I was dragged away from the flames by two of the men, they squeezed me tight and held my wrists and ankles but there were no stakes anymore. My children were safe and I was unphased by their guns and threats.

They weren't going to kill me.

But Andrea would.

So I had to put my all into escaping them before they could bring me to him. I fought with all my might against the three grown men but I had no success in stopping them from dragging me and I only felt my feet on the ground again when they stopped half an hour later.

My hair was dishevelled across my face, I breathed heavily and my eyes still stung with the dust from the explosion but a few metres away I could still see a figure in front of us.

He wore a pristine black suit and his dark black hair was gelled neatly as an assertive smile sat on his lips.

"Bring her to me," he said, his accent as slurred and thick as ever.

The two men holding both my arms walked me forward and I couldn't even try to resist them, too frozen with fear.

I was now only half a metre from him and after he'd taken a slow step forward, only inches. As he used the tip of his finger to move the hair out of my face, I cast my eyes down to his polished black shoes, somehow still clean despite the earth and leaves of the forest.

I took a deep, shaky breath when I felt his touch run down my cheek to my chin where he clasped my face and forced my eyes up to look at his.

"Hola, Blanca," he said, "My beautiful wife...how wonderful it is every time our paths cross..."

His eyes were full of scorn as he glared mercilessly at me. My mouth was dry and my hands shook with the intense fear building inside of me.

At long last, he spared me from the darkness of his eyes as he went to examine my body, his fingers following his gaze as it travelled across my chest.

"Whilst I was looking forward to some time alone, I was also rather hoping your children would be with you," he said as he looked up to the men.

"Donde estan ellos?" he asked, raising a full black eyebrow.

"Ellos escaparon, Señor," one replied, "They escaped."

"Escaparon!" Andrea growled, his face hardening into anger, "Eres estúpido? Ellos son niños!"

The man swallowed, fear all over his face as Andrea seized his throat, "Find the brats and bring them back to me," he ordered, "Or I will have you all killed."

The men then let go of me and cowered back.

"What the fuck are you waiting for?" Andrea hissed, "Vamos."

"They're with a witch," one of them stuttered.

"A witch," Andrea scorned, "What bullshit. And what is a witch to a bullet, huh? Get out of my sight and do as I have ordered or I will send you straight to hell."

It could have been amusing to see such rough-looking men shudder and pale if it weren't for how furious their reluctance had made Andrea.

He sent them one more hard stare before they turned and ran through the trees back in the direction of Milly's fires, leaving Andrea to seize my shoulders and pull me into him.

"You still have people doing your dirty work I see," I said as I caught the strong scent of his cologne and his minty breath.

He let out a twisted laugh, "How are your commanders?" he asked, "Blown to pieces by the bombs I planted, I presume?"

I swallowed.

"How are the families of all the Stella soldiers I cut the throats of?" he continued, pulling me even closer to his face.

I cast my eyes away from him as he brought his mouth to my ear, his breath heavy.

"You know I am more than capable of 'dirty' work," he said, "And I can promise you this, Blanca: tonight I will take great pleasure in murdering all of your dear children, your beloved mate and you with my own hands."

I scrunched my eyes shut as my face contorted with dread and he only let out another laugh.

"Look at you," he jeered, grabbing my arm with one hand and wrapping the other around my waist, "You're so weak and feeble. It's pathetic."

I whimpered as he gripped me tighter.

"When we first met all those months ago you were so feisty and now..copy right hot novel pub