“Eva?” the woman asked. She was tall with a dark complexion and her hair was twisted into a tight bun.
“Yes?”
“What are you doing showing up this late? You have Grimoire to restore.” The woman peeled off from her companions and flounced toward her. “Are you okay? You look a little off today.”
“Um, I know it may sound weird, but do I know you?”
“What’s wrong with you? I’m Magda Flores, your supervisor? Hello?”
“Sorry, I do feel under the weather. May I ask you a question? Do you know where I live?”
The woman went speechless for long seconds. “Follow me. Mr. Harrison asked for you earlier.”
Eva tailed her into the maze of cubicles and hallways, into the right wing of the building that apparently housed thousands of old and precious tomes. The temperature was climate-controlled. Everyone she saw in that section was wearing masks and gloves while handling fragile parchments and bibliophiles’ paraphernalia.
Magda Flores took her into the director’s sanctum. The name Herbert Harrison III was written in gold ink and gleamed from a plague mounted on a mahogany door. The office sanctum was as pretentious as Herbert’s name. Gold floral upholstered sofas. Rococo-style furniture. Velvet draperies with gold tassels. Bleh. Eva stalked behind Flores cautiously, trying hard to recall anything that could jog her memory. So far nothing. Nada.
Mr. Harrison himself was a portly man of about fifty; at a glance he looked like a Pillsbury Doughboy dressed in a suit. Light hair. Pink cheeks. He wasn’t the kind of man people would take seriously, even though he seemed to be trying hard to make himself to be one.
He waved to Ms. Flores, dismissing her from the room. He cleared his throat. “Ms. Smith.” He shot her a nasty look. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember. Would it be too crazy if I told you that I bumped my head and now I have amnesia?”
“What are you saying?”
“I don’t remember anything. I was hoping you could help me jog my memory. Where do I live? What is my job?”
“You’re kidding me.”
“I swear I’m not.”
Mr. Harrison rose from his seat. Anger made his cheeks flush red. “That explains everything. You shouldn’t have come here. I really don’t want to do this.”
She didn’t see it coming. Mr. Harrison hit her on the head with a vase. One second she was fine. Seconds later she saw only blackness engulf her vision…
*
Her head hurt. Slowly, her consciousness swam back to the surface. What the hell happened? She moaned quietly. She found herself bound by the wrists and ankles. She was still in Harrison‘s office. Only Harrison wasn’t alone. He had two guests. Two tall men in crisp suits. Men with tattoos. vory v zakone.
She remembered everything.
She was supposed to be dead. These men had shot her and dumped her body into the river. She didn’t know how the hell she even survived.
Liam, the man with the dragon wings.
The man who had fed her his own blood.
The man who claimed to be her husband.
Thinking about him made heat rush to her head. But, hell, he also lied to her.
“Great, now she’s started coming out of it. Get rid of her from my office.” Mr. Harrison was frothing. “This should be the last I hear from you. I’m cooperating. You have to leave my family alone from now on. I gave you what you want.”
Eva’s head spun processing this information. Harrison was the one who had sold her out to the vor. That bastard. Harrison knew her arrangement with the State office and he promised her sanctuary. How could he betray her like this?
One of the vor yanked her from the chair she was sitting in. She dropped onto the floor like a sack of potatoes. Unceremoniously, the vor hoisted her into an open trunk on the floor. Eva tried to protest. The other vor gagged her with a rag. With her head still spinning and her muscles weak, she was helpless. They crammed her into the trunk, forcing her into a fetal position, and locked it. A claustrophobic panic seized her. Her lungs didn’t seem to hold enough oxygen. She tried to scream for help; nothing but a muffled grunt came out of her throat. She squirmed against her bonds. Even then, she barely had enough strength to make a noise to let people know she was trapped in the trunk.
In the pitch blackness, she felt the trunk being wheeled out of Harrison’s office, into the maze of the Arcana Foundation and finally into the back of the car. No. Van? SUV? She heard the door slam shut and the vehicle drove away.
