by Karen Lynch
I said her name as I sat beside her. She opened her eyes and gave me a questioning look.
“We’ve got some bad electrical storms moving through the area, so we’re grounded for a few hours, at least. Geoffrey’s team has a safe house nearby, and we’re going to wait out the storm there. It’s more comfortable than an airport hangar.”
“Okay.”
“You did well tonight.” I brushed damp hair from her face. “I know that was harder for you than you’re letting on.”
“It was,” she whispered.
I didn’t think I’d ever seen her this disheartened, and I wasn’t sure what to say to help her feel better. Her reticence told me she didn’t want to talk about it yet, so I’d wait until she was ready.
“Come on.”
I stood and held out my hand to her. She let me help her out of the seat and quietly followed me to the SUV. Jordan gave her a worried look, and I smiled at the other girl to let her know Sara was okay.
The safe house was the same one Chris and I had stayed at in the fall. The rain was coming down in heavy sheets so Geoffrey pulled into the garage. Normally, he wouldn’t bother, but I think even he was worried about Sara, who hadn’t spoken since we left the plane.
“How is she?” Chris asked in a low voice as Sara entered the house ahead of us.
“It wasn’t easy for her. She needs some time.”
“So what now?”
I shrugged. “Now we start over. Madeline said she was grabbed by the Master in New York City. He could be long gone by now, but it’s as good a place to start as any.”
When we entered the house, Sara was nowhere in sight, although I could sense her nearby. I talked to Chris and Geoffrey for a minute, and then I called Vivian to fill her in on what Madeline had told us about the Master. We talked for a few minutes, and then I went to look for Sara.
It wasn’t hard to find her in the den off the main hallway. I entered the dark room and sat on my haunches in front of the couch where she lay.
“Why are you hiding in here alone?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.
“If I was hiding, I’d be behind the couch.”
I smiled at her attempt at levity. “You’d never hide behind a couch.”
“True,” she said with a sad smile. “There is no dignity in lying in dust bunnies.”
“Want some company?”
I’d understand if she wanted to be alone, but the pain I felt through the bond told me that wasn’t the case. She was hurting, and all I wanted to do was ease her pain.
“Behind the couch?”
“Wherever you want.”
“Yes,” she said softly.
She started to sit up, but I had other plans. The leather couch wasn’t really big enough for two people, a fact which worked in my favor. I lay on my side behind her, using one arm to pillow her head and wrapping the other around her waist to pull her back against me. Her curves fit my body like she’d been made for me.
“Comfortable?” I asked when she relaxed against me.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Do you want to talk about her?”
At first, I didn’t think she was going to respond. I was content to hold her until she was ready to talk.
“She wasn’t what I expected. I pity her. Except for Adele, she has no one, and she spends her life running and afraid and regretting the love she gave up. I think of her and I realize how lucky I am to have you and everyone else in my life.”
“That’s not luck,” I said. “You have so many people who love you because you’re a good person. Madeline was always selfish. She proved that when she left home the way she did, and with her behavior since then. I’m not saying she deserves the things that have happened to her, but I do believe she brought most of them on herself. That you can feel sad for her after all you’ve been through shows how kind you are.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
She drew in a deep breath. “How do you always know when I need you?”
My heart squeezed, and I pulled her closer. “When you’re hurting, I feel it.”
“You do?”
I smiled at the wonder in her voice and leaned in to kiss her forehead. “Yes. So don’t ever try to hide your pain from me.”
“Why can’t I do the same with you?”
“You will, someday.”
One day soon we were going to complete the bond, and nothing would ever come between us again. She would never have to question my love for her because she’d feel it without me uttering a word.
She snuggled closer to me. “I love you, Nikolas.”
I cupped her chin and turned her face toward mine. “I love you too, moy malen’kiy voin,” I said before I kissed her tenderly.
She closed her eyes. After several minutes passed, I thought she’d fallen asleep, until she spoke softly.
“What do we do now?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But we’ll figure it out together. Like you told Madeline, you found her when no one else could. We’ll go back to California and come up with a plan for what to do next.”
Maybe we could enlist the help of her friend David. He’d proven to be an invaluable ally, and he was the one who’d ultimately lead us to Madeline. If I could convince him to work with Dax, there was no telling what the two of them could do.
“I don’t want to go back to California.”
Her hoarse declaration took me by surprise. “Where do you want to go?”
She turned in my arms until she was on her back. Lightning lit up the room, revealing the tears gathering in her eyes.
“Can we go home?”
Home. I had a sudden image of her things spread around my apartment. Our apartment.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
I lowered my head to brush my lips across hers. Her hand came up to hold the back of my neck, and the tender kiss turned into a sensual exploration that left us both breathing a little faster.
She protested softly when I broke the kiss, but she deserved a lot more than heated groping on a couch. Tomorrow, we were going home. Tomorrow night, I was going to make love to her in our bed and sleep with her in my arms. And that was worth waiting for.
