“Shit. She’s your mate.” Oscar’s quiet revelation made Victoria tense in Luther’s arms.
She raised her head, seeming confused. “What is he talking about?”
Chapter Fourteen
Victoria hadn’t understood just how much she depended on Luther’s presence to keep her courage up until he’d disappeared. Having the eyes and ears that had been watching her disabled and Luther’s arm wrapped around her made her feel safe, not so alone.
But surely she’d misheard Oscar. She looked from one man to the other when neither of them answered her question. Luther released a long breathe. “It’s complicated,” he began.
“You need to tell her,” Oscar insisted.
Luther glanced at the phone on the small table. “You sure that thing works?”
“Yes.”
“Luther?” The tension was giving her a headache, and her stomach was already in knots. “Is it about the dragon?” She glanced at Oscar, not sure how much he knew.
Oscar moved so he was closer to them. Luther surged to his feet and stood in front of her, as though to protect her. Oscar held up his hands in mock surrender, but he didn’t back down. He pulled out the chair opposite her and sat.
Luther emitted a low growl. A growl? She could only stare at him. He pulled her out of the chair and sat with her on the nearby bed.
“I know the drakon being kept captive,” he told her. She immediately noticed he used the word drakon instead of dragon. Oscar didn’t seem the least bit shocked by Luther’s confession.
“You know Sergei?” Luther hadn’t told her he knew a drakon. She understood the need for secrecy, but she’d told him her secret, the one she’d kept since childhood.
Oscar leaned forward. “You know him, too? How?” Seemed she’d managed to surprise him.
“I met him when I was a child,” she told him and then turned back to Luther. “How do you know him?”
The two men exchanged a look. Victoria realized that Oscar already knew the answer to that question. Once again, she was on the outside, just as she’d been her entire life. She tried to hide the hurt she felt, even though it threatened to crush her fragile heart.
Luther took her hands in his and looked at her through familiar eyes. Everything fell into place at once, and the realization stunned her. She hadn’t been mistaken when she’d compared Sergei’s eyes to Luther’s. “You’re related, aren’t you?”
He squeezed her fingers and nodded. “I’m his son.”
Luther was Sergei and Katherine’s son. As revelations went, it was huge. Bigger than huge. “Are you…” She stopped, swallowed, and tried again. “Are you like your father?”
A ghost of a smile played at the corner of his lips. “Am I a drakon? Yes.”
She slapped her hand over his mouth. “Don’t say that out loud.” She glanced at the door, almost expecting it to be slammed open and security guards to rush in.
What if they’d missed a listening device or camera? She wasn’t willing to risk Luther’s freedom on whatever Oscar was doing with his phone to supposedly jam any electronic signals.
Luther seemed startled by her reaction, and then he began to pull away, a pained expression on his face before he blanked it.
She hadn’t meant to hurt him. She could see how he might take her actions the wrong way. “They might be listening,” she whispered.
“You’re worried about me?”
Why is that such a shock? “Of course I’m worried. Look what they’ve done to Sergei. Do you know what they’ll do to you if they discover what you are?” Stupid question. Of course, he knows.
She still couldn’t wrap her head around this. Not only was Luther Sergei’s son, he was also a drakon. She’d kissed a drakon. She was in love with a drakon.
“Let’s get back on track here,” Oscar suggested. “We may not have much time.” He glanced at the door as if he expected Caine’s men to enter at any moment. He was right. There would hopefully be time for her to consider the ramifications of everything later. Right now, they had to stay focused, or none of them might make it out of here alive.
“What did you mean when you called me Luther’s mate?” She didn’t know if she should be scared or thrilled by that title, probably both. But deep down, she was more thrilled than anything.
She’d never been special to anyone in her life.
“No time,” Luther interjected. He seemed very uncomfortable with the question, which probably meant she wasn’t his mate and he didn’t want to say so. Yes, Luther wanted her, but that didn’t mean he wanted a lifetime commitment. She understood that and could be an adult about it.
They were here to do a job. Rescuing Sergei from his prison and finding Katherine were their priority. Nothing else mattered.
“Right.” She kept her tone brisk and slowly removed her hand from his. “What’s our plan?”
Luther swore but let her go. “Do you know anything about those symbols?” he asked Oscar. “The ones carved on the inside of the cell they’re keeping my father in.”
Oscar shook his head. “Not those specifically, but I do know that certain symbols and artifacts seem to be imbued with power that can weaken and even contain a drakon.”
“How is that possible?” she asked. It seemed like something out of a fantasy novel.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. It just is.”
“So we need to do something to damage the symbols.” She looked to Luther for confirmation and found him frowning. She remembered thinking he hadn’t looked well earlier. “They affected you, too, didn’t they?”
“Yeah, the closer I got to the holding cell, the weaker I felt.”
“Oscar and I will have to free Sergei. You’ll have to find your mother.”
“I can’t leave you.” The blunt statement took her aback. She hadn’t expected him to balk at her plan. While it warmed her heart he was worried about her, she assumed it was because he felt responsible for her. She was a big girl and could take care of herself.
