Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Kade
“ Sanguis sanguinis mei, caro carnis meae, cor cordis mei,” Aleksander speaks the binding Latin creed and raises his hands.
We all repeat the words. Our voices rise and touch each corner of the stony walls in the room.
I’m in the meeting hall at Raventhorn Hall again, surrounded by the other initiates. Tonight we were given our first assignment for the next phase of our training.
Aleksander starts talking about the plans for the rest of the month but I zone out like I knew I would. I’ve been doing it all night.
Actually all damn day, since the incident. My mind goes straight to the girl I now have under my thumb.
Isabelle shocked the hell out of me today.
I’ve never thought of her as weak. She’s one of the strong ones. I thought she could be fiery when she needs to be and chooses her battles well.
Today, though, that was something else. Something more than fire and rage.
Had she been a guy or even had Knights training, she would have kicked my ass from here to kingdom come.
When she rushed me at the café I really thought she was going to tear out my throat. If she'd had a knife she could have done it.
But Isabelle Kolyav is not a killer. She’s not me yet. And I don’t want her to be.
I know I more than deserved what she gave me. I won’t deny that.
What I did to her sculpture was truly fucked up but it was the only thing my twisted mind could think of to keep her at Raventhorn.
Then the poor doll fell right into my trap. Actually she all but tied herself up and jumped into the trap. Now I officially own her.
Things couldn't have worked out better if I'd planned them myself. No way would I have been able to get Aleksander Ivanov to make her my servant for the rest of the school year. It’s like being made to do community service, but more fucked up.
After I insisted on not pressing charges for the destruction of my bike, Aleksander told me he was going to put Isabelle in my service because he didn’t want her to walk scot-free.
I had no problem with that.
With Isabelle in place for phase two of my plan I can now focus on other things.
Aleksander has tasked the guys and I to work with Caspian and Thorne to capture three small-time criminals from the Armenian mafia who stole one of our weapons shipments. We’re supposed to find them, deal with them, and get back the shipment.
The moment I heard what Aleksander wanted us to do I thought I’d use the time we’ll be off campus as an excuse to further my advances with the Malina. The next guy on my list just happens to be in the shipping industry, so I can kill two birds with one stone.
Our stunt last week at the restaurant went down well, but it’s time to strike again. A little harder this time, with something that sends Nikoli a more powerful message.
When the meeting ends an hour later I catch Thorne looking at me from the high table.
I’ve been waiting for him to confront me about Isabelle all day.
Things blew out of my control today but I’ll deal with whatever he throws at me.
He marches toward me as soon as he finishes talking to Caspian and Aleksander. Building rage fills his eyes and I know he wants to fight me.
“A word, Kade.” Thorne cocks his head to the side, signaling he wants to talk outside the room.
“Sure.”
I follow his lead, ignoring the cautious glances of Dmitri, Logan and Alek—who also has questions for me. I’m waiting for Alek to confront me, too. The fact that days have passed since he saw us torching the restaurant suggests he’s still watching us and playing it cool.
Thorne and I walk down the hallway and stop at a safe distance to speak— or fight.
“What the fuck happened today with Isabelle?” Thorne looks me up and down, sizing me up.
“She torched my bike.”
He gives me an unhinged grin and takes a few steps toward me. He’s slightly taller than me but when he gets mad he looks even bigger. “For no reason? I don’t believe for a second that you didn’t destroy her sculpture.”
“There’s no evidence of that.”
“Fuck evidence. Remember, Padawan, we both agreed not to lie to each other.”
“We did.” That was on the night of the hardest trial he gave the guys and I when we were battling for the elite position.
“Then don’t fucking lie to me now. If you weren’t in my elite you’d be picking your teeth up off the floor. I want to know why you're screwing with her.”
“I have my own business with Isabelle.”
His sharp eyes narrow in scrutiny, the blue irises almost turning black. “What kind of business?”
“Don’t worry. I won’t hurt her.” Hurting her the way he’s thinking isn’t part of my plan, but I will ruin her. He doesn’t need to know that.
“Kade, I hope for your sake that’s the fucking truth.”
“On my honor, my lord, it is the truth.” I make a show of dipping my head to add more emphasis to my promise.
“Good, because if you hurt her, you won’t like what I do to you. You’d beg for death before I was done with you.”
“Why are you so protective of her?” I’m curious. I know he’s known her longer than me, but there must be a reason.
