ILL-FATED JOURNEY™

Chapter 37

Americans. He should have known. That meant they had sent them from the source. Maybe the

man shouldn't have started shopping in his own back yard if he didn't want his troubles to

follow him home. He will be dealt with in time, right now Vlad's immediate concern was the

traitor. Thank God, Eon had the foresight to have landmines planted on the island. The remote

activations had thinned the herd and bought them time.

He always had respect for soldiers that could keep up with his, it was the way this English dog

had won him over. He worked for the other, Vlad knew but he would never say. He outed the 

American's involvement too quickly and since all the other soldiers were American, his story

would be believable to someone who didn't know the English as well as he did.

The English were just as dangerous as he was, if not more so. A tiny island didn't rule the entire

world for centuries without knowing how to wield that power and control people. It was why the

Russian nobility usually married into theirs. They both knew it was the only way to keep the

other at bay.

He was using the American, instead of getting his hands dirty. After all, attacking family directly

hadn't been done in over a century and he wouldn't be the one to break it. No, Vlad had a more

civilized way to deal with his cousin and let him know he was onto him.

Family was still family in the end, and he suspected it was why none of the shots aimed at him

were kill shots. He wanted him out of the way but not dead. It was another reason he knew Irena

or any child he had would be safe. No one would dare attack the Alexandrovich bloodline and

even his goodly cousin would see to it that the fool paid with his life. That's why he knew the 

American could only attack with his blessing, to do otherwise was inviting death.

He should've carted her over his shoulder and taken her home in the first place but no, he

wanted her to make the choice, so he left her. After two months, she still didn't choose him...but

she did come back. Vlad smiled to himself. She would've been free of him, but she chose to

come back. She wanted him safe.

That simple decision made her the Czarina in truth in the eyes of the boyars and Eon. It was

stupid that she risked her life, but risk it she did, for him. He wondered if she realized just what

she did. Did she realize that she had unerringly made the decision to stay with him? That she

chose him over her freedom? Did it mean she loved him?

Vlad's hands clenched into fists at his sides. His heart didn't want to hope on it, but it did. Even