tell her I've promised her to another? When she learns everything and du Lac is destroyed, she will come willingly."
He stalked closer and leaned over her. "You had better hope so. I do not like to be cheated out of what is mine."
Olga stood, forcing him back. "Do not try to intimidate me. Without Katerina, there is no chance of this plan succeeding. I know that without her, we will never achieve our goals. You must be patient and let things play out."
"I've waited long enough…"
"Think of how sweet it will be when du Lac realizes the catalyst of his destruction is the woman he loves."
He paused, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"
"I mean he is already falling in love with my daughter. And when she completes the circle, his downfall will be doubly sweet."
He nodded as he contemplated her words. "All right, for now, I will go along with you. But be careful, you play a dangerous game when meddling in the affairs of the heart. You had better pray it doesn't backfire."
Olga smiled. "It won't. When she has all the facts, she will hate him, and will help us willingly."
"If you're wrong, it will mean all our deaths."
"I'm not wrong."
Chapter Eight
If I'd known this would drive you into my arms, I might have arranged to be injured sooner."
Adrian's voice drifted through Katerina's sleep-dazed mind. How long had she been asleep? Still dark out, so not very long. As she stirred, she realized the intimacy of her position. She curled into him, and his arm kept her anchored against his side. A flash of heat between her legs drew her attention to just how closely. She finally opened her eyes and met his gaze.
He smiled, and her heart thudded against her chest. His other hand came up to stroke her cheek lightly, and he placed a soft kiss on her lips. "What a delight to finally have you in my bed."
She started to rise, but he held her in place. "Adrian, this isn't what I intended…"
"Of course it is. And now that I have you, I can't let you go."
A frisson of alarm skittered along her spine. She stiffened and tried once again to free herself. She wasn't ready for this yet. She still had so many doubts, so many fears, despite the incredible longing that almost overpowered her. How could she resist what she wanted so much? She had to. "I should probably…I mean, you were hurt before, but now you're all right and…"
She swallowed her next words at the sight before her. Adrian's eyes turned to gold, and he leaned over her. His grip tightened, and she was helpless beneath him.
"Why do you still run from me? Why won't you trust me?" The menace in his voice made her breath catch.
"A-Adrian, I-I really don't like the way y-you're…"
He groaned and released her, rolling to the other side of the bed. Legs trembling, she stood and grabbed her shoes. She was almost to the door when he called out.
"Don't go."
She stopped and slowly turned. He was normal again, and there was a hint of regret in his blue eyes. He was beside her in an instant, leaving her stunned at the speed with which he moved.
"Forgive me. I'm afraid my control is somewhat weakened."
"Y-You were going to…weren't you?"
He shook his head, his eyes wide with horror. "Kat, never. I would never hurt you. Believe me."
"But you were all…your eyes, I mean. I was…"
"Frightened." He sighed and drew her into his arms. She remained stiff, though the feel of his embrace was a comfort. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let…never mind. Do you forgive me?"
His hands stroked up and down her back, soothing her agitation. She savored his strength, and her fear began to fade. He had almost died tonight and the thought of losing him was too great to dwell on. She was willing to risk anything to be here like this. It had taken her several weeks to recognize the strength of her desire. What a fool she'd been. She'd always known what he was,
He stalked closer and leaned over her. "You had better hope so. I do not like to be cheated out of what is mine."
Olga stood, forcing him back. "Do not try to intimidate me. Without Katerina, there is no chance of this plan succeeding. I know that without her, we will never achieve our goals. You must be patient and let things play out."
"I've waited long enough…"
"Think of how sweet it will be when du Lac realizes the catalyst of his destruction is the woman he loves."
He paused, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"
"I mean he is already falling in love with my daughter. And when she completes the circle, his downfall will be doubly sweet."
He nodded as he contemplated her words. "All right, for now, I will go along with you. But be careful, you play a dangerous game when meddling in the affairs of the heart. You had better pray it doesn't backfire."
Olga smiled. "It won't. When she has all the facts, she will hate him, and will help us willingly."
"If you're wrong, it will mean all our deaths."
"I'm not wrong."
Chapter Eight
If I'd known this would drive you into my arms, I might have arranged to be injured sooner."
Adrian's voice drifted through Katerina's sleep-dazed mind. How long had she been asleep? Still dark out, so not very long. As she stirred, she realized the intimacy of her position. She curled into him, and his arm kept her anchored against his side. A flash of heat between her legs drew her attention to just how closely. She finally opened her eyes and met his gaze.
He smiled, and her heart thudded against her chest. His other hand came up to stroke her cheek lightly, and he placed a soft kiss on her lips. "What a delight to finally have you in my bed."
She started to rise, but he held her in place. "Adrian, this isn't what I intended…"
"Of course it is. And now that I have you, I can't let you go."
A frisson of alarm skittered along her spine. She stiffened and tried once again to free herself. She wasn't ready for this yet. She still had so many doubts, so many fears, despite the incredible longing that almost overpowered her. How could she resist what she wanted so much? She had to. "I should probably…I mean, you were hurt before, but now you're all right and…"
She swallowed her next words at the sight before her. Adrian's eyes turned to gold, and he leaned over her. His grip tightened, and she was helpless beneath him.
"Why do you still run from me? Why won't you trust me?" The menace in his voice made her breath catch.
"A-Adrian, I-I really don't like the way y-you're…"
He groaned and released her, rolling to the other side of the bed. Legs trembling, she stood and grabbed her shoes. She was almost to the door when he called out.
"Don't go."
She stopped and slowly turned. He was normal again, and there was a hint of regret in his blue eyes. He was beside her in an instant, leaving her stunned at the speed with which he moved.
"Forgive me. I'm afraid my control is somewhat weakened."
"Y-You were going to…weren't you?"
He shook his head, his eyes wide with horror. "Kat, never. I would never hurt you. Believe me."
"But you were all…your eyes, I mean. I was…"
"Frightened." He sighed and drew her into his arms. She remained stiff, though the feel of his embrace was a comfort. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let…never mind. Do you forgive me?"
His hands stroked up and down her back, soothing her agitation. She savored his strength, and her fear began to fade. He had almost died tonight and the thought of losing him was too great to dwell on. She was willing to risk anything to be here like this. It had taken her several weeks to recognize the strength of her desire. What a fool she'd been. She'd always known what he was,
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