Page 19 of Eternal
“Or” Vik interjects, almost laughing at the situation, “he’s trying to piss you off, which, judging by the steam coming out of your ears, is working perfectly.”
How am I supposed to work with a man? I kill them.
It’s easier that way, being alone, no questions, no attachments, no waiting around for someone to screw up. No fear of losing anyone during the mission.
And I don’t need help, actually I could kill everyone in that room if I wanted.
I glare at Damir, but there's something about the way my eyes meet his icy blue ones that makes my nerves do a little dance.
“You think this is funny, Vik?” I spit out, voice sharp, but there's a twisted amusement bubbling up in my chest. “You pair me with some.
.. smirking, hulking Russian sniper psycho, and I'm supposed to trust him with my life?”
And what does he do? The bastard winks at me from where he is at the end of the room, in front of Lev, who's still talking about God-knows-what.
I feel my teeth grind together.
Great, fucking great.
And then Kat laughs, the sound rings in my ears, way too amused for my liking, like I’m the punchline of a joke I’m not in on.
But honestly? It pulls me back in, like it’s too ridiculous not to laugh at, I'm about to lose it, but the whole damn thing's almost funny.
Vik doesn’t even flinch. “You trust me, don’t you?”
“Barely,” I snap, though we both know it’s a lie because he’s probably the person I trust the most on this earth.
He grins, sitting back in his chair like the smug, arrogant brother he is to me. That cocky, knowing look on his face says it all, he doesn’t even believe what I just said, because deep down, he knows it’s a lie too. “Well, trust that I don’t make mistakes when it comes to your life.”
“That’s debatable,” I reply, glancing back at Damir. He’s still standing there, calm as ever, his blue eyes flicking to me like he knows I’m watching. “He’s strange.”
Katarina sets her glass down with a soft clink, the sound of crystal meeting wood pulling my attention back to her. “You say that about everyone, Visha .”
Okay, maybe she’s right. Everyone is indeed strange. I don’t make the rules.
But I don’t want to get into my issues right now. My brain’s already at full capacity, and honestly, I'm simply trying to get through the night without blowing someone’s head off.
I shoot a quick glance at Vik, and I start, arms crossed. “What’s the deal with your little Russian Boy and why is he that irritating already?”
Vik raises an eyebrow but doesn’t flinch. “That’s a very diplomatic way of putting it.”
“You’re not the one who has to work with him.”
“True,” Kat says with a shrug. “But if I were, I’d probably be planning ways to get him naked instead of plotting his death.”
I freeze, a horrified expression twisting my face. “What the fuck, Kat?”
She grins, clearly enjoying this far too much. “What? He’s hot. I mean, you could do worse. At least you’ll have someone hot to look at, or to strangle, remember?”
“I don’t need anyone’s dick near me, thank you very much,” I snap.
“Gross,” Vik mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose like he’s trying to scrub away the mental image. “Can we not talk about dicks while I’m in the room? Or ever again? Seriously, how old are you two? Aren’t you twelve?”
I roll my eyes. “We already talked about this.”
Katarina laughs and approaches her brother to sit next to him and put her head on his shoulder. “Relax. I’m just saying he’s easy on the eyes. Might make this whole partnership thing less miserable and awful in my opinion.”
I scowl at her, my arms tightening across my chest. “He’s still strange. And I don’t trust strange .”
“Then get to know him,” Vik says, his tone calm but firm. “Ask your questions. Interrogate him if it makes you feel better. You can punch him and torture him too if that’s what you want. But don’t write him off before he’s even had a chance to prove himself.”
“Fine,” I mutter, though the idea of interrogating Damir is more appealing than I’d like to admit.
Vik raises an eyebrow, clearly amused. “You’re not going to stab him, are you?”
“Depends,” I say, though it’s mostly a lie. I wouldn’t waste the effort. Yet. “It could be a good team moment, though."
Katarina leans in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You know, he’s still watching you. If you’re not careful, you might actually catch his attention.”
I glare at her, but there’s an uncomfortable heat crawling up my neck. “Let him watch. It’ll give him something to think about before I take his eyes out.”
“See?” Vik says, his grin turning wolfish. “This is why I picked him. You’re impulsive; he’s calculated. You balance each other out perfectly already.”
“I don’t need balance,” I snap. “I’ve been doing just fine on my own.”
“And yet,” Vik says, his voice taking on that infuriatingly calm tone that makes me want to throw something at him, “the Pakhan insists, so here we are.”
I hate when he pulls rank. It’s not like I can argue with the Pakhan’s orders.
“Fine,” I say again, less irritated. “But if he gets in my way, I’m not responsible for what happens.”
“Noted,” Vik says, tipping his glass toward me in a mock toast.
Katarina smirks, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “You’re going to have so much fun with this.”
I shoot her a dark look. “If by ‘fun,’ you mean a nightmare, then yeah, lots of it.”
She raises her glass in a mock salute. “Cheers to that.”
Vik chuckles too. “Calm down, Kroshka . Or at least don’t kill him before the first mission.”
I glance back at Damir one last time, my mind already racing with questions. He’s still smiling, and I hate how it makes me feel off balance, like he’s already inside my head.
This is going to be a disaster
I can’t help it, I turn back to Vik, arms uncrossed now, tension coiling in my chest. “How did you even find him?”
Vik looks almost too amused for my liking. “Lev suggested it to me, but it was my call. I know you better than you think.”
I scoff, glancing over at Damir again. “The guy looks like he’s too busy sizing me up to care about balance.”
Vik’s grin is subtle, but it’s there. “I’m kinda scared for him.”
“As you should.” I make a face, thinking about it. “And what makes him qualified to be my partner? Why him?”
“Like I said, he’s the best sniper we’ve got.
He served in Russia for our team before he disappeared.
After his release from prison, we didn’t hear from him for a while.
He came back a few weeks ago, and Lev reintroduced him to me.
Damir’s got a reputation. He doesn't get caught up in emotion. That’s what you need, especially when you’re. .. triggered by things.”
Triggered. I fucking hate that word, but it’s not wrong.
I’m not triggered, though. It’s just that my killing depends on who’s in front of me. I’m not detached. I feel it all, rage, hatred.
Kat’s whisper slithers through my mind, “If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll finally get you a man.”
I shove her lightly, but there's a flicker of irritation in my chest. “You really need to stop trying to get me into other people’s beds to keep me out of yours.”
Vik, still pretending not to listen, chuckles. “No need to say it out loud.”
Kat flashes a grin, her eyes gleaming. “She means that in the most normal way possible. Like watching TV shows. Totally platonic.”
I shoot her a glare. “It’s relaxing.”
Vik raises an eyebrow. “Is that why you’re always holed up in that room on weekends?”
“Obviously,” Kat and I replied in unison.
“I need to stop working so damn late and join you for those stupid shows,” Vik says, tossing back his drink in one go. “I need a distraction. Work’s getting under my skin, exactly like Damir’s getting under Azra’s.”
“You’re an idiot,” I say, smiling at him.
Vik laughs truly amused. “You’re so easy to piss off, I love that about you, Kroshka . It’s always so fucking fun.”
I glance back at Vik and Kat, shaking my head. “This is gonna be a nightmare.”
Kat smirks, clearly enjoying herself. “You’re way too negative. It’s gonna be hilarious watching you try to interact with a man.”
“Katarina, stop laughing.”
But she’s already heading out with Vik, both of them cracking up like this is the best thing they’ve heard all night.
Fuck, I really don’t like that.