by Lauren Smith
“How many are left?” Dimitri asked.
Cody nodded at Vladimir’s body. “He was the last one.”
“You’re sure?”
“Whole reason I’m out here and not back there.”
Elena was barely listening. She was focused on searching him for wounds. She pushed aside his coat, and her fingers came into contact with the Kevlar vest beneath his sweater, which was riddled with bullet holes.
Dimitri hissed as she came across a place where a bullet had grazed him beneath the edge of the vest.
“Sorry . . .” She pulled her hands away.
Dimitri pulled her toward him. “I’m all right, kiska.”
She closed her eyes, her breath coming shorter and shorter as she started to cry. Dimitri hushed her, making soothing sounds that eventually reached her through the haze of her adrenaline crash. She hated that she couldn’t stop shaking now that it was all over.
“Cody . . . how many did we . . . ?” Dimitri couldn’t finish.
“No one when I left. Hans got me out after the majority of the fight. He told me to find you guys. When I left, everyone was holding their own against the last two they had pinned down, but the fire in the cabin was getting bad. If anyone got trapped inside . . .”
They turned to face the distant cabin, which blazed like a black skeleton against the orange flames.
Dimitri ignored the pain of his broken ribs and the slow burn of the two places where he had been grazed by bullets. Adrenaline kept him going as he, Elena, and Cody hurried back to the cabin. Cody touched base with Hans, who gave them the all-clear via the comms to return.
Dimitri spotted Fenn Lockwood as they reached the open garage. Fenn was moving the SUVs into the driveway with Leo and Emery, to keep them away from the flames.
“Maxim! They’re here!” Leo roared over the sound of the fire.
From the darkness of the garage, Maxim emerged. He visibly relaxed at seeing them all alive.
“Did we lose anyone?” Dimitri asked.
Maxim shook his head and touched Dimitri’s shoulder in concern. “Nicholas and Hans have shoulder wounds, and Emery has a through-and-through on his right arm, but the rest made it out okay other than just minor scrapes. You?”
Dimitri slumped a little. “I’ve been better.” He was exhausted, but he couldn’t stop now. Any moment the local authorities would be here. They would have to explain everything, and they didn’t have time for that. Elena needed to get out of here fast. The others could handle the locals.
“Dimitri, go. Devereaux’s plane is waiting at the airport,” Maxim said, as if reading Dimitri’s mind.
“We can’t leave you.”
“The danger for us is over now, but if you don’t get her to New York, she will never be safe. Staying to deal with the authorities will only give the Russians another chance at her.”
Royce came over and hugged Elena. “Come on, kid, let’s get you on that plane.” He pointed at one of the SUVs. “Dimitri, move it.”
“Keep me informed,” Dimitri ordered Maxim. The other man nodded.
His friends were right, Dimitri thought. Elena had to get to New York. The gala was in a few days, and they had to be ready.
Dimitri put an arm around Elena’s waist as they got into the back of the SUV. Royce was in the driver’s seat and Cody in the passenger seat. Dimitri pulled Elena to his side, ignoring the stabbing pain in his ribs. She was almost deathly still against him, and more than once, he pressed his lips to her forehead, just to feel her shift at his touch. It reassured him she was all right.
By the time they got into Royce’s private jet, they both collapsed into a pair of chairs.
“Relax. I’ll take it from here,” Royce assured him as he and Cody spoke with the flight crew.
Dimitri wasn’t used to letting someone else handle things, but he had to acknowledge that he couldn’t stay awake. The stress and fear of the last few hours had taken a toll on him.
The flight took a little over three and a half hours, and Dimitri slept through all of it, Elena burrowed against his side. He woke when the plane landed. Elena was still dead to the world, and he hated to wake her. Part of him just wanted to stay right here and hold her forever. But they had to move.
“I have a car waiting for us,” Royce whispered as the flight attendant opened the door and secured the stairs of the plane for them to leave. Dimitri tried to lift Elena up, wincing as his ribs protested. He set her back down in the seat, and she stirred and yawned.