Chapter 42
I stayed with Sara until she fell asleep, and then I went to notify the pilot we would be flying to Boise instead of California. After that, I called Raoul and asked him to have our things and Sara’s cat sent on to Westhorne. He was also going to take over running the command center, but they were going to move it to Los Angeles now that they didn’t need to be close to Eldeorin’s house.
“You coming with us to Westhorne or heading back to California?” I asked Chris after all the arrangements had been made. All we were waiting for now was word from the pilot that we could depart.
“I’ll make sure you two lovebirds get home safe and sound, and then I’ll probably go back to LA by way of Longstone.”
He gave me a sly look. “Something tells me you won’t be leaving home again for a while.”
I didn’t disagree with him. Males stayed close to their mates for the first year or so after completing the bond, and I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be any different. That didn’t mean we had to stay at Westhorne, however, and I hoped to persuade Sara to take a trip to Russia to meet my parents. I’d be sure to phrase it a lot differently this time.
“Is Sara comfortable in the den?” Geoffrey asked. “She’s welcome to use my bedroom until you leave.”
“Thanks, but it shouldn’t be much longer.”
I heard running feet a second before Sara screamed, “Vampires!”
I ran to her as she burst into the living room. “Where? How many?”
“Everywhere,” she gasped. “At least fifteen.”
Fifteen? Jesus, it was another ambush.
“How does she know that?” Geoffrey demanded.
“No time to explain. Get ready.”
; Chris and I grabbed our weapons. I went back to Sara, and he ran to take up a position by the large window.
“Chris?” I asked as I strapped on my knife belt.
“Nothing yet.”
I began issuing orders, not caring this was Geoffrey’s command. I was taking no chances with Sara and Jordan here, even if they had proven themselves to be more than capable fighters.
“We have at least fifteen hostiles incoming,” I shouted as warriors spilled into the living room. “Jordan and Abigail, you’re with Chris. Elijah, you, Joseph, and Noah cover upstairs. Travis and Oliver, take the kitchen. Geoffrey and I will cover the back.”
“What about me?” Sara asked.
Geoffrey held out a sword to her. “Can you fight?”
She put up her hands. “Not with that thing.”
I touched her arm. “Sara, you stay with me. Do not leave my sight.”
For once she didn’t argue. Grabbing a knife from Geoffrey, she followed us just as a window broke at the back of the house. We ran into the den to see two vampires come through the window. My blood chilled at the thought that Sara had been sleeping in here a few minutes ago.
I went after the first vampire, letting Geoffrey worry about the second one. There wasn’t a lot of fighting room in the den so I had to watch where I put my sword. Sara stayed by the door where I could see her out of the corner of my eye as I fought.
The vampire looked surprised to see two armed warriors waiting for him. I took advantage of his hesitation and sliced open his gut. Then I brought my blade around again and took his head from his shoulders.
As soon as he went down, two more vampires leapt through the window. I checked to see where Sara was before I moved in to meet the newest threat. They were faster than the first one, but there was no way they were getting past me with Sara standing a few feet away.
Over the thunder and rain, I could hear screams and fighting in the rest of the house, but I blocked them out to concentrate on the two vampires circling me.
The nearest one feinted at me from my left, and his friend tried to use that as an opportunity to come in from my right. My sword flashed, but there was barely enough room to swing with any force.
The vampires realized that too, and they smiled, showing me their fangs.
Holding my sword in one hand, I unsheathed my long knife with my other hand.
In the hallway, a vampire screamed.
Sara.
Someone crashed into a wall. Fear knotted my stomach, and I spun to the empty doorway, forgetting the danger behind me.
A familiar figure ran past the door toward the living room. I started after her.
“Nikolas,” Geoffrey grunted.
I turned back to the room just as both vampires came at me at once. Desperate to finish the fight, I brought both blades up – my sword to block and my knife to maim.
The vampire on my left screamed as my knife plunged between his ribs. The strike was too low to hit his heart, but it still had to hurt like the devil.
He staggered back, and I spun to the one who had tried to get past my sword. Blood dripped from one of his hands where four of his fingers used to be.
He snarled and lunged at me again, and I used his forward momentum against him. My sword came down, cutting his arm off at the shoulder. Before he could scream in pain, I skewered him through the heart.
I turned back to the one I’d knifed as he started to regain his footing. I leapt at him, striking out with the knife again. This time my aim was perfect, and he sank to the floor in a heap.
Leaving Geoffrey to finish off his opponent, I raced into the hallway where a dead vampire was crumpled against the wall.
“Sara?” I shouted, running toward the front of the house.
A vampire jumped out of the hall bathroom, directly into my path. I was moving so fast I slammed into him, knocking us both off balance.
Dropping my sword, I wrapped an arm around his neck and snapped it. He went limp, but he’d be back on his feet in thirty minutes if I left him like that. I picked up my sword and finished the job.
Heart pounding, I ran into the living room to find half a dozen dead vampires and no sign of Sara. People stood in front of the broken window staring in shock at something on the front lawn.
