“Her name was Zora. You should look up where Zora comes from… or better yet, I’ll give you a little lesson… it’s Serbian. Zora came from the Triglav Clan, but they kicked her out when she started using drugs. Then she got pregnant by one of her… clients… with you.”
My eyes droop as the expression on Wraith’s face falls like this is all making some kind of sense to him. “I’m half Serbian?”
“Yes, and I’m Sava, your half-brother and so is my brother.”
Wraith’s jaw wracks from side to side. “Who is your brother?”
“Like you haven’t figured it out, Wraith. I know you better than that.”
Anger sweeps through Wraith’s features. “What does Damir want? Why is he doing this?”
Sava wraps his arm around my waist pulling my back to his front, pressing a knife to my throat. I gasp as Wraith aims his giant gun at us both, but it only scares me more.
“Damir and I want you to watch while I kill the one person you love because you are the reason we had to kill the one person we loved.”
Wraith takes a hesitant step forward as Sava presses the cool tip of the sharp blade into my skin further. “What are you talking about?”
“You thought you left our mother to die… no, she went into a coma, and a year later we had to turn off her life support! So, since we had to watch her die, you will watch the princess die.”
Wraith’s jaw ticks, but he quickly recovers. “The thing is, Sava, I have the big gun.”
“The thing about big guns, Wraith, is they make a big mess. You willing to risk princess here to shoot me? You think you’ll hit me before I slice her open?”
My body begins to shudder as I stare Wraith in his eyes. I might not make it through this, so I need to tell Wrath how I feel. “Wraith, I love you!”
Sava presses the tip of the blade in further, the edge slices into my skin as I let out a whimper with the pain, the warmth of my blood begins to trickle down my throat.
“You’re not going anywhere, Prinie. So, don’t you dare start saying your goodbyes.”
“This is sweet and all, but I’ve had enough. Time to make you suffer, brother dearest.” Sava presses the knife into my throat, the same time Wraith drops the machine gun to the floor, pulling out his Glock. He dives to the side, into the pews.
It all happens so fast.
The knife cuts me, it’s enough for blood to run down my neck but not enough to kill me, at the same time a bullet lands straight in Sava’s skull. It explodes right against me, forcing Sava’s brain matter to splatter all over my face and neck as I let out an unholy scream.
Someone yanks me, pulling me with them. Suddenly, bullets whizz through the air, going off in all directions as an assassin pulls me to the floor behind the organ. We duck down as the Defiance brothers burst in through the church stained-glass windows. The religious pictures smashed to smithereens as my brothers barge in to help bring the Triglav down.
I bring my hand to my throat trying to stem the bleeding. Shock is setting in—I can tell by the uncontrollable shaking and tears welling in my eyes, not knowing which is my blood or Sava’s. The thought disgusts me as the assassin cowers over me. I’m not sure why he’s doing that considering his third in charge just tried to kill me.
The loud bursting of bullets resonating through the old church sends shivers down my spine. I peek out a little to see Wraith chasing after Vlatko. I’m not sure if he is Damir and Sava’s father, or just the leader of the Triglavs. If Wraith kills him, we’ll probably never know. Wraith unloads a couple of rounds at Vlatko, but he slides down into a pew. Wraith jumps over the pews in search, and as Wraith comes to the pew Vlatko’s hiding in, he stands aiming the gun directly at Wraith’s head.
I tense.
My hands shaking violently.
I can’t make out what Vlatko’s telling Wraith. It seems to be in detail, but going by his posture, he’s shocked. My hands move to my mouth as tears fall over my lids and run down my cheeks.
“Wraith,” I scream, but no one can hear me over the gunfire.
Vlatko cocks his gun.
My heart slams in my chest so hard I want to puke as I clench my eyes shut tight.
I can’t watch this.
The gun fires, once, twice, three times, and my stomach lurches. I fall to the floor, tears streaming from my eyes.
I can’t believe Wraith’s gone.
I’ve never felt pain like this in my entire life.
“Fuck,” the assassin calls out, who’s sitting with me.
Sobbing, I slowly open my eyes.
Luc’s in front of Wraith. Vlatko’s lying on the ground, blood oozing from his back.
So much blood.
I blink rapidly, my eyes not truly believing Wraith’s still alive. He grips the prospect, Luc, on his shoulder and turns, his eyes obviously searching for me.
Oh my God, Wraith’s alive.
My feet move faster than I can, trying and fumbling. I stumble as I attempt to get up, but it’s hard when your hands are tied together.
“Not so fast,” the assassin with me calls out, pulling me back to him.
I struggle in his grip, my eyes finding Wraith’s as he starts bolting toward me. “He’s going to kill you if you don’t let me go.”
The assassin grumbles under his breath. “Damir will kill me if I don’t keep hold of you.”
“Your men are outnumbered. Go, now, before you can’t.” I’m not sure why I’m helping him. Maybe because the less people Wraith kills, the better it is
