Unclaimed (19 page)

Dominic closed his eyes and pictured the cool, crisp air of Trapper's Summit. In his mind's eye, he imagined the wide-open sky and the bird's-eye view of the world from the eastern ridge. The smell of dirt, pine, and fresh air filled his head, and as he uttered the ancient language, the three of them slipped through space on a wave of static. Seconds later they materialized on the ridge overlooking the mountains.

With guns drawn and Daniella pinned between them, Dominic and Richard took immediate stock of their surroundings. The mountaintop was bathed in the gentle light of the moon and stars. Dominic gripped the gun tighter and held his sister with his other hand as the sounds of an owl hooting captured his attention.

They're here.
Richard's voice rumbled into Dominic's mind. He glanced over his shoulder to see the prince slowly pivot with his gun pointed at the wooded area. His blue eyes glowed brightly in the summer evening as he moved almost imperceptibly.
At
least
three—possibly four.

The sound of twigs cracking and gravel skittering down the edge of the mountain made both men freeze. Even Daniella, usually full of piss and vinegar, didn't make a sound, and she clung tighter to her brother. As her fingers curled around his arm, a thick, dark energy signature snaked through the air like smoke.

“Moravian's here.” Dominic stood stone-still and waited, his body rigid with anticipation. He reached out with his mind in search of the source, and there was no mistaking it when his energy signature brushed Moravian's. “There.”

Dominic swung his gun to the right, where he sensed movement, and a moment later, two pairs of glowing yellow eyes peered down at them from the cover of the trees.

He's in his clan form, Richard. It's Moravian and another member of the Falcon Clan. They're in the tree to my right. I don't sense any sign of Matt.

There's another to my left.
Richard's voice was tight and controlled.
Bear
Clan. Male. Be ready for anything, Dominic. No matter what happens, Moravian doesn't leave here alive.

“Dr. Moravian,” Richard called out calmly. “I can't imagine you're afraid to show yourself in your human form. Hiding in the treetops seems so… sophomoric.”

A blast of static-filled air blew from the tree line, and Dominic sharpened his focus with his gun trained on the ones who approached. Daniella whimpered and shrunk behind Dominic, her body shivering with fear as seconds of silence ticked by.

I
can't believe you're afraid of him.
Dominic touched his sister's mind sharply.
I
thought
you
wanted
to
get
away
from
us
and
back
with
your
people.

I
don't have my powers, Dominic.
Her voice wavered with fear.
I
saw
what
he
did
to
some
of
the
other
girls.

Moments later, two men walked out of the trees, revealing themselves in the pale moonlight, and the look of hatred carved into Moravian's face was nothing short of evil. His bright yellow falcon eyes narrowed as he and the other man, a younger member of the Falcon Clan, took cautious steps forward.

The two stood face-to-face with Richard and Dominic, but Daniella cowered behind her brother. What she said gave him pause, and he wondered if she was as devout a Purist as she claimed to be. Was she really hateful, or was it an act? Did she simply think there was no way to redeem herself?

Dominic's gut clenched, and he reached back with one hand, keeping her protectively behind him. As he got a clear view of Moravian, it was painfully obvious he was of little threat. Dominic took a closer look and was surprised to see both men looked ill. The doctor most definitely had lost weight, and the boy was clearly undernourished.

They reminded him of fugitives, men on the run with nowhere to turn and few resources. Perhaps the Purist movement really was dying.

You
don't have to go with him if you don't want to, Daniella. We can figure something out.

Yes, I do.
Her voice quivered as it brushed his mind with heartbreaking familiarity.
It's my only option.

“I thought we agreed to no weapons,” Moravian said with a sneer. “And I only expected to have your Guardian here, Richard. Not you.”

“Yes, well, you didn't come alone either. Your friend from the Falcon Clan is armed, and I'd bet the fellow from the Bear Clan, the one hiding in the woods to my left, is also armed.” Richard shrugged. “I guess we both broke the rules, but given what you've been up to, I'd say it's par for the course.”

“Where is she, Richard?” Moravian barked.

