Nikolaos said he’d kill her, and I believe him.
The best thing to do, the prudent thing, is to calmly observe them and absorb information until I can figure out another plan.
Maybe if I pray hard enough and beg forgiveness, God will give me another chance…
“But this one,” Knox goes on, becoming more agitated, “she sets off every one of my fucking instincts. Every single one. And she follows commands? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Blinking, Nikolaos brings the section of my hair up to his nose and inhales, causing his nostrils to flare.
“How likely do you think it is the Order would have two Marked in one city?” Knox asks.
“Not at all likely,” Nikolaos answers with a scowl and rubs my hair thoughtfully between his fingers. “It’s been decades since they’ve made such a stupid mistake.”
Knox nods his head. “Exactly. Then that would mean this one isn’t marked…”
“Not necessarily,” Nikolaos says slowly and drops my hair. Watching the blonde strands fall one by one from his pale fingers.
Knox leans closer, his gaze and full attention fixating on me. “You think she’s marked? You think she’s faking her reactions?”
Noticing Knox’s sudden interest in me, Nikolaos flashes his fangs in warning.
Instead of backing off or looking away this time, Knox scoots closer and bares his fangs in return.
The two vampires glare at each other with murderous intentions. Each looking as if they’re ready to tear out the other’s throat.
Stuck between the two of them, my heart wants to take off again. Panic threatens to squeeze my ribs and smother my breath, but I fight it back.
If I don’t remain calm they’ll know for sure I’ve been faking it the whole time. As it is, there seems to be some doubt about what I am. Doubt that plays to my advantage.
Time ticks by slowly, ever so slowly. With me counting every steady heartbeat. Praying I don’t slip up and give myself away.
Then suddenly the tension shatters.
Knox rears back while cursing, “Fuck!”
Keeping his attention fully trained on Knox, Nikolaos reaches over and grabs me, pulling me into his lap. Much like a little kid grabbing a toy so another can’t play with it.
Everything inside me wants to recoil at the contact. To shrivel up and shrink away from the touch of his cool, hard body against my body.
It’s unnatural and revolting.
Wrapping an arm around me, Nikolaos traps me tight to his chest.
Resisting the urge, the need to squirm away from him, I focus hard on remaining completely still.
Seemingly calming now that he has me close, Nikolaos lets out a long breath.
As if he even needs the oxygen.
Knox shakes his head hard like he’s trying to mentally dislodge something. “I don’t know what the fuck just came over me.”
“I do,” Nikolaos says calmly, “it’s her.”
Knox rolls his eyes and his voice drips with sarcasm. “Yeah, well… no shit, Sherlock. Of course it’s her. She must be fucking marked. The Order fucked up somehow, or they’re running out of—”
“I don’t believe she’s marked,” Nikolaos says, interrupting him.
Knox looks at Nikolaos as if he’s suddenly gone mad. “If she’s not marked then why are we both ready to kick each other’s asses to claim her? She fucking pulls at me, Nikolaos. Pulls at me so hard, I’m barely resisting it.”
“I don’t believe she’s marked yet,” Nikolaos clarifies. “But I believe she’ll manifest soon.”
Knox scoffs at first, but his expression quickly becomes thoughtful. “That would explain a great deal,” he finally agrees.
“Indeed,” Nikolaos says, and I feel his arm tighten around me. “It explains everything.”
Knox’s eyes drift toward me before he catches himself and jerks them away. “So… you managed to catch yourself a Marked before anyone else has discovered her. You’ve one-upped the fucking Order…”
The limo begins to slow then comes to a complete stop.
Looking hard at Nikolaos, Knox asks, “What do you plan to do with her?”
Nikolaos smiles a wicked smile that shakes the very foundations of my soul. “I plan to keep her.”
Knox scowls. “But what if she shows and she’s not yours?”
Nikolaos lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “Finders, keepers.”
“I can guarantee you that will not go over well,” Knox says with a hint of a growl.
“I don’t give a fuck.” Nikolaos reaches out with his free arm to open the door. “Whoever doesn’t like it can go fuck themselves.”
“Nikolaos…” Knox says, pleading, but Nikolaos ignores him as he focuses on nudging me out of the car.
Unwilling to completely release me, Nikolaos unwraps his arm from around me but keeps a firm grip on my hand as he guides me out the door.
Once my feet hit the pavement, the desire to run for my life nearly gets the best of me.
I’m so disturbed, so alarmed by what Nikolaos just said, I want to scream and flee in terror.
Nothing the Order taught me prepared me for this scenario. In fact, most of what the Order taught me says this shouldn’t even be possible.