Chapter Nineteen

Luther was more content than he’d ever been in his life. He still couldn’t believe how fast he’d lost control, but considering how long he’d wanted Victoria, he supposed it wasn’t really all that surprising. The reality of being with her was so much more than he could ever have imagined.

She might not know it yet, but he had no plans to ever let her go.

Victoria didn’t just fill his heart. She was his heart.

He loved the way she was draped over him as she slept. The trust in that simple act almost overwhelmed him. As much as he wanted to stay, he knew he had to get up and go talk with his father and Oscar. It had been a couple of hours, and while Victoria and his mother would probably sleep for quite some time, he knew the men would be up and prowling around, trying to decide their next move.

It was torture to slide her off him and pull himself away from her warmth.

She mumbled against his chest. “Where are you going?”

“Shh.” He kissed her temple and eased her onto the sheets. She shivered and rolled onto her side as he tucked the covers around her. “Sleep. I’ll be close.”

She rooted around a few seconds and then settled. Her hair was like a cloud around her. It would be tangled, but there wasn’t much he could do about that. He longed to feel the silky tresses running over his body. He shuddered and forced himself to get out of bed before he rolled Victoria onto her back and made love to her again.

He didn’t want to risk making noise searching for any clothing in the dresser drawers or closet, so he grabbed the sweatpants he’d worn earlier and pulled them on. He didn’t bother with a shirt.

He took one last look at Victoria curled up in the bed and made himself open the door. He didn’t close it all the way since it was soundproofed. He wanted to be able to hear her if she stirred.

He smelled coffee and heard someone moving around. Sure enough, Oscar was standing by the living room window. The sun was out. Luther figured it was sometime after lunch, but he really had no idea what time it was. Not that it mattered. None of them had anywhere they needed to be.

Oscar turned and nodded. “The coffee is fresh.”

“Thanks.” He grabbed a mug and helped himself. “My father up yet?”

Oscar pointed out the window. Sergei was standing in the yard, his face and arms raised to the winter sun. Luther could only imagine what his father was feeling right now. After years of confinement, he was finally able to feel the warmth of the sun on his face. He was free.

Something warm unfurled inside Luther. His woman was safe and cozy in bed, his mother and father were here. This was everything he’d ever wanted. More. He’d never counted on Victoria, not in any of the plans he’d made. She was an unexpected gift, but one he would cherish.

His father suddenly lowered his arms and stared toward the dirt road, the only access in and out of the property unless you came by foot. Something was wrong.

Luther was heading toward the door when his father slammed it open. “Someone is coming.” Sergei followed his pronouncement by glaring at Oscar. “I thought you said this place was secure.”

“It is.” Oscar went to a cabinet in the living room and pressed a panel in the side. A secret compartment was revealed. In it was a selection of automatic weapons and handguns. “I think I know who it is, but let’s be sure.” He grabbed one of the rifles and went to the window.

Neither Luther nor his father bothered with the weapons. If it came down to a fight, they were more effective in their dragon form.

Tension radiated from all three as they hunkered down to wait. “Should we wake Victoria and Mom?” Luther asked his father.

Sergei shook his head. “Not yet. I only heard one vehicle. I don’t want to wake your mother unless it’s necessary. She’s been through enough.” Luther saw the strain in his father’s face. It must have been pure hell all those years being imprisoned, knowing he couldn’t protect his mate from whatever was being done to her.

Luther hadn’t considered that, hadn’t wanted to. He’d focused all his thoughts and energy on their rescue. What had his mother been through? She was physically fine, but that didn’t mean anything. An infusion of drakon’s blood would have cured whatever harm they’d done to her. But that didn’t mean she hadn’t felt the pain of whatever torture Caine had inflicted.

Pure fury flowed through Luther, feeding the fires deep inside him. He knew he’d want to destroy the world if someone hurt his Victoria.

He placed his hand on his father’s shoulder and squeezed. Sergei looked at him and an unspoken accord was struck. They would allow nothing and no one to threaten the women. No matter what it meant they had to do.

The vehicle rolled into sight. Luther had expected to see a truck or an SUV, but it was a classic American muscle car. Oscar immediately relaxed and lowered his weapon.

“Who is it?” Luther asked.

“Our host.” Oscar went out through the front door. Luther and his father followed. It wasn’t one man in the car, but two.

The driver opened the door of the Dodge Charger and unfolded his large body from the seat. He was a big man with black hair, olive-toned skin, and eyes as black as night. He was also familiar. This was the man from Victoria’s vision. This was Nic.

The man getting out on the passenger side was just as big. He had black hair as well, but his was cropped short. His features were refined, but it was his eyes you noticed first. They were an icy blue and missed nothing.

And they were both drakons.

“Oscar, is everything okay?” the driver asked.

