Page 44 of Claimed By the Pakhan

Emil drops his hood, his black eyes lit up like the night sky.

Time stands still as I lock eyes with my savior, my modern prince charming, who wastes no time killing the man who almost killed me.

He stabs and stabs until the man is reduced down to blood and guts. I see his face now, but he barely resembles a human.

“Oh my fucking god,” I gasp, terror seeping into my bones.

Emil drags me from the ground, slinging me over his shoulder like I’m an item of clothing, not a person.

“From this day forward, you’re not leaving my sight ever again.”

15

EMIL

“Blood! So much fucking blood!”I hear Fia wail from upstairs before I even have both feet inside of the house.

Luka regards me from the kitchen, a concerned look plastered across his face.

“Fuck,” I grunt, rushing down the hallway. “Has she been like this all night?”

“Thankfully, you came back at the right time,” says Luka. “She’s starting again.”

“What was she doing before?”

“Screaming.”

“Bylat.”

“Blood! Get it off me!”

I clench my jaw, rushing upstairs, barreling straight into the room. The screaming reaches an abrupt halt as soon as I enter.

“Are you okay?”

Fia pants, terror dripping from her eyes. Her face is coated in a thick layer of sweat, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m… not sure yet.”

“What were you dreaming about?”

“Is it true that I was almostkilled?”

Bylat.

“Speak to me, Emil, oh my god. This isn’t the time to be stoic.”

I rake a hand through my hair, sitting on the edge of the bed, desperate to tear this suit off and nap for a few hours after being awake all night. But there is no rest for the wicked.

“Yes,” I answer. “It’s true. You were almost killed,” I say, catching her terrified eyes. “What else happened in the vision?”

“You saved me,” she murmurs.

“Yes.”

“After you fucking decimated the attacker.”

“He gave me no other choice, sweetheart. He was about to kill you.”

“Why?”