Page 52 of Rising from the Depths

“You look...” Blake’s gaze trekked over Eva again, “good.” He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Reallygood.”

“Thank you. Now, if you’ll—”

Blake reached out and caught her arm before she could step around him. He raised his other hand toward her face, but Kronus clamped his much larger, orange-skinned hand on Blake’s wrist, halting the motion of the human’s arm. Just a little pressure in the wrong direction could cripple the man.

The thought was not unappealing.

“Release her,” Kronus growled.

“What the hell?” Blake started and glared at Kronus. “You better get your hand off me.”

Kronus leaned closer, lips curling back to reveal pointed teeth. “Release your hold on her, human, or I will tighten my hold on you.”

Blake bared his own teeth but released Eva.

With a shove, Kronus relinquished his grip on Blake and inserted himself between the man and Eva. Blake stumbled backward, clutching his wrist. He looked past Kronus to stare Eva.

“What is this? What’s he doing?”

“You no longer have the right to touch her,” Kronus said.

“She’smywife,” Blake snapped. “I can do whatever the hell I want.”

“No, I’m not,” Eva said.

“What?”

“I’m not yours. Not anymore.”

Blake glanced between Kronus and Eva. The anger on his face morphed to shock, then disbelief, and back to anger again.

“You’re mine, damnit!” he exploded, stepping forward, only to come to a halt when Kronus pressed a hand against his chest. He jerked away quickly. “Don’t touch me!”

“Make no mistake, human,” Kronus replied, forcing himself to breathe slow and even, “Iwillbreak you if you threaten my mate.”

“Yourmate?” Blake looked at Eva. “You… You’re…with thiscreature?” The human shuddered before inhaling and shaking his head. “Eva, you’re joined to me. You’re my wife. I will forgive—”

“I was no longer your wife the moment you walked out of the clinic, abandoning me when I needed you most,” Eva said.

“I made a mistake, Eva. I—”

“You rescinded your vow to me, Blake. You ran away and left me, just like you left all of us in the water.”

“It wasn’t my fault!” Blake yelled.

Kronus glanced toward the crowd; despite the music and the revelry, Blake’s raised voice had called the attention of several other humans. “You are a coward,” Kronus growled through clenched teeth as he turned back to the man, “and you are unworthy of her.”

Blake spared a hate-filled glance at Kronus before turning his eyes back to Eva. “Come back home, Eva. I miss you. I didn’t mean what I said. We can work it out, and we can go back to normal. You’ll get over it.”

Nostrils flaring, Kronus clenched his fists. His claws bit into his palms, but it was all he could do not to strike Blake. He could no longer keep the crimson from his skin; were it another kraken treating him in such a manner, this situation would already have descended into violence.

He was being insulted in front of a crowd, was being insulted by a male he coulddestroy, was being insulted in the presence of his mate. It was unacceptable, intolerable. And his lack of a real response was humiliating.

But he knew Eva enough to understand that she would not appreciate such a display. How would watching Blake get beaten near-to-death benefit her? She wouldn’t feel better about herself, wouldn’t appreciate Kronus more. There was a strong chance it would frighten her. He could not bear the thought of her fearing him.

“I’llget over it? You left me no choice but to get over it,” Eva said. “And you know what, Blake? I did.”

Eva stepped around Kronus and placed her hands on his chest, pressing herself against his body. He put an arm around her shoulders, a flare of pride rising through the haze of rage and possessiveness; she had chosen Kronus. In front of everyone, she was making her choice clear, and she would not back down.

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