Eva wanted to cry. She had cheated death once and because of her curiosity, she had landed into the hands of her killers. Again. She didn’t see a way out of it this time.
It would be the end of her.
*
Liam drove like a maniac to downtown Chicago, speeding through red lights and intersections. Luckily, he didn’t get caught by cops and given tickets. A thousand emotions boiled in his chest, a thousand questions filled his mind. He wanted to kick himself for leaving Eva’s diary and photos out in the open. Naturally, she would be curious after she saw all that. He hadn’t calculated she would be bold enough to go out sleuthing about her past.
Damn it. What if the people who wanted her dead got wind that she wasn’t really dead? Her safety was compromised. A sudden headache slammed his head. He worried about what might happen to her. A woman without memory strolling down the loop without any identification or money. That was a recipe for disaster.
He found the Arcana Foundation’s address with his smart phone and drove to the place. He parked illegally and swarmed out like an angry bee ready to sting. He took an elevator to the second floor and inquired for Eva’s supervisor. He remembered Eva’s diary had given her name as Magda Flores. Ten minutes later, the woman came down the reception area.
“Hello, I’m Liam Caderyn. I’m looking for a woman named Eva Smith. I believe she came here earlier.”
“Yes, she did. She met our boss, Mr. Harrison. But she has since left.”
“Left?”
“I assume so. I just came from Mr. Harrison’s office and I didn’t see her.”
“Can I see Mr. Harrison?”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible. Mr. Harrison had a half day today. Personal matters.”
“Did they leave together?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Do you have any idea where Eva could have gone?”
“No. I wish I saw her. I have something to discuss. Apparently, she just took off. If I may ask, who are you to Eva?”
“I’m her guardian. Eva isn’t well. She has amnesia.”
Magda Flores widened her eyes. “So she wasn’t lying. She was asking me before where she lived. I thought she was pulling some kind of prank.”
“No, she wasn’t. She’s just confused. Think she might try to go her apartment?”
“I don’t know. I wish I could help you.”
“Thank you for your time, Ms. Flores.”
Liam headed to the parking lot, more brooding than ever. To his surprise, his SUV was still where he had parked it, not towed or anything. A sight of a taxi waiting at the curb caught his attention. Rosa said Eva left in a taxi. Could it be hers? He decided to find out.
He tapped the driver’s side. The window rolled down. “You didn’t happen to carry a passenger from Whistler Park do you? A woman, about late twenties, this tall, red hair, and pale skin?”
The taxi driver frowned. “Yeah. I’ve been waiting for her for an hour. Said she’s going in fast and then she wanted me to take her back home.”
“You didn’t see her come out, I presume?”
“No. What’s going on?”
“She’s left.”
“Shit. Who’s going to pay the tab?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care it of it.” Liam pulled out his wallet and extracted a wad of cash. “Hope this will cover it.”
“Appreciate it.”
Liam went back to his own car and ponder
ed. Flores said Eva had left the building, but the taxi driver was still waiting for her. Uneasiness slipped in. Eva was in trouble; he had a bad feeling about it. Could Eva have sneaked on the taxi driver? And if she did, how had she got a ride? She didn’t have any money. Something wasn’t right. Somehow she had disappeared between the Arcana Foundation and the taxi. Either that or Flores had lied. His gut told him somebody had snatched Eva from the Arcana Foundation on her way to the taxi.
He exhaled a deep breath. There was one way to track her. He could partially shift and track her by her scent. As a dragon, he could track someone’s whereabouts solely by scent if he was in his beastly form. And he remembered Eva’s scent. Rich, feminine, and heady. Liam concentrated and summoned his power. He allowed himself to partially shift. His arms covered in scales and the wings on his back threatened to erupt. He halted it and focused it on his sense of smell. A thousand aromas and stenches surged into his nostrils—the scent of the city and its people. He separated them one by one and recalled Eva’s from memory. Seconds later, he locked on her scent. He started the SUV and followed Eva’s trail.
