by Grady, D. R.
“Ha ha.” Helena wiped off the scowl. “I still don’t know anything about him. He’s always been this frustrating.”
“You’re scowling again,” Tia unhelpfully pointed out. “You were so happy a few weeks ago.”
“Yes, I was under the impression that our relationship had changed. Finally.”
“It hasn’t, I take it?”
“No.” Her answer was gruff. “He’s still every bit as frustrating and close-mouthed as he’s always been.”
“It takes an impressive woman to handle a man like that.”
“Who said I’m an impressive woman?”
***
Later that morning, Helena finished up her experiment. The data looked really promising that they might be on the brink of a new antibiotic. Hopefully it worked, since bacteria had evolved to resist their current selection. It would be nice to provide something effective again. She logged the last of the microbiological results, aware that Tia was staring over her shoulder.
“If you start heavy breathing, I’m shoving you in front of a truck,” she informed Tia cheerfully.
“You’re not my type. Although I must admit to being excited about this data.”
“Yes, I agree.” She typed in the last of the data and stared at it with pride. “Okay, you can heavy breathe a little.”
“Oh my.” Tia sounded awestruck. This data wasn’t that exciting. A niggle of awareness lifted the hair on the back of her neck. He was nearby.
Her head swung around until she located the object of Tia’s sudden desire. Yes, there he was, in all his masculine glory. Every perfect centimeter of him.
“Oh my,” Tia repeated.
Lips curving up, she nodded. “Meet Vlad.”
“Wow, he looks like Aleksi and Maks, but not.”
And there it was, that unexplainable factor that made Vlad who he was. “Yes.”
“You never said he was…” Words obviously failed her. She understood. He was tall, broad, with shaggy dark hair and dark brown nearly black eyes like Aleksi and Maks, Vlad’s older brother. His face was chiseled with a masculine appeal that wasn’t beautiful but was powerful nonetheless. He was all hard edges and dangerous seductiveness.
“Gorgeously lethal.”
Tia snapped her fingers. “Yeah, that.”
“Do you want to meet him?” Of course she wanted to meet him. Tia was a healthy female below the age of one hundred.
Turning stunned eyes on her, Tia shook her head. “I don’t think I’m allowed.”
She grinned. “Aleksi isn’t worried about Vlad stealing you.”
Tia waved that off. “No, I don’t think men like him,” she gestured toward Vlad, “are allowed to meet nerds like me.” She frowned. “I think it’s against the rules.”
She turned baleful eyes on her. “He’s dating me.” Then she winced. “I think.”
By that time he stepped fully into the lab. Not that Vlad came to them. Instead, he finished his assessment of the space. His eyes slid possessively over her, before he nodded to Tia and Jorge. Then he made his steady way across the lab to stand behind his mother. She bumped him in the course of her work and shrieked.
Maria dropped the pipette she was using and turned quickly. The moment she caught sight of Vlad, utter joy crossed her face and she leapt into his arms instead.
“Mom,” he protested, but Helena noticed immediately that the rigid line of his shoulders relaxed a fraction as he engulfed her in his arms. His mother’s warm welcome showed he had been missed. Her tears were definitely of the joyful variety as she kept hugging him and exclaiming. The man had been gone thirteen years with only sporadic trips home to see his family.
“When did you get here? It’s been so long since your last visit. We need to call your father. I’m so happy to see you.” Maria rattled on so fast she smiled and turned to Tia.
“Have you blinked since he stepped into the room?” Not that she was judging. Since she had to remind herself to do the same.
“I don’t think so.”
“Blink, girl.”
Tia blinked, but continued to stare at Vlad. “I’m so happy I met Aleksi before I met him.”
“Me, too. I’m rather partial to him.” She wished for things that might never be.
By that time, Maria finished her compulsive squeezing to tow him over to them. Jorge received a genuine smile when Maria introduced them. It appeared Jorge and Vlad already knew each other. A friendly handshake between the two men then Vlad turned to them.
