Relief took my fear away. I stared at Ilya. He was watching me strangely. His chest was bare, but he wore pants. My heart thudded as I stared at his handsome face. I was so attuned to him that my heart raced whenever he was near. He made me feel alive.
But right now I couldn’t read the look on his face. Reaching up my hand to run through his clean blond hair, I asked, “Moy voin, what is it?” Ilya’s eyes momentarily closed at that endearment.
He didn’t speak, so I pushed, “What?”
When his blue gaze fixed on mine, he inhaled and asked cautiously, “You still want me?”
I was so taken aback by his question that I shook my head. “I don’t understand.”
Ilya swallowed and shifted until he fully faced me. When I glanced down, I was wearing a black nightdress. When I looked up, Ilya was staring at me desperately. It made my heart crack. “The drugs,” he finally said. “Now that you are completely free of the drugs, I didn’t know if you would want me.”
Sorrow took me in its hold, and I replied, “You thought I wanted you in the pit because of the drugs?”
Ilya dropped his head. “I didn’t know. For four days I have never left your side. I have barely slept, fearing that you would wake and not want me. That your heart would no longer beat for me.”
It was startling to see such a strong and brutal male being so crushed by fear at the thought of losing my heart. Gritting my teeth from the pain, I moved forward until I could sit in his lap and loop my arms around his neck. Ilya went to protest, but I silenced him by pressing my lips over his. Ilya groaned low as I kissed him softly, showing him with actions rather than words just how much I wanted him.
He was a part of who I was.
When I broke from the kiss, flushed and pulse racing, I said, “You are in my heart. You are in my scarred soul. You are my male. My Ilya … I am not free if I don’t have you.” Ducking my head, I added, “Do you still want me?”
Ilya’s head snapped up, and a fiercely possessive expression set on his stunning face. He cradled me in his strong arms, making me feel so safe. “Inessa,” he said in husky voice, “without you here with me, I’d rather be dead. With you in my heart, and me in yours, I am alive.”
I smiled. I smiled so wide and true that my cheeks ached. Ilya mirrored my expression, and I laughed. I laughed, feeling true liberation in my soul. Fascinated, Ilya watched me laugh. He pressed his lips to mine when my laughter died down. I moaned against his lips.
When I pulled back, I asked, “Is Valentin…?”
Ilya kissed my cheeks, then said, “He is downstairs. They all are.”
“All?”
“Our new family,” he explained.
My stomach flipped at his words. “New family?”
Ilya nodded, and a small smile pulled on his lips. “Yes. Valentin has found love with Zoya. He is part of a wider family now. They were the ones who helped to free us.”
“I want to see him,” I said, heart racing. I saw his scarred face and collared neck in my mind and shook my head. “I cannot believe he is 194. He was before me this whole time and I didn’t believe it was him.”
“It’s okay,” Ilya said, and moved me gently to the bed. “I’ll go and get him.”
As he reached the door, I said, “No. I’ll walk to see him.”
Ilya’s face hardened. “But your back—”
“I won’t be confined anymore. My back is painful, but I can take it.”
Ilya’s head tipped to the side, and a loving expression set on his face. “I know you can, moy prekrasnyy. You are strong and fierce.”
Reaching out my hand, I said, “Please help me up.” Ilya came to me and gently pulled me to my feet. I held in my hiss of pain. Ilya took hold of my arms and guided me to the door.
As we walked out into a hallway, a beautiful light hallway, I felt nerves accost me. With every step we took, I felt my body shaking.
As we turned a corner to some steps, I heard the low voices from before become clearer.
“Are you okay?” Ilya asked.
Taking a deep breath, I nodded my head. “Yes.”
Ilya smiled at me in pride. The journey down the stairs was slow, but I made it to the bottom. I was breathless and in considerable pain, but I kept my head high. I wanted to see my brother. I wanted to meet the males who had helped him gain our freedom.
There was a short hallway between us and the voices. Ilya leaned in and kissed my forehead. “You ready?” he asked. I nodded in silent reply.
Ilya began helping me to walk to the room. When we reached the end, I held my breath as we turned the corner. A large room came into view … a room filled with many people.
The voices that had been loud grew quiet. Ilya partially blocked them from my view as he faced me and searched my expression. He raised his eyebrow at me. I knew this was him asking me if he should move. If I was ready.
I was more than ready.
Keeping hold of my arms to help me stand, Ilya moved to my side and allowed the people in the room to come into view. My eyes tracked over seven people. Three couples and … “Maya,” I whispered when I saw the young female sitting on the couch. She looked so different. Her long black hair was down her back and she was dressed in such different clothes than in the pit. I liked them.
“Miss Inessa!” she cried out, and leapt to her feet. Maya ran toward me. She stopped at my feet and I held out a hand. Maya took it in hers. Her hand was shaking. Mine was, too.
“You look beautiful,” I said proudly.
Maya dipped her head. “They said they can get me help for my face.” She shook her head. “This world, miss. It is so different.”
“You are no longer a slave,” I said, and Maya nodded her head. “Then no more ‘Miss.’” Maya laughed even through her tears.
Someone stood behind Maya across the room.
Maya saw me looking and stepped aside. I hadn’t thought about how this reunion would go. I hadn’t had the luxury, or the curse, to think of my brother every day. The male who held me close as a little girl, the boy who fought so hard to save my life. The male who endured years of slavery to ensure I kept my life. I knew that he had never ever given up.
As Valentin stood before me, I could see the fear in his blue eyes. I stared at his ruined face and huge body. He was no longer the young boy from my memories but the male from my shattered adulthood.