But most of all, he learned from them. Humans were smarter than many drakons gave them credit for. There had been many holy men over the millennia he’d lived who had given him knowledge that helped keep him safe.
He didn’t only rely on the strengths of his dragon side or his intellect as a human to survive. No, he did what the Knights of the Dragon did. He used magic.
All the studying he’d done, the fragments of information he’d searched out, and the holy people he’d met had given him knowledge, and he used it ruthlessly. His body was covered in tattoos. On the left side was his drakon tattoo, his birthmark. But on the right were symbols he’d either tattooed himself or had done by someone he trusted. They were wards against the kind of magic the Knights used.
So while the bracelet had drawn his attention, it couldn’t hold him. Abigail had done that all on her own. There was something about her that spoke to the deepest parts of him, almost as if she was encoded in his very DNA.
Abigail sighed and shifted in his arms. He tightened his hold on her and closed his eyes. He could hear her heart beating, slow and steady. The sound calmed him, reassured him she was safe and with him.
They both needed answers to what was going on. They also had to decide how much to trust each other, how much of their lives and truth to share. But whatever came, he knew one thing for certain. No one was taking her from him. If the Knights of the Dragon thought they could, they had another think coming.
He’d watch Europe burn before he’d allow that to happen.
…
Nic paced the floor of the hotel room they were currently staying in. He hated feeling helpless. Watching Constance curled up in a chair crying made him want to destroy something or someone. Those damn Knights wouldn’t leave them alone, wouldn’t let them live in peace.
He went down on his knees in front of his mate. “I’m sorry. If I’d thought for one second Abigail’s talent would get her into trouble, I would never have let her go to Europe.” They could have taken her somewhere safe instead of letting her go off gallivanting by herself.
Constance swiped at her cheeks. “It’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault.” She took a shaky breath. “That’s not true. It’s the Knights’ fault. They’re the ones who planted the bracelet.”
And Abigail was the one who found it.
“Ah, I’m still here.”
Nic glanced at his phone. The line was still open, and Tarrant was still at work. If anyone could find Abigail, it was him. “What do you know?”
“Vasili most likely destroyed her phone.” Tarrant was blunt and to the point.
“Then we’ve lost her.” Constance’s whisper was filled with fear for her younger sister.
“Not necessarily,” Tarrant said.
“What do you mean?” Nic demanded.
“It means that if Anton Bruno and his men are looking for them, all I have to do is hack into his phone and email, find out who his people are, and follow them.”
“Oh God.” Constance put her head in her hands, looking dejected. “She’s all alone.”
“No, she isn’t. She has Vasili. He could have left her.” Nic wondered why he hadn’t.
“Do you think he’s with the Knights?” Constance asked the question they were all thinking.
It was Tarrant who answered. “I don’t think so. I haven’t found much on him, but so far not a single connection at all to them.”
That begged the question as to how the man had crossed her path and why. He’d been purposely vague on the phone. “If he was with the Knights, Abigail wouldn’t have been able to talk with us,” Nic assured her. Constance nodded, but he could see the doubt in her eyes. She knew better but wanted to believe him.
“Contact Oscar,” Nic told his brother. “See what he knows.” Oscar Denning was a human who’d worked with the Knights while secretly helping drakons. “He’s worked for a couple of the top Knights in America. He may know something about Bruno that we can use.” At this point, Nic would try anything, even contact Oscar, who was currently in hiding after their last dealings with the Knights.
“Will do,” Tarrant told him. “In the meantime, I’ve hacked into cameras in the city. A lot of them aren’t functional, no surprise there, but I’m already working on getting into Bruno’s network.”
“Thank you, Tarrant.” Constance’s voice was shaky, but she straightened.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. We’ll find her.”
“Keep digging on Vasili,” Nic told him. “I want to know what kind of man has Abigail. Call me when you get anything.” He ended the call and dragged Constance into his arms. “We’ll get her back.” He had to believe that.
Her eyes were bleak, but she nodded. He wasn’t sure she believed him, but she was holding on, as it was the only hope she had.
Nic kissed her and rocked her in his arms. Family was everything to him. And now one of them was in danger, and he was too far away to help. All he could do was wait and rely on a complete stranger to keep Abigail safe.
Chapter Nine
Abigail opened her eyes but couldn’t see much of anything. It was dark and there was a rumbling sound. Strong arms were wrapped around her, keeping her warm and cushioned against the jolting movements.
“I’ve got you,” Vasili whispered.
Right, they were in an old truck heading out of Moscow to God only knew where, because she sure as heck didn’t.
“Where are we?” she asked. She really should move, but she was far too comfortable on his lap. Honestly, with all the craziness going on, she needed a few minutes of peace and quiet. If he was willing to provide it, she was more than willing to take it.
“Not sure.”
“Do you have any idea where we’re going?” Tension began to creep back in. Her interlude of forgetfulness was over.
“Nizhny Novgorod.”
She thought about the map she’d studied, trying to situate herself. “We’re heading deeper into Russia, not away from it.” That surprised her. She’d assumed they were making a run for the border.
