Page 84 of Damaged Princess

They both decline.

I head for the kitchen, grabbing the pan of casserole out of the oven. I've got no clue what it is, but it was awesome the first time and I'm about to devour the hell out of it again. I think it's some type of beef stroganoff. I grab a plate out of the cabinet and a spoon out of the drawer, when movement catches my attention outside the window. I know better than to react. I don't make it obvious that I've seen anything. In all seriousness it's likely a deer. They're all over these woods, and even during winter they're plentiful enough that you'll see them trying to eat flowers out of your flowerbed.

I toss some food onto the plate and head to shut off the light. I duck down the hallway and click that off, too. I'm not taking any chances. I head to the laundry room which is the closest location I know of with a weapon. The room is dark, but my hand instantly wraps around the cold steel when I reach into the cabinet.

Vik prefers the Glock 19, but I've got an affinity for the 17. I prefer the weight, and although the barrel length makes almost no difference on accuracy it's what I like. It's more of a comfort issue.

I also appreciate the extra couple bullets, but let's be real. There's more than one way to skin a cat, or in this case kill an asshole.

Chapter Twenty-One

Anastasia

I'm snuggled up tight on Vik's chest, almost asleep when a raging headache hits me out of nowhere. I haven't had a migraine in years, but that's exactly what this feels like. A radiating pain starts in my neck and travels all the way up the back of my head. My eyes ache, but I carefully remove myself from Vik to keep from waking him and head for the kitchen.

Rafe gives me a soft smile as I pass, but he's got his head on his palm and he's looking pretty wiped out, too. Hopefully we didn't catch a bug or something. That would really suck since I need to get back to work practically yesterday. I hate leaving Evie in a lurch. I know that's why it's so difficult for omegas to find employment in general. No employers want to deal with heat time off.

The hallway is dark as I make it to the kitchen. I frown, glancing around in confusion. A shiver runs down my spine when I spot Wolfe's plate on the kitchen table. My gaze falls to my arm which is protectively wrapped around my middle. It's then I realizeit's really fucking cold in the kitchen.I'm not even inside the room yet, but I can't tell as much from where I stand in the doorway.

My eyes dart around as my chest rises and falls in rapid movements. My fight or flight instinct is screaming to run. Yeah, omegas in general almost never have that strong urge to stand and fight. I peek around the corner and all the air leaves my lungs.

My ridiculous impulses scream to run for the open door, but I'm not an idiot. I'm essentially useless. My father made sure of it while I was growing up. I've never even held a gun, but my alphas are more than capable of keeping me safe. Running the opposite direction of Rafe and Vik would be dumb as hell no matter what my instincts are pushing me to do.

My head throbs with a painful pulse that makes me feel like I might be sick. My thoughts fly to Wolfe. He's not here, and suddenly it dawns on me that something bad has happened to him. That's what shocks me out of my frozen state. Wolfe wouldn't have left the door open unless… I don't even know, but the possibilities that race through my mind are violent and terrifying.

I know how ruthless Dimitri is. He's a maniac with no moral code to hinder his actions.

My feet slide along the wooden flooring as I bolt for the living room. I'm trying to be as quiet as possible, but I can hear how loudly I'm heaving.

I don't want to draw Dimitri or anyone else to me until I have backup. Vik and Rafe are much more competent than I am, and they'll be able to help Wolfe far better than I could. Or maybe I'm a horrible person justifying my actions as I runawayfrom the man I love to relative safety when he's likely hurt. I almost turn back, but I feel like that would be a poor choice to make right now.

Ohmigod. I never got the chance to tell him that I love him. I'm three steps away from taking the turn to the living room, when a hand lands over my mouth. I'm lifted into the air asDimitri's scent rolls over me. My elbow flies back as I kick and try to scream, but it comes out muffled.

"Stop fucking fighting me or I'll kill your boy-toy on the way by. If you shut the fuck up and come willingly, I won't finish the job," Dimitri growls close to my ear.

Pure fucking terror ices its way through my veins.Finish the job?My stomach rolls as I fight back the violent wave of nausea.

I mentally weigh options. I'm pretty sure Rafe and Vik will have felt my terror. They'll be on the way if they aren't already. Dimitri can't be trusted, Iknowthat. He might kill Wolfe out of spite either way. Am I willing to risk pissing him off even further? No, not when Wolfe could pay the consequences.

"Feet on the ground. Don't fight me. You'll come peacefully or he will die," Dimitri murmurs. "You still smell so sweet, my little lamb."

A shiver of disgust rolls through my system as Dimitri backs us toward the kitchen door.

Vik hits me in the bond and it's pure assurance that he's coming for me. I don't fully understand how everything works, but I try to send him thoughts of the kitchen and danger. We're past the kitchen table, backing toward the door, when Vik comes around the corner with his gun raised. He looks calm and absolutely deadly. There's a coldness in his eyes I've never seen before.

Dimitri lifts me off the floor with one arm around my stomach. The cold metal of his gun jams into my right cheek.

"I had a feeling someone would be joining us," Dimitri says in a humor-filled tone.

"Why would you show up here?" Vik asks, slowly stepping forward. "You've got to realize this is a useless endeavor."

"Is that right?" Dimitri asks. He chuckles and the sound is vile. He sounds amused and not concerned at all. That scares the hell out of me. Maybe he's finally gone off the deep end?

My heart races. I've got tunnel vision on Vik's gun. There's not an ounce of fear that he'll shoot me by mistake. I'm worried about Wolfe. I'm furious with myself for not being quicker. For not recognizing that the pain I'm feeling is an echo of Wolfe's pain in the bond. I'm really goddamn pissed off that I'm so weak I can't defend myself. I should have taken up boxing or something after my mom and I were attacked. Hell, even self-defense lessons. At this point I'm a liability.

"It looks like I have what I came for," Dimitri says in a bored and simultaneously condescending tone.

"How did you even know where to find us?" Vik asks, taking another step forward.

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