I almost whistled a merry tune as I locked my safe and tossed the key into my pocket. Rose will like the opal bracelet with exquisite swans crafted out of frosted silver.

I stopped short at the sight in front of me. The door to her chamber was open. Fearing the worst I tore into the room. The door hit something to my right. Rose dropped to the ground, crumpled against the wall, her legs quivering. There were telltale signs of violence on her body. My eyes flicked over to her assailant — Nathan.

I saw red. My fists clenched automatically as I turned toward Nathan. How dare he touch my girl?

“Don’t,” warned Nathan, face smug. “You know what Galina said. Touch me and you’re out of here.” at this point I didn't care. All that mattered was he had attacked what I valued the most.

I strode across the room and came to stand in front of Nathan, knocking Inna aside like a rag doll. “It’ll be worth facing her wrath, particularly when I tell her you attacked first. Rose certainly bears the marks of it.”

“You wouldn’t.” He pointed at Inna, who was sitting dazed on the floor from where I had knocked her over. Despite her own injuries, Rose began crawling over to her. Compassionate as ever. Weak creatures! Psah!. “She’ll tell the truth.”

I couldn't help the look of smugness that crossed my face. “You really think Galina will believe a human? No. When I tell her how you attacked me and Rose out of jealousy, she’ll let me off. The fact that you’ll be so easily defeated will be proof of your weakness. I’ll slice your head off and get Rose’s stake from the vault. With your last breath, you can watch her drive it through your heart."

Oh how many times had I planned out this scenario in my head! It'd be so much pleasure to watch my valiant Rose drive a stake through the heart of that moron.

Nathan’s face still bore haughty arrogance but I could see him seriously weighing his options. I relaxed, my smirk growing larger. He wouldn't dare attack again.

“Twice,” I purred, making sure my eyes mirrored the threat. “Twice I’ve let you go. Next time . . . next time, you’re gone.”

Nathan cast a sideways glance at Rose, and he began backing toward the door.“No,” he said. “Twice I’ve let her live. Next time she’s gone. I’m the one in control here, not you.”

Dumbass!

Nathan opened the door and Inna stood up, stumbling after him.

I looked at Rose, still looking weak and pathetic. The skin of her neck, a weird patchwork of red and blue fang marks. What a progress! She burst into tears. I felt the kernels of anger bubble up inside me.

“This is your fault!” I yelled, fists clenched.

She cringed backward, eyes wide. “But he . . . he attacked me . . .”

“Yes. And Inna. A human! You let a human attack you.” I couldn’t keep the sneer from my voice. “You are weak. You are incapable of defending yourself—all because you refuse to be awakened!”

Reaching forward, I jerked her up to her feet.

“If you had just been killed, it would have been your own fault,” I said, my fingers digging into her wrist as I shook her. “You have the chance for immortality, for incredible strength! And you’re too blind and stubborn to see it.”

My anger was getting dangerously out of control. I took a few deep breaths...Focus on anything else, Dimitri.

She swallowed back more tears and rubbed her eyes with the back of her free hand. Streaks of mascara streamed down her face. Its then I noticed that she had put on makeup to impress me.

“I don’t think I’d be stronger than Nathan, even if I was turn—awakened.”

I ran a hand over her hair, my voice thoughtful. I focusssed on her dress to help me calm down and think straight. She wore a long ivory silk dress one that had purple flowers delicately painted into the fabric. It fit like a glove on her figure. She had put her hair down in perfect little curls.

I absent-mindedly played with one of the curls as I answered. “Perhaps not initially, but your strength of body and will carries over with the change. He’s not that much older than either of us—not enough to make a noticeable difference, which is why he keeps backing down when we fight.”

“Why do you keep backing down?”

I stiffened. Was she trying to judge my powers?

“Because he’s right about one thing,” I said stiffly. “Killing him would bring Galina’s wrath down on us. And that’s not something I can afford...Yet.” Galina had called me later that night and given me a good hearing on  how she wanted unity in her men.

“You said before that you . . . that we . . . had to kill her.” she remembered.

“Yes, and once we do, it’ll be easy to seize control of her assets and organization.”

“What is her organization exactly?”

I shrugged. “All sorts of things. This wealth isn’t bought without effort.”

“Effort that’s illegal and hurts humans?”

“Does it matter?”

“But Galina used to be your teacher. Can you really kill her? And I don’t mean physically . . . I mean, doesn’t it bother you?”

That was a good question. I considered my answer. “I told you before. It’s all about strength and weakness. Prey and predator. If we can bring her down—and I have no doubts we can—then she’s prey. End of story.”

That was the world. Survival of the fittest. There was no place for mercy in this realm.