Page 7 of Promised in Blood

“So who is the head of your house?” she asks. “House Drakos?”

“My father.”

Ophelia blinks. “Your father?”

“You seem surprised that I have one.”

She shrugs, chewing on her lip. “Surprised he’s still alive, I guess. You’ve never spoken of him is all. I assumed you had no family left.”

I suppose I have never spoken of him or my brother with her. After all, this is so new, and I have spoken to her so very little. It should come as no surprise that I did not share with her details of my life that I have barely spoken of to the three vampires I have lived with for hundreds of years. “I have a brother also.”

Her eyes widen, and she looks from me to the guys, then back at me.

“Giorgios,” Malachi says.

“Yeah, we met him. But why have we never met your father?” Xavier asks, his voice dripping with suspicion.

“Because I do not wish for you to.” My tone makes it clear that I have no intention of discussing this issue further, but I can tell by Xavier’s expression—I would recognize that stubborn tilt of his jaw from a mile away—that he has no plan to drop it.

“Because you’re ashamed of us, right?” he demands, proving my instincts right.

I suppress both my frustration and annoyance even as they prickle beneath my skin. “Because he would tear your head off your shoulders if you gave him even half of the attitude you give me.”

Xavier’s right eye twitches as he glares at me.

Do not mistake my behavior toward the girl as any sign of weakness, Xavier,I warn him and him alone.

He cracks his neck.Yes sir!

Unaware of our private conversation, Malachi chimes in. “Is he a danger to Ophelia?”

I swallow the knot of anxiety that rolls up my throat, but Malachi’s question saves Xavier from my wrath. “Yes.” I cup her chin in my hand and tilt her head back until her sparkling blue eyes are fixed on my face. “Where you are concerned, he is the most dangerous creature that exists.”

“Why?”

“Because he would lock you in a cage and breed you for the next three millennia. He would exploit your power for his own ends, Ophelia. Do you understand me?”

She nods, her lip caught between her teeth. And now all I can think about is burying myself so deep inside her that I will not have to think of anything but her. I stand with her in my arms, and the immediate despair that radiates from my boys makes me pause for a second. Their fear that I will keep her for myself is sopalpable I can taste it in the air. And I am so cruel I could do that to them without a moment’s hesitation.

Or could I?

I have never been the kind of father they deserve, but perhaps that is because I failed to be even a halfway decent father to my own son. If I had been better, then maybe he would not have betrayed his own blood so cruelly. But regardless of any of that, it is not something I could do to Ophelia. She has already bonded to them, and that means she needs them as much as they need her.

I crush her to my chest and walk toward the door. “Ophelia is staying with me tonight.” I have to force out the next words. “But that does not change what you all have.”

A current of relief runs through the room like an electric charge, but it is the smile on Ophelia’s face as she wraps her arms around my neck that makes the sacrifice of agreeing to share her with them worthwhile.

Chapter

Four

OPHELIA

“Your skin is softer than silk, little one.” Alexandros’s warm breath dusts over my stomach as he peels off my panties, making goosebumps break out all over my flesh. He presses a soft kiss on my abdomen before he stands tall and towers over me, his dark eyes ablaze with heat and desire.

My legs tremble with anticipation, and his mouth twitches with the hint of a smile. “I am not undressing you for any reason other than I do not allow the wearing of clothes in my bed, Ophelia.”

“Oh.” My bottom lip juts out before I can stop it. It felt so good to be close to him earlier in his office. Was incredible to be worshipped by him. Because that’s what it was—worship. At least that’s what it felt like. Yet I already feel his mind closed off to me. Not entirely, but much more than it was before. When he was biting me, when he was inside me, it was like he couldn’t stop our link even though I sensed he wanted to. He couldn’t keep me out. Having that kind of connection with him made me feel special.

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