Empath’s Angel

* Dominik had kept his child’s existence secret from his wife for twelve years; but the night he had nearly murdered a former co-worker had changed his plans. Sarah had insisted to be taken to the child,and one sight of the pretty raven-haired child with her huge emerald green eyes, was all it took for Sarah. She lost her heart to the child. Dominik couldn’t tell her that the child was carrying information on her that would jeopardize lives if the wrong people got their hands on it. Sarah would have insisted that they could protect the girl. He also could not tell her that the girl was not a true orphan; he was her father. Sarah wondered why the child hadn’t been adopted earlier,and the nuns told her that Emilia had always seemed to find another child who would ‘fit’ with the prospective parents better than she could. That had been the clincher for them. Dominik forgot the reasons for keeping her where she was. There was no way they were going to leave the little angel behind after that. Over the next six years, they were more worried that the tougher kids in their neighborhood would take advantage of their new daughter, than that the people Dominik had escaped from that night would find them, but neither happened. More often than not, they would find their daughter defending the younger children, bandaging wounds,and soothing ruffled feelings.And the older boysand girls stood as her protectors from anyone outside the neighborhood. Dominik had taught her Polishand she had caught onto it as if she’d been speaking it all her life. Whenever she grew overly emotional, she would lapse into Polish. Because of Emilia, Dominikand Sarah had become more social in the neighborhood than they had originally planned. They couldn’t see keeping Emilia isolated when everyone she met went out of their way to do things for her. It was Sarah who realized first that this protective streak was something the child unconsciously awoke in others. The girl had innateparanormal abilities. Because everyone in the neighborhood became Emilia’s protectors, the garage saw an almost never-ending parade of people coming through its doors. Dominikand Sarah became pillars of a community that they had been meant to disappear into as Donaldand Sally Marks. Dominik watched her from behind the cash register as she moved through the crowd outside, with the slow grace she had inherited from her real mother. At 18, Emilia was showing the promise of the exquisite woman she would become; her skin was a soft cream color that accentuated her brilliant emerald eyesand rich raven black hair. Several of the boys in town had begun to eye her in a way that bothered Dominik, but Emilia seemed oblivious to it. She treated them all like her brothers. The Cross boysand the Kennedy boys had declared themselves her protectors; any boy who got too close, or too fresh was politely warned not to pursue the pretty child. His only real worry now was that she went about her life in her gentle manner, as if nothing bad could happen. He was glad that he had insisted that she learn how to defend herself; especially when Sarah had just died. If anything happened to him, Emilia would be all right. He looked out the front windows of the garage officeand smiled as he found her, as always, surrounded by her friends. She was so like her mother, he thought, as she glowed in the sun like an animated beam of light. “Hey, Emi,” Ryan; one of the tall red-haired Kennedy twins; smiled as he came over to join the throng. “Why isn’t your Dad here?” “Tax time, Ryan,” Emilia frowned. She glanced over towards the garageand knew where he was. “1040s before fun.” “Doesn’t sound like much fun to me,” Ryan replied. “Day like this should be enjoyed.” “You’re right, Ryan.” She excused herself with one of her warm smilesand headed towards the building, determined to get her father to enjoy himself. “Ojciec,” Emilia called out in Polish as she came into the storeand music from the wedding reception/ block party floated with her. She fiddled with the locket he had given her the day she’d been adopted. “You’re missing out on the cake. Jasmine is going to be hurt if you don’t come to at least a few minutes of the wedding reception you helped pay for.” Dominik looked upand smiled wearily. Emilia knew he’d been up all night working on his paperwork,and she sighed. He was much too handsome to be locking himself away in this garage. Dominik should be out meeting people, having fun, being reminded that life was to be enjoyed. She frowned as his green eyes glazed overand knew that her thoughts had transmitted themselves to him. Oh Father, I’m sorry. She clamped down on her talentand laid her hand on his. He shook his head to clear it of the fog that had suddenly descended. Removing his reading glasses, he ran a hand through his thick wavy black hair. “I’ll be right there, Mój córka,” Dominik nodded. He closed the booksand locked them away. Then he came around the counterand took her hand. “You’re getting moreand more like your mother every day.” “Thank you,” Emilia smiled up at him. She cocked her headand a mischievous grin lit up her face. “You did mean that in a good way, didn’t you?” Dominik laughedand shook his head. She was such an imp, he thought fondly, as he put his arm around her shoulder. For the next hour, the world was at peace, as he joined the party. Even Dominik was beginning to feel that nothing bad could happen to them here. Out here, their friends surrounded them,and the air was filled with musicand laughter. What could possibly happen? He looked up from where he was talking to the block’s self-appointed guardian, Mama Cross, the matriarch of the Greek American family that lived across the street from the garage,and a reminder of everything he feared was standing at the door of his garage. They had found him! “Is something wrong, Don?” Mama Cross asked as she saw his attention drawn away. She followed his glanceand noted the tall, dark haired man in the dark leather jacket. Something about this man sent a chill up her spine. He meant trouble. “Should I call someone?” “What?” Dominik blinked as her voice got through the fog of fear that had settled on his mind. “No, Mama Cross,” he smiled weakly, “it’s all right. Just a reminder of things I wish I could forget.” He nodded towards Jasmineand her husband Ezekiel “Webb” Webster, an upand coming football player. “Your attention should be for your child now. You don’t need to be worrying about a silly old man who’s seeing ghosts.” “Silly old men who see ghosts,” Mama Cross frowned as she felt his unease mounting, “need to be worried about.” She saw that his attention had returned to the man standing outside the garage. He had a companion now, taller, a bit less threatening; but equally as dangerous. “I’ll keep an eye on Emilia for you then.” She nodded over to where Emilia was dancing with her oldest son, Jason, “All right?” Dominik noddedand moved towards the garage, now determined to keep them from disrupting the party. He had hoped that he would never see these men again. He looked around for his daughterand saw Emilia coming his way. Oh God! She was headed directly for him. He couldn’t let them know about her. He held his hand up to the menand turned to meet Emilia. She looked up at him,and he could see that she had picked up on his feelingsand been led to his side. Her empathic abilities were quite impressive, but they were going to cause problems for him. He saw the frown on her face as she caught his feelingsand his fear mounted. He couldn’t let them involve her in whatever they had come for. Before Emilia could say anything, Webb’s brother,and leader of the band playing for the reception, Nathaniel Webster, stepped up to themand beamed. “Emilia,” he greeted her. “I hear you’re going to sing with us.” “What?” Emilia was puzzled for a second. “Oh, Yes,” she nodded, smiling. “Jasmineand Webb asked if I would sing a song or two.” “Of course they would!” Nathaniel nodded,and guided Emilia away from her father. “You have a voice like an angel. Come tell us what you want to sing.” Dominik turned on his heeland entered the building. Emilia was distracted nowand he could deal with his visitors in peace. Once the door closed, he ran for the counter, but they were on Dominik before he could hit the silent alarm. The taller man held Dominik’s arms behind his back, a great deal more forcefully than necessary. Dominik could see that these men were not all that concerned about whether or not they caused him pain. But then, men who worked for Professor Winslow, the man he had been hiding from all these years, were not hired to be gentle. “We have to talk, old man,” the shorter of the two men said as he turned the sign. “It’s time for you to come back.” He pulled down the shade, his eyes cold as he saw Dominik’s refusal. “He’s not going to take no for an answer, Sobieski!” “You can go back to the Professor,” Dominik hissed as he was dragged away from the doorand shoved into the apartment in back, “and tell him to go to hell!” “Now, Doc,” the taller man laughed humorlessly, “that’s no way to talk. The Professor just wants you to return to work.” “Is that all?” Dominik scowled. “Never mind that the poison he wants me to create for him will destroy lives.” He tried to pull freeand only succeeded in hurting himself. “Like I said before, Peters,” he continued, his eyes coldand hard with anger, “the Professor can go to hell.” “I was hoping you’d say that, Doc,” Peters smiled as he shoved the man to the couch. He cracked his knuckles, his eyes remaining on Dominik. “I haven’t gotten a chance to beat on anyone in a very long time.” “We could always ask the child,” the other man said, from where he leaned in the doorway. He could just see the girl from where he stood. “I’m sure she’d be more cooperative.” “Leave her alone,” Dominik cried out in anger. “Emilia has nothing to do with this.” “Then let’s keep it that way,” the shorter man said. He nodded to his companion. “Keep an eye on her, Murphy.” Emilia stood by the stage set up for the band, wondering what had just happened. Her father was upset about something, afraid for her. She saw him strapped into a chair, writhing in pain because he wanted to protect her. She couldn’t let that happen, Emilia told herself. She excused herself from the band and went to the door of the garage; frowning as she found it locked. Her father never locked the door during business hours. Something bad was happening to her father,and she had to help. She started back towards the store, unaware of the man watching her from inside the garage. One of the band members helped the girl up on stageand put a microphone in her hand. She was blushing as the guests all burst into spontaneous applause. Then the music startedand she sang, her voice warmand sweet as it launched into the ballad. Murphy was lost; this child was talent personified. The crowd insisted on another song,and she hesitated only briefly. She chose one that had the crowd clapping alongand Murphy was hard-pressed not to join them. Her joy was infectious. “I said keep an eye on her, Murphy,” Peters snapped from behind his partner, “not devour her with your eyes.” He watched the girl for a moment. “Wish we could have left her out of this.” “Not cooperating?” Murphy frowned. Peters shook his headand went back into the apartment. “Pity.” He saw the girl excuse herselfand head back towards the garage. Another couple stopped herand she spent another few minutes in conversation with them. He watched as Emilia was taken over to the group by the arch that had been set upand joined the bride’s family forpictures. She certainly didn’t belong to the family; unless the Greco American Cross parents had adopted the pretty raven-haired girl. They certainly treated her like she was a member of their family, Murphy noted. There was something really special about this girl;and something very familiar. He frowned as he remembered where he had seen those eyes before. He found himself suddenly wishing he could forget why they were hereand leave Dominik behind. A girl like her should never have to know sadnessand loss. “Popular little thing.” When she finally managed to get away, Murphy had the door open for her. Emilia stepped in, frowning at the stranger who was standing there. “Come in, girl. We’d like to talk to you.” “Do I know you?” Emilia asked, confused. She looked past the two men, trying to find her father. “Ojciec?” “Your father will explain who we are to you.” Murphy smiled down at her. Emilia winced in pain as he clamped his hand on her armand pulled her inside. He closedand locked the doorand then flipped the sign to CLOSED; then he started to take her to the apartment in back. His hand moved up to her cheekand she attacked, sending him to his knees. He watched in disbelief as she ran for the door. He hesitated only a secondand then he was after her. He smiled as he yanked her away from the door; clamping his hand over her mouth to quiet the scream. She bit himand ducked as he started to slap her. His hand hit the walland he bit back the roar of pain as it connected. She was opening the door of the apartment before he caught up with her again. He pushed the door closed, but as he reached out to grab her arm, Emilia ducked under his arm. He caught her by the hair;and tears sprung into her eyes from the pain as he yanked her back into the apartment. “You’re good, girl,” he smiled as he countered her next move, now that he knew to expect it from her. “Dominik taught you well.” “You actually let a girl get the drop on you?” Peters laughed as Murphy dragged Emilia into the apartment. “She caught you a good one there, partner.” “She managed to land quite a few good blows before I stopped her.” Murphy admitted ruefully. He looked over at Dominik. “You did a good job teaching her how to defend herself, Doc.” He scowled as Emilia tried once more to break free of his hold. “Behave yourself.” “Ojciec?” Emilia asked as she was shoved into the room by the man who smelled like pipe tobacco. Mr. Petersen, the druggist at the pharmacy, smelled something like this. She heard the lock on their apartment door being engaged,and knew something was wrong. “What’s going on?” she demanded as Murphy clamped his hand on her armand propelled her forward. “Why are these men here?” “It’s all right, Emi,” Dominik told her as he looked at the man holding her. He was not the threat this bastard standing near him was. “These men are friends of mine,” he lied to herand dared Peters to disagree, “from college. Mr. Petersand Mr. Murphy were at a seminar in Trentonand they thought they’d drop inand say hello. Isn’t that right, Pete?” “Please tell me the truth, Ojciec,” she asked as she closed her eyes as they began to blur from the pain she was removing from him without his knowledge. “Co kontynuuje tutaj?” “I have spent the past six years keeping you from knowing, Mój dzieckcko,” Dominik said sadly, as he looked down into her eyes. “It’s too dangerous for you to know…” “It appears I am in danger anyway,” Emilia broke in, frowning at his refusal to tell her the truth. “Please tell me.” “You have a smart girl, Doc,” Murphy laughed. “Sit down,” Murphy hissed as he shoved her onto a seat, “and behave yourself.” Emilia had never been angrier in her life. She needed to stay calm if she was going to find a way to help her father. The man who smelled like cigars, Murphy, moved closer to herand she steeled herself. She didn’t understand why heand his friend were here. But she knew it wasn’t a friendly visit. There was just too much fearand anger in the air. Everyone in the apartment, including her, was on edge. She wanted to get away from all the unpleasantness, but knew they wouldn’t let her go. “Your daughter is a very pretty girl, Doc,” Murphy said as he looked over at Emilia. “She looks a lot like a certain woman you had the hots for at the lab.” He looked over at Peters. “You remember the one I’m talking about, don’t you, partner?” “Yeah,” Peters nodded. “The one the Professor chose for himself, wasn’t it?” Peters came over to Emilia as she was deciding how to move. She stilled as she noted his anger. It added to the scent she would associate with him; like Jason Cross from across the street, this man smelled like gun oil. Jason was a member of the Glenville Police Departmentand he used to let her handle his guns; while he explained their workings to her. Emilia knew more about guns than most people she knew. She brought her mind back to what was happening. She knew these men wanted her to be afraid, but she was too angry to care. There was no way she was going to let these strangers beat her down. There was no fear in her eyes yet, Peters noted in surprise, just determination. Fierce little thing, Peters thought, as she glared up at him with anger blazing in her brilliant green eyes. She must get that from her mother; because Sobieski was the meekest person he’d ever met. He moved back to Dominik’s side. “Your daughter is not very hospitable, Doc,” he laughed at his prisoner. “Been telling her tales about us?” “Emilia doesn’t know anything about my life before,” Dominik snapped. “Please don’t involve her in this, Peters. Take me back, if you have to, but leave my girl alone.” “We tried that earlier, Doc,” Peters reminded him coldly. “You wouldn’t cooperate. Besides,” he added as he saw Emilia’s expression, “your daughter is curious about why we’re here. It would be ungentlemanly of us to leave her in the dark.” He stroked Emilia’s cheekand she pulled away. “Like you obviously have.” “Keep your hands off of my daughter,” Dominik hissed at him. “Now, Doc,” Peters laughed. “You know I’m not the one you need to worry about.” He tried once more to touch the girl,and she slapped him. He slapped her across the faceand met her angry glare with a smile. “Be careful, girl,” he laughed as he grabbed her wristsand pulled her close. “Some men would be turned on by that defiant glare of yours.” “Some men,” Emilia hissed back at him, “are animals!” She saw the stunned look on his face. He had actually expected her to be terrified by nowand compliant. “Let me go!” Someone began knocking on the door out frontand Peters frowned. He nodded to Murphy, who yanked Dominik to his feet. “Get rid of them, Doc.” Peters said as he pulled Emilia closer to his sideand clamped his hand over her mouth. “Make it fast,” his threat was clear, “or I won’t be able to keep my hands off of your pretty child.” Dominik saw the reaction on Emilia’s faceand knew he had to hurry. She had always been oblivious to such thoughts before, but now that her empathic abilities had begun to grow, she could sense what this man felt.And it frightened her to see that he meant it. He went to the garageand opened the door to see a very annoyed Jason Cross standing there. The young man was in his uniform, about ready to go on duty. His mother had asked him to check on Dominikand Emilia when they had failed to return to the party. He saw all of this in the young man’s expression as he unlocked the door. “Hey, Mr. Marks,” Jason frowned as he shuffled his feet. Something about Dominik always made him feel uneasy. Like he was a peasant. “Mama asked me…” “I’m sure she did,” Dominik smiled warmly. “It’s all right, Jay,” he told the young man. “Emiliaand I are just fine. She has one of her headachesand I had to put her to bed, that’s all.” “Sorry to hear that,” Jason said with true feeling. “I hope she feels better.” “She should be fine by morning,” Dominik nodded, seeing that the boy didn’t quite believe his story from the frown on his face. It would have to do; he couldn’t risk an outright warning. “I was just fixing myself something. I’d better get back to it.” “Yea.” Jason nodded. He smiled in relief. “Mama was acting like you were in danger of mutilation. She said some nasty looking men were hanging around…” “Some of my old college friends,” Dominik broke in with the lie he had tried out on Emilia earlier. “They were at a meeting nearby so they thought they’d drop inand surprise me.” He laughed. “Sure did. It’s been so long since we’ve been together, I thought I was seeing ghosts.” He looked at Jason pointedly. “On your way to work?” “Yea,” Jason nodded. “I pulled the night shift this week cause of Jazz’s weddingand all.” He nodded, wondering why he wasn’t satisfied with Dominik’s answers. “I’ll tell Mama you’re all right.” Dominik smiledand closed the door. He was yanked away by Murphy, who locked the doorand checked the sign. It still read CLOSED. Jason turned back a moment after he had leftand frowned. Something about Dominik’s story just wasn’t ringing true. Dominik had been too eager for him to believe his tale.And Emilia never had the kind of headaches that sent her to bed; the girl was one of the healthiest people he knew. In fact, he could not recall one day in the six years he’d known the girl when she had been sick. He was late for his shift, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of uneasiness that filled him. He moved around backand looked in the apartment window. Dominikand two men were seated in the living room. He couldn’t see Emilia. “We’ll be spending the night,” Peters told Dominik. “As long as youand your daughter continue to behave, there should be no problems.” Peters shiftedand Jason saw the gun in the shoulder holster. Dominikand Emilia were in trouble! He knew he couldn’t do anything about it on his own, so he hurried to the police stationand told Daniel what he seen. He didn’t know who the men were, he told his superior; but their intent was obviously not meant to benefit Dominikand Emilia. Jason spent a couple of hours going over the mug books, with no luck, while other officers kept an eye on the garage. Daniel made a few calls among his friends in the FBI, unknowingly alerting Dominik’s real family. “There’s not much in the way to eat in this kitchen,” Murphy complained as he went through the refrigeratorand the cupboards. “We were going to go out tonight,” Dominik said tightly. He looked towards his daughter, who was doing her best to calm down. She was so like her late mother, he thought; remembering how fiercely Karen had fought for them to have a life together. They had only been given a year, he frowned. He had managed to escape the Professor only to find that Karen was deadand their daughter was missing. It had taken twelve years for him to be reunited with his child. He was not going to let these bastards hurt his daughter. More especially, he was not going to let the Professor get his hands on her. “Murph,” Peters decided as he looked over at the girl. “Take Doc into townand bring us back something.” He wound a strand of Emilia’s raven curls around his fingerand pulled. She glared up at him. “I’ll keep the little one company until you get back.” He looked directly at Dominik. “I’d hurry, Doc.” Murphy yanked Dominik to his feetand shoved him out of the apartment. The door closedand Emilia saw Peters locking it. He turned to smile at her with an expression on his face that had been just hinted at earlier. She got to her feet, shaking her head,and backing away from him. He took a step towards herand she turned to run for the back door. He yanked her away as she was unlocking the door. He clamped his hand over her mouthand forced her down the hall to her bedroom. He shoved her insideand locked the door closed behind him. “Remember how I was telling you earlier that some men would be turned on by that defiant glare of yours, pretty?” Peters asked as he came towards her. “I’m one of them.” He backed her into the cornerand moved as she tried to knee him. “Your father taught you some very interesting maneuvers, child,” he laughed as he clamped her wrists in his hand and raised her arms above her head. “It won’t help you.” He clamped his other hand on her throatand tightened his grip until she was gasping for air. “You won’t tell your father about this or I will slit his throat.” “You wouldn’t,” Emilia protested as she continued to struggle for freedom. “Your employer wants my father alive.” “I can always tell him that your father slit his own throat,” Peters smiled as he pressed against her, “rather than come with us.” He moved his hand and ran his thumb over her lips. “You don’t want that to happen, do you?” “You really think I’m going to let you rape me?” Emilia hissed. She stiffened as his hand moved under her blouseand she felt him pawing her breast. “Let me go!” She heard the rattle of chainand felt something hardand cold on her left wrist. Peters dragged her over to the bedand cuffed her to it. “Please don’t do this!” “You have a decision to make, darling,” Peters said as he ran his hand along Emilia’s breast, his eyes never leaving hers. “You will let me have you tonight, or your father will be dead in the morning.” He patted her cheekand then gagged her. “I’ll let you think about it,” he said as he heard the front door opening, “while the rest of us have dinner.” Emilia