by Leilani Love
Angyalka spotted Viktor walking towards them and turned to run in his direction. “Look, Viktor, look what I can do!” she called out, as she stopped in front of him and got into her stance. With a loud yell, she punched him hard in the gut. Surprised, Viktor grunted and grabbed at his stomach, just as she spun around and kicked him. He grunted even louder, bending over even more before reaching out, picking her up and holding her sideways like a football. Angyalka giggled, squirming in his arms as he walked forward. Sari ran up to him, as if she was planning to attack him too. He reached out and grabbed her, balancing the two squirming girls in his arms. “I take it class went well?”
Violca smiled at Viktor. “It did. You should come with us one of these times.”
The girls continued to squirm in his arms. When he put them down, Viktor laughed as they both pushed their hair back from their faces simultaneously. Sari, like her older sisters, had black hair. Angyalka was the only sister with pale blonde hair. In the right light, it almost looked silver. The oldest and the youngest looked the least alike. Violca had violet eyes, while her sisters were all blessed with blue eyes.
The front door opened, and Chase came sauntering in. Immediately, his eyes fell on Violca, and he smiled lovingly at her. The younger girls grabbed onto Viktor’s hands, swinging his arms back and forth. Kati smiled, “Come on girls, I’m sure Viktor doesn’t like that anymore than the rest of us do.” Kati took both girls by the hand, and led them down the hall to their wing.
Chase chuckled. “Viktor, who would have guessed little kids would be so drawn to you.”
Unable to help himself Viktor laughed. “I scare most kids. However, Angyalka and Sari decided that if I’m a king, and they live with me, then that makes them princesses.” Violca and Chase burst into laughter, and he shook his head laughing even more. “Well, at least they haven’t tried kissing frogs in order to find a prince.” Violca chuckled as her laughter ended.
Viktor grinned. “No. Sari has informed me she isn’t going to marry a prince. It would be okay, because she’s a princess, so whomever she marries, will become a prince.”
“Those two are definitely one of a kind.” Chase said with a fond smile.
Viktor smiled in agreement. Although he didn’t hang out with girls often, he couldn’t imagine any other children like them. “Do you have any more school shopping for the girls to do?” Viktor asked Violca.
“I do, I’m going to try to take care of it before our class tomorrow.”
Viktor nodded in acknowledgement. Chase would drop the younger two to their kick boxing class and he would have to figure out who would be going with Violca to finish her shopping. “Let me know what time you want to leave so I can have a guard set to go with you.”
With that, Viktor turned and headed back down the hall. He knew his staff would have dinner ready in little over an hour. With that in mind, he decided to take a shower, and headed to his private suites in the west wing.
Viktor’s house had always been open to the people who worked for him. But when the girls moved in, he gave them the east wing to use as their home. He then made the open rooms in the west wing available to his guards. They didn’t stay often but he wanted them to have a room available if they needed one.
He thought the noise from the girls would bother him, but he found all the laughter and constant teasing to be calming. His mother used to have the house full of people. When he was younger, he hated it, but now he found the noise reminded him of a time when his family was together.
Removing his clothes, he walked into the bathroom. When the water reached the right temperature, he stepped into the shower. His head intuitively tilted forward, letting the water hit his back. He sighed as the hot water cascaded down his skin, the water causing all the muscles in his body to relax.
Ever since receiving Kat’s report, Viktor had been worried. Her report about his brother’s men lying low made him nervous. Growing up, he learned quickly, that if his brother wasn’t making noise, he was planning something. Most of the time, it would end up being a harmless prank. However, when their parents died, his brother had taken it very hard. He sought out the Fates, who had told him he would suffer a similar fate unless he was able to find what he desired most. For him to do that, he would need the ones who held the key to his future. Since then, his brother had looked for the Dragon’s Ruby, putting Viktor in a spot where to protect his people, he had to fight his own brother. Closing his eye’s Viktor tried to shake of the feeling that something was definitely coming his way.