“Yes. They’ll be expecting us to try to leave the country.”
That made sense, even if the thought of getting farther away from the border left her with a pit in the bottom of her stomach. She started to move off his lap, but he stopped her. “Stay.”
“I must be heavy.” She had no recollection of falling asleep but wasn’t surprised. Fear and tension took a toll on the body after so long. She was facing away from him with her legs stretched out over his, using him as her own private recliner. There was no mistaking the bulge pressing against the small of her back. Vasili was very aroused. She decided to ignore it as best she could. Now was not the time to be thinking about sex.
Okay, now she was thinking about it, wondering what it would feel like if they were both naked and weren’t in a moving truck where their enemies might discover them at any moment.
“You are as light as a feather,” he assured her.
She almost snorted. While she wasn’t overweight, and had lost weight these past few weeks, she certainly wasn’t as light as a feather, especially not after a few hours.
And speaking of that, “How long have we been on the road?”
“Eight hours or so. The truck is slow, and we made several stops.”
“That long.” She’d certainly slept heavily, which surprised her. She hadn’t even stirred. Since the kidnapping, she woke frequently, as though her subconscious was always on guard for the slightest change in her surroundings. This was probably the most uninterrupted rest she’d had since before she’d been taken.
He rubbed his chin over the top of her head. “I expect we’ll be stopping soon.”
A part of her wouldn’t mind staying in the back of this truck forever. It wasn’t exactly the Ritz with the smell of diesel permeating everything, along with a far earthier scent she couldn’t quite place, but at least they were safe.
“What kind of truck is this?” she asked.
“Why?” H
e ran his hands lightly over her arms. Even through the layers of her clothing she felt his touch.
“I can smell something I can’t place. Like dirt.”
“Ah.” He kissed her temple. “Produce. The boxes are filled with vegetables. The driver is often on the road at night, so the stores will have fresh product when they open in the morning.”
That made sense. “So there’s less chance of the authorities stopping him?”
“Yes. They will all know him and wave him through any checkpoints.”
The truck began to slow, and Vasili tensed before lifting her off his lap. She scrambled to her knees and made sure her bag was still slung around her shoulder in case she needed to run.
He sprang to his feet in spite of having sat in one position for hours. He was lithe as a cat for such a huge man. He made his way around the boxes to the end of the truck and moved the canvas covering aside so he could see. “We’re here.”
Abigail was a lot less graceful making her way to him. Her legs were stiff after being in such an unusual position for so long. It was also difficult to keep her footing while the truck was jostling around. She slammed into several boxes but finally made it. Vasili caught her and pulled her under his arm.
“When he stops, we have to get out quickly. We’ll be at the train station. I will purchase tickets. If the driver has timed it correctly, we’ll only have a couple of minutes until the early train leaves. Stay in sight at all times.”
Adrenaline began to pump through her veins. “You think the Knights will have someone waiting for us?”
“I don’t see how, but I won’t underestimate them. They’ll be looking for a woman alone, not for a man and a woman.”
“They’ll check my papers. My passport and travel visa.” You didn’t get anywhere these days without showing identification.
“Let me handle that,” he told her. “Get ready.”
The truck was slowing and finally rolled to a halt. The driver didn’t get out. Vasili jumped down, landing easily on his feet. She found it a little more difficult to scramble over the low tailgate, but Vasili helped steady her.
The truck rumbled away, blending with the early morning traffic. The driver would keep to his schedule so no one would ever suspect anything was out of the ordinary. She had to admit it was a smart plan.
“Let’s go.” Keeping one arm around her shoulder, Vasili guided her toward the station. He didn’t hurry, didn’t look around, but she had no doubt he was totally aware of his surroundings. She tried to follow his lead, but it wasn’t easy.
They stepped up to a ticket counter, and he purchased their tickets. He did it all in Russian, so she had no idea what he was saying to the man serving them. Vasili reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a roll of money. Who traveled with that kind of cash?
Of course, she couldn’t talk. She had that and a lot more tucked away in her jeans pocket, her coat pocket, and in her bag, not to mention the credit card in the secret pocket sewn into her sweater. Difference was, she was a tourist.
Vasili said he bought and sold artifacts for a living. It made sense he’d carry a decent amount of cash.
She had no idea what he said to the ticket agent, but he did show him identification. Then he gestured to her and shrugged. The agent laughed, and the transaction went smoothly, especially when Vasili slipped the man some extra cash. She assumed it was so she wouldn’t have to show any identification in order to purchase her ticket.
When it was done, he turned to her. “Do you need to go to the bathroom?”
Heat climbed up her cheeks. “Ah, yes.” As much as she wanted to deny it, she was dying to go.
He smiled at her, then. Really smiled. He went from downright deadly and dangerous to drop-dead gorgeous. Her heart pounded, and her palms began to sweat.
“This way.” He led her to a door and nodded. “I’ll wait right here. Yell if there is any trouble.”
“I don’t expect to have problems in the ladies’ room.”
“You never know.”
