Bound by Dreams (Cauld Ane Series)

by Tracey Jane Jackson

  “What do you mean?”

  “Bronwen says that there is a huge Russian mob presence in Portland, and they have their hands in pretty much anything that will make them money, and with the Super Bowl looming, they’re desperate to meet the demand with girls.”

  “Bloody degenerate bastards who think paying to sleep with little girls is entertainment,” Niall spat out.

  “Aye, brother.” Oliver sighed. “I found out Nikolai’s last name, which doesn’t bode well for Charlotte’s sister.”

  “What is it?”

  “Azhishchenkov.”

  “As in, the mob family Azhishchenkov?”

  “Aye,” Oliver confirmed. “He’s a second cousin, twice removed or something like that, but he’s trying to start his own faction in Portland. He’s already got a reputation for being ruthless.”

  “So, he has her then.”

  “I don’t know for sure, Nye. But the fact that he even knows Vandi’s name puts her in danger for sure. She’s the right age for what he’s looking for.”

  “Damn it.”

  “Dalton’s on his way to you.”

  “Good. When will he be here?”

  “About six hours,” Oliver said. “He’s got Kade’s plane.”

  Niall checked his watch. “Okay, I’ll send Bruce back to the hotel to sleep for a few hours and he can meet him.”

  “Word of warning.”

  “What?” Niall asked, dreading the answer.

  “Max and Grace are with him.”

  Niall ran a hand across his stubble. “Shite.”

  “Sorry, brother.” Oliver chortled. “Are you going to be able to work without killing Max?”

  “I’ll deal,” Niall said with a humorless chortle. “Charlotte needs Grace more than I need to feel comfortable right now.”

  Oliver hummed in agreement. “Good answer. Okay, I’m going to catch a couple hours of sleep since I can’t do anything at the moment. But call me if you need me. Colleen’s tending to the girls, and we called in a couple of translators. We’ve got two Italians and three French girls who don’t speak a lick of English. I can help with the French…not so much with the Italian.”

  “I’m with you on that one,” Niall said. “I’ll get the details from you once this mess is over.”

  “No problem.”

  “Thanks.” Niall hung up, sent a text to Bruce, and paced the room.

  “What’s wrong?” Charlotte asked, carrying a tray laden with food. “I can feel your frustration.”

  “I had some disappointing news.” Niall took the burden from her and set it on the coffee table.

  “About Vandi?” She grabbed his arm. “What do you know?”

  He ran his knuckles down her cheek. “Nothing about Vandi right at the moment.”

  “But…?”

  “There is some chatter that Nikolai’s part of the Russian mob.”

  “What?” she gasped. “Seriously? And you think he’s done something to my sister?”

  “Aye, love. I think he has her, which is why Dalton Moore is on his way from Scotland.”

  Charlotte sagged against him and Niall wrapped his arms around her.

  “If she’s messed up with the Russian mob, what’s going to happen to her?” she asked. “How do you know all of this, anyway?”

  “The Super Bowl is a huge draw for traffickers, so everyone’s on high alert, watching for girls being shipped out of Europe and into the States. Our MI-6 contact, Bronwen Boyer, got intel that thirty girls were going to be shipped into England and then to California. Bronwen is an old friend of Payton’s, and she reconnected with her a little while ago. We discovered that our interests were similar, so we’ve been working with her and her team, mostly in an assistant role, as things come up. Oliver ran Nikolai by Bronwen and she knew exactly who he was.” He stroked her back. “Since we haven’t been able to locate your sister, I think we need to work on the assumption he has her.”

  Charlotte nodded into his chest, tears once again streaming down her face. “Will he kill her?”

  “I don’t think so, love. She’s more valuable alive.”

  “That might be worse,” she rasped.

  He lifted her chin. “I need you not to go there, sweetheart. I’ll no’ lie to you, but if this is too much, I’ll filter what I tell you. I can tell you everything as it happens, or only tell you when I know something about your sister in particular. Your choice.”

  She nodded. “Filter, please.”

