She bit him. He jumped and his hold loosened involuntarily. She hooked a foot round his ankle and nearly overbalanced him. But for all Demetrius’s brandy-induced swaying he had a perverse ability to stay on his feet. She fought strenuously, her hair flying.And then abruptly he let her go. Christina was not expecting it and she half fell to the deck, ending on one knee. Her chest rose and fell agonisingly with the effort to steady her breathing. She did not know what had happened.She shook her head to clear it. She looked up.Captain Demetrius was backed up against the iron stairway. The expression of dismay on his face was almost comical. His opponent was tall, but slim as a whip. It was not his size which set the burly captain cowering, a shaken Christina thought, but the stark rage which came off him in waves.‘Y-your Highness…I can explain…’ he began thickly.Luc cut him off with an abrupt gesture, like a razor slicing through the air. Demetrius flinched.‘Enough.’Christina hauled herself to her feet.