He tried not to think about those moments after he had fallen, when the bullets hitting his vest had knocked him unconscious and they’d left him for dead. He had woken to find her gone and had feared the worst. That panicked flight through the woods, until he’d found Vladimir, had been one of the most terrifying experiences of his life.
“Where are we?”
“New York. Can you walk to the car?” Dimitri would have carried her, but in his condition, he didn’t think he would make it very far.
“I can.” She descended the steps and walked ahead of him.
Dimitri paused to speak to Royce as they both watched her. “Part of me thinks this is a dream, that we haven’t even fought yet.” Dimitri rubbed his eyes.
“I know. It’s hard to believe the nightmare will soon be over.”
Dimitri chuckled. “Don’t jinx it,” he said in his American tourist accent.
The SUV door opened, and Kenzie emerged. She ran to Elena, hugging her, and then spotted Royce and rushed toward him. Dimitri got down the steps just in time to let Kenzie speed past him and throw herself at Royce.
“You’re okay!” Kenzie gasped. “You’re all okay.”
Royce kissed Kenzie hard and held her tight, his eyes closed as he simply sighed. “We are, sweetheart. We’re all okay.”
Dimitri swallowed hard and turned to see Elena standing by the SUV. Dawn was breaking over the horizon as he joined her.
She asked as he cupped her face in his hands, “It’s really over?” Her green eyes were dark and luminous, reminding him of the soft glow of fireflies.
“Almost. There is still the UN dinner. That will decide everything.”
“I can face anything as long as you’re with me.” She stood on her tiptoes as he leaned down and captured her mouth with his, love exploding through every cell in his body.
He drew Elena closer to him, and she pressed another kiss to his lips, easing his battered soul. One last battle remained. Now they had to show Elena to the world and hope it would be enough to protect her.
19
Three days later
Elena opened the large white dress box that Kenzie had carried into the hotel room. White tissue paper bound by gold ribbons shielded the gown from view.
“Go on,” Kenzie urged. “We don’t have much time. The gala will be starting soon.”
Elena removed the ribbon and tissue paper to reveal a cream silk and blue velvet gown. Gold embroidered the bodice and cream silk underskirt. The blue velvet sleeves were cut open and draped loosely, and the blue overskirt fell in the back in a long, lazy train, embroidered in bright gold thread. She turned to Kenzie in awe.
“This is modeled after the Romanov gowns, the ones the family wore right before . . .”Elena breathed in shock.
“Yes.” Kenzie cleared her throat. “You are a Romanov, and it is time we show the world.” Kenzie helped her dress, which she hadn’t expected, but the old-world design definitely required a second person behind to fasten up the back. Then Kenzie retrieved one more box.
“There’s just one more thing you need.”
Elena lifted the lid off the dark-blue box, revealing a diamond-studded tiara nestled in velvet.
“Oh my God . . .”
“It came with a note.” Kenzie pulled out a small white envelope from her pocket and handed it to Elena. With trembling hands, Elena pulled out a small note card embossed with the logo of Buckingham Palace at the top.
Miss Allen,
This was in
my safekeeping. Now it must be returned to the family it rightfully belongs to.
Elizabeth R.
Goosebumps broke out over Elena’s skin as she looked from the note to Kenzie’s face.
“The Elizabeth?”
Kenzie nodded. “You are technically related, albeit distantly, to the British royal family. Now let’s put it on and get you downstairs.”
Kenzie set the box on a nearby table and removed the tiara that had belonged to Alexandra, Anastasia’s mother, the last empress of Russia. The tiara was heavy as it settled upon Elena’s brow, but she welcomed the weight. If she could have the world accept her for who she was, then perhaps they would listen to what she had to say and help her make the world a better place. It could be the start of something amazing.
