“Seven counting Nikolas,” Haden corrected.
“I never knew about it,” Joseph said.
“It was a family secret.”
Joseph laughed “Nikolas is going to kick your ass for telling us about it.”
“He will get over it. We need to start over. Uniting and sharing our knowledge is imperative if we
want to survive this war being waged against us.”
***
Flat on his back and surrounded by fire, Nikolas suddenly became aware of his surroundings. Attempting
to stand up, he realized that he was in his human form and his wrists and ankles were chained. Expecting
them to break he gave the ones anchoring his arms to either side of him a good yank, but they did not
budge at all.
“It is not like you to walk blindly into a trap,” Demetri said. “Or should I say freefall.”
“We both know I have not done anything blindly today or any other day.” Nikolas lifted his head to
search for him, but he could not see anything other than flames.
“You figured that you had the upper hand because we were so close to your family’s property?”
“No. I have the upper hand because I have not rejected my honor.”
“That’s right. You are tragically boring because you cling to your unblemished reputation like a
young naive virgin. Nikolas, I have to ask, how is your honor going to help you now?” Demetri’s form
came into view at his right side. “I am curious, have you even considered the fact that you might be
wrong?”
“About you?”
“Not at all. Your opinion of me is right on. I am talking about you. Do you really believe you are
protecting your mate by throwing her out of your bed and denying yourself future carnal pleasures of your
union? Sooner or later throwing her out of you bed will bite you in the ass. Understand that this is just my
opinion, but I do believe that your ‘oh so truly noble’ intentions will cause more harm than good when all
is said and done.”
“Do you?” Nikolas asked.
“Absolutely. When you fail to satisfy her sexual needs what do you think you will do to her when
she turns elsewhere? Congratulate her? Applaud her lover for a job well done? I believe not. As a matter
of fact, I believe your nature will force you to kill them both while they are still basking in the afterglow
of their lovemaking.” He paused for several seconds. “That is unless she turns to a male of equal power
and strength. She is a desirable woman. I might even consider servicing her myself. You would not be
able to kill me as easily as you would another, would you?”
Nikolas knew he was attempting to piss him off. The bastard was doing a damn good job of it, but he
knew better than to let him know it. “Is that why you killed Sara? Did she find pleasure in another male’s
companionship?”
“The past is the past. It does not matter to me, you, or anyone else.”
“It dictates our future.”
“What the hell are you talking about? When did you become so stupid? We, our kind, dictate the
future of all that surrounds us. We control every aspect of it. We are gods, plagued by the stupidity and
weaknesses of lesser immortals and pathetic freeloading humans. Don’t tell me you’ve never entertained
thoughts of doing away with them all. Why do we tolerate any of them?”
“It is not up to us to decide the value of other life forms.”
“That isn’t true. For thousands of years we’ve protected what we perceived as weak and innocent
against what we have defined as evil or corrupt. Who’s to say we were not wrong all along?”
“What are you talking about, Demetri?”
“The obvious to anyone with half a brain. You are here hoping I am strong enough to destroy you.
And why? Deep down you know that everything you have stood for and still stand for, is rubbish. Your
honor and noble deeds cannot save Brianna from your true nature any more than mine saved Sara.”
“Do not make the mistake of concerning yourself with my mate. Nothing will ever harm her.”
“Unless the one doing harm to her is you, right? You have caused her to endure more pain and
sorrow than any other could ever dream of forcing another to endure. You immediately banished her from
your bed after you used her body to alleviate the natural discomfort you were suffering due to forced
abstinence. I doubt she appreciated being castoff like a paid whore. It couldn’t have been good for her
self-esteem. I bet you broke her heart. And for what reason? To make yourself feel better. We both know
it would be kinder and more generous to put her out of her misery. You keep her alive and choose to
torment her for your own dark pleasure. Well anyway, it has been great fun chatting with you, but I must
be on my way if I am to reach Brianna before you manage to get free.”
“Stay away from her!”
The sounds of Demetri’s laughter slowly faded until the only sound that remained was the crackling
of the flames surrounding him. While frantically and violently yanking on the chains, he reached for
Brianna. She was home, relaxing in a tub of sweet oil scented hot water. His safeguards around her home
would only buy him a little time before Demetri muscled his way through them.
Logically he knew the power in the necklace would ensure her safety regardless of his ability to stop
Demetri, but he could not rely on it. He reached for Haden. Nothing. He reached for Joseph. Nothing. As
a last resort, he reached for Mia. Nothing. He was cut off from everyone except Brianna, but he suddenly
felt that connection begin to slip away. He fought to hold onto it, but realized the more he fought to stay
connected it seemed to take him further away from her. Forcing himself to turn his focus away from her
he studied the ancient spell preventing him from breaking the chains.
