by Grady, D. R.
That funny picture popped into her head and she laughed. “I can picture Leo doing that.”
“It’s not a stretch is it?”
When the plane landed at Heathrow she was ready to commandeer the next plane back to Rurikstan, despite Mark’s presence.
“We have to get another flight?”
Mark glanced at her. “Yes, Aleksi wanted to send us all the way to America, but this plane was already scheduled to pick up some diplomat or VIP who isn’t going to Hershey.”
“I thought it was odd that he didn’t want us to fly all the way on his plane.”
“He was upset, but I reminded him we have been traveling commercial airlines all our lives.” Mark’s smile was reassuring.
“We have.” She just wanted to be with Aleksi, not here, flying so far away.
Mark didn’t give her much time to agonize. He hustled her off the plane, where they found their upcoming flight and headed toward the gate. It wasn’t difficult but did take time. They had to hurry since she had cut it close with her goodbyes.
Once they were finally settled on the plane, she wondered how Aleksi was. She hated this separation. But then Vlad’s promise to her drifted through her mind.
“We’re here to make certain he and this country remain safe. We will do everything in our power to protect them all.” Vlad had sounded sure, firm, and confident. There was an air of calm assurance about him. Like this was all part of the job.
Breathing deeply she realized she trusted Vlad. Not to mention Ben, who had also offered similar promises. Him she trusted even more, because she knew Ben. He emitted the same air of confidence as Vlad. The fact the two men had worked together before further reassured her.
If there was a terrorist threat, what were they going to do with Helena and Maria? Not to mention Jorge and Emerson and Maks, and their families? While she didn’t know Vlad very well, she suspected he’d die before he allowed anything to happen to them. Ben and his team were also trained for this. She had to keep reminding herself of this.
Of anyone in the entire world, she trusted Aleksi’s life, as well as the other people she loved in Rurikstan, in the capable hands of her cousin. Although Vlad was someone she didn’t know well, if Ben trusted him then she would as well.
At least Mark was keeping her sane. Aleksi had been right in making certain she traveled to Hershey with him.
As though reading her thoughts, Mark said, “You want to rush back to Rurikstan.” It wasn’t a question.
“When you find the right person, they’re home. The actual house you share is wonderful and all that, but I need to be with Aleksi.”
His nod was slow in coming, like he was thinking deeply on that. She wondered if he was thinking about the mysterious Trixi. She didn’t ask because that was blatant prying.
Hopefully she got to meet Trixi, and Katy, while she was in Hershey. It would be fun to watch the de Vosse brothers’ adventures in love.
Chapter 26
When she started walking the nine blocks home that evening, Helena pondered her next day at the hospital. She wasn’t nervous about it, but she wasn’t looking forward to it either.
She was so deep in her contemplations she didn’t notice Vlad immediately. He wasn’t there one minute and then the next it was like he had burst silently through the sidewalk.
Helena stopped abruptly to stare at him. “Where did you come from?”
“I saw you leave the palace and thought I’d walk you home.”
“Thank you. It will be nice to have company.”
His smile was sweet. She stopped again because she couldn’t remember seeing that particular smile before.
“What?” He immediately went on high alert, dark eyes flashing with power as he noticed everything around them.
“Nothing.” She started walking again.
“Something made you stop walking.” His voice and tone were both easy. But it didn’t sound like he planned to drop the subject.
She relented. “I’ve never seen your sweet smile before.”
This time he stopped. “My sweet smile?” From his disbelieving tone, she figured he had no idea what she meant.
She sent him a sweet smile of her own.
Vlad blinked, then his eyes glazed over. “Do that again,” he demanded in a thick voice.
Her burble of laughter surprised them both. She took his hand and kicked a stone out of their path.
They started walking again, and Vlad kept sneaking glances at her. She knew this because she kept sneaking them at him and they caught each other every time.
A wonderful sense of contentment slid through her. Silently, without warning, but she appreciated it nonetheless.
“I like walking home with you.” They stopped at a street corner and waited for the walk signal. When it changed, they started across the deserted street. As they reached the center, a car engine revved, like it was impatient for the light to change.
Hard hands swept around her waist as Vlad scooped her up and sprinted the remainder of the way. At the curb he jumped then rolled with her in his arms. He took the impact but she still landed on him. She wasn’t prepared so all the air whooshed out of her lungs with a loud “oooff.” He rolled again, protecting her with his body.
Wind buffeted them and fluttered their hair as she stared at Vlad with bemused eyes. The screech of tires and then an accelerating engine that faded away added to the confusing mess of her thoughts. Her brain hadn’t caught up with why they were lying on the sidewalk, behind a metal signpost, huge concrete planter, and a park bench.
“Are you okay?” Vlad asked, busy checking her for injury.
As he helped her to her feet, she noticed his eyes were cold and restless.
“What happened?” She couldn’t figure out why they had taken a roll.
“That car tried to run us over,” he said succinctly.
“That car?” Eyes wide, she stared up at him as she struggled to process that. What? Why?
Before he could answer, his SEAL friends surrounded them.
