Chapter 81: Shotgun

I heard footfalls behind me. I was yanked around from him with an iron grip. A shotgun exploded to my left. Mr. Kline flew backward into the storage room then smashed into the shelf that swung open. He lay sprawled across the tunnel floor. His magic slipped from me.
"Beloved? Are you okay?" Liam asked. His arm was wrapped around my waist as he held me against his chest.
I sagged against him as Mr. Kline's magic loosened. "Thanks for coming."
Mr. Kline groaned. He started climbing to his feet.
Liam leveled his shotgun at him. "Stay down, or I'll fill you full of another round."
"Try it, Ogre."
"He's an orc," I corrected.
Mr. Kline waved his hand. My body strained against Liam's grip. He released me, thinking it was me controlling my body. I stepped in front of the shotgun.
"What are you doing, Beloved?" He asked.
I tried to shake my head. I tried to say something, but my body wouldn't respond. It was being jerked around by the puppet master. My mouth clamped shut. Even my eyes wouldn't move where I wanted them to. All I could do was stare at Liam.
"Beloved, move." His eyes pleaded with me.
My mouth opened. Words I didn't own spilled from my mouth. "My darling, please lower the gun. Mr. Kline only wants our loyalty."
Liam looked over my shoulder to Mr. Kline. "Let her go."
If I could have breathed a relieved sigh, I would have.
Mr. Kline chuckled. "What are you going to do now? You can't hurt your beloved succubus. I assume that's what she is; otherwise, you wouldn't be so fond of her. I'm glad I found out now before she could use her power on me."
As he spoke, my hands moved up the shotgun. I reached for Liam's hand. I felt my power pull at him. His face slackened with bliss. No, no. Stop. My mind screamed. I couldn't lose him. He was the only one that knew where I was. He was literally my only friend right now, and my power was destroying any chance I had to get free.
I fought. I fought with everything I had left. I was still tired for being awake for almost forty-eight hours, but I struggled passed it. I had to get free. I had to fight his aura. I could feel its hold around me as I strained to move my hand away from Liam. It shook as I watched. There was no way I would be able to pull my hand all the way back, so instead, I pushed it forward an inch. I shoved my thumb with all my might against Liam's trigger finger.
A loud crack filled the room. I flew backward. Mr. Kline howled in pain. I felt his aura around me dissipate. Slowly, pain filled me like I had a hole in my middle. My hands came up to hold my stomach. Warm liquid was seeping through my shirt. I raised my hand. It was covered in blood. I looked up to see Mr. Kline standing above me, holding his own stomach.
"All that magic and no protection spells," he groaned. "You're not as smart as I thought you were."
I couldn't say anything. The wind was still knocked out of me. I tried to take deep breaths, but I couldn't. I just sucked in short, shallow breaths like I was hyperventilating. I struggled to get up on my elbows so my lungs would be in a better position. Liam had fallen to his knees. The shotgun was held loosely in his hand. His eyes were closed. His pants were tight and wet with his orgasm. I tried to say his name, but only gasps filled my lungs.
Mr. Kline bent down and threw me over his shoulder. His shoulder pushed into my stomach, where the shell had exploded. It brought a new bout of gasps and coughing. He carried me back through the shelf door. I watched Liam disappeared as we descended the stairs. Before too long, we were at the iron door. The latch clicked open, and he marched through. The door closed behind us. The aura glowed red again as he spelled it shut.
The new tunnel was dark, just as the previous one, but Mr. Kline moved through it with practiced steps. He made several turns. I would have loved to pass out, but the pain in my stomach and the incredible discomfort of his shoulder digging into me made it impossible.
After a time, he finally stopped. I couldn't see what we stopped, but he was mumbling something under his breath. There was a click then he walked forward. Another iron door closed behind us. This room was lit. He spun me around and sat me on a chair. It sat at a long table. The room was filled with them. There were long red runners down the center of the table. The chairs were tall with the same red in the padded center. Gold chandeliers hung from the ceiling with matching wall sconces.
I held my stomach. He sat in the chair next to me.
"Oh, Kira, Kira, Kira. What a surprise. You're a succubus, and you have an entire harem. How very interesting. At first, I just thought you were pretty. Well, sad, lonely, and dreary, but still pretty. Now, I find out there is much more to you. You never did introduce me to your boyfriend all those months ago. If you had just appeased me then, well, maybe I would have let you slide, but it was so disrespectful. Now I find out you have more than just a few boyfriends." He tisked at me a couple of times as he smoothed out his beard with both hands.
"Color me surprised," he said as he looked me up and down. "What? No questions for me?"
I glared at him as I held my stomach.
"Right. Well, up you go. I have a store to close and a door to ward. I can't have all your little boyfriends trapesing around looking for you." He walked his fingers along the table towards me. He grabbed up my wrist and hauled me to my feet.
I hunched over my stomach as he dragged me after him. We reached a dungeon area not far from the sitting room. It was an authentic-looking dungeon with grated cells and prison cots. He pulled me along and pushed me down on the cot.
"Be a good girl. I'll come to check on you in the morning." He disappeared back down the hall.
I looked around at the prison cells. I wondered how often they were used. They seemed clean enough, with no cobwebs.
I leaned back against the cold stone wall. I used the magic I had gathered earlier in my wells to mend the wounds from the shotgun blast. I wish it had been this easy to pull magic when I needed it. I felt for Liam. After he recovered from his large dose of bliss, he probably felt terrible. Well, maybe. I could only guess, but I know I would have.
It also looked like I knew what would happen if I sucked too much of someone's power. They get a little too excited. I frowned. But there was something else. As I was forced to drain his power, it almost felt like I was draining his life. How close had I been to taking everything? Could I have killed him?
I curled up into a ball on the cot, letting the magic work at my injury. At least I was finally going to be able to get some sleep.