watched him leave,and then heard the distinctive sound of him locking her inside. She pulled at the cuffs holding her to the rails in her headboard, but she couldn’t loosen them. What could she do, she asked herself as she leaned back, her eyes closed against the tears threatening to fall. If she didn’t let the man rape her, he would murder her father. But how could she let him do that to her? She couldn’t free herself,and she couldn’t cry for help. She tried one more time to pull free of the cuffsand then sank down on the mattress to put her mind to some plan. “Where’s my daughter?” Dominik asked the moment he was inside. He glared at the man coming down the hall. “If you’ve hurt her, Peters; I’ll rip your black heart out!” “I wouldn’t harm that darling child of yours, Doc,” Peters told him bluntly. “The Professor would rip my head off. No,” he continued as he shoved Dominik towards the kitchen, “your pretty daughter is just enjoying a little alone time. She will continue to remain untouched as long as you do as you are told.” He saw the look of defeat on Dominik’s faceand nodded. “I knew you could be reasoned with, Doc.” He took a second pair of cuffs out of his jacket pocketand cuffed one of Dominik’s wrists to the chair he was shoved into. “We’ll have dinner now, like the old friends we are.” “How did you know where to find me?” Dominik asked as he watched the two men eating. He refused to touch the food. “Your old friend, Doctor Martin told us,” Peters replied, “right before I slit his throat.” He saw Dominik pale. “He stole some very important information from the Professor six years ago. Then you both disappeared. When we finally caught up with him,” the man’s smile was coldly pleased, “he was quite eager to tell us where you were.” “He hoped it would keep him alive,” Murphy sniffed. “You’d think he would know better. The Professor does not suffer traitors.” He looked at Dominik. “The only reason you are not under an extermination order is because he needs your skillsand the information Martin passed you.” “If you’re not going to eat,” Peters said, “we might as well put you to bed.” He nodded to Murphy. “I’ll leave that to you, partner. I’ll give the girl something to eat.” “Leave her alone, Peters!” Dominik hissed as Murphy dragged him to his feetand cuffed his wrists behind his back. Peters merely smiledand watched as Murphy took Dominik to his roomand secured him. He went to Emilia’s roomand removed her gag. Then he freed one wristand yanked her out to the kitchen, cuffing her to the same seat her father had been in earlier. He nodded towards the foodand she shook her head. “If you’re not hungry,” he said as he started to free her, “then we can get on to other activities.” Emilia rammed her elbow into his hateful faceand he fell back with a cry of anger. She was on her feetand running for the door before he could recover. Murphy arrived in time to see her yanking open the doorand he caught herand dragged her back. Peters slapped her across the face, his eyes cold with anger. He fastened the cuffs, pinning her arms behind her back. Then he grabbed a handful of her hairand shoved her towards the hall. “You’ve got first watch, Murphy,” Peters said coldly. “Miss Sobieskiand I need to talk about her attitude.” He saw his partner’s lookand knew what he was thinking. “Don’t worry,” he said in a language only the two of them knew, “I won’t harm the brat. I just mean to give her something to think about so she behaves herself.” Peters forced Emilia back into her roomand shoved her down onto the bed. He locked the door againand stood watching her. Emilia could see he was intent on making her afraid of him. How far would he go to instill that fear? As far as he had threatened? He came towards herand she backed away as far as the cuffs would allow her to go. Peters sat down on the bedand ran his hand along her bare leg; his eyes warm with admiration. “You have a very beautiful voice, girl,” he said as he locked eyes with her. “You have any other talents I might enjoy?” “Quit toying with me,” Emilia protested as she tried to move away from this man. “If you are going to rape me, get it over with. Otherwise,” she snapped at him, “leave me alone, Przestępca!” “You are very calm for a girl about to be assaulted,” Peters smiled. “Just how far did your father go into teaching you about sex?” His hand moved up under the skirt of Emilia’s sundressand he saw the uncertainty in her eyes. She was still an innocent. “As appealing as the thought of being the man lucky enough to be your first is,” he said as he gagged her; “our orders regarding you were quite specific.” He patted her cheek. “Some other time, perhaps.” He left the roomand locked the door. He joined Murphy at the kitchen tableand they finished the meal in silence. He couldn’t forget the way anger made that girl’s eyes blaze like emeralds. She was such a beautiful girl,and so very desirable. He wanted to take her as his ownand keep her safe. He shook his head at such a disloyal thoughtand got to his feet to check out what was on the television. If they were going to spend the night, he figured, they might as well make themselves comfortable. Murphy suddenly frozeand Peters knew something was wrong. “I’ll get the doctor,” he said as he ran to unlock the back door,and then hurried to Dominik’s room. “You get the girl.” Jason moved into the alley as part of the second watchand arrived in time to see two men bringing Dominikand Emilia out of the rear of the building. The men were angry, but worse, they were alert. Jason knew he would have to be very careful if he were going to take these men down. Any misstep would cause harm to come to Dominikand Emilia;and that was not acceptable. He called for backupand moved into position behind a dumpster to wait. “You don’t want to do this!” Dominik was protesting as he was shoved into the back of the car. His eyes were wild with fear, Jason noted, but not for himself. “Leave her here!” “We’ve had that discussion, Doc,” the man hissed at him. He turned to his companion. “Your daughter is coming with us.” “Glenville Police! Freeze!” Jason ordered as he drew his gun. A second later, he was diving for cover as one of the men fired. Jason pulled his cell out. “This is Cross. There’s a kidnapping going down at the Marks’ garage. Where’s that backup?” He looked up to see the taller man trying to force Emilia into the back of the car. A bullet hit near his headand he had to take cover again. There was the sound of blows being struckand then a thudand a cry of pain. The tall man had his hand to the back of his head. He backhanded Emiliaand she hit the walland collapsed to the ground. Jason fired as the man reached for herand Murphy backed off, frowning as his partner told him to hurry. Jason fired one more shotand Murphy got in the car. Jason watched as it backed down the alleyand took off down the street with a squeal of tires. “Emi?” Jason called out softly as he crouched down next to her. “Are you all right?” The girl did not respondand he saw that she was out cold. He checked her pulseand was relieved to find it strong. He got out the celland called in the license number on the car,and asked the officer on the other end to send an ambulance. Then he waited with his friend for help to arrive. Moments after Dominik was taken, a squad car arrived at the garage. The car squealed to a stop in front of the building,and a tall, silver-haired man with deep blue eyes ran in. The expression on Lieutenant Simon’s hawk-like face was angry. Mama Cross had called him once the reception had died down, not satisfied with Donald’s story about ‘college friends’ coming to visit. Something about them had told her these people were trouble. Her son’s report on arriving for duty had confirmed it. He couldn’t understand why anyone would want to harm Donald Marks, but he was a friendand Daniel never let his friends down. This man gave more to charity than anyone else in town. His daughter was Glenville’s darling, with her gentle touchand sweet nature. He strode inand took stock of the scene. The cash register was closed; so robbery had not been the men’s purpose. He hurried out to the alley where Jason was keeping watch over Emilia. She had come toand was obviously in pain. But it was the tears of anguish in her eyes at being unable to stop those men that struck him. “One byłby nie przerywać,” she was sobbing as Daniel joined them. Jason was holding her in his arms, his jaw clenched in anger. “I tried to make them stop, but they were too strong.” She looked up at Daniel in anguish,and he saw the bruising from the beating she’d taken. He pulled out a set of keysand freed her from the handcuffs. She watched him slip them into an evidence bag. “They took my father, Lieutenant Simon!” “And we will get him back for you, girl,” Daniel nodded, struck by a fierce need to do all he could to see her smile again. He turned as Officer Samantha Edwards came out of the garage, her ice blue eyes hard. “Anything?” “These men knew what they were doing,” Sammy frowned. “Every person from five blocks over had to be here earlier today, but no one I spoke to so far saw or heard anything.” Daniel found that he had to agree. He went into the apartment in backand saw signs of struggle. Emiliaand Donald had definitely not gone down peacefully. He frowned as he went over the other rooms, wondering why the man’s shadow protector hadn’t bothered to warn him that this was going to happen. The man, who called himself Alpha, had shown up about the same time Donaldand Sally moved in. He had made a brief visit to Danieland told him that he was here to keep an eye on the couple. He wouldn’t go into any specifics; just that the couple needed to remain safe. Of course, the life Donald had lived before heand his family had come to Glenville was something Daniel only had the briefest knowledge of. He knew Donald had been a doctor,and that he was in hiding because of something he knew, but nothing more. “Nothing missing,” Sammy called out from the store. “It wasn’t a botched robbery attempt. She looked at the door as the bell rang. “Mama Cross.” “Something bad happened to our friends,” Mama Cross said without preamble. She stepped inside, her eyes moving over the store. Danieland Sammy let her be. Mama Cross was a proven psychic. They had learned not to question her talents. “Donald was afraid of these men,” she said as she laid her hand on the counter. “They brought the past with them.” “I always felt that our friend was hiding something,” Daniel muttered to himself. “Nothing appears to be disturbed, so why were they here?” “They took them to the apartment,” Mama Cross said softly as she followed the trail of fading emotions to the back. “Donald was confused, lost to the past. Emilia was angry,and very determined to fight.” She frowned as she went out into the alleyand saw Emilia’s condition. “There was no need for them to hurt her like that.” She crouched down next to Emiliaand the girl leaned against her, seeking comfort as she began to shake. Mama Cross laid her hand on Daniel’s arm as he started back into the buildingand looked into his eyes sternly. “Where they are taking our friend is a place of dark secretsand terrible deeds. He must be found before they reach that place or he will be lost.” “We’ll get an APB out immediately,” Daniel nodded. He had a strange feeling that it wasn’t going to make any difference. The sound of sirens filled the airand then an ambulance was pulling down the alley. “Jason,” he said to his officer, “stay with Emilia.” He saw a man he recognized at the end of the alleyand frowned. What was he doing here? “I’ll be right back, Sammy. Take over a moment.” He walked to the manand met his cold gray-green eyes. “It’s started, hasn’t it?” “He wants the doctor back under his control,” the stranger nodded. “He’ll do whatever it takes to accomplish that,” he added as he watched Emilia being helped into the ambulance; “No matter whom he has to hurt in the process.” “He’s going to send men back for her, isn’t he?” Daniel frowned at the thought. “She’s just a child, Alpha. What possible threat can she be to him?” “I think his reasons for wanting the girl are far darker than just keeping her quiet,” Alpha told him. He reached into his back pocketand pulled out his wallet. He slid out a picture. “Dominikand Karen Sobieski on their wedding day,” he told him as he handed it over. “Who does Karen remind you of, Lieutenant?” “Emilia looks just like her,” Daniel exclaimed. “So Donald is…” “The girl’s biological father, Dominik Antoni Sobieski. Yes,” Alpha finishedand put the picture back in his wallet. “That makes her a very valuable hostage, wouldn’t you agree? For the man who has her father,and any enemies that man has.” He watched the ambulance leave. “The young officer you sent with the girl,” he asked as his eyes followed the vehicle; “is he capable of protecting her if they make another attempt?” “Damn!” Daniel caught what the man was telling him. “Edwards! Mitchell!” he exclaimed as he ran back down the alley. “Get after that ambulance now!” He turned to see that the stranger was goneand knew he was on his own. Damn Alpha, he cursed as he went about the investigation. He’d been popping inand out of Glenville since Donald appeared, dropping his little hints. Why couldn’t he have warned him? Donald wouldn’t be goneand Emilia wouldn’t be hurt. “This is getting worseand worse.” “Perhaps I can help, Lieutenant?” a tall dark-haired man who bore a strong resemblance to Donald Marks said as he came into the alley. He held out his hand. “My name is Antoni Lorenz Sobieski,and I would like to talk to you about my cousin, Dominik.” He saw Daniel’s reaction. “I believe you know him as Donald Marks.” * He had been hoping he would never have to make this call, Adam Sobieski thought as he made his way into his office at Magyar Investigations in Philadelphia. He strode past his sister at the reception deskand Felicia watched him go, shaking her head. Something very serious was going on, if her brother couldn’t take a second to say hello. When he closed the door, she was certain of it. Felicia was tempted to press the extensionand eavesdrop, but she would have heard about her lack of ethics for the rest of her life. It wasn’t worth it. Adam would tell her who he was callingand why; if she needed to know. “Ojciec,” he said as his call went through. “Winslow found Dominikand Emilia.” His frown darkened. “I just received a call from our friend, Alpha. He says that around 7:00 p.m. this evening, two of Winslow’s men took Dom. They were prevented from taking his daughter by one of the Glenville police officers.” He nodded his head. “I will have Felicia send out the call, sir.” He hung upand pressed the intercom. “Sister,” he said simply, “Ojciec has called a conclave.” He didn’t need to say anything more. Every member of the Sobieski family knew that a conclave meant serious business. No one would miss it, if it were at all possible. He wondered how Winslow had found out where Dominik was. They had gone to a great deal of trouble to give his brother a new identityand a safe place to hide with his wifeand daughter. There could be only one explanation, Adam thought to himself. That bastard Martin had lived through the attack at the orphanageand found a way to get word to Winslow, as a way to save his own neck. He gathered his report on the situationand left the office with Felicia. Before they left, he wrote the word ‘conclave’ in large block letters on the chalkboard. His partners would know where heand Felicia had gone in case they were needed. “How could they have been found, Adam?” Felicia frowned as they drove north out of Philadelphiaand headed north to the family compound. “We did everything by the book to put himand his family into hiding.” “I’m thinking Martin sold him out,” Adam told his younger sister. He saw her frown. “Otherwise, someone in the family or at Magyar Investigations did.” “That would never happen!” Felicia exclaimed. “We do not betray our own!” “Then we shall have to go on the assumption that Doctor Martin was responsible,” Adam replied. He pulled up to the compound gateand pressed in his personal code. A small box rose upand he pressed his thumb into it. “Adam Jozef Sobieski for conclave,” he said in Polish. The gates openedand he drove through. They drove up the driveand parked in front of the immense castle that had been the Sobieski home in America for the past two centuries. A tall golden-haired man came outand Felicia ran up to himand threw her arms around his neck. This was her husband, Doctor Geoffrey Caine. They went insideand joined the others in the lounge while Adam went into his father’s study. Piotr Sobieski was seated at his desk, a dark look on his face. He told Adam to close the doorand made him repeat everything he had been told. “It is what Lieutenant Daniel Simon told your cousin, Antoni,” Piotr nodded. Antoni Novak was a reporter for the Philadelphia Herald, but it was not as a reporter that he had approached Daniel. Antoni had been given permission by his uncle to make the officer aware of Dominik’s familyand their desire to help him with his investigation. “He was also told that Emilia was hurt when the men took her father. She was sent to the hospital in Glenville.” “So what do we do now, Ojciec?” “We are going to have to move a few more of us into Glenville,” Piotr told him. “Emilia will need her family close now. Professor Winslow is not going to stop with your brother.” He held his hand up as Adam started to say something. “We will discuss the rest of this with the entire family, Adam.” Adam noddedand went to open the door. He stepped aside for Piotr to go first. He was the family elder; it was his due. The rest of the family rose to their feet as he enteredand remained standing until he had taken his seat by the fire. He nodded as his eldest daughter, Karolina, brought him a drink. She went to sit next to her husband, Doctor Peter Brett, on the other side of the room. Piotr took a moment to look around the room, pleased to see that everyone was in attendance, except his missing son, Dominik,and Emilia, a granddaughter he had yet to meet. Such a handsome family, he thought with pleasure. Professor Winslow would rue the day he ever moved against one of their own. The Sobieski family spent the next several hours discussing exactly how the family would rearrange itself to be in a better position to help Emilia. * Emilia was still stunned by everything that had happened. She couldn’t believe that anyone would want to hurt her or her father. What had those men wanted with him? It was obvious from the fear her father had been feeling that he had known what was happening. She let herself be led onto the ambulanceand sat back to let the EMTs look her over. Her mind was still trying to puzzle out what had happened to her father. Had those men taken the wrong man? She hated not knowing. Her father had been adamant that the men leave her behind; they had been just as determined that she be included in the trip. “I don’t understand why they took my father, Jay,” Emilia said as the ambulance pulled away from the garage. “They kept calling him by some other name.” She looked increasingly worried. “What if they took the wrong man? They would have no reason not to hurt him.” “Your father is going to be all right, Emilia,” Jason told her. He patted her hand and felt her relax slightly. “We’re going to find himand…” “Is something wrong, Jay?” Emilia asked, her eyes showing fear once more. “They’re not taking us to the hospital, Emi,” Jason whispered into her ear. “We should have been there by now.” “You don’t think…” Emilia went pale as the thought that the kidnappers had them Crossed her mind at his warning. “Jason, we have to get out of here.” “I’ll take care of you, Emi,” Jason nodded. He looked up towards the two men in frontand then went to the back doors. He opened themand there was a rush of air. Jason nearly fell outand Emilia barely controlled the cry of alarm the sight of him hanging on the door illicited. “It’s all right,” Jason smiled as he got his footing. He held his hand out to her. “We’re going to have to jump for it,” he said as Emilia came to his side. He saw her hesitationand squeezed her had. “You can do it, Emi. Dropand roll; just like one of the moves I showed you in training.” As they jumped, the ambulance suddenly squealed to a halt. Emilia hit the pavementand heard the screech of tiresand the blare of horns as the car behind the ambulance swerved to avoid hitting them. Jason was on his feet. Emilia was lying a few feet away, stunned by what he had just made her do. He pulled her to her feetand they ran as quickly as they could, given the fact that her head was throbbing in pain, into the trees. Jason looked around for some place for them to hideand smiled as he saw the old mine. Heand his brothers,and several of the other neighborhood boys, used to bike up here when they were younger to explore. He knew the tunnels like his own backyard. “Where are we going, Jay?” Emilia asked as he pulled her insideand guided her along the darkening tunnels. “We’ll get lost in there.” “There’s a way out the back,” Jason told her. “By the time they catch up, we’ll be back in Glenville.” “You’ve been here before,” Emilia realized. Images of himselfand his siblingsand friends playing in the dark tunnels flooded into her mind. “Did your Mama know you were playing around in a place like this?” “If she had,” Jason smiled at her as he took another left, “I wouldn’t be here saving your neck.” He saw the anguish on her faceand hugged her. “We’ll find him, Emilia. Your father is going to be just fine.” He cupped her chin in his hand and locked eyes with her. “We’re going to be fine.” Emilia nodded, relieved that he was with her. She followed him deeper into the mine, glad he was so confident. If she had been alone, she would be completely lost now. The thought of wandering these tunnels until she died of hunger or thirst sent a chill up her spine. Jason squeezed her hand reassuringlyand she relaxed. There was the sound of falling rockand then a curse. Jason frowned as he realized how close their pursuers had to be. Heand Emily weren’t going to make it out of the mines before their pursuers caught up with them. He saw a side tunneland went halfway down it until it joined another. “They’re right on our tail, Emi,” he said as he pushed her down the second tunnel. “You stay here until I come back for you.” “Jason,” Emilia frowned as he turnedand ran off, “please don’t leave…” “Do as I say, Emi!” Jason broke in over her plea. “If they catch us now, there’s no telling what they’ll do to us.” Emilia sank down on the groundand hugged her legs to her chest. She put her chin on her kneesand waited. She knew he was risking his neck for her,and it bothered her. Surely he knew by now that she could look out for herself? Hadn’t he been one of her teachers when Dominik had decided to teach her how to defend herself? A surge of shame filled her as she remembered how ineffectual her skills had been against the men who had taken her father. She heard a gunshot echoing through the tunnelsand bit her lip. She couldn’t just sit here when he was playing decoy to protect her. She got up on her feetand headed back the way he’d brought her. There were two more gunshotsand then the cry of someone in a great deal of pain. “Jason!” Emilia cried out in dismay as she arrived at the entrance to the minesand saw him lying on the ground. Blood was spreading out from the wound on his arm. She sank to her knees beside himand began to draw his pain from him. His eyes shot openand he looked at her, dazed. “Oh Jason!” she sobbed as she saw that he had been hit at least once more. “You’re hurt!” “Why didn’t you stay where I hid you, Emi?” Jason asked her as he heard the men moving in. He shoved her back into the mine. “Run, girl! Run!” Emilia didn’t hesitate. She had seen his warning. The men who had taken them were closeand they meant to retrieve her. She ran down the main tunnel to the first turningand froze as a tall, black-skinned man stepped out of a side tunnel to cut her escape off. She backed away from him, shaking her head. She ran down another tunneland ducked as a tall Hispanic man tried to grab her. A second later, she was crying out in alarm as her feet slippedand she fell to the ground, banging her kneesand scraping her handsand lower arms. Pain surged through her as she tried to get on her feet. She had hurt her ankle in the fall as well, Emilia realized. She was in tears as she tried to get moving again. The second man caught herand held her arms to her sides so she could not fight. “You didn’t need to hurt him,” Emilia cried as the dark-skinned man approached. “You Przestępca!” “He shouldn’t have gotten involved,” Bravo’s cold voice replied. He grabbed Emilia by the hairand yanked her back down the tunnel. “We’ve wasted enough time