NIALL HEARD GRACE scream and he let out a litany of curse words when he couldn’t see Charlotte where he’d left her. She wasn’t answering him either, which caused a level of pain and panic he hadn’t felt since his sister’s death.

“Go,” Max ordered. “Dalton and Bruce have got the men. I’ll help with the girls.”

Niall ran to where he’d left the ladies and found a man cradling a bloody Charlotte against his chest. He was tall and looked somewhat familiar. Niall couldn’t be sure, since a beanie covered his hair and he was fully clothed, but he looked like the warrior in Charlotte’s dream.

“Who the hell are you?” Niall rushed toward him. “Get your damn hands off her!”

The man’s eyes flashed red as he glared at Niall. “Ég lækna hana. Þú munt bíða þangað til ég er búin.” (I’m healing her. You’ll wait until I’m done.)

Picking up only one or two words the man said, Niall found himself rooted to the ground. He tried to move, but couldn’t.

“Vaknaðu, litla. Ég hef þig.” (Wake up, little one. I’ve got you.)

Charlotte. Baby, wake up. I don’t know who this man is, but he has powers stronger than mine. I need to know you’re okay.

She didn’t respond.

Charlotte!

“I’m okay,” she mumbled, then opened her eyes and shoved at the man’s chest. “Hey! Let me down!”

The man studied her for a few seconds and then gently lowered her to the ground and released Niall from his hold. Niall rushed to Charlotte, yanking her coat from her wounded arm and finding nothing there except leftover blood.

“I’m okay, Nye,” she insisted, and glanced around. The man who’d healed her was gone.

“Was he the man in your dream?” Niall asked.

She gasped. “You noticed that too?”

“Aye. Is he who you’ve been seeing in person?”

“I’m not sure. Yes, I think so.” She gripped his arm. “When he spoke, I understood everything he said.”

“You did?”

“Yes, and he understood me when I responded in English.” Charlotte frowned. “Do you know what he was speaking? Was it Icelandic?”

“Aye, ’twas.” Niall scowled. “Damn it!”

“If he was the man from my dream, Niall, what is he doing here?”

“I don’t know.” He kissed her forehead. “But we’ll get to the bottom of it, love. How are you feeling?”

“Honestly? Worried sick and mad as hell.” She stepped back, putting distance between them.

“Better, then,” he said, and narrowed his eyes.

“You could have died!” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “If you ever do anything like that to me again, I will kill you.”

“You should have stayed where I put you,” he countered. “You were shot, Charlotte.”

“And I healed!” She jabbed him again. “You lied to me!”

“You asked me to filter what I told you,” he said evenly, as he grasped her hand and kissed her palm. “I never lied to you, Charlotte.”

“Stop being rational,” she snapped, and tried to pull away. “And stop making me feel better. I’m pissed off.”

“As am I, baby,” he countered, and wrapped his arms around her, dragging her hands behind her. “But right now, I want to hold you so I know you’re really okay. We can fight later.”

She relaxed against him, settling her cheek against his hard chest. “I hate you so much right now.”

He nodded. “I know, baby.”

He held her for a few precious moments before she saw a familiar face walking toward her.

“Rose,” Charlotte said, pulling away from Niall. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

“Niall called me...well, Shared Hope. I was on phones today,” Rose said.

Charlotte glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow. “You did?”

He nodded.

Rose handed him a shirt. “I thought you might need this.”

“Perfect timing, thank you.” Niall pulled the shirt over his head.

“You’re welcome,” Rose said. “I brought a couple of my teams to help with clothing, food, and a few other supplies. We’re going to get these girls to the hospital and then we’ll go about reuniting them with their families.”

“I appreciate that,” Niall said. “Be sure to send me any medical or travel costs associated with this.”

“That’s very generous. I will certainly do so.”

“Thanks, Rose,” Charlotte said.

Rose hugged her. “No problem. I’ll see you in a bit, okay? Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will,” Charlotte promised. “Thanks.”

Niall took Charlotte’s hand as Rose went to join her coworkers.

“I don’t get what’s happening,” Charlotte said with a sigh.

“I’m a bit confused as well, lass.”

Niall turned to see girls being led towards three waiting ambulances. The girls were battered and bruised, shivering with either shock or cold. EMS rushed to them with blankets; some of the girls appeared relieved, others petrified by the strangers.

“Where’s Vandi?” Charlotte ground out, pulling away from Niall.

“Give the crew a minute,” Niall said. “There are a lot of girls.”

