Chapter 68
Chapter Sixty-Eight
“If this doesn’t work, I need you to hold Sebastian back.” Mumbling under my breath, I glance sideways at Marcus, crouched next to me on the broken beam of one of the walls where we’ve been sitting for over an hour.
From this height, we can see most of the destroyed lobby, plaster, brick, and broken furniture like scattered remains of a carcass covering the once beautiful oriental rugs and marble tiles.
Any moment now, I’m expecting to see Sebastian show his face, doing his part.
My gut tightens at the thought, but I push it away.
Don’t be stupid. It’s just to trick Irina, I keep telling myself.
Marcus wraps a paw-sized hand around my arm like he is reading my mind.
Not like it will do much to stop me if the haze hits, but if it makes him feel better, he can do it.
I stiffen when I feel Sebastian nearing, the bond between us getting stronger and his emotions getting louder in my head.
His fear for me that this will blow up in our faces is the only thing keeping me crouching and still, when he strides into view, the woman tucked under his arm like she belongs with him.
Her acting skills are excellent, maybe even a little too perfect for my liking when she laughs at something he said, gliding her hand over his chest. Marcus tightens his hold on my arm, and to my shock, I realize I’m panting, then my fangs extend.
I’m coiled up to throw myself at her and rip her apart.
He shakes his head jerkily, the downturn of his lips telling me he is as unhappy about this whole thing as I am right now.
“Look what the cat dragged in.” Irina’s thick accent breaks the crazy need to kill the woman in my head. “And she is still human.” She laughs nastily. “I knew I couldn’t trust those idiots. They are good for nothing.”
“Did you come to die?” Sebastian pushes the woman behind his back, the fear on her face genuine.
“You and I will have a different conversation after I kill that bitch.” Spitting the words, Irina circles Sebastian. I creep up closer to the edge. “I will bind you to me.” Chuckling, she gloats in his face. “I will do things that you cannot even imagine. I have planned it for decades.”
“You really are sick in the head if you think I’ll let you do that.” Fangs extending, Sebastian squares off with her. “I would rather chew off my own head than bond myself to you.”
“You’ll change your mind.” Irina winks at him and attacks.
The bitch is fast. A whirlwind of platinum blonde hair and her red dress swirls as she snarls, then snaps and claws at Sebastian.
He, on the other hand, moves as fluid as water, gliding through the space, the muscles on his arms, legs, and back bunching with each block and hitting back.
Irina catches him midturn, her claws sinking in his side, opening up a gash to his naval.
Marcus and I lean forward, our claws sinking in the wooden beam like through butter.
The only thing holding us back is that Sebastian doesn’t seem to notice.
Grabbing Irina’s wrist, he yanks her close, plunging his own claws into her stomach, spurting blood darkening her shimmering dress.
The wicked smile on his lips sends a thrill through me.
Irina’s eyes widen, a cough spraying blood through her lips and splattering her porcelain skin.
The woman takes her cue, inching closer to Irina, pretending she is going to use the wooden stake with runes to protect Sebastian.
Taking the bait, Irina flings herself away in the direction of our decoy, wrapping her hand in the woman’s hair. With an evil grin, she spits blood at Sebastian.
“How about I kill her now?” Jerking the woman’s head to the side, she scrapes her fangs over her bared neck. “I can suck her dry while you watch.” Her laugh is high pitched and crazed.
“Let her go.” Sebastian takes a step towards Irina.
“Move, and I’ll rip her throat out.” Irina shakes the woman like a broken doll in her grip.
“Let her go, and you can leave.” Inching closer, he lifts his hands in the air, placating her.
“You think me stupid?” Her words are slurring, the blood still gushing from the hole in her stomach. “I’m taking this bitch to Khan. I’m sure he would love to reunite with her. It’s been too long, after all.” She laughs again.
Sebastian frowns, not understanding her words.
But I do. I know them too well and can’t wait to stand face to face with the mighty Khan.
Assuming it’s just Irina’s crazy talk, Sebastian inches closer, yet.
Irina moves fast towards the opening of the wall, giving me a pause.
It’s daylight outside. There is no way she can survive that even without her injury.
A shadow moves from the outside. Squinting, I try to see who it is, but they stay hidden behind the broken wall. Irina stops for a moment, glaring at Sebastian.
“In two days, come to see your precious human displayed for all to see.” Sneering, her beautiful face is an ugly mask.
“The Council is having a ball in her honor, just like the old times.” With a shrill laugh, she spins around, a silver blanket getting thrown over her head, then she disappears with the woman.
Before they are gone, the person helping her comes partly into view.
My body stills, unable to believe I’ve missed that little clue.
“And the thread keeps unraveling,” I tell Marcus before we drop off the wooden beam.
“I told you it would work.” Andrei comes out from the partly destroyed elevator.
“I still wonder where the mage is.” Musing, Marcus inches closer to the gaping, makeshift doorway, keeping just shy of the daylight streaming through.
“Probably dead somewhere.” Waving a hand at what is left of the hotel, I pull Sebastian’s shirt up. “You’ll need to feed.” The wound is closing very slowly.
Hunger burns in his gaze when it flicks to my neck. “On a human”—my words are as dry as desert sand— “unless you wish to die. In which case, go right ahead.” Tilting my head to the side, I offer him my neck.
Marcus and Andrei stiffen, low growls coming from them both when Sebastian places his lips on my skin. We all stand frozen like that for a long moment before he presses a possessive searing kiss there and lifts his head up.
“I worry they will kill the human.” He puts words to the thoughts running through my head.
“No, they won’t,” Markus speaks, getting all of us to look at him in surprise.
“You know something we don’t?” I doubt Irina will be able to control herself if she thinks she has me in her clutches again.
“They think she is O negative and still human. They are greedy bastards, but none of them wish to die.” Rolling his shoulders, he turns to Sebastian. “Now what?”
“Now we get ready for a ball,” Sebastian says grimly, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Oh, come on, grandpa.” Winking, I tug him towards the common area. “It can’t be that you have forgotten how to have fun.”
“I don’t see the fun in this disaster.” He grumbles, letting me drag him further into the hotel, Marcus and Andrei falling in step with us.
“That’s where you are wrong, tesoro. Chaos is always so much fun.” My smile hurts my cheeks when Marcus and Andrei chuckle uneasily.