Chapter Fourteen
Time was running out. Vasili knew he was going to crash soon and hard. But not until he knew Abigail would be safe. The drug was coursing through his veins, affecting him in spite of all the precautions he’d taken over the years. Not to mention the aftermath of the magic.
He shook his head and stared up at the log ceiling of the cabin. Wind swept into the room from the outside. Abigail groaned and managed to kick her foot out and connect with the door. It swung closed with a bang.
Silence, blessed silence reigned.
Then she moaned and struggled to her knees. “Come on, big guy. We’ve got to get you to bed.” When she tugged on his arm, he managed to open his eyes. Disheveled, with dirt smudging her face and clothes, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. After all she’d been through, after all she’d suffered, she was still trying to help him.
She truly was one in a billion.
He noted the long cylinder sticking out of her bag and frowned. There was something about that, something he should be concerned about.
Then she touched her hand to his forehead, and he forgot about everything but Abigail.
“Come on.” She put her arm around his shoulders and tried to push him upright. It was beyond her strength. He was too big, too heavy for her to move on her own. Not that she wouldn’t try.
He dug deep and heaved himself up into a seated position.
“Let’s get you to bed.” Her voice was husky with exhaustion and fear. He’d longed to hear those words, but this wasn’t exactly what he’d planned. No, he’d imagined sweeping her off her feet and carrying her off to bed for a marathon of loving, not having her drag his weak ass there so he could rest.
With a yell, he lurched upward. Abigail was right there to support him. He stumbled toward the kitchen. “Not that way,” she said. “This way.” She tried to pull him toward the short hallway where the single bedroom lay, but he knew where he was going.
He stopped in front of the old wood stove, leaned down, and pulled a hidden lever. The entire side of the wall moved to one side, revealing the mouth of a cave.
“What the heck?” She came to a complete stop and stared.
“Hurry.” He was running out of time and needed to get her to safety before he crashed. He had no idea if the Knights had been able to track them or not. He hoped he’d managed to evade them, but it had taken every ounce of his concentration just to stay in the air. He’d flown the route thousands of time and could do it in his sleep. Otherwise, he might never have made it.
He took a step forward, making sure she was right with him. As soon as they were both inside the cave, the wall slid back into place, hiding the secret entrance. It was pitch black. Not that it hindered him. He could still see perfectly, or at least he normally could. His vision was closing in, making everything dark and gray.
Her breathing increased, but she didn’t protest. He knew she had to be afraid, unable to see anything, but she didn’t once falter.
The ten-foot corridor seemed to go on forever. He was panting hard by the time they reached the second entrance. He shoved the large iron door open. A light came on. Abigail blinked and brought up her free hand to shade her eyes. He was forced to close his completely. That little bit of light practically blinded him.
He took a step forward, keeping Abigail alongside him. It took supreme effort to yank the gate closed. He reached overhead and shoved a lever up, and the old mining elevator began to descend. It went down about fifty feet before it came to a grinding halt. He pushed the gate aside and stepped out. For the first time in days, he heaved a sigh of relief. He was home.
His bedroom was only steps away, but he knew he wouldn’t make it. He lunged toward the large sectional sofa, fell onto the leather, and groaned. He could hear her calling his name when his consciousness dimmed.
…
Abigail knew she was in trouble. Vasili was passed out on a sofa. He was still breathing, which was the only reason she wasn’t totally freaked out. He always seemed so powerful, so larger than life. To see him vulnerable like this made her heart ache.
She shrugged off his knapsack and set it aside and then placed her bag down beside it. After the bone-chilling cold of the outside, it was nice to be warm. At least there were lights. They seemed to be automatic. She only hoped they didn’t turn themselves off at some point.
She had no idea how to turn them back on.
“Okay.” She looked around the large room, trying to get her bearings. She’d thought they’d have to make do with the cabin and had been okay with that. This was so much better. She’d never expected to find a hidden home built right into the mountain. Maybe she should have, considering she was dealing with a drakon.
She had no idea how far underground they were and tried not to think about it. The room was huge, easily accommodating a man of his size. At least she didn’t have to worry about getting claustrophobic. Even though they were underground, there was a sense of spaciousness about the place.
It contained the huge leather sofa as well as several large chairs. There was no television. Instead, the walls were filled with bookshelves, each one crammed with books and trinkets. Off to the right was a kitchen area.
Before she set off to explore, she went back to the elevator and closed the gate. She had no idea how to get it to go up. There wasn’t any lever that she could see, but Vasili had done something to make it move. She’d figure it out if she had to. Right now, she needed to find a flashlight or candle or something to have just in case the lights went out.
She took a step toward the kitchen and then went back to Vasili. A lock of his hair spilled across his forehead, and she gently pushed it aside. He was so still. Was he cold? She wasn’t sure he could get cold. There was no throw or blanket here. She’d have to check the bedroom, assuming there was one.
“You can’t spend all night just looking at him.” Although that certainly wouldn’t be a hardship.