here.” He frowned as he realized her stumbling was only partly due to struggle. He picked her up in his armsand nodded to his companion. “Let’s go!” “You can’t leave him here like that,” Emilia protested as they went past Jason, who had passed out from the pain. “He’ll bleed to death if he doesn’t get help.” “We didn’t hurt him that badly, girl,” the man told her. “He’ll find his way to help.” She glared at him coldlyand he laughed. “You behave yourselfand no one else has to get hurt. Understand?” Emilia noddedand he smiled. “Good girl.” They hurried back to the ambulanceand Bravo sat her down on the gurney. He had strapped her down before she could even think to move. She was in so much pain now that her eyes were blurring. She watched the man go to the supply cabinetand pull out a syringe. He pressed its needle into a drug vialand began to draw out the liquid. “What are you doing?” Emily asked, her voice quavering with pain,and more than a bit of fear. “I’m just going to give you a little something to help you sleep,” Bravo answered. “and take the edge off the pain you’re in.” “No,” Emilia cried out in protest as she felt a needle prick her arm. “Please let me go!” “You don’t need to be frightened, girl,” the dark-skinned man told her gently. He wondered why he felt compelled to tell her this. “No one is going to hurt you.” Emilia wasn’t at all certain that was true. For the past several hours she had been in nothing but pain because these strangers had come for her father. What did they want with him?And why had they taken her? It all had something to do with her father’s life before she had ever come into it, so what use could she possibly be to these people? Were they planning on using her to force him to do as they told him? Her mind was spinning with questions as she slowly sunk into the darkness. “Sir,” the man said into his cell once Emilia was asleep. “We have Sobieski’s daughter. What do you want me to do with her?” He frowned as he got the answer. “Very well, sir.” “What?” the driver, a tall, dark eyed Hispanic man asked as the man joined him up front. “He wants the girl delivered to Stephen Winslow,” Bravo told his companion. “She’s just a child, Romeo. She shouldn’t be involved in this.” “Not our call, Bravo,” Romeo shrugged. He saw the man’s expressionand frowned. “It’s a shame, yes. But we have worked too hard getting into a position to move on the Professor to take any chances at this stage.” He looked at the girl. “She knows we shot that officer, Bravo.” “She won’t remember it,” Bravo told him as he readied another syringe. He injected the drug into her vein. “This will remove the last hour from her mind.” “Do you ever miss a step, Bravo?” Romeo asked as he eyed his partner with respect. “Not if I can help it,” Bravo replied. He looked upand his expression darkened. “Oh hell!” He nodded towards the open door. “We’ve got company, bro.” Sammy drove up in her squad car with Officer Mitchell’s squad directly behind. She parked directly in front of the ambulanceand got out, her ice blue eyes cold as she quickly approached the ambulance. Bravo toyed with the idea of running for it, but something in the woman’s eyes told him that would not be a good idea. He admired the woman’s lean frame as she glided towards them; not one motion was wasted. A woman like him, he found himself thinking as he got out of the ambulance with Romeo beside him. Mitchell got out of his car, which he had parked behind the ambulance,and saw Emilia. “Emi is here,” Mitchell reported tightly as he undid the catch on his holster, “but Jason is missing.” He glared at the men. “What happened to our officer, gentlemen?” “We don’t know,” Bravo lied easily. “We were headed to the hospital when a car pulled in front of us. We had to pull off the road to avoid hitting it.” He looked at the manand saw he was not entirely convinced. Looking at the woman was like staring into an iceberg. There was no telling how much of his lie she was going to believe. “The car went down that side roadand the Officer followed. Told us to stay put until he got back.” “Only thing down there is the abandoned mine,” Mitchell told Sammy. “Jasonand his brothers; meand mine; we used to play in there.” He eyed the men closely. “No one has any business going down there.” “We’ll have to check it out,” Sammy nodded. She suddenly did not like the idea of leaving Emilia with these men. There was something altogether too off about the pair. They didn’t belong in an ambulance, she found herself thinking. They belonged on the battlefield. She locked eyes with Bravo. “I’ll take Emilia with me,” she told him. “Please put her in the squad car.” Bravoand Romeo exchanged one quick glanceand then he shrugged. He knew that messing with the authorities to this extent was not wise. He got Emiliaand put her in the back of the squad car. Sammy noddedand turned to her partner, who had been watching the men quite closely. Mitchell was fairly bristling, his hand resting on the butt of his gun. So her uneasiness around these men was not her imagination, Sammy noted. Something about that only unnerved her more. “You can be on your way, gentlemen,” Sammy told them. “There are other people in need of transport.” She saw them glancing at her squad car. “Don’t worry about the girl. I’ll see she gets to the hospital.” There was nothing either man could do. They had standing orders about involving the authorities in their work – it just was not done. So they got into the ambulanceand drove off. Sammy turned to Mitchelland nodded. The man hurried towards the mineand a few minutes later, his excited voice was coming over the walkie-talkie. Jason was there, with two bullet wounds. He was alive,and he was as mad as hell. Unfortunately, when heand Mitchell came back to the squad, he could not tell them who had attacked him. He had never seen their faces. Sammy made a judgment calland took the pair back to Glenville, to the town doctor’s office. Carsen put Emilia upstairs in his guest room; the men in the ambulance, he told Sammy, had done a good job of patching her up. He was just tending Jason’s wounds, both throughand through, when Daniel arrived. He scowled as he listened to the reports. “There is no evidence linking the men driving the ambulance to this attack,” Sammy finished up. She saw Jason’s lookand almost glared at him. “You didn’t see the face of the man or men who shot you, Jase. Only Emi can put those men at the scene,and she’s out cold.” “You have your suspicions, however,” Daniel noted. “I have a feeling,” Sammy corrected him, “that we are going to find that no one matching their descriptions works for the ambulance company.” She closed her eyes a moment to still the reaction that was just setting in. “Whoever those men were, they were professionals. If they shot Jason, they did it when Emi couldn’t witness it.” She had a very uncomfortable feeling that they hadn’t seen the last of those two men. “They’re going to come back for her, aren’t they?” “We can bet on it,” Daniel nodded. “Stay close to her, Sammy.” He pulled out his cell phoneand dialed the number he’d been given as Antoni left. “They failed in their first two attempts on the girl,” he said simply. “You might want to arrange a safe house.” “That won’t be necessary, Lieutenant,” Stephen said as he arrived. “My name is Doctor Stephen Winslow. My fatherand I are friends of Dominik Sobieski. I came here to offer my assistance to his daughter.” * While Emilia was being rescued from her team of abductors, Dominik arrived at the private airfield west of town. He was shoved aboard the waiting jetand was not in the least surprised to see Professor Samuel Winslowand his sons waiting for him. The three men were almost cast from the same mold, tall, lean, dark-haired, green eyed. Silver streaked the darkness at Samuel’s temples,and his maturity was quite evident from the lines around his eyes. Of the three of them, only Stephen’s eyes held a momentary regret. Dominik saw him clamp it down before the others could catch it. “Welcome back, Dom,” Samuel smiled coldly as Dominik was shoved into a seat. He looked at Petersand Murphy. “Sloppy work, gentlemen. The girl should be here with us.” “The Glenville police were more efficient than we’d been led to believe,” Peters told his employer tightly. “Seems one of them lives right in the neighborhood.” “Indeed,” Samuel replied, glancing briefly at his son. “Stephen will have to keep that in mind before he makes the next attempt.” “Leave her out of this, Samuel.” Dominik pleaded. “Emilia doesn’t know anything…” “I have no interest in your daughter for what she might know, Dom,” Samuel broke in coldly. “I merely wish to keep her close as an incentive for you to do as you are told.” He looked over at his son. “Stephen, you know what to do.” Stephen noddedand left the jet. A moment later, the hatch was closedand the engines started firing. “Now, Dom. Let’s talk about the microdots.” He leaned back, enjoying the worry on his old friend’s face. “If you give them to me, I might just tell my son to leave your daughter alone.” “Martin used my daughter to draw me out,” Dominik told his abductor. “He snuck into the orphanage where Karen left her before she died,and made her his hostage!” He tightened his grip on her hand, frowning as he remembered the night in question. “Then he called meand told me what he’d done. He ordered me to meet him at the orphanage; told me he’d leave my daughter alone if I hid the microdots for himand stood ready to assist him again, if he needed it.” Samuel remembered Martin. That man had been almost as cold-hearted a bastard as the he was. He had disappeared one night six years ago with some very vital information. His men had caught up with him six years laterand he eventually told them that he had passed the microdots on to Sobieski. Peters wondered how the man could have left his daughter unaware of the danger of what Martin had given her all those years ago simply to protect the information those microdots contained. He hadn’t thought Sobieski was capable of being that cold. “You left your daughter vulnerable, Doc,” Peters snapped at the man. “For what? You could have sent the microdots on to the FBI or something.” “I didn’t know whom to trust,” Dominik told him. He looked at the professor. “Samuel has connections everywhere.” “You should have remembered that before you made a run for it, Dom,” Samuel replied. “You’ve made us waste six years of valuable research time looking for you.” His eyes were hardand cold with anger. “Tell me where the information is,and your daughter is safe.” “All right,” Dominik nodded. He knew he had no choice, but he wasn’t about to give this monster back the research. He was the only one who knew he was lying. “The microdots are in my safe deposit box at the bank in Glenville.” “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” He looked over at his men. “We are going to have to fake his death so no one comes after him. Stephenand the girl will retrieve the microdots when he helps her settle her ‘late’ father’s estate.” Two men turned from the observation room window, both frowning darkly. Winslow had his pet mad scientist back, but he had left a witness behind. The man was getting sloppier all the time,and he was jeopardizing everything. Hamilton Snow, tall, silver-haired, with cold blue eyes, turned to his companion, Hawke Thornton, a recently barred attorney,and his nephew by marriage. The younger man was eager to be about his first task on behalf of the organization. “I want you to keep an eye on this situation, Hawke,” Hamilton told him. “Don’t insert yourself into it unless you believe it the only way to keep the organization safe.” “Yes, sir,” Hawke nodded. “Perhaps Zachary would be the best route to take.” He looked at his uncle. “He is going to be involved in whatever the Professor is planning for the girl sooner or later,and,” his smiled was cold as he made his plans, “he is always in need of a good attorney.” “Smart boy,” Hamilton smiled briefly,and nodded. “Just remember to keep us apprised of the situation.” He laid his hand on his nephew’s armand Hawke waited. “The doctor’s daughter is to be protected, if at all possible. We owe it to the man.” Hawke noddedand left the complex. He waited until he was back across town, in his own apartment. He knew there were no bugs in this place; he had a team sweep it while they ‘cleaned’ it for him. He nodded to the pretty brunette, Sofia, as she was leaving. Then he went to his officeand dialed a number, his expression grim. “This is the Hunter,” he said to the person on the other line. “He has the doctor backand plans to go after the girl.” He frowned as the other person spoke. “I am in no position to go for her myself. I’ve been tasked with observation only. He’s sent son number one after the girl. I suggest you move quickly.” He hung up as the door opened. “Is that sufficient?” “It will have to be,” Stephen nodded as he stepped into the room. He sank down on the couch with a frown. “I’ve taken a position at the Glenville Hospital. My father will expect me to move on Emilia as soon as I arrive in town.” He looked at his old friend. “I’m counting on you, Hawke. If it’s a call between me or the girl; save the girl.” “No problem, my friend,” Hawke nodded. He saw Stephen’s frownand he grinned. “You,” he held up one hand, “or a pretty girl,” he held up the other hand. “No contest.” “You’d better tread carefully, Hawke.” Stephen smiled briefly,and shook his head as he got to his feet. “My brother may give off the air of ennui, but he is every bit as deadly as my father is.” He thought about some of the contests he had with his younger siblingand his frown returned. “Deadlier. He has absolutely no conscience.” * Emilia woke upand found herself lying in a large bedroom. She sat up in shock as she looked around the unfamiliar space. What kind of kidnapper lived in such a palace? She got upand looked down at the peach silk negligee she was wearing. She pulled on the matching robeand put the slippers resting beside the bed on. She caught herself on the bedpost a moment as the room spun around her. Her ankle was throbbing only slightly now. Someone had done an expert job of wrapping it for her, Emilia noted. She hobbled slowly over to the windows to the left of the headboardand looked out. The gardens outside were well tended. The door openedand she turned to see a short, gray-haired woman come in with a tray. “Good morning, Miss Sobieski,” the woman smiled pleasantly as she set the tray down on the table by the wall of windows in the smaller room to the left. “My name is Martha.” “Where am I, Martha?” Emilia asked as she joined the woman in the other room. “I was in an ambulance…” “Doctor Winslow will tell you everything, Miss,” Martha told her as she set the platesand silverware out. She finished clearing the trayand put it under her arm. “I don’t know a Doctor Winslow,” Emilia frowned. What was going on here, she wondered. Was this the man who had abducted her father,and sent more men after her? But why would she be treated like an honored guest in that case. She was so confused. “Why am I here?” “His father was an old friend of your father’s.” Sadness crossed her face as she looked at the girl. “He thought it would be better if you were among those who knewand cared for your father…” She bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t supposed to say anything.” The door openedand Stephen stepped into the room. “Doctor Winslow.” “Thank you, Martha,” Stephen smiled at the woman. “I think Miss Sobieskiand I can handle things from here.” He saw the woman to the doorand closed it. Then he came to the tableand sat down. “Please, Emilia,” he smiled as he nodded for her to join him. “I may call you Emilia, may I not?” She hesitated before nodding. “And you must call me Stephen.” “Why am I here?” Emilia repeated her earlier question as she joined him at the table. “Your doctor thought it would be better if you were somewhere that didn’t remind you of the kidnapping,” Stephen told her. “I just joined the staff at the Glenville Hospital, so I volunteered to take you in.” “Why would you do that? It’s not like we know each other,” Emilia said hesitantly. This man evoked images of deep forest glens in her mind with his deep brown hairand forest green eyes. She found herself wondering what it would be like to have his lips… Emilia cleared her mind of the imageand sat down across from him. “The woman said you knew my father…” “Oh yes,” Stephen nodded, smiling pleasantly. “Your fatherand mine have been friends for over thirty years. I’ve known your father all of my life.” He looked at herand his expression was gentle; as if he didn’t want to continue but knew he needed to. “When the kidnappers demanded that my father be the go-between, he agreed immediately. But it wasn’t enough. By the time the authorities arrived, your father…” He bit his lipand wished he didn’t need to tell her what he had only just learned. “I’m sorry, Emilia.” He grew silentand could tell from her expression that she knew what he was going to say. “The men who took your father killed him.” “No,” Emilia shook her head in denial. “To nie jest prawda. It’s not true!” She was adamant. “They were working for some man they called the Professor. He wanted my father alive.” “I can’t tell you what they wanted,” Stephen said sadly, “or why they felt they had to kill him. All I know is that my father was just arriving with the ransom,” Stephen told her, “when he heard the gunshot.” She looked as if she was going to argue with him again, but she let it go. He laid his hand on hersand shared her grief. “There was nothing he could do.” “It doesn’t make any sense,” Emilia frowned. “They were so determined to get him to that man. Why would they change their plans?” “Your father was a very good man, Emilia,” Stephen ignored her questions. “I am going to miss him.” He watched her get to her feetand go to the windows. He came up behind herand felt her stiffen as he laid his hands on her shoulders. He turned her to face himand saw the way the tears made her glorious eyes glow like the gems they borrowed their color from. “We wanted to wait until you recovered your strength, Emilia,” he said to her gently as he cupped her chin in his hand and raised her eyes to his, “but we had to bury him.” “How long have I been here?” Emilia asked him, realizing what he was saying. “It’s been three days since they took your father,” Stephen told her truthfully. She had reacted quite violently to the sedative he had given herand had feared he was going to lose her. At the time, he had the strange thought that her body was purging the sedative from her system,and she had lost control of the process. “This is the first morning you’ve been able to get around on your own.” He looked at her gently. There was something very special about this girl. She made him want to protect her. “I know this is all a shock to you, Emilia, but you need to eat.” He helped her back to the tableand Emilia tried her best to eat. But the thought of her father dying overwhelmed her. She set down the spoonand rose to her feet, only to collapse in a dead faint. When she recovered, she was lying on the bed. Stephen was seated next to her, pressing a wet cloth gently to her face. His expression was one of genuine concern,and this only caused her to break into tears. He pulled her into his armsand stroked her back as she cried. He was not going to play games with her. He would be the strong protector, the gentleand compassionate friend; that was what she needed right now. He shook his head as he reminded himself that she would belong to his father, not him. A week ago, that wouldn’t have mattered to him, but now it did; a great deal more than he would have dreamed possible. If Hawke’s call was not answered quickly, then he would act on his own. He could strike a blow against his fatherand help this pretty child at the same time. The more he thought about it, the more it appealed to him. “Doctor,” Martha’s voice spoke up from the doorway, “your father is on the phone. He would like to speak to you.” “I’ll be right there,” Stephen told her. He looked down into Emilia’s glorious gem tone eyesand felt something strange happen. Being here with her felt – right. “Stay with her, Martha. If she needs it, give Emilia a mild sedative to help her get some sleep.” Emilia watched him go for a momentand then curled up on the bed. It couldn’t be true. Her father couldn’t be dead. She needed someone she knew to tell her the truth. She sat upand looked around for a phone. There wasn’t one in the room. She got upand her ankle wouldn’t support her. She would have to wait a while for her body to be hers again, Emilia realized as she sank back down on the bed. Stephen caught all of this from the doorwayand frowned. The girl was no fool; she needed someone she knew to corroborate his story. He turnedand left the room, heading down the corridor to the massive staircase in the front entry hall. He went to the officeand picked up the receiver that Martha had left on the desk. “Well?” Samuel asked without preamble. “She is not taking the news of her father’s death well,” Stephen told him candidly. “Emilia is not stupid. She is going to want to have someone she knowsand trusts to tell her that her father is dead.” “Then isn’t it a good thing that I had him buried in Glenville next to his Sarah,” Samuel smiled coldly. “The whole town can stand as witness when you see to the man’s estate.” There was a long moment of silence. “Is there a problem, son?” “Isn’t it a little early to subject the girl to such an exercise, Father?” Stephen asked him bluntly. “She has only just learned that her father is dead…” “I am certain that you can convince her that it is for the best,” Samuel broke in. “You have a gift for persuasion that only one other person has ever exceeded.And that is only because I’ve had thirty more years of practice.” He took a swig of his own drinkand smiled. “Petersand Murphy will not be with you, so I trust you to keep your hands to yourself.” “I will treat her with the utmost careand concern,” Stephen said solemnly, surprised that he meant every word. “She is a very beautiful,and innocent young woman, Father.” “Just don’t ruin my plans, son,” Samuel’s voice was cold. “I will not have you jeopardizing everything because you can’t keep your hands to yourself.” “I give you my solemn vow, Father,” Stephen said as he crossed his heart, “that I will do my best to treat Miss Emilia Sobieski like the lady she is.” Stephen could almost imagine his father’s dark look. They spent the next few moments going over the plan. He would help Emilia see to the sale of her father’s businessand the storage of his belongings. Among them was hidden years of critical researchand formulae on a set of microdots, Samuel told him; they needed to be found,and returned to him immediately. The girl certainly had no knowledge of it, Samuel knew. Dominik had been almost pathological in his attempts to keep his daughter from knowing what he was doing. So this was the only way he could be certain it got into his hands. Stephen would play the concerned friendand see to everything while Emilia mourned her lost parent. It was a good plan, Samuel thought to himself as he hung up, so why did he suddenly feel like he was about to lose everything by executing it? * Mama Cross was waiting outside of the garage with her duplicate keys when Stephenand Emilia arrived in the doctor’s Jaguar. It had been two weeks since Emilia’s father had disappearedand the girl had been taken into this man’s care. He had allowed Emilia’s friends access to her from the first, so there was no reason to fault him. But Mama Cross couldn’t help thinking there was something this man was not saying. She watched him help Emilia out of the car with a gentleness that anyone watching would find no fault in, but it was too sincere. This man had only known the child for two weeks,and he was fawning over her like she was the most precious person in his life.And Emilia was eating it up. If something weren’t done, the poor innocent would fall into this man’s weband never escape. Mama Cross nodded at the introduction as she pulled Emilia into her armsand embraced her warmly. “You are welcome to stay with us, child,” she offered as Emilia went into the garage. She held the man back,and looked up at Stephen with a frown. “Emilia is like one of my own children, Doctor Winslow. I think you’re pushing her way too fast.” “I don’t disagree, Mrs. Cross,” Stephen nodded his understanding. “Emilia insisted that she was ready for this.” She could feel his sincerityand Mama Cross amended her appraisal of him. Something more going on behind that handsome face than was apparent at first glance. He was hiding – something –and that bothered her. Mama Cross had the uncomfortable feeling that his secret was going to bring danger to her beloved little friend. He