The sharp blade pierced his abdomen with a slicing sound and came out the other side, sticking into the tile, pinning him to the floor. Gage looked down. He had only a second to register what had happened before Stephan grabbed him with a hand on either side of his head. Stephan pushed with all his might, crushing Gage’s skull with a slushy pop.
It was done.
Over.
The bastard was dead.
He would never hurt Katrina again, Stephan assured himself looking down at the messy form below.
“Behind you, Stephan,” warned Marcus.
He turned to find Alvero flying through the air in his direction. Thanks to Marcus’ warning, Stephan had just enough time to dodge the fangs aimed for his throat, but Alvero still connected with him and the pair fell to the floor. Alvero straddled his chest, the guard’s hands around his throat. As his airway began to collapse, Stephan wrapped his hands around the guard’s wrists, trying to pry the fingers from around his neck.
His vision started to blur. On silent feet, Marcus stalked up behind Alvero. He plucked the guard off Stephan and threw him against the vanity. Stephan’s hand flew to his throat. He rolled to the side just in time to see Marcus plunge his hand into the guard’s chest cavity and seize his beating heart. Stephan heard the suction as Marcus withdrew his hand, bringing Alvero’s heart with it.
The Alphas watched Alvero’s body slide to the floor. With a sigh, Stephan stood slowly, his tired, overused muscles protesting the movement. Marcus gave him an affectionate slap on the back.
“Come on, let’s get Kat and get out of here,” Marcus said as he and Stephan walked toward the bed where Marcus had deposited Katrina.
Katrina lay very still. Her porcelain skin so pale, Stephan feared she might yet die, but his heart refused to accept the possibility. She could not die when he’d just discovered she was his heartmate. He’d waited centuries for her and he would never find another. He must save her.
He eased on the bed and gathered her into the shelter of his arms. Kat opened her eyes, as much as the swelling would allow. “Who are you?” she asked weakly.
“He is the one who rescued you and saved your life by killing your capturer,” Marcus volunteered.
Stephan rose with Kat in his arms. She moaned, the sound both pitiful and sorrowful.
“I hurt,” she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I know, Kitten,” Stephan said beside her cheek, his breath drying the tears. “I’m going to make you feel better. Sleep now,” he commanded and took control of her mind, sending her into a fretful sleep.
Marcus opened the door to Vlad pacing on the other side. The Siberian’s eyes assessed them as they walked down the hall. No one spoke while they made their way downstairs.
The four of them joined the rest of the Alphas who attended to the humans. Michael joined them in the kitchen just as Demetri and Alex brought up the last of the humans from the basement.
“Nice of you to finally join us, Michael,” said Alexander, disapproval making his voice hard while he carried a man out the door to the kitchen.
Michael looked over Katrina. “She looks awful. Why don’t I drive you to the hospital, Stephan?”
He could tell Michael was using his mate as a distraction, but there were more important things that needed his attention. He decided to examine Alex’s comment later. Stephan looked around at his friends, assessing their injuries. He pinned Michael with an evaluative glare, noting the way he suspiciously shifted his weight and the lack of blood on his person. “Take us to the penthouse. I can heal her there.” He turned to look at Marcus and Vlad over his shoulder. “You two join us as well. I’ll heal your injuries after I see to Katrina.”
“My shoulder is already healing,” said Vlad and moved around the couple. “I would prefer to remain here and help with the humans.”
Demetri lifted an unconscious human male from where he lay on the kitchen floor. “I will gladly offer some of my blood to Vlad to aid his healing if he wishes to stay.”
Vlad gave a slight bow to the warrior in acknowledgement of the gracious offer.
Stephan shrugged his broad shoulders, jostling the woman in his arms. “As you wish. Come Marcus.”
A noise of protest escaped Marcus’ mouth before Stephan stayed his argument with a fierce glare. “Don’t argue with me. I’m hoping that once Kat is healed we will be able to retrieve her memories. Perhaps being with you will help to trigger Kat’s memory.”
