Chapter 12 · Devour to Evolve

"Stop squirming, or I'll give you a reason to actually scream," Kane growled, his hand tightening around my wrist.

He slammed me back against the jagged cavern wall. The stone bit into my shoulder blades, cold and unforgiving. He didn't let go. Instead, he leaned in, his chest nearly brushing mine, trapping me in that suffocating space where I could smell the metallic tang of blood and something like ozone clinging to his gear.

"What do you want from me?" I spat, trying to jerk my arm away. "You've got your tracker, you've got your leverage. Just let me go!"

"You think I'm playing games, Jessa?" His voice dropped an octave, vibrating right through my ribcage. He shifted his weight, pinning me more firmly. I could feel the heat radiating off him, a sharp contrast to the damp chill of the dungeon. "You're a glitch. A mistake. And in this place, mistakes get eaten. I'm just deciding if you're more useful as a pet or a snack."

I glared up at him, my breath coming in short, jagged hitches. "I'm not a pet. And I'm definitely not on the menu."

"We'll see about that.