My rage manifests and I lunge at him.

“You son of a bitch!” I scream.

Arsen doesn’t stop me but watches as I slam my fists into the vampire who attacked me.

“Christ, woman.” He grabs at my wrists. “Calm yourself.”

“Calm down? I’ll give you calm. You killed me. You killed my classmates. They were innocent people.” I can’t believe it. I slap at his chest again, infuriated. This bastard stands in front of me and Arsen apparently knew him enough to let him and his goons in his house.

“Ah, so that’s how you know him. I was wondering who at your clan turned her, Nikolai,” Arsen says. “Not like you to just turn someone and leave them to the wolves.”

“Funny story. I barely remember that night.”

“You don’t remember killing multiple people and attacking me?” I scoff. The balls on this fucker.

“I remembered your face, beautiful. That’s about it.” He smirks at me and I gag in revulsion.

“Ew. Don’t even look at me, you creep.”

Nikolai laughs. “Oh, you’re going to be so much fun to be with.”

“Be with?” I ask, confusion lacing my tone as I look to Arsen.

“Yes, be with. I’m here to claim what’s rightfully mine. I am your master. I made you. As such, you belong to me.” He smiles at me, smugly.

Did I just land in the 1800s where women had no rights, and people were still property? I do the only thing I can do. I laugh. A deep, full, belly laugh. I slap my knee as I draw in a breath to tear into Nikolai.

“Over my dead body. When hell freezes over, even. Never. Going. To. Happen.”

Nikolai holds up one finger. “Technically, you’ll be the living dead soon, so I guess I get my way after all.”

“Buddy, not for all the money in the world.” I lean back toward Arsen, waiting for him to back me up but he just watches our exchange with a narrowed gaze.

“You act like you have a choice. Clearly, Arsen hasn’t filled you in on how our world works.”

“Oh, he gave me the gist of it. And I know that you’re psychotic. So, thanks, but no thanks.” Frankly, I don’t care if I break every vampire law or custom or whatever, I’m not going anywhere with this guy.

“I’ll admit, my actions the other night were less than polite.” He shrugs, unapologetic.

“Yeah, polite isn’t a word I’d usually use in conjunction with a murderer.”

“I was not myself. I have more control than a fledgling.” Nikolai sighs like having to explain his actions to me is beneath him.

“How do you mean not yourself?” Arsen asks before I can.

Nikolai looks around, pausing dramatically before responding. “I was infected by the virus. Out of my mind and on a bender, if you will.” He waves his hand at me. “Until I bit this lovely little morsel here.”

I step back, bumping into Arsen as every vampire in the room starts whispering amongst themselves. He can’t be right. There’s no way.

“He’s lying. I remember how you taunted me.” The flash of his fangs in the lab. The way he chased me down the hallway.

One of the men behind Nikolai steps forward. “It’s true. He was infected, and he escaped. We were tracking him and by the time we found him in the woods, he was covered in blood and coherent.”

Arsen looks at me sharply before narrowing his eyes at Nikolai. “Give me your word that you do not lie.”

“I give you my vow. I was sick. I thought they were going to have to put me down. And then after I bit her, I started to regain my senses.” He points at me. “She is the key to curing this virus. And she belongs to me.” He places his hands on his hips. “So hand her over.”

“I’m aware of the way things are supposed to work, Niko,” Arsen says. “However, she’s not a piece of chattel I can just hand over to you. We’re no longer living in the old days.”

Nikolai cluck his tongue. “Oh, how I miss those days.” He claps his hands together, startling me. “Enough chitchat. Time to go, beautiful. We’ve got plenty to do. We need to figure out how you healed me so we can cure the rest who are infected.”

“No fucking way.”

“Now wait just a minute,” Arsen says at the same time.

I’d rather eat raw bull testicles then follow that guy anywhere, and if they expect me to listen, they’re going to have to drag me. Besides, the smirk on Nikolai’s face is too smug. He must normally get his way. Right now, he expects the same. No way in hell.

