That’s my good girl. My girl who knows her place.
Crossing my arms, I wait for her to turn back but then she frantically yanks at the door and I lunge. I catch her on the porch, dragging her back inside and she lets out a wretched mewl.
“Nathanos!” she gasps. “Don’t...”
“Don’t what?” I hiss, turning her around until we’re face to face. “Where were you going?”
“To the v...village,” she stutters and pants until her chest heaves. “We’re out of milk.”
“I understand.” I bore my eyes into hers. “But next time when you want something, you will tell me and I’ll take care of it for you. No need to be walking out into the night all on your own.” I stroke her face. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. There are bad men out there. You’re safer here.”
I brush my mouth over hers, adding,
“With me.”
Her lower lip trembles. “B...but you’re not that safe...”
Frowning, I massage her back. “What makes you say that, my sweet?”
Eyes flaring, she looks at me like I’m not in touch with my own nature. “You pointed a rifle at Bryce. You f...fired. If I hadn’t s...stopped you...”
“He would’ve been dead.” I lightly shrug. “Would that have been so bad? Considering the way he treats you, I’d say he deserves to die.” Anger and fear crosses Amabella’s face and she jerks, shoving at me but I grab her wrist, yanking her to me and she looks like she’s on the verge of bursting into tears.
“What’s going on here?” a voice says and I tense.
A dry sob crosses Amabella’s lips. “Daddy...,” she pleads and Dean frowns, pushing his glasses up but fails to comfort his daughter. It doesn’t matter. She has me for comfort.
“I was just teaching Amabella some self-defense, Dean,” I rasp, firing a heroic smile. “She’s a sweet girl your daughter but inexperienced about the outside world. I decided to take it upon myself to inform her of the dangers she may encounter.”
Dean scratches the back of his head and looks relieved. “That’s incredibly kind of you.” His eyes go to his daughter. “Amabella, have you thanked Nate for taking time out of his busy schedule?”
Looking like she’s on the verge of screaming, Amabella stutters, “T...thank you...”
My eyes milden. “You’re so very welcome, Amabella dear.” I glance at Dean who seems pleased and he walks off, failing to read the room.Idiot. I honestly do think Amabella would be better off without them.
“Destroy me if you want,” Amabella whispers. “But don’t destroy my family, Nathanos. Please.”
Frowning I murmur, “What’s with the Nathanos? What happened with Nate?”
Heat flashes in her eyes and she yanks at her arm. “Be happy I’m not calling you by your true name!”
I raise a brow. “Which is?”
Her mouth shivers. “Monster.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Amabella
Pacing back and forth in my room, I wring my hands. Things have changed so quickly that my head spins worse than a storm. Before I would have been so excited, I’d almost shatter into pieces but now things are different.
My curtains are drawn, my lights out and one weak candle flame is the only thing preventing total darkness. I’ve done everything I can to not attract Nathanos. I’m dressed in a high neck nightgown that looks like something out of a Victorian novel and there’s just no way Nathanos would find it tantalizing on me.
It looks obscenely...innocent.
And innocence is supposed to repel evil.
Feeling fretful and out of control, I grab a piece of sage I stole from dad and light it up. The smell is smoky and pungent, making me cough. I smudge my room from ceiling to floor to keep Nathanos’s wicked energy out.