He stood directly in front of Tia. She noticed Tia really was tall. She didn’t have to crane her head too much to look up at Vlad. That must be nice. Of course, Maria was the short one in the lab, but Helena wasn’t much taller than Maria. Maybe two inches. Still, it was better than being petite. Although Maria wore that nomenclature well. But then again, Maria wore everything well.
Better not go there, a wise voice piped up in the back of her mind. Right, she agreed.
“I am Vladimir Wellington.” He obviously appreciated the view as he introduced himself. That should prove to her dummy friend that she was quite attractive. Men liked her. A lot.
But Tia proved without a doubt that she was princess material. Her smile was as genuine and easy as his. “Hello Vladimir. I’m Tia Morrison.”
He nodded. “I have heard much of you.”
Tia’s smile didn’t falter. “I haven’t heard squat about you.”
Vlad appeared to be up on American slang because he laughed. “That is because I’m the black sheep of the family. It was better to not mention me.”
“I don’t believe that for a moment. But I am looking forward to getting to know you.”
“I agree.” His smile nearly melted her safety glasses.
Oh no, she wasn’t still wearing them? A quick check proved she was. Ugh, not here, not in front of this man. She snatched them off and dropped them on the benchtop like they were on fire. He knew she worked in a lab. Vlad had to know that she was a major geek. She had thrown her physics book at him. That should tell him everything he needed to know about her interest in science.
He turned to her and his eyes crinkled in that way she especially liked. His dark brown eyes warmed another notch and it was suddenly a little too hot in here. Uh oh.
“Helena.” His voice was too delicious saying her name like that.
“Vlad.” She managed not to squeak, mostly.
“It is good to see you again.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips to kiss the back of it. It was quick, because a man should not linger over any hand that worked in a microbiology lab while said hand was still in said lab.
“That’s dangerous.”
His teeth slashed white against his lips as his grin turned a bit wolfish. “I am not unaccustomed to danger.”
She rolled her eyes and delighted in his chuckle. He still hadn’t returned her hand. Not that she intended to protest. What did that say about her?
Obviously this man was far too gorgeous for any mere mortal woman, especially a nerd like her. Really, he should be illegal.
“So this is where you all work. I have wondered.” He glanced around the room where she and his mother spent so much time.
“This is it.” It wasn’t only her glancing around with pride. All of her lab mates joined her.
“We enjoy working here.” Jorge grinned. “I especially enjoy working in the Beauty Pageant lab.”
Another delighted chuckle from Vlad. “You do have excellent working conditions.”
“We are not the Beaut—” Tia protested.
Jorge sent her a knowing look as he cut her off. “Tia’s first day here, she caught sight of Helena and your mother and blurted about the Beauty Pageant lab.”
“She’s right, and she only adds to it.” Vlad’s eyes appreciative as he stared between her and Tia.
Maria wrapped her arm around Vlad’s waist. She couldn’t seem to stop touching him. “We need to call your father. He’ll want to see you…”
She tr
ailed off when he shook his head. “I must see Aleksi.”
“But honey, your father will want to see you…”
“I understand and I want to see him. But I’m here on business. So Prince Aleksi first.”
Something in his voice penetrated the urgency in Maria.
“When do you believe you’ll be finished?”
Vlad’s lips firmed. “I don’t know.” Maria deflated a bit as he wrapped his arm around her.
“I just wanted your father to know you’re home.”
“I know Mom, and I will see him. I only stopped in here first because I wanted to see all of you.” His eyes lingered on Helena, and warmth burst through her. He came to see her as well. His family and her.
His extensive military training had kept him from Rurikstan, and his family, all these years. While serving in the armed forces, he hadn’t been able to choose leave. His visits had always been only a day or two and often she only learned of them after he left.