She found the bedroom easily, since there was only one room with a bed. She grabbed the comforter and dragged it back into the living area. Vasili hadn’t moved. The covering was a deep blue and massive in size. She pulled it over him and resisted the urge to tuck the ends in around him.
“Bathroom next.” She found one off his bedroom and made use of it. Then she splashed some water on her face and scrubbed the dirt from it.
Exhaustion made her stumble as she made her way back to the kitchen. After digging around, she found plenty of canned and boxed food, but no flashlight and no candles. Made sense since he wouldn’t need them.
Since her stomach was still queasy, she skipped the food for now. She grabbed a bottle of water and headed back to the sofa, gravitating back to Vasili. She knew she wouldn’t rest easily until he was back on his feet. Reaching out, she took one of his hands in hers and held it, staring at him for the longest time.
They hadn’t known one another long in the scheme of things, but it didn’t seem to matter. They’d been through so much in that short amount of time. Her gaze fell on his knapsack. She hated to dig through his things. It felt like an invasion of privacy, even though she knew there was no choice.
She took a swallow of the water and placed the bottle on the heavy wooden coffee table. It only took her a second to retrieve the knapsack. As expected, there was a stash of money. She also discovered a gold nugget and the sapphire that had been in the bracelet. But there was a second gemstone as well. This one was a slightly paler blue. It was also huge and flawless in its beauty. She held it up, admiring the way the light caught it. It was a diamond, even though it was blue. It was truly incredible and very rare and valuable. She might have no idea where it had come from, but she knew that much about it, thanks to her gift.
It felt like a drakon tear to her. It had similar energy but was slightly different. It was much larger than any other drakon tear she’d seen. It also wasn’t the normal diamond, emerald, ruby, or sapphire that she knew drakon tears came in. This stone was much rarer. She stared at it for a long moment before setting it aside.
She kept digging and finally found his phone. She turned it on and held it up, not surprised to discover there was no reception. They were buried deep in a mountain in an isolated area of Russia, not exactly a prime area for reception.
She carefully put everything back into his bag, although it was difficult to make herself release the beautiful gemstone, and set it aside once again.
He looked so peaceful lying there. So alone, too.
Giving up the fight, she yanked off her boots and stretched out next to him. There wasn’t much space since he took up most of it, and she was forced to rest her head on his shoulder. With one of her legs curled around his and the heavy comforter over them both, she closed her eyes.
His heart beat was slow but strong and steady, assuring her that he was alive. The sound lulled her all the way into sleep.
…
Vasili slowly became aware of his surroundings. He usually awakened quickly, his senses alert. For some reason, he didn’t want to open his eyes. He eventually pried them open, but it took some doing on his part. Why were his responses so sluggish?
The Knights.
He would have bolted upright if he hadn’t sensed the warm weight pressed against him and scented Abigail beside him at the last second. He blinked and lowered his head so he could see her. She was practically lying on top of him, and from the cadence of her breathing, she was fast asleep.
They were also covered with the comforter from his bed. He scanned the room. They weren’t in his bed, but lying on the sofa.
His brain began to fire on all cylinders, and he remembered everything—the magic, the fight with the Knights, the harrowing flight here where he thought he might crash any second. He’d relive that flight for the rest of his life.
The only thing that had kept him in the air was his determination to protect the woman in his arms. That and the fact he’d long ago stolen some of the Knight’s drakon sedative and fed himself small doses to build up a slight immunity. It still worked but took a larger amount and more time to incapacitate him.
He had no idea how long he’d been out. His sense of time was off. Messed up, no doubt by whatever drug the Knights had gotten into him. If it weren’t for Abigail, he might have indeed been captured. Only his deep-seated need to protect her had kept him going long enough to get them to safety.
He shifted position slightly, and she jerked upright, her gaze flying to his face. “You’re awake.” She seemed startled.
Then she smiled. It hit him with the force of a thousand suns. He ran his fingers down the side of her face. She shivered and leaned into his touch.
“So it seems.” As much as he wanted to stay right where they were, he needed to find out what the Knights were up to. And they both needed to eat. A shower and a change of clothing wouldn’t hurt, either.
She seemed to recall where she was and scrambled off him. He missed the closeness immediately.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He sat up and flexed his arms. “I seem fine.” He rolled his shoulders. They were a little stiff, but nothing a hot shower and some food wouldn’t fix.
“How did you do that?”
“Do what?” he countered.
She scrubbed one hand over her face before shoving her hair out of her eyes. “How did you manage to stay upright once you were hit with that gigantic tranquilizer?”
His gaze narrowed, and suspicion began to stir once again. He didn’t like the sensation, not one bit. “What did you expect would happen?”
She yawned and reached out to snag a water bottle off the table. She twisted off the lid and took a swallow. “When I was kidnapped, the men holding me talked. From what I overheard, I expected you to drop almost immediately. Especially because that was no small dose.”
