Page 25 of Royal Guard

Emerik ran in, dived and tackled the guy on the bed, carrying him down to the floor. The Princess’s body was tugged sideways for a second and then, as her throat was released, she flopped back like a rag doll.Oh Jesus, no!

I punched my attacker in the guts, then in the face. He was a big guy, but I waspissedand my fists had all my anger behind them. He went staggering backwards, then recovered and came at me again.

I didn’t have time for this. I had to help her. I pulled the gun out of the back of my waistband and shot him twice in the chest, and he crumpled to the floor.

Emerik was on the floor on the far side of the bed, tussling with the assassin. I saw the old guy take two good punches in the ribs: he was holding up well, but it was obvious he was losing and I couldn’t shoot, not without risking hitting him. I waded in and kicked instead, hooking my boot right into the assassin’s chest, and he tumbled backwards. Jesus, it was the same pale-faced guy from the plane, the one who’d parachuted out!

I raised my gun to fire. But the assassin was too quick: he grabbed a vase of flowers off a side table and hurled it at me. It hit the gun and my shot went wide. The vase shattered on the wall to my side, spraying me with fragments. The assassin dived across the bed—Jesus,he was fast—and raced through the open door.

I took a single step after him... then I looked towards the bed. I didn’t know if she was alive ordead, but no way was I leaving her alone again.

I jumped onto the bed and fell to my knees, straddling her. She was still silent and unmoving, her head turned to the side, her long hair covering her face. I brushed it back out of the way, but her eyes didn’t open. “Your Highness?” There was no response. “Your Highness!Please!”

16

KRISTINA

My eyes opened slowlyandhewas there, his big form looming over me, his hands warming my cheeks. I saw those blue eyes open wide as I woke up and the elation, the sheer joy and relief on his face as he saw I was alive sent a huge, warm throb through my chest.

Then two huge hands slid underneath me and I was being lifted off the bed and clutched to him like a child. My head was against his, my chin on his shoulder, and every part of me from neck to ankle was pressed against him. His life and warmth soaked into me, bringing me back from the edge.

It was the best thing I’d ever experienced. I’d never felt so safe.

I heard other people running into the room. Jakov cursed. Caroline gave a cry of fear. I couldn’t see either of them. I had my eyes firmly closed, focused on just breathing. It felt like my bruised throat was the width of a drinking straw and it was terrifying. Theonly thing that made it bearable was Garrett.

It wasn’t just that he was so solid, a wall of muscle between me and those who’d harm me. It wasn’t just the knowledge that he’d smash anyone who threatened me.

It was the way he held me.

He held me like he’d never let me go. His whole body was tense against mine, almost trembling with rage and emotion. Everyone else in the room was silent. I knew Emerik must be there, but even he didn’t say something about this being inappropriate and I knew why. He didn’t dare. No one in the world would have dared try to separate Garrett from me, right then.

At last, my breathing started to ease. Slowly, reluctantly, Garrett put me back down on the bed and I opened my eyes. The others gathered around me. Jakov looked furious. Emerik was pale, sick with fear or... guilt? Caroline was biting her lip, tears in her eyes. And Garrett was looking down at me with an expression of raw, vengeful fury that was growing by the second. His gaze was focused on my neck. They werealllooking at my neck.

I turned to Caroline. God, even turning my neck hurt. I tried to speak, but that was a mistake: it sent me into a fit of coughing that closed my throat up completely and brought tears of pain. Caroline grabbed my hand and held it and Garrett held my other one and all of them watched helplessly until I recovered. “Is it bad?”I rasped to Caroline at last.

She looked at my throat and tried to force a smile onto her face. “No, Your Highness,” she lied. Then, more firmly, “Nothing make-up won’t cover.”

Emerik turned away, still looking guilty, andstarted to pick something up off the floor, something made of pottery that was in pieces.

“No!” Garrett told him. “Don’t touch that!”

I expected Emerik to make some scathing comment, but he just nodded meekly and moved away.What’s wrong with him?

I drew in my breath when I saw the body in the corner. Garrett searched the man’s pockets. “No ID,” he said. “Nothing.” He fetched a towel from the bathroom and used it to cover the body.

Jakov picked a latex glove up from the bed, then found its partner on the floor. “The bastard wore gloves, so he didn’t leave prints breaking in,” muttered Garrett. “So why would he take themoff?”

I thought, and when I got the answer, I wanted to throw up. “Because he wanted to feel it, as he was strangling me.” I said, my voice a weak rasp. Everyone looked at me in horror. “I saw his eyes. Hehatedme. He wanted to feel me die.”

And that’s when it really hit me:it isn’t over.For a few glorious hours, I’d felt safe. I’d felt normal. I thought we’d escaped, but we hadn’t at all. The assassins were still after me. Sick fear crept up my body and I turned cold despite the night’s heat.

“How did they get in?” Caroline asked.

Everyone looked around. There was only one door and one window next to it and Emerik had been on guard right outside. Then Garrett pointed: one of the ceiling tiles was ajar. He was tall enough that he could reach up and lift it, and we saw a dark crawlspace above. “They must have picked the lock on your door, while we were eating dinner.”

That whole time I’d been lying in bed, unable to get to sleep, they’d been up there waiting. When I wasasleep and defenseless, they’d crept out like spiders and—I shuddered.

“I need to speak to you alone,” said Garrett.

---