waited for her to go into the garage ahead of him. Emily was standing in the middle of the garage office, frozen. She was shaking as they joined her. The moment the woman touched her shoulder, Emilia burst into tears. Mama Cross looked over Emilia’s head at Stephen. “It was too soon to bring her here, Doctor Winslow,” she said coldly. “She shouldn’t be here…” “I want to do this, Mama,” Emilia said softly as she looked at the woman. “Father would have wanted me to…” She chokedand found herself in Stephen’s arms.And it felt so – right – to be there in his arms all of the sudden. It took a great deal of effort to remember that she was here for a reason. She pulled away from him with a look of regret,and was surprised to see it mirrored in his eyes. “Ja jestem dobrze. I’m all right, Stephen.” She turned back to Mama Cross. “We’ll need boxesand a notebook for each room.” “Packing can wait until the will is read,” Stephen told her, smiling down at her gently. “Your father might have left certain items to his friends here.” He saw her nod. “The reading is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. We’ll go see the banker nowand then get some lunch.” “Surely Emilia would prefer to rest…” “It’s all right, Mama,” Emilia broke in. “I’ve had enough rest. I’d rather get things seen to.” She kissed the woman on the cheek. “I’ll stop in later.” “You see that you do, child,” Mama Cross nodded, though she was looking directly at Stephen. “Just don’t push yourself too hard.” Emilia noddedand got back in the car. She saw the frown on Stephen’s faceand wondered what was upsetting him. He hadn’t been at all happy to see Mama Cross waiting for them. It was like he didn’t want anyone else involved in this task. Why would he want that, Emilia asked herself as she gave him directions to the bankand settled back in her seat? He was treating her like she was his property. Something about the attitude suddenly worried herand angered her. “These people are my friends, Stephen,” she said softly as they pulled to a spot in front of the bank. “You could be a little nicer to them.” “I didn’t mean to be rude,” Stephen told her as he parkedand turned off the engine. “I’m just a little tired from the last shift. Maybe we should have rested.” He got outand opened the door for Emilia. “If you’d rather wait, we can go back to my house.” “No,” Emilia shook her head, “I want to get this done.” She walked into the bankand the manager rushed over to her. “Hello, Mr. Simon,” she smiled as the jolly old gray haired man, Lieutenant Daniel Simon’s uncle, put his arm around her shoulderand escorted her to his office. “How are you doing?” “Never better, darling,” Len said to her as he saw her into a seat. He looked at the young man with herand frowned. There was something off about the man. “Dan told me you’d be in town.” “This is Doctor Stephen Winslow,” Emilia introduced her companion to the bank manager. “I know Doctor Winslow, Emi,” Len smiledand held his hand out to Stephen. “He is one of our newest customers.” He looked a bit confused. “I didn’t know that you knew him, however.” “He knew my father, Mr. Simon,” Emilia explained the connection, “and is helping me settle the estate.” “It’s going to be rather easy,” Len smiled back at her, after a brief nod to Stephen. “Your father put everything in both your names, Emilia, so the only thing we need to do is put it all in your name alone.” “That was very efficient of him,” Stephen said softly. He saw the look the man shot himand knew he’d been overheard. “Will this take long? Emilia is still recoveringand needs to rest.” “No time at all,” Len replied tightly. He brought out the folderand turned it to her. Then he held out a pen. “Just a signature or twoand you’ll be set for life.” He saw her look of confusion as she saw that the accounts were all held in the name of Dominik Antoni Sobieskiand Emilia Elzabet Sobieski. “I was one of the few people in town who knew his real name,” Len nodded proudly; not bothering to tell them that it was Dominik’s uncle, Judge Leonard Novak, who had given him this information. “Margo will process the title changes for you,” he said as he handed her the safe deposit box keys, savings account book, credit cards,and checkbooks. “Your father left you a very tidy sum.” “Enough for college?” Emilia asked as she opened the savings account book, the money market account register,and the checking account. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw the amount noted there. Together they added up to almost twenty million dollars. She looked at Len in confusion. “I don’t understand. How is it possible for my father to have this kind of money?” She looked over at Stephen. “This is from his life before, isn’t it?” she said softly. “What was he, Stephen?” “A very gifted bio-chemist,” Stephen told her honestly. “Don’t worry, Emilia,” he smiled at her as he saw where her imagination was leading her. “It was all earned honestly. He worked very hard for the money he left you.” “So what do I do now?” Emilia asked, overwhelmed. “I don’t know anything about being rich.” “Start small,” Stephen told her. He handed the keys to her. “Right now, inventory the contents of the safe deposit box, Emilia.” He looked over at Len. “I’ll wait for you here.” Len took Emilia to his assistantand Margo took the girl into the safe deposit vault. She was shown how to access the boxand led to the private room. Emilia took a small notebook out of her purseand opened the box. Inside was an insurance policy, several bondsand other securities, all with her named as the beneficiary. There were also deeds to several pieces of real estate with her named on them along with her father. The value on all of these things was well over thirty million. She set all of them asideand opened several jewelers’ boxes. A letter fell out of the largest oneand she read it with tears in her eyes. Her real mother had left all of this to her. Emilia looked at the necklacesand ringsand braceletsand found herself wondering just who Karenand Dominik Sobieski had been. There was a small photo albumand Emilia looked at photographs of people she didn’t know, several photos of her with her parents until she was about a year old,and then looked once more at their wedding photo. A man who looked remarkably like Stephen stood as the best man. Stephen had told her about his family; was the man in this picture his father? “I’d rather have my family,” Emilia whispered. She frowned as she saw something stuck in the corner. “What’s this?” Emilia found an envelope hidden under a false bottomand her frown deepened as she saw that it was addressed to an Agent Adam Jozef Sobieski of the FBI, Philadelphia branch. She read the note pinned to itand realized that it was important. She left it off the registerand slid it into her purse. The only other thing she took with her was the photo album. She joined Stephen in Len’s officeand she kissed the man on the cheekand thanked him. Slipping the inventory into her purse with the other registers, she led Stephen down the street to her favorite local restaurant. “Miss Emilia!” a very tall, very round Japanese man came out of the back when a waitress ducked in back at her entry. He pulled her into his armsand held her tight. “We are so happy to see you back home.” “Mr. Ito,” Emilia smiled back, happy to see the man. She indicated Stephen. “This is Doctor Stephen Winslow. He has been looking after me since…” It still hurt to think of Father dead. “He’s been very good to me.” “Then Ito considers the man his friend,” the man nodded, though his expression was not as welcoming as he turned to look at Stephen. “Miss Emilia is very special to us, Doctor Winslow. This town would lose its heart if we lost her.” “I’m beginning to realize that,” Stephen replied, accepting the man’s hand. The entire conversation between the manand Emilia had been in Japanese. It wasn’t until Ito had talked to him that English had been spoken. He saw how pale Emilia was,and the doctor in him took precedence. “Emilia, you need to eat something now.” “We shall prepare your favorite, Miss Emilia,” Ito bowed his head. He turnedand began barking out orders in Japanese. A moment later two glasses of iced tea were set on the table. “You have some very interesting friends ‘Miss’ Emilia,” Stephen smiled as he watched the man go. “One would think you’d lived here your entire life instead of just six years.” He laid his hand on hersand his expression grew soft. He shook his head to try to clear it of the spell she was casting on him. “I’ve heard you speak Polish,and now Japanese. You are a very special girl.” Emilia blushedand she saw the delight in the man’s eyes. This only made her more confused. How could he have such feelings for her? She had only known Stephen two weeks, while she had recovered her strength,and he had become her friend, her protector,and her comforter. She could see that he was beginning to feel something for her that went far beyond friendship. She wanted to pull away before he hurt her, but she couldn’t. Her eyes were locked to his as he leaned forward. He laid his lips on hers gentlyand she felt a surge of strange emotions cascading through her. When he pulled away, he looked as stunned as she felt. “Did that just happen?” he said as he reached up to trace her jaw line with his fingers. “Emilia, I…” “Eat now,” Ito broke in as heand the waitress brought out their meal. “Dream later.” Emilia jumped as the man’s voice broke the spell she’d been under. She blushed againand looked away from Stephen. Then she turned her attention to eating, refusing to look up at him until she regained control of herself. When she finally did look up, he was just as studiously ignoring her. That simple kiss had changed everything between them. His hand grazed hersand she jumpedand knocked over the saltshaker. Stephen smiled at herand all of her uneasiness vanished. He was still her friend. He wasn’t going to hurt her. “I’m so confused,” Emilia finally admitted, as the silence grew too unbearable. “What just happened between us?” “I think that we are meant to be more than friends, Emilia,” Stephen told her. He closed his eyesand put his head in his hands. “My father is not going to like this.” “What has your father got to do with it?” Emilia asked, her confusion growing. She laid her hand on hisand he looked up at her. His eyes were filled with a determination that made her feel frightened. “Stephen, you’re frightening me.” “I’m sorry, Emilia,” Stephen replied, replacing the ferocity with a warm smile. He took her hand in hisand kissed her palm, thrilled by the blush that lit her face. She was such an innocent; so unlike every other woman he had ever known;and he wanted her. “Would you consider becoming more than my friend?” He saw her indecision. “I don’t want to push you, angel. You are still so young, so innocent…” “Something is happening, Stephen,” Emilia broke in, losing herself in his eyes. She should run away, her mind was telling her, before he hurt her. But her heart was lost. She knew, with a certainty that frightenedand excited her; that she belonged with him. He was a part of her. “Let’s see where it takes us.” “My brave girl,” Stephen beamed. He let her goand glanced over his shoulder. “We’d better eat before your Mr. Ito comes over hereand makes us.” Ito watched as his little friendand the cold man with her settled down to eat. He could hear their conversation quite welland it unnerved him. She was such a child; what did she know of men like this Doctor Winslow? He knew that this man was going to bring trouble down on the girl. But right now, seeing them together, it was right. This pair belonged to each other,and he was going to do nothing to disturb this peace. It might be all they had. He frowned as this thought crossed his mind. When they finished eatingand left, they walked away hand in hand. “Since you’re selling the garage,” Stephen said as he drove them away from the town center, “you’re going to need a house.” He saw her frown. “Unless you are planning on leaving Glenville forever?” “Leave?” Emilia repeated. She shook her head. “Why would I leave? Glenville is the only home I’ve ever known.” “I thought you might feel like that,” Stephen smiled back at her. “So I would like you to consider staying with me while we have a realtor find you a property to look at.” Emilia was overwhelmed at his thoughtfulness. He wanted to help her find a new home? She closed her eyes to combat the tears that rose upand felt his hand reaching over to her. She moved into his sideand let the tears fall. She was safe here in his arms. She belonged in his arms. Ten minutes later, he stopped the carand she looked at the house with new eyes. She could see herself living here, she thought as they went inside. But was it right? He was ten years older than she was,and probably quite experienced with women. She was just a child. She set aside her worriesand looked over the house, feeling moreand more at home as the moments passed. “I want you to make yourself at home here,” Stephen smiled at her, as he set the keys in the tray by the front doorand opened her purse. He saw the letterand knew he should remove it, but found he couldn’t. Giving it to his father was not going to keep Emilia safe;and that had suddenly become far more important to him than obeying his father. “Emilia, I need to tell you something.” “You sound so serious,” Emilia frowned as she turned from the window she was gazing out of. She saw the expression on his faceand knew that whatever he was about to say it was very serious. “What’s wrong?” Stephen held his hand out to herand she came to him without a moment’s fear. He looked down into her trusting eyesand couldn’t say a word. How could he risk losing her now? He had been waiting his entire life for someone like her,and she was here with him. If he told her the truth, she would never want to be with him again. She would throw him out of her lifeand never look back. So, instead of doing what he knew was the right thing, he pulled her into his armsand kissed her. He had never felt this happy.And it was all thanks to the pretty child, whose eyes were practically dancing with joy as she looked up at him. He couldn’t betray her father. What’s more; he couldn’t let his father have her. Samuel would destroy her. After that, all thought of telling her anything went right out of his mind. “Emilia, you are so beautiful!” “Me?” Emilia laughed, shaking her head. “I’m just a kid. You’re used to more mature…” Stephen pulled her into his armsand her protests were ended by his kiss. “Oh!” She felt something being pressed into her hand and looked down at the set of keys. “Stephen?” “I have to go before I do something we’ll both regret,” Stephen said as he stepped away, with a great deal of effort. “I’ll be back in a few hours.” “But…” “No, Emilia,” Stephen shook his head firmly. “I care about you too much to risk losing it all by forcing you into something you’re not ready for.” He cupped her chin in his hand. “Don’t let anyone you don’t know inside.” Emilia watched him go, stunned. He cared about her? She felt a surge of warmth flow through her at this realization. She heard the front door closeand then the car moving off,and she felt a strange abandonment. Emilia ran to the front doorand opened it, to see him moving away. A moment later, a familiar car moved up the driveand she felt disappointed. That was odd, she thought as Mama Crossand her family got out of the carand came inside. These were her friends, she should be happy to see them. But all she wanted was Stephen. “You have it bad, little one,” Mama Cross said as she saw Emilia’s face. She hugged herand guided Emilia to the car. “I have a feeling loving that man is going to bring you nothing but pain.” She saw the confusion in Emilia’s eyesand changed the subject. “Are you ready to go, angel?” Emilia noddedand got into the car with them. They drove to the Glenville Memorial Parkand showed her where her father was buried. She sank down on her knees, her hand caressing the marble of the headstone. She didn’t stop the tears flowing down her cheeks as the memories of the past six years flowed through her mind. She could feel Mama Cross’ hands on her shouldersand she laid her right hand on one of the woman’s, grateful for the support. “Why did they do this to him, Mama?” she cried softly. “It doesn’t make any sense!” “A lot of things happen in our lives,” Mama Cross replied as she remained at the girl’s side, “that apparently make no sense.” She was not surprised when Emilia burst into tearsand threw her arms around her. “We’ll find out who did this to your father, Emi child.” While Emilia said her goodbyes to a father she thought was dead, Stephen drove back to the garageand found two of his father’s men waiting there. Frankand Jonathan Seldon were among the worst of the lot. They really delighted in hurting people, Stephen recalled. It was a good thing that he had decided to move Emilia out of the garage. His father was getting very impatient if he was sending men after himand the girl. He ignored themand went to get himself a drink. The men followed him insideand he watched as they fixed themselves each a drink. They did not speak to each other for a few minutes, but Stephen was not fooled. They were here for a very specific purpose; one he was certain he would not approve of. “Your father is beginning to think that you are dragging your feet intentionally, Doc,” Frank Seldon said finally. “He is growing impatient to hear if you’ve learned anything from the girl.” “We haven’t found anything,” Stephen lied. “It should only be a few more days…” “He wants you both back by Friday,” Jonathan broke in. “If you can not see your way clear to delivering her on your own,” he continued nastily, “then my brotherand I will help you.” “We’ll leave after the appointment with the attorney tomorrow,” Stephen responded. There was no way he was going to let these bastards anywhere near Emilia. “Is that all?” “No, Doc,” Frank shook his head. “Now that we’ve delivered our message we will remain nearby to see that you do as you are told.” He finished his drinkand rose to his feet. “If you’re thinking of pulling something…” “Don’t be ridiculous, brother,” Jonathan broke in, as he fixed his cold eyes on Stephen. “Doc would never betray his own father. He knows all too well what would happen to him if he tried.” Stephen saw them to the doorand leaned against it, shaken. What could he do now? He had hoped his father would give them more time. But it was apparent that this was not to be. He knew he had to get Emilia out of town quickly,and in a way that would keep her safe from his father. There was a Judge in the building with the attorney, he thought as his mind spun with possibilities. If he could get her there, perhaps the man would perform a marriage for them. It was the only way he could see that Emilia would be safe. It was ironic that a method he had used to get women into his bed for years was now the only way he could help this pretty child maintain her freedom. He would need help, he told himself as he ran for the phone bookand dialed. Judge Novak hung up the phone ten minutes later, frowning. He had heard of Stephen Winslow from his nephew, Adam Sobieski. The man was notorious for planning fake marriages to get women into his bed. So why was he now asking him, a legitimate judge, to perform a marriage for him with the judge’s own great-niece? He was certain Stephen Winslow was unaware of his relation to the girl. But something in Stephen’s voice had told him that this marriage was a necessary act. He called his brother-in-law, Emilia’s paternal grandfather,and was told to go ahead with the union. If Stephen proved false, he would be dealt with accordingly. Emilia’s welfare was the foremost concern. * Emilia woke up the next morning in Stephen’s homeand smiled. This was another day to spend with Stephen. She had never felt so much a part of another person before,and knew it was right. She got upand fixed herself some breakfast. As she finished there was a knock on the doorand he was there. She went into his arms happilyand there were no words for several moments. Then he took her to the couchand sat her down, his expression very serious. He stroked her hair, a look of intense regret on his face,and then determination. “I need to tell you what I couldn’t yesterday, Emilia,” he said as he looked into her eyes. “You are in a lot of danger.” “I don’t understand,” Emilia frowned. “What are you talking about, Stephen?” “My father sent me here,” Stephen told her as simply as he could, “to find the information your father was hiding from him.” He looked into her stunned expression as he held up the letter she had found in the safe deposit box. “It’s all here,” he continued; “the microdots, the shipping schedules. Everything the authorities need to bring my father down.” “You were a part of what happened to my father, Stephen?” Emilia cried, her heart nearly breaking when he nodded. “Why?” “Because my father has been using your father to create some very nasty drugs for him, Emilia,” Stephen told her bluntly. “He had your father murdered so no one would know the truth.” “This is crazy!” Emilia cried out in disbelief. “He’s going to do the same to me, isn’t he?” She saw the look on Stephen’s faceand knew fear. “I didn’t know anything about this!” She lowered her head into her hands, trying to stop shaking. “What are you going to do now?” “There is only one thing I can do,” Stephen told her fiercely. “I am going to betray himand let you turn this information over to Lieutenant Simon.” He saw that he had her attentionand he moved in. “Then you are going to marry me.” “But I don’t know you,” Emilia protested. She saw the hurt on his face. “I thought you were my friend, Stephen, but you were only pretending…” She shook her head as he reached out to her. “Please don’t touch me.” “Please believe me, Emilia,” Stephen told her. He cupped her cheek in his hand and let her see his feelings. “I would do anything to keep him from hurting you,” he added,and was surprised to find that he really meant it. “Once he’s convinced you are out of his reach, we’ll annul the marriageand go our separate ways.” “You would do that?” Emilia looked up at him, stunned. Despite what he had admitted to her, she suddenly didn’t want him out of her life. How could he have become so important to her in such a short time? “Are you certain this is the right thing to do?” “It’s the only thing we can do,” Stephen insisted. “My father’s men are in town, Emilia. They are not going to let us out of their sight until they see we’re leaving. So,” he continued as he pulled her to her feet, “I called Judge Novak at the courthouse. He is going to be at the attorney’s office at 3:00 p.m. to perform our wedding ceremony. Mama Crossand Lieutenant Simonand his wife will be there as our witnesses.” He saw the hesitation in her eyesand kissed her. She sighedand melted into himand he took advantage of her momentary weakness. “Say yes, angel.” “Yes,” Emilia nodded; lost to the warmth his kiss had sent cascading through her. She threw her arms around his neckand cried out in joy. “Oh, yes!” She got dressedand they spent the rest of the morning going over what they had to do once they were through with the attorney. They would go to the jet, as expected. Lieutenant Simon would have taken out the Seldon brothers,and prevented them from getting to the jet.And then they would make it appear that they had gone to New York. They would send his father a copy of their marriage license. He would be angry, but there would be nothing he could do about it. Emilia was astounded at the detail Stephen went into as he made the plans for their escape. His father was a man she did not want anything to do with, if it required such precision to get away from him. “Ready?” Emilia noddedand they left the house. Stephen locked the door,and Emilia found herself wondering if they would ever see it again. They arrived at the attorney’s officeand Judge Samuels was waiting for them. He married them, looking at the young couple with a worried smile. The young man had told him why this marriage was neededand he had hesitated. But only until he had learned who the bride was. He would do anything for Dominik’s daughter; his great-niece. Once the wedding was over, they settled down to read Dominik’s will. He had left everything to his daughter, with some minor bequests to Mama Cross to build a community center,and Rachel Simon to help with her training facility for assistance animals,and a few other people from the town. When it was over, Emiliaand Stephen made their way outside; leaving the others to handle things for them in Glenville. They arrived at the jet to find Frankand Jonathan waiting for them. “You’ve been a very, very bad boy, Doc,” Frank snapped as he yanked the man insideand shoved him into a seat. “You were supposed to bring the girl to