Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Gianna

I paced back and forth in the living room, my vampire hearing straining for any sign of the limousine's return. The grandfather clock in the corner ticked away mercilessly, each second feeling like an eternity. Two hours had passed since they left, and my imagination ran wild with horrific scenarios.

My stomach churned with anxiety. What if they were ambushed? The thought of Dimitri, Angelo, and Enzo torn apart by a pack of vengeful wolves made me feel physically ill. I considered calling Keir Rankin, the Unseelie mafia king. Angelo relied on him for information, though their alliance was as stable as a house of cards in a hurricane.

Keir never did anything for free and Angelo would be furious with me since he'd have to give something to the Unseelie king. But right now, I didn't care about that. Keir would have the men and the power to challenge the wolf king.

Just as I reached for my phone, the familiar rumble of the limousine's engine reached my ears. Relief flooded through me, making my knees weak. Drawing on vampire speed, I raced out to the garage, the world blurring around me.

"Princess, no!" Jacques called out, his voice tinged with panic.

I could hear him right behind me, but I was faster, fueled by desperation and love. My feet barely touched the ground as I flew toward the garage, my heart pounding in my chest despite not needing to breathe.

I skidded to a stop as Angelo and Enzo emerged from the car. My eyes darted between them, searching for any sign of injury. Luckily, there was none.

But there was no Dimitri. Panic flared in my chest, squeezing my heart like a vice.

"Where's Dimitri?" I demanded, my voice cracking with fear.

"You doubted I would survive?" His familiar mocking voice sent a wave of relief crashing through me. Dimitri emerged from the dark garage, his silhouette gradually coming into focus.

Without hesitation, I flung my arms around his neck, pressing myself against him as if I could merge our bodies together. The familiar scent of him—leather, cologne, and something uniquely Dimitri—enveloped me, calming my frayed nerves .

"Thank god you're home," I whispered, my voice muffled against his chest.

He slipped his arms around my waist, his touch gentle yet possessive. As he stared into my eyes, I could see a mix of relief, love, and lingering concern swirling in their depths.

"You're safe?" he asked, his voice low and intense.

I nodded, drinking in the sight of him. "Thanks to you." As I looked closer, I noticed the tension in his jaw, the slight stiffness in his movements. Concern flooded through me. "I think you've had enough for one day."

He lifted an eyebrow, summoning his trademark smirk. "Enough? Please. This was just my warm-up. I could take on a whole pack of wolf shifters before breakfast." He winced slightly as we moved. "Though I might need a blood bag or ten first. And maybe a massage. From you, preferably."

He rested his head on my shoulder, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper. "Besides, you should see the other guy. Let's just say he won't be chasing any cars anytime soon."

Angelo stopped and cast his gaze over Dimitri. "Do you need me to help you carry him to your room, Gianna?"

I could feel Dimitri stiffen beside me, his muscles coiling like tightly wound springs. Even in his battered state, he was fighting to prove himself worthy, to show no weakness. My heart ached at his stubbornness, equal parts frustrating and endearing.

I shook my head, my voice firm but gentle. "No, I've got him." I carefully draped Dimitri's arm over my shoulder, feeling the weight of his body against mine. The scent of blood, both his and the wolf's, clung to him like a second skin. "I think all he needs is a nice warm bath and a good night's sleep."

Angelo's eyes flicked between us, his face an unreadable mask. He shrugged, the movement almost imperceptible. "Suit yourself. Enzo, watch to make sure they get into the house in one piece. Jacques follow me, we need to talk." With that, my brother vanished through the back door, leaving a vacuum of tension in his wake.

I called after him. "Angelo, don't hurt him. He's family."

Angelo responded with a grunt. I wasn't sure what that meant, but hopefully, it meant that Jacques would only receive a tongue lashing.

Jacques bowed his head and reluctantly followed my brother inside. I just hoped Angelo only gave him a tongue lashing and didn't beat him to a pulp.

Enzo's gaze remained steady on us as we moved, his eyes calculating. I could almost see the gears turning in his head, assessing Dimitri's strengths and weaknesses. Hadn't Dimitri proven himself to them already? The injustice of it made my fangs itch beneath my gums.

As Enzo opened the back door for us, I felt the subtle tremors running through Dimitri's body. He leaned into me just a little more with every passing second, each step clearly a battle against pain. A soft grunt escaped his lips as we passed Enzo, and I silently prayed the enforcer wouldn't notice. To my relief, if Enzo picked up on Dimitri's condition, he kept his observations to himself.

We tackled the stairs one by one, each step a small victory. I could hear Dimitri's unnecessary breath coming in short, controlled bursts, feel the tension in his body as he fought to maintain his composure. My Dimitri had been through hell today, all for me. The thought made my chest tighten with a mixture of love and guilt.

Finally, we reached my room. I pushed the door open with my free hand, guiding Dimitri inside our sanctuary. Once past the threshold, I pressed a soft kiss to his lips, tasting the faint metallic tang of blood. The familiar taste, usually exciting, now filled me with concern.

The familiar surroundings seemed to offer a bubble of safety, a respite from the chaos of the day. "I think we both could use a moment of peace."

"I won't argue with you on that," he mumbled.

I guided Dimitri to our bed, his weight heavy against me. As we reached the edge, he sat down with a barely suppressed groan, his face contorting in pain for a split second before he masked it with his usual smirk.

"Easy there, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice strained despite his attempt at levity. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

My hands trembled slightly as I helped him peel off his jacket. The fabric stuck to his skin in places, tacky with drying blood. The metallic scent hit me like a wave, making my fangs ache beneath my gums. I swallowed hard, pushing down the instinctive hunger.

As I carefully lifted his shirt, Dimitri hissed through clenched teeth. The sound made my heart clench. "I'm sorry," I whispered, trying to be as gentle as possible.

When the shirt finally came off, I couldn't hold back a gasp. Deep claw marks scored his chest, the flesh angry and raw. Bite marks peppered his torso, each one a testament to the ferocity of the fight he'd endured. The wounds, though already starting to heal with vampire speed, looked painful and deep.

"Oh god, Dimitri," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. My fingers hovered over the injuries, afraid to touch and cause more pain. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, a mix of guilt, anger, and overwhelming love threatening to spill over.

Dimitri caught my hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss. "Hey now, don't look so worried. It's just a few scratches."

I shook my head, a watery laugh escaping me despite the gravity of the situation. "You're impossible, you know that?"

He winked, though I could see the pain behind his eyes. "It's part of my charm."

I leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Let's get you cleaned up," I murmured against his skin. "Then we can work on healing these scratches of yours."

As I stood to fetch some warm water and towels, I couldn't shake the image of his wounds from my mind. Dimitri had faced down a wolf shifter for me. The least I could do was patch him up and keep him safe while he recovered.

Let them try to hurt him again—they'd face a fury they'd never forget. They'd learn why vampires were at the top of the supernatural food chain.