Page 50 of Heart of the Deep

Randall frowned, expression darkening. “What’s going on?” he asked, and the confusion in his voice was quickly laced with anger. “Why the fuck did you bring her here, Dracchus? With everything that’s going on, whyhere?”

Pain pierced her heart quick and sure, as true as any bullet. “What?”

He clenched his jaw and turned his head as though she’d slapped him. “That’snotwhat I mean, Elle.”

“There was nowhere else to go,” Dracchus replied.

“Don’t try to feed me that krullshit!” Randall advanced, eyes locked on Dracchus, as though he stood a chance against the kraken. He jabbed a finger toward the hallway. “They’ll want herblood, damnit! They already told the story. Elle’s the one that captured the three of you. Neo and Kronus would tear her apart at the first opportunity.”

“They will not touch her.” Dracchus’s rumbling voice vibrated through Larkin’s back. His hands tightened infinitesimally on her arms. “She ismine.”

All the breath left Larkin in a rush. She turned her head to stare up at Dracchus; had she heard him correctly? Had he just…claimedher?

“What do you mean she’s yours?” Randall demanded. His eyes rounded, and then his face fell into a furious scowl. “What the fuck did you do to my sister?”

Randall was close enough now that Larkin was able to extend her arm and press a hand to his chest, halting his approach.

“He hasn’t done anything!” she said. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Larkin, this is—”

“I can barely stand, Randall. All of this is too much for me to take in right now. I just… I need to rest. To think.”

Randall clenched his jaw again, and his throat bobbed. Unmasked hurt gleamed in his eyes, but, as hard as it was to do, Larkin brushed it off. This wasn’t how she’d expected their reunion to go, and it was her fault. Dwelling on it wouldn’t change what had been said, but she wouldn’t stand here and let things get worse. Especially not when she wasn’t thinking clearly.

He searched her face, and for the first time seemed to realize the state she was in. She could only imagine — bags under her eyes, hair a tangled mess, blotches of red skin where she’d been sunburned.

Larkin slid her hand to his shoulder, brushing over a small patch of rough, raised skin. She looked down to see a circular scar.

“What happened?” She ran her gaze over his torso, finding a similar mark on his abdomen. “Was it true what Dracchus said?”

Randall looked at Dracchus and narrowed his eyes. “What did he say, that I was betrayed by my own men?”

“Cyrus did this?” she asked.

“He only pulled the trigger once, but yeah. He did this.”

Shock stole Larkin’s breath. She hadn’t wanted to believe what Dracchus had told her. She’d never cared for Cyrus Taylor — he’d always possessed a cruel streak — but he was a knowledgeable ranger and their father’s closest friend, and he’d been part of their lives for as long as she could remember.

“Why? Why would he do this?”

“We’ll talk about it after you get some rest,” Randall said, only then meeting her gaze. He took her hand and gently tugged her toward him. “You can take the bed, Elle.”

“She will share a den with me,” Dracchus said, holding her firm.

“Fuck that!” Randall exploded.

Rhea’s tentacle wrapped around Randall’s waist, drawing him back into her waiting arms.

“Be silent, human,” she said, her lips next to his ear. She looked from Randall to Larkin and Dracchus. Her expression was heavy with meaning that Larkin couldn’t decipher. “It is for a female to choose, is it not?”

Dracchus grunted, and Randall looked ready to tear out of Rhea’s hold and charge.

“I’ll be fine, Randall. We’ve shared a camp for the last few nights, and Dracchus hasn’t hurt me,” Larkin said.

“Elle—”

“I can take care of myself. You take care of your new family.”

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