Chapter 149: The Stranger’s Touch And The Rescue!
Neve gritted his teeth, watching whoever this stranger was touch Popi without permission.
He mentioned something about being Zyreth’s brother. His voice carried confidence and arrogance like he owned the place. Like he owned everyone in it.
Zyreth’s brother? Does that mean Zyreth sent him here deliberately? Or did Zyreth not even know he was here using the prisoners for his own entertainment?
Neve did not feel good when this man was near him. Something was off. Something was dangerous about his presence.
He glanced at Popi, who was still not herself. Her body was frozen. Her eyes were empty. She was a prisoner in her own body, unable to move or speak or resist.
"Popi!" Neve yelled her name, his voice filled with urgency and desperation. "Snap out of it! Fight him! You have to snap out of it!"
Popi still did not hear. She did not respond. She was completely under this man’s control.
The stranger’s hand wrapped possessively around Popi as he dipped his head into her neck, sniffing her like she was prey. His nostrils flared as he breathed in her scent deeply.
"Do not mark her you bastard!" Neve yelled, fear and rage mixing in his voice. "If you mark her, I swear I’ll kill you!"
The man pulled his head back from Popi’s neck and stared directly at Neve. His eyes were cold and filled with amusement at Neve’s helpless rage.
"I don’t know why my powers aren’t working for you, red panda," the stranger said, a smirk playing at his lips. "But trust me, I’ll never mark a female I don’t respect. I’m only going to use her as a toy and then abandon her when I’m done. No permanent marks. Just temporary fun."
"You..." Neve frowned and then he froze when he saw something important.
Popi’s hand twitched.
Just a small movement. Just her fingers flexing slightly. But it was there. It meant something. It meant she was fighting back. It meant she was breaking through the control.
Neve smirked slightly.
"Popi isn’t a toy for you to use," Neve said, his voice becoming stronger. "And trust me, you’ll regret laying your hands on her. You’ll regret touching her."
The stranger laughed, tilting his head back. The sound echoed through the cave like the laughter of someone who held absolute power.
"It’s up to me to decide if she’s a toy or not," he said confidently, clearly not taking Neve’s warning seriously.
But then he felt Popi move in his hand. Her entire body shifted. Her muscles tensed.
He lowered his head and saw Popi clenching her hand into a fist as she gritted her teeth angrily. Her eyes were no longer empty. There was fire in them now. There was rage and determination.
"It’s not up to you to call me your TOY..." Popi said, her voice becoming clear and powerful.
She punched the man right in the face with all the strength she could muster.
The impact was hard. Her fist connected with his cheek hard enough to make a sound that echoed through the cave. Blood oozed from where her knuckles had split the skin.
He groaned in pain, his hand immediately flying up to his face.
Popi winced at her aching hand but she used her other hand to shove herself away from him forcefully. She created distance between herself and the predator.
The stranger stood there frozen for a moment, his eyes widened in shock. His hand was on his cheek where Popi had punched him. He was clearly not used to being hit. He was clearly not used to being resisted.
Popi rushed back to Neve, her legs carrying her as fast as they could move. She collapsed slightly against him, breathing hard from the effort.
"Are you okay?" Neve asked immediately, his hands reaching out to steady her and check for injuries.
"I’ve never been better," Popi said, breathing heavily. She glared at the man who was still staring at her in shock. "If he lays another hand on me, I’ll punch him again. I’ll punch him until he’s bleeding out on this cave floor."
Another set of footsteps echoed through the stone corridors.
Someone walked into the prison room.
"You’re not supposed to be here," the newcomer said, his voice carrying authority and irritation.
Neve recognized that voice immediately. It was the same snake beastman that had snuck into his cave that day. It was the same voice that had come to tell Zyreth about Neve’s ability to cure poison.
It was Jereth. Zyreth’s messenger.
"You..." Neve said, his voice filling with anger at the sight of the snake beastman.
Jereth looked at Neve, taking in the scene. The stranger with the bleeding cheek. Popi standing protectively in front of Neve. The obvious signs of conflict.
"Oh, you got caught already, red panda," Jereth smirked, clearly finding amusement in the situation. "You’ve been here for what, a few hours? And you’re already causing trouble."
He looked back at the stranger who was still touching his bleeding cheek gingerly.
"You should leave before the king finds you here," Jereth said, his tone becoming more serious. "He brought these prisoners here himself so no one may lay their hands on them. They belong to Zyreth now. They’re under his protection. If he finds you here assaulting them, he’ll be angry."
The stranger smirked, not taking his eyes off Popi. There was still hunger in his gaze. Still desire and lust and dark intentions.
"I’ll return," he grinned wickedly, his eyes promising future assault and violation. "Once you’re alone, I’ll come back and we can continue where we left off. I’ll make sure you enjoy it."
With that threat hanging in the air, he walked away. His footsteps echoed as he disappeared down the dark corridors of the cave.
Jereth watched him leave and sighed deeply, shaking his head.
"Just stay away from him," Jereth warned, looking at both Neve and Popi. "He’s the king’s brother and his right hand man in many things. But he’s a total jerk. He’s dangerous. He plays with females like toys. He uses them and discards them without any regard for their safety or their lives."
He paused, letting the warning sink in.
"So you have to be careful," Jereth continued. "Avoid him if you can. Don’t let him get you alone. Don’t let him touch you. And if he tries anything, just make sure Zyreth finds out about it. The king will not tolerate anyone else having fun with his prisoners. They’re his to use as he sees fit."
With that final warning, Jereth turned and left the prison room. His footsteps faded away into the darkness.
Neve and Popi were left alone again in their stone prison.
Popi was shaking. Her hand that had punched the stranger was throbbing with pain. Her entire body was trembling from the adrenaline and fear and anger.
Neve pulled her close and held her.
"It’s okay," Neve whispered, not sure if he was trying to comfort Popi or himself. "It’s okay. You’re safe now. I won’t let anyone hurt you."
But even as he said the words, he knew they were not entirely true. He could not protect Popi from everything. He could not protect her from Zyreth. He could not protect her from Zyreth’s brother. He could not protect her from the dangers of this place.
They were trapped. They were at the mercy of these outcasts. They were prisoners in a place where females were treated like toys to be used and discarded.
Popi looked at Neve, her eyes filling with tears.
"What kind of place is this?" she asked, her voice shaking. "What have we gotten ourselves into? What’s going to happen to us?"
Neve did not have an answer.
All he could do was hold her and hope that Cael and the others would come to rescue them. All he could do was pray that they would escape this nightmare.
But as he looked around the dark stone prison, at the guards standing outside, at the impossible odds they faced, Neve could not help but think the same thing Popi was thinking.
Plays with females like toys? Where in the world is this place?