Niall searched until he spotted Vandi, toward the middle of the group, walking with her eyes on the ground. Her hair was falling out of a loose braid, hanging in disheveled, ratty wisps around her face. She wore sweats and a T-shirt, now ripped in a few places.

“There she is,” Niall said, pointing.

* * *

Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat when Vandi looked at her. She was close enough to see that physically, her sister looked fine, but her eyes told a different story. Vandi stood in the line, looking lost and confused. The girl behind Vandi bumped into her and she started moving again.

“Vandi!” Charlotte screamed. She ran toward the group, but a cop blocked her from her sister.

“Sorry, ma’am, but we need to take the girls to the hospital. Families can meet up with them there.”

“But...” Charlotte turned toward Niall. “She needs me.”

A tall man with dark hair stepped from the group of girls. “It’s okay, Officer. They’re with my team.”

The officer nodded and walked away.

“Thank you, Dalton,” Niall said.

“Vandi!” Charlotte ran after her sister. She caught up to her and tugged her from the group, pulling her into a hug. Vandi stiffened in her arms. Charlotte released her and held her at arm’s length to study her. Vandi’s face was dirty and her hair was matted, but her distant, wounded eyes held secrets about the real damage. “Where do you hurt? Is anything broken?”

Vandi looked away. “I’m okay,” she whispered.

Charlotte frowned. “What did they do to you?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.” Contrary to her declaration, tears began to well in Vandi’s eyes.

A paramedic approached. “Miss Whitmore? Please come with me. We need to check over your injuries.”

Vandi grabbed Charlotte’s hand. “Don’t let them take me.”

“Babe, they have to check you over. I’ll come with you, okay?”

Vandi bit her lip, but gave a reluctant nod. Charlotte followed the paramedic, tugging her sister with her. She glanced back to make sure Niall was close.

Arriving at the ambulance, the paramedic faced Charlotte with a gentle smile. “If you could stay here, ma’am. We’ll look your sister over and then decide the best course of action.”

“No!” Vandi screamed. “Don’t let them take me.”

“Can you look her over here?” Charlotte asked.

“We really need her inside, but she can sit on the edge if that helps.”

Charlotte lifted her sister’s chin. “Is that okay, Van? I’ll keep hold of your hand.”

“I want to go home,” Vandi rasped. “Take me home. Please, Charlie. Don’t make me do this.”

“It won’t take long, sissy. I promise. I’m right here. They have to make sure you’re okay.” Charlotte gave her sister’s hand a quick squeeze and Vandi sat on the edge of the ambulance.

Niall wrapped his arm around Charlotte’s waist.

She leaned against him. Something happened to her.

I know, baby.

She closed her eyes and melted into him, trying to block out the pain in Vandi’s eyes.

Dalton walked up to them again and Niall shook his hand. “Dalton, this is Charlotte.”

“Nice to meet you,” Dalton said. “Do you want to drive Vandi to the hospital? We’re taking the girls to Emanuel.” He slipped a notebook into his jacket pocket. “I’ve already taken her statement, but I thought she might be more comfortable riding with you, instead of in the ambulance.”

“Yes, please,” Charlotte said, and pulled out her phone to call her parents.

“She must go to the hospital, Miss Whitmore.”

“Yes, I heard you,” she snapped. Niall laid his hand on her back, but she shrugged him away and filled her mother in on the situation.

The paramedics released Vandi into Charlotte’s care, and Niall wrapped a jacket around her. She was shaking... from the cold or the shock, Charlotte wasn’t sure.

“Thanks,” Vandi mumbled.

Charlotte slid her arm around her sister’s waist, but Vandi pulled away, raising her hands as if to protect herself.

“It’s okay, Van. I won’t touch you.”

Vandi nodded, pulling Niall’s jacket closer to her body, and Charlotte led her to the car she’d ridden in with Grace. “Do you want to tell me what happened now, or wait and tell everyone?”

“Wait,” she said. “I’m so tired, Charlie.”

“I bet. Come on, we’ll get you to the hospital.”

“I’ll be right there, love,” Niall said.

The driver held the door for them and Charlotte followed Vandi inside. They sat in the car for what seemed like hours before Niall joined them and they were on their way. He sat in the front seat, seeming to know Vandi needed privacy. They arrived at the hospital faster than the ambulances, and it appeared the staff was ready for them.

“I can’t,” Vandi rasped.

“Can’t what, honey?”

Vandi gripped Charlotte’s hands and burst into tears. “I can’t be around all those people.”

“Sweetie, they’re there to help.”

Vandi shook her head. She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, hugging herself.

“I’ll go talk to the nurses, eh? We’ll see if we can take you somewhere more private,” Niall offered, and slid from the car.