Aithne spent the night hacking into the gym files. She was able to find out that the sisters attended the same class almost every day. On the weekends, their schedule varied a little, but that was fine. Not sure how long this would take, as a backup plan she also got into the school records, signing up for a couple of classes with Eva. Not every class, but several. She also found Eva’s current address.
Looking at the address, Aithne realized she was only two miles from Eva’s apartment. The sun low in the sky, she had a couple of hours before it would set. Standing up and stretching, she reminded herself that there was no time like the present. She walked over to the closet, put on a pair of tennis shoes and grabbed a windbreaker.
Most of the town’s residents had large homes with several acres of land. Many of those homes opened up to the national park. Space and privacy seemed important to the residents. Based on how they carried themselves, Aithne was willing to bet that most of them were supernaturals. With the dragon king’s mansion there, she figured most were either weredragons or the other supernaturals that sided with him. Many of them probably came there for protection.
Aithne knew that Prince Dmitri was dividing everyone, but why? Why was he gathering artifacts from other supernaturals? There were already losses on both sides, and she knew things would only get worse, before they even thought of getting better. Based on who she was trying to kidnap, she assumed Dmitri had to be behind this. Despite her best intentions to stay out of the war, her sister’s action had dragged her into it.
When Aithne got near Eva’s apartment, she smiled. The people wandering around this area were all very handsome and beautiful. There was a larger than average ‘hottie’ ratio here. Supernatural men and women were known to be well above average in looks. She just shook her head, and reminded herself that, most beautiful things in nature, were often the most dangerous.
Bingo. Aithne thought to herself. She spotted two big, beefy guys standing outside a coffee shop just a few doors down from Eva’s apartment. Walking past the guards as if she didn’t notice them, she headed toward the counter. The shop was pretty empty, and she noticed Eva waiting on her coffee. After placing her order, she grabbed her phone and pretended to look at her messages. When Eva was called to get her coffee, Aithne “accidently” bumped into her.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Aithne said, pretending to be startled. “My phone just went off. I totally wasn’t looking where I was going.”
Eva frowned at first, and Aithne was surprised when she suddenly smiled at her. “It’s okay. I didn’t see you either.”
Aithne tilted her head and smiled at Eva. She wasn’t sure what to expect. The barista called out for her and she apologized again, before going to pick up her coffee. After grabbing her coffee, she quickly walked over to the condiment table to grab a coffee sleeve and join Eva who was adding cream to her coffee. Eva smiled at her again, and nodded her head as she turned to leave. Aithne grinned before blurting out, “My name’s Amy. I’m new here. I’ll be starting at the college this fall.”
Eva’s face brightened. “Really? Me, too.” Eva gestured to one of the empty tables. “Would you like to join me?”
Aithne smiled at her. “I would love to, thanks.”
Eva took the seat opposite her and Aithne wondered why Eva kept glancing at her forehead. “Amy, how long have you been in town?”
“Just a couple days. I wanted to get settled before school starts. You know, join a gym, meet a few people, find an apartment
to rent.” She shrugged her shoulders. “You know, the important stuff when you move.”
Eva laughed. “True. Have you found a gym yet?”
Aithne shook her head. “I’m thinking of trying that kick boxing, self-defense gym I saw downtown. One of the guys who work’s there is super cute and offered to let me try it for free.”
Eva’s face brightened. “That’s where I go with my sisters. You should come. The guys who work there are pretty hot, and you can meet my sisters.”
Pretending to think about it, she smiled in agreement. “That sounds fun. I mean, what better motivation is there, than working out around a bunch of hotties, right?”
They chatted for a few more minutes before Eva glanced outside at the guards. “I better get going.” Reaching into her purse, she grabbed a pen and one of the napkins on the table, and wrote her number down. “We’re going to the class that starts at one tomorrow, if you’d like to join us. If you have any questions or want to get together, call me.”
