Leo understood his motive now. “And so you plan to destroy any evidence before you leave here.”
Nikolai nodded as he steepled his fingers. “Yes. There will be a terrible fire, everything but Talliano’s notes and the cure will be lost.”
“Talliano?”
“He was a friend, a man of wisdom and great knowledge. I’m afraid he is dead now and was kind enough to leave me the castle in his will.”
Leo suspected the only reason Talliano was dead was because Nikolai had killed him.
“It will be a shame to destroy such an old building.” Nikolai looked up at the vaulted ceiling. “Of course, you know Sylvester and Julia must perish too.”
“No!” Ivana threw herself to the floor, knelt at his feet. “Do not do this, Nikolai. They have been loyal servants to me all these years. You can make us forget. Take what it is you want and leave us be. Do the vows you made to me mean nothing to you?”
“As I said, did you remember your vows when you took Leo to your bed?” Nikolai grinned. “But as this is the last time I will see you, it may ease your conscience to know that you are not my wife. I have married many women over the years, in many countries. You were not the first. You were not the last.”
Relief flooded Leo’s chest. If Nikolai was not her husband, then he had no real hold on Ivana.
“What?” Ivana shook her head. “You mean mine is not the only life you have destroyed out of greed and a need for revenge. Your heart is black. Your wickedness taints your soul. May God damn you to Hell.”
“Yes, yes. I have heard it all before.” He grabbed his cane and stood as Ivana scrambled to her feet and shuffled back to Leo’s side. “Now, I must leave here within the hour. Forgive my impatience but time is of the essence.”
The sharp slicing sound of the blade as it came free of its holder echoed ominously through the room.
Ivana raised her chin defiantly though Leo could sense her fear. “I will not let you do this.”
“You always were naive. But you will watch your lover die and know you were to blame. Your eagerness to turn him has cost him his life.” Nikolai grinned in response to the tears welling in her eyes. “The blood of animals has made you weak.”
“The blood of humans has made you a monster,” she countered.
Nikolai shrugged, but then turned sharply, his penetrative gaze boring into Leo’s soul. “Kneel before me, Leo. You will kneel before me now.” Nikolai’s stern voice gripped him like talons, puncturing his chest to curl around his heart. It tugged, pulled him forward. Leo tried desperatel
y to hold onto the arm of the chair, but his legs had a will of their own. “Do not fight me. You will kneel before me.”
You must fight him.
Ivana rushed forward and yanked on his arm. “Stop, Leo. You will step back. You will listen to me.”
Nikolai snorted. “I do not need him to kneel. But perhaps you should be the first to lose your head. Disloyalty is a crime punishable by death in my country. Kneel, kneel before me, Ivana.”
Leo watched her struggle, the pain on her face evident as the vice-like grip around his body disappeared. “You must fight him, Ivana.”
“I cannot.” Ivana tumbled to her knees as Nikolai stepped forward.
Anger burst forth, forcing Leo’s fangs from their sheath. He darted forward, but Nikolai raised his hand, an invisible barrier bringing Leo to an abrupt halt. “You will not kill her,” he repeated over and over again. “Step away, Nikolai.”
“Step away,” Ivana repeated weakly but then regained her confidence. “Step away.”
Nikolai faltered but only for a few seconds. “You are too weak to stop me.”
“Do not surrender, Ivana. We must fight him together.”
Nikolai threw his head back and laughed. “I am too strong. It will take more than two feeble minds to prevent me from achieving my goal.”
The thud of booted footsteps captured their attention.
“How about four feeble minds?” Elliot’s arrogant tone brought instant relief. “What say you, Alexander? Do you think we should show the gentleman our teeth?”
Chapter 15