The taste of copper spilled onto her tongue as three men exploded into the room. They grabbed Henrik’s arms and dragged him backward off the bed.
Henrik unleashed a feral growl. He flailed and fought. The men struggled to contain him and in a coordinated move, slammed him to the floor.
Kaira gasped and scrabbled off the bed. “Stoppe! You’re hurting him! Stoppe!” Granted, she’d freaked out and wanted him off her, but that didn’t mean she wanted him roughed up like this. Wasn’t he their king? How could they treat him this way? They ignored her pleading as Henrik continued to struggle. She grabbed at the closest vampire’s arm. “Please. He didn’t do any—”
His elbow busted her in the cheek.
For a second, all she saw were silvery white stars. She groaned and clutched her face, stumbling back from the melee. Warmth spilled against her palm. Damnit. So stupid. She never should’ve approached them like that.
Henrik’s roar reverberated off the walls.
Kaira looked up to find bodies strewn around the king as he rose to his feet. His breathing was a freight train, a growl rumbling out on each exhale. Fangs extended and flashing eyes narrowed, he took one step toward her, then another.
Jakob burst through the door. “Hva faen?” What the fuck? “Henrik, nei!” He lunged for his brother.
Not again. “Jakob, stoppe!” She held up the hand not busy covering the new cut she now wore on her cheek. “Leave him alone. They jumped him. He didn’t do anything. Just...give him a minute.”
Jakob reared back, hands in the air, just as Henrik whirled on him and gnashed his teeth.
The king’s eyes flashed back to hers and zeroed in on the hand pressed to her cheekbone, the one hopefully offering enough pressure to staunch the bleeding. Kaira’s heart pounded but her gut told her he would keep his word. He wouldn’t hurt her.
Though she’d never seen him like this before. Eyebrows an angry downward slash, fangs so big they were almost animal-like, hair wildly disheveled, shoulders bunched and arms at the ready. He shook his head and mumbled unintelligibly like he was arguing with himself.
The other men slowly climbed to their feet.
Kaira’s eyes made a sweep around the room. She thought back to the blood on her thumb, how he’d barely been able to resist it. Her blood flowed openly now, yet none of the others seemed to share his struggle. Was this part of whatever was wrong with him? She didn’t know, but she did know if she didn’t help calm him, the other four vampires were going jump him again. Their bracing muscles, readied stances and silent communications made that perfectly clear.
Before fear got the better of her, she pushed off the wall and stepped toward him. “Henrik?”
His gaze flashed to her and tracked her progress. A rumble rolled through his chest.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement. Keeping her voice light, she said, “If one of you makes a move for him, I will kill you.” Not that she could. She knew it. They knew it. But she was satisfied to see they’d listened. Henrik spun at them and growled. “Hey, now, Henrik. Look at me. It’s okay.”
As if in slow motion, he obeyed. She took another step. “Don’t,” he growled.
“It’s okay. Come back to me now, you hear?” She forced the knot of fear down her throat with a hard swallow. If she could just get to him, she believed she could get through to him, too. But as she took another step, his muscles jerked and his hands fisted, all around offering a pretty good impression of a trapped, cornered animal.
“Kaira, don’t,” Jakob said in a low voice.
She waved him off. Why was she doing this? Why was she taking this chance with her life? In truth, she didn’t know the answer, she simply felt she had to, that it was what she was supposed to do...because she was the only one who could. Suddenly, she knew that was the truth. He’d even said as much—without her, he had no chance at survival.
Determined, she grappled for something to say that might connect to the real him, the him she’d talked to earlier. A thought came to mind. “Hey, did you know that many people believe you shouldn’t wave or sing or whistle at the northern lights?” Something flickered behind his eyes. “It’s supposed to attract spirits to come down from the sky and take you away.” She took another step. One more and she’d be able to reach out and touch him. “They say you can fend off the spirits by clapping your hands.”
A single tight nod. She would’ve sworn it.
Holding her breath, her final step closed the distance between them and she curled her free hand around his rocklike fist. The men behind him tensed, but she threw a glance to Jakob, begging him to stay back.