“No,” Dominic bit out. “Trust me. If I thought Tatiana were in danger, there’s no way I’d let her do this.”
“Let her?” Matt let out a huffing sound, and for the first time since this fiasco began, humor laced his voice. “Man, you may be some kind of badass, ninja pod-person, but you’re gonna get your butt kicked if she hears you say that.”
Dominic glared at Matt, but before he could say anything, Richard called for silence.
A hush fell over the meeting hall, and everyone gathered around the bed holding hands, creating a protective circle, except for Matt. He could have joined them. Richard invited him, but he shook his head and stepped back.
Courtney sat propped up by pillows on the chaise with her eyes closed, and Steven sat next to her with one hand resting protectively on her belly. Dominic knew he was also tuning into her and the baby so he could monitor their physical reactions.
Kerry and Tatiana stood on either side of Courtney’s bed. All three women held hands, creating their own small circle, which directly linked their energies. Tatiana briefly flicked her eyes to Dominic and gave him a tight smile. Here goes nothing. Her voice floated into his mind hesitantly. Don’t go anywhere, okay?
Not a chance. He winked at her. I’ve got you. Dominic’s body tensed as their mental connection was severed, and she focused on Courtney. It had only been twenty-four hours since she first touched her mind to his, and now the absence made him uneasy. There was a strange void, an emptiness that could only be filled by her.
Tatiana let out a long, slow breath as her eyes fluttered closed, and her jaw set in concentration. Within seconds, both Kerry and Tatiana’s bodies jolted as the connection with Courtney solidified. A low humming sound filled the space as their joined energies flickered. Dominic sent soothing waves to Tatiana, hoping to ease her through it, although he wasn’t sure if his comfort would get through.
The humming grew louder, and the tendrils of power pulsing from the three women throbbed in thick ribbons of invisible energy around the group. Courtney’s brow furrowed, and she whimpered, softly at first, but it quickly grew louder until she was crying and tears streamed down her cheeks. The humming sound pulsed like a deep bass beat and reverberated through Dominic’s chest, but he didn’t take his eyes off Tatiana.
An impending sense of doom crawled up Dominic’s back, and just when he thought he would scream with frustration, break the circle, grab Tatiana, and run—the room fell silent and everything stopped.
No one moved, and for a second, Dominic thought the women were still in the trance. However, a moment later, they released Courtney’s hands, and Tatiana opened her eyes, instantly locking her gaze with Dominic.
“It worked. We followed Courtney’s memories back to Moravian and Savannah.” Kerry’s voice trembled as she spoke and leaned against Dante for support. “I was able to merge with Moravian’s energy signature briefly.” Concern and anger edged her voice. “He’s coming, Richard, and he’s not coming alone. I saw five or six other Purists with him.”
“They’re coming for Courtney,” Tatiana whispered as unshed tears filled her eyes.
“And the baby.”
Dominic held her stare as he pulled his hands from the others and crossed to Tatiana. Tears fell freely from her large brown eyes as he wrapped her in his embrace. She buried her face against his chest, sobbing quietly as he stroked her hair and rocked her gently.
“Courtney,” Steven whispered. He held her hands and kissed her fingers as they all waited patiently for her to wake up. “Baby? I’m here. It’s okay.”
Tatiana’s body tensed in Dominic’s arms, and he could feel her holding her breath as they waited for Courtney to respond. As the young woman’s eyes opened, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, and Tatiana allowed her body to sag against him. He held her closer and noted the way her body fit so perfectly against his, every curve and plane in just the right place.
Courtney looked at them through wide eyes as Steven helped her adjust her position on the chaise. She swiped at her wet cheeks and let out a shaky breath. However, her expression swiftly changed to terror, and she grabbed Steven’s arms.
“Oh my God.” Her voice sounded small and scared as she tipped her chin and squeezed her eyes shut. “I saw him, and I saw where they kept me… I saw what they did.” A sob choked her, keeping more words from coming.
“We broke through to some memories, but don’t be surprised if you remember more as time passes,” Kerry said gently. “Chances are, you’ll remember everything eventually. Repressed memories are pretty common when someone has a traumatic experience, and I’d say yours sure as hell qualifies.”
“Savannah was the one who brought you back here,” Tatiana said.
“I know. I saw it too.” Courtney’s confused expression bounced from Steven to Tatiana. “I don’t understand. Why would she leave me here alone?”
“You’re not alone,” Steven whispered.
“I knew it.” Marianna sighed. “I knew she wouldn’t help her father if she didn’t absolutely have to.”
“I’m not sure why she did what she did.” Tatiana’s voice, now calm and controlled, filled the room as she gave Courtney a reassuring smile. “All I know for sure is that she’s the reason you’re here with Steven and not still held captive by her father.”
“It’s true,” Kerry added. “Savannah’s definitely the one who got you out, and from what I saw, she’s not in cahoots with dear old daddy. I’d bet that she’s in a world of trouble at the moment, but I couldn’t get a bead on her signature.”
“Be that as it may,” Richard said tightly, “we still have Dr. Moravian to deal with.”
“They won’t touch you again.” Steven pulled her into his arms, his eyes glowing brightly and determination edging his voice. “And they sure as hell aren’t getting their hands on our son.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I promise that we will do everything within our power to keep you and your child safe.” Richard paced to the front of the group as he spoke. “I have always considered our ranch a safe haven for our people, and until recently, that was the case. We will not run. We will wait for them to make their next move, and when they do, we will be ready.”
“Absolutely.” Dominic kept one arm linked around Tatiana’s waist and held her tight as he addressed the others. It felt natural and perfect to have her next to him. “However, the ranch is over three hundred acres, and I’d feel better if we had more eyes on site to keep watch. Moravian and the Purists are getting more aggressive, and I doubt they’ll wait much longer to try something else.”
“There’s one other issue,” Tatiana interjected. “I don’t think Moravian or Savannah are responsible for what’s been happening with the horses. I didn’t sense any connection to that at all. If it’s okay, I’d like to bond with the animals again and see if there’s something else they can tell us.”
“You mean we could be dealing with two different attacks at the same time?” Pete asked. “Two enemies at once?”
“We had a Caedo assassination attempt on the ranch, but unfortunately, one of them escaped.” Dominic’s back straightened as he mentioned his failure. “The other died before I could interrogate him.”
“Goddamn it.” Pete’s mouth set in a tight line as he looked into the eyes of his mate, Marianna. “I don’t mean to be a dick, and I love a good, ass-kicking fest as much as the next guy, but my wife is about to give birth to our twins. I’d rather that not happen in the middle of a battle zone.”