Aithne smiled. “I will. Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Aithne watched as the guards fell in behind Eva as she left. Once Eva was around the corner, Aithne put the napkin in her pocket, and headed back to her apartment. She had high hopes that she would be able to get close to the girls. In getting close to them, she was sure she would be able to find the best way to acquire her target. Worried about her sister, she hoped to finish the job fast, and get her sister out of Lazzaro’s clutches.
Chapter 6
Viktor’s morning was pretty uneventful. One of the men who patrolled the grounds, had found a camp in one of the caves. The smell was faint, but Viktor wanted to be sure whoever had been there, had already moved on. Some of those caves went on for miles, so Viktor sent Chase out with the guards, knowing his ability to shift into shadow form could be helpful. The only problem was that, with most the guards out, he would have to take Violca and her sisters to the gym today.
Violca appeared in the doorway, a smile playing on her lips. “Hey, before Chase left he told me you’re going to be taking us to the gym today.” Viktor replied with a nod of his head and then raised an eyebrow at her slow grin. “Good, you can work out with us then. I hate when the guards just stand around, it makes me feel uncomfortable.”
Viktor coughed before replying, “What makes you think I’m going to work out with you? I already train with all of you here.”
Violca smiled. “Viktor, are you scared?” When he chuckled at her, she grinned. “Good, I didn’t think so. Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes. You wouldn’t want to tear your nice shirt.” Violca snickered at him before walking away.
Viktor glanced down at his shirt. He was wearing the same thing he wore most days, a pair of slacks and a button down shirt. He shrugged, deciding not to read too much into it, and got up to change. Neither he, nor his dragon, could just sit around and watch them workout after that snide little comment. Chuckling, he wondered when he had become so predictable.
Going to his room, he grabbed his gym bag from the closet and packed what he needed. Preferring to use his own gym, he realized that he had never used the one in town. As he made his way downstairs, bag in hand, he saw Angyalka, then Sari, running down the hall towards him. They both simultaneously jumped into his arms, and they all laughed as Viktor took a step back pretending like he might fall.
The girls wrapped their arms around his neck and hugged him tight before he put them both down. “Violca says you’re coming with us today!” Angyalka announces excited.
“Yes little one, is that okay?” He asked, as he tugged on their pony tails.
“Yay!” they both cried out.
Violca and Kati came around the corner and he noticed Violca glance down at his gym bag before she broke out in a big grin. “I’m glad you’ll be joining us,” she remarked, while she walked to the front door, her own gym bag thrown over her shoulder, “Your house is nice and all, but you really need to get out more. Besides, I’m hoping there will be someone who can knock you on your ass.”
Viktor laughed. “Work harder and you won’t have to watch someone else do it. You can do it yourself.”
Kati snorted in response to Viktor’s comment, as she led the younger girls to the SUV. Violca looked back over her shoulder at him, “Well, since I can’t just yet, I’ll have to say a little prayer that someone else can.”
Viktor laughed again as he locked the door and jumped into the driver seat. Violca’s sarcastic wit, was always a welcome addition to his quiet house. He admired her and could very much understand why Chase was drawn to her. Having raised her sisters after her parents had passed away, without a single complaint, Violca had done a fantastic job on her own. Then, when she had found out she was an earth witch and that dragons existed, she hadn’t even batted an eyelash. He couldn’t help but admire her strength.
The girls kept up a continuous chatter as they drove. The younger two were very excited about going to a new school. They’d made a few friends at the gym, but for security reasons, the girls didn’t go out that much. Kati, from what he understood, was both excited and nervous. Starting a new school her senior year, would make most girls mad, however not Kati. At her old school she had been teased and bullied for having developed earlier than the other girls, so she was happy to get a fresh start. When Violca had found out what was going on, Chase had to work hard to calm her down. Scott said Eryk had played some prank on the jocks and after that, no one talked about it again.
