Well, it seems to me that Konstantin is also underestimating Vladimir, isn't he?
Elena: I smiled when I woke up to find myself lying in Vladimir’s arms. The man was shirtless while I was wearing a nightgown, and though he didn’t lay a finger on me, I was more than a little happy when he chose to have me leave that room and stay in his instead. It’s been a week since Konstantin chose to give me to him, and in that week, I have never felt more safe. “Good morning,” he said, and I raised myself to find him smiling at me. He pulled me to him, connecting his lips with mine in a gentle kiss. And it wasn’t until I heard a low purr coming from his chest that I pulled away, raising an amused eyebrow at him. “You really need to tell me the way you are able to purr, because I doubt that any normal human can do so.” I said, and he sucked in a harsh breath. It was like this whenever I asked, but I could tell that it seemed to be an involuntary habit whenever he was happy. “How’d you sleep, malyshka?” He asked, dismissing the topic. “Good, it seems to me that I find m
Vladimir: “Are you sure that it is wise for you to be going to the Ivanov Estate this early?” Konstantin asked, looking at me through the mirror of the front door while I fixed my jacket. “They were already informed that I was alive, and the meeting would be a public one. There is no need to hide while tending to the things that we have to take care of.” I said, and the man raised an eyebrow at me. “You are not the least bit worried that things would be taking a wrong turn? The man believed that you were dead…” “My heart stopped, but that didn’t mean that I was dead. Even Killian knows that one mustn’t be too foolish to believe one’s death before they have seen them buried or have burned their bodies. Anyhow, as I said, the meeting would be a public one. We will start arranging how things go accordingly.” I said, and he nodded. His eyes studied my expression for a few seconds before he took a deep breath. “I take it that you are going to want her to stay in your room?” He asked,
Elena: I watched as the bedroom door opened, and though I knew that it wasn’t Vladimir, I knew not to fear who was to come in. However, when I saw that it was Konstantin, I couldn’t help but find myself sucking in a harsh breath as he walked toward me. His stance was calm, and his eyes, which were stripping me without needing me to move, made me more and more uncomfortable. But I knew better than to move right now. I just kept looking down at my feet. “I take it that he has made you grow more confident.” He said, his tone more sarcastic than it had ever been. “You even opened your mouth to speak.” I didn’t respond as my heart raced against my chest. He took another step closer, and putting a finger under my chin, he forced my eyes on his. “I am keen about the way that he’s done it. You seem to have grown a habit of being stubborn when it comes to being with me, and…” “Please do not hurt me,” I begged, and he chuckled. “Ah, so the cat has finally let your tongue go.” He said, pu
Vladimir: I walked inside the auction hall, knowing that he was going to be waiting. Our eyes met from a distance, and though I knew that normally, the man would have gotten up to greet me and I would have walked straight to him. But I also knew that more eyes were on us than we could count, and every move that we made was being watched. And I wasn’t dumb, Konstantin’s men were more than a little anxious of what was to happen tonight. “Vladimir, it is an honor to have you.” Akshana, one of the hostesses said. Her eyes met mine and I read her silent message. The woman didn’t want any trouble, and I knew that she had given Killian the same stern look. “The pleasure is mine, Akshana. I won’t be long. I just have a few things to settle with Killian and I am to be on my way.” I said, and she nodded, allowing me to pass. She stopped the men, not allowing them in. She was one of Killian’s trusted women, and one of the very few that knew of me being alive. “He is to go inside alone.” “
Elena: It’s been a week since Vladimir left, and though Konstantin never visited me again, at least not to talk about anything. He knew that his words stirred in my head, especially when he brought me the book of wolves the night after he left the bedroom. His eyes met mine, and I couldn’t help but find myself thinking of the number of possibilities that could happen. The way his eyes met mine, the way he was sure, how he was mocking me. It just pained me to find myself thinking that Vladimir could be hiding something like this from me. But when I thought of the facts. When I saw that the man avoided me during the time of a full moon. When I thought that he was avoiding me, the man seemed to be avoiding me because he was ‘shifting’? It was something that I found too hard, and I couldn’t find myself understanding how I was going to be dealing with it. I laid on the bed, his bed, embracing the smell of his perfume, it was one that I was sure to put on the pillows before I slept eve
Vladimir: It took everything in me to stay calm and quiet as I looked at my mate, processing everything that was going on. His eyes met mine, and I took a deep breath, trying to think of a right way to explain things to her. “Are you a wolf?” Elena asked, her tone somewhat hesitant. I looked down at the book, avoiding her eyes as I knew that she was looking at me through the mirror. “Would it change anything if I was?” I asked, turning to face her. Her heart raced, and she looked down at her lap for a second. “It depends on whether or not you are the monster that is in the books or that is scaring Konstantin…” “And if I was?” I asked, stopping her. “Would you want me to leave?” Elena stayed quiet, but shook her head. She clenched and unclenched her fists, taking a deep breath as she did before she got up from the bed. She took a slow step toward me, her hands shaking before she put her hand on mine, running her finger over mine. “I don’t want to lose you, Elena,” I said, look
Elena: I kept my eyes on Vladimir for a second as he studied my expression. He ran his finger over my waist, gently massaging it. “Are you sure that you want this, malyshka?” Vladimir asked, his voice softening in a way that even a sobbing baby would have calmed. “I want you, Vladimir. I trust you,” I said, voicing out the one thing that I never thought that I would. The man, I didn’t even know why my body felt like it needed him, like I needed him. All I knew was that I felt my safest around him. He was the light of my day, the savior of my dark days, and the anchor to my ship. I knew that he knew and understood that very well. And though I didn’t know whether I should be thankful or frightened because of it, I knew that I wouldn’t replace him, his presence, and his love for the world. He connected his lips with mine once more, and our clothes which were concealing our bodies from one another started coming off, being thrown around random sides of the room. He rested his forehe
Vladimir: “You seem to be satisfied.” Konstantin said, and I smirked, taking a seat beside him. “I take it that you enjoyed your little woman?” The fact that I knew not to tell him about what Elena told me wasn’t something that I liked, but I knew, for her safety, that I shouldn’t be putting her through the risk of thinking that she could go through such a thing. Plus, I had no benefit in him finding out that I knew of it now. In the end, I knew how to get what I wanted when I wanted it, but for now, the man was going to think me an oblivious fool. “I trust that you were well while I was gone? I haven’t heard of you despite the fact that I knew that your men have been giving you the information of everything that I did throughout my entire stay in the States.” I said, and he smirked, handing me the files where his ‘businesses’ were taken care of. Killian was sure to put up a few offers that he knew would seem logical for a man that wouldn’t be rejecting anything from him, and consid