~Seven~
FOLLOWING AN EXTRA-LONG soak in the tub, Brianna had just wrapped a towel around her body
and walked out of the bathroom when she sensed a distinct shift of power in the atmosphere. At first she
had mistaken it for Nikolas, but within seconds she knew it was not him when heat began to generate
from the dragon emblem necklace he’d given to her for protection.
“Please don’t do anything silly like overreact and panic. We would not want you to lose your grip
on that towel. With all the pent up sexual frustration you have been forced to endure as a result of
Nikolas’ failure to follow through there is no telling what it would lead to.” The male’s voice was deep
and smooth. His words were deliberately offensive, but his tone had comforting and hypnotic attributes to
it. It was too perfectly pitched to belong to anything other than a demon attempting to charm his prey.
Gripping the towel in her fist up above her breasts a little tighter, she turned to face the intruder
though she could not see him. “Who are you?”
“Demetri Demidov.”
She immediately regretted asking. Hearing him say his name made her feel as if a cold, dark cloud
had swallowed her up. She fought off a sudden, tremendous urge to turn around and run for her life. It
would not do any good. Even if she could see she would have had better luck outrunning a bullet fired
from a gun. “What do want, Demetri?”
“I am deeply wounded. You do not look or sound pleased to see me. Oops. I’m sorry. I do believe
that was the most insensitive thing I have uttered all week. Please accept my most heartfelt
apology. I
would hate to live with the knowledge of doing anything to cause you to have a negative opinion of me. I
should not have forgotten that you are as blind as a bat unless you are tapped into Nikolas’ head.”
Forcing herself to smile, she shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to appear as nonchalant as
possible. Why? She had no idea. He had to know she was startled by his visit. Convincing him she was
okay with his presence was laughable at best. “Since I have been blind my entire life I am used to it. Let’s
cut to the chase, shall we? I know you are not here to improve your reputation or to make friends with me.
What do you want?”
“Wouldn’t it be wiser for you to be more worried about what I plan to do to you?”
“To be honest, asking that did cross my mind, but I figured it would be answered when you tell me
what you want.”
“I suppose you are right, but before we continue I have a question. Where is your big, overly
protective, bad tempered, dark hearted daddy? Should he not be here to save you from me?” He asked.
“I am sure he is close.” Whether in mind or body Nikolas always showed up before any danger
presented itself. Not after. Never after. She could not feel him. She could not hear him. His total absence
meant that he did not know she was in trouble. With him, there could not be any other option.
“I have no doubt of it.”
She considered calling out to Nikolas, but she decided that if he did not know what was happening
perhaps it was for the best. From what she had heard Demetri and Nikolas were equally matched. She
refused to be the reason they fought. She had another idea. Nikolas would never allow her to speak to
Demetri about her sister. This was her chance. She was not going to throw it away.
Something deep in her gut knew Demetri was keeping a secret that involved her sister. Despite the
fact that Nikolas believed he had killed Sara to be with Mary, Brianna did not believe it. Since this would
most likely be her last opportunity to do so, she decided to question him about it. Steeling herself for his
response, she took a step toward him. “Where is Sara?”
“Do you truly want to know?” She heard something strange. It was a gut wrenching sadness in his
voice. No. It was more than that. The mention of her sister’s name had removed his perfectly constructed
mask of indifference. She did not understand how or why the knowledge was coming to her but she knew
that he had come to her out of desperation. He was not out to hurt her.
“Of course.” First, she noticed subtle vibrations beneath her feet. A few seconds later the strength of
the shaking increased and she heard rattling all around. It was Nikolas. If he did not know Demetri had
shown up a few minutes ago he knew now. In her mind she could see him in his massive dragon form
moving as fast a jet tearing across the sky. She could not hear his voice. And for that she was glad. He
was furious. She lifted her head as if to meet Demetri’s gaze.
“What if the fate that has befallen her is far from good? What if getting to her is difficult?”
“It does not matter to me.” She immediately heard Nikolas’ roar of protest. The fury, the fear in him
was so intense, so profound that it caused her stomach to twist. The dragon emblem on the necklace
started to shake and get hotter. She felt fiery electrical currents pulsating in the rhythm of a beating heart.
A strong, steady rhythm.
“Are you willing to rock the boat and rebel against Nikolas? You know you will risk suffering his
wrath if you go to her.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I can help you, but you will have to willingly merge your mind with mine.”
He was requesting her consent rather than just doing it. That was good, right? He could easily
overpower her mind and do as he wished with her.
