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Knife. My brain screamed at me, but I laid absolutely still. All I could do was stare into her fierce blue eyes. She couldn’t be blamed, that kind of loyalty to another person was precious.I forgive you.
I couldn’t say it out loud without my neck being sliced open, but I tried to convey it in the look. Death was here for me, and my time was up.
The door banged open. Iryna jerked. It was enough for me to wrench the blade away. Iryna screeched and pushed against my hold. Every fiber of my being struggled to survive, to disarm her! Iryna fought equally as hard to sink the blade into my flesh. I held her wrist with all my strength. Her free hand rained blows down on me—slaps and scratches. Those manicured fingers were terribly close to my eye.
But in the next movement, Iryna was pulled off me. There was a deep, pained masculine grunt. I couldn’t see the newcomer, but I couldfeelhim. I blinked, the edges of my vision tinged with black as pain rushed once again through a burst of self-preserving adrenaline.
“That is enough!” Constantine roared. He was fury incarnate.
Iryna quieted, but only because she was shocked. Constantine had set her on the crushed velvet ottoman. Shock coursed through me too. The noise of our breaths mingled as we all gauged the situation.
The sister recovered quickly and bolted after me. I struggled to get away from her but only partially succeeded. Drakos wrapped a solid arm around her and hauled her against his chest.
“You’re picking her side?” Iryna screamed. “Con, how could you?”
“I won’t choose; but sister, I can’t have war in my house,” he bellowed. “You need to cool the fuck off! You’re not thinking straight.”
“Throw her out!” Iryna screamed, struggling against him. Constantine groaned.
I got a good look at him then. His skin was ashen, his face pinched in pain. Struggling to my feet, I fisted my hands to avoid clutching my own ribs. My fucking male relatives had bruised the hell out of my torso. Drakos narrowed his eyes at me, but I shook my head.
“Con, this isn’t right,” Iryna pleaded, suddenly realizing her struggling was doing more harm than good and relaxed into her brother’s hold.
Drakos held my gaze. “She’s my wife, and she’s a lost soul.”
“She’s the enemy! She’ll kill you.” The desperation in his sister’s voice was palpable. “She was in here,” Iryna whispered. “Plotting with the devil—her sire!”
“She won’t kill me.” Drakos never wavered, his eyes staring hard into my soul.
I sucked in a sharp breath but winced as my body rejected the sudden movement. The action brought on another realization. Out of everyone in this room, Drakos had never hit me. I swallowed hard. There’d been plenty of occasions for him to physically hurt me, but he’d only been rough to increase pleasure. Warmth pooled inside me as I watched the man battle through the agony of his own injuries to defend me.
“Don’t be mad at her,” I said, dusting myself off. “She loves you, Constantine.”
There was a beat before he spoke. “‘She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them.’”
Othello.I offered him a small smile of understanding. I’d read the damn book in Greece—twice. The words packed a heavy weight in this moment.
Iryna began to struggle in his arms.
“Enough,louloudi mou.”
“Fine, then I’m done. I won’t sit here and let you ruin your life.”
“Go stay with Adrian tonight. Come talk to me tomorrow, when you calm down.”
At his words, Iryna deflated, all the struggle leaving her veins. “You’ve chosen her.” The words were defeated as Iryna pulled away, body slumped.
Drakos let her go. “I’m choosing the only path that keeps us all alive. The enemy wants us fighting amongst ourselves. We’re not at war—why can’t you see that?”
She’s blinded by her loyalty. I didn’t say it out loud. Iryna wouldn’t love me for it. I saw her eyes a bit ago. Maybe in time my actions would help her change her mind toward me.
“Goodbye,adelfós. If you don’t live to see the sunrise...Se agapó.”I love you.The words rang through the room as Iryna straightened her spine and walked away.
“Maybe in time she’ll see I’m not a threat,” I whispered, my words packing all the hope I carried to mend the beautiful man in front of me.
