Nicholai took a step toward the vehicle when Alex caught his arm. “Don’t. Let Stephan do his thing. She’s safe.”
Demetri shielded his eyes and observed the healer lay his hands across Juliette’s stomach. They rose and fell with each shallow breath she took, then slowly rose higher as her breaths deepened. Her internal bleeding impeded, her stomach shrank, no longer distended with blood as Stephan encouraged her body to absorb the fluid.
Stephan’s hands moved up her body and rested on each side of her face. The yellow light’s intensity flared once more as he cradled her head between his palms. Stephan closed his eyes and sent his healing energy over her brain to heal the tissue.
Juliette’s heart beats stronger, steadier with each passing moment. Demetri sent the update to Nicholai over their mindlink.
Nicholai’s relief flooded his mind.
Obviously satisfied that the most severe of her injuries were healed, Stephan moved his hands over her arms and sent his healing heat over her bruises, then did the same over the fractures in both legs.
The yellow light faded as Nicholai and Alex approached the SUV. Stephan exited the cabin, and Demetri once again extended his wrist. Stephan waved off the offer, swaying slightly from the exhaustion.
His features softened when he examined Nicholai’s grief-stricken face. Only a short time ago, he had sported a similar look when his heartmate had been gravely injured.
“Nicholai, she will be fine. She’s asking for you. Go to her. Reassure her that all will be well. But she needs rest. Do not speak too long before sending her to sleep. She needs a deep, restful sleep to heal.”
Nicholai nodded and grasped the Alpha leader’s forearms in both his hands. “Thank you for saving my heartmate, Stephan. We are forever in your debt. You have but to ask, and I will do.”
“All I ask is that you find as much happiness with Juliette as I have with Katrina.” Stephan managed a tired grin which did not quite reach his eyes. “Now go to her. See for yourself that she is better. It will ease your worry.”
The trio of males watched Nicholai climb into the car, then Alex broke the silence. “You look drained, Stephan. You should feed. I freely offer my blood to you.” The blond Alpha thrust his arm toward the tired male.
“I thank you for your offer and will gladly accept when we get back to Demetri’s house. For now, we need to leave the couple in peace.”
“Is it wise to leave so soon?” Demetri raised a dark brow.
“Nicholai needs time alone with his mate. He’ll watch over her. She’s in good hands.”
Nicholai, if you have no further need of us we will take our leave.
Go, cousin. We will be fine. I thank you for all you did this night. Safe travels.
“Come, we go back to my home,” instructed Demetri before his form coalesced into a pinpoint.
The large Alpha watched his two friends reform in his kitchen simultaneously. Demetri leaned against the counter, his arms folded over his chest as Stephan and Alex sat down at the kitchen table.
Alexander shrugged out of his coat and hooked it over a dinette chair before turning to Stephan. He cuffed his flannel shirt away from his wrist, then thrust his arm toward his leader. “You said you would feed once we returned.”
“I did. Thank you, Alex.”
As Stephan took from the younger Alpha, a concerned expression crossed Alex’s face. “You know, Demetri, something wasn’t right about that car accident tonight. Did you notice the wheels?”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“There were only three tires still attached to the car.”
Demetri sat at the table. “It was a violent crash. Perhaps the wheel came off during the accident.”
“I considered that, but the tire was not in the forest. I found it when Nicholai and I were walking down the road. And that’s not all. I also found a lug nut.”
Demetri scrubbed a tired hand down his face. “And that’s important because…” he prompted.
“Because when I picked up the lug nut, I noticed something. There were gouges in the metal, like someone used the wrong tool on it.”
“Okay, so Nicholai takes his car to a bad mechanic. What of it?”
“No one would take that car to a bad mechanic. And no mechanic worth his salt would use the wrong tool to either tighten or remove lug nuts from a high-class sports car like that. I don’t believe for one minute that the nut I found was removed by a mechanic.”
Demetri considered the statement. Alex was a car guy guru, a fine connoisseur of all things automotive. If he said no mechanic made those marks, then no mechanic did.
“So who did that to the car?”
“If someone other than a mechanic loosened the lug nuts, that begs the question who and why. What if someone wanted to cause an accident? And what if that someone knew that driving with loose lug nuts would cause the lug nuts to fall off? And what if that someone also knew that with the lug nuts gone, the tire would fall off?”
Stephan licked the tiny wounds on Alex’s arm closed and leaned back in his chair. “Are you suggesting that someone sabotaged Nicholai’s car?”
Alex shrugged. “Seems like a possibility.”
“To what end?”
“To the end that happened. Losing a wheel at high speeds would send the car crashing out of control.”
Demetri pounded his fist on the table. “So someone is out to hurt Nicholai?”
“Or his heartmate,” suggested Stephan.
Alex pursed his lips and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Appears that way to me.”
Chapter 35
Nicholai sat gingerly on the bed and ran his fingers through Juliette’s hair. He remained securely in her mind after he gave the command for her to wake. Awareness slowly crept into Julie’s consciousness. As if swimming through molasses—thick, black, sticky molasses—she struggled her way out of the dark abyss. Her eyes fluttered open. She blinked as if trying to bring the world into focus.