She couldn’t tell if he was serious or joking. Rather than respond, she pushed the door open and went inside. After she’d used the bathroom, she washed her hands and stared at herself in the mirror. She felt grungy and grimy, but there wasn’t much she could do about that right now without a change of clothing. Splashing water on her face helped to refresh her somewhat. She ran her fingers through her hair to tidy it but didn’t linger, assuming if she did, Vasili would come find her.
He wasn’t exactly the kind of man who would stay outside just because it was the ladies’ room.
He was right where she’d left him. He took her hand and led her out to the platform. The train was just arriving. “We need food.” Still clutching her hand, he pulled her along until he came to an old woman selling fresh bread and bottled water. He bought several bottles of the water and a dozen mini loaves about the size of his hand.
Abigail wished she understood Russian as the older woman laughed and smiled and put the bread in a bag for them. Once again, Vasili overpaid for their purchase. She was going to have to pay him back, but not until she was safe. Independence was one thing. Stupidity another. She wasn’t letting go of any of her cash until she was sure she wouldn’t need it. Cash was king in every country.
“This way.” He handed her the bottles of water and led the way to the train. She was glad to have him with her. She’d have been lost otherwise.
Come to think of it, without him, she’d already be in the clutches of the Knights of the Dragon. Not a fate she wanted to contemplate.
There were a lot of people getting on and off, so she stayed close. Once they boarded, Vasili led them to a first-class cabin with two single bunks that were across from one another. The space was tiny, especially for a man as big as Vasili, but at least it was private.
She flopped down on one of the bunks and set the bottles of water beside her. He shut the door to their cabin and took the seat across from her. After a while, she heard an announcement and then the train slowly began to pull away from the station.
“When the conductor comes, don’t say anything. I told them you’re my wife and you’re sick and have lost your identification. I have mine, and that is enough.”
It made her feel strange to hear him call her his wife. She liked it way too much. She did admire his ingenuity. The people looking for her wouldn’t be searching for a Russian couple. “All right.”
It wasn’t long before there was a knock on their door. Abigail threw herself down on the bunk and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. Vasili spoke to whoever was there, his deep voice flowing over her like a caress, the accented words rolling easily from his tongue. She shivered but remained where she was, practically holding her breath until he closed the door.
“We’re clear. I need to find a bathroom. Stay here.”
She tensed and sat up when he mentioned leaving but then forced herself to relax. If he was going to ditch her, he could have done it long before now. “Okay.”
He ran his fingers down the side of her face. She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath at the tender gesture. “Yell if you need me.”
With that final instruction, he was out the door, leaving her alone to contemplate everything.
…
Vasili didn’t want to be away from Abigail, but he stopped long enough to get hot water for tea. He knew she needed it. He was a drakon and could go long stretches without food or water if necessary.
Didn’t mean he enjoyed it, but it wouldn’t hurt him. Abigail was human and much more fragile. She needed food and rest. He was glad she’d slept most of the drive here, but now that she was awake, he knew she’d want answers.
So did he.
He made his way back to the cabin and breathed a sigh of relief when she was where he’d left her. He’d purposely waited until the train was moving to leave. He wasn’t completely convinced she wouldn’t try to get away from him. She had some misguided idea she needed to protect him.
&nb
sp; He used his elbow to knock on the door. “It’s me.” She opened the metal panel a crack and peeked out. When she saw him with his hands full, she opened the door and then closed it tightly behind him.
“Hot water for tea,” he announced. Not that it was necessary. She could see what it was.
“Thank you.” Her heartfelt gratitude made his chest swell. “I could really use that.”
She made tea while he got out the bread and went to work tearing apart the dense loaves.
“Smells delicious.” She set the tea on the little pullout table.
“Check the bag.” He’d paid the vendor extra to give them some butter and jam.
Abigail rummaged around and gave a crow of delight when she found the stash. They ate in silence. He watched her while she looked everywhere but at him.
When he was done eating a half dozen loaves, enough to take the slightest edge off his hunger, he wiped his hands. “Tell me everything.”
She shook her head. “You probably already know too much. Besides, you never answer my questions.” She busied herself with cleaning up from their small meal.
Abigail was proving to be stubborn. Perversely enough, he liked that. “What do you want to know?” he asked, even though he knew darn well what question she would ask.
“Why? Why were you drawn to the bracelet?” She lowered her voice and leaned in. “Are you one of them?”
He had to admire her discretion, even though they were seemingly alone.
“Why would you think that?” he asked. He was curious to see how her mind worked and how much she actually knew about his kind.
Frustration flashed across her face, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. You want to be all mysterious, don’t tell me.”
“Answer my question, and I’ll answer yours.” Maybe he wouldn’t tell her everything, but he’d give her some kind of answer.
She gave him a look that told him she knew he was tricking her somehow but was willing to go along.
“That tattoos for one. I’ve seen similar ones.”
On her brother-in-law, most likely. “What else?”
“You’re big and strong, and there’s something about you.” She shook her head when he started to smile. “Yeah, you don’t need your ego stroked.”
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