“We have sick as well, Nikolai. And we’ve already set up a lab for Sasha.” I nod, liking where Arsen’s going with this.

“It’s a really nice lab. I’m quite attached to it.” My words are a complete lie, but I’ll say whatever it takes to keep Nikolai away from me.

“You think we don’t have a lab as well? Don’t play games, Arsen. Don’t make me break our truce.” Nikolai steps forward, his fists clenched. The vampires behind him shift forward, each of them tensing.

The vampires standing behind Arsen and me shift, low hisses drifting past us.

Arsen holds up a hand and they all quiet down. “That is not what I’m trying to do, Nikolai. And you know it. Part of our truce is that we share the cure. It doesn’t just affect the Baetal. It affects the Draugur, too. Or have you forgotten?” Arsen crosses his arms over his chest, calm despite Nikolai’s aggressive stance.

“Oh, I have not forgotten the terms our predecessors set and agreed too. You can trust me on that.” Nikolai winks at me and I cringe.

“There is no way I’m going anywhere with you, Nikolai.” I shake my head, unhappy at the turn of events. “You can’t make me do anything I don’t want to.”

“Sasha.”

I turn to Arsen, “Why can’t I just go home?”

“That’s not the way this works.” His tone is gentle but firm.

“Then fine, I’ll stay here.” Simple as that. Problem solved.

Arsen shakes his head, “You can’t do that. either.”

“Well, what the fuck then?” I throw my hands into the air. What good is it to make out with the Master of the Draugur if it doesn’t get me anything special? Like protection from the psycho standing a few feet from me. Call me petty, but what does a girl have to do around here to be able to exorcise her free will?

“Until your change is complete, you’ll have to go with your maker. It’s not safe for you or the general public if you’re not guided through the change.” Arsen turns from me, focusing his attention on the other master vampire. “However, you should know, Niko, that I’ve made a formal claim for Sasha’s hand.”

Nikolai’s face turns almost feral with anger. “When the fuck did you manage that?”

Arsen smiles tightly. “Don’t you worry about that. All you need to know is that blood has been exchanged and my offer was accepted.” He dips his head. “You know the laws. Anyone in our covens can make an offer for her hand.”

I rub at my forehead, not liking the idea that people can just offer up some blood to exchange and be in the running for my heart. Or well, my courtship? Jesus Christ. I don’t even know what to call it.

“Um, for the record, I’m not accepting any other requests,” I chime in, waving my hand in the air and glaring at every man in the room.

Nikolai laughs. “Oh, she is delightful. I find I quite enjoy her candor.” He looks behind him at the men at his back. “Don’t you agree?” They all nod like good little soldiers and I grit my teeth.

It’s like hive mind over in camp delusional over there. I look at Arsen. “They’re all crazy.”

He rubs his hand across his face, hiding what I suspect is a smirk. “He is right, though. You are quite blunt.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m charming as hell. Let’s get back to the point here. I’m not going anywhere with him.”

“What part of you don’t have a choice is hard for you to understand, beautiful?” Nikolai asks.

I lunge for him again, but this time Arsen stops me. “Give me a moment, Niko.”

“Oh sure, I’ve got nothing but time.” He turns his back on Arsen, talking low with one of his men.

Arsen grips my hand in his, pulling me around the corner. I look up at him, letting the sheer terror at the thought of going with Nikolai show on my face.

“Arsen . . . I can’t.” My entire body shakes at the thought of being at Nikolai’s mercy again.

He rubs my palm with his thumb. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. And it’s not what I promised you. But I will make sure you are safe and back with me. As soon as I can.”

“How soon is soon?” I ask.

“There is some red tape I have to work through. Vampire politics are just as bad as human politics. Just a bit deadlier.”

I don’t like the sound of his tone. Like he’s resigned himself to what’s about to happen. “So what choices do I have here? Surely there has to be some loophole.”

“I’m afraid not, Sasha.”

“So I’ve got no other choice than to go with Nikolai until I change?”

“None.”

Fuck.