your father, not marry her.” “He was not at all pleased to hear what you did,” Jonathan added as he kept hold of Emilia. He ran his hand along Emilia’s cheek, smiling. “Although I can see the appeal.” “Take your hands off of my wife, Seldon!” Stephen snarled. He started to get to his feetand Frank slapped him down. “I’ll kill you if you hurt her.” “No one is going to hurt your pretty wife, Doc,” Frank laughed as he pulled out a syringe. He looked over at Jonathan, who was having a hard time keeping Emilia still. “You are going to give her this sedative now.” “No!” Stephen tackled the man, sending the needle flying. “I’ll kill you before I let you take us back!” Emilia watched as Stephen struggled with the other man. Jonathan let her go to help his brotherand Emilia looked around for some means of helping. She found a large, heavy ashtrayand brought it crashing down on the back of Jonathan’s head. He fell to the deck with a cry of pain. Stephen found a roll of duct tape in the supply closet, securing Frankand Jonathan before he dumped them out onto the runway. Then he closedand locked the hatchand went up front. Emilia followed himand took the co-pilot seat, watching in amazement as her husband piloted the jet. Was there anything that he could not do? “He’s just signed his own death warrant,” Frank hissed as Daniel arrived with his officersand took himand Jonathan into custody. “This shotgun wedding doesn’t change a thing!” Daniel watched in shock as the man suddenly began to go into convulsions. As he called 911, the other man joined him. Before the EMTs arrived, the two men were dead. Stephen was now the only one who knew what was going on. Daniel had to hope the man knew what he was doing. He returned to his officeand found a man waiting for him. He bore enough of a resemblance to Dominik that Daniel knew he was related. “Lieutenant Simon,” Adam Jozef Sobieski nodded as he held out his hand. “My name is Adam Sobieski. My younger brother, Dominik, was a friend of yours.” “I knew him as Donald Marks,” Daniel told the man. “How can I help you?” “My brother is not dead, Lieutenant,” Adam told him bluntly. “I need your help to find out where he is being held. I heard his daughter was in town…” “You just missed her,” Daniel told him. “She left town with Stephen Winslow.” He saw the man flinchand knew something was wrong. “What?” “He told her that the only way she would be out of danger,” Adam frowned, “was if she married him?” Daniel noddedand he sighed heavily. “He’s pulled that on other young women before, Lieutenant. He fakes a wedding, has his way with them,and then abandons them.” “Why isn’t he in prison?” “None of the women he’s victimized,” Adam told him, with grudging respect, “will press charges.” “So why would he call in a real judge this time?” Daniel asked the man. He saw Adam’s look of confusion. “Judge Novak is no dupe. The marriage is quite legal.” “That’s highly unusual.” Adam sat down, shocked that his fatherand his uncle would agree to help Stephen. “Something more is going on here than his usual ploy. It doesn’t matter,” he said as he pulled out his cell phone. “Stephen Winslow knows where her father is being held. We need to find them.” He saw Daniel slide an envelope across the desk. “What is this?” “I’m assuming that is the information you need,” Daniel said as he sat back, with a smile, “to find Dominik. Emilia gave it to me before sheand Stephen left town.” “Smart girl, my niece,” Adam smiled. He looked it overand his smile widened. He was on the phone in seconds. “Guthrie, tell the team we’re heading to Colorado. Coordinate the raid with the B-man.” He hung up the phoneand nodded to Daniel. “Emilia is safe for now, it seems. Her father is the one who needs our assistance.” Hawke frowned as he saw the former FBI agent joining the police at the airfield. This was not going at all well. Stephen had moved on the girl himself, rather than wait for her uncle. Something his father’s men had told him had caused Hawke’s usually level-headed friend to stir into action. But did he really have to go so far as to really marry the girl? Hawke had seen the child,and he had to admit that she was exquisite, but marriage? He had to hope Stephen knew what he was doing, because he had just stuck the stick into a very nasty hornets’ nestand people were seriously disturbed. He drove to the hangar where Zachary Winslow was waiting aboard his private jet. “My brother has become enamored with his role of knight protector,” Zachary said coldly as he offered Hawke a drink. “He’ll take her someplace he believes is safe.” He took a sip of his own drink. “He knows there is no such place.” “He’s taking a big risk,” Hawke noted as he sat down, “choosing to protect this child, instead of doing what he was told. She must be something quite special.” “She’s certainly pretty enough,” Zachary shrugged as he took a seatand picked up the photo in the file he’d been given. “My father has told me that she is going to be my wife once he finds Stephenand the girl.” “What do you need with a wife?” Hawke asked his ‘friend’ bluntly. “I have no intention of making her a wife,” Zachary told him with equal candor. “The pretty child is going to become my pet.” He smiled as he laid out his plans. “I will have Bridget help me. Emilia is just the kind of bait I need to help with my blackmail schemes.” “You really think she’s going to help you willingly?” Hawke asked, hiding his frown of uneaseand disgust. “By the time Bridgetand I are through ‘training’ her,” Zachary smiled, quite pleased with himself, “this child will do anything we ask her to do.” He turned to the pretty blonde by his side. “We can leave now, Marta.” Hawke settled backand wondered how he had gotten himself involved with such callous people as the Winslow family. When he had been approached by Alpha, it had seemed like an easy enough job. Keep an eye on the Winslowsand try to undo as much of the damage they did without being caught. But this obsession with a mere child was beginning to make the Winslow men unravel. Their behavior had caught the attention of his uncle, Hamilton Snow, the real head of the organization;and he was not at all pleased. * Samuel Winslow turned from the view out his office window as the door opened. Dominik was shoved insideand forced into a chair by a guard. His face was bruised, so he hadn’t come willingly. Samuel frowned. The man had become increasingly belligerent since word of Stephen’s defection had spread through the complex. It wouldn’t do him any good, Samuel thought, as he came around the deskand leaned against it. The man was his puppet once more,and he would perform the task Samuel assigned him. He looked over at Dominik as he felt an apology welling up in his throat for the rough handling. He clamped it down; the man was his employee. He was meant to be here. “My men will find them, Dominik,” Winslow told the man. “And your pretty daughter will be here with us where she belongs.” “You are insane, Samuel,” Dominik told him. “You have to let this go. My daughter is married to your son now.” He had to find some way to get this man to see reason. “She is just as much under your control married to him, as to you.” “No, Dominik,” the man replied, “she is not. He knew she was to return here for testingand training,and he deliberately took her from us.” He went to pour himself a drink. “I could have forgiven him if he had lost his headand bedded her, but he has gone too far.” “You’d kill your own son?” Dominik asked him, stunned. “He ceased to be my son when he betrayed my wishes,” Samuel told him. He held his hand up as Dominik began to speak. “I know this is my fault. If I had stayed out of your life, then your pretty child would not be in danger. But then I would never have met her, Dominik,and as I said, she is going to become the tool we designed her to be.” “Do you even care that Emilia had plans for her life that did not include being abused by you?” Dominik shot back at him. “After everything she has already suffered, she deserves a life of her own choosing.” “And I will help her have that, Dominik,” Samuel told him. “She will have whatever she wants, except my treacherous son. Once he has impregnated her, he will die;and I will marry her off to Zachary. He’ll teach her how to obey.” “My daughter is not going to be your son’s pet, Samuel!” Dominik snapped at him. The guard had to hold him down in the chair as he tried to get at the man. “I won’t let your son do to her what you did to my sister!” “Ancient history, Dominik,” Samuel replied. “Karolina was a very pleasant diversion until the proper woman came along to bear me sons.” He laughed as Dominik went ballisticand had to be restrained. “I understand she is quite happy now; so where’s the harm?” He looked at the clock. “We’ve spent enough time on this. You will return to your work now.” He waited until Dominik was out of the officeand then he made a phone call. “Bravo,” he said simply. “I want you to find my sonand his wife. I am going to deliver their wedding present personally.” He hung upand returned to his drink, knowing he would be obeyed. “And then arrange a little funeral.” “So decisive, my dear,” a woman’s warm voice purred from the doorway. Samuel watched as a tall woman with hair the color of polished mahogany walked in. Vanessa Stanford, he smiled. He waved her to a seat. “How do I fit into all of this?” “Timmons,” he said to the man on the other end of the line, as he motioned her to wait for an answer. “I need you to draw up commitment papers for my daughter-in-law.” He smiled over at Vanessaand she began to smile as she realized what he was up to. “She is to be committed to Faringdale under the care of Doctor Vanessa Stanford.” He hung upand watched the woman move to the liquor cabinet like the jungle cat she reminded him of. “Do you have any problems with overseeing the care of your niece, my dear?” “From the little you’ve told me about the child,” Vanessa said as she poured them both a drink, “she will need care once her husband dies. I will give her my undivided attention.” She handed him his drinkand settled on the arm of his chair. “I was hoping that you would turn your eyes my way, lover,” she purred as she ran her hand up his arm. “Who knows you better than I do?” “Bringing her here has nothing to do with sex, my dear,” Samuel said. He caught her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “It was just another means of torturing her father for his betrayal.” He pulled her into his lap. “When she has had my grandchild, I will find another husband for her; someone I can trust to keep her in line.” “Someone like Zachary, perhaps?” Vanessa suggested his younger son. “He seems to have inherited your propensity for cruelty far more than Stephen ever did.” “While she is in your care, Vanessa,” Samuel frowned, ignoring her comment on his sons, “I do not want you playing any of your usual mind games with her.” He laughed at the ‘who me?’ expression on her face. “I want to break the child myself in front of her helpless father.” “You are cruel, Samuel,” Vanessa smiled warmly as she nestled closer. “I think that is one of the reasons I adore you!” “Liar,” Samuel laughed. “Youand I both know the real reason you ‘adore’ me.” He claimed her lips thenand they celebrated their impending triumph. When Vanessa finally left, she made her way back to the sanitarium near Glenville. She went to her residence thereand poured herself a glass of wine. Only when she had calmed down, did she smile to herself. After almost eighteen years, she was finally going to have her child back. Everything she had gone through to keep her husband and their daughter safe was finally going to bear fruit. It made faking her own deathand remaking herself over as her ‘older sister’ worth all the painand loss. * Stephen sat at the breakfast table in the kitchen of their home in Glenville several hours later, enjoying the way the sunshine coming in the windows made Emilia glow. They had landed the jet at the nearest airfieldand driven back into town under the cover of night. Stephen had sent the pilot on to New York with very specific instructions. Henryand his wife were now enjoying a paid vacation at Emilia’s father’s penthouse. Emilia caught his eyes on herand blushed. He wanted to touch her so badly, but he didn’t want to push her. She was his wife, but she was still such an innocent. He would let her come to him on her own, he had decided, or not at all. As much as he wanted to, he did not press her for more. He wouldn’t have been this considerate before. This girl had changed him. “We aren’t out of it yet, Emi,” he told her as he set down his forkand feasted his eyes on her. “Are you still okay with my suggestion?” “About going to each of the properties my father left me before we come back here?” Emilia asked him. She thought it overand knew he was right. “Yes, Stephen. I want to see them.And I’m looking forward to seeing those towns. Maybe we can catch a few Broadway shows when we get to New York?” “If that is what you want,” Stephen smiled at her eagerness. She was still such a child, he realized. It was going to be wonderful watching her become the woman she was meant to be. He was glad now that he had married her. “I have an old college friend who arranges such things. I’m sure he can get us good seats.” He watched as she drifted away into memoryand understood. Glenville was the only home she’d ever known. It would be hard for her to be away; especially now that she had lost her father. He laid his hand on hersand she jumped. “I’m sorry,” he said as he pulled way, “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” “It’s not you, Stephen,” Emilia replied, looking upset that she had hurt him. She looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. “Why can’t I forget?” “You’ve been put through hell, Emi,” Stephen said to her. “It is going to take some time for your mind to process everythingand deal with it.” He ran his hand through his hairand sighed. “I should have done more to keep you out of this.” “None of what happened was your fault, Stephen,” Emilia said softly. She laid her hand on hisand met his concern with a shy smile. “We’re married now, aren’t we?” He nodded,and she looked up at him shyly. “Then could you please make love to me?” “If we do this,” Stephen told her, even as he picked her up in his armsand carried her to the bedroom, “we can’t annul the marriage. You know that, don’t you?” Emilia noddedand said nothing more. He set her downand looked into her eyes, searching them for any sign of hesitation; all he saw was her shyness,and her trust. “If I do anything that frightens you, tell me to stop,” he said as he began to unbutton her blouse. Much later, they lay in each other’s arms warmed by the power of what had happened between them. Stephen had never felt so complete,and so transformed. He looked down at his sleeping wifeand knew he would kill before he would let anyone hurt her. She opened her eyesand smiled up at him happily. Life was as it should be, Emilia thought happily as she pulled his lips back to hers. Sheand Stephen were manand wife;and everything was right. Wrapped up in happiness, neither of them realized that their time together was quickly drawing to a close. “It’s done, sir,” Romeo said as he entered Alpha’s office after Bravo called. “Your nephewand the girl have joined.” “Very good,” Alpha nodded. “My brotherand his sons have now taken the first steps on the road to their own destruction.” He took a sip of his drink. “Have the girl watched, but do not interfere. What she is about to face is necessary for her development.” “You’re not afraid the Sobieski will interfere?” Romeo asked, trying to understand why this one girl was so important to his superior. “They have been moving members of their family into the town.” “They can only do so much,” Alpha replied. “In the end, the girl herself will come to us willingly.And then her training can begin in earnest.” * Daniel Simon was out picking up some coffee for the office when he saw the moving van outside the old theater. A tall, dark-haired man he recognized stepped out of a jeep in front of the vanand looked up at the building with a smile. Antoni Novak, Daniel remembered, the reporter from Philadelphia who was Dominik’s cousin. He had told Daniel that members of their extended family would be moving into Glenville. Daniel hadn’t realized he was going to be one of them. He went up to the manand handed him a cup of coffee. Antoni nodded his thanksand took a sip, sighing in pleasure. “Thanks, Dan,” Antoni smiled. “I needed that.” He looked up at the theater again. “My wife is going to love this place,” he said as his eyes ran over the façade. “She adores old buildings.” “So you are among the Sobieski contingent?” “My wife, Barbara,and I,” Antoni began to tick off the pairs on his fingers; “my cousin Felicia’s husband Geoffrey Caineand their son, Gabriel; my sister, Doctor Regina Turner; my father, Judge Leonard Novak…” He saw Daniel’s surpriseand nodded. “He has been here the whole time. We weren’t going to just dump Dom hereand leave him without a lifeline.” “You people are very close-knit,” Daniel noted. “I like it.” “We realize that most of the people in this town are keeping an eye on Dom’s daughter,” Antoni said to him. “We just like to stand ready, in case we’re needed.” He turned his eyes to the building next to the theater. “I’ll be taking over the Glenville Courier from Mr. Michaels. He is retiring to Fort Lauderdale.” “You don’t leave anything to chance, do you?” Daniel smiled. The Sobieski family was more organized than most military units he knew. He looked down at the coffee in his hand. “Got any candidates for the police force?” “You may be getting a request for transfer from a few cousins,” Antoni replied, with a smug smile, “but only if they’re needed. I think the volunteer fire company is going to gain a few new members.” He nodded to the tray of coffee cups. “Aren’t there people waiting for those, Dan?” “What?” Daniel looked down at the tray in his handsand realized what he’d been doing. “Oh, yeah.” He turned to see Officer Mitchell coming out of the station. “Mitchell!” he yelled at the younger man. “Get your butt over here.” He handed the tray to the manand sent him back to the station. Then he turned back to see Antoni smiling at him. “Perks of being the superior officer,” Daniel smiled. He looked up at the theater. “So what does your wife have planned for this old wreck?” “It’s not an old wreck,” Barbara Novak laughed as she got out of the vanand joined them. Daniel took in the slim frame, the golden hair tucked under a baseball cap, the cornflower blue eyes that sparkled with amusement,and thought ‘Damn, he’s one lucky man’ before he recovered enough to realize her hand was out. “Hi, I’m Barbara Novak; architectand movie aficionado. I am going to turn this beautiful 19th century building into a Revival Houseand Community Theater.” “Can’t hurt,” Daniel nodded. “People in Glenville are big on community.” He smiled at the pair of them. “You should expect an invitation to dinner once you’re settled. My wife is big on greeting the new arrivals to our town.” “I am going to like her,” Barbara smiled widely. Daniel returned her smileand left them alone. She threw her arms around her husband and giggled. “I love Glenville, Antoni! Why didn’t we come here sooner?” “Because it only exists in fantasy,” Antoni joked as he put his arms around his wife. “There is no way this town is real.” “Of course it’s real, you goof,” Barbara laughedand moved in closer. “You’re just not used to people who actually care about each other.” She sobered a bit as she looked up at her husband. “We should have moved out of the city a long time ago. Oof!” she frowned as she felt their child kicking. She laid Antoni’s hand on her gently swollen abdomenand looked down sternly. “Easy in there, tiger! You still have a few months to cook.” Antoni smiledand tightened his hold on his young wife. He had almost forgotten what it was like to be this happy. His first wife, Urzula, had died in a train crash with their three children ten years earlier. He had thought all chance of his ever finding another woman was gone. But then Barbara Kaminski had waltzed into his lifeand he was hooked. New wife, new child, new town; Antoni thought as he released herand picked her up to carry her over the threshold. If this is a dream, he told himself as he walked into their new home, don’t let me wake up. * As they began the sixth week of their wedded life, Emilia woke upand found Stephen starring out the window, a worried look on his face. She joined him at the window,and he put his arms around her, resting his chin on top or her head. He didn’t say anything to her for several moments; enjoying the feel of her in his arms as long as possible. He had never been so happy,and it made him ache to think that this was not going to last forever. His father would find them,and their happy life would be at an end. “Something is wrong,” Emilia finally broke the silence. “Tell me.” “We’ve been here too long,” Stephen replied. He felt her stiffen. “I was outside getting the mailand I caught sight of someone I thought I recognized. When I looked again they were gone.” “Then we’ll go,” Emilia answered. She turned to look up into his worried eyes. “We belong to each other now. We can’t let him destroy what we are building here. Besides,” she said shyly, her eyes shining with happiness, “I think I might be pregnant, Moja miłość.” Stephen looked down at her in shockand then he was beaming. He pulled her up into his armsand spun her around. Emilia was relieved; she had feared he would not want a child so soon. As they shared a moment of contentment, there was a pounding on the door. Stephen frownedand let her go with great reluctance. Emilia pulled on her robeand followed him. A large black-skinned man pushed his way inand made Stephen back up. He set the immense gift basket he was carrying on the foyer tableand took up a position nearby. A moment later, a very angry Samuel strode into the house. “You are not welcome here, Father.” “How could I not be?” Samuel laughed. He turned his attention to Emiliaand smiled at her. “Emilia, I came to welcome you into the family.” He indicated the gift basket. “A small token of my pleasure at the news of your wedding.” “What do you want, Father?” Stephen asked as he moved closer to his wife. “I want youand your pretty wife to come home with me,” Samuel told his son bluntly. He looked around the house. “While this is a nice enough place, youand Emilia should be in better surroundings.” “That’s not possible,” Emilia snapped at him. “We have other plans.” She looked down at his hand as he clamped it around her wrist. “Let go of me now.” “The child certainly has spirit,” Samuel laughed at her. “Youand Stephen are coming with me, Emilia.” “No, we are not,” Emilia hissed. She broke his hold on her wristand moved away from him. “Glenville is our home.” “If you come near us again, Father,” Stephen added as he put his arms around Emiliaand glared at him over her head, “I will have you arrested.” “That will be hard to do,” Samuel said coldly as he nodded to his man, “from your grave!” He saw Emilia pale. “You will come willingly, or I will make your pretty wife a widow.” He looked at his son’s cold expression. “She will be much easier to control that way.” Samuel looked at Emiliaand Stephen, frowning darkly. There was a bond there. He had not expected that to happen. After years of watching his son move from one woman to another, he had begun to believe that Stephen was incapable of commitment. But here he stood, fiercely protecting his wife. Stephen was actually in love with the girl! It didn’t matter; Samuel was not going to let his son ruin his plans now. “Bravo,” Samuel told the man after he had calmed down a bit. “I want you to convince my son that it is in his own best interests to come home.” He settled into a chairand watched as Bravo yanked Stephen away from Emiliaand clamped his arm around Stephen’s neck. “You will do as I say, Stephen, or I will have Bravo kill you.” “He’s your son!” Emilia cried in disbelief. “You couldn’t…” “He ceased to be my son,” Samuel broke in coldly, “when he decided to marry you, girl!” He saw Stephen’s eyes go cold. “If you die, Stephen, who will protect your pretty wife?” He pulled Emilia to his sideand ran his hand along her cheek, feeling her shudder. “I will have her committed to Faringdale under Doctor Stanford’s care. I’m afraid she could hurt herself in her delicate emotional state.” “You would go that far to get what you want?” Stephen hissed. He winced as Bravo twisted his arm painfully. “I won’t do it! Emilia is my wife now. She is having my child!And I am not going to let you anywhere near us!” “A child?” Samuel asked, momentarily shocked at this news. He looked down at Emiliaand smiled. “Bravo, let him go.” He let Emilia goand