Vlad broke into her thoughts as he bent down to kiss his mother goodbye. He nodded to both Jorge and Tia then made for the door. Since he retained hold of her hand he hauled her with him. “Vlad.” Her protest bordered on weak.
Once they were in the hallway, he tugged her close and laid an amazing, spine melting kiss on her. Their first. “Oh.” Spectacular lips of a spectacular man, on her lips. Oh yes.
“Thanks, I needed that.” He trailed a possessive hand down her face.
“Yes.” She craved another kiss.
Except Emerson chose that moment to pass. “Vlad.” He sounded surprised.
Vlad’s face closed off as he straightened and carefully shoveled her back into the lab. “Emerson.” Vlad’s greeting was stiff, formal. Curious, since she was a scientist, she leaned out to watch the two men walk away.
“What brings you here?” He made it sound like Vlad brought the plague along to share.
“I must speak with Aleksi.”
“The prince is in…” By that time they had moved out of her range, so she couldn’t eavesdrop.
When she turned her attention back to the lab, Maria was standing right in front of her, hands on hips, wearing a militant expression.
“Why didn’t you mention you had seen Vlad?”
Her brain was still on that wonderful kiss. “What?”
“You’ve seen him before today,” Maria accused.
She took a deep breath before nodding. Maria gasped. She glared at her. “Do you want to hear this or not?” It wasn’t like the woman hadn’t seen him. She knew he made an effort to see his family.
“Yes.” Maria at least had the grace to look a little chagrined.
It was then she noticed both Tia and Jorge were unabashedly listening. She turned her glare on them. “Do you two mind?”
They looked at each other and shook their heads. “No.” Their answers were simultaneous. Both of the miscreants settled in for the discussion.
“Speak, Helena.” When Maria demanded, you obeyed.
“Remember when I went on that trip about five months ago?”
“Yes,” Maria and Jorge answered.
“You know I went to Italy?”
“Of course.”
“While I was there I bumped into Vlad.” Literally. She didn’t go into the embarrassing details of trying to escape a lecherous mugger who seemed to want more than her wallet. She successfully fought him off for a while, but as she grew tired and he grew some friends, her wallet and her virtue had both been in question.
At about that time her hero, Vlad, showed up. He wasn’t there one moment but suddenly was the next. It was amazing how him stepping into the fracas scattered her attackers. He hadn’t even said anything, although she was certain she heard him growl.
Then he took her to task for being on a street in the middle of Italy and she had quite embarrassingly burst into tears. The entire situation sounded much nicer with the cleaned up version she offered everyone at home. How two old acquaintances from Rurikstan bumped into each other and spent some time together.
She honestly hadn’t even known he was in Europe, much less Italy at the time. Although she was still grateful he showed up when he did. During her embarrassing bout of tears, he did draw her into his arms and held her tight until the weeping passed. It wasn’t in the least bit romantic. The holiday turned sour the first day since she started a cold, endured a nasty bout of food poisoning the third and fourth days, and then got mugged/almost raped the sixth.
It had been a trying time to say the least. This was to be her last excursion into the quaint Italian streets before she scurried home.
After meeting up with Vlad, she canceled her plans to return home a week early and stayed in the magical city with him. He took a room next to hers and they spent the next week together.
“You’ve been seeing him ever since then?” Maria displayed aghast well. “Five months you’ve known he was home?”
“I’m not certain if he is home.” That was all too true.
“Why didn’t you at least tell me he was back in contact with someone from Rurikstan? Why didn’t you tell me you were dating Vlad?”
“Because that news had to come from him. When he was ready.” She exhaled a huge gust. “Besides, I’m not certain we are dating.”
Chapter 4
He took a deep breath as he left the lab with Emerson. It was obvious by the way Emerson carried himself he was confident. And well he should be. The man enjoyed a long-standing friendship with the prince. It was a well known fact that Emerson ran Aleksi’s life; and got away with it.
