The damp chill of the cave seeped through my clothes as I raced deeper into the darkness. Each second felt like an eternity. My heart pounded against my ribs, and my lungs burned from exertion, but I couldn''t slow down. Not when Isabelle was in danger.


    "Hang on," I whispered into the darkness. "I''ming for you, Isabelle."


    The tracking ritual had taken more out of me than I''d expected. Blood still asionally dripped from my nose, and my vision blurred at the edges. But none of that mattered. All that mattered was finding her before...


    I couldn''t even finish the thought. The idea of anyone hurting Isabelle made something primal and violent rise up inside me.


    The narrow passage suddenly widened into arger chamber, and I heard voices echoing ahead. I slowed my pace, moving silently now, listening.


    "I don''t care what the boss said," a gruff voiceined. "We''ve been sitting in this stinking cave for hours. Who''s gonna know if we have a little fun first?"


    My blood turned to ice in my veins.


    "She''s a pretty little thing," another voice agreed. "Shame to waste the opportunity."


    I peered around a rock formation and finally saw them. Two men stood over Isabelle, who sat with her back against the wall, her hands bound in front of her. Despite her situation, her face remainedposed, almost unnervingly calm.


    "You seem very confident for men who are about to die," she said, her voice steady.


    Her captors exchanged nces, then burst intoughter.


    "Listen to her!" the taller one wheezed. "We''re miles from anywhere, sweetheart. No one knows you''re here."


    The shorter man crouched down, reaching for her face. "Let''s see if you''re still talking brave after—"


    I didn''t let him finish. I grabbed a stone from the ground and hurled it with all my strength. It struck him in the temple with a sickening crack, and he crumpled to the ground.


    The taller kidnapper spun around, his hand reaching for the gun at his waist. "What the—"


    I stepped into the light, letting him see me fully. "Step away from her. Now."


    His eyes widened in recognition. "Knight? How the hell did you find us?"


    "Liam!" Isabelle''s voice broke slightly, the first crack in herposure.


    The man pulled his gun, but I was already moving. I closed the distance between us in two strides, knocking the weapon from his hand before he could aim. His fist swung at my face, and I let it connect, barely feeling the impact through my rage. I wanted him to think he had a chance.


    I grabbed his throat, squeezing just enough to make him struggle for breath. "Who sent you?" I demanded.


    "Go to hell," he spat.


    Without looking away from him, I addressed Isabelle. "Are you hurt?" <var ss="in-imprint-a">This chapter was uploaded by the team at *.</var>


    "No," she answered, her voice steadier now. "They didn''t have time."


    Relief flooded through me, making my knees weak for a moment. Then I refocused on the man wing at my hand.


    "Last chance," I warned him. "Who hired you?"


    The second kidnapper was stirring now, groaning as he held his bleeding head. I released the first man, kicking him hard in the chest to send him sprawling. Then I turned to the other, pressing my foot against his throat.


    "Your friend doesn''t want to talk. Maybe you''re smarter."


    "We don''t know anything!" he gasped. "We just got paid to grab the girl!"


    I increased the pressure slightly. "By who?"


    "ckwood!" the man choked out. "Gideon ckwood! He arranged everything!"


    The first kidnapper cursed. "Shut your mouth, you idiot!"


    Gideon ckwood. Of course. The man I''d humiliated at the auction, the man whose career I''d nearly destroyed. The man I''d let live.


    My mistake. My terrible mistake.


    I moved to Isabelle, kneeling beside her to untie her bonds. "I''m sorry," I whispered, my fingers trembling as I worked at the ropes. "This is my fault. I should have ended ckwood when I had the chance."


    Her eyes met mine, steady and clear despite everything. "You couldn''t have known."


    "I should have," I insisted, finally freeing her hands. "I knew what kind of man he was."


    As the ropes fell away, Isabelle rubbed her wrists. There were angry red marks where she''d been bound too tightly. The sight of those marks sent fresh rage coursing through me.