  He wiped away her sadness and leaned down to kiss her, her lips soft from the tears. “Come and eat. I’ll no’ have you falling down from hunger.”

  She nodded and flopped onto the sofa. Niall sat beside her and they ate in silence. When they were finished, he gathered the dishes and led Charlotte back to the family room, still without conversation. Computers and phones all lined the large dining table, and several agents monitored the screens. Charlotte’s parents were no longer in the room, but Lila was still present, her face etched with worry.

  Niall set everything in the sink, frowning when Charlotte seemed to trip over her own feet. “You should go to bed, sweetheart.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t. I want to be awake in case there’s news.”

  Lila stood from her seat on the family room sofa and joined them. “Charlotte. You look like you’re ready to fall over, honey. I forced your mom to take a sleeping pill and lie down, do I need to do the same to you?”

  “Where’s my dad?” she asked.

  “He ran to the store for coffee.”

  “Oh.” Charlotte couldn’t stop a yawn and grimaced as she said, “Sorry.”

  “That’s it, love. You need to go to bed,” Niall said.

  “I agree with Niall,” Lila said. “It’s not healthy, Charlotte.”

  Charlotte crossed her arms. “I’m not a child either of you can force to go to bed. If I want to stay awake, I will stay awake.”

  Niall cocked his head. That doesn’t make you sound like a petulant child at all.

  Suck it, Niall.

  Lila raised her hands. “Sorry, hon. Sometimes I forget you’re not six anymore.”

  Charlotte shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped…none of this is your fault.”

  Lila smiled. “None of it’s yours either, sweetheart.”

  “How about I wake you if there’s any news,” Niall promised.

  Charlotte glared up at him. “No.”

  “Lord, you’re a stubborn woman,” he grumbled.

  Lila settled her hands on her hips. “What about stretching out on the sofa in the front room, or in your dad’s old office, hmm? We can pull down the Murphy bed in there, and you’ll be close enough to grab if there’s news.”

  Charlotte yawned again and sighed. “Fine. I’ll lie down on the couch.”

  “I’ll get you some blankets,” Lila said. “I’m waiting for Garrett to relieve me, and then I’ll take the Murphy bed if you’re taking the couch.”

  “I’ll get my own blankets, Lila,” Charlotte said. “But thanks,” she added, trying for a gentler approach, and followed Niall back to the front room. She grabbed blankets from the ottoman and flopped onto the sofa. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep.”

  “We’ll both try, eh?” Niall sat on the sofa and waved her closer.

  Charlotte stretched out, settling her head on his lap, and sighed as he wrapped the blankets around her. “You might be the best pillow ever.”

  He chuckled. “I’m at your service, sweetheart.”

  Leaning down, he kissed her cheek and then stroked her hair until she fell asleep. He set his phone on the side table and closed his eyes, trusting that Bruce or Oliver would call if they needed him. Charlotte whimpered, but Niall realized all too quickly, it wasn’t audible. She was entering into a nightmare and dragging him with her.

  * * *

  Niall watched as Charlotte stared out to sea. The slight breeze rippled her hair, and she tented her hand over her eyes to block
the sun. She wore a white floral sundress tied in a halter fashion at her neck, her back bare, and the skirt flowing just below her knee. He was stunned by her beauty, particularly when she turned to the side and smiled. He watched her face in profile as her lips parted and she licked her lips, before gasping and covering her face with her hands.

  “Charlotte?” he called, as he ran toward her, closing the distance.

  “They’re coming,” she rasped. “They’re coming.”

  “Who’s coming, baby?”

  She pointed her finger and Niall watched in horror as what seemed like hundreds of Viking warriors of old ran toward them. Their leader had long blond hair, his chest was bare, and he carried a Hurstwic raised above his head, ready for attack.

  Niall threw Charlotte to the ground as gently as possible, covering her body with his, waiting for death to come. Instead, the rumble of footsteps passed them by, the ground shaking from the force, as the giant men flew past them and disappeared into mist.