Of course, she’d been around the Knights before, had overheard things. It had to be the remnants of the drug and the magic making him suspicious. He shook his head to help clear the remaining fog. Either he trusted her or he didn’t. And if he didn’t, she had to go.
His dragon roared inside him. He managed not to clutch his head, which was still aching. He assured his other half he was going to keep Abigail, and his dragon settled back down.
“You’re not okay?” She sat beside him and pressed her hand against his cheek. “What can I do?”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her she could get naked. Since he already was, they were already halfway there. He desperately wanted to make love to her again. But neither of them was ready for that. Not yet.
He studied her more closely and noted the dark circles under her eyes, the worry for him staring back from their blue depths. She looked thinner than she’d been only a couple of days before. She’d died. It was easy to forget that watching her sit here beside him vibrant and alive. But the Knights had almost succeeded in killing her.
He needed to take care of her.
“We need to eat.” If he said that she needed to eat, he had a feeling she’d protest. Saying they needed to made it seem like it would be taking care of him, too. And honestly, he did need food. The shifting, the flying, fighting off the magic and the drug, it had all taken a toll on him.
He might be a drakon, but even he needed to rest and refuel after all he’d been through if he wanted to get back to full strength.
“What can I make for you?” She surged off the sofa and then wavered slightly.
“What’s wrong?” He caught her and stood. The comforter slipped to the floor beside them.
“Just a little lightheaded is all.”
She was trying to reassure him, but he didn’t believe her. She was weak from lack of food. “How long was I out?” he asked her.
She shrugged. “I have no idea.”
He carried her to the kitchen area and deposited her onto one of the stools. He had two only because they’d come as a set. He’d only ever used one. It felt odd, but somehow right, to have her in his space.
Vasili went around the counter and opened the refrigerator. He used a combination of geothermal and solar power to heat his water and power his home. And for times when that didn’t serve, he had a generator as backup.
He wanted something fast and filling. He pulled out steaks from the freezer, along with eggs and bread. Luckily, he’d stocked up before he’d headed to Moscow. He hadn’t planned on being gone as long as he had been, but everything was all still fresh enough.
“Umm, you might want to put on a pair of pants before you start cooking.” Her cheeks were flushed a charming pink, and she kept her eyes on his face.
He’d forgotten he was naked. It was natural for him, and at home he rarely dressed. She’d get used to it eventually, but obviously she needed some time to become accustomed. If he had his way, he’d get her used to walking around naked, too. His cock jerked to life, proving he was once again back to normal. The tranquilizer had temporarily killed his sexual desires. Another reason to hate the Knights.
“Be right back.” He sauntered toward his room, feeling her gaze on him the entire way. He grabbed a pair of loose sweatpants, hauled them on, and quickly rejoined her.
In no time, they were enjoying steak and eggs and toast. With each mouthful he took, his strength poured back into him. The tranquilizer and flight had really drained him more than he’d thought.
She finished eating long before he did, but she’d eaten enough to satisfy him. She drank more of the water he’d pushed on her. They both needed to hydrate. “So what happens now?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” He finished the last of the steak and pushed the large platter away. He was still hungry, but sating that could wait a while.
She wrapped her hands around the water bottle and spun it on the counter. “Will they still be looking for us?” There were shadows in her eyes. The Knights had used her as a pawn in their dangerous games. Not once, but twice now. She might not have been kidnapped this time, but they had killed her until his blood had brought her back to life.
He wanted to reassure her but wouldn’t lie. “Yes.”
She nodded, as though she’d expected nothing less. “So what do we do?”
He reached out and caught her hand in his. There was such a disparity in size and strength, but she was so strong in her own way.
“We fight back. We study our enemy, find their weakness, and destroy them.” His blunt assessment would have sent most women running screaming.
Abigail narrowed her gaze and nodded. “Where do we start?”
…
Anton sat in his jeep and stared at the clearing. The ground was charred, and there was no sign of any of his men or equipment. Worst of all, Evgeny was gone. The dragon had killed him.
Gone was all the knowledge he might have gotten from the mage.
Even worse, the dragon was gone. He wasn’t sure what had happened to the woman. He suspected the dragon had killed her too and flown off to save himself. It’s what he would have done.
Why hadn’t the spell worked? It was supposed to have trapped the dragon. And then there was the tranquilizer. He’d used it before with excellent results. The dragon should have dropped as soon as he’d been hit. No matter. He’d get his chemists back to work on the problem. And he’d find that dragon. Any creature that could fight off magic and the potent drug was strong, and Anton wanted his blood.
He licked his lips, practically able to taste it.
“Sir.” One of his men approached him.
He stared at him for a long moment. “Yes.”
He held up a laptop. “We had a hit on the tracker on one of the darts.”
“Where?” Adrenaline pumping, he grabbed the computer and stared at the screen.
“We lost the signal, but we have a location for the last hit.”
Maybe all wasn’t lost. “Gather the men. We’re going hunting.” His man left, and Anton pulled out his phone. It was time to bring in more reinforcements. He wouldn’t lose the dragon a second time.