Clara looked at the little girl affectionately. “Hello, Abby. Did you miss me?”
To my surprise, Abby responded, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Very good. Come with me then. We have a lot to talk about.”
Kiev’s lip twitched when Abby inched away from me, stood up and obediently walked toward Clara.
“Abby?” I frowned. “What’s going on?”
Abby gave me an apologetic gaze—one that seemed to displease Clara, because she grabbed Abby’s jaw and made the child look her in the eye. “Whose side are you on, Abby? Mine or hers?”
Tears streamed down the little girl’s face. “Yours, ma’am.”
“Good girl.” Clara didn’t miss out on the opportunity to give me a smug grin.
My heart dropped. She’s going to make Abby tell her everything Derek and I talked about. I desperately tried to recall if Derek and I had discussed anything that could lead us or Abby into trouble, but my mind was blanked by panic and concern for a child I treasured deeply.
Clara held Abby’s hand and tugged at the little girl to follow her. They began to walk away, but not before Clara placed a peck on her brother’s lips.
Kiev’s nose wrinkled, his stance tensed and his fists balled, but he didn’t stop the vampire from doing as she pleased. He actually sighed with relief the moment Clara disappeared.
He caught me staring at him in question.
“You and her?” I asked, wondering if I had found his weak spot. “That’s repulsive.”
His jaw tightened. I saw a glimpse of humanity in him when he said, “My thoughts exactly.”
“Then why do you let her get away with it? Can you not take her down? Put her in her place? If you hate it so much, why let it happen? Maybe you like it. You actually like it when your sister comes on to you.”
“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you. Clara is not my sister. We’re the Elder’s children, but Clara… Emilia… all his spawns… none of them are my family.”
“Then who is?”
“Whoever I want”—red eyes traveled from the top of my head to the tips of my toes—“for the moment.”
I suppressed a shudder, fighting to maintain composure. You’ve been around all sorts of disgusting creatures before, Sofia. You can handle this. I stared at him, slightly mortified, but keeping my head held high, increasingly intrigued. I returned the favor and began to peruse him. Strong, muscled, virile…
My eyes met his and based on the way he was glaring at me, he didn’t seem to appreciate the way I was studying him. To retaliate, he began hitting me where it hurt.
He set his eyes on Derek.
“You should’ve heard him scream in pain when I ran the knife against his flesh. Oh, and when the beasts came at him…” Kiev chuckled, delight sparking in his eyes.
I didn’t even want to ask what beasts were.
Kiev’s voice took on an almost nostalgic tone. “I never thought I’d see it myself… the fall of a legend. I honestly thought that Emilia was going to be his downfall, but he survived even that. I’ve got to admit that I like this better.” He lightly kicked Derek’s leg. “I like being the hand that brings him to his knees.”
I’d gotten to him when I’d taunted him about Clara. His defenses had dropped. Now he was launching a counterattack. I managed to just smirk at him before nudging Derek. Why aren’t you waking up at all this commotion? You’re not normally a heavy sleeper. “Derek?” I muttered.
“He’s fine.”
I looked up to find Kiev rolling his eyes.
“He’s not dead, if that’s what you’re worried about. So, enough of your moping, Lady Novak. Get up.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I’m not going to leave him here. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
I was barely able to comprehend what happened next. Within seconds, his one hand was fisted over a clump of my hair, gripping it painfully. His other hand pressed against my back, pushing me against a wall, my cheek against the rough stone.
“My orders aren’t requests, sweet queen. They’re commands, which you are to immediately obey.”
I tried to hit him with my free hands, but he grabbed one arm and twisted it until I yelped with pain.
“I wouldn’t exert myself too much if I were you. Not in this condition.”
I had no time to wonder what he meant because he flipped me in one swift motion so that I was facing him, my back against the wall. His face was way too close to mine.
“Let go of me,” I hissed at him.
“You’re queen of The Shade, Sofia. Not queen of The Blood Keep. Your commands mean nothing here.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you to come with me.”
Derek lay motionless on the ground. He was clearly still breathing, but to still remain asleep even after his head had hit the ground when Kiev pulled me from beneath him was completely unlike him.
“Why isn’t he waking up?”
“Damn it, I could snap you in half and still it’s him you’re worried about.”
I slammed both my palms against Kiev’s chest. “Why isn’t he waking up?”
“I don’t know, okay? Maybe his body is trying to cope with the torture he went through. I don’t give a damn! I just know that I don’t want to be here when he does, so you better come with me right now, Sofia, or I am going to make you regret it.”