  He sat up, pulling Charlotte into his lap and stroking her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled. “Hæ. Sástu pabba?” (Hi. Did you see my dad?)

  “Nei, ástin. En ég sá kappa.” (No, love. But I saw the warrior.)

  “Hvaða kappa??” (What warrior?)

  “Þessi úr draumum þínum.” (The one from your dream.)

  “Oh, him.” She giggled. “He’s so dramatic, isn’t he?” Her eyes closed again and her head fell back.

  “Charlotte?” Awake now, Niall cradled her head and called her name again, but she was out cold, so he settled her against his chest and allowed sleep to finally take them both.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHARLOTTE WAS AWAKENED by a ray of sunlight settling over her face from the front room window. She groaned and stirred, realizing she wasn’t in her bed, and wasn’t alone…and her sister was missing.

  “Vandi.” She tried to sit up, but found her face connecting with Niall’s very hard stomach. “Sorry.”

  “You’re fine, sweetheart,” he said, and shifted so she could sit up. “There’s still no word on Vandi.”

  She grimaced. “Did I wake you?”

  He shook his head and smiled. “I’ve been up for about an hour.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked, and pulled the hair tie from her ponytail so she could fix it.

  “Because you needed to sleep,” he said.

  She dragged her hands down her face. “What time is it?”

  Niall stood and stretched. “About six.”

  Charlotte stared up at him. “Did you sleep like that all night?”

  “Pretty much. But I can sleep anywhere.”

  “Lucky you.” She stood and kissed him. “Any word from Ollie?”

  “No, but Bruce will be here any minute. He picked Grace up at the airport a few minutes ago.”

  “Grace is coming?” Charlotte asked, her hands clasped at her chest.

  “Aye, lass.”

  She bit her lip. “Which means Max, right?”

  He grimaced. “Aye, lass.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Are you okay with that?”

  “Don’t really think I have a choice, sweetheart,” he said, and hugged her. “You need her.”

  She sighed. “Oooh, you are such a smart, smart man.”

  He sighed. “I’m aware.”

  “I’ll find out what’s going on with my parents and then we’ll figure out what to do about breakfast, okay?”

  He nodded. “Perfect.”

  Charlotte headed down the hallway just as a shout from the back of the house had her speeding toward the kitchen.

  “We have a hit off the cell phone,” one of the men called out.

  Charlotte arrived in the kitchen to find two new agents sitting at the table and the rest of Grace’s family milling around. They’d apparently arrived at some point while she’d slept. Her parents hovered by the kitchen island waiting for word on the location of the cell phone.

  “Charlie,” Maggie said, and rushed in for a hug.

  Spencer followed, releasing her just as Niall arrived. The Wilsons greeted him and in her worry, Charlotte bit her lip so hard, she drew blood. “What’s this about the cell phone?”

  Before anyone could answer, she felt Niall’s hand on her lower back and then instant relief from her self-inflicted pain. “My man just picked Agent Moore up,” Niall told one of the men. “He said he’s following up on an Amber alert, is that right?”

  Charlotte frowned up at him. You didn’t say anything about an Amber Alert.

  “Yes,” Agent Smith said. “He’s heading straight to the location.”

  You can stop with the daggers, love. Dalton just texted me.

  “What does that mean?” Charlotte’s mom asked. “Have they found her?”

  “We don’t know just yet, ma’am,” Agent Smith said. “We’re following up on the lead and will hopefully know something shortly.”

  “Shouldn’t we have gotten some kind of ransom demand?” Charlotte’s father asked.

  “We’re not certain they want money, sir.”

  “What does that mean, exactly?” her mom demanded.

  Niall pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. “Excuse me, please.”

  “What’s going on?” Charlotte asked.

  “I’ll be back in a bit, love, just stay here.” He squeezed her hand and walked out of the kitchen.

  “I still don’t understand. What do you mean, they don’t want money?” Charlotte’s mom demanded.

  “Ma’am, we’re looking at all sides…”

  The sound of the front door closing had Charlotte in a mild panic. Niall, if you’re going somewhere without me, I will kill you in the face.