“If you think a familiar face would help, maybe I should join you as well,” offered Nicholai, when he strolled into the kitchen.
“It couldn’t hurt.” Marcus’ brow lifted and his lips pulled into a snug line. “Besides you and me, Nicholai is the only other of us that Kat has spent any significant amount of time with.”
“Thank you for your offer, Nicholai.” Appreciation filled Stephan’s heart as they started for the door. “I’d be grateful if you would join us. Michael can drop us off at the penthouse then come back to help the rest of you clean up this mess.” He turned his hard stare on Michael. “If that is okay with you.”
The Alpha mumbled his response, stomping from the home.
Chapter 40
Stephan carried Kat to his room with Marcus and Nicholai trailing behind him on the stairs. After assuring them they could not be of assistance, he ushered them out of the bedroom and pulled the door closed. Stephan returned to the bed and disrobed the sleeping Kat, letting her clothes drop carelessly to the floor in his haste to bare her flesh to his examination. He carefully analyzed every inch of her body, assessed the extent of her injuries. He noted each external bruise and cut. His gaze narrowed as it glossed over her battered body, each contusion raising his ire. Sitting next to her on the bed, he took a deep steadying breath to calm his anger enough that he could concentrate on sending his healing energy out and into her.
He was meticulous in his ministrations, carefully checking every part of her body. He healed her dislocated arm, sealed her torn spleen, and knitted her broken leg. Next he moved to her face, corrected her nose and took the swelling from her eyes. His hands bathed her body in soft light as they hovered over each plain of her anatomy. He left no place untouched by his healing energy.
After scanning her entire body for a fifth time and finding nothing more he could do, he withdrew from her, swaying slightly from exhaustion. He’d expended much energy during the hours he spent healing his heartmate, and it had taken its toll.
Stephan ran a tired hand through his dark hair and decided he needed a shower and some blood. In that order. After rising from the bed, he grabbed his shirt, pulling it over his head, and grimaced when he realized the material was stiff with blood, Kat’s blood. It had soaked into his pants as well, he noticed as he slid out of his pants with an exhausted sigh.
Not wanting to leave his mate alone for one minute longer then was absolutely necessary, Stephan barely allowed his body to get wet from the spray before he soaped himself down and slathered some shampoo on his hair. Next, he ducked under the water to wash the suds from his body then jumped out. With haste, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, before he headed back into the bedroom, water droplets still sluicing over the sharp planes of his body.
After donning a pair of sweatpants, Stephan gathered the blood soaked clothes from the floor, both his and Kat’s, and headed downstairs for some much needed sustenance. He found Marcus and Nicholai sitting at the kitchen table talking in hushed tones. Marcus rose as Stephan entered, offering his seat.
“No, sit.” Stephan opened the refrigerator and withdrew a bag of blood. “How’s your neck?”
Marcus rubbed his bandaged wound. “Itchy. Nikko donated to me, so it’s healing up quick. But never mind me. How’s Kat?” Concern furrowed Marcus’ brow.
“She’ll be fine…” After joining them at the table, Stephan continued. “…physically, she’ll be fine, but mentally…” His voice trailed as his worrisome thoughts consumed him.
“
I must restore Kat’s memory,” Stephan muttered then downed the entire bag in one long draw.
“I’ve never heard of a mindwipe ever being reversed before,” said Nicholai. “Do you even know how to do it?”
“No,” confessed Stephan with a heavy sigh. “But there must be a way. She has to remember me. I will not live without her. We cannot live without each other.”
Marcus took a long drink of his crimson liquid. “It would be much easier if she would remember us, remember how much she loves you.”
“What if her memory cannot be restored?” asked Nicholai sensibly.
“Then I’ll have to win her love all over again. One way or another, she is my heartmate, and we will be together.” Stephan pinned the Russian warrior with a resolute stare, daring his friend to say otherwise.