    The kidnappers were both on their feet now, watching us warily, perhaps calcting their chances of escape. I turned to face them, stepping in front of Isabelle protectively.


    "You were going to hurt her," I said, my voice deceptively calm. "You were going to do unspeakable things to her."


    "Look, man," the taller one said nervously, "we were just following orders. We weren''t really gonna—"


    "Don''t lie to me," I cut him off. "I heard you. I saw you reaching for her."


    They backed up as I advanced, fear evident in their eyes now.


    "ckwood just wanted us to hold her," the shorter one babbled. "Use her as leverage to get back at you. That''s all!"


    "And yet you couldn''t even follow those simple instructions," I said coldly. "You had to take it further."


    I lunged forward, grabbing the taller one by the throat again. This time, I didn''t hold back. I mmed him against the rock wall hard enough to make his head bounce.


    "Please," he wheezed. "I have money. I can pay you—"


    "I don''t want your money," I snarled. "I want you to understand something. Anyone who threatens Isabelle, anyone who even thinks about harming her..." I tightened my grip. "They don''t get to walk away."


    The shorter kidnapper made a break for it, scrambling toward the exit. Without releasing my hold on the first man, I called out, "Isabelle, in my right pocket. There''s a dagger."


    She hesitated only a moment before reaching into my pocket and withdrawing the de. With surprising uracy, she threw it. The dagger embedded itself in the fleeing man''s calf, dropping him with a howl of pain.


    I nced at her with newfound appreciation. "Nicely done."


    "My grandfather insisted on self-defense training," she exined with a small shrug.


    The man in my grasp was turning purple, his eyes bulging. I released him just before he lost consciousness, letting him copse to the ground, gasping for air. I dragged the other kidnapper back, throwing him beside his partner.


    "Gideon ckwood," I said, looming over them. "Tell me everything."


    Through wheezing breaths and terrified stammers, they revealed ckwood''s n: kidnap Isabelle, force me to publicly humiliate myself by withdrawing all my business interests in exchange for her safe return, then kill her anyway as final revenge.


    Each word they spoke sealed their fate.


    "I made a mistake with ckwood," I said quietly, more to myself than to them. "I showed mercy when I should have shown judgment. I won''t make that mistake again."


    I looked at Isabelle. Her face was pale but resolute. "Go wait in the passage," I told her. "You don''t need to see this."


    She held my gaze for a long moment, understanding exactly what I intended. Without a word, she turned and walked toward the entrance of the chamber.


    The kidnappers began pleading then, offering money, information, anything to save their lives. I listened to their desperate bargaining with cold detachment.


    "You touched what is mine," I said simply. "You would have done worse if I hadn''t arrived when I did. There''s only one sentence for that."


    I moved with swift precision, grabbing the first man''s head between my hands. One quick, powerful twist, and his neck snapped with an audible crack. The second man screamed, scrambling backward until he hit the wall. I stalked toward him methodically, like a predator cornering its prey.


    "Please," he sobbed. "I have a family!"


    "You should have thought about them before you decided to assault an innocent woman," I replied, reaching for him.


    A momentter, it was done. I stood over their bodies, feeling nothing but a cold sense of justice. "Anyone who dares to touch Isabelle has to die!"


    My words echoed in the empty chamber. I took a deep breath, steadying myself, then walked to where Isabelle waited in the passageway. Her eyes met mine, and I saw no judgment there, only a quiet understanding.


    "It''s done," I said simply.


    She nodded. "And ckwood?"


    A dangerous smile spread across my face. "He''s next."


    I took her hand, leading her toward the exit and the night air beyond. The ritual blood magic had weakened me, and the fight had drained what little energy I had left, but fury and purpose drove me forward. Gideon ckwood had made the gravest mistake of his life when he''d targeted Isabelle.


    And before this night was over, I would make sure he understood exactly what it cost to provoke my wrath.