*
Her head hurt like a bitch. The combination of constant pounding of a headache and the butterflies in her stomach made her queasy. Her muscles screamed in pain, cramping, bringing tears into her eyes. Being cooped in a trunk made her paranoid. What if she ran out of oxygen? She couldn’t breathe freely. It was hot in the trunk and sweat plastered her face, scalp, and all over her body. She felt as if she was being baked in an oven. If she didn’t die from dehydration and lack of air, these men would execute her like before. This time they would do the job right. They would mortally wound. Why, she whined in self-pity, did I have to have amnesia. If she remembered everything, she wouldn’t be so foolish in trying to discover who she was and she would have stayed holed up in Liam’s house, safe and secure. She was furious with herself. Of all the bone-headed things she had done in life, this was the most all-time epic stupidity. What was she thinking? Out of the sanctuary and into the gators’ mouth.
And the worst part was she wouldn’t be able to see Liam anymore. Even though he’d lied to her, he had saved her life, giving her a second chance and had been nothing but kind to her. She’d give anything she owned to be able to see him one more time. But that wasn’t possible. These vors had taken her trunk into a vehicle, and when they stopped, they would erase her from the surface of the Earth. And she’d be nothing but a Jane Doe corpse found in the ditch or floating in the river.
After what seemed forever, the vehicle stopped. Eva was frozen with terror. Her heart sank to her guts. This was it. Oh, how she hated being so helpless. She wished she had the courage to fight for her life. Even if she had the courage, who was she against the ruthless vors who professionally snuffed people for a living? She clutched her fingers hard until her knuckles were all white. She didn’t want to die.
The back of the vehicle swung open and someone dragged her trunk down. It crashed on the ground causing her to bounce and smash her head inside it. It fucking hurt. Eva cursed. Moments later, her trunk was opened wide. Eva blinked and inhaled as much air as her lungs could hold. Two towering men stood before her. She felt numb all over.
One of them yanked her out of the trunk with brute force. Eva whimpered in pain. Her knee scraped the latches of the trunk. She stumbled face-first on the grass. She looked around wildly. They had taken her to the same place where they had shot her. They were in a clearing surrounded by dense trees and bushes, near a big river. Even though it was daytime, the surroundings looked gloomy. The place was silent, creepy, and secluded. A perfect day for murder and dumping a body.
The man who yanked her from the trunk spoke. His accent was thick and hard to understand. “I don’t know how you returned without a scratch, we’re pretty sure we killed you. I guess we’ll just have to do it right this time.”
“Please, don’t kill me,” she begged through the gag. Her voice was muffled.
“Is she some kind of freak?” the other man piped up. He took out a large gun and screwed on a silencer.
“What do you mean?”
“A freak that can’t die.”
“Nyet. No one can’t die. We put a bullet in the head, she dies. If she doesn’t…“ the man grinned with satisfaction, “…we chop off her head. No head, no life.”
Eva stopped breathing. She felt cold all over. Chop off her head? Could this get any worse? She wanted to plead but no voice came from her throat. Terror seeped to her bones. Please, God, I don’t want to die… Silently, she prayed for a miracle.
The man with the gun examined his piece and pointed it to her head. “Well, do svidaniya.”
Eva shut her eyes automatically. She shook. A quiet gunshot wheezed, and then a big swoosh reverberated the air around them. Bodies dropped to the ground with loud thuds.
She waited for the pain, but it never came. What’s going on?
Cautiously, Eva opened her eyes. She gasped and tried to scoot backward. She tumbled sideway because of the bonds on her ankles. Her heart pounded in her throat at the sight in front of her.
It was a huge beast.
A dragon.
Its scales were deep green as if it was made from emeralds. It towered before her with its long wingspan stretched out like a majestic arch. Its brilliant green eyes were luminously bright, staring down at her.
Eva forgot to breathe. The beast was too otherworldly beautiful for words.
Liam?
There was blood on his talons. Her gaze drifted to the fallen vors. The men sprawled on the ground, unmoving. Were they dead? Had Liam killed them?