As they pulled into the parking lot, he saw Eva with her two guards. Just as he shifted the SUV into park, he saw Eva waving to a tall red head walking toward them. He pointed in the direction of the girl and asked Violca, “Who’s that?” As they climbed out and headed towards the tailgate, so they could grab their things.
Violca glanced at the girl. “Eva said she met her at the coffee shop. She asked her to come work out with us.”
Viktor watched Eva and the new girl as he helped herd the younger girls into the gym. Curious about who she was and where she came from, he kept an eye on her. He watched her flirt with the son of the owner, before Eva took her back to the women’s locker room.
Viktor sent one of Eva’s guards over to keep an eye on the younger girls. Making his way to the men’s locker room, he changed into a pair of loose fitting shorts and a plain, white shirt. He still wasn’t sure how Violca had talked him into working out while he was there. Shaking his head, he finished tying his shoes and thought about the good laugh the guards would have at his expense.
When Viktor came out, he saw Violca watching the younger girls warm up. When it was time for their class to begin, Violca motioned for him to follow her to the other side of the gym. Mats were laid out on the floor, and Eva and Kati were already on the mats waiting for them. Glancing around, he watched as Eva’s new friend made her way over.
Viktor tried to hold back a yawn as the class started. They began with some easy kick boxing moves, then began to move on to boxing combinations. He watched the girls out of the corner of his eye, paying close attention to the mysterious woman who had inserted herself into the picture. Out of the three sisters, Kati seemed the most focused, making sure she had the proper stance and the right technique. The new friend was doing the movements pretty effortlessly, as she completed a jab cross and hook combo.
When the cardio portion of the class was over, the instructor had everyone line up against the wall so he could demonstrate some takedown moves. Viktor knew that the tips they were giving the class would help most of the girls attending, but the problems facing the sisters were a lot stronger than what this guy was teaching.
After his little speech, he had one of the girls demonstrate a quick and easy take down move that could be used if the attacker was coming at them. Pairing everyone up, Viktor could feel his dragon’s interest when he was paired with Eva’s new friend. She walked up to him and smiled, her green eyes sparkling. “My name’s Amy.”
Viktor took a deep breath, detecting the soft sc
ent of vanilla and something he couldn’t quite identify. His dragon growled under the surface suddenly wanting to be let out. Something about the way she smelled had a big impact on him. He nodded in acknowledgement, “Viktor.” he said before they both took their stances. The instructor gave the class directions again and following them, Viktor headed toward Amy as if he was going to grab her. She placed one leg behind his and pushed. He stumbled back, but was able to stay on his feet. He tried not to smile, as he noticed her frowning up at him.
“Again.” the instructor called out, and everyone lined back up. Viktor rushed toward her again, but was surprised when instead of just putting her leg behind his, she hooked around his calf before taking a step and pushed him, using his own momentum to knock him down on the mat. As he looked up at her extended hand, he saw a small smile play across her lips.
Taking her hand, Viktor felt a strong current the instant their bare skin touched. They both stop, Viktor stunned by his body’s reaction to her innocent touch. He heard Amy’s soft gasp, before she dropped his hand as if he had just burned her. Slowly, he got up on his own, and noticed that she refused to look at him. As the instructor lined everyone up to show them the next move, he saw that Amy had moved down toward Eva and was talking to her, putting herself in a position to not be paired up with him again. When it was time to pair up, Amy had joined with Eva and he was left partnered against Violca. Smiling politely at Violca, he continued to glance at Amy as they line up, yet again, and prepared to get ready to perform the next move.
Chapter 7
Aithne let out a deep breath when Eva agreed to pair up with her. Her reaction to Viktor’s touch, still had her arm tingling in response. Shaking it off as static electricity, she lined up behind Eva, trying to grab her from behind. Eva did the move correctly, but slowly, as if she were going over the steps in her head. Effective, if done right, the move involved dropping your weight. When the attacker lost his balance, you then were to step hard on his foot and swing your head back to head butt him. Careful not to hurt each other while they practiced, Aithne took her turn after Eva.