When they were alone, Vandi started sobbing.

“Hey,” Charlotte whispered as she held her sister. “What happened?”

She shook her head. “Shouldn’t have opened the door.” Another sob shook her shoulders. “Thought it was Mom. Thought she forgot something.”

“Nikolai? He came to the house?” Charlotte asked.

Vandi nodded and wiped angrily at the tears on her cheeks. “Right after Mom left. Him and another man.” She rubbed the top of her head and winced. “Nikolai hit me. I think I blacked out after that.”

Charlotte gently separated Vandi’s hair and looked at the area she was rubbing. Sure enough, there was a giant goose egg on top of her head. “Did the paramedic see this?”

Vandi shook her head.

“Oh, Vandi, we have to tell them. You have to get this looked at.”

Vandi looked out the window, staring at the hospital.

Sensing that her sister wasn’t done with her story, Charlotte asked, “What happened next?”

Vandi buried her face in her knees. “When I woke up, we were alone,” she said into her knees. “Nikolai and me.” Then she cried again.

Rage welled up in Charlotte. She gave her sister a few moments before leaning closer and patting her on the shoulder.

Vandi tensed at the contact again. “Your hands are freezing!”

“Sorry, babe.”

Vandi took a few labored breaths, and then continued. “My clothes were gone and he... I fought him and I told him no. I swear I did! But, he was stronger and...” Her shoulders shook again.

Charlotte fisted her hands at her side. “What did the paramedics say?”

“I didn’t tell them.”

Your mom’s here. You ready to be interrupted?

No, but I doubt you could stop her.

I don’t even want to try.

“Mom’s here,” Charlotte said, looking out the window as Niall pointed toward the car.

“Promise me you won’t tell her?”

“I can’t promise that. Vandi, none of this is your fault, and we need to catch that little fucker and nail him to the wall! The doctor needs to check you out and gather evidence, and in order for that to happen, Mom is going to have to know.”

“That will mean I’ll have to testify. No, Charlie. I can’t do it. I don’t want to ever see him again.”

“So, you’re going to let him get away with this? Let him do it to other girls? No. That’s not you, Vandi. You’re scared and that’s okay, but I’ll be right here with you.”

The door opened and Charlotte made room for their mother.

“Oh, my baby,” she cried, and climbed over Charlotte so she could pull Vandi into her arms. Vandi whimpered in pain, pushing at her mother, and she loosened her hold. “What happened, honey?”

Niall climbed into the front seat with the driver and raised the security glass.

Thank you. She wouldn’t want anyone else to hear.

I know, baby.

Now that their mother had arrived, Charlotte repeated what Vandi had told her and felt the weight of the situation slide from her shoulders as reality settled in. My baby sister was raped! Raped! She couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face, wishing Niall was sitting next to her.

I’m here, baby. I’ve got you. We checked the auto shop and there was no one there. They cleared out before we could get there.

Charlotte calmed and wiped her cheeks.

“After Nikolai... um... hurt me, the other men came...” Vandi continued.

“Oh, my God,” her mother rasped. “Did they...?”

Vandi shook her head. “No, he wouldn’t let them. They shoved me into a van and we drove for a while. Then they made me go into a big metal box with a bunch of other girls. I don’t know how long we were in there. But some of them had been there for days, maybe weeks. They didn’t know. It smelled so bad in there. I got really sick.”

“I know, sweetie, I know.”

“I tried to fight him, Mama,” Vandi said as she sobbed. “When we were at the auto shop, I yelled ‘no’ over and over again, but he just kept hitting me in my stomach until I threw up. I should have fought harder. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, baby girl, you did so good,” their mother said. “None of this is your fault, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you for not giving up and for staying alert. Niall said it was your yelling that helped him find the container.”

It was?

Aye, love. Vandi screamed her head off.

“I wasn’t sure if I would get hit again, but there was a ten-year-old girl, Mama. They were going to sell her to the highest bidder.” Vandi dissolved into sobs again and their mom gave Charlotte a look of hopelessness.

“Let’s get you inside, baby,” Charlotte crooned.

Charlotte started when the car door opened and Niall leaned inside and held his hand out to Vandi. She hadn’t noticed him climb out of the front seat.

A volunteer in a red shirt assisted Vandi into a wheelchair while their mom followed her inside. Niall helped Charlotte from the car and then wrapped his arms around her. Charlotte let herself break, gripping onto Niall to keep upright.

“It’s all right, baby,” he whispered. “She’ll be okay.”

