Bled Dry (Vegas Vampires #3)(57)
Author: Erin McCarthy

Unable to resist, he spat over the side to reflect his disdain for Chechikov. “Bastard.”

“Corbin, are you okay?”

He turned to find Brittany careening across the rooftop, holding her belly as she ran at breakneck speed. “What are you still doing up here?” he asked in horror. “You were supposed to leave with Carrick!”

“I couldn’t leave until I knew you were alright.”

Offended, he bent over to pick his sword up. “You did not trust me? You thought I could not handle the Russian? Perhaps I am not man enough?”

“Oh, good grief, chill. That’s not what I meant. I wasn’t questioning your masculinity, I was just worried.”

“You should have worried less about me and more about our child.” He was appalled that she had stayed when she should have taken herself straight to safety.

Not answering, she peered over the roof edge. “It’s too dark to see anything. Is he dead?”

“We should be so lucky.” Brittany was making him nervous, leaning like that, so he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “It is possible, and if you return home with your sister, I could investigate the situation.”

Her jaw dropped. “Why does it feel like we’re fighting with each other?”

“I am not aware that we are doing any such thing,” he said stiffly, even as he realized he was being unreasonable. But he had spent the entire evening terrified for her safety, and now he found that she had deliberately risked herself and their child because she thought he could not survive a battle with Gregor. It had his nerves shredded, his pride injured, his relief that she was safe so sharp, he felt as though he could actually taste it.

“Fine. Since we’re not arguing, you won’t say a word when I tell you that I’m going to the Ava and I’m going to eat something, and then sleep for about twelve hours in Alex’s apartment. If you feel like discussing anything with me, you can do it in the morning.”

Hurling his overcoat at him, she whirled around and tossed back over her shoulder, “Oh, and by the way, I told Donatelli he’s my father so that he would have an interest in saving me from Gregor. It worked, but now I have no idea what he’ll do with that information.”

Wonderful. Just fantastique .

Using his coat, he wiped the blood off his sword, and followed her down three flights of stairs to the elevator, suddenly feeling like a naughty schoolboy.

Arms folded over her middle, she stared up at the elevator numbers and gave little huffs and sighs of impatience.

Corbin could not tolerate the ridiculousness of their silence. “Brittany.” He wrapped his arms around her, bloody sword under his coat and all. “I was terrified they would harm you. I am so glad you are safe.” Leaning into her, he breathed deeply the scent of her body, her hair, and kissed her temple. It was calming to hold her, and he closed his eyes, pulled her closer. “I love you. It amazes me how much.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered, stroking her fingers lightly across his arms.

“I do not know what I would do if something happened to you.”

“Nothing happened to me.”

“I know. And nothing will as long as I have breath.” The elevator dinged at the first floor. “Now let’s find your sister so you can go home and relax. I have to check on Chechikov.”

Turning, she frowned. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“What stupid? What are you talking about? I’m just going to see if he is dead.” He covered the sword with his overcoat as they stepped off the elevator, knowing the Bellagio security would find it fascinating that a pregnant woman had shown up on their elevator cameras standing next to a sword suspended in midair. They would probably wonder if the building was haunted.

“Don’t provoke him. You won. Leave it at that. There’s no reason to pick another fight with him.”

There it was again. That implication that he could not win in a battle. He tried not to lose his temper. “Go with Alexis and sleep. I can handle Chechikov.”

She shook her head with a soft smile. “Boys.”

Kissing her forehead, he put a hand on her tight belly. “Girls.” He saw her sister pacing anxiously by a seating group of sofas in the lobby. “Now there is Alexis. Go.”

“Fine.” She went with a wave and a last admonishment. “Be careful!”

“Yes, yes.” Corbin picked his way through the casino and out a back door marked for employees. It took several minutes to find the loading dock that Chechikov had dropped down onto. Fortunately, there wasn’t a lot of activity in that area at night. The truck seemed to be parked in the loading dock waiting for the next shift to unload. Putting his coat back on, Corbin jumped up on the fender, and leaped onto the roof. He could see Chechikov lying on top and knew immediately he was still alive. He could hear his heart beating, the noisy rattle of his labored breathing as he moved in closer.

The neck wound was healing, but his eyes were glazed with pain, his arm bent at an odd angle. Corbin did not want to kill him, because he was certain that would not sit well with the tribunal. Also, he was not entirely sure how Brittany would react to that. But he knew leaving Gregor to recover would be dangerous. There would be nothing then to prevent him from abducting Brittany or the baby at a later date.

“Atelier,” Chechikov said, struggling to sit up.

“Chechikov. I see you have suffered no permanent damage from your clumsy tumble,” Corbin said, feeling not a single ounce of pity for him.

Gregor gave up the effort and fell onto his back. “Rot in hell. Go and leave me alone to heal. You won’t kill me, I know you won’t. You are too soft, like Carrick. Even like Donatelli.” Gregor closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and locked gazes with Corbin. “And when you have forgotten all about me, and you’re living your charmed, self-important life, with your pretty little mortal girlfriend, I’ll come for her. And when I’m done with her, after I’ve raped her over and over, taken her blood, broken her bones, forced her into submission on her knees, my c**k in her mouth, she’ll wish she were dead. But I won’t kill her. I’ll play with her, torment her, until I’ll leave a knife out or maybe a gun and she’ll kill herself rather than have to suffer one more minute. And the whole time she’ll wonder where is my lover? Why won’t he save me? Corbin, Corbin… ” Gregor mocked, his voice a high-pitched imitation. He sneered. “But you’ll never find her, not until her body is filled with rot, and the vultures have pecked out her eyes.”