Nicholai lifted her hand to his cheek, and she turned to look up at him. He knew she registered the concern etched deep in his features. The expression in his eyes pained her—his worry and guilt.
“You look worse than I feel.” Julie’s hand cupped his cheek, and the joy of her touch comforted him. “Your face looks sunken and pale. And those dark shadows under your beautiful, amber eyes make my heart hurt.”
Tears fell from her eyes to the pillow that cradled her head. A sob came from her chest; it ripped through her rib cage and lungs. Nicholai’s cool fingers slid over her cheeks, so the pad of his thumbs brushed the tears away.
“Shhh.” His voice sounded soft, filled with emotions. “I wouldn’t advise crying, lastochka. You are still recovering from the accident.”
Juliette brought a hand to her face and rubbed her eyes as if trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind. She worked to stop the tears. An accident? The thought coalesced in her mind.
She dug in the muddy recesses of her memory trying to recall the accident. Nicholai observed as she worked backward through the images. She recalled driving Penny to the airport, moving in with Nicholai, her room at the inn being tossed. Maybe that was the accident he’d referred to.
“Recovering? You mean from someone trashing my room?” Her voice sounded raspy, dry. She swallowed, trying to wet her parched throat.
“Here, drink this.” Nicholai lifted a glass to her lips. Like a rain on a desert oasis, the cool water brought her to life, reviving her. After only a few sips, Nicholai took the cup away. Her mouth instinctively tried to follow.
“A little at a time. I’ll give you more in a minute. How do you feel?”
Julie attempted to sit, but her head screamed in pain at the slight movement. Her lungs burned, her stomach rolled its protest. Nicholai slid his arms around her back and helped her up.
“Easy. Take it slow. Your body needs a little more time to recover. You’re mostly healed, but you’ll be sore for another day or two from the accident.”
“There you go again. What accident?” she asked, her voice a little stronger, giving Nicholai hope for the first time in days.
“You had a car accident.”
Her seated position afforded her a look around the room. It was a large room, the walls of which were covered in a red velvet paisley design. Across from the immense bed, with its golden comforter, stood a large fireplace. Dark wood framed the hearth making an ornately carved mantel. The golden inlay glowed with the last embers of the dying fire. Several pieces of matching furniture embellished the room—romantic but masculine in design. Perfect for Nicholai, Julie decided.
Her thoughts made him smile.
“Where am I?”
“My chamber.” His chest swelled in pride that she approved of the room.
“If there was an accident, why am I not in the hospital?”
“I had my personal doctor come and tend to you.” Nicholai needed to change the subject before she could ask any more questions about her medical care. He didn’t want to lie to his heartmate, but he wasn’t ready to explain all about the breed or Stephan’s ability to heal. Not yet. As Nicholai looked down into her curious eyes, guilt reared its ugly head and snapped at him.
Demetri had informed him about Alex’s supposition regarding the car being sabotaged. He couldn’t imagine how anyone got on his property without him knowing. But obviously someone had. The car had been parked in his garage for days before the accident. Someone must have snuck onto his estate and loosened the lug nuts.
It didn’t take Nicholai long to assume the person who had trashed Juliette’s room must have learned where she now stayed. Though how that person could have known which car she would drive was anyone’s guess. Perhaps the person had loosened the tires on all the cars. Not wanting to leave Julie’s side, Nicholai made a mental note to check them at a later time.
“Here, try another drink.” He brought the glass to her mouth. “Do you remember anything about the accident?”
A pensive look crossed her face as she contemplated his question. “I remember dropping Penny off at the airport.” Her eyes squinted in concern. “I can’t remember anything after that.”
Nicholai gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “That is okay, Juliette. It is not uncommon to forget what has happened a few moments before a head injury occurs. Do not strain too hard. I am sure the memory will come to you, eventually.”
He touched her face, which still appeared paler than usual. She nestled into his touch, reminding him of a lost puppy when she looked up at him with her big brown eyes.
“I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Of course. Here, let me help you.”
Nicholai produced a soft pink robe and helped Julie slip her arms into the silky fabric.
“It’s toasty. Did you heat this?”
Nicholai smiled. “I might have put it in the dryer for a while to warm it up. I thought you would be cold, getting out of bed for the first time in two days.”
Hoping his gesture made her feel loved and cherished, Nicholai pulled back the sheets while simultaneously wrapping the robe around her body. He realized the moment his statement had registered.
She stopped moving, half in and half out of the bed. “Two days!”
****
Stephan padded silently up behind Alexander who sat hunched over Demetri’s computer. “Find anything?”
Alex straightened in his chair, rubbing a hand against his neck in a futile effort to work the tight knot there. “Maybe. I found a hot spot on the thermal. Here.”
The blond Alpha pointed at an infrared image on the computer monitor.
“Where is that?” asked Stephan leaning on the desk, bracing his weight on one hand.
“It’s about ten klicks from here. Inside the mountain.”
“That’s about where Demetri and I found those bizarre animal tracks.”
Alex brought the cup of coffee to his lips for a deep drink. The warm liquid soothed him as it trickled down the back of his throat, warming his chest. “Think there is a connection?”