“Smooth, Welly,” the one called Derek Shively stated. Even though he teased, he was busy checking them both for injuries.
“I’ve had some training.” The brackets around Vlad’s jaw lessened and some of the acuity melted from his eyes.
They were still restless though. Still watching everything around them with suspicion, missing nothing.
Ben was busy in the street looking for clues left by the vehicle. At least that’s what she thought he must be looking for. He rattled off the make of the car, model, approximate year and a license plate number.
“How do you know that?” At some point since Vlad helped her up she grabbed his hand and clung.
“We were watching so we noticed that car the minute it barreled toward you,” Derek answered.
Vlad’s thumb kept caressing the patches of her skin he could reach. It sent tremors of warmth through her.
“That car tried to run us over?” A different type of tremor started then. Shivers that Vlad immediately noticed. He drew her close, holding her against his comforting warmth.
“Looks that way.” It was the first time Rex Beaumont spoke. Tension infused his words. She looked up to see his eyes were as cold and active as Vlad’s.
When she glanced at Derek and Ben, it was obvious she was the only one here not fully aware of her surroundings. She forgave herself. As a scientist, she was supposed to be absentminded, and she was probably in shock.
“Are you okay?” she finally thought to ask Vlad. He was the one who took the brunt of their roll on the sidewalk.
“I’m fine.”
Beside him, Ben snickered. “Even if he isn’t, he’ll suffer in silence.”
“It’s one of his very best traits.” Although Derek’s mouth laughed, his eyes remained alert and watchful.
“I won’t even bruise.” Vlad turned to her. “Let’s get you home. Will DuBois be there?”
She blinked at the abrupt question. “Uh, I’m not cert
ain.”
He exchanged speaking glances with the other men. “If he’s not there, stay with her,” Ben directed.
Was it necessary for her to have a babysitter? “I’m perfectly fine. Vlad took the brunt.”
Ben’s smile disarmed her. It was easy, confident, and firm. “Until we discover why you were nearly added to Rurikstan’s fatal hit-and-run statistics it’s better if someone stays with you.”
In light of that smile and the sickening realization that she just had an unwitting brush with death maybe she should allow Vlad or Beau to stay with her. Beau would be looking for supper anyway. Glancing at the man beside her she figured he wasn’t thinking about food at the moment. Of course Beau probably wouldn’t either after he heard about this.
“There is a possibility this was just an accident.” Vlad didn’t sound like he believed that.
Rex shook his head as he watched cars speed by. “It wasn’t an accident.”
His calm statement chilled her. Icy sweat broke out along her lower spine and chill bumps popped on her arms.
“Not an accident?” she echoed.
The SEALs and Vlad all exchanged looks again. She was getting a bit irritated by that. It made her feel like an outsider. But then she was as her training had been utterly different than theirs. Observing the four magnificent men in front of her, she was rather happy to keep it that way. What they saw and considered normal… The chill spread.
“Take her home,” Ben advised, as he continued to observe the scene. “It’s best.”
Vlad nodded and held out his hand. When had she released it? She accepted his offering, guessing this was the end of his sweet smiles today. Maybe permanently. Would this indicate to him that he couldn’t ever let down his guard?
They were on a public street. It shouldn’t make any difference at all, but she suspected in Vlad’s mind, it did. Did he feel like he had failed her?
She scoffed at that even as she slanted a glance at him. There was no question that he was fully on.
They walked the rest of the way to her apartment in silence. It wasn’t an uneasy one. It wasn’t necessarily comfortable either.
He kept a firm grip on her hand, and like before, every once in a while Vlad’s thumb brushed her skin. There was some comfort in that. She might not know him very well but one thing she didn’t question was that he would sacrifice everything in order to keep her safe. Vlad wouldn’t allow anything to hurt her. Not while there was still breath in his body.
This was a definite, she realized. It was so. Nothing would happen to her while he orbited her.
“What happened?” Beau met them at the door of her flat.
Vlad settled her on the sofa then sat beside her before succinctly telling him about their near miss with the car. As he talked, Beau’s lips thinned and his eyes grew colder until he looked remarkably like the four men at the scene. A whispering cold lashed her as goosebumps popped out along her arms again. She shivered a bit in the warmth of her flat and ran her hands up and down her arms.
While she didn’t think he noticed, Vlad must have because he looped an arm around her and tugged her close. She savored his warmth and comforting masculine scent as he continued the conversation with Beau.
Her landlord asked some very pertinent questions she would have never thought of. In fact, she was surprised Beau asked them. Vlad had seen something in him from the very first that she hadn’t. She had always been comfortable with Beau, but she didn’t realize until this minute that was perhaps because he reminded her so much of Vlad and his superhero friends.
Not that she was happy by this revelation. It explained more about those mysterious injuries he didn’t like to talk about. Now she realized it might be because he wasn’t permitted to talk about them. But some things still didn’t connect for her. Which military had he worked for? He hadn’t lived in Rurikstan for years so his training didn’t come from here.
Her eyes focused on him, she asked, “Beau, were you a member of the American military?”
