“My sister will be home soon,” I threaten.
“I’ve seen to it that she will not disturb us for the rest of the night.” When his glistening garnets finally turn to me, his pupils are blown wide, making them look black.
“You… you what?” I clutch the edge of the counter while blood pools between my toes.
“I didn’t enter your world alone. And before you start, she’s safe. I wouldn’t do anything to harm her, unless you really piss me off. Now please, see to your wounds so we may continue.” There is an odd urgency to his tone that he didn’t have last night. It unnerves me. I gulp.
“What’s the rush?” I ask as my nails bite into the cold marble.
Thoughts of Claire being at some bar with a bunch of vampires makes me want to throw up.
“Observant little thing, aren’t you?” Knox’s teeth flash white as he sneers.
I find myself wanting to roll my eyes at him. “Sometimes. I’ll go and change, then we can continue.”
I try not to slip on my blood as I pad my way to the shower inside my room. Once the door is closed, I steady my breathing. I can’t believe he’s here.
In my apartment.
***
I shower and get dressed quicker than I usually would. If tonight is anything like last night, I need to be comfortable. So sweatpants are of course the best option. When I emerge from my bedroom, the broken china has been cleared and the floorlooks like new. Knox stands at the window with his hands behind his back, gazing out on the town below.
More parchment and the same quill from last night has been placed on the couch, and a cup of steaming coffee sits on the small side table nearby. I try not to think about how fast he can move as I sit down and pick up the mug.
I tentatively sniff. I like my coffee sweeter than most, but however he made it, I’ll drink it. I don’t want to give this guy any reason to have me as his next meal. I’m surprised when I take a sip that it’s exactly how I like it.
Has he been watching me? Stalking my order at the local coffee house?
A shiver runs down my spine.
“So, what happened after you took her back to her room?” I ask, grabbing my instruments and putting thoughts of the vampire stalker to the back of my mind. Knox stays where he is, looking out into the darkness outside.
“Chaos. For there was only one type of person who had ever managed to do it before… Egor’s mate.”
21
Knox
“It’s impossible, I destroyedthat entire bloodline!” Egor roars as his fist smashes down onto the table. On the outside, I’m bored and unimpressed by the chaos that ensued after Danni had broken Egor’s compulsion, but on the inside, I’m terrified.
I personally watched Egor take the mortal life of the last descendant. I even searched the house afterwards to make sure nobody would have a reason to go looking for her. No signs of children’s toys or any other life inhabiting remained in the tiny bungalow. So how the fuck had this happened? It all seems impossible, yet didn’t the impossible already happen? Danni must be a direct descendant of the witches we thought we destroyed and Egor got his information terribly wrong. That’s the only explanation there is. Someone’s losing a head when my father finally puts two and two together.
What a thrill it would be to see that fucker’s head on a spike.
I’m mated to a human who carries stakes around in her purse, so this is definitely possible. But right now, I have to convince them all that it isn’t.
“Has it ever crossed your mind that you might be simply… losing your touch, Egor?” I smirk as the vain motherfucker starts examining his hands for wrinkles. Vampires care only about themselves. They can preach about doing what’s best for the coven all they like, but I know this whole fucking thing is purely for their own entertainment. They are old and bored and wish to do as the Romans did. Down here, they can play god and get away with it. They make the rules, after all.
“Insolent boy!” Egor’s face shifts, his eyebrows lowering to conceal half of his eyes while revealing his true face. My goading is working. He is one ugly motherfucker.
I like to think that even when my face shifts, I’m still handsome.
I roll my eyes and sink back into my seat, avoiding my father’s disapproval. He hates it when I provoke his trusted counselors. The first thing I’ll do when I take my father’s power is burn them all at the stake.
“You keep going over it all again and again. It’s boring. Just face the facts: you were either sloppy with your murdering or you just don’t have that magic touch anymore. I mean you’re how old now?”
And that was the final nail in the coffin. Egor leaps up from his seat and pounces on me. He grabs me by the shirt collar, nearly ripping out a few seams. “How dare you disrespect me like that! Do you have any idea what I’ve done to keep us all safe?!” He spits as he speaks, a trait I’ve always detested. I dramatically wipe it from my cheek without flinching.