“I hope you can restore her memory, ‘cause this is deja vu all over again.” Marcus scrubbed a hand down his face before continuing. “Just like seven years ago, she is in the penthouse after being attacked by vampires, only to discover she is surrounded by more vampires. I can tell you that didn’t go over well with her last time. If you can’t restore her memory, I doubt it will go any better this time.”
Stephan nodded in agreement. He made his way to the fridge for another bag of blood, and consumed it quickly. “No time like the present,” he announced, throwing away the now empty bag.
“Now?” asked Marcus. “Right now? But you don’t know what the consequences will be.”
He knew he’d gotten lucky when he did the extensive memory wipe. That kind of wipe could have caused permanent damage, luckily Kat’s mental faculties had remained intact. There was no telling how reversing the process would affect her. It made him nervous as hell, but he had to try.
“There’s no reason to wait. The sooner I try, the sooner we’ll know the consequences.”
“But you are tired. Don’t you think you should wait until—” Stephan’s raised hand halted Marcus’ protest.
“I must at least try, Marcus. Now.” His entire being screamed for its heartmate. “I must have my Katrina. I will not wait any longer.”
Stephan treaded up the stairs and entered his room on silent feet. He sank onto the bed and took a deep steadying breath to calm his nerves, then sent a mental command for Kat to wake. As her eyes fluttered open, he smiled down at her thinking how lucky he was to have her. He pushed into her mind, determined to remain there so he could monitor her thoughts.
“Where am I?”
“You’re safe. You are in my penthouse.”
“How did I get here?” She tried to stretch, stopping short when the movement sent pain racing through her body. He’d do another round of healing energy after the memory retrieval.
“We brought you here in Michael’s car.”
A memory flashed in her mind of her doctor driving her as the handsome man before her held her in the back seat. Stephan smiled, glad she found him handsome.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Stephan.”
“Why am I here, Stephan?”
He noted the way she said his name, cold, detached. The warmth and feeling she used to put behind the two syllables now missing.
“Katrina, I want to help you try to remember your past.”
Her heart sped up, hope blossomed in her mind for a moment before the doubt settled in. “But I’ve been trying, I can’t remember the past seven years.”
“I know. I can help you to remember if you’ll let me,” he offered wiping a blonde curl away from her forehead. He couldn’t keep his fingers out of her silken hair. He had to touch her, needed the physical connection as much as she did.
Kat looked at him with amazement widening her eyes as she tried to prop herself up on one elbow. “I’d like that. When can we start?”
“Right now,” informed Stephan and gently pushed her back down onto the bed. “Lay back and close your eyes.”
Kat peered warily down at where he touched her. Her eyes widened incredulously when she lifted the sheet to discover she lay naked in a stranger’s bed. She clutched the sheet to her chest. Panic took her face. Fear flooded her mind, escape her first thought and her panic flowed into him through their mental connection, making his blood turn to ice as he realized she might try to leave.
“Lay down,” ordered Stephan, much harsher than he had intended. His concern for Kat overrode his calm demeanor.
“No, let me out of here.” Kat sat up stubbornly, wincing.
“I can’t do that.”
“Why can’t you let me leave?” Her eyes rolled back in her head. Katrina closed her eyes and lay back down on the bed. She was going to faint.
“Calm down, Katrina. You’re injuries are still healing. You shouldn’t move.” Stephan raised his hands in surrender and slid off the bed before continuing. “I won’t hurt you, I swear. All I want to do is help you get your memories back.”
With more space between her naked body and him, Kat began to calm. Her breathing steadied, and she relaxed into the pillows as she considered him. Her assessing gaze had him pushing deeper into her mind to glean her inner thoughts.
She wasn’t sure she could trust the man standing before her. Someone had stripped her of her clothes. She felt vulnerable, exposed. However, she also understood someone must have helped her. She was no longer in the hands of her violent captors. And though she still ached, she knew her injuries were better. While meeting his direct gaze, she decided she probably had the man in front of her to thank for that. If he had helped her, perhaps he could also help her retrieve her memories as he’d said.
