“I’m sorry, Dominic,” she whispered through ragged breaths. “I—”
“Don’t talk, Daniella.” He bit back the tears and held her close, but blood poured from her, taking her life force with it. “We’ll get you back to the ranch, and Tatiana will help you.”
“She’s at the ranch,” Daniella wheezed between short sporadic breaths. Her eyes rolled back in her head as her body convulsed.
“Yes,” he murmured. “We’ll take you to the ranch.”
“No.” She choked on the word, and blood ran from her nose. As her body went limp in Dominic’s arms and the life faded from her eyes, one final word escaped her lips. “Savannah.”
Chapter 14
Malcolm swooped over the house, using the binocular vision of his golden eagle to survey the property. He still detected the phantom energy signature but couldn’t pinpoint where it was. Richard and Dominic hadn’t been gone long, but Malcolm couldn’t shake the growing sense of impending doom.
The thick atmosphere of the summer night washed over his bronze- and gold-feathered body as he circled above the stables, but it did little to ease the tension. Whoever was lurking nearby was frighteningly good at disguising his or her presence, and he found it infuriating and unsettling.
Soaring on a thick current of air, he reached out to touch Zachary’s mind, wondering if perhaps he picked up on it as well. However, instead of finding the familiar zap of a mental link, he was met with an unsettling void.
Landing silently on the weather vane at the peak of the stable roof, his yellow talons gripped the metal tightly, and he sharpened his focus. He thought that perhaps the shield Richard placed around the house was somehow impacting his ability to connect with the others. He shook his feathered head and let out a low screech.
If Samantha were here, she would tell him he was being impatient and give him one of those smiles that made his heart melt. Malcolm bobbed his head as movement in the shadows to the left of the house caught his attention. Zachary? Eric?
Malcolm extended his energy signature in search of the source as a muffled, whooshing sound sliced through the air. An instant later, white-hot pain bloomed in his chest as the force of the blow knocked him from his perch. He fought through the searing ache and struggled to fly, but the wound was too severe.
Unable to take flight, Malcolm tumbled over the side of the barn, shifted midair, and landed with an audible grunt on the grass below. He wrestled with consciousness and nausea as he attempted to push himself onto his knees, but the pain was overwhelming. Something warm and wet seeped down his belly, and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt it was blood. As he rolled onto his back and covered the weeping wound with his hand, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.
A split second later something slammed into the side of his head, and as the world went dark, he heard a voice whisper, “Two down, and several more to go.”
***
“How did you get in here?” A crashing sound from the recovery room captured their attention in the hallway as Steven’s angry voice filled the space, along with the sound of the puppy barking frantically. “You stay the hell away.”
“Tatiana and Kerry, stay here with Dante,” William shouted.
“Are you kidding?” Kerry yelled as the four of them ran into the medical suite.
William and Dante, with their guns drawn, pushed open the door and found Steven standing protectively in front of Courtney’s bed in his coyote form. Growling and snarling, hackles raised, he was ready to pounce as he glared at the young woman through bright green eyes.
A young blonde Amoveo girl stood at the far end of the room looking terrified. Her clothes were torn and bloodied, and she looked as though she hadn’t bathed in weeks. Her energy waves rippled with anxiety, her large green eyes were wide with fear, and she twisted her fingers nervously.
Dropping to her knees, she raised her hands in a clear sign of surrender.
“Please don’t hurt me,” she whimpered, as long hair fell over her face.
“Holy shit,” Kerry breathed. “It’s Savannah.”
Dante and William kept their guns trained on her, and tension in the room was so thick, Tatiana thought she might choke on it.
Static flickered, and Steven shifted back to his human form.
“I should rip your fucking throat out,” Steven seethed. “After what you and your father did to her, you have the nerve to show yourself here?”
“You’re all in danger.” Savannah’s voice was small and shook with fear as she cowered on the floor. “You have to believe me.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Kerry pushed past the others before squatting down in front of the girl.