she went to Stephen. His son pulled Emilia closeand glared at him. “Very well, son. You have won this round. I will let you have some time alone with your pretty wife.” They watched as his fatherand Bravo left the house. Stephen was not relieved; he knew it was far from over. His father never gave up once he knew what he wanted;and he wanted Emilia. He was going to do something to make it happen. Stephen pulled Emilia closer, knowing that his days were numbered. Samuel did not speak until he got to the limousine. He was not about to lose now! There was only one thing he could do,and there was not even a second of remorse as he issued the order. “I am issuing the extermination order, Bravo,” Samuel said coldly. “Five million to the person who executes my sonand makes it look like an accident.” “I will execute the order myself, sir,” Bravo replied as he started the car. “To make certain it is done properly.” Samuel nodded his agreement,and Bravo hid his frown. He had known that Professor Winslow was obsessive, but this command to have his own son murdered was extreme. Bravo noddedand drove away from the house. He would make it appear as if the order had been carried out. Breaking this couple apart was wrong, but it would have to be done if they ever had a chance to be together. Once he dropped Samuel off, he took his own carand went back to the house. He knocked on the doorand Stephen opened it, frowning. “If you want to live, Stephen,” Bravo said simply as he came into the house, “you need to come with me.” Stephen watched as the man looked for Emilia before he said anything further. “Your father has issued an extermination order on you.” He was surprised when all the young man did was frown. “You’re not surprised?” “Not especially,” Stephen told him. “So are you here to carry out the execution, Bryan?” “I am here to make it appear that I have carried it out, Stephen,” Bravo told him, as he pulled up his sleeveand showed Stephen a certain tattoo. “Where’s your wife?” “Sleeping,” Stephen told the man. He couldn’t ignore the summons of the organization that had been backing him in his sabotage on his own father’s organization the past twelve years. He left a note for Emilia, telling her he had to check in at the hospital. “You’re certain this is the only way?” “Yes,” Bravo nodded. “This will leave Emilia vulnerable,” Stephen said as they left the house. “We have people keeping an eye on her for you, Stephen,” Bravo said. Stephen noddedand followed Bravo out of Glenville. They stopped at the private airfield west of townand he parked next to Bravo outside of a hangar at the far end of the field. He enteredand froze as he saw a man he had believed to be dead. Benjamin Winslow, his father’s younger brother, rose from his seat at a table near the jetand smiled in greeting. Stephen had been told his uncle was dead. But here he stood, aliveand well. “Uncle Ben?” Stephen was stunned. “Stephen,” Benjamin Winslow noddedand smiled. He looked over at Bravo. “What you need is waiting for you in Stephen’s car, Bravo.” He watched Bravo go, after getting Stephen’s keys,and then took Stephen aboard the jet. He poured them each a drink. “I hear that you’ve been busy the past twelve years, nephew.” He took a sip of his drink. “Sabotaging your father’s drug shipments?” Stephen looked shocked that he knew. “You shouldn’t be shocked, boy,” he smiled as he sat downand strapped in. “I have been keeping a very close eye on you since I left.” “I have a feeling that you’ve been doing more than keeping an eye on me, Uncle,” Stephen said as he sat down. “There were a lot of times over the past twelve years when I could have sworn you were close.” “You always were a very perceptive boy,” Alpha smiled. “I call myself Alpha,” he told his nephew. “My menand I have been working to stop your father since Charlotteand I ‘died’ in that train accident when you were twelve.” “You’re the head of the organization that recruited me!” Stephen cried in surprise. “Why didn’t you ever contact me before?” “If I had,” Alpha replied, “and your father found out you were a traitor, how long do you think you would last before you told him I wasn’t dead?” He saw Stephen’s lookand nodded. “Doctor Sobieski has designed some very nasty drugs for my brother. Samuel would not hesitate to use one on you.” He looked at his nephew closely. “Tell me about his daughter.” “I’m convinced that Emilia is innocent of all knowledge of her father’s work,” Stephen told him. “In fact, Uncle, if she knew what he had been forced to do, she would be horrified.” He was shaken to the core at the thought of leaving her unprotected. “She’s having my child, Uncle. I shouldn’t have left her alone.” “She’s a very special young woman, your Emilia,” Alpha replied. He was glad to see that his nephew had honest feelings for the girl he had made his wife. “We’ll make certain he can’t hurt her.” “If he does,” Stephen stated coldly; “I will come back from the deadand take him to hell with me.” “Let us do our job, boy,” Alpha suggested. “People are in place to keep an eye on your wife,and Samuel is not going to hurt her while she is carrying his grandchild.” He smiled warmly as the jet liftedand they were allowed to get up. He poured them both a drink,and raised his glass to Stephen. “Congratulations on the marriageand the future heir.” “Thanks,” Stephen replied. “I was only planning on the marriage as a means of keeping her away from my father…” “She got to you, didn’t she?” Alpha smiled as he saw the truth of things. “Emilia is right for you, Stephen. She is a very beautiful young woman, insideand out, like her late mother.And she is not tainted by the evil that your fathers are.” “Here’s to making certain she never is,” Stephen said as he raised his glass. “Amen to that, boy,” Alpha noddedand drained his glass. He would keep his true purpose for the pretty child to himself. His nephew did not need to know what was really going on. He watched as his nephew lost consciousnessand the glass he had been holding fell to the deck. “Romeo,” he called to the pilot, as he got out of the seat. “You know where to take him. Make certain he gets there safely,” he continued as he opened the hatch. “I have need of him still.” * Emilia woke up from her napand looked at the empty space on the bed. Stephen! She was on her feetand running to the living room. He was not there. She told herself not to worry; Stephen was just out running an errand or something. The note she found propped up on the hall table seemed to confirm this; but there was a chill on her that she could not dispel,and she knew that something was very, very wrong. Emilia got dressedand went to make a phone call to Daniel. She was told that he was out on business. Emilia hung upand frowned as someone knocked on the door. Daniel was standing there, looking very uneasy. Emilia let him inand he waited for her to close the door. “Emilia,” he frowned,and she saw the regret in his mind. He was here on a duty he wished he didn’t have to perform. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this.” He paused a moment. “Stephen has been in an accident. I’m afraid he didn’t survive.” “No,” Emilia shook her headand sank down on the couch. “Który jest nie prawo. That’s not right.” “His car was struck by a semi, child,” Daniel continued his report. “His father identified his remains an hour ago.” “His father,” Emilia cried out in despair, “had him murdered!” She saw the man’s look of confusion,and could see in his mind that he didn’t understand why she was saying such a thing. “Professor Winslow is a monster!” “I understand that you are upset, Emi,” the man said to her gently. Poor child, he thought, she’s so deep in shock she can’t see the truth. “Your husband has been killed in a crash. Your father-in-law has made the funeral arrangements,and has sent someone for you.” “No!” Emilia shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere!” She went to the phoneand started to dial Mama Cross. Mama Cross would help her, Emilia’s shocked mind told her. Daniel took the receiver out of her hand and hung it up. “What are you doing, Lieutenant?” she demanded as he led her to the couch. “I have to get out of here! I can’t let him get away with this!” “Calm down, child,” the man told her. “No one is going to hurt you.” There was a knock on the doorand he went to answer it. “She’s ready for you, Doctor.” “Thank you, Lieutenant,” Doctor Ethan Randall smiled as he came into the penthouse. He was cold, Emilia thought, taking in his ice blue eyes, his impeccably coifed white blond hair,and his pale skin. He was even dressed in white. It was like having the lord of Winter walk into her home. She felt a chill course up her spineand struggled to fight the fear the sight of him awoke in her. “I’ll take it from here.” He stepped in with two men in whiteand smiled at Emilia. “Hello, Mrs. Winslow. I am Doctor Ethan Randall. Your father-in-law has asked me to help you.” She looked at the paper Ethan handed to herand shook her head in disbelief. Samuel had committed her? She looked at the menand they did not look at all amused. Her husband’s father had gone to a judgeand convinced the man that she needed to be placed under observation for an undisclosed period, to insure that she did no harm to herself, or her unborn child, in her grief. She couldn’t believe even he would go so far to have his way. “This is a joke,” Emilia snapped, as she ripped the document in halfand let it fall. “I’m not going.” “The committal papers were filed in a court of law, Mrs. Winslow,” Ethan said as he came closer. His eyes were kind as he looked at Emilia through his wire-framed glasses. “I’m afraid that it is all quite legal.” He saw her refusaland frowned. “Please don’t fight. I would prefer not to use the straightjacket on you.” “I’m not going anywhere with you!” Emilia snapped. She backed away from himand ran, only to find her way blocked by the orderlies. They grabbed her armsand brought her back. “Let me go!” She looked over at Daniel for help,and he looked away from her. “Please don’t let them do this, Lieutenant! It’s not right!” “This is all for the best, Mrs. Winslow,” Ethan said as he looked at the angry girl. “You have suffered a horrible shockand need time to recover. We are going to give you that.” “It’s all a lie!” she sobbed, as the shock wore offand the full horror of what had happened hit her. “Stephen; on nie jest martwy! He is not dead!” “Don’t be afraid, Mrs. Winslow,” Doctor Ethan Randall told her. “You will receive only the best care at Faringdale. Your aunt will make certain you are treated well.” “My aunt?” Emilia asked him, confused. “I don’t have an aunt.” “Doctor Vanessa Stanford is your mother’s older sister,” Ethan nodded. “Your father-in-law asked her to oversee your case.” He frowned as she went white. “Is something wrong, Mrs. Winslow?” “She works for him!” Emilia cried out in dismay. “She isn’t interested in treating me well. She’s going to do whatever that monster tells her to do!” She grabbed the handleand tried to open the door. “Pozwalane ja udaje się! Let me go! I am not going with you!” “Calm down, child,” Ethan told her. “You’ll make yourself ill.” He saw the stubborn set of her jawand knew he was in for a fight. “I had hoped to avoid using a sedative on you; given your condition,” he said as he opened his bagand prepared a syringe. “You obviously need help calming down.” “No,” Emilia protested as the orderly nearest her grabbedand held her arm. “Pozwalane ja udaje się.” “I’m sorry, child,” Ethan said as he gave her the shot, “but you are too emotional. You will hurt yourself if you don’t calm down.” He pulled the needle outand returned it to his bag. “Just enough to help you relax.” He caught her as she collapsed against him. “Poor little thing. Her father-in-law was right; she needs to be looked after.” Emilia bit back a sob as the men forced her to come with them. Daniel just stood thereand let it happen. She could see the anguish he was feelingand knew he had as little choice as she did. She sat in back with the doctorand the two orderlies. She could not believe Samuel had done this to her. It was wrong! Was he going to make this doctor brainwash her into believing his lies? She looked at the man warilyand he just smiled back at her pleasantly. They drove away from the houseand she could feel the tears pricking her eyes. She had been happy here with Stephen. Why had it been taken away from them? She jumped as the doctor laid his hand on hers. “You’ll receive only the best care at Faringdale, Mrs. Winslow,” Ethan told her as he patted her hand. “Once I am certain you have recovered sufficiently from this shock, you will be joining your father-in-law at his home.” Emilia sobbed as she realized that her own behavior had trapped her further. There was no way she would ever be able to convince this man that she did not need to be in a sanitarium; not after this.And once this Vanessa got her hooks into her, Emilia knew she would be lost. She flinched as Ethan wiped the tears off her cheeksand pulled as far away from him as she could. When the car arrived at the sanitarium, she looked at the building gloomily. Were all such institutions so gloomy, she wondered as she was helped out of the carand up the stairs. A nurse came towards her with a wheelchairand she was taken to the Director’s office. A woman who resembled her mother was seated behind the desk. “We had a little tantrum on the way here,” Ethan told her candidly. “I’m afraid I had to give her a mild sedative.” “Emilia has been through a great deal of trauma,” Vanessa nodded. “She’ll settle down once she sees we mean her no harm. Thank you, Ethan.” “You’re welcome, Vanessa,” Ethan replied. “You didn’t tell me she was Polish, Vanessa,” he said as he turned to go. He smiled at the girl. “She was lapsing into the language every time she got upset.” “Her father’s family is Polish,” Vanessa nodded. “He obviously taught her the language.” The man left after a moment. “Now, Emilia,” Vanessa smiled as she got to her feet as the door closed, “we are alone. Just youand me.” She cupped Emilia’s chin in her hand and raised the girl’s eyes to hers. “You look so much like your grandmother. You have those same beautiful eyes.” “Why are you doing this to me, Doctor Stanford?” Emilia asked the woman. “Please call me Vanessa, dear.” The woman smiled at her warmly “I am your aunt, after all.” “Then why are you a part of this, Vanessa?” Emilia asked, confused that her own relative would help Samuel. “You know he’s only doing this so he can keep me under control.” She tried to get to her feet, but her legs were too weakened from the sedative she’d been given. “I won’t let him do this to me, Vanessa! On ma żaden nie prawo! He has no right!” “You’re getting yourself upset for nothing, Dzieckcko,” Vanessa smiled tenderly, ignoring her comment. “You are here so we can help you deal with the shock of losing your husband.” She stroked Emilia’s cheek. “We’ll take a blood testand make certain about the baby, all right?” “You can’t keep me here,” Emilia protested weakly. “My friends will find a way to get me out…” “After your little temper tantrum,” Vanessa broke in with a sad smile on her face, “no judge in this county will rescind the committal. You’ve proven how unstable you are in front of a medical professional.” “I am not unstable,” Emilia protested. “I am just angry at being forced to do things I don’t want to do.” “That’s a part of life, Dzieckcko,” Vanessa told her. She got a syringe out of the supply cabinetand unwrapped it. Then she took a blood sampleand marked Emilia’s name on it. “We don’t always get what we want.” She looked up as a knock sounded on the door. “Come in.” She nodded as an orderly came into the office with a wheelchair,and went to sit behind the desk. “My niece is ready to go to her room now, Justin.” “Vanessa, please…” “You’re here now, Emilia,” Vanessa broke in stiffly. “Get used to it.” Emilia couldn’t say anything to that. Her aunt was right; she was here now. But there was no way she was going to get used to it. She was going to do everything in her power to find a way out of this place.And then she was going to make Samuel pay for doing this to her. Vanessa saw the fire blaze in Emilia’s eyesand knew she would have a challenge on her hands. Her daughter had obviously inherited her temperament, not Dominik’s. Like her, Emilia would never lie downand let life roll over her. Vanessa would have to devote the time they had been given in teaching her daughter how to channel her emotions properly. “Justin,” Vanessa told the orderly as he turned the chair. “Tell Ginny that Emilia is to be kept under surveillance 24/7and strapped down if she becomes too belligerent. She is in too delicate a state right now to be trusted not to run.” “Yes, Doctor.” Emilia looked at her aunt in utter disbelief. How dare she! Emilia waited until the chair was out of the officeand then she tried to get to her feetand run. But her legs did not obey her, she fell to her knees almost immediatelyand Justin had no trouble getting her back into the chair. He strapped her arms down so she couldn’t do that again, muttering under his breath. They went out a back doorand along a portico to another building. Justin unlocked the doorand took her inside. “Ginny, this is Doctor Stanford’s niece, Emilia,” Justin told the nurse waiting in the living room. “She’s having a little trouble behaving, so the Doctor wants her kept under observation 24/7.” He took Emilia along a hallwayand into a bedroom with an iron grate on either side of a sheet of one-way glass instead of a door. Ginny released her from the chairand helped her sit on the bed. “Her aunt is afraid she’ll hurt herself if she’s left on her own.” “Thank you, Justin,” Ginny, a tall, heavily muscled woman with short dark hairand rich brown eyes nodded. “I can handle it from here.” She smiled at Emilia gently. “Why don’t we get you into the bath, child. You’ll feel better.” “I don’t want a bath,” Emilia pouted. She knew she sounded like a petulant child, but she couldn’t help it. No one was listening to her. “Don’t touch me!” she cried as Ginny pulled her to her feet. “Nie dotyka mnie!” “We’ll get along much better, young lady,” Ginny said as she ignored Emiliaand took her to the bathroom, “if you just do as you’re told.And I would appreciate it if you would not use that heathen language on me!” She sat Emilia on the side of the tuband ran the water. Then she helped Emilia undressand helped her into the water. “You have fifteen minutes.” Emilia grew angrierand angrier with every minute. She had been committed so that the monster who had murdered her husband could keep her under control. These people believed that she was unstable,and her emotions were not disproving their supposition. She couldn’t stop the sob that rose up in her throat. It wasn’t right! She should be with Stephen; he should be alive! She remembered the look on his face when she had told him about their baby. When Ginny came in to check on her, Emilia was sobbing uncontrollably. “You poor thing,” Ginny sighed as she knelt down beside the tuband finished bathing herand shampooing her hair. When this was done, she helped Emilia outand dried her off. “Hush now, girl. Everything will look better in time.” She helped the girl into an emerald silk negligeeand matching robeand sat her down on the bed to comb outand braid her hair. “You can leave now, Nurse,” Samuel said as he came into the room a half hour later. “My daughter-in-lawand I would like to be alone.” He smiled as the woman locked the doorand came towards the bed. “You look beautiful, darling,” Samuel said as he cupped her cheek in his hand and smiled. “Zachary was looking forward to having you as his wife, girl,” he said as his hand went down to her abdomen, “but youand Stephen have found the means to keep you safe from my original plans for a while.” He smiled at her happily. “I spoke to your aunt about the test results. You are definitely having my grandchild, my dear.” Emilia looked up at him in disbelief. She had only thought she might be pregnant. But to hear that it had been confirmed made her feel even stronger about getting away from this madman. Her hand moved down to her abdomenand she felt a wild surge of joy fill her at the news. Grief quickly replaced that joy as she realized Stephen would not be there to see their son or daughter born,and watch them grow. Emilia saw Samuel’s expressionand knew he was planning something for herand the child. Something she was going to do everything in her power to see he never accomplished. “Since you are having Stephen’s child,” Samuel told her, “you will be coming to my home where you will raise his child under my supervision.” He was in his element nowand he took full advantage. “After a suitable grieving period, you will be married to his brother, Zachary.” He stroked her hairand she pulled away from him. “You are a Winslow now, Emilia,” he said as he grabbed her wrist. “We are never going to let you go.” “No! Nie dotyka mnie!” Emilia cried in protest. She struck him asideand ran for the door. She tried to open it, but it was locked. “You can’t keep me here! I won’t let you!” “You have no choice, Emilia,” Samuel laughed as he pulled her away from the door. “I’ve had you committed, remember? You either do as I ask, or you will spend the rest of your life in this sanitarium.” He knocked on the doorand saw Ginny approach. “Call Doctor Stanford. The child is having another attack.” Emilia tried to break free as he wrenched her arms behind her back but he was too strong. He got her in a chairand held her as she continued to fight for her freedom. Vanessa arrived with a syringeand Emilia was sedatedand put to bed. Samuel remained seated on the bed next to her, content to just watch her as she slept. He laid his hand on her abdomen. His grandchild was growing there, he thought as he stroked herand she whimpered in her sleep. “I am going to be out of town for a few weeks, child,” he said when he finally left several hours later. “Your aunt will take care of you while I am gone.” “Please don’t do this to me,” Emilia cried as she watched him go towards the door. “I don’t want to be here.” “That’s a shame,” Samuel smiled at her from the door. “Faringdale is such a lovely place.” His expression went cold. “I can always have Vanessa put you in isolation, my dear. Padded walls, straightjackets…” “Stop it!” Emilia sobbed. She turned her back on himand he laughed. “How can you be so cold?” “I lost your mother because I allowed her freedom,” Samuel told her bluntly. “I am not taking any chances with you. Especially now that you are having my grandchild.” He left her alone thenand shook his head as he heard something hit the door a second after he closed it. She certainly did not share her mother’s temperament. Karen had been a gentleand loving woman,and quite complacent. Emilia was more like her aunt, Vanessa. If Samuel didn’t know better, he would have believed that this child was Vanessa’s daughter. He got in his carand drove off the sanitarium grounds. About two miles away, a squad car suddenly pulled out in front of him. He hit the brakes,and watched as a second car pulled in behind him. Daniel got out of his carand approached. “Professor Winslow?” he asked as he bent down, a cold expression on his face. “If you would please come with me, sir. An agent of the FBI has a few questions for you regarding the abduction of Doctor Dominik Sobieski.” “This is ridiculous!’ Samuel hissed as Daniel opened the door. He got outand followed Daniel to the squad car. Once he was in back, he pulled out his cell phone. “Timmons! This is Professor Winslow. I need you down at the Glenville police station at once!” He snapped the phone closedand glared at Daniel. “This isn’t going to work, Lieutenant.” “Sir?” “This is all a ploy to get me to release my daughter-in-law from the sanitarium,” Samuel told him coldly. He shook his head. “It’s not going to work. Emilia was seriously traumatized by her husband’s deathand needs care while she recovers. She is exactly where she belongs.” “I have no idea what you are talking about, sir,” Daniel frowned back at him. “The FBI has issued a warrant for your arrest while it investigates a kidnappingand murder. I am merely here to extend a professional courtesyand serve the warrant for them.” * Despite the fact that she was a prisoner in her aunt’s home, Emilia had few complaints. Vanessa was better than her word to Samuel; she took exceptional care of her ‘niece’. Emilia was given whatever she wanted, except her freedom. They spent hours talking about her mother, her grandparents,and her fatherand his family. Vanessa told her the story of the fight Dominikand Samuel had over her mother, Karen. Emilia actually began to find herself liking her aunt, if a bit grudgingly. Vanessa found herself wishing she could tell Emilia who she really was, but it was too dangerous. There was a core of steel in this child that she had yet to tap into. If Samuel had waited much longer, he would have never been able to control the girl. “I am certain once you settle in with Samuel,” Vanessa was telling her one morning a month later, “he will allow you to contact the Sobieski familyand get to know them.” She moved aside that errant curl that always seemed to be in Emilia’s eyes. “He really does wish you to be happy.” “No, he doesn’t,” Emilia replied, shaking her head in disagreement. “Samuel wants what is best for him. If I hadn’t fit so neatly into his plans, I would still be in Glenville where I belong.” “You are a very intelligent child, Emi,” Vanessa smiled at her fondly, “but still much too young to understand how to properly handle people like Samuel Winslow. We’ll have to work on that while you’re here.” She got to her feet after checking her watch. “I have some patients I need to speak with,and rounds to make, so I’ll be gone for a few hours. Justin is going into town later, let him know if there’s anything he can pick up for you.” Emilia watched her aunt leaveand closed her eyes. She was so tired,and wondered if it was because of her condition. She didn’t know what to expect with a pregnancy. Maybe she should have Justin get her some books on the subject. Or, she smiled as she got to her feetand went into her aunt’s residence study, she could research it herself. She got on the laptop computerand went online. She had been happy to be allowed to go online. Vanessa had locked her out of email programs, but what she could access was enough. She was deep in the middle of her researchand growing more anxious with every moment, when Justin came to find her. “Doctor Stanford asked me to check with you, Emilia,” Justin smiled as he saw her. She was such a pretty little thing. What they were doing to her was criminal. “Any cravings that need to be satisfied? Books, trinkets, picklesand ice cream?” “You have experience with pregnant women?” Emilia smiled at the man. “My Monika has given me four children,” Justin nodded. “The best advice I can give you, child, it not to over think it. You’ll be much calmer,and that can only benefit the baby.” He saw how pale she was. “You should get some rest; you’re looking a little peaked.” “That’s all I seem to be doing,” Emilia protested, though the idea had merit. “Maybe my aunt would allow your Monika to come talk to me?” “I’ll ask her, child,” Justin smiled. He was pleased at her request,and knew Monika would be as well. As a Sobieski, Monika was very interested in the welfare of Dominik’s daughter. Of course, Vanessaand Samuel were not to know of the family connection, so he didn’t share that with Emilia. He didn’t realize that Emilia had seen in it in his mind some time ago. “Is there anything else?” “Rocky Road,” Emilia smiled back at him as she got to her feet to go to her room, “and some Jane Austen?” “Anything for you, princess,” Justin nodded. He went with her to her room, just to make certain she settled downand then locked her in. “Sorry for the locks.” “It’s not your fault, Justin,” Emilia shruggedand went to the window seat to pick up a book she was nearly done with. “At least I know you’re my friend.” Justin left the sanitarium determined to do whatever he had to in order to get his wife’s niece out of the place. He ran the errands he’d been given by Vanessaand stopped in at his home to give his wife, a work-at-home mom, an update on Emilia’s condition. Monika smiled at the thought of actually being able to see the girl. She went into a storage roomand pulled out a box of old maternity clothing,and books on pregnancy that she had found comforting. Justin smiled as Monika also brought out some of her own Jane Austen booksand added them to the pile. “No Rocky Road?” “The imps ate it all,” Monika laughed at him. She kissed her husband on the cheekand sent him on his way. Emilia dozed off while she was waiting for Justin to returnand woke to find Ethan Randall standing over her. She sat up, looking at him warily. The man brought a chair overand sat down, his expression guardedand studious. Emilia was annoyed by this behavior; he always looked at her like he was examining her.And his mind was annoyingly unreadable. If she could just know what he was thinking, she might be able to relax around him. “I can’t be that unusual,” she finally snapped. He sat backand a slow smile crossed his usually stern features. “What?” “You are not like most children I’ve known,” Ethan told her honestly. “You have been subjected to several traumatic events in the past couple of monthsand you have recovered your equilibrium quite rapidly. I am impressed.” “Is that why you study me like an insect under a microscope?” Emilia asked him. She didn’t know why he annoyed her so much, but he did. “I don’t mean to be rude…” “Yes you do,” Ethan broke in, laughing. “But that’s all right, child. You are using it as a defense mechanism. You don’t like being out of control,and this entire situation has you feeling off balance.” “I’m tired,” Emilia protested as he made indication that she should go with him. The look on his face told her everything. “My aunt doesn’t know anything about this, does she?” “Smart girl,” Ethan smiled as he pulled her to her feetand took her into her room. “Youand I are going to have a little private conversation,” he said to her, “without your aunt’s interference.” He saw the wariness in her eyes. “I am not going to hurt you, child. I merely wish to ascertain whether your condition has improved or deteriorated since we brought you here.” “I still do not want to be here, Doctor,” Emilia said as she went to sit by the windows. “I want to go home to Glenville,and I don’t want to have anything further to do with Stephen’s father.” “You are very definite about your desires, Emilia,” Ethan nodded. “You know, of course, that you can’t have what you want,” he said as he readied a syringe. “You have been legally committed to this facilityand will remain here until I am convinced it is safe to let you leave.” “And just how am I supposed to convince you?” Emilia asked him bluntly. She shook her head as he came towards her. “No,” she protested as he pinned her down in the chair. “That is not going to happen.” “You really think I care what you think, little girl?” Ethan smiled at her, enjoying the snap of anger in her eyes. He grabbed her by the wristsand dragged her over to the bed. “I can pretty much do whatever I believe is in your best interests. Even your aunt can’t interfere.” He saw the surprise in her eyes. “You thought she was in charge here? Not where you’re concerned, child. It wouldn’t be ethical for her to treat you.” “Is this how you treat all your female patients, Doctor?” Emilia snapped at himand turned her head as he tried to kiss her. “I suppose if I don’t let you assault me, then you’ll tell my aunt I’ve suffered some kind of psychotic break?” “You have a very fertile imagination, Emilia,” Ethan smiled as he ran his fingers along her lipsand watched her eyes. “And you are almost correct.” He waited a momentand then saw her eyes start to dull. “Emilia?” Ethan’s voice broke into the fog on her mind. “Are you feeling better now?” “Better?” Emilia sat upand the room spun around her. “Why do I feel so strange?” “You had a bad spelland Justin called me to come see you,” Ethan lied to her. “I gave you a little something to help you calm down.” He saw her looking. “He had to go back to help the other orderly.” He sat down on the couch next to herand his hand moved to her cheek. Emilia pulled away, shaking her head. “Don’t be afraid, Emilia. I’m not going to hurt you.” “I’m going to call my aunt,” Emilia said coldlyand got up to leave. He yanked her backand she slapped him across the face. “Nie dotyka mnie!” she demanded in Polish. When he did not listen, she repeated herself in English. “Do not touch me!” “I am going to do more than ‘touch’ you, baby,” Ethan said nastily, dropping his pleasant demeanor. “Come here.” “NO!” Emilia screamedand raked his face with her nails. He let her go with a curseand she was on her feetand running for the door. She unlocked itand was out of the room. He came after her as she entered the main building looking for help. There was no one aroundand that frightened her. She slipped into the stairwell as he cut off her route to the front door. Ethan caught her at the top of the stairs. He shoved her into a corner, his arm pinning her against the wall at her throat, painfully. “Please, don’t…” “I’m sorry, baby,” Ethan said as he clamped his hand on her wrists. “It’s too late for protests.” His hand slid under her dressand he slid off her underwear. He turned her to face the walland used her own underwear to bind her wrists behind her back. “You’ve been a very bad girl, so I am going to have to punish you.” Emilia shook her head violently as she tried to work her wrists free. “Don’t fight, baby,” he smiled, as he turned her back to face him. “I will only have to punish you more!” Emilia continued to struggle, desperate to free herself. She had to get away from this madman; he was going to rape her. She screamed as he assaulted her,and he merely laughed at her. When he was through with her, he let her goand she collapsed to the floor, sobbing. Ethan grabbed her hairand yanked her up, his expression quite satisfied. “You tell your aunt what just happened, baby,” he hissed as his hand stroked her cheek, “and I will have you put into isolation.” His thoughtsand expression were clear. “I’ll be able to ‘punish’ you at will there.” “You bastard!” Emilia screamed. She raked her nails across his faceand he stumbled back with a cry of pain. He came at herand she tried to defend herself as he clamped his hands on her throatand began to strangle her. The labor pains started as her lungs screamed out for air. She was screaming as she felt them ripping through her. It shouldn’t hurt this badly, should it? Ethan realized what was happeningand he was horrified. He was going to die if anything happened to this girl’s baby. He tried to make her stop screamingand she flailed out at him. He went flying backand lost his footing. He fell down the stairs as Emilia watched helplesslyand she could tell he had not survived by the posture of his body. She tried to get to her feetand the pains grew worse, driving her to the corner where she curled up in a balland sobbed. “Emilia?” Justin came into the stairwell on his roundsand saw her. He saw her eyesand knew she was lost in her agony. He picked her up in his armsand carried her downstairs, frowning as he saw Ethan. This was no time to ask her what had happened. “Doctor,” he said as he burst into Vanessa’s office in the middle of a session. “There’s been an accident. Doctor Randall is dead,” he said as he set Emilia down on the couch, “and your niece is having a miscarriage.” Vanessa didn’t say a word. She had Isaac, who had been standing in the corner of the room; take the other resident back as she called for an ambulance. Then she sat down on the couchand held Emilia as she writhed in pain. The transfer to the hospital in the ambulance barely registered on her daughter’s mind; Vanessa could tell that the pain was overwhelming her. She knew, without being told, that Ethan had caused this. “It was too late, ma’am,” the ER doctor said as he examined Emilia. “She has lost the baby.” He was very angry. “Someone forced themselves on this child…” “And he has paid for it,” Vanessa frowned. She looked down at her daughterand knew what had happened. “He fell down a flight of stairsand broke his neck.” She stroked Emilia’s hair, glad that the girl was asleep. “Is she ready to go home?” “It might be wiser to keep her overnight, Doctor…” Alan saw the dark look on Vanessa’s faceand relented. “Just keep her quiet. If she starts to run a fever…” “I’ll bring her back,” Vanessa nodded. She went to the doorand motioned to Isaac as the doctor finished tending Emilia. The orderly picked Emilia up in his armsand carried her to the waiting car. “Thank you, Doctor Turner.” Vanessa got in the car with the orderlyand Emilia. She settled her daughter as comfortably as she couldand picked up the receiver on the car phone. “This is Doctor Stanford at Faringdale,” she said to the person on the phones at the Glenville police station. “There’s been an accident. Doctor Randall has been found dead. Please come.” * Daniel looked at the message on his note pad in utter disbelief. An eighth judge had just denied their request for a hearing. Emilia had been in the sanitarium two months now,and they were no closer to getting her out than they had been on the day she had been taken. What did they have to do to help her? Samuel Winslow was not going to let her out; he knew, that had been the first thing he had said when he had been arrested. He had just laughedand said Emilia was better off where she was. Every one of the calls they had made to her aunt had gone unanswered. An official letter from the sanitarium, signed by Doctor Ethan Randall, had proven to be just the diagnosis as to Emilia’s condition. The girl, it said, was in far too delicate an emotional state to be without supervision; especially now that she had learned that she had lost her dead husband’s child. He slammed his fist into the top of the deskand his officers turned to look at him. “No dice?” Jason asked as he came in with a folder of daily reports. “The judges in this county are going by the report filed by the doctor overseeing Emilia’s care,” Daniel frowned. “They don’t want to take the risk that she might come to harm if they let her out.” He sank down into his chair. “We’ve tried everything, Jay. Racheland I have even offered to be her guardians, but they won’t budge.” “They won’t release her to her uncle?” “His profession precludes him from caring for her properly,” Daniel replied. “The bull these judges are slinging is infuriating.” “Lieutenant?” Sammy stepped into the office, frowning darkly. “We just had a call from Faringdale. There’s been an accident.” “Emilia?” “No,” Sammy shook her head as she fell in beside him as they ran for the squad car. “Her doctor, Ethan Randall. He was found at the foot of a flight of stairs with a broken neck.” She got in the passenger side. “I’ve already alerted the CSI team. They’ll meet us there.” Daniel got behind the wheeland they drove to the sanitarium. They were shown directly to the accident site by one of the orderlies. A sheet had been placed over the body but nothing else had been touched. He took the orderlies statementand then asked to be shown to the Director. The orderly took him through the walkway to Vanessa’s quarters. She was seated in the living room with Emilia. “Lieutenant!” Emilia smiled wearily as she saw her friend. “It’s nice to see you.” “I wish it were under better circumstances, child,” Daniel replied; frowning at how pale Emilia was. He looked over at Vanessa. “Doctor Stanford, I think we should take this conversation to your office.” “Why?” Emilia asked. She looked over at her aunt, shaken. “You can’t protect me, Vanessa. It’s my fault.” “It’s not your fault, dear,” Vanessa replied. She got to her feet. “You did nothing you need to be punished for.” She rose to her feetand indicated to Daniel that they should leave. Once they were out of the apartment, she frowned at him. “You could have had me paged, Lieutenant.” They went into her officeand she sat down behind her desk. She pressed a button under the drawer. “You just wanted to see that she was all right, didn’t you?” “You can’t blame me, Doctor,” Daniel said stiffly. “We haven’t heard a word from her since she was brought here two months ago. Emilia is very important to her friends…” “As she is to her family, Lieutenant,” Vanessa broke in. “You can be assured that she is receiving the best of care here. I would never do anything to hurt my niece.” “Niece?” “Yes, Lieutenant Simon,” Vanessa nodded,and dropped the coldly efficient demeanor for a moment. “I am Emilia’s aunt, VanessaAndrews Stanford.” She looked at him sternly. “But you are not here to take her family history, Lieutenant. Shall we discuss Dr. Randall’s accident?” “Was it an accident, Dr. Stanford?” Daniel asked her simply. He flipped open his notebookand pulled out the pen. “This is a sanitarium.” “I assure you, Lieutenant,” Vanessa smiled at him, amused. “It was an accident. Doctor Randall raped my niece.” She heard his swift intake of breathand nodded. “When it was over, he threatened to put her into an isolation cell, where he could ‘punish’ her at his leisure.” She did not control her emotions. She let Daniel see her anger, her grief. “Emilia was terrified. She struck out at himand he lost his footingand fell.” “I’ll need to speak to Emilia,” Daniel told her as he finished taking down her statement. “Later,” he said as he saw her dark look. “She’s been through enough.” “You are a good man, Lieutenant Simon,” Vanessa smiled briefly. “She is going to have a lot to deal with now. The assault caused her to miscarry,” she explained to the man. “Emilia lost her child.” “Damn!” Daniel cursed,and he closed the book. “It’s a good thing the man’s dead,” he continued coldly, “or he might have suffered an ‘accident’ at my hands.” “That might have been preferable,” Vanessa nodded. She got to her feet. “Emilia is convinced she should be punished for what happened. It’s going to take a while for her to realize that it was not her fault.” “Shouldn’t she be in the hospital?” Daniel asked the woman. “I am not letting the child out of my sight again,” Vanessa snapped. The anger vanishedand a cool smile appeared on her face. “I need to get back to her, Lieutenant.” Daniel watched her go, wondering why he felt a chill go up his spine. He had a very uncomfortable feeling that Emilia’s miscarriageand Doctor Randall’s accident were connected. He had Sammyand the head orderly collect the other employeesand began the interviews. Everyone’s story was the same. Not one of the people had heard a thing. Nor had any of them any knowledge that Ethan was going to harm Emilia. If they had, more than one staff member said, they would have stopped the man themselves. He got the impression that Emilia was very dear to all of themand it relieved his mind of some of the guilt for his part in putting her in this place. * Emilia was eating breakfast a month later when Samuel came for a visit. She set the spoon down beside the bowland waited for him to tell her what he wanted. He sat down next to herand cupped her cheek in his hand. She sat perfectly still, fighting the shiver that ran through her at his touch. His regret over the loss of his grandchild hit her mindand she began to cry. She could feel how awkward this made him, but he kept his arms around her until she calmed down. Samuel finally let her goand sat watching her. The sunlight striking her made her glowand he was struck by how much a part of the sunlight she was. She could burn a man if he wasn’t wary. He put the paper he’d been carrying in his coat pocket on the tableand showed her the headlines. “It would appear your father was hiding from us all, darling,” he said as he saw her reading the story about her father, “so he could commit unspeakable acts on helpless people.” “That’s not true!” Emilia cried in dismay. “He would never do such things willingly!” “Your father was a bio-chemist, Emilia,” Samuel told her. “The people who abducted him the year after you were born forced him to create all manner of drugs for them.” He laid his hand on her shoulder. “He never spoke of his past with you?” “I didn’t even know he was a doctor,” Emilia bit her lip to keep from crying, “until Stephen told me.” She looked at him in dismay. “He couldn’t have done these things of his own free will, Samuel. Not my father!” “That is what the trial will decide, Emilia,” Samuel replied. “All I know for sure is what Dominik told me just before he disappeared.” He sat downand told her what had happened, with only minor embellishments. “He had been approached several times by an organization that wanted him to work on drug research for them. He didn’t take their offer because, as he said at the time, the money was too good.” He ran his hand through his thick silver hairand sighed. “I should have called the authorities when you all vanished, but I thought he was just trying to put some distance between themand his family.” “They found us, didn’t they?” Emilia guessed from the expression on the man’s face. When he didn’t answer, she grabbed his arm, frantic to know the truth. “They took my father away from us, didn’t they?” “Yes,” Samuel nodded; the memory still appeared to be painful to him. “Your mother placed you in the orphanageand went to find him. Her car spun out of control on an icy roadand she didn’t survive the crash.” He cupped her chin in his hand, his eyes kind. “You have had a very sad life for one so young.” “I can’t lose him again, Samuel,” Emilia cried out in dismay. “You have to help him.” “I’ll see what I can do for him, child, ” Samuel agreed. “It’s time for you to come home with me.” “You’re really going to make me marry Zachary?” Emilia cried softly. “Zachary is very eager,” Samuel smiled happily. He got upand went to the door. “Isaac,” he said to the orderly. “Have Doctor Stanford prepare the release forms. Emilia is ready to return home with me.” Vanessa came to the room a few moments laterand handed him the release forms. She kissed Emilia on the forehead, smiling. She wished she could keep Emilia with her, but Samuel had moved too fast.And there was really no reason she could cite that he would believe. Vanessa handed a suitcase to Samueland he opened it. Inside was some clothing for Emilia to wear on their trip. Emilia went into the bathroomand dressed, returning in time to see Samueland Vanessa kissing. She hadn’t realized that her auntand Stephen’s father were that close. Her promise to do what he wanted suddenly seemed the wrong move. “Come along, Emilia,” Samuel said as he held his hand out to her, “Say thank you to your aunt for all her loving care over the past three months.” “Thank you, Vanessa,” Emilia repeated, her mind not on anything but her father. “I’ve learned a great deal while I was in your care. I won’t forget.” “It was my pleasure, darling,” Vanessa replied. “Having you here was like having Karen back.” She kissed Emilia on the cheek. “Come see me any time.” “Come along, darling,” Samuel said to Emilia. He took her out of the sanitariumand they got in the back of the waiting limousine. “We are going to be staying at your penthouse in New York. You’ll enjoy your time there.” He saw her paleand gripped her hand. “Are you all right, child?” “Just a little tired,” Emilia told him. She turned her head away from him so he wouldn’t see the tears that had sprung into her eyes. She had to believe he wasn’t being intentionally cruel by choosing the exact destination sheand Stephen had been planning to go to next. “Will it take long?” “Not long at all,” Samuel told her. His hand moved up to stroke her hair. “Close your eyes now, child. Try to relax.” Emilia did as he suggestedand was asleep in seconds. Samuel let her sleep. He began to lay plans for the next generation of Winslows. It grieved him that she had lost her child; if Randall hadn’t had the ‘accident,’ Samuel would have killed the man himself. He should have given her to Zachary from the first. His younger son would never have betrayed him as Stephen had. They got to the airfieldand he took her aboard, laying her on the bed in the back cabinand letting her sleep. * Dominik stopped pacing in the prison waiting room he had been taken to after the lab was raidedand looked at Daniel as if the man had suddenly sprouted another head. He couldn’t believe he had just heard what the man had said. Not coming out of his lipsand not as a result of a letter that had just arrived from the sanitarium. It was definitely written in Emilia’s hand, but it made no sense. He took it from the manand read it himself, shaking his head as he refused to believe what it was saying. “He’s brainwashed her,” he said angrily. “There is no way that Emilia could honestly believe such a thing.” He looked at the letter again. “I am going with Professor Winslow,” he read her words aloud. “It is where I belong.” He shook his head as if to clear it of static. “It can’t be what she really wants.” “We have no way of confirming it at the moment,” Adam said from where he stood in the corner. “Samueland Emilia left the sanitarium two hours agoand headed northeast.” “He’s taking her to the penthouse in New York,” Dominik frowned. “Using her grief to keep her under his control.” “You’ve known this man for years, Don,” Daniel reminded him. “Are you saying you weren’t aware of his cruelty?” “He was harsh,” Dominik replied, “but I always thought that was just his nature. He didn’t start getting cruel until heand I fought over Karen.” His fists clenched in anger. “He was obsessed with finding a