Oscar, the only human of the group, was the most relaxed. “Everything is fine.” He turned back toward them. “Luther and Sergei, this is Nicodemus Wilde, he owns this place.”

Luther stepped forward and offered his hand. “Thank you for all your help.” Nic studied his hand and then shook it.

“My pleasure. But all I did was coordinate. It was my brother Tarrant here who was able to get into Caine’s security and lend a hand.”

Luther studied the other man. That was a name he recognized. While Nic was friendly, Tarrant didn’t look happy to be here.

“We should go inside.” Oscar turned on his heel and led the way into the house.

The room seemed so much smaller with four drakons inside. Luther had never met any drakon other than his father. It was both unsettling and exciting.

He noticed both men were staring at him. “What?” he demanded.

Nic shook his head and smiled. “Sorry about that, but you’re the first son of a drakon we’ve ever met. Or heard about, for that matter.”

Nic glanced at his brother, who nodded. “Information is my lifeblood,” Tarrant began, “and I’ve never heard of a drakon having a child. You’re full drakon?”

Luther nodded. “Yes.” He strode back to the kitchen area and retrieved his coffee. Nic made himself at home in the kitchen, filling a mug for himself and Tarrant.

“Full shifter capabilities?” Luther nodded and Tarrant whistled. “Amazing.”

“There’ll be time to discuss that later,” Nic pointed out. “Are you sure Caine can’t find you?”

Sergei growled and Luther set down his mug and moved closer to his father. “He didn’t follow us.”

Tarrant reached into his pocket and withdrew a small black box. “Doesn’t mean he can’t find you.” He stepped up to Sergei. “May I?”

Luther thought his father might balk, but he nodded. Tarrant ran the box over Sergei, front and back. “He’s clear. You’re next,” he told Luther. When nothing happened, Luther assumed he was clear as well. Oscar automatically held out his own arms and waited until he was scanned.

Tarrant took a step back and gave them an apologetic look. “I’m going to have to check the women as well.”

Luther barely caught his father as he leaped forward. But Tarrant wasn’t upset, didn’t even raise his fists.

“I get it,” Tarrant told them. “I’d probably kill anyone who wanted to touch my Valeriya, but I need to scan them. The Knights might have put a tracking device on them.” He paused. “Or maybe in them.”

“Shit,” Oscar swore. “I should have thought of that.”

“You were too busy helping save our lives,” Luther pointed out. He should have thought of it. His mother had been a captive for a very long time. It was quite possible Caine had inserted some sort of tracker in her. He’d have known Sergei’s body would most likely reject such at thing, but his mother was human. And if they escaped, Caine knew that he’d find Sergei right beside his Katherine.

As for Victoria, Caine might have slipped some kind of tracker into her pocket or tagged her somewhere. Wouldn’t take more than a light graze of a hand to plant one.

“What’s going on?”

Luther had been paying so much attention to the men in front of him, he’d missed hearing Victoria. He turned to her and held out his hand. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”

She was more alert than he’d figured she would be after only a few hours sleep. She was also wearing form-fitting leggings and a long-sleeved tunic, clothes that Oscar had bought for her. It was odd to see her in anything other than her prim suits, but he liked it. Even her hair was free, flowing around her shoulders.

Victoria wasn’t looking at him. No, she was too busy staring at Nic. Even though he knew why, Luther didn’t like it. He didn’t want her staring at any other drakon or man. And both Nic and his brother were studying her in return.

She glanced at Luther. “You think Caine might have planted a tracking device on me, don’t you?” She licked her lips, and he barely suppressed a groan. Now was not the time to notice how plump and sweet her lips were.

“It’s possible,” he told her.

She nodded and squared her shoulders. “Then you should scan me.” She was held her arms out at her sides. Luther went to stand beside her.

Tarrant approached slowly, obviously recognizing the volatility of the situation. “I’ll be quick.” He ran the sensor over the front of her body and then waited until she turned and did the same to her back. Luther clenched his fists at his sides, hating this even knowing it was necessary.

“I’ll need the clothes you were wearing,” Tarrant told her.

“Of course.” She hurried from the room, shoulders square, spine ramrod straight. Even faced with four drakons, she was calm and composed. His Victoria was one special lady.

No one spoke while she was gone. They studied one another and watched and waited. Victoria returned quickly, a bundle of soiled garments in her hands. The stench of sweat, smoke, and dust was offensive to his sense of smell. He never wanted to scent fear from her again.

“Here.” She thrust the bundle toward Tarrant. He took the clothes and scanned each piece. Luther breathed a sigh of relief when no tracker was found.

But Luther knew they weren’t finished. He turned to his father. “You’ve got to go and wake Mom.”