  I promise I’ll keep you apprised of what’s happening.

  “Damn it!” she snapped, and made a run for the door. She opened it just as Bruce climbed in the driver’s seat. “Wait!”

  He didn’t. He drove away before she could reach the car. Niall glanced back and gave her an apologetic smile, leaving her fuming on the porch.

  Where are you going?

  To get your sister.

  Without me?

  This is me filtering, sweetheart.

  She burst into angry tears. That’s not entirely what I meant, Niall.

  Trust me, okay? It’s better you’re safe with your family.

  I swear, Niall, this conversation isn’t over.

  I know, baby. I love you.

  She let out a frustrated groan and stomped back into the house.

  Her mother rushed down the hall toward her. “Charlie? What’s wrong?”

  “I have no idea, Mom.”

  “Where’s Niall?”

  Charlotte linked her fingers and settled her hands on her head. “He’s gone to meet the FBI agent.”

  “Where?”

  “I don’t know, Mom,” she snapped. “He wouldn’t tell me.”

  “Well, shit.”

  Charlotte didn’t know why, but her mother’s swearing caught her the wrong way and she got a bad case of the giggles.

  “What’s so funny?” her mother demanded.

  Charlotte couldn’t answer, mostly because she couldn’t breathe. She lowered herself onto the bottom step of the staircase and wrapped her arms around her waist. Before her mom could ask her again, the front door flew open and Grace rushed inside, stalling in the foyer. “Charlie?”

  Charlotte waved a hand in front of her face, her laughter now tears, and shook her head.

  “She’s gone mad,” her mom told Grace.

  “Well, she’s certainly losing it.” Grace knelt in front of Charlotte and squeezed her arms. “Hey. I asked the driver to drop me off here. Max is with Niall.”

  “Well, bully for you,” Charlotte said. “You appear to be on the inside track. I’m apparently only on the need-to-know team.”

  “Charlotte,” Grace admonished, and then glanced up at Charlotte’s mom. “They think they found how and where they’re
transporting Vandi.”

  Charlotte’s mom gasped. “Where?”

  “There’s a private plane flying out of Portland tonight,” Grace explained. “Dalton’s got a team at the airstrip now ready to intercept it. The problem is that no one’s shown up with the girls yet, so the team’s not entirely sure how they plan to ship them.”

  Charlotte forced herself to focus on what Grace was saying. “Where’s Niall?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He’s not at the airstrip.”

  Grace frowned. “How do you know that?”

  Charlotte shrugged and took a deep breath. “I have no idea. I feel it,” she whispered.

  Grace nodded as she closed her eyes briefly and then grimaced. “How about we see if this new driver will drive us to where the guys are.”

  Charlotte nodded and stood.

  “Where are you going?” her mom demanded.

  “I don’t know,” Grace admitted, and hugged Charlotte’s mother. “Hi, by the way. I’m sorry I didn’t do that first.”

  “Thanks, Gracie.” Charlotte’s mom sagged against her and hugged her back. “I don’t think you should go anywhere if it’s dangerous.”

  “We won’t.” Grace smiled. “Max and Niall won’t let anything happen to us, Candi. And I promise, we’ll stay in the car if it looks like it’s getting hairy.”

  “I should go with you.”

  “No,” Charlotte snapped.

  “Charlie,” Grace whispered in warning.

  “Sorry, Mom.” Charlotte sighed. “Look, if you come with us, it’s just one more person we have to worry about. Let us go find out what’s going on, okay?”

  Her mother frowned. “You’ll be safe, right?”

  “Yes. I promise.” Charlotte grabbed her coat and purse and pulled the door open. Grace followed, climbing through the door the driver held open.

  “What do you have in your pockets?” Grace asked as Bruce pulled away.

  “Hmm?”

  “Your pockets. I get a weird feeling something’s in your back pocket…and your front.”

  “Oh,” Charlotte groaned, and pulled out the birth certificate. “Guess who’s not my real dad?”

  “What?”

  Charlotte handed her the document. “My dad isn’t my biological father.”