No. Do not even consider it. It is a trick. He is misleading you. You are protected. He knows that he
cannot touch you unless you allow it.
Nikolas’ voice was calm. She knew he was talking about the protection in the necklace. Until that
moment she had always believed that the power in the necklace was absolute. She had been convinced
that she could not even take it off.
“Poor girl. Do not feel too stupid. Of course you fell for it. Trust me you are not the first and will not
be the last. Scores of women have fallen for Nikolas’ trickery. That is right. Many have allowed
themselves to be duped and enslaved by the charm for thousands of years.”
A hot burst of anger surged through her. At first she thought of it as her own, but it was Nikolas. He
was mad because she had learned the truth.
I am mad because you are being threatened. No other woman has ever put on the necklace. I wore it.
It was a gift from my father. It was never used to control you or anyone. It is to ensure we are connected
at all times. It is for your protection.
Ignoring Nikolas, she gripped the emblem in her fist. As much as she hated to admit it every word
that Demetri claimed made sense. She had felt imprisoned by it. Nikolas acted like a controlling and
demanding father or a big brother. “What do you mean?” Just asking the question felt as if she had
physically taken a step away from Nikolas.
Do not listen to him, little one.
It was not a request or a plea. It was a command. The endearment, little one, irritated her more than
ever before. He truly thought of her as being less than him. Small. Weak. Unworthy of being his woman.
No. Not undeserving. She was a child to him. In his mind she was incapable of being his woman. That
was why he refused to receive her as his woman. She was beneath him.
That is not true.
“The charm is a very useful tool when it comes to ensuring an immature and willful female’s
absolute submission until a male is able to properly train her to follow his every command.”
If I wanted to control you I would not need a damn piece of jewelry to do it. He was not bragging
about or threatening her with his superior abilities. It was promise he had every intention of proving.
What had caused her to stoop so low in hopes of gaining and keeping his respect…his affection? She
had given herself to him. He had rejected her. She had lost herself for him. He did not need her. He
needed to control her. He needed to dominate her will, to train her to do as he wished. Hell no! Why had
it become so important to prove herself worthy of being his woman? He would never want her at his side.
He would keep her behind him, safe and sound in his shadow until the day she died.
The thought of even allowing Demetri to touch her mind scared her. She knew he was, just like
Nikolas, powerful beyond her comprehension. To willingly merge her mind with his would give him
access to her deepest thoughts. It would give him the ability to take control of her mind, her body.
That said, regardless of what happened, if she could learn what had happened to her sister it would
be worth it. She might even be able to help her. She would never love another man other than Nikolas, but
it was painfully obvious that he would never choose to be with her. She had nothing to lose.
Her hand trembling she reached up and yanked the necklace from her neck and dropped it. “Do it,
Demetri. Merge with me. Show me.”
“Give me your hand.”
A roar echoed in her mind as a brutal gust of wind blasted into her and nearly knocke
d her off her
feet. It would have of landed her flat on her butt, if there had not been a wall behind her to catch her.
Nikolas was furious, but his temper wouldn’t sway her this time. She didn’t care. Let him be mad. Let
him feel what it was like to not get his way. She was not his child. At ten thousand years old he had lived
several lifetimes. He would live several more after she was gone. This was her one life, and she had
dedicated enough of it living to pleasing him. She would not be his slave. Deep in her gut she knew if she
had any hope of finding her sister this was it.
You think I have treated you as I would a slave? You have no idea how cruel of a master I can be. If
you survive this you will know…you will experience what it means to be my slave.
For one split second, she nearly faltered in fear of his vow. She could not detect any anger in his
tone. His voice was cold and dark. He was not threatening. It was a promise. She could not detect any
emotion in him all. Immediately, she understood why. She could not feel him. He had shoved her out of
his mind. She did not want to spend any more time waiting, praying he would come around. It was not
happening.
Another gust of wind slammed into her with enough force to cause her breath to burst out of her
lungs. It held her there, pinned her backside to the wall. Determined to stand her ground, she clenched her
teeth together and pushed herself away from the wall. Stop it, Nikolas! Leave me alone. I have had
enough of you. I am done. Just as you making love to me was your worst mistake, it was mine.
That is too bad, little one. There is much more to come. As if he were there with her, she felt his
arms wrap around her from behind and the heat of his breath on her ear. She felt his hot, hard body
pressed against her backside. Her heart accelerated as anxiety filled her.
The walls, the floor and the windows shook violently causing things to crash down all around her. It
felt and sounded as if a freight train was barreling through her bedroom. Resisting the force of the wind
she pushed herself off the wall, and struggled to stay on her feet, she offered her hand to Demetri as a
loud explosion echoed all around.
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