Page 29 of Lady of Darkness
“Every empire falls eventually, doesn’t it?” Luka says cruelly.
I hear someone scream, and I realize a second later that the sound is coming from my own mouth.
“You just lost me a lot of money, Lord Cross,” Luka says angrily. He snaps his eyes to me. “Come with me, or I will have Gemma killed.”
I’m in too much shock to cry. My eyes look at Alaric and Sterling, and I notice the seeping red liquid growing on Sterling’s shirt, dripping down Alaric’s hand as he clutches his chest. I glance between them, unsure of what to do. Alaric’s dark eyes bore into mine, but he doesn’t move. Doesn’t say anything. I can’t tell if he’s in shock, or if he’s trying to tell me something.
Why isn’t he saying anything?
If the Lords have found you, go with them.
If you are scared, don’t be.
You can trust them.
Sterling falls to his knees. His eyes find mine, but he doesn’t say a word.Why?
They killed Savo immediately, but they aren’t going after Luka.
They are trying to tell me something, but what is it?
You can trust them.
You can trust them.
You can trust them.
I look at Luka. “You shot them.”
Glancing back over at Alaric, he licks his lips. It’s like they’re waiting for me to do something.
The memory snaps into place, and I remember when they tricked me a few weeks ago, pretending to kill Gideon to scare me.Bulletproof vest and fake blood, baby.They’d used tools then to pretend, to fake Gideon’s death.
Alaric’s eyes find mine.
They’re wearing vests, and it’s fake blood. Theymustbe faking it.
Now I just have to playwiththem.
I smile. “I’m glad you shot them.” Looking at Luka, I grab my pajamas from next to the bed, pulling them on quickly. Standing taller, I turn to face him. “You better keep your end of the bargain,” I mumble.
Luka grins. “I promise that Gemma is safe.”
Casting one more quick glance over at the guys, I give them a look of indifference before I follow Luka out of the room.
Please be right.
Please be right.
We walk down a dark hallway, and a warm breeze flutters through the air. This whole house is so impersonal–beige and bland, as grand as it is. I much prefer the dark, edgy vibes in England. Luka places an arm around my shoulders as he leads us further away.
“Idiots. Not so powerful now, are they?”
I laugh, but my stomach churns with nausea.
Please be okay.
“I knew they’d be thinking with their cocks and want to find you first. My men followed them inside. The other two are probably already dead,” he says, chuckling as we get to another one of the bedrooms.
