One more look down at Eva, who currently seemed so fragile in his arms, confirmed that as long as Karina was okay with it, he would let her do exactly that.
“Because I love you and Ihatewhat you’ve been doing to this sorceress. As long as we remain under Artem’s command, you will continue to hurt her. He will give you no choice. He will ruin everything.”
“He already has.” Artem had been ruining everything for them since the day he turned them, all those centuries ago. He drowned them in misery, and Darius wasn’t entirely sure how to resurface.
“Stop wallowing in the past.” Karina began making her way up the stairs, Darius following behind her. “Yes, he ruined who we were. But he won’t ruin who wewillbe.” When she reached the top of the stairs, the outside wind wildly blowing her hair, she looked over to Darius with a wicked smile. “Now let’s get the hell out of here.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Eva Maas
“Karina, go! Now!”Darius’ words rattled Eva’s sleeping mind, jolting her awake. Her head shot up as she frantically looked around. It didn’t take her long to realize she was laying in Darius’ arms, a soft blanket covering her. In a much gentler tone she heard Darius say, “Relax, Eva. You’re okay,” his fingers threading through her hair.
“It doesn’tsoundlike I’m okay!” Darius was panicking about something, and whatever was causing that panic he was hiding from Eva.
Ignoring Eva, Darius screamed out again,“Karina, up already!”
“Try learning how to fly a planebeforeyou tell me what to do!” Karina’s voice came from somewhere in front of the plane.
Plane.
Eva finally realized where she was and where she had been. She was on a plane. In fact, it looked like the same one that had brought her to Artem’s.
Not only was she on a plane, but she was tucked in a blanket under Darius’ tight hold.
Strange.The last she remembered was freezing her ass off, completely alone, in one of Artem’s cells. And then she remembered nothing…
She felt Darius release a deep breath as the plane tilted upward, lifting in the air. WasKarina flying the plane?Gods, Eva really had no talents despite her many years on earth. She seriously needed to do something other than sleep in her apartment and pretend to predict fortunes all day.
Off in the distance Eva could hear a cry so loud it pierced through the rumbling of the engine.
Artem.
Eva recognized that specific cry. Because she had already heard it in her vision when Artem recognized Darius’ betrayal.
What happened since her memory stopped. What did she miss?
“Where are we?” Eva looked up to Darius, who seemed much less distressed than he was a moment ago.
Darius gazed down at her, his eyes lighting up. He looked elated, which was definitelynotthe emotion she expected to see coming from him. As she looked up at his pleasantly surprised features, she couldn’t stop her heart from skipping a beat. In this moment, while he was feeling something other than surly, he looked absolutely stunning.
“Eva,” he breathed, pushing her dark waves back and bending down to press a light kiss on her forehead. “You’re awake,” he softly spoke near her ear, his breath sweeping across her skin.
Admittedly, Eva didn’t feel entirely awake yet. “I’m not so sure about that. More sleep soundsreallygood right about now.”
His body shook as if from laughter. “You’re not in that cell anymore. You can sleep all you want.”
“Yeah, I’m not sure I understand that one. Why am I not there? Oh, and is Karinaflyingthis plane?” For some reason, Eva couldn’t see sweet Karina flying this thing. Then again, people saiddon’t judge a book by its coverfor a reason, didn’t they?
“She is. Believe me, I’m just as shocked as you are.” He ran his fingers through her hair as he talked, and Eva found it surprisingly comforting. “As for that cell, you’ll never find yourself trapped like that again. I can assure you that.”
Eva rolled her eyes. “Oh, because I’m in a place to trust your assurances right now.” Though, wasn’t she? From the looks of it, he rescued her and they were escaping.
Rescued heragain.Ugh.
She attempted to wiggle herself free from his hold. He responded by holding her tighter, preventing her from going anywhere. “Ah ah, not so fast.”
“Why not? Aren’t you trying to help me? Or did you free me from that cell, because I’m assuming you are the one who freed me, just to kidnap me for your own use?” Considering she was his lifeblood, she wouldn’t be surprised if he did.