I closed my eyes, not wanting to imagine how a city full of Mazikin would treat the Guard who had terrorized them for the last seventy years.

“Look at me, Lela. Your eyes are so beautiful.” He set his forehead on mine. “He loved them, too, you know. Your eyes. Your mouth. Your body. Your spirit. Most of me wants to protect you …”

My heart stuttered as he recited Malachi’s words from that day on the training mat.

He pulled back a little, and I opened my eyes. “He never told you the rest of it,” he said quietly. “It’s all in here—” He tapped his temple lightly with the blade of his knife. “All his memories. So I’ll tell you the rest, because he never would have.”

Tears streaked down my face as he leaned in. “Most of him wanted to protect you, but the rest of him just wanted you. You have no idea what’s in this head.” He closed his eyes, like he was savoring it. With a laugh, he stepped away from me, and I slid boneless to the floor, sobbing at everything I’d lost.

“All his fantasies are in here,” he continued. “Poor Malachi. He makes so much more sense to me now. All that frustration, bottled up tight.” His mouth twisted into a wry smile. “Did you know he died a virgin, Lela?” His laughter rang out, cruel and hard. “Twice!”

A tiny spark ignited inside me. “Don’t talk about him like that,” I said, my voice cracking.

“Oh? Should I show some respect? Maybe so. He’s killed me several times, after all.” He tilted his head as he looked me over. “You’ve only killed me once, but you did quite a job of it. And with only a hunk of cement. I underestimated you.”

Dread welled up, choking me. “Juri.”

His smile widened, and he drew his tongue along his bottom lip. “Say it louder, Lela. I want to hear you scream it.”

“Fuck you,” I whispered, the spark flaring.

He grinned and gestured at his neck. “I think both of us need to patch ourselves up before we get to that. I’ve lost a lot of blood. When the esteemed Captain realized it was a trap, he tried to cut his own throat to keep us from taking him.”

I rolled onto my hands and knees, rage becoming an inferno in my chest. Pure, simple hatred. Enough to heat my muscles and jump-start my fractured heart. All focused on Juri. He watched me with a lazy smile as he leaned on the pool table and used his knife to cut away the ropes from his wrists.

I looked away because the sight of Malachi’s gorgeous face threatened to pull me under again. I focused on the sounds coming from outside the room. Crashes, growls. Would Jim and Henry come back? Did they know we were in here?