It had been a week and nothing. Every day at dusk, they would leave her apartment and relieve the day crew at The Asp, going about their day as if nothing had occurred and the threat against her life had never happened. A fucking week! Taking his post at the entrance to the back rooms, his gaze skimmed the crowded bar before returning to where Mari mixed drinks and joked with her customers. Every night they made their way back to their haven. Only then would he breathe easier. If not for Adrian sitting calmly in a booth set back in the shadows, he would have carried her away kicking and screaming, as far away as it took to keep her safe. Mari was his first priority, now and forever. His consort would never again be alone in this world. He would protect her with his last breath. Could he have been mistaken? He thought back to the words written on that bloody piece of paper. No, the meaning came through loud and clear.