Stephan allowed her time to process her situation and after several minutes, Kat finally spoke, “Okay, I believe you. Let’s try to get my memories back.”
“I’ll have to touch your head. Is that okay?”
Kat closed her eyes and nodded. The moment his weight depressed the mattress beside her, her eyes snapped open to pin him with her stare. Sensing her trepidation, he sent a feeling of peace to flow through her, calming her, easing her fear. When Stephan placed his hand on each side of her head, her eyes slowly closed.
Taking a deep breath, he sent his mind further into hers finding the mess he’d created days earlier.
****
Nicholai looked up from where he was sitting in the living room as Stephan descended the stairs. The warrior waited until his friend slumped onto the couch across from him before he spoke. “You look exhausted. How did it go?”
“It didn’t go. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get her memories back.” The look of despondency on Stephan’s face pulled at his strong features.
“I am so sorry. I could try if you like,” Nicholai offered and leaned forward resting his thick forearms on his knees.
Stephan considered the offer. When finally he spoke, he sounded reluctant. “Okay, you can try, but be careful.”
As Nicholai strode past him, Stephan’s hand struck like a cobra, grabbed the Alpha’s arm and stilled his feet. “I mean it, Nicholai. Do not hurt her.”
Nicholai’s steely gaze met Stephan’s, his sincerity plainly visible. “Hurting your heartmate is not something I can tolerate. She will not be injured at my efforts, old friend.”
Released from Stephan’s steel-like grasp, Nicholai took the stairs two at a time. He opened the bedroom door and found Kat sleeping in the large bed. Silently he drew a chair over to the side of the bed, sat down, and placed his hand on her forehead. Without waking her, he slipped into her mind and went to work.
Slowly he became aware of Marcus standing behind him and pulled out of her jumbled mind.
“How did it go?” whispered Marcus hopefully.
Nicholai shook his head, pursing his lips into a tight line. “I could not do anything. I was afraid to get too aggressive in there for fear I would do permanent damage.”
Marcus crossed his arms across his wide chest. “Tell me what you tried.”
Marcus listened as Nicholai tried to explain how he had attempted to restore Ka
t’s memory. The sound of Nicholai’s deep voice must have penetrated her sleep for Kat stirred beneath the sheets.
She turned toward the males. Nicholai smiled down at her with kind eyes. He sent reassuring feelings into her mind knowing that being in a room with two males she didn’t know would be upsetting after the trauma she suffered at Gage’s hands.
Marcus crossed the room in three long strides and stood at her bedside. “Hi, Kat. I’m Marcus.” He introduced himself with a broad smile. “We’ve known each other for many years, but I know you don’t remember me.”
Kat gradually nodded her head once in agreement.
“You might not remember me, but I remember you Kitty Kat. Would you like me to tell you about our time together these past years?”
“These past years?” A look of confusion furrowed her golden eyebrows. “I thought I was in a coma for the past seven years. Did I know you before the coma?”
The corners of Marcus’ lips turned down into a frown as he realized his mistake. “We have known each other for years. We were great friends. I’d like to tell you all about it, if that’s okay with you.”
Katrina nodded. “I’d like that, but first do you think I might be able to get dressed? I’m tired of being naked with all of you men in my room.”
“Of course.” Marcus went into the walk-in closet and immerged with a white silk nightgown and matching robe.
“How about this?” He handed her the silk ensemble. “Nicholai and I will leave so you can get dressed. I’ll be right outside just call when you’re ready.”
Katrina affected an inquisitive look, and gestured at the gown. “What, Stephan just happens to keep a silky nightie set in his closet in case a guest stays over?”
Marcus smiled. “Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice?”
Katrina look taken aback. “No jealousy, just a question.”
“You should not tease her, Marcus,” Nicholai chastised, feeling sorry for the woman lying in the bed. She looked so young, so weak. So human.
Alpha Mine (The Alpha Council Chronicles) Page 27