“Be careful, princess,” Dante said evenly. He stayed close with his gun aimed at Savannah’s head.
“I think I’ll be just fine.” Kerry extended her hand and grinned. “Given your pathetic state, I shouldn’t have too much trouble reading you. Should I?”
Savannah shook her head furiously and placed her hand in Kerry’s. Their bodies jolted as the connection was made, and the room filled with a familiar humming as everyone watched in riveting silence. After what felt like forever, Kerry dropped the girl’s hand and rose to her feet.
“You’ve been hanging around here?” Kerry said in disbelief. “In your clan form. You’ve been hiding in the mountains ever since you brought Courtney back here. Haven’t you?”
“Yes.” She nodded and wiped tears away with the back of her hand. “I couldn’t go back. Not after getting Courtney out. My father’s resources were dwindling, and there were so few Purists left, I was worried he wouldn’t be able to care for her or the baby, and her condition was getting worse. I knew she’d be safe here with all of you.” Savannah lifted one shoulder and gave Steven a sidelong look. “And I knew Steven would care for her, but… I—”
“You couldn’t just leave her here, could you?” Tatiana asked quietly. She pushed past the two men and stood next to Kerry. “You stayed close so that you could keep an eye on her and make sure she would be okay.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “And besides, I had nowhere else to go.”
“She didn’t have anything to do with Matt’s disappearance either,” Kerry added. “She’s been skulking in the mountains, but far as I can tell, she hasn’t hurt anyone.”
“If you didn’t take Matt, then who did?” Tatiana asked, almost not wanting to know the answer. “Where is he?”
“I’m sorry.” Savannah’s green eyes filled with tears. “He’s dead—he’s—”
When Tatiana heard the words, it was like getting punched in the gut. Matt was dead. Her friend was dead because of her.
Savannah’s jaw went slack, and a funny, glazed look came over her face as she wavered on her feet. Tatiana and Kerry grabbed her arms to prevent her from falling, and a moment later, she blinked as she gasped for air, holding onto the two women for dear life.
“You get visions too?” Kerry asked with surprise, and she locked eyes with Tatiana. “I’ve never met a pure-blood who can do that.”
“Oh my God. He—he shot Zachary and Malcolm.” Savannah looked from Steven to Courtney and tugged on Tatiana’s arms. “Please, we have to get her out of here now. He’s not stopping until all of you are dead.”
“It’s Eric. Son of a bitch,” Dante seethed as his amber eyes gleamed brighter. “I can’t reach Malcolm or Zachary. Something’s definitely wrong. God damn it. Eric’s a fucking Purist.”
“No.” Savannah shook her head and flicked her frightened gaze toward the door. “He’s not a Purist. At least, he’s not working with my father and the others.”
“Then what the hell is his problem?” Kerry asked in complete exasperation.
“How do we know she didn’t do something to them?” Steven seethed. “I’m not going anywhere with her. She could be working with Eric or the others and this could be a trick.”
“I read her memories, Steven,” Kerry said urgently. “She hasn’t been with Moravian o
r the other Purists in months, not since she brought Courtney here. She’s not lying.”
“Please,” Savannah whimpered and looked around wildly. “There’s no time to argue. We have to get out now. Eric is Guardian of the ranch, and he knows this place better than any of you. There’s nowhere to hide. He waited until Dominic and the prince left. Please.”
“She’s right,” William said. His eyes glowed black in the eyes of his falcon. “We can’t stay here. We should take everyone to the vampire stronghold in New York.”
“No.” Steven shook his head furiously. “Courtney has expressed her dislike of vampires in the past, and I won’t take her anywhere that could impede her healing process.”
“Steven, you’re being unreasonable,” William chided.
“Fuck you, Willie.”
“Oh, that’s quite mature.”
“We can go to my place in Oregon,” Tatiana said quickly. “It can buy us time. Eric isn’t mated with any of us, so he didn’t imprint on us, and he has never been to my home. He can’t just blink himself there. Right? I mean, he might figure out where we went, but he’d have to drive or take a plane. Right?”
