Page 15 of Land of Monsters

“Raven,” I muttered her name, my jaw tight. “Can I speak with you for a moment?”

“No.”

“No?” I sputtered in surprise.

“No,” she stated again, glancing up at me with defiance. “Think we said all we needed to.”

“The fuck we did.” I reached over and grabbed her arm, tugging her to her feet and out of the garden bed. “Excuse us,” I said to the woman, pulling Raven with me.

“Hey!” she protested as I dragged her behind the shed out of earshot. “Let me go!”

“Please.” I pushed her up against the wall, catching a flare of red taint her eyes, but I knew it wasn’t from fear or anger. “Like you couldn’t just gut me where I stand if you wanted.”

Her nose flared, a bloom of heat rising off her, seeping under my skin and wrapping around every nerve. My hands curled, my molars grinding, the sensation of her emotions making my eyes water with pain.

The pain I usually enjoyed.

“I’ve asked you this before, but I will ask again.” I leaned closer to her, the satchel full of herbs and mushrooms she still wore padded between us. “Why are you here?”

Her brows furrowed, her head wagging. “What do you mean, why am I here?”

“You know what I mean.”

“No, clearly I don’t.”

“Why did you follow me instead of just going home?”

“Because—”

“Don’t lie to me.” I stopped her. “If you were some ordinary rich girl, afraid for her family, fearing the retribution of the Mafia, I could almost see that. But you are one of the most protected people in the world. If anyone could handle the Russian Mafia and Dimitri, it would be your mother and your uncle!”

Her lips pinched, looking away.

I grabbed her chin, yanking it back to me. “Your bodyguard was murdered in front of you. Your other bodyguard was found to be a traitor tied to the Mafia. The leader of Russia wants you dead. You should’ve gone straight home. Been protected by your family. Yet you chose to drag me into the mix. Why?”

“Drag?” she spit back. “Sorry I have been such a terrible nuisance. Guess sleeping with your hand gripping my pussy all night is such an inconvenience.”

I sucked in, my head rearing back, chagrin shooting up my neck into my face. I had no memory of doing that last night. My brain was addled by drugs and deep in healing slumber. Though, I recalled with perfect clarity waking up the morning before with her in the hut and being in the same position.

I had touched her again? Unconsciously reaching for her in my sleep, like I was guarding what was mine.

“I’m sor—”

“Whatever.” She cut me off, her cheeks pinking, adjusting the satchel across her chest. “I know it’s not a big deal. Tree fairies are touchy-feely.” Except I hadneverdone that to anyone else before, never woken up with any of my lovers with my fingers inside them. And I had awakened next toa lotof people in my life.

“You’re evading my question.” I turned it back on her, not waiting to analyze any of my actions last night. Like why I had turned down Celeste and returned to the very person I was trying to get away from. “Why did you follow me that first night when you should’ve been on the first plane back to your parents?”

She stayed silent.

“Raven?” My hands went to either side of her head, and I fought to keep my temper in check. “Tell. Me.”

“I don’t know,” she exclaimed.

“You don’t know?” I repeated. “Bullshit. Try again,dziubus.”

Her eyes flickered to me at the pet namelittle beak, and I realized what I had said, but I kept my expression locked.

“I don’t know!” She pushed at my chest, moving away from me like she needed air. “In all practicality, I should have. I get it. But something had me following you instead. I don’t know why,I can’t explain it… I just felt this…” She tapered off, her hand flattening over her stomach. “I have been accused many times of being pampered and spoiled, hiding behind my mommy and daddy, behind the sea of my extremely powerful uncles and aunts.” She took a heavy, centering breath. “Since I was a little girl, I was trained to fight by the best instructorsin the world, but I’ve never once had to protect myself. I’ve been surrounded by bodyguards, babied by family, and protected by the royal house.

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