Thorne gets up in my face, reminding me of a snarling animal. “There are some girls you don’t mess with. She’s one of them. As a Knight you never prey on those who can’t fight back. I hope you understand that.”
“Loud and clear.”
“Now that my uncle is involved the situation is out of my hands. But I still hold the power when it comes to your training. I don’t have to do it. I won’t if you cross me.”
I knew he would say something like this, and I hate that I need him. “I’m not stupid enough to cross you, Thorne.”
“You better not be.” With a hard stare he nudges into my shoulder and walks away, leaving me staring at the wall.
As a Knight, you never prey on those who can’t fight back.
Yeah, Thorne, you’re right, but Isabelle is a fighter.
I head back to Erebus House. There’s a party going on and the house is packed.
I’m not in the mood to party so I head straight to my apartment.
When I walk inside I realize I’m not alone. There’s a pair of lace panties on the floor by the TV and a matching bra hanging from the stair railing.
The guys must have let in whoever is here. I don’t like this type of surprise when I have other things on my mind.
I enter my bedroom and find a naked Lana DaCosta lying on my bed.
Shit, this is all I need right now. I should have guessed it was her. She’s been trying to get back in my bed for weeks. Now here she is. Literally in my bed.
Lana smiles at me with raw seduction then sits up, her perky tits bouncing and her hair looking as wild as if she just had sex.
“Finally, you’re back,” she coos, then goes on all fours to crawl toward me. “I’ve been waiting for you, Kade Gurkovsky.”
I stare down at her. She’s perfect. Every guy's wet dream. But I don’t feel a goddamn thing. Not until I imagine that she’s sweet little Isabelle Kolyav.
The mere thought sends a rush of blood to my dick and I remember how I had her pressed up against the wall.
The good girl gone bad never realized that, despite the chaos and her wrath, I too was seconds away from losing my mind and fucking her against the wall.
During the seconds I had her all to myself I imagined every filthy thing I wanted to do to her.
That irritating-as-hell obsession worked its way into my mind like a virus, and I couldn’t stop it. Or help myself.
That potent feeling is hitting me again, making me hard.
Lana smiles as the bulge in my pants becomes very noticeable.
“You want me. I’m so glad I came.” She rises to kneeling, then runs her hands over my chest.
She presses her lips to the side of my neck and that’s what snaps my mind back into focus. I could fuck her right here on my bed and imagine anything I want. I could pretend she’s Isabelle, but I’ve never been one to do that.
I can’t start now when I want the real thing with the real girl.
Lana slides her hand down to the waistband of my pants to grab my dick but I catch her wrist, stopping her.
Caught by surprise, she looks back at me.
“You’re hard.” She searches my eyes. “You want me.”
“No, that’s not for you.”
At first she stares up at me like she doesn’t understand, then she does and blinks several times. “Who is it for then?”
“You don’t need to know that.” I step away from her.
“You’re such an asshole.”
“I know. Now put your clothes on and don’t do this again. We’re done.”
Her jaw drops and she looks like I just slapped her but I’m glad she doesn’t argue.
Red-faced and embarrassed, she gathers her dress from the floor and slips it on. Then she practically flees from me.
When I hear the front door slam I sit on the bed wondering what the fuck I’m going to do.
This problem of mine is getting worse. What will I be like when I have Isabelle here in my apartment all to myself and doing whatever I want her to do?
Aleksander probably had cleaning duties in mind but I’d rather have her using that hot mouth of hers to clean off my dick.
I could almost laugh at the cruel twist of fate. I rejected the girl who wanted me. Now she hates me and I want her.
You can’t make this shit up.
I head to the shower and jerk off to the vision of her I imagined earlier. Doing so does very little to satisfy me.
The problem returns a hundredfold on Wednesday evening when I get home from football practice and find the real Isabelle standing in my living room.
I knew she’d be here. I’d told the custodian to let her in when she arrived.
I just never expected to feel this rush of excitement racing over my skin from the sight of her.
Tonight she’s wearing something similar to that Japanese schoolgirl uniform she had on last week. But with those ruby-red lips, shiny black hair and smokey eyes, tonight’s outfit makes her look like a goth Snow White.
I feel like I’m always in a game of dress-up with her. Maybe I need to fuck her out of my system to get back on track and fix my mind.
Maybe all those years I told myself I couldn’t have her have come back to screw with me like one of the ancient sea curses.
Regardless, it’s time to play a different game now. Both her and I.
You’re all mine now, Lolita, whether you want to be or not.