“Looking a bit under the weather, Moravian.” Richard inched closer to Dominic. “What's the matter, are you and the other Purists having a hard time fending for yourselves since your leader was killed?”

Sweat broke out on Moravian's brow, and the other man inched behind him bit by bit, but he was still in Dominic's sights. Fear rippled from their energy signatures, although both tendrils were far weaker than a typical Amoveo pure-blood.

“You don't care about us or how we're doing,” Moravian snapped. “Just show her to me now, Richard, or this meeting ends before it gets started.”

Richard and Dominic exchanged looks. He may not have been able to see Daniella completely, but unless the guy was blind, it was relatively obvious she was hiding behind Dominic.

“Where's Matt?” Dominic asked. He kept his eye on the man with the gun in his hand standing next to Moravian because it was pointed at the prince. “The human. Did you really take him, or is he one of your puppets too?”

Movement to the left caught Richard's eye, and with the lightning fast reflexes of an elder and a royal Amoveo, he whipped out another gun from the back waistband of his pants and shot into the tree line without looking. A growl and a loud crashing sound followed as the Purist hiding in the woods was shot and killed.

Static crackled in the air as Moravian bellowed his outrage, but Richard swung his guns at the two men. “I suggest you tell your comrade next to you to stand down, Moravian, or I'll put two bullets in his head.” Richard grinned and cocked both guns. “Or yours.”

“Do as he says, Samuel,” Moravian snapped.

“No, Uncle.” Samuel, his eyes wild with fear, kept his gun on the prince. “I—I won't leave you unprotected.”

“Do as he says, boy,” Dominic growled. “Or you'll end up like your friend from the Bear Clan.”

Samuel licked his dry, cracked lips and flicked his gaze between the two men, but eventually, he tossed his gun on the ground and put both hands in the air.

“I'm—I'm right here,” Daniella said in a shaking voice as she stepped out from behind Dominic.

“What the hell is going on?” Moravian seethed. His eyes glowed brighter, and his energy signature whipped around them like a storm. “Where's my daughter? Where's Savannah?”

Tension filled the air along with a good amount of confusion.

“What are you talking about?” Dominic asked as he glanced at Daniella. “We brought you Daniella, like we said we would.”

“No.” Moravian shook with fury as he clenched his hands into fists. “You have my daughter. I know you do, you son of a bitch. You took her when you and your filthy Loyalists stole that pregnant girl from me.”

“Actually,” Richard said slowly, “I told you we had the traitor, and we would give her to you in exchange for Matt. Come to think of it, I never referred to her by name. I only said we had the girl.” Richard's energy waves rippled faster. “Where is Matt—the human?”

“I don't have any human,” he sputtered. “I don't even know who you're talking about, but I want my daughter back.” Moravian's eyes glowed as he bellowed with blind outrage. “I know you took her. Where's Savannah?”

Moravian rushed forward, charging the prince, and at the same instant, a large grizzly burst out of the woods to the left. Richard spun and shot several rounds into the enormous bear, killing him once and for all. Dominic aimed his gun at Moravian, knocked Daniella backward, and squeezed the trigger twice, hitting the good doctor in the chest.

Moravian and the Bear Clan Purist tumbled to the ground, and their bodies skidded to a stop at Richard's feet. The bear shifted into his human form as the life faded from his body. His head settled next to Moravian's, and two sets of lifeless eyes stared up at them blankly.

“No,” Daniella screamed as more gunfire tore through the night sky.

In that moment, time seemed to stand still.

When Dominic looked up, Samuel's rage-filled gaze was all he saw as Daniella launched herself in front of her brother. The bullet slammed into her chest, and the force of the blow sent her flying into Dominic's arms. He cradled her against his chest and barely registered the second shot as Richard killed Samuel, and the woods fell silent once again.

A gurgling sound escaped her lips as her energy signature sputtered and waned. Dominic pressed his hand against the wound in her chest, like Tatiana taught him, but the blood continued to pump, and he watched helplessly as it seeped through his fingers. Daniella clutched his hand, gasping for air, and winced as pain wracked her body.

“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.”

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 or 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.