“If you’re weakened by whatever field those symbols create,” she pointed out, “you’ll only hinder us. We’ll be more worried about you than about Sergei.” She hated to be this blunt, but it was the truth. They had to split up if this was going to work.
He recoiled as though she’d hit him. “I wouldn’t want to hinder you.” He glared at Oscar, who only made things worse when he shrugged. Honestly, and men said women could be prickly. She’d obviously dented his male pride. Well, he’d just have to live with it.
“I’m not suggesting you can’t protect me.” It was uncomfortable having this conversation with Oscar present, but it wasn’t as though she had any choice. “But if we can get your father out of that cell, he can protect us. Who will protect your mother? She’s human. If Caine gets to her first, he’ll use her as protection.”
“Victoria is right.” Oscar ignored Luther’s deadly glare. “We have to do what we can to stall for time until I hear back from my friends.”
“What friends? Who did you call?” This wasn’t good. The more people who knew, the more chance there was of someone discovering what they were trying to do. What if they were betrayed?
Oscar gave her a gentle smile of reassurance. “Don’t worry. These people can be trusted.”
“How do you be certain? Anyone might betray us if offered enough money, or if their lives are threatened.”
Luther put his arm around her. She didn’t object, because quite frankly, she needed the sense of security his touch provided. He was so big and solid. And he was a drakon. An honest to God drakon.
She touched his face as the truth of that truly sank in. “You really are Sergei’s son?”
He nodded. “I was away from home when they disappeared.” He swallowed heavily.
Victoria could only imagine how horrible that must have been. She didn’t remember discovering her parents had been killed, had been too young to remember. But Luther had been old enough.
She really had no idea how old he was. Being a
drakon, he could be a lot older than he appeared.
“I’m so sorry,” she told him. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but now wasn’t the time.
“Who are your friends?” she asked Oscar again.
“There’s a group called the Dragon Guard,” he told her. “We’re the opposite of the Knights of the Dragon.”
This was getting more and more like a video game or a movie. Too bad the guns the bad guys had were the real deal. “You contacted them?”
“The person I contacted will find out everything he can about Caine.” She noticed he’d skirted around answering her question. What exactly did that mean?
“There’s not much to know. I already looked,” she told him.
Oscar grinned. “This guy can get in anywhere. He’s probably hacking their security system as we speak.”
Wow, that’s one heck of a talent. “You’re sure?”
The phone on the bedside table rang. It was for internal use only. She’d already checked. She slid out from beneath Luther’s arm and reached for it. She paused, and Luther nodded.
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Victoria answered. “Yes.”
“I need to speak with Oscar.” The voice was deep and commanding, but she wasn’t cowed by it.
“Who may I say is calling?” she asked in a curt tone.
The man laughed. “I’m the one who gave him the phone he’s using to keep your conversation private.”
Shocked, she held the receiver out to Oscar. “It’s for you.”
…
Luther was restless and out of sorts. He wanted to tear this place down until there was nothing left but rubble. Then he wanted to torch the rubble. He wanted to hug his father and feel his mother’s arms wrapped around him. But most of all, he wanted to grab Victoria and carry her away from here and stash her somewhere safe.
She was holding up really well, considering everything that had been thrown at her. And she was also pulling away from him. He knew he’d hurt her feelings. He should have told her last night, but he was so used to keeping secrets it wasn’t easy to share, not even with Victoria. He regretted that now. He only prayed there would be time later for him to explain everything.
She would understand and forgive him. She had to.
The phone call wasn’t a huge surprise. If this Dragon Guard could infiltrate the Knights to such a degree, they had to have people with exceptional skills working with them. Luther had no idea who the guy was, but if he could help them free his parents and get all of them out of here alive, he’d owe him a debt that could never be repaid.
Oscar took the phone from Victoria. “Yeah?”
She sank down on the mattress and stared at the phone. Luther wanted to reach for her but concentrated on using his preternatural hearing to listen in on the phone call.
“I can shut down the system. There is an electrical current going through the metal in the wall of the holding cell. I assume it’s amplifying whatever energy those symbols have,” the caller said.
“If you cut the power to it, will that be enough to rouse the drakon?”
“Unknown. Depends on when they last gave him drugs.” There was tapping in the background as though the man was using a keyboard. “There is also a direct venting system. I imagine that pumps in airborne drugs.”
Hearing what his father had endured all these years roused Luther’s fury. His muscles bunched, and his skin rippled, the dragon that dwelled inside him fighting to get out. “Not yet,” he muttered. He had to retain control.
A light touch settled on his shoulder and calmed him. He glanced up at the delicate hand. Victoria’s concern was etched on her face. “You okay?” she whispered.
He nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. She sidled closer and leaned against his side. The dragon inside him relaxed, allowing Luther to gain control once again.
“What about my mother?” Luther had seen father with his own eyes but still had no confirmation about his mother other than Victoria’s vision.
“You heard him?” Oscar asked his contact.
“Yes. There is a heavily guarded area isolated from the labs and the holding cell. It’s actually not too far from where you are.”