Sergei shook his head. “No. She needs to sleep.” His father took an aggressive step forward. Nic and Tarrant stood firm. Luther knew they wouldn’t back down. And they were right not to. They had to know if they were truly safe.

Tension grew, and the air around his father began to shimmer. He made a move toward him, but Victoria beat him to it. She laid her hand gently on Sergei’s chest. “Katherine wouldn’t want to be responsible for putting you in danger.”

His father visibly restrained himself, getting control of his dragon. He stared down at Victoria and the corners of his mouth turned upward in a small smile. “You were such a brave little girl. I see that hasn’t changed any over the years.”

She smiled, and her gaze warmed. “I’m not sure if it’s bravery or if I’m just crazy.”

A rumble came from deep inside his father. Luther wouldn’t exactly call it a laugh, but it was close. “I’ll get her.”

Victoria shook her head. “You stay here with Luther. I’ll get her.” She didn’t wait for his agreement and simply left the room. All of them watched her go.

Nic whistled under his breath. “That’s some woman you’ve got there.”

Luther nodded his agreement. Victoria was magnificent, and she was all his.

“She really knew you when she was a child?” Tarrant asked Sergei.

“Yes.” Any softness faded from his father’s expression. “You will do nothing to hurt her or my Katherine.” The threat was loud and clear.

Tarrant’s gaze narrowed. “We didn’t save you only to harm one of you.”

Sergei raked his fingers through his long hair and sighed. “I know.”

His father wasn’t the man Luther had known. How could he be after twenty years of captivity? He was more angry and suspicious, which was only natural. Time was on their side. In a hundred, two hundred years from now, all this would be nothing but a bad memory.

Luther’s heart thudded hard in his chest. And would Victoria still be with him? Yes, she would, because he’d do everything in his power to make her want to stay.

They all heard the low murmur of feminine voices. It wasn’t long before his mother and Victoria strolled down the hallway. Like Victoria, his mother was wearing some of the new clothes Oscar had purchased for them, her older clothing bundled in her arms.

Katherine stopped when she saw the strangers. She immediately looked to Sergei. He went to her, pulled the garments from her, and tossed them at Tarrant. “My love.”

Luther had to look away. His parents loved deeply. Even after all they’d been through, that love had never wavered. Victoria was watching them, her eyes filling with tears. He couldn’t stand to see her cry. He went to her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

Tarrant ignored all of them and scanned the clothing. “Nothing here, but I need to check Katherine.”

Luther watched his mother step away from his father and hold out her arms. “Do what you have to do.” She flinched slightly when Tarrant raised the handheld device in front of her, but she held firm.

“Do you honestly think Caine would insert a tracking device in my mother?” Luther asked.

Tarrant nodded. “Yes. It’s what I’d do if I were him.” He scanned her front and the scanner remained silent.

They all held their breath when she turned. Tarrant ran the device from her ankles, up her legs and back. Luther was just about to give a sign of relief when the little black box began to beep.

“Fuck.” Tarrant spoke for all of them. His mother looked horrified. His father appeared to want to kill someone, most likely Caine. Both Nic and Tarrant seemed resigned.

“I’ll get the medical kit,” Oscar said and disappeared from the room.

It was Victoria who went to his mother and comforted her. “Everything will be okay, Katherine. They’ll remove it, and we’ll leave. Everything will be fine.”

Victoria looked to him for confirmation. He shook his head. As much as he wanted everything to be okay, Luther had a bad feeling in his gut.

Oscar hurried back into the room and set the first aid kit on the table. “Someone is going to have to remove the tracker. I’m the best candidate for that since I’m not emotionally involved.” He laid out supplies. “I can numb the area so Katherine won’t feel any pain, but I’ll need the three of you”—he looked to Luther and then to his friends—“to hold Sergei back so he doesn’t kill me.”

“I can do it.” Victoria swallowed heavily. “If Sergei and Katherine would be more at ease, I’ll do it.”

He’d thought he couldn’t love Victoria more, but Luther had been mistaken. Every hour of every day, she did something that showed him just how special she was. That she would do this for his parents, for him, was overwhelming. She’d already done more than enough.

Katherine nodded. “I’d prefer Victoria.” She glanced at her husband. “I think Sergei would, too.”

Luther knew his father would have an easier time handling the situation if it was Victoria doing the minor surgery. Not only did he know and trust her, she was a woman. Drakons were primitive at their core and having another man hurt his woman, even if it was unintentional, might be more than Sergei could handle. His instincts would be to destroy Oscar and protect his mate.

Oscar took no offense at all. He simply nodded and held a small bottle of spray out to Victoria. “This will help to deaden the area.” He waited until Victoria took it from him. “I’ll walk you through the rest.”

Then Oscar nodded toward Sergei. “You might want to hold him.”