Tatiana held her breath as the seconds ticked by, and she glanced at the door, worried that any second Eric would burst through and shoot them. Great, the bad guy was armed to the teeth too.
“Go.” Kerry grabbed Tatiana and Savannah by the arms, pulling them over to William. “William, you keep that big fucking gun on Savannah, and if she looks at anyone funny, you blow her head off.”
“I won’t do anything,” Savannah whimpered. “I swear to God.”
“Ah yes,” William simpered and pointed the gun at Savannah. “The promises of a Purist are so reliable.”
“What about you?” Tatiana looked from Kerry to Dante as Savannah clung to her like a frightened child.
“We’ll stay behind and make sure you get out.” Kerry gave them a nervous smile. “Close your minds. No telepathic communication. We can’t risk it. We’ll get in touch with you once we’re settled.”
“We have to find Malcolm and Zachary.” Dante’s face was a mask of fury. “If they’re not already dead.”
“What about Dominic?” Tatiana asked. Panic gripped her as she realized she might never see him again. For all she knew, he and Richard were dead.
“Dominic’s your mate. Believe me, he’ll find you,” Dante said tightly. “Now go.”
Tatiana nodded her understanding and prayed Dante was right. Dominic was her mate, and after everything they’d been through, all that they’d shared, she had to believe she would know if he was harmed. He was okay—he had to be.
Tatiana picked up Casanova and handed him to Savannah, which instantly calmed the girl. Then she made quick work of removing the heart monitor pads from Courtney’s chest and grabbed two more bags of IV fluid from the cabinet. She placed them on the bed next to Courtney and prayed her friend would survive whatever would come next.
“Okay.” Tatiana shoved her hair off her face, wishing she could wipe away her anxiety as easily. “What do I do?”
“Place one hand on Courtney. Now, picture your house in your mind, Tatiana.” William’s voice, edged with tension, filled the room as he stood next to Tatiana with one hand on her shoulder. “The sounds and smells that distinctly remind you of home.”
Steven clasped Courtney’s hands and the IV pole as he leveled a glare at Savannah, whose shaking hand clung to Tatiana. Tatiana laid one hand on Courtney’s arm and closed her eyes, doing as William instructed.
The thick green line of trees filled her head. The fresh smell of pine mixed with vanilla from scented candles wafted through her head. A smile played at her lips as she remembered the beautiful solitude of her cabin in the woods. Home.
Static flickered in a pulsing blanket of prickling heat, and with a flash of light, they whisked along a surge of psychic energy. Tatiana held the picture of her log cabin–style home at the forefront of her mind, and like water swirling down a drain they swept through time and space. Minutes later, they landed with a dizzying snap in the living room of Tatiana’s home.
As she steadied herself and the fuzziness cleared from her head, the scene around her slowly came into focus. Courtney lay on the gurney with Steven at her side and once again totally tuned into her. The IV drip and the pole it hung on had even come along for the ride. William already stood guard in front of the stone fireplace with his weapon trained on Savannah who stood next to Tatiana. Cass was snuggled to within an inch of his life, and Savannah had her eyes fixed on Steven.
Tatiana sucked in a deep breath and looked around her home. The one place she swore she’d never soil with the Amoveo and their world was now bursting at the seams with them. Yet, instead of feeling intrusion, all she felt was empathy. These people were her friends, her new extended family, and she had no doubt they would shelter her the same way if she needed it.
As Tatiana launched into action and worked with the others to get Courtney settled in the guest room upstairs, there was only one person on her mind.
Dominic.
Tatiana had no idea where he was or if he was alive or dead, and without telepathing to him, she would remain in the dark. She prayed that this whole mate thing worked, and he’d be able to find her. The idea of facing this without him was more terrifying than anything else.
