “You know the rules Carl. Unless you don‘t want to play by them anymore? That would be more than fine with me.” There was an aggressive rage in his voice.
                  “She wants to come with me. I’m within my rights so back off Caden.”
                  I started to protest his statement as a lie, but his arm circling my back was crushing the air from my lungs and panic quickly replaced my words. I was frantic, what if my rescuer believed him and left me here alone.
                  “She doesn’t look like she wants to go with you,” the voice replied dripping in