He and Vlad ended their low voiced conversation. They both turned to her. “Yes. I grew up in America. I joined the Army during college.”
“It’s why he doesn’t play well with my Navy friends,” Vlad said with a hint of mischief. She really wanted to explore that particular quality in him much further.
Beau didn’t give her the opportunity. “Everyone knows about the Army-Navy rivalry.”
Since she had no idea what they were talking about, she moved on.
“Are you planning to stay for the evening?”
Beau looked at Vlad. “I’ll stay with her.”
Vlad nodded as though he had taken that for granted. His hand slid up and down her arm.
She bristled. “I’m here you know. I’m not some helpless maiden.”
Both of them paused in their renewed conversation to stare at her. Beau’s lips quirked up. “There’s no way you’re a helpless maiden. No maiden takes on a man like Vlad Wellington.”
Vlad’s own lips kicked up. “She might not have any idea what she’s getting into.”
“I know, trust me.” She eyed him, and even though she really liked what she saw, she kept her expression impassive. “Sometimes you have to take what Fate hands you.”
She popped to her feet to evade his long reach. He followed her, relentless. Really, she should have known that.
Vlad caught her with ease and tugged her close. So close she could see the pulse in his neck beating and feel the utter warmth of his body. It was in complete opposition to his cold, deadly eyes. She supposed even predators were warmblooded, but they seemed so… well, coldblooded.
With one gentle finger he tipped her face up to his. She was aware on a subconscious level of Beau disappearing into the kitchen, but it was only a periphery knowledge.
“You can run, but you won’t escape me.” Vlad’s eyes weren’t cold now but focused and steady.
“Did I try to run?” She snuggled in. She even batted her lashes at him. If there was one aspect of her looks she rather liked it was her eyelashes. They were long, dark, thick and curling. Not even Karis, beautiful as she was, had eyelashes like hers.
His mouth softened as he stared down at her. “Yes, you did. It is silly.” He wrapped her closer still and bent his head to kiss her.
It had been way too long, she decided as their lips connected. Their lips were getting better and better at this kissing business. Her temperature soared, as did her heart rate. All thought processes thereby ground to a halt as sensation took over. The need to feel his skin caused her to raise leaden arms to wrap around his neck. Her hands smoothed over his neck and dug into the dark strands of hair.
He lifted his head for a moment and she protested. His mouth was smiling when he tilted his head and repositioned his lips against hers. It didn’t take her own lips long to curve up to match his.
“What are you smiling about?”
“You melt when I kiss you.” He sounded a little awed by that.
“I like kissing you.” She ran her fingers through his hair, across his nape, to skim over his neck and finally curve around his bristled cheeks. She loved how masculine he felt. There was no doubt this man’s hard planes were in direct contrast to her softer curves.
The differences between man and woman were very obvious between them. Never before had she quite appreciated her own femininity. Even though it seemed like he held all the power at times, she realized she possessed some of her own. Vlad wasn’t immune to her.
That helped to maintain the balance between them.
She would hate if he had all the power and she none in their relationship. It wouldn’t work in this day and age. It hadn’t particularly worked in previous ages.
A loud bang from the kitchen crashed them back to reality.
“What happened?” She asked as she caught Vlad’s hand and tugged him with her to the kitchen.
“I dropped this out of the freezer?” Beau waved a white paper wrapped block.
“That’s
a pot roast.”
“That won’t work for tonight.” He tucked it back into the freezer.
“Check the fridge. There should be some thawed items in there.”
He obediently opened the door and then brandished a package of chicken, some tomato sauce, and cheese. She took them and soon had the chicken cooking. She started on the side dishes, while Beau and Vlad conducted a low voiced discussion at the kitchen bar.
“You are having supper with us, right?”
Vlad nodded. “I think I can eat with you but then I need to return to work.”
She didn’t say anything else, but instead decided to enjoy the time she had with him. Her job was your basic nine-to-five or thereabouts. Sometimes they did work late. Or someone had to go in during the night, but for the most part her hours were steady.
It didn’t seem like anything about Vlad’s work was steady. His hours were chaotic and numerous. He probably never knew where he was going to be. Or who or what he faced next.
She frowned as she turned the browning chicken breasts. The broccoli head was missing. A glance around the room showed Beau expertly chopping it. That meant she could put the water on for pasta.
Fifteen minutes later everything was nearly done. She surveyed it all with satisfaction. She had timed the meal perfectly. It didn’t take long for them to sit down to eat. Their conversation flowed and ebbed and it was a wonderful addition to the tasty meal she and Beau prepared.
She forgot that her time with Vlad was limited.
Chapter 27
When he awoke, Vlad wasn’t surprised at the itchy, restless feeling slithering through him. This meant something bad was about to happen. He figured his SEAL buddies were aware of the same feeling. It was their warrior intuition preparing them for the battle ahead, and they were trained to heed it.
He rolled out of bed and dressed quickly. With minimum fuss and some speed he headed toward the palace. Keeping to the shadows of the pre-dawn morning wasn’t difficult. Not much stirred on the streets at this hour. There were a few people up, but most of the homes remained dark as the occupants slumbered on.