***
When Dominic’s attempt to telepath Malcolm didn’t work, he connected with Dante, who filled them in on the latest shit storm. His only consolation was that Tatiana was safe—for the moment. Dante and Kerry found Malcolm and Zachary—both men were badly wounded. Richard instructed them to take the two men to Pete at the vampire stronghold, and with any luck the vampire’s healing blood would do what they hoped.
Tatiana and the others had fled the ranch, and Dominic knew where she’d taken everyone. However, when he’d heard what had happened, all he could think about was her. He had to see her, hold her in his arms, and breathe her in. As he worked with Richard, searching the property for Eric, he made a promise to himself that whatever happened, he would never leave her side again.
Duty could be damned. If she didn’t want to move to the ranch, then he would resign his post as Guardian and live wherever the hell she wanted.
Dominic cut off communication with her and severed the connection between their energy signatures when he left for the meeting with Moravian, and the emptiness in his chest was nothing short of torment.
Standing alone in the cool, cavernous space of the Council meeting hall, Dominic opened his mind and extended his energy signature in search of Tatiana’s. It took a few minutes, but finding her had been far easier than he thought. His lips curved as the familiar scent of cherries and vanilla filled his head.
Then again, he’d never been mated before.
As Tatiana’s sweet tendril of energy merged with his, Dominic whispered the ancient language and threw his arms wide as the rush of static enveloped him and carried him away.
With an energizing surge of electricity, he materialized in the driveway of Tatiana’s home. The sun was beginning to rise and cast soft golden rays of light over the A-frame log cabin. To the right was the barn, which she used for her veterinary practice.
Dominic raised his gun and surveyed the area, but the only energy patterns he picked up were of his friends inside the house—and Savannah.
As he lowered his gun and holstered it, the front door of the cabin swung open, and Tatiana came bursting through. His heart thundered in his chest at the sight of her. With a wide smile and open arms, she ran down the steps and leapt into his arms, and the force of it almost knocked him over.
Clinging to him, she rained kisses all over his face before nuzzling his neck and breathing him in. Dominic held Tatiana, her feet dangling off the ground as she pressed her warm lips to his throat.
“I thought I’d never see you again,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears.
“It’s okay, baby,” Dominic growled as a tsunami of feel
ings washed over him. Joy. Relief. Home. This woman, wherever she was, that was home. He placed her on her feet, cradled her face in his hands, and brushed his lips over hers. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“You better not.” She sniffled and kissed him again. “Since you scared the shit out of me, you do realize this means lots and lots of make-up sex.”
Dominic grinned and murmured against her lips, “I’m counting on it.”
“Wait a minute.” Tatiana’s smile faded, and she looked around as concern and reality crept in to steal their moment. “Where’s Richard?”
“He’s in New York with the others.”
“Daniella?”
“She’s gone.” Dominic shook his head curtly.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured.
Dominic kissed her forehead and draped his arm over her shoulders as he walked toward the house. “Let’s go inside so I can fill everyone in at once.”
As they climbed the steps, Dominic took one more scan of the property. He knew Eric would eventually find them. He was smart and would figure out where they were holing up, but it was over a twenty-four-hour drive.
Thank God he couldn’t imprint on anyone here. That bought them time to prepare for the battle that would inevitably come. At least Tatiana’s house was hidden in the hills, and there didn’t seem to be neighbors in sight. Let him come, Dominic thought. No more hiding. The man he once thought was his friend, his brother in arms, was now his enemy.
Dominic followed Tatiana into the cabin and was immediately hit with her familiar, comforting fragrance. The space was cozy with an open floor plan and carried her scent throughout, but nothing could mask the tense, fluttering energy waves of Savannah and William.
William stood guard in front of the massive stone fireplace with his gun pointed at a young woman. Dominic knew in an instant this was Savannah. She sat on the couch, with her feet tucked underneath her, and looked as though she didn’t have a friend in the world, except for the dog, which was curled up contentedly in her lap. Based on the way William looked at her, she certainly didn’t have one in him.
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