AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You think you can put a crown on your own head. That is not the Bratva way. You need me.”
Except I didn’t. Not anymore. I’d forged my own path, and it was almost complete.
When I didn’t react, he sneered, “What is this about? You want to fuck her or—”
“She’s just a kid,” I cut him off.
He snorted. “By my calculation, she’s of age.”
Knowing that he was sensitive to tradition, I said, “I gave her mother a blood vow that I would keep her daughter safe.”
“Blyat.Why would you do that? Have I taught you nothing? You never give that vow to anyone. Never!”
“I gave one to you,” I said before he got the chance.
His lips thinned. “And I will hold you to it. You can keep her. For now.”
Once more, being under Sokolov’s rule chafed me. I’d formed my own Bratva, but the man still viewed me as a foot soldier. So far our goals had aligned, but I always knew we would part ways eventually. We were too much alike. Too consumed by the thirst for revenge, uncaring of who got in the way. The only difference was, I didn’t go after women.
“For now,” I agreed.
“The little witch is mine. Whatever you do, don’t get attached to her.”
“You know me better than that.”
“I’ve taught you well,” he agreed, looking placated. “Never let anyone stand in your way. Especially a useless girl.”
I held up my glass. “Spoken like a true misogynist.”
He snorted. “You still have a soft spot for women. Of all the things I beat out of you, that’s the one thing you’ve refused to let go of.” His eyes narrowed. “Don’t forget what they call you. The Soulless One. ‘I looked, and behold, a pale horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death’.”
Quoting from Revelations? Obviously he was still pissed.
When I refused to take the bait, Sokolov quirked a brow. “Unless you believe the little lamb can humanize you?”
“We both know that’s not possible.” Not with the amount of blood I had on my hands. Humans could become saints, sinners, or turn into demons, but never the other way around. Once a demon, always a demon.
He gave me a sharp look before he left. “She has four years. After that, I will come for her.”
A lot could happen in four years. Kingdoms could rise, empires could fall.
Viking shook his head. “Hewillcome for her.”
Yes, he would. Sokolov was nothing if not relentless. There was nowhere in the world I could send Katya where he wouldn’t find her. Ironically, the safest place for her to be was by my side.
“And even if he doesn’t,” Viking continued, “theotherasshole will.”
When I didn’t react, he cursed. “So, what? You’re gonna keep her here, feed her, school her, and then hand her over to Sokolov like a trussed-up turkey?”
What other option did I have? “It’s the tactical thing to do.”
A growl erupted from his chest. “You and your damn tactics. Give her to him now. Just send her with him and be done with it.”
“That would be breaking my blood vow.”
Viking laughed dryly as he went for the door. “Like you won’t be doing that in four years anyway.”
As he shut the door behind him, a chill went up my spine. The room seemed a bit darker than usual, the air more frosty. It felt as if someone had walked over my grave, trying to awaken the hopeful boy that used to live inside me. I knew there was no going back to those times. Perhaps Katya had inadvertently guessed right when she called me Hades. For better or worse, she was now my Persephone. From this day forward, part of her would always be immersed in the underworld.
