Page 69 of Rising from the Depths

He’d given his word not to kill Blake.

Could he keep it?

“This is it,” Macy said as they approached a small residence; it was one of several similar structures nestled along the road, with little to distinguish it from its fellows apart from the potted plants set out front — while the other homes displayed healthy green and purple plants, these were brown and wilted.

Ector and Walter arrived — along with several other townsfolk — as Kronus moved to the front door.

“Are you sure about this?” Kronus heard Walter asking. “This is an awful big ruckus to stir up without any—”

Kronus slammed his shoulder into the door, throwing all his weight behind it. Wood snapped and splintered as the door burst inward, dangling by a single hinge.

Clothing and trash lay scattered about the place — soiled shirts, empty bottles, crumpled papers, and at least one half-eaten meal. The air was sour with the odor of alcohol and human sweat.

“What the fuck?” called a familiar voice. Blake. He skidded into the main room and looked at Kronus, the color draining from his cheeks. Fresh red scratches and welts covered his bare chest. With a curse, he fled into the room from which he’d emerged.

Kronus gave chase, ignoring the voices behind him. Grasping the door frame with hands and tentacles, he pulled himself into the bedroom only to halt just past the threshold.

Eva was sitting on the bed within, her hands behind her back and legs bound together at her knees. A wad of cloth was tied around her mouth. Dried blood matted her hair and clung to the side of her face. Her eyes widened as they fell upon Kronus, and she released a muffled cry, struggling against her bonds.

Blake stood on the other side of the bed behind her, a long-bladed knife in one hand and a wild gleam in his gaze. He held the weapon toward Kronus. “Stay away!”

Kronus gritted his teeth and advanced. He’d taken worse than what Blake could do with the knife; so long as Eva was safe, Kronus could accept a few new wounds.

Eyes rounding, Blake retreated a step. He glanced at Eva, and his eyes hardened. Blake darted to the bed, grabbed hold of her, and pulled her back against his chest. Grasping a fistful of her hair, he tugged her head back and pressed the blade of his knife to her throat. A pained, frightened cry escaped her, muted by the cloth.

Kronus stilled. That terrible, cold fear arose within him again to war with the heat of his fury.

“I said stay back!” Blake yelled. “I won’t let you take her from me again. She’smywife!”

Eva’s nostrils flared with heavy breaths. She held Kronus’s gaze and carefully shook her head.

A gentle movement of air at Kronus’s back told him some of the others had entered and were standing behind him. He didn’t move any farther into the room, didn’t adjust his position to allow anyone else entry. There was no guessing how Blake would react if he were suddenly confronted by two or three kraken instead of just one.

“Remove the knife from her throat,” Kronus said, forcing his voice to be as calm and steady as possible. Only a slight trembling ran through his words.

“Back the fuck off!” Blake shouted. “Get out of here! All of you!”

Kronus raked his mind, searching all he knew about human body language and communication, wishing he’d had more interaction and had paid more attention. Slowly, he raised his hands to either side, displaying his palms. “I will not leave her, Blake.”

“And neither will I!” Blake snapped, baring his teeth. His voice softened when he spoke again. “Neither will I. Not…not this time.”

The tightness in Kronus’s chest, the fire in his blood, demanded violence; a threat to his mate, no matter how small, could be met with nothing less.

But attacking Blake would only endanger Eva further. It could not be a solution to this situation, not now. And there was something in the man’s eyes Kronus recognized, something deeper and more powerful than anger or jealousy.

“Just…just let her go, Blake. Let Eva go, and we can talk about this,” said Walter from behind Kronus.

“No!” Blake’s hand jerked, making Eva wince as the blade cut the fragile skin of her neck. “You just want to take her from me!”

Kronus clenched his teeth as a fresh surge of fury rose inside him. He spun and slammed his fist into the wall. The humanmade stone collapsed in a crater beneath the blow, with cracks radiating outward from the point of impact. The people just outside the door — Walter included — flinched back.

“Out,” Kronus growled at them. “Or every one of you will answer for any harm that befalls her.”

“Kronus—” Macy began.

“Now!” Kronus roared.

“Just…be calm,” she said softly.

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