She’d come so far in the last three days. Men like Dimitri and his friends had been willing to die for her, because they believed she could make the world a better place. Could she? It was a sobering thought, one that had resonated deep within her. She owed those men and so many others, but she didn’t want to help the world out of guilt. She wanted to change the world because she wanted to help.
Kenzie covered her mouth with one hand, tears glimmering in her eyes. “I think you’re ready.”
“I am,” Elena said softly, but it meant much more than Kenzie could ever know. Elena drew in a deep breath and stepped into the hall to meet her destiny.
Dimitri paced the hall anxiously. Below him, a set of grand stairs led to a large ballroom where the ambassadors of a hundred nations mingled and sipped wine. Light music played from a small orchestra, and Dimitri felt every note move through him as he waited for Elena to leave her suite of rooms.
“Dimitri, you must be calm.” Maxim caught his arm and halted him. “Remember, this appearance is a statement. A statement of fact. It will not do for the press to see you so uncomfortable.”
Dimitri nodded, regaining his composure.
A door down the hall opened. Elena emerged, the diamond tiara of her great-great-grandmother resting upon her brow as she walked toward them.
In a blinding flash, he remembered the portrait that hung in the palace that had been his childhood home. The portrait of the young grand duchess, Anastasia. He saw the duchess so clearly in Elena’s features now, and he wondered how he had ever missed it. His breath halted in his lungs. Kenzie had outdone herself with the historical re-creation. It was as though Anastasia herself was walking toward him.
As Elena reached him, he and Maxim bowed formally to her. They wore tuxedos so that he and Maxim could blend in a bit easier with the guests attending the dinner. Until Elena had a chance to speak before the members of the UN, there was still the potential of danger.
“How do I look?” Elena’s tone was as tense as he felt.
“You look radiant, kiska,” Dimitri assured her. “Are you ready to change history?”
He offered her his arm. Elena straightened a little, tranquility smoothing over her face. She nodded.
They descended the stairs, and thanks to a perfectly timed press release a few hours ago by Sophie Lockwood’s news connections, the last descendent of Anastasia Romanov entered the crowd at the United Nations humanitarian awards gala and had every eye in the room fall upon her with excitement. Dimitri held Elena’s slightly trembling arm as face after face turned her way.
The reaction of only one person truly mattered tonight. The Russian ambassador, Fyodor Turgenev. His junior advisor leaned in to show him something on his phone and to frantically whisper in his ear. The ambassador’s eyes moved from the phone’s screen to Elena as she proceeded through the room. Within seconds, men and women crowded Elena, desperate to speak with her. The secretary-general of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres of Portugal, reached Elena first and bowed.
“Miss Allen. I was just informed by my staff that you are scheduled to address the guests before we present the awards. If you would follow me.” He waved for her to follow him, and Dimitri let go of her arm. She proceeded alone with the secretary-general toward the main dais.
The Russian ambassador sidled up beside Dimitri.
“Very clever of you, Mr. Razin,” the man said softly, just loud enough for Dimitri to hear. Dimitri smirked. There was nothing the man could do to him here.
“I’m sure you’re aware of what happened in Colorado. Not one of your agents survived.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Of course not. Nevertheless, I think you will find it will not be so easy to get to Elena again after this.”
“She is certainly about to catch the world spotlight,” Turgenev conceded. “For a time.”
Dimitri played with the golden phoenix ring around his pinky finger, drawing the ambassador’s attention to it. “Look around this room, Ambassador. Every man and woman bearing one of these rings here tonight stands between you and Miss Allen. The White Army is back, and our numbers are greater than you realize.” It had been a true miracle earlier that day when Leo had told Dimitri that he’d managed to contact more than three hundred members in the last week, and they’d all promised to come for the event. Dimitri had never seen so many men and women from the White Army in one place before. According to Leo, there were nearly ten thousand members spread out across the globe, and all knew of Elena and had sworn to aid her in whatever cause she chose to fight for.
