Page 26 of Deceived By a Warrior

Sorry, can’t help you. Temporarily poisoned!Sounded so much better than, Sorry, can’t help you. Naturally incapable!Now, if she couldn’t aid Darius in these battles, she had a good excuse. Well, she had a good excuse for the next few hours, at least.

If she could roll her eyes she would. Darius didn’t need any help from anyone. He was obviously far too powerful to need to rely on the help of someone else.

Must be nice.

Theonepower Eva was given she didn’t use. Not only was it useless - though the rest of the world didn’t seem to agree with her - it wasexhausting.If Eva had money, she would give it all to anyone who could take this power away from her.

But no one could. It really was more of a curse than a gift.

Thankfully, all of that didn’t matter at the moment. Even if she was the most powerful unnatural being in the world she’d be useless against the poison. Darius had no choice but to protect her. Good thing he had already proventhree timesthat he would do exactly that. Of course, he probably also wanted to entrap her for all eternity… but that was something to think aboutafterescaping to whatever safety Romania would provide.

Survive now, figure everything out later.

“I’m sorry you have to go through this,” Darius whispered in Eva’s ear when he picked her up and made his way towards what she assumed would be the jet that had been waiting for them. Eva noticed how incredibly gentle he was with her this time.

Thistime.

Though she couldn’t respond or even smile in response to him, she was totally aware of what he was saying. It frustrated the hell out of her. To be able to listen but not able to respond? It wasn’t in her nature.

Looks like it is today.

“The poison won’t remain in your system for long, and I vow not to leave your side until after it’s run its course.”

She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but hearing that settled her emotions a bit. Despite everything, she didn’t want to be alone. Not now. Not like this.

When Darius reached a small, private jet located on a private runway, she noticed a man with an exuberant smile standing at the top of the stairs leading to the jet.

From the position Darius was holding Eva in, she was able to get a good look at this man. His red eyes indicated that he was a vampire.No surprise there.Despite the visible scar cutting through his lip, he wasnaturally beautiful, long curls framing his hardened face. Eva always believed all vampires were cold and malicious, but her first impression of this man was quite the contrary. “Looks like you found her!” His smile would be contagious if she could move her lips.

“Gedeon,” Darius’ sour tone didn’t match the other vampire’s lively one in the slightest. “She’s been poisoned.”

Fear briefly passed over the vampire’s eyes, but it didn’t take long for his warm smile to return. “Will she die?”

“No.”

“Then nothing to worry about! C’mon inside, let’s take care of her, then.”

Without another word, Darius carried Eva up the steps and into the jet, where he immediately placed her in a seat, kneeling in front of her. He looked her in the eyes when he said, “We’ll be far from Miami soon.”

“Is she hurting?” The vampire, who Eva assumed was called Gedeon, stood at Darius’ side as someone wearing a fitted uniform behind them worked to shut the jet’s door.

“No,” Darius told his friend, his eyes not wavering from Eva. “She can’t move. She’s aware, though.”Damn right I’m aware,Eva thought.So frustrating!“She’ll be fine. She’s brave, Gedeon. One of the bravest beings I’ve ever encountered.” Darius fastening a seat belt around Eva.

If Eva’s jaw could have dropped it would have. Did he really mean what he just said?

Darius pressed a soft hand against her thigh. “Try to get some sleep.” The concern in his eyes was clear as day, which was something she had never seen before. From anyone. She couldn’t remember the last time someone showed concern for her if she tried. “By the time you wake up the poison will have run its course.” He looked at her a moment longer before turning back to Gedeon. “Tell them to take off as soon as possible. Too many unnatural beings know she’s been living in Miami. Every second we’re anywhere near that city is a second too long.”

“On it.” Gedeon began to make his way to the front of the jet, only stopping briefly to ask, “Is she as brave as you?”

Just before Eva lost herself to sleep, she watched Darius shake his head. “She has more courage in the palm of her hand than I’ve had in my entire life.”

Sleep taking a hold of her, she only faintly heard Gedeon say, “Sounds like you’re already screwed, my friend.”

Chapter Fifteen

Eva Maas

Eva wasn’t sure how long she had been sleeping. All she cared about when she woke up was that she had the ability to wiggle her fingers. She could finallymove.

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