"Oh Robby." She wedged the torch between two rocks. Bile rose in her throat as she saw the slashes across his chest.
"Hungry," he whispered.
Oh no, she should have thought to bring some bottled blood. "Don't worry. I'll teleport you out of here straight to a supply of blood." There was plenty at the cabin. She could take him there.
She set down her knife, then grabbed at the chain across his chest. She cried out when it burned her fingers. Of course, silver, so he couldn't teleport away. She winced at the burn marks on Robby's chest.
She looked around for something to insulate her hands. Socks? She glanced down at Robby's feet. They were barefoot and bloody. Dammit. Was there no part of this man that they hadn't tortured?
"Hungry," Robby whispered.
"I'll get you out of here." She pulled off her shirt and wrapped it around her hands. Then she unfastened the chain around his chest and neck. She saw his hands, tied with silver behind the chair. They were burned and dripping blood.
He started to shake, and she realized he was fighting a compulsion to bite her.
"Just a little longer, hang in there." She unhooked the chain that strapped his thighs to the chair.
"No!" Robby cried.
"It'll be all right," she assured him.
Something sharp poked her in the back, and she straightened with a jerk, glancing over her shoulder.
Sigismund stood behind her, his sword pressed into her back. "We meet again, Vanda. For the final time."
Vanda glanced at her knife on the ground. She'd never get to it in time. And she couldn't unwind her whip in time either. She let her shirt drop to the ground, then she curled her hand around the pistol she'd wedged under the waistband of her jeans.
Sigismund grabbed her suddenly, pulling her back against his chest. He swung the sword around and pressed it to her neck. "I should have killed you years ago. Jedrek insisted on doing it himself, but he's gone now. You and your nasty friends will pay for his murder."
Vanda held her breath, afraid the sword would cut her throat if she so much as inhaled.
He pinched the sword tighter against her neck. "Maybe I'll have some fun with you first. I always did want to fuck you, you know."
He grunted in her ear. His sword clattered to the floor. Vanda spun around.
Sigismund was a pile of dust. Her sister stood there, staring at his remains, a sword trembling in her hand.
"Marta?" Vanda whispered.
"I–I'm finally free," Marta whispered in Polish. Her gaze lifted to Vanda. She dropped her sword with a clatter.
Vanda took a deep breath. "You saved my life."
Marta's eyes filled with tears. "I killed our little sister. I didn't mean to. I didn't want to." She looked at the pile of dust. "He controlled me for so long." With a sudden cry, she stomped on his dust. She stomped and stomped, crying, "I hate him! I hate him!"
"Marta." Vanda grabbed her by the shoulders. "It's okay. We're together now."
She blinked through her tears. "Can you forgive me?"
"Yes." Vanda pulled her tight and hugged her. Marta was trembling in her arms. "Can you help me get Robby out of here?" She released her sister and moved behind Robby to unfasten the chains around his wrists.
Marta stood still, staring at Robby with tears running down her face.
"Robby!"
Vanda heard Angus shouting in the cavern room. "We're in here!"
The Scotsman squeezed through the narrow opening. He halted when he saw Marta and lifted his sword.
"It's okay, Angus. She's with me." Vanda released the chain binding Robby's wrists, and he slumped forward.
Angus rushed forward to grab him. "Och, Robby, my lad."
"Hungry," Robby whispered.
"Of course." Angus fumbled in his sporran and pulled out a bottle of blood. He ripped off the top and put it up to Robby's mouth.
Robby guzzled it down.
"How is the battle going?" Vanda asked.
"'Tis over," Angus replied. "The Malcontents dinna like being skewered by us and mauled by wild animals. They teleported away. Where did those wolves come from?"
"I brought them," Vanda said. "They wanted to prove themselves to Phil."
"Och, they certainly proved their worth to me." Angus realized the bottle was empty. He pulled a flask from his sporran. "Here, lad. A little Blissky will help with the pain."
"I got it." Robby took the flask in a shaking, bloody hand. His grip faltered.
Angus grabbed the flask and held it to Robby's mouth. "We were so verra worried. I'll kill the bastards that did this to you."
"Robby!" More shouts came from the cavern next door.
"In here!" Angus yelled.
Jean-Luc, Connor, and Phil slipped inside. Vanda's heart leaped at the sight of Phil. He had a few cuts and scrapes, but otherwise, he looked absolutely wonderful.
He didn't seem surprised to see her. He must have realized she was here when the wolves had joined the battle. He grinned at her, then looked at Robby and his smile faded.
"Och, lad." Connor kneeled in front of Robby. "Let's get you back to Romatech and clean you up."
"Did ye find Casimir?" Angus asked.
"Nay," Connor said. "It looks like the bastard teleported away."
"I'll tell everyone we found Robby." Jean-Luc patted Robby on the shoulder, then left the small room.
"Hey, Robby." Phil touched his knee, then looked at Vanda. "Are you all right?"
She nodded and pointed at the dust scattered about the room. "Sigismund tried to kill me, but my sister saved me." She pulled Marta forward. "She's on our side now."
"Welcome." Phil shook Marta's hand. "Thank you for saving Vanda."
Marta nodded with tears still streaming down her face.
Vanda felt tears in her eyes, too. She had her sister back. And Phil had survived the battle. "I'm glad you're all right."
He nodded. "I'm glad you're all right, too." His eyes glimmered with love and longing.
"Och, go ahead and hug her, lad," Connor growled. "Ye're no' fooling us."
Phil grabbed Vanda and held her tight. "I was so scared when I realized you were here." He kissed her brow. "But thank you for coming. The boys and the Japanese were a great help."
"I'd like to talk to the Japanese," Angus said. "Phil, can ye ask them to come to Romatech with us?"
"Sure." Phil released Vanda. "I'd like to bring the boys there, too. They need a home and a school."
"Are they orphans?" Angus asked.
"Banished like I was," Phil replied. "They have no home."
"They do now." Angus helped Robby to his feet. "I'm taking him to Romatech. Bring the others." Angus wrapped an arm around Robby's shoulders, and they vanished.
"Let's go." Phil took Vanda's hand.
She pulled back. "I–I'm going to take Marta to Howard's cabin. We have some catching up to do. I'll see you later."
Phil tilted his head, looking a little worried. "Are you sure?"
"Of course. We'll be fine," Vanda insisted. She blinked back the tears in her eyes. "I'll always love you, Phil. I know you have a great future ahead of you."
His eyes narrowed.
She grabbed her sister and teleported away.
Two hours later Phil left the boys in a conference room at Romatech, filling out registration forms for Shanna's school. He headed down the hall to the clinic to see how Robby was doing. The room was full of people waiting for some news.
He sat next to Brynley. "What are you doing here?"
She shrugged. "Waiting for one of these Vamp friends of yours to give me a ride home. How are the boys?"
"They're getting registered for school. You sure you don't want to apply for a teaching job?"
She frowned. "I don't know. I have a good life back in Montana."
"You could live on campus, see the boys every day."