Page 92 of Land of Monsters

My dark dweller growled at the idea he was anything but hers, still knotted, like she was making sure he knew who owned him.

I knew no one else was for me. Ever. Even if he walked away, I would follow, and that terrified me. I fell for a man who I thought was my forever, and he broke my heart. Ash wouldn’t just break my heart; he would demolish it. I did not like giving anyone that sort of power over me.

“Are you cold?” He rubbed my shivering back, drawing me back to the present. The cold was not why I was shaking.

Looking up, I realized he had taken us to a wooded area close to the square, with paved trails and an out-of-order gondola nearby that went up the mountain. A public park. Anyone could have walked by. Not that it would have stopped us. I seemed to forget everything when I was near Ash.

Like my brother being kidnapped.

“Fuck.” I sat up with a jolt, and Ash bit down on his lip, his cock still inside me, a grunt huffing from his nose from my abrupt movement.

Reality barreled into me without slowing down.

We just fucked in the middle of the park after my brother was taken prisoner by the Russian Mafia.

“Oh my gods,” I gritted through my teeth, trying to move off him.

Ash hissed, his cum oozing from me as I stood up, yanking up my pants. “I can’t believe this.”

“Can’t believe what?” He followed me up, pulling his own pants up.

“This!” I motioned between us. “Eve just took my brother!” I stressed. “The Russian Mafia has him and they will probably hand him over to Dimitri Kozlov! Or even worse, to Sonya! He’s being held prisoner while I’m fucking you in the woods not ten minutes later.”

“Raven.” He finished buckling his pants. “Ten minutes ago, you were bleeding out and about to die.” He nodded atmy stomach, which was healing back up, the two shells on the ground in the snow. “Fucking me saved your life.”

“Seriously?” I popped an eyebrow with a huff. “You think you’re that fucking good?”

“I know I am.” He grabbed my arm, pulling me to him. “But that’s not what I am saying and you know it, little beak.”

I rolled my jaw.

“You’re scared and angry.”

“Don’t—”

“Don’t what, Raven? Act like I know you?” He let go of my arm, but only moved closer. “Because I do. You can get as mad as you want, but it doesn’t change the fact I probably know you better than anyone else.” He leaned over me. “To watch Nikolay shoot you, to not be able to get to you in time…” He rolled his hands into balls, his expression deadly. “I almost lost you. So I don’t give a fuck if you’re scared or mad. Lash out at me, but I am going nowhere. You understand me?” He waited until I nodded. “What is between us”—he motioned between us—”is fucking terrifying. It scares me too, but there is no running from it. Not ever.” He slid his hand through my hair, curling his hand around the back of my neck. “I know you felt what I did, and there is no backing away unscathed now.”

“I know.” I swallowed, my eyes watering. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t ever be sorry.” He exhaled, his shoulders lowering at my admission.

“What if something happens to Rook? It will be my fault.”

“Coming here was his own choice.”

“But he did it for me! And Eve must have my family still believing she’s on their side.” I wiped quickly at my eyes, anxiety dancing my feet. “I have to find him. We must track him down!”

“Raven.” He clutched my arm before I could move. “You can’t. They are long gone by now.”

“My dweller can track him.” I wasn’t as good at tracking as my family, especially since he was in a car, the goblin metal cutting him off from me, but I knew the bond to my brother would lead me to him like he’d found me.

“Raven, stop. You are still weak. We need a moment to regroup.”

“No! Every moment I waste, he gets further from me. They will hurt him, Ash.”

Ash gripped my face, trying to talk reason into me. “There is no way I’m lettingyouget hurt again. We need to come up with a plan.”

“This is all my fault. I can’t lose my brother…” My voice broke. “If this was your sister? What would you do to keep her alive?”

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