The ambassador cast a glance around. Nearly a hundred men and women in the ballroom had their eyes trained on him rather than Elena. Each wore the same signet ring.
“What is it you want, Razin? She will never rule Russia. The age of monarchs is over. Even in countries that cling to the traditions, they are merely powerless figureheads. The house of Romanov can never be restored.”
Dimitri flashed him a dangerous smile. “She doesn’t want or need a throne. But she will claim the hearts of every man and woman out there who believes in a better future. The strongest rebellions burn with the fire of hope.”
The ambassador scowled. “You may be protected here, but you won’t have this protection on Russian soil.” Then the ambassador spun on his heel and stalked away, shoving several delegates out of his path. Dimitri smiled and turned his attention to the dais as Elena began to speak to the crowd.
“Tonight, we celebrate the humanitarian awards. People who promote the welfare of all mankind and prevent suffering are honored tonight. But we face a grave crisis in this modern age. I was held captive for two months in Moscow, a victim of sex trafficking. A problem that we have become comfortable lying to ourselves about, pretending it rarely, if ever, happens. I have come to tell you the truth.
“This is a worldwide problem, one that grows with each passing day. Women are targeted in every country at almost every age. And while it seems unfathomable to those present here, it is not a problem that is going to go away.
“However, the people in this room have the power to change that. I am here today to ask you what you can do, what your nation can do, to make the world a better place. To respect and enforce the human rights these United Nations are supposed to stand for.”
She didn’t mention her ancestry. That was never the plan. The media had been told enough and would uncover the rest on their own. But this wasn’t about grandstanding. The message tonight couldn’t be seen as being about her. It was about all those who couldn’t be there to speak. This was her true calling, to speak for those without voices.
As Elena continued to speak, Dimitri was spellbound by the changes she had undergone. Gone was the frightened college girl who jumped at every shadow. The woman before him rivaled even the empress she was descended from. She was grace, dignity, and courage. A beacon of hope.
Leo, Maxim, and Nicholas stood next to Dimitri, and the tight knot of concern he’d had began to ease.
“I wish my father and mother could have seen this,” he murmured to his friends. “He would say we’re witnessing the birth of something wondrous.”
Leo placed a hand on his shoulder. �
�She is magnificent.”
Dimitri’s throat tightened with emotion. She was magnificent, and he would spend the rest of his life devoted to loving her.
Epilogue
Four months later
Elena reclined on the deck of the sailboat, watching Dimitri work the ropes that moved the sails. He was shirtless and barefoot, wearing only a pair of navy-blue-and-white swim trunks. The setting sun made the light sheen of sweat glisten on his muscled physique, reminding her of the pleasant—more than pleasant—day they had spent in bed at a small bed-and-breakfast in the town of Camden off the coast of Maine.
Dimitri had spent hours worshiping her body, and she was delightfully exhausted . . . if a little sore from it. Not that she minded. He knew what she needed and never hesitated to give it to her.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked as he secured the sails and came to sit beside her on the deck. She lay back, gazing at the gold sky that was surrendering to evening purples.
“I was thinking about you,” she answered honestly.
“Ah. And what do you think of me?”
He leaned over to kiss the tip of her nose, and her heart melted at the playful smile on his lips. He had relaxed so much in the last few months, becoming the person he was meant to be. A man who smiled more, laughed often, and did not stare at the shadows with worry in his eyes.
“That day in Colorado, when I saw you get shot . . . I never even had the chance to say again that I loved you. That was all I could think . . . that I wished we had had more time.” Her words suddenly choked her a little.
“We have time now, kiska,” he promised her. “Time enough to say I love you and perhaps a bit more.” He trailed his fingertips along her collarbone above her sensible one-piece bathing suit.
“I love you,” she said again, needing him to hear the words.
He leaned in to kiss her and nuzzled her cheek. Nothing else could be so perfect in the world as lying in the sun beside him and feeling him kiss her like this.