Page 111 of Mama Si's Paradise

“You’re not her Master,” Valentine said.

“But Imightbe,” said Tristian, waving his index finger at Valentine as he approached us, too.

“You won’t. Back off,” Valentine said, and though his voice was low and he pretended to be calm, we could all feel the energy radiating off him in waves like heat from the sun.

“Oh—is that an order, little brother?” said Emil, smiling still but I could have sworn this one didn’t quite reach those crazy eyes. Crazybeautifuleyes, a brown so rich it looked like melted chocolate.

“I know you’ve never done this before, Val,” said Tristian, “but just because your hatchling picked her doesn’t mean her blood will choose you. We’ve been over this, haven’t we? Emil’s dragon picked up Mariposa for me just last year. Remember that?”

A loaded moment of silence stretched between them, and I had somehow forced myself to calm down enough that my heart didn’t beat in my ears as loudly. I didn’t shake as badly, and I could stand straighter.

It occurred to me that by showing so much fear in front of these men, I was giving themmorepower, which was stupid.

Because this was it—theycouldn’tkill me. They were trying to get to know me because they were hoping I’d be the next bride in their fucking harem. They would not be tearing me apart anytime soon.

The power wasmine,at least for now.

The realization dawned on me as Emil and Tristian looked at Valentine like they were both unfazed and also expecting him to jump at their throats any second.

Then Valentine said, “It’s five-thirty in the morning. The first full day isn’t over yet officially. Back off andstay away.”

He said the words slowly, separately, and when he turned around to walk into the castle, he didn’t hesitate. His step didn’t falter. He didn’t wait for them to reply, either—he just pulled me along by the arm and pushed the door closed like it weighed nothing at all.

We didn’t stop walking until we were up the stairs to the fifth tower.

“You’re okay.”

It was the third time he was saying it, and I had yet to believe him. Valentine didn’t look like he believed it himself, to be honest—the way he looked at me said he was searching for a wound on my face and body and just waiting for my legs to give up.

“I’m fine,” I said, only for the first time.

“Why were you outside, Sunshine?”

The edges of his face had smoothed out and his eyesweren’t bloodshot or as dark—so different from how he’d looked in front of his brothers.

“You know why,” I muttered, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment.

“You can’t leave the castle. Even if my brothers didn’t hear you—which isn’t going to happen—youcan’tleave,” he said with a deep sigh. “Was that snake coming for you?” Shivers all over me in a second. I only nodded. “Did Emil kill it?”

I shook my head. “No, it was your dragon. He was following me around like a damn shadow.” Andthank Godhe was. I pretended to be bitter, but I was so thankful for that tiny dragon. If it wasn’t for him, I’d have been in a snake’s belly right now.

“Good,” Valentine said, but it wasn’t good at all. None of this wasgood—it was a goddamn disaster.

“I just want to go home,” I said through gritted teeth, fighting back the tears pricking my eyes. Must have been all the trauma of almost being eaten by a snake—and two vampires.

Suddenly, Valentine had his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. I had no chance of stopping it, no chance of even telling him to keep his hands to himself right now. All I could do was hold on to his shirt while he held on to me, pressed his lips to the top of my head and just let me be for a moment. He just rubbed circles on my back and kept me there.

“When is the full day officially over?” I asked when I finally gathered courage to move away and stand straight again.

“Technically speaking, this is your second. But since you spent the first sleeping, Romin allowed us to consider it your first. It ends less than two hours,” he explained. “The vampire whose dragon chooses the offering gets the first twenty-four hours exclusively with the new bride. After that…”

I flinched. “I’m fairgame to all of them.”

“Yes,” he said.

Damn. “Well, then I guess I’ll be in there for the rest of my existence.” And I pushed open the door behind me.

“Sunshine, you need to learn how to control your heartbeat,” Valentine said. “You need to understand that there is no way out of this place. It’s all just a big trap designed to devour the weak, and right now, that’s what you are.”

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