Atlantis Betrayed

Chapter 31

Once they hit the sidewalk, Christophe took a firm grip on Fiona’s arm and headed straight for the bikes. He was taking her back to her nice, safe home, where he didn’t have to worry about being ambushed while anybody threatened to eat her.

A ragged group of shifters was crowded around the Ducatis, admiring them. When Christophe approached, one of the bigger males put a hand on the seat.

“This bike used to be yours, human? Because I’m thinking it’s mine now. I’ll take your pretty little woman, too.”

The rest of the thugs laughed and nudged one another, egging the stupid one on.

Stupider one?

“I’m guessing you weren’t inside,” Christophe said.

Before the shifter could move, Christophe’s dagger shot through the air and buried itself in his throat. As the man gurgled, blood spurting out around the blade, he began to fall, and Christophe snatched his blade back, wiping it on the nearest shifter’s shirt.

“He’ll heal. Eventually. Anybody else?” He channeled power until it seared his skin and lit up the night sky with an eerie blue-green glow.

The rest of them uttered hasty denials and dragged their friend away. Christophe turned to find Fiona staring at him, her eyes huge.

“I’ve had enough of people threatening you,” he said flatly. “The next time it happens, I’m going to start killing them.” It wasn’t a threat, it was a simple fact. They’d threatened his woman. The next person to do it died. Anyone after that to do it, died.

Simple.

“You can’t keep treating me like I’m some fragile princess you have to protect,” Fiona said.

“It’s not only my sworn duty this time. It’s personal. Get used to it.”

“No. I won’t. Listen to me, Christophe, and listen closely. This can never work—our partnership, our relationship, whatever we have here—unless you treat me like an equal.”

He didn’t understand why she didn’t understand. “You’re not equal. Not as a warrior. You don’t have offensive magic, only defensive, and you don’t have centuries of battle training and experience. How can I possibly treat you like an equal?”

She sighed and took his hands in hers. “I’m not talking about that kind of equal. I don’t claim to have any of that. But I have a brain. I’m the one who got us out of that mess in the pub, didn’t I? You have to trust me, too.”

“Not everyone is going to be a fan of your books, Fiona. Sometimes it’s going to take fighting our way out, and I won’t allow you to be in situations like that.”

“When it does involve fighting, I’ll let you lead the way. I’m not an idiot. But you have to let me make the choice of what I do and where I go, and you have to let me stand by your side when we can do more together than apart.” She released her hands and took a deep breath. “Also, you need to forget the word allow. Or I’ll go my own way now. Trust me or lose me, that’s the choice. Now it’s up to you.”

With that, she swung one leg over her bike, put her helmet on, and took off. He stood watching her go for a few seconds before he climbed on his own bike and followed. Trust her or lose her. How could such a simple decision be so damn tough to make?

Fiona concentrated on the road, the traffic, and not crying. In that order. She was looking for the nearest coffee shop that was at least ten kilometers away from that damn pub. Nothing like fear of being an evening snack for a bunch of wolves to shake a girl up.

The truth wasn’t that simple, though. It wasn’t about fear. It was about finally finding a man who excited and challenged her on every level—physically, emotionally, mentally—and then learning he couldn’t put aside his need to protect her long enough to consider her a true partner.

A true equal.

She’d seen what happened to women who allowed men to dominate them. Her grandfather had bullied her grandmother into an early grave. Even in the name of protecting her, Christophe couldn’t take over her life. If she let him begin now, he’d never stop. Slowly, gradually, he’d wrap her in a lovely, soft cocoon—with him in control. The Scarlet Ninja would be no more. Fiona herself would disappear, taken over by a useless version of herself who was very well-sated in bed but not in any other way.

No. He had to learn, or he had to go.

By the time she pulled the bike over to the side of the road underneath the welcoming coffee shop sign, she’d all but resigned herself to never seeing him again. So when the roar of the second Ducati sounded beside her, she half wondered if she were imagining it.

The bike shut off.

“I’m sorry. You were right,” Christophe said.

She smiled and scrubbed the tears off her cheeks before she looked up at him. “My new five favorite words.”

“I can’t pretend this will be easy for me, but I’ll do my best,” he said. “I can’t walk away from you. Not now, maybe not ever. I don’t pretend that’s easy for me, either. You’ve turned my world upside down, so the least I can do is trust you.”

She wanted to throw herself into his arms. She settled for taking his hand.

“Coffee? While we plan our next move?”

“Our next move is clear,” he said. “We’re going to Daybreak, the vampire club. Did you happen to write any vampire stories?”