Nikoli smiled. “No, you won’t. Kendra, you seem to be under the impression that I answer to you.”

“You do,” she said confidentially.

“Kendra, I would like to remind you that my patience is wearing thin. You do not order, make threats or even make decisions that involve me. I will kill you and I will forget the deal we made more than four hundred years ago.”

Carolina watched as Kendra paled at Nikoli’s words. She looked at Seyurn with a curious look on her face, when he noticed her looking at him he simply shrugged.

“Now, get off my porch. I believe our conversation is over.” Nikoli said as he turned and started walking away from the door.

“You’ll regret this,” she threated.

Carolina noticed Nikoli stop in his tracks and turned his head slightly showing his profile before turning to face Kendra. In less than a second, Nikoli had Kendra by the throat lifting her off of the ground.

“DON’T EVER THREATEN ME!” He shouted at her while she tried removing his hand. “I don’t understand why you think I will put up with your childish antics but I won’t.”

Carolina watched as Nikoli let Kendra go abruptly. Kendra lay on the porch gasping for breath while Nikoli tried to calm his breathing. Carolina stood there helplessly as Nikoli contemplated killing Kendra; it was then that she knew that whatever Kendra was holding over Nikoli’s head was major in order for Nikoli to think twice about killing her.

“I will tell you this one last time…you need to leave Kendra.” Nikoli told her as he walked inside the house and closed the door.

Once the door was closed he leaned against it and looked at Carolina, who stood beside Seyurn. He leaned his head down before he left to walk up the stairs. Carolina looked at him as he walked up the stairs.

“Go to him,” Seyurn said.

Carolina looked at him, and he nodded. She smiled slightly while she patted his shoulder gently. While walking up the stairs she started trying to figure out what had happened earlier. When she reached the top of the staircase she closed her eyes in order to feel where he was at. Opening her eyes she began to walk to the small door on her left that led to the attic which Nikoli turned into a mini library. She pushed the door open and walked down the hallway while ignoring the breath-taking Salvador Dali painting that covered the entire left wall. When she reached the end of the hallway she leaned against the hallway wall and crossed her arms under her breast.

“What does Kendra have on you?”

She asked him as he sat on the leather couch that was facing the small cast iron wood stove that was installed after she had moved in with him. When he didn’t response she sighed heavily and she pushed herself off of the wall and walked around. She brushed her hands against the bindings of several books that were placed upright on top notch mahogany selves that Nikoli had imported from Italy.

“Nikoli, are you going to answer me?”

Nikoli sighed, “Do you really want to know?

Carolina turned to face his back. “Nikoli, I have recently learned that you’ve kept me in the dark for years about Kendra.”

“Fine, but I need you.”

Carolina walked over to him and he looked up at her as she placed her hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. “Do you want me to sit?”

He nodded while his eyes remained closed.

Carolina sat down on his right while her hand remained on his left cheek. “What happened?” She asked him as she placed her free hand on his thigh. Nikoli placed his hand over hers and turned his face to kiss the inside of her palm. When he leaned back and pulled her body against his he sighed in contempt, with her chest against his stomach and her head on his chest caused his body to become peaceful. “She has a blood link with Suyun.”

Carolina raised her head, “What? How did that happen?”

 Nikoli ran his hands through her hair before answering. “Kendra used me.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I told her that our relationship couldn’t continue she went crazy. Afterwards she started trying to find a way to keep me and it led her to dark magic.”

“Who practiced dark magic?”

“I’d rather not say. When Kendra talked to him into finding out my weakness he told her it was Seyurn, who is my trusted companion and at that time he was going to settle down with a servant girl from another house.”

Carolina placed her folded hands on Nikoli’s chest and placed her chin on top. “Wait, you drove this girl into insanity? Nikoli you aren’t that great in bed.”

Nikoli chuckled, “My beloved Carolina, this isn’t a laughing matter. Due to my lack of sensitivity it cost Seyurn his happiness.”

“Is that why you haven’t snapped Kendra’s neck?”

Nikoli nodded. “If I kill her Suyun will die with her.”

“What if someone killed Suyun? Wouldn’t that kill Kendra?”

“No, that’s not the way the blood link works it is normally used in order to kill a stronger opponent. Kendra knew that I would be angry that she turned Suyun but when she told me about the blood link it made her untouchable. I’m not sure if Seyurn still loves her but I do know that there was a possibility of him having a happy life is what makes me leave Kendra alive. It’s a stupid reason but if I could find someone that could reverse the spell it would free Suyun.”

“Nikoli, it isn’t your fault. I know that it may seem like it but I know that Seyurn was hurting but I know that he will forgive you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I know that you haven’t told Seyurn the truth. I bet he thinks that Suyun left him in order to live her life as a vampire.”

Nikoli wrapped both of his arms around her, “I can’t lose him. If I lost either him or you…I don’t know what I would do.”

“That doesn’t sound like the Notorious Killer Nikoli. From what I heard he has no heart and doesn’t even hesitate about killing.”

Nikoli smiled. “I do have a heart.”

Carolina’s eyes rose in surprise. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, in fact my heart has a name.” When Carolina’s eyebrows lowered in confusion and Nikoli kissed her forehead. “Carolina, that’s my heart’s name.”

Carolina laughed. “You’re silly.”

“It’s true. I know that each of my trusted companions hold a special place in your heart and I have no heart.”

“If you have no heart…how can you feel love towards me?”

Nikoli’s face scrunched in confusion. “I realize how contradicting that sounds.”

Carolina smiled as she pushed herself up and kissed Nikoli’s lips. “Yes, I know…but I still love you anyway.”

“I’m sorry for never telling you about Kendra.” He told her as she placed her head in the curve of his neck and he wrapped his arms around her once again.

“It’s okay. I know you have your reasons.”

Sighing, he placed his lips onto her forehead, “I just want to protect you.”

“So by leaving me in the dark about your past it was your way of protecting me from a crazy ex?”

“Why do you have to make it sound so bad?”

Carolina giggled as she began to unbutton his dress shirt. “It is bad. What kind of man leaves his woman blind to his crazy ex? That’s the first thing you should’ve told me!”

Nikoli laughed loudly, “That would’ve delayed our growing affection towards each other.”

When Carolina placed her hand on his bare chest she sighed, “You’re a dog. You didn’t tell me about your ex because you wanted to get laid?”

Nikoli closed his eyes, “No. I didn’t want for her take anything else away from me.”

Carolina looked up at Nikoli as he looked down at her. “What’s going on with this library?”

“I’m going to refurnish it.”

Carolina rolled her eyes. “Nikoli this will be the fifth time!”

“No,” Nikoli stated as he scoffed.

Carolina pushed herself up from Nikoli’s body. “What is wrong with you?”

“What? I take pride in my library like I do my woman.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I noticed the way you stood up to Kendra. It was cute watching my girl get all feisty.”

Carolina smiled as Nikoli moved up in order to kiss her neck. “You’re ridiculous.”

Nikoli began to kiss his way down to her chest. “You smell so delicious.”

“Nikoli?”

“Mmm?”

“You know that you have to tell Seyurn the truth.”

Nikoli stopped kissing Carolina’s chest. “Why?”

Carolina got up from the couch and walked over to the window that was beside the cast iron stove. “You can’t keep the both of us in the dark.”

Nikoli rubbed his thighs. “Fine, I’ll tell him.”