Small fires began to ignite off of both Nicolai and me. Five more minutes and the entire room would be engulfed in flames.
“Stop it. Now,” Seth said as he stood and came between his brother and myself. “My vision is clear. We will succeed together. It’s the only way.”
Silver smoke drifted ominously from Nicolai’s nose and his eyes glowed a brilliant green. He wanted to tear my head off and I was feeling dangerously close to returning the favor.
He was dressed casually in jeans and a green t-shirt that matched his eyes. It was completely distracting and I stared at the table so I wouldn’t kill him or jump him. The Dragons watched in rabid fascination wondering if someone—meaning me—was going to die.
Seth, Elaina and Lenny pulled Nicolai back while about a dozen more Dragons—male and female—sat forward and looked on.
The females watched Nicolai with hungry eyes, which infuriated me. We were here to figure out how to off my father, not get laid by an arrogant asshole.
Inhaling slowly and exhaling even slower, I made eye contact with Seth and decided to give it one more try. If they still refused to accept me I would leave—vision or no.
“My father’s inner circle is solid,” I said evenly, ignoring what had passed only moments ago. “They might not love him, but they’re loyal.”
“Why?” Seth asked.
I was no longer angry with Seth and he had regained my trust. He’d kept my secret about Daniel which was more than I’d expected. After a long talk, I’d realized he’d never led me to believe we were anything more than friends and he still treated me exactly the same as before.
He was a hugger and a hand holder. Seth was kind and affectionate with everyone. I wasn’t jealous when he touched others. I just loved when he touched me. It was brotherly and protective. For him and for Daniel, I would try.
“Because he has something on everyone. That’s how he works. If my father isn’t blackmailing someone, he threatens the lives of the people his inner circle love. And they are not idle threats. He makes good on his promises.”
I shuddered remembering how much pleasure he’d taken in tearing my older brothers and mother to shreds. It was hundreds of years ago, but the memory had played in my mind and my nightmares since the horrid day.
“So she’s staying?” a leggy and obnoxious, beautiful blonde Dragon named Maria demanded, staring daggers at me.
Several Dragons around the large table hissed under their breath and I raised my eyebrows at the hostility. I had known it would be hard to win them over, but I was getting weary of the veiled threats. I’d been sleeping holding my knives the entire week. It was getting old fast. If Nicolai didn’t show me respect, none of them would.
Maria was hot for teacher and saw me as a threat to her chances with Nicolai. I was very aware she didn’t give a damn whose daughter I was. She was thinking with her crotch as most Dragons did. Maria and at least ten other horny female Dragons could not have been more wrong. I wanted nothing to do with the pig. The sexual chemistry between Nicolai and me was unavoidable and everyone had noticed, including Seth. Seth had even tried to talk to me about it, which didn’t end well—for him.
“She has a name,” I said calmly as I sat back in my chair and narrowed my eyes at her. “It’s Dima and I’d suggest you use it…Maria. I’m equally as in charge as Nicolai and I will brook no insubordinate behavior. Are we clear…Maria?”
“I will listen to Nicolai, not her,” she snapped angrily. “If she persists, I will challenge her.”
The room went silent and my grin widened. Maybe I didn’t have Nicolai’s respect, but Maria had just given me the opening to get everyone else’s. The entirety of the room watched with bloodthirsty interest. God, Dragons were so predictable.
“Ohhhh Maria, Maria, Maria, that’s such a short sighted choice. However, I will accept your challenge. I’ve been itching to beat the hell out of someone the whole miserable week I’ve been here. Since it’s not appropriate for me to kick Nicolai’s ass being that we’re partners and all, I suppose tearing you apart will suffice. Does sundown work for you?” I inquired politely.
Nicolai’s audible grunt of displeasure at my show of disrespect for him somewhat satisfied my need to throat punch him—not completely, but enough to hold me over.
Elaina pressed her hand to her mouth to hide a small smile, but Lenny did no such thing. His grin was wide and his appreciation for me increased. That pleased me for some bizarre reason. He’d not spoken more than two words to me since we’d arrived at the compound, but I knew he was constantly watching.
“I didn’t challenge you. I believe I said I was going to challenge you,” Maria spat, but didn’t completely back down.
“I beg to differ. I heard challenge, I accepted. And you will regret it,” I explained slowly as if English was her second language. “Are you withdrawing?
“Of course not,” she shot back angrily. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
Since what my kind understood most was violence, it was fitting that I fight someone to gain respect. Maria was an ideal choice. I didn’t like her and she certainly didn’t like me. However, she needed to respect me. They all did and if it took some bloodshed, far be it from me to decline.
“I look forward to it,” I said. “Sundown or midnight?”
Maria wasn’t quite as confident as she was only moments ago, but a Dragon never walked away from a challenge—ever.