Tabitha choked on her tears as she thought about what life would be like without Amanda. It was more than she could stand. "I can't lose my sister, Valerius. I can't. We've always had each other."
"Shh," he breathed before placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "I'm sure she feels the same way about you, and I swear on my life that neither one of you will ever have to fear losing the other. Not on my watch."
Tabitha was amazed by his tenderness when it was obvious he'd never been shown any himself.
She pulled back to look up at him. "How could your brothers have ever killed you?"
He released her instantly and took three steps back. By the look on his face, she could tell her question had hurt him deeply.
"I'm sorry, Val. That was insensitive of me."
"It's all right. Things were different in those days."
That seemed to be his answer for everything, and it seemed too easy for her to accept.
"I shall call Otto and have him bring us dinner. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."
Tabitha nodded and gave him the reprieve she sensed he needed. Without looking back, he left her alone in his library.
"Whatever do you see in that bastard?"
She turned quickly at the sudden voice behind her to find a man of Val's height, staring angrily at her. Dressed in black jeans and a black T-shirt, he was incredibly handsome with a neatly trimmed goatee, short, jet-black hair, and electric blue eyes. "Who the hell are you?"
"Zarek."
The unexpected name caught her off guard. So this was the infamous whipping boy who had lived in Valerius's Roman home. Offhand, there wasn't much other than the dark hair and height that marked them as brothers.
Tabitha folded her arms over her chest as she faced him. "So you're the dirtbag with the lightning bolt."
He laughed evilly at her insult. "I'd be careful if I were you. There's no law that says I can't fry your ass, too."
She scoffed at that and refused to give in to his intimidation. "Sure there is. Ash would kill you if you hurt me."
"He might try, but I doubt he'd succeed."
She sucked her breath in between her teeth at his daring tone. "You are arrogant, aren't you?"
He shrugged nonchalantly.
"So, why are you here?" she asked him.
"I've been watching the two of you."
She was disgusted at his confession, and the thought of being his personal viewing choice. It made her shiver in revulsion. "You unbelievable perv!"
His gaze narrowed dangerously. "Hardly. I've made sure to look away when you two start the lovey-dovey shit. I've already been blind once in my life. I have no wish to go back to it."
"Then why were you watching us?"
"Curiosity mostly."
"And you're here now, why?"
"Because I'm curious as to why the sister-in-law of Kyrian would fuck someone like Valerius."
She sneered at him. "That's none of your damned bus..." Tabitha trailed off as the room spun around her.
Suddenly, Valerius's library was gone and she found herself in what appeared to be a mirrored hallway. She saw herself reflected in the mirrors with Zarek by her side.