Read Online Black Magic Rose by Jordan K. Rose - Free Book Online

not have been able to sense her aura, but he could hear her scream. He smashed open the conference room door and leapt between Sofia and Rick. His body tingled, the anticipation of a battle fueling his already burning need for action.  
    Color faded from his vision. Only hues of black and white appeared before him. How easy it was for him to slide into warrior-mode. Not just easy, but comfortable and welcome. He’d been itching for something to do, some excitement since leaving Rome. Finally, a fight.  
    He scanned the room, taking in the state of the situation. Smashed table, ink splatters, one angry werewolf holding a notepad. And Sofia, his charge, sprawled on the floor.  
    Rick growled.  
    Sofia gasped.
    Dragomir’s hands flexed around his daggers.  
    Rick shifted his weight and inched closer.  
    Dragomir took a measured step toward the werewolf.  
    Rick lifted the notepad into the air and ripped it down the center, then hurled the halves in opposite directions. Shreds of paper flew about the air. A chair flew at Dragomir, and he batted it away without blinking.  
    Sofia whimpered. The soft, breathy sound drew Dragomir’s attention from the impending fight. He glanced over his shoulder to be sure she wasn’t hurt.  
    She’d fallen on her backside into a disheveled mess, quite the opposite of what she’d looked like not an hour ago. She was missing a shoe. Bruises had formed on both her knees, and a deep red stream of blood ran down her left shin. Blue ink covered her hands and smudged her cheek and the tip of her nose. Long strands of hair had come loose from her bun and floated around her face while the actual bun hung like a ball on the side of her head. Her wide, green eyes stared at the werewolf across the room and her mouth hung open, lips forming a perfect circle.  
    Something within Dragomir twisted. For a split second conflict rose within him. He must decide. Kill the wolf. Help Sofia.  
    What was wrong with him? She was fine. She could get herself up and find her shoe and fix her hair and wash her hands. And face. Her nose. And lips. Of course she could. She didn’t need a warrior to do those things for her. He wasn’t her lady-in-waiting. He was her bodyguard. Her comfort was not his concern. Her safety was his only responsibility.  
    The fact that she was frightened by the big bad wolf was not an issue he needed to contend with. His issue was the angry werewolf standing in front of him. His job was to thwart all attempts by anyone to harm even a single hair on her silly little head.
    Dragomir forced his mind back to the fight and struggled to regain his focus. Not until the blue ink blotch on the tip of her nose appeared black was he sure he was focused enough for battle. And though it only took seconds, it felt like hours that he was trapped in some sort of spell. Trapped by her beguiling eyes.  
    He snarled and turned back to Rick in plenty of time to see the razor sharp claw take a swipe at him. He darted to the side and came up behind Rick. Dragomir pulled the wolf backward and wrenched his left arm up behind his back while pressing a knife to his throat.  
    “What is the meaning of this attack on Ms. Engle?” Dragomir demanded.
    Rick growled and foolishly attempted to break free of Dragomir’s hold. Dragomir slid the knife along Rick’s neck to the spot two inches from his spine causing a thin line of blood to seep from beneath the fur. Then he drove the knife into Rick’s neck, pinching the scruff into a bunched clump of skin and fur and bringing the wolf down to his knees.  
    Sofia screamed. “No! No! Help!”
    Osgar was the first to reach them. “What the hell is going on in here?” He tossed aside half the broken table clearing a path to where Dragomir stood.
    “Stop it! Stop him!” Sofia yelled, scrambling to her feet. She ran at Dragomir. “Animal!” She slapped him.  
    Stunned, Dragomir released his knife and stepped back. He stood beside Osgar gaping at Sofia.