No. A bellow of rage tore from my throat. People scattered as I ran to the window and jumped through it. Ignoring the bodies littering the ground, my gaze zeroed in on Sara. My knees weakened when I saw her standing there, looking unharmed.
She didn’t move as I strode to her. Trembling, I pulled her into my arms, needing to reassure my Mori and myself she was okay. Her arms immediately crept up around my neck, pulling my head down to her.
“I love you,” she said. Then her lips met mine.
Her touch dismantled my rage, and her kiss set me aflame with a different kind of heat. I crushed her to me, my hands roving over her back, only vaguely aware of the rain plastering our hair and clothes to our bodies. She clung to me, wrapping her legs around my waist as she made me forget everything but the two of us.
My sanity returned to me, and I separated our mouths, breathing harshly. “You were supposed to stay with me.”
Her look was anything but apologetic. “You didn’t need my help, and someone had to save Chris’s ass. Again.”
I opened my mouth, but all that came out was a groan. She’s going to be the death of me.
I rested my forehead against hers. “Now I know why Nate’s going gray. At this rate, I’ll be white before him.”
She smiled evilly. “Well, there’s always Clairol for Men.”
I stared at her, and she burst into laughter before she burrowed her face against my throat. Her hot breath on my skin made me extremely thankful for the cold rain drenching us.
Chris walked up to us, chuckling and shaking his head. “Do you two want us to give you some privacy?”
I grinned at him as Sara lifted her head to say something.
Her eyes widened, and she looked down as if realizing for the first time where she was.
Satisfaction filled me, knowing I’d done that to her. Her eyes lifted to mine, and I smiled as my hands slid down to cup her firm bottom.
“On second thought, this might be worth a few gray hairs.”
Her brows came together in an unconvincing scowl, and she removed her legs from around my waist.
Ignoring her silent demand to be set down, I held her for a moment, relishing the feel of her body flush against mine.
Her scowl deepened as I lowered her to the ground. Unable to resist, I kissed her nose before finally letting her go.
Geoffrey walked across the lawn toward us, his mouth set in a grim line.
“How many?” I asked him.
“Fifteen.” He rubbed his head and stared at the bodies on the grass. “Jesus! If you and your team hadn’t been here, it would have been a massacre.”
“Or maybe they came because we were here,” Chris said.
“How did you know?” Geoffrey asked Sara. “You said fifteen were coming. How could you possibly guess that?”
“I wasn’t guessing…” Her eyes narrowed, and she rubbed her chest. “I was wrong. There were sixteen. There’s still one here.”
Elijah stood in the doorway. “The house is clear.”
“Chris, can you and Elijah do a sweep out here to be safe?” I asked as Sara walked toward the house, her lips pursed in concentration.
I followed her because her intuition, or radar as she called it, was never wrong.
She entered the house and stood motionless for several seconds. Then she pointed at the closed door to the basement where the control room was located. “There.”
Geoffrey shook his head. “There’s no way for anyone to get in down there. The basement windows are all too small.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Then one tried to go out that way and got trapped, because there is a vampire in that basement.”
He looked at me, and I nodded.
“W
e’ll have to flush him out,” he said. “Abigail and I will go down, and the rest of you keep an eye on this door in case he comes through it.”
“We need to find out how they found this place and if they knew who was here,” I reminded him. “Unless you’re in immediate danger, do not kill him.”
I looked at Sara. “I don’t suppose it would do any good to ask you to let the others handle this one.”
She put up her hands and walked to the far side of the living room. “I’ve done enough killing for one night. This one is all yours.”
The other warriors and I formed a semicircle in front of the basement door. Geoffrey opened the door, and he and Abigail disappeared through it.
Seconds later, a female vampire’s scream was followed by the sounds of a struggle and a crash. The vampire cried out in pain.
“We have her,” Geoffrey called.
The rest of us relaxed, and I went to stand by Sara.
“What will they do with her?” she asked, still watching the basement door.
“They’ll confine her and wait until she gets hungry to see if she’ll talk.”
I looked through the window as the other Vegas team came roaring up in an SUV. The four warriors leapt out and dashed into the house. They skidded to a stop when they saw the damage.
“Goddamn!” Evan, a dark-haired warrior with short, spiked hair, let out a whistle. “We missed all the action.”
“Fuck the action.” Jackson ran past us to the stairs. “If my Martin has a scratch on it, I’m going to find some vampire ass to kick.”
I grinned at the blond warrior who loved his guitar almost as much as he loved his mother.
Chris waved me over, and the two of us righted an overturned couch. Then we went outside to drag bodies from the front lawn to the garage. The last thing we needed was for someone to drive by and see a pile of bodies on the lawn before we could dispose of them. We were lucky as it was that the houses on this street were spaced far apart, and that no one had come to investigate. Lucky too that the storm had probably camouflaged most of the noise.
Sara was standing where I’d left her when I went back to the living room. The cleanup was underway, and she looked around as if she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be doing.