His mother was close. It had to be her. Luther closed his eyes as a wave of emotion threatened to unman him. Victoria wrapped two hands around his arm and held on to him.
How was he going to allow her to walk into danger without him by her side? If he didn’t, his mother could die. It was a no-win situation, at least not for him.
“Hang up,” he heard the man on the line say. “They’re coming.”
Oscar reacted without question. He hung up the phone. Luther surged to his feet and moved away from Victoria. Oscar took up a position by the door. Eyes widening, she scrambled to the table and sat. The door opened without a knock.
Luther’s gaze fell on Oscar’s phone. Victoria saw it the same time he did. She grabbed it and shoved it in her jacket pocket just as several members of the security force rushed in.
…
“Sir.”
Evan Caine hated interruptions, especially when he was enjoying himself. And watching Herman Temple all but beg for dragon blood was very enjoyable. The bastard thought himself superior because he’d lived for a very long time. Evan had no idea just how old Herman was. Rumors were that it was over a hundred years, maybe even closer to two.
Evan didn’t care. He might not have the years that Herman did, but he was smarter and more determined. And he hadn’t been raised with a silver spoon in his mouth like Herman. He’d scratched and clawed for what he had. And he wasn’t about to give it up to anyone.
By the time he was done, he’d own Herman Temple and all his assets. It was amazing what men would do in order to keep on living.
“What is it, Miller?”
His man glanced at Herman and the two men who made up his security detail. Personally, Evan found it curious the more dangerous of Herman’s men were guarding the lovely Victoria. Was Herman afraid he’d lose his bargaining edge if Evan snatched her away?
It was a moot point anyway, since none of them were getting out of here alive unless he allowed it. His compound was state of the art in every way. The security was the best money could buy, both in technology and manpower.
“Speak?” He was getting impatient.
“Sir. Electronic surveillance has detected a call coming in from the outside.”
He straightened in his chair. “Impossible. We took their phones.”
“Yes, sir, but the call is coming in through an internal line.”
“Where?”
“Ms. Marshall’s room. I’ve sent a security team.”
Evan stood and straightened his jacket. “If you’ve double crossed me—” He let the threat just hang there.
Herman scrambled to his feet. “I would never do such a thing.”
Oddly enough, Evan believed him, but there would still be consequences. “What were they doing at the time?” He left the room with Herman and his men trailing them.
“Sir, they found and disabled all the recorders, both visual and audio.” Miller sounded impressed. So was Evan, in spite of his anger. He was also right in his assessment. The men with Victoria were the most dangerous of the group.
They stopped by the elevator. Miller placed his palm on the panel by the door. The light remained red.
Evan shoved the man aside and placed his own palm on the panel. The light remained the same. “Shit.”
“What’s going on?” Herman asked. “Is there a security breach?”
Evan ignored the man. He had bigger problems to deal with than Temple. “Take the stairs,” he ordered his men. “Put everyone on alert.” His men could deal with Victoria and her security detail. Evan needed to secure another woman first.
…
“Who was on the phone?” one of the guards demanded.
Victoria gave him a haughty look, one that had been known to shrivel a man’s balls, or so Lu
ther had overheard from several of Temple’s men. He’d never been prouder of her. “What are you talking about?”
“We know you were on the phone,” the man accused.
Victoria slowly stood. “You know, do you? And how would you know that unless you were invading my privacy?”
Luther glanced at Oscar, who nodded. If Caine’s men knew they’d received a call, they had to act now. If they waited, they’d lose their element of surprise. There were three security men, all with semiautomatic weapons, and only two of them, and neither of them was armed. But Luther didn’t need a gun in order to kill a man.
He hated that Victoria was in the line of fire. Anything could happen now that things were in motion, but there was no going back. A sense of anticipation surged through him. They were about to rescue his parents.
Victoria was pale but steady. “Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” she demanded.
“Mr. Caine will be here shortly,” the guard told her. “He’ll ask the questions.”
That was all Luther needed to hear. “Victoria, down!” he shouted as he rushed forward and drove his fist into the face of one of the guards. This time, he didn’t hold back, didn’t pull his punches as he’d learned to do.
Blood spurted from the guard’s nose and mouth as he flew ten feet in the air before slamming into the far wall. Victoria had dropped like a stone at his command, leaving Luther free to fight without worrying she’d be taken as a hostage. Before his opponent hit the wall, he was already moving.
But the other guard was fast and got off a shot. Luther dodged, but not quickly enough to avoid the bullet that plowed into his shoulder. He ignored the pain, grabbed the barrel of the gun, and yanked the man toward him. With his free hand, he dug his fingers into the guard’s neck and closed them, crushing his windpipe. The man fell to the floor clutching his throat. Luther knew he’d be dead in seconds.
He turned to help Oscar, but the third guard was already dead on the floor.
“You’re hurt.” Victoria sounded angry as she dragged herself to her feet and stumbled over to him.
“I’m fine,” he reassured her.
“You’re bleeding.” She shoved at his suit jacket, and he let her slide it off. She made a small sound of distress.
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