“Hello, Vlad. Come to see your mother and Helena?” Emerson’s voice was as friendly as ever and he didn’t pick up from his tone that Emerson didn’t trust him. It seemed he had taken a let’s-wait-and-see attitude. It wasn’t that Emerson didn’t trust him, but he also didn’t seem to be of the mind to give Vlad free run of the palace.
Too bad Emerson had no idea of his skills.
“I did. Now I’m off to see the prince.”
Emerson’s brows bounced. “I’m certain Prince Aleksi will be delighted to see you.”
That earned him a droll look. “Delighted?”
Emerson winced. “I didn’t just use the word delighted.”
“I’m sure that’s what I heard.”
“I’m turning into a…”
“Nineteenth century English butler.”
“Thank you. You’ve cheered me up, as usual.”
“I try.” As they sparred, he strode down the palace hallway to Aleksi’s office. He had finished his pre-mission tasks and knew where the prince ate, slept, worked, played, and even where all the toilets were. There wasn’t much he didn’t know about their prince these days. He had also run extensive checks on every bodyguard and security officer with direct and indirect access to Aleksi.
The problem was that the prince didn’t know this, much less anything about Vlad, and that all needed to change.
Lethal was the first word that popped into Aleksi’s mind while watching Vlad cross the expanse of his office. That wasn’t unusual. Vlad had always been dangerous, even as a child. He could sneak up on anyone, could handle his toy sword, guns, bow and arrow, any play weapon better than him, Maks, and Emerson—combined. It was like Vlad had been born to be an assassin.
All in all, a little scary.
Now he stared at this man who hadn’t been a friend, just someone whose name and parents he knew. But Emerson was right. There was something different about Vlad. It took him a little while to figure out what.
The resentment and anger that smoldered beneath the surface all those years ago weren’t present now. Vlad’s animosity had seemingly vanished. It was nice to see there was a person underneath all that antagonism.
He still didn’t want this man within a restraining order distance of Helena.
Not that he had the power to decree that. Not without losing his head. Because he was certain Vlad would sic Helena on him and… he decided not to go there. Although he didn’
t have an actual sibling, Helena was one he thought of as a little sister.
Still, it was refreshing to see Vlad looking so comfortable in his own skin. That worked because it did appear that Maks’ younger brother, they couldn’t use the word little, because Vlad had never been small, made peace with himself through the years. Even looking for it, he almost missed the amiable side of Vlad. That lethal edge was still there, only it appeared to have been honed to precision sharpness. And it outshone the friendlier facet to the extent one could quite easily miss the more sociable part.
He was happy Emerson got stuck vetting Vlad before him and Maks. Emerson was the nicest of the three of them. He tended to take people at face value before he dug deeper. One trait Emerson had in abundance was the ability to read people. He was also a great judge of character.
He sincerely hoped that Vlad was on their side.
And why did Helena like scary, dangerous men?
Vlad stopped in front of his desk. He didn’t look sheepish or uncomfortable. Instead he looked like a man on a mission.
“What can I do for you?” Aleksi wished Emerson had stayed.
Vlad reached into his pocket. “Your father wanted me to give you this.” He appreciated when Vlad stopped, his hand curling for a moment, and then swallowed hard before handing over a small, rectangular item. “In the event he wasn’t here.” His voice sounded thick.
“Thank you.” He accepted the object. “It’s a USB drive.”
“Yes.”
“What’s on it?”
“I don’t know. He just asked me to give you this if he wasn’t here.”
“No instructions?”
Vlad shook his head. “He must have assumed you would know what to do with it.”
“Do you have any ideas?” He raised the drive to peer at it.
“I imagine it’ll tell you what to expect in the event of a terrorist attack.”
Certain he wasn’t going to get more info out of Vlad, he nodded. “Fair enough. Admiral O’Riley warned me to not assume terrorists weren’t interested in us.”
“Don’t assume that,” Vlad agreed. “O’Riley knows what he’s talking about.”
“You know Admiral O’Riley?”