The dragon shimmered. The scales glittered against the sun’s ray like precious jewels. It slowly transformed into the man who had saved her life. The muzzle receded. The wings folded and vanished. Talons and claws turned into hands. And Liam was naked. Apparently, shifters didn’t retain their clothing when they changed.
Eva wanted to tear her eyes from him but she couldn’t. She was too happy to see him.
“Are you all right?” Liam asked.
Eva muffled under the gag. He took it off. “I’m okay.”
He untied her bonds. His face darkened when he saw the bruises on her ankles and wrists. And her bleeding knee. “They hurt you.”
“Not much.”
Liam looked grim. He rose. “Can you walk?”
Eva tried to stand. Her legs were wobbly from being confined in a trunk. Liam helped her regain her footing.
“This way,” he said.
Eva looked over her shoulder. The two vors were still, but she noticed they were still breathing. “Are they dead?”
“Let’s say they won’t hurt people for a long time.”
Liam ushered her where he had parked his SUV. His clothes were strewn on the grass. His shoes and wallet were tossed near the tire. He told her to sit in the SUV while he donned his clothes.
“How did you find me?” Eva asked while putting the seat belt on.
He slid behind the wheel and started the engine. “I tracked down your scent.”
How curious. She hadn’t thought that he had such an uncanny ability. What else could he do?
“Listen,” he began, driving to the main street, “I know you must have tons of questions…“
“I remember.”
“What?”
“Liam, I remember everything…”
*
Liam frowned. She remembered everything. A part of him was relieved because he wouldn’t have to lie to her anymore, and the other part of him was worried. What if she was mad at him for not telling her the truth? He stole a glance at her. She didn’t seem to be. He cleared his throat. “What do you remember?”
“My name is Eva Walker. I’m a librarian from Brighton Beach. And I’m in the witness protection program. Those men—the vors—found out where I was because my new boss, Mr. Harrison, ratted out my whereabouts.”
His frown turned into a deep scowl. “Your boss in the Arcana Foundation?”
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“The vors threatened his family. I heard him argue when I became conscious.”
“Conscious. What did he do to you?”
“That bastard hit me with a vase. He knocked me out cold. Funny thing, when I came out from it, I remembered everything again. Is that so cliché or what?”
“He hit you?” A flash of anger made his voice rise an octave. Liam made a mental note to visit Harrison and arrange some payback. He extended his hand and touched Eva’s head, checking her wound.
Eva flinched.
“Where did he hit you?”
“Here.”
Liam felt a bump on her scalp and something wet. “You’re bleeding.”
“Not much.”
“We have to do something about it when we get home.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re definitely not fine.”
Eva quieted. Then she asked meekly, “Are you mad at me?”
Liam sighed with resignation. He was mad at himself for not being able to protect her. If he hadn’t carelessly put her photos and diary out in the open, she wouldn’t have gotten curious or hurt. His heart chilled thinking about how narrowly she had escaped death for the second time. If he had arrived a few minutes later… He shook off the bad thoughts. “No,” he said. “I was worried sick.”
“I’m sorry. I was curious. I had to know the truth.”
He couldn’t blame her for that. He guessed if he was in her shoes, he would resort to the same thing. “Please, don’t do that again.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
“I don’t think I could stand the thought of losing you.”
Eva became bright-eyed. “You like me that much?”
“I love you.”
She flustered. “So it wasn’t a lie?”
“I put rings on your fingers, didn’t I? Listen, love, whether you like it or not, we are now bonded.”
“Bonded?”
Liam explained the ritual of blood magic he had performed in order to bring her back to life. Her eyes grew wider and wider as he recounted the tale of the night he found her. How relieved he was when she started breathing again and her mortal wounds knitted close. And his vow that he wouldn’t let anybody hurt her again. “I know it might be difficult to accept this, but I’m hoping you can learn to love me too. You are mine and I would never let you go.”
Her Dragon Billionaire Page 5