“Probably not,” said the deep bass voice from across the room.
The two Alphas turned together to see Demetri’s large frame leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed over his broad chest. “Don’t forget Yellowstone is nearby. This whole area has a lot of geothermal activity. What you are seeing there is probably an underground lava aquifer or a hot spring.”
Alex nodded in acquiesce. “I thought as much, but because it was near where you saw the tracks I wanted to mention it.”
“Have there been any more reports of people going missing?” asked Stephan, straightening to his impressive height as he scrubbed his hand down his face. He pulled his dark hair back into a queue, securing it with a leather cord.
“I know of none. It would appear all is quiet.” Demetri shrugged. “We’ve found nothing on our patrols. No mutilated bodies. No reports of anyone, vampire or human going missing.”
“It’s as if whatever had been here has moved on,” offered Alex, shutting down the computer.
“I agree,” concurred Stephan. “I don’t see what more we can do here. Do you have any suggestions, Demetri?”
Demetri straightened, allowing his arms to rest against his sides, his fist balled in frustration. “I can think of nowhere else to look for the pregnant female. If Alex did not find anything of note using his skills on the computer, I have no idea what more we could do.” Demetri’s brows drew together in anger, fire flashed through his gray eyes. “I am sickened by the thought we will give up without finding the female.”
Stephan moved to place a supportive hand on Demetri’s shoulder. “I too wish we could have found her. We must take solace in that we gave the search a valiant effort. What more could we have done?”
The three males ambled in silence into the kitchen. Demetri pulled three bags of blood from the fridge. After pouring the contents into glasses, he handed one to each of his friends.
As the life-sustaining substance slid down his throat to nourish his cells, Demetri’s mind raced through all they had done to try to locate the missing women. “I suppose there is nothing more to do. I will contact the female’s heartmate and inform him we are halting the search.”
“Are you sure? I could do it,” offered Stephan.
Demetri pulled a chair away from the kitchen table and sat heavily. “No, I’ll do it. You go home and spend time with your mate.”
Stephan could not keep the smile that reached his blue eyes from his face. “It will be good to get home to my Katrina.”
Alex wagged his eyebrows up and down several times suggestively. “I bet it will. I’m surprised you were able to go this long without, um…seeing her.”
The males shared a chuckle as they finished their drinks.
“Do you want my plane to take you back to Virginia, Alex?”
“As much as I enjoy your version of the Friendly Skies, I believe I’ll just pop on home. I’ll have my clothes shipped to me.”
“Then, since you won’t be needing it, I’ll have my plane go to Las Vegas to take Marcus and Christina home, since Christina cannot dematerialize yet. And I’m sure Marcus will find a way to keep her entertained on the long flight.”
The warriors shared another round of laughter before Demetri spoke. “I think I will continue to patrol the town and surrounding territory. If I stumble upon anything, I will tell you.”
Demetri removed the empty glasses from the table, taking them to the sink. He could not stop his thoughts from going to the pregnant female. He desperately wanted to find her, to discover she and the baby were safe. His chivalry demanded he maintain his search if only to give the family some closure. Though it may be futile, he could do no less.
Stephan stood. “I doubt you will find anything, my old friend.”
“I realize that, comrade,” the Russian conceded. “But this tragedy has occurred in my territory, and I need to continue to do something about it. I will contact Nicholai and update him.”
“Very well, then it is time for Alex and I to take our leave. Safe travels, my friends.”
“Safe travels,” Demetri and Alex replied in unison as Stephan coalesced into a small cloud of black smoke.
“I could stay, patrol with you,” offered Alex, turning to grasp his fellow Alpha’s forearms.
“Not necessary. We both know I probably won’t find anything. I just cannot sit at home doing nothing, even if the threat has passed. I will not rest until I find out what happened here.”
Alex nodded in understanding. “I would do the same if it had happened in Camdin Falls. Safe travels.”
Demetri Romanoff returned the valediction, then his young friend dematerialized. He paced the room, chastising himself for not discovering the threat in his territory. It was the first time the team had not completed an objective. Failure was not an option for one such as him. His face contorted with self-recrimination, his brows furrowed over his gray eyes, the corners of his lips drew down. He punched his fist hard into the opposite hand, the sting bolstering his resolve.
The Alpha would not fail. He would persist in the search until he found what was responsible for the strange occurrences on his mountain.
Stephan might be right, maybe there was nothing for him to find, but he had to try. At least for a little while longer. He would call Nicholai and inform him of the latest developments. He would also inform his cousin of the plan to continue searching, just in case. Determination quickened his steps to the phone.
****
The sound of mating filtering through the wooden door stopped Jara’s fisted hand midair. She listened to the pounding sound of flesh on flesh combined with the low male growls.
Her hand dropped silently to her side. Now was not the time to disturb her brother. She turned and made her way to the laboratory, deciding to check on the progress Lane was making with his subject.
She pushed into the double door, making a dramatic entrance that caused Lane’s head to snap up.
“Have you made any progress?” Jara crossed the room.
Lane snapped off his latex gloves and threw them into the trash. “Not since it died.”
Alpha Lover Page 23
