kh

a sharp line. A low hiss slip

terrupt a momen

warning. Dmitri stumbled inside, his chest heaving

ice cracked with urgency, sw

ngered on her face, searching for any sign of distress. Her expression

fear in he

yet she didn't even flinch. Most women would be cowering by now, bu

glass exploding gre

's voice rose to a shout, finally pull

voice carrying the weight of absolute authority. Without another word

r was reinforced with steel and no force on t

quickly filled me in on the situatio

r the weapons cabinet. I grabbed two pistols and began loading them with

ked without looking up, checking the safety on

for now," Dmitri replied, his own hands busy

n army of my personal guards had formed defensive positions throughout the courtyard, each man armed with

d like a well-oiled machine, each knowi

f not just the body but also of the mind. They

ed my shoulder. Warm blood began to seep through my shirt, staining t

" The curse ripp

ing like vultures for months, waiting for any sign of weakness. Now they h

a - would be my weakness. But little

me, his weapon raised. Without hesitation, I drew my pistol and put two bu

showed as he took down three rival guards in quick succession, each shot placed wit

ike broken dolls, and the acrid smell of gunpowder still hung thick in the air

grazed me. Blood had dried into a dark stain across my shirt, but the woun

had left her, perched on the edge of my desk with her hands folded in her lap. She looked up as I

d simply, closing

merely a part of her eveni

tears, perhaps even accusations about the danger I had brought into her l

heal," I replied,

re? I wondered,

her feet, bi

ould have lost everything tonight, including her, had awakened something primal within me.

raced the curve of her jaw with reverent fingers, marveling at the dryne

, and my name on her lip

rshipped her body with unexpected tenderness, my touch almost reverent as I explored every in

ntly, biting her lips immediately in regret. That ni

hogany table. Dipping my finge

nced i

ka." I said, my

thought, taking her del

y, digging her fin

ore and she screamed, a mi

I stared into her green

night, our bodies finding a rh

r breathing soft and even. For the first tim

eels on marble shatt

y one person in my organization had both the audacity an

Anast

kind of cold authority that made hardened killers tremble. Her silver hair was pulled back

an accent lending a dangerous edge