Charlotte nodded, but couldn’t speak. Niall guided her inside and they stood by the entrance of the emergency room long enough for Max and Grace to arrive. Grace slipped an arm around Charlotte’s waist and pulled her from Niall, hugging her securely.

“What’s going on?” Grace asked. “Is Vandi hurt?”

Charlotte nodded. “They have to do a rape kit.”

“Oh, no.” Grace sighed and handed Charlotte back to Niall. “Okay. Let’s go see what the plan is, huh?”

Charlotte moved through the rest of the day in a haze, barely registering most of the things people told her and having to be asked, more than once, questions she didn’t always have the answers to. With her parents by Vandi’s side, it was left to Charlotte to field phone calls from friends and family, along with more questions from law enforcement. Once Vandi’s examination was completed, she was moved to a private room, but only family was allowed inside, so Charlotte moved between her sister and the waiting area with limited answers and a few requests from her parents for Lila, all of which Grace’s mother took on as a personal mission.

Charlotte didn’t know what she would have done without Niall. He let very few people near her, using Grace and himself as human shields. One of them was with her constantly, and when someone from the media managed to sneak in, Max distracted them with exclusive band information as he walked them down the hall and out of the hospital. The fact he could make anyone do what he told them to do helped to make sure the reporter couldn’t return.

Over the next three hours, Niall forced Charlotte to eat, held her when she melted down, and vanquished the demons that came in the form of probing questions. By the time her mother walked into the waiting room for the final time, Charlotte’s nerves were shot.

“She’s sleeping,” Charlotte’s mom said as the small group gathered around her. “Matt’s with her now. We’ll be staying with her until she’s released, but you should all go home and get some rest.”

“I’m staying,” Lila said.

Charlotte’s mom gave her best friend a relieved smile. “Okay, everyone except Lila should go home and get some rest.”

Charlotte fell into one of the chairs against the wall, relieved her sister was finally resting. Niall knelt in front of her, laying his hands on her thighs. “Let’s get you home, love.”

Charlotte gripped his hands. “I should stay.”

Niall shook his head. “Sweetheart, you’ve been awake for almost three days, with only a few hours’ sleep in between. Let me take you home so you can rest.”

“I’m okay.” Charlotte bit back a yawn, unwilling to admit her exhaustion.

“Charlotte, honey,” her mother said, sitting next to her. “You should go home and sleep. They’ve given Vandi a really powerful sedative and she won’t wake up for several hours. They want her to stay in the hospital for a couple of days for observation, so we won’t be home until then. Lila’s going to swing by later to grab clothes for me, but I’d love it if you wouldn’t mind packing a bag for me so she doesn’t have to.”

“Fine. Will you call me if there’s news?” Charlotte asked.

“Of course, honey. Let Niall take you home, huh? Sleep, take a bath, sleep some more. I don’t want you getting sick.” Her mother cupped her cheek. “You saved her, Button. If it hadn’t been for you...”

Charlotte hugged her mother and forced back tears. “It’s okay, Mom.”

Niall rose to his feet and held out a hand. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you home.”

With a reluctant nod, Charlotte stood and let him lead her out of the hospital and into the awaiting car. He secured her seatbelt for her, which she was grateful for, considering she couldn’t seem to function any longer.

When the car pulled up to the house, Charlotte grabbed Niall’s hand when he moved to release her seatbelt. “I can’t.”

“Can’t what?” he asked, gently.

“I don’t want to be here with all those people.”

“I don’t think anyone is still here, love. Shall I check?”

She nodded, handing him her keys and biting back tears.

“I’ll be right back,” he promised, and exited the car.

Niall returned a few minutes later and opened her door. “No one’s here. The house was locked up nice and tight, and the alarm was set.”

“Okay.”

He held his hand out. “Come on, sweetheart. I’ll draw you a bath.”

“I think I’d rather shower.”

“Whatever you like.” He smiled. “You shower while I make us something to eat.”

She took his hand and let him pull her from the car. “You can cook?”

“I actually love to cook,” he said.

“Thank God! I hate to cook.”

Niall chuckled and led her inside, closing and locking the door behind them. “I’ll get you sorted first.”

“I can handle the shower,” Charlotte said.

He nodded distractedly as he checked his phone and then slid it into his pocket. “Go on upstairs, baby. I’ll find my way around the kitchen.”

“Who was that? Did you just get a text? Is it my mom?” she asked, rummaging in her purse for her phone.

“It was Grace asking if you wanted her to come over. I told her ‘no.’”

Charlotte took his hand. “Text her back.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I could really use some Grace time right now.”

He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Okay. I’ll text her while you go shower.”

“Thank you.” Charlotte climbed the stairs and headed to her room.