cohorts crept closer.
“You ok there—Leonna? He hurt you?” Tiernan’s gaze raked her body, and then he focused on her face.
Nicholai didn’t like the lustful glint in Tiernan’s eyes. Protect. Mine. Nicholai moved Leonna behind him, away from the other males. The ledge was dangerously close. A cold draft from the opening raised the hair on the back of his neck.
“I’m fine. Wh…what do you want?” Leonna wrapped her arm around Nicholai’s waist, pressing against him. Her cheek rested against his shoulder.
“My, my, does my brother have a love in his life? That’s a first.” Tiernan chuckled. “Maybe we’ll have some fun with her later, boys.”
Nicholai’s body shook with rage, and his vision blurred. He’s goading me. A roar erupted from his throat. He wanted to rip the offending male in half, brother or not.
Leonna’s grip tightened on his arm. “Please, don’t. He’s not worth the effort.”
Nicholai fought the beast, taming him at her request. He focused on his brother, watching him like a hawk. “You followed me. Why?”
A flash caught Nicholai’s attention.
In Tiernan’s palm, the dagger he intended to give their father for his birthday glinted in the subdued light.
Tiernan’s lip curled. “You made me look weak tonight, in front of the other males.”
Nicholai took a step forward, balancing the distance between the two threats. Alden stood close by, his body tense, mouth set in a grim line. Macion hung back, brow furrowed.
Nicholai returned his gaze to his brother. “I think you did that all on your own.”
Tiernan’s face reddened. A low growl built in his chest.
Leonna gasped and took a step back.
Tiernan tensed and launched himself at Nicholai.
Grabbing the handle of his own dagger, Nicholai yanked the weapon from his belt.
The tip of Tiernan’s blade swiped dangerously close to Nicholai’s face.
He parried, blocking a blow from Tiernan’s fist.
Leonna pushed against Nicholai, eager to get around him, her own anger evident in the tight lines in her face. She kicked Tiernan, landing a blow to his shin.
No. What was she doing? Nicholai’s senses became hyper-sensitive to the world around him as his fear for her spiked. Caught up in his worry over his female, he lost focus for the briefest moment. That was all the time Tiernan needed.
Swoosh. Pain exploded in his shoulder.
His brother grunted and twisted the dagger.
The intensity of the pain radiated into Nicholai’s head, threatening to fog his mind. He gripped the handle and pulled the dagger free. The tainted present clattered to the floor.
“Watch out!” Leonna’s voice broke through the fog in his mind just in time.
Nicholai flipped his own dagger to his uninjured hand and thrust out, toward his assailant. The tip connected with his brother’s face. A thin, red line of blood formed along his cheek.
“Help me, you fools.” Tiernan’s voice, full of malice echoed down the corridor.
“ Craya . No way.” Alden ran.
Nicholai caught a glimpse of Macion. The male held back, watching. His furrowed brows and taut face belayed his confusion.
Leonna edged closer to the ledge, away from the males.
Nicholai stilled, fear gripping his heart like a vise.
Smack. His head whipped to the side, and his vision blurred. He faltered from the agony.
Using the shift in momentum, Tiernan rushed at Nicholai, sending him into Leonna.
Leonna’s scream echoed off the walls as she fell into the crevasse.
Noooooooooo. He glanced over the edge.
She was gone.
Adrenaline fueled by hatred raced through Nicholai’s body. In a rage, he picked up his brother, and body-slammed him to the ground. He held the knife to Tiernan’s neck. He’s my brother. The familial bond was the only reason the insolent male wasn’t dead.
The urge to push the blade into Tiernan’s throat made Nicholai’s fingers twitch, nicking the skin. A drop of blood pooled at the blade’s tip before tracing
“You ok there—Leonna? He hurt you?” Tiernan’s gaze raked her body, and then he focused on her face.
Nicholai didn’t like the lustful glint in Tiernan’s eyes. Protect. Mine. Nicholai moved Leonna behind him, away from the other males. The ledge was dangerously close. A cold draft from the opening raised the hair on the back of his neck.
“I’m fine. Wh…what do you want?” Leonna wrapped her arm around Nicholai’s waist, pressing against him. Her cheek rested against his shoulder.
“My, my, does my brother have a love in his life? That’s a first.” Tiernan chuckled. “Maybe we’ll have some fun with her later, boys.”
Nicholai’s body shook with rage, and his vision blurred. He’s goading me. A roar erupted from his throat. He wanted to rip the offending male in half, brother or not.
Leonna’s grip tightened on his arm. “Please, don’t. He’s not worth the effort.”
Nicholai fought the beast, taming him at her request. He focused on his brother, watching him like a hawk. “You followed me. Why?”
A flash caught Nicholai’s attention.
In Tiernan’s palm, the dagger he intended to give their father for his birthday glinted in the subdued light.
Tiernan’s lip curled. “You made me look weak tonight, in front of the other males.”
Nicholai took a step forward, balancing the distance between the two threats. Alden stood close by, his body tense, mouth set in a grim line. Macion hung back, brow furrowed.
Nicholai returned his gaze to his brother. “I think you did that all on your own.”
Tiernan’s face reddened. A low growl built in his chest.
Leonna gasped and took a step back.
Tiernan tensed and launched himself at Nicholai.
Grabbing the handle of his own dagger, Nicholai yanked the weapon from his belt.
The tip of Tiernan’s blade swiped dangerously close to Nicholai’s face.
He parried, blocking a blow from Tiernan’s fist.
Leonna pushed against Nicholai, eager to get around him, her own anger evident in the tight lines in her face. She kicked Tiernan, landing a blow to his shin.
No. What was she doing? Nicholai’s senses became hyper-sensitive to the world around him as his fear for her spiked. Caught up in his worry over his female, he lost focus for the briefest moment. That was all the time Tiernan needed.
Swoosh. Pain exploded in his shoulder.
His brother grunted and twisted the dagger.
The intensity of the pain radiated into Nicholai’s head, threatening to fog his mind. He gripped the handle and pulled the dagger free. The tainted present clattered to the floor.
“Watch out!” Leonna’s voice broke through the fog in his mind just in time.
Nicholai flipped his own dagger to his uninjured hand and thrust out, toward his assailant. The tip connected with his brother’s face. A thin, red line of blood formed along his cheek.
“Help me, you fools.” Tiernan’s voice, full of malice echoed down the corridor.
“ Craya . No way.” Alden ran.
Nicholai caught a glimpse of Macion. The male held back, watching. His furrowed brows and taut face belayed his confusion.
Leonna edged closer to the ledge, away from the males.
Nicholai stilled, fear gripping his heart like a vise.
Smack. His head whipped to the side, and his vision blurred. He faltered from the agony.
Using the shift in momentum, Tiernan rushed at Nicholai, sending him into Leonna.
Leonna’s scream echoed off the walls as she fell into the crevasse.
Noooooooooo. He glanced over the edge.
She was gone.
Adrenaline fueled by hatred raced through Nicholai’s body. In a rage, he picked up his brother, and body-slammed him to the ground. He held the knife to Tiernan’s neck. He’s my brother. The familial bond was the only reason the insolent male wasn’t dead.
The urge to push the blade into Tiernan’s throat made Nicholai’s fingers twitch, nicking the skin. A drop of blood pooled at the blade’s tip before tracing
Similar Books