way to possess her,and I loved her too much to allow that to happen.” “He’s using Emilia to replace Karen,” Adam snarled. “He couldn’t have her so he’s taken your daughter.” He looked at Dominik. “What do you know about this place in New York?” “We own the building, remember?” Dominik reminded his brother. “The blueprints will be in the files.” “I’ll have Felicia do some research,” Adam nodded. “We have to find a way to get Emilia out of there.” A few hours later, they had their plan. The penthouse took up an entire floor of the building it was in. Checking with the realtors, they found that the units below itand above it were available. Adam pulled his weightand had the realtor ‘lend’ them to his organization for the next month. His father was going to freak out when he saw the expense report, but Adam didn’t care. Emilia was in trouble,and he would pay out the national debt to help the child. Heand team would set up house. His wife, Mikala, would love this impromptu vacation. She had been after him for years to go someplace special. “Someplace special,” Mikala frowned an hour later when she joined himand his team at the penthouse, “as in just youand me, Adam. Not as in part of a take down team.” “I thought this would be something you’d want to be part of, moj serce,” Adam replied. “Seeing as its our niece we are intending to rescue.” “Dominik’s girl?” Mikala asked. Adam noddedand her demeanor shifted drastically. “You couldn’t have stopped me. So who has herand how are we going to get her away from them?” “The man in the penthouse below this one,” Adam answered her questions in the order she’d asked them, “and as quicklyand painlessly as possible.” He nodded over at one of his men. “Jacob has already planted the bugs. We’re going to monitor the situationand pick our moment.” “Make it soon, my dear,” Mikala told her husband, “or I shall march down thereand demand that she be given to me!” * Emilia was standing in the living room looking out across the city as the night descended. It was a beautiful view, but it didn’t please her. She was trapped in a life that was not of her own choosing. Samuel had promised to help her father with his legal problems if she did as he asked without argument. She was still numb from losing Stephen’s child,and had no energy to fight. Samuel had told her that she would be married to his other son once she had recovered from the miscarriage. She heard Zachary come up behind herand controlled the shudder as his hands rested on her shoulders. For over eight weeks now, they had enjoyed the shows, the museums,and other sights of the city. Samuel watched her move away from his son,and saw Zachary’s frown. She had been an obedientand pleasing daughter; he had no complaints. But she had been distant with Zachary, refusing to show him any warmth. “This has been a pleasant interlude,” Samuel finally said as Zachary turned her so he could look down into her glorious eyes, “but it is time for us to go home.” He saw her frown as she looked over at him. “We will come back, child; if that is what you want.” “Do you actually care what I want?” Emilia asked him, her voice filled with pain she could not control. “I want you to be happy,” Samuel told her earnestly. “You became my daughter when you married Stephen, child.” He cupped her chin in his hand. “What can I do to help you finally accept your place in my family?” “I have accepted that you are going to run my life,” Emilia replied tightly. “I am here, aren’t I?” “That is not what he meant, pet,” Zachary broke in, “and you know it.” His eyes went cold as he had a sudden, unwelcome thought. “If Stephen were here, would you be happy?” His fingers bit into her,and she winced in pain. “That’s it, isn’t it? You still mourn my brother!” “I loved your brother,” Emilia reminded him, her eyes glistening with tears. “I can’t just turn that off to suit you.” “I’m sorry, child,” Samuel said as he pulled her away from Zachary. He hugged herand glared at his son over her head. “We know you’re doing your best.” He looked down into her eyesand knew he had her beat. “You’re my daughter now, Emilia. I am going to see to it that you have everything you need to be happy.” Emilia was lost. This monster was convinced he was doing the right thing for her by keeping her at his side. What gave him the right, her mind screamed as she sank down on the couchand struggled to control her temper. She watched him pour her a glass of juiceand took it with a vacant smile. There had to be some way she could get away from him. If she couldn’t have Stephen, then she wanted to be back in Glenville. “We have a gallery opening to attend tonight,” Samuel said as he pulled her to her feet. “Martha will help you get dressed.” Emilia went to the master suite to find a bath already drawnand waiting for her. She slipped into the warm water with a sigh of pleasure, letting the warmth draw the last of the pain from her body. Something had changed in the dynamic of her relationship with Samuel,and she wasn’t certain it was for the best. Good or bad, it was what he firmly believed had to be. She was the daughter he had wanted with Karen, her mother. Once she was dressed, she moved out into the living roomand accepted the glass of juice he held out to her. She looked at Zachary,and something in his expression made her very uneasy. “You need to start accepting the fact, Emilia,” Samuel said as he put his arm around her, “that Zachary is going to be your husband. He has been very patient with you,” he addedand saw the shock on her face. “His cousin is going to the opening with us. Isn’t that nice?” “Nice,” Emilia choked out. She looked at the tall blonde woman seated on the couch who was eyeing her appraisingly. “You’re Stephen’s cousin?” “Uncle Samuel’s sister was my mother,” Juliet Devereaux nodded. She rose to her feetand moved towards her. Emilia was reminded of a jungle cat stalking its prey. “My name is Juliet Devereaux Simmons.” “Your husband couldn’t join you?” Emilia asked as she found herself drawn away from Samuel’s side by the woman. “My husband is the artist,” Juliet told her, smiling warmly. The girl was quite innocent, Juliet noted. She reminded Juliet of a Madonna in a Renaissance painting. “You must let me call on you, Emilia, now that you’re family. I’ll show you all the best shops…” “Before we go,” Samuel interrupted, as he took a box out of his pocketand handed it to Zachary. “We should get this little business out of the way.” “Father wants you to have his mother’s engagement ring, Emilia,” he said gently as he looked down into her eyes. He could feel the sadness coming off of herand it bothered him. “Aren’t you happy?” “Should I be?” Emilia sighed. “The only positive thing that has happened to me since I met your family was that I was having Stephen’s child.” She tried to move awayand he put his armand hand out to stop her. She looked up at him,and distress was in her eyes. “I don’t want you, Zachary. I don’t want to be anywhere near this family, if Stephen isn’t here with me!” “You are a Winslow now, Emilia,” Zachary broke in, harshly. “Your place is here with us.” His hand moved up to her cheekand he felt her shiver. He was determined to have her now. “I can promise you that I will be a considerate husband.” “I don’t want to marry you!” Emilia cried out in despair. “Why can’t you all just leave me alone?” “Because you belong to us now, Emilia,” Zachary told her bluntly, as he opened the boxand slid the engagement ring on her finger. He was enjoying the anger in her eyes. As he moved in closer, he saw the shock as she realized what he meant to do to her. “We will never let you go.” “Please don’t,” Emilia choked as his body pressed against her, pinning her to the wall. “I don’t want you touching me.” She could feel him raising the skirt of her gownand she tried to pull free. “Stop it!” Zachary wasn’t listening. She was such a beautiful child, his mind sang as he let his handsand his lips roam at will. He could understand now just why his brother had chosen to take her instead of let their father have her. Despite the fact that he had her helpless, she continued to fight him. He lifted her upand slid inside of herand the shock in her eyes was glorious. He was going to enjoy having her in his bed, he knew. His lips claimed hersand she bit him, still trying to make him let her go. It only excited him further. He couldn’t wait for her to be his! “You bastard!” Emilia hissed once he released her. She slapped him across the face, her eyes blazing with rage. “If you ever touch me again, I will kill you!” “You’re certainly going to have an interesting wedding night, my son,” Samuel laughed. He finished his drinkand saw the horror in the girl’s eyes. She had not even realized that heand Juliet were still in the room. “Shall we go?” Zachary took Emilia’s hand and held her to his side as they went down in the elevator to the limousine waiting out front. Emilia sat quietly at his sideand Samuel enjoyed the look of hunger on his son’s face. Samuel smiled. It hadn’t been hard to convince Zachary to keep Emilia in the family. They got out at the galleryand Zachary kept Emilia’s hand in his as he took her through the exhibit. He was every inch the loving fiancé as he chose what she could eat or drink from the buffet table. Zachary was ready to explode by the time he got his chance to get the girl alone. He took her hand and led her out to the alley. “I am not marrying you,” Emilia argued. “I don’t care how many times you rape me; I won’t stay…” Zachary’s lips claimed hersand she stiffened. “Nie dotyka mnie!” Zachary was suddenly flying as two men yanked him off of her. They held him as a third man, also masked, held his hand out to Emilia. She was uncertain what she should do, Zachary saw. But then she realized that they were taking her away from him,and she noddedand took the man’s hand. Zachary slid down the wall after the man holding him back slammed his head into the wall. He knelt down next to the stunned man, his voice coldand hard. “Come after her again,” he said harshly, “and the next place you’ll be is the morgue.” “You’re going to pay for this,” Zachary hissed as he pulled himself up, groaning in pain. “No one moves on us!” “You heard me, Winslow,” the man laughed harshly. “You have had your only warning.” The men joined their companion in the vanand Emilia watched as they removed their masks. All three of the men were handsome,and reminded her of her father. Adam lifted a canteen out of the storage unitand handed it to her. Emilia took a sip, found it to be only water,and continued to drink. Once she was through, she took off the engagement ringand dropped it into the trash bin. “We apologize that we couldn’t get to you sooner, moj brat dzieckcko,” Adam told her as his younger brother, Barnabas, took the wheel. “We are your uncles. I am Adam, the man at the wheel is Barnabas,and the buffoon seated next to you is the youngest of the Sobieski sons, Konrad. Your father is waiting for us.” “He’s in trouble,” Emilia said softly as she acknowledged them. “We’re going to him now,” Adam told her. “He will be glad to see you.” “Did he really do all those awful things I read in the paper?” Emilia asked her uncle. She saw his frown at her knowing anything about the situation. “Professor Winslow showed me.” “He would!” Konrad hissed. “The bastard!” He laid his hand on Emilia’s, his expression grim. “Dominik would never willingly hurt anyone. Unlike Adamand I, heand Barnabas are the gentlest men in creation.” He saw the uncertainty in her eyes. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Emilia. Even if I did,” he smiled as he felt her mind in his, “you would know.” “I should have slit that bastard’s throat,” Adam said as he opened the storage unit againand pulled out a coat. He wrapped it around Emilia. “Are you all right, Emilia?” “They were going to make me marry him,” Emilia told him, the reaction beginning to set in. She looked at her uncles as they watched her dissolve into tears. “I told them I wouldn’t do it,” she sobbed as her uncle Konrad put his arms around her, “but they wouldn’t listen to me. Zachary…” She quieted a moment, unable to relive that moment just yet. “You won’t let them do that to me, will you?” “Never,” Konrad replied tightly. He pulled her into his armsand stroked her back, his eyes darkand angry as he looked at his brothers. “This has got to end,” he told them in Polish. “Those bastards must be ended now!” He looked down at Emilia,and his anger eased only slightly. “Poor angel! She should never have had to be part of our war.” “Mam odczuwanie co Ja nigdy wybór,” Emilia said softly as she started to slip into the darkness, in perfect Polish. (I have a feeling that I never had a choice.) The brothers exchanged shocked glances. They had not known that Dominik had taught his daughter their language. It was quite evident now that their brother had done a lot of things that they had been unaware of. This realization was quite unsettling for all of them. They drove back to the penthouse they had leasedand turned Emilia over to Adam’s wife, Mikala. She got the girl to bedand joined her husband and the others for a drink. “She should be taken where she is away from all of this madness,” she said as she accepted the drink Adam held out to her. “She’s just a child!” she insisted as she saw their expressions. “She is not equipped to handle this…” “Unfortunately,” Adam broke in, looking regretful, “she is the one Winslow targeted.” “He is obsessed with her,” Konrad corrected. “If he knew she had the sight…” He saw his family members stiffen. “She is still too new to it, herself, to realize what she has.” “It’s a good thing that we got to her when we did,” Adam nodded. The Sobieski family kept their gifts a closely guarded secret. It was enough for their enemies to know that they were a fiercely protective clan who used their intelligenceand wealth to willingly prevent abuse in all its forms. Professor Winslowand his organization were among their primary enemies. He saw his wife’s frownand put his arms around her. “It is up to the Sobieski to determine how best to proceed in the child’s case, Mikala. For now, we will let her rest.” Samuel was outraged when he heard what had happened. Someone had dared to make a move on his family.And now Emilia was out of their hands. She belonged to them now. Stephen had made her a part of their family by marrying her. His holdings were in that child’s hands. He looked over at Zachary, who was glaring at a point in the floor,and knew his son was having similar thoughts. Emilia would be returned to them, or they would know why. “The Winslows have reached the point of no return, nephew,” Hamilton Snow told Hawke as they entered the gallery just in time to see Samueland Zachary storm out. Juliet had been only too ready to tell them what had happened. “Their obsession with this child has made them both too dangerous to be allowed any further autonomy.” He saw Hawke waiting for his ordersand smiled. “I will handle the father. I want you to continue watching Zachary. He has one more chance to redeem himself. If he makes any further moves on the girl, you will bring him in.” “And if he doesn’t wish to come?” “He is not to be given a choice, nephew,” Hamilton told Hawke coldly. He saw Julietand Wendelland his expression warmed slightly. “I suggest you go find him now. I wish to speak to the artist.” Hawke noddedand left the gallery without a further word. He nodded to Julietand Wendell as his uncle joined themand waited on the street for his Jaguar. Once he was behind the wheel, he pressed a button on the console. A light flashed through the interiorand then blinked green three times before going out. There were no tracking devices on his car. Hawke nodded, satisfied that he was now free to make his report to the people he really worked for. He did so,and was told he should do as his uncle had asked. It was apparent that Emilia was still a targetand needed to be protected. * Emilia was taken up to the front row in the courtroom two mornings later by her uncle Konrad. Dominik looked over her head as he embraced his daughter, confused. He had not expected them to get his daughter away from Samuel; but she was here, exactly as he had been assured she would be. He looked down at herand noticed how paleand anxious she was; it made his blood chill. He introduced her to his attorney, but she barely acknowledged the young man. Her mind was filled with worry for his plight, he knew. Emilia would only think of herself when everyone else was safeand well. “How are you feeling, Mój dzieckcko?” Dominik asked her, his shock plain. He looked over her head at Konrad. “Are you being treated well?” “Of course she is, Dominik,” Konrad spoke up before Emilia could. “She has been having a little trouble sleeping.” “I heard you lost your baby, Emi,” Dominik said as he stroked Emilia’s cheek. “I’m so sorry, Mój dzieckcko,” Dominik replied softly. “You should never have been involved in any of this.” “Maybe you should have left me in the orphanage, Mój ojciec,” Emilia cried in dismay. “It’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?” Dominik’s answer went unspoken. The gavel went downand he was forced to turn away. Emilia bit her lipand wondered why her father was so upset. Then she saw that he was looking past herand turned her head. Samueland Zachary were coming into the courtroom, with the tall dark-skinned man, Bravo. The Winslow men sat on the other side of the roomand Emilia looked away from them as they nodded to her. They were up to somethingand it was not going to be at all pleasant. She looked to her uncleand his frown confirmed her reading. “Dark men have dark thoughts,” Konrad said to her softly as they sat down. “They can’t pull anything here. The Sobieski are here in force.” He nodded to where her other unclesand their wives were seated. “And there are others,” he told her in Polish, “who you have yet to meet.” The trial beganand Emilia tried to follow it, confused by some of the medical jargon being thrown around. The first witnesses were people who had been used as test subjects in the drug trials. They all said the same thing; Doctor Sobieski had personally supervised the injections himself. He had been “quite eager” to see what the reactions were. Emilia saw her father’s faceand knew he was reliving the horror he had been forced to inflict on these people. Samuel was called to the stand and he told the same story on the stand that he had told Emilia. “He’s lying,” Emilia whispered to her uncle in Polish. “He was no innocent spectator in this.” “That will be shown,” Konrad assured her, as he squeezed her hand. “The information you sent to Adam has all the facts he is refusing to acknowledge.” He looked at his watch. “They will be adjourning for lunch now. You have an appointment with my sister, Doctor Regina.” “I can’t go anywhere, Konrad,” Emilia protested. “My father needs me…” “He will be more at ease if he knows you are well,” Konrad broke in firmly. He saw that she understood. “Dominik,” he said as he squeezed his brother’s arm when the recess was called. “Stay strong. It will be over soon.” “Just take care of my girl, Konrad,” Dominik told him. He kissed Emilia on the foreheadand looked down at her. “Listen to them, Mój ojciec. They will keep you safe.” Emilia bit her lip to keep from cryingand left the courtroom with her uncles’ wives. They guided her easily through the phalanx of journalistsand camera crews lining the stairs; they reminded Emilia of vultures circling in search of a meal. She saw the squad cars roaring past them as they drove off. Something had happened at the courthouse. Had it had anything to do with her father? The newspapers were coloring him as a heartless maniac; could someone be out for revenge? Her demands to be taken back, however, fell on deaf ears. She was taken to the doctor’s officeand kept there. “You are very agitated today, Emilia,” her father’s cousin, Doctor Regina Novak Turner stated as she saw the blood pressure reading. She laid her hand on Emilia’s shoulder, her expression understanding. “Your father went on trial today, I understand. But,” she continued, her manner brisk, “you can’t let it get you upset. It’s not good for you.” Emilia noddedand laid back for the examination. She couldn’t do anything about what had happened at the courthouse. She didn’t even know that it had anything to do with her father. But, for some reason she didn’t understand, she had a very uneasy feeling. She had to keep her mind on what she could control, Emilia told herself. Regina smiled as she finished the examand told her that everything looked just fine. She wrote Emilia a prescription for a mild sedative. “You are only to take the sedative if you feel yourself getting seriously agitated,” the Doctor told her. “I have a feeling I don’t need to worry about you,” she smiled at Emilia. “You are a very level-headed girl.” “Thank you, Reggie,” Emilia smiled. She watched the woman leaveand got upand dressed. Regina came back a moment later, with Mikalaand Donata, Adamand Barnabas’ wives. “What’s wrong?” Emilia asked in confusion as she noted the women’s distress. She had a sudden fearand her face went pale. “My father?” Reggie hesitatedand she grew even more anxious. “Please, tell me what’s going on.” “Please get me a glass of water, Dona,” Reggie asked Barnabas’ wife, Donata. She took the vial of pills from Emiliaand shook one out. “Take one of these, Emi,and then we’ll talk.” Emilia did as she was told; wondering why a sedative was necessary. Something bad had happened, Emilia was sure of it now. But Reggie was not telling her anything just yet. The women took her to the kitchenand made some tea. Only when it was on the table,and Reggie could see Emilia calming down, did she say a word. “Right after you left the courthouse, a madman broke in.” She gripped Emilia’s handsand her eyes were filled with anguish. “I’m sorry, Emilia,” her eyes weremisted with tears. “He shot your fatherand Samuel Winslow. They’re both dead.” “No,” Emilia shook her head, wondering why the woman was lying to her like this. “It isn’t true.” She got to her feetand darkness closed in around her, sending her tumbling to the floor. “To nie jest prawda.” “Poor child,” Reggie frowned. Sheand the others helped Emilia upand took her to the guest room. Something serious was going on,and Reggie had the uncomfortable feeling that it was going to threaten Emilia even more before it was over. * Stephen slammed the paper down on the table in his room in the island fortressand cursed. He had spent the last seven months here at his uncle’s suggestion,and he was getting antsy. Being here with the Pashtu, as their Sheik,and policing the shipping lanes had not kept his mind off of her. He wanted to be with his wife, damn it! She had lost their child. He should never have let Benjamin talk him into this. Emilia was his wife; she needed him at her side. He turned as the door openedand saw the look on Yusef’s faceand knew instantly that something had changed. A newspaper was in the older man’s hand. “Your father is dead, Stephen,” Yusef told him without preamble. He held out the paper. “Heand Dominik Sobieski were assassinated in the courtroom.” He saw Stephen’s face. “Emilia was not there.” “I need to go to her,” Stephen said as he got to his feet. “I can’t stay away any longer.” “I wish I could tell you that it was safe for you to do so, Stephen,” Yusef replied, “but this is not over yet.” He saw he had Stephen’s attention. “The man who hired the assassin who shot your fatherand Emilia’s father is going to go after her next.” “You can’t use my wife as bait!” Stephen snarled. “This has gone on long enough! I am going to her.” “Sorry, nephew,” Alpha said as he came into the room. “I can’t let you do that. You need to continue your work here.” He sank down onto a chair. “She is with the Sobieski now. They will protect her.” “The Sobieski clan has been activated?” Stephen felt relief flood through him. “I almost feel sorry for the bastard.” “It would appear that someone is looking to take over where your father left off,” Alpha nodded as he sat down on the single chair in the room. “He is setting himself up as the new emperorand your pretty wife is going to be his empress.” “Like hell!” Stephen spat. “This madman will move in on her now,” Alpha told his nephew, “and attempt to gain her trust. Then he will isolate her from her friendsand family.” He smiled at this. “He has no idea what he’s in for. Emilia’s unclesand aunts, cousins,and grandparents, are all standing ready to give him hell.” “We know this is hard for you, Stephen,” Yusef said to the man. “Your role as the Sheik of Pashtu may be the only hope your wife has of remaining free of this man’s plot.” “If this is what it will take to get my wife back then I’ll remain,” Stephen nodded. “Emilia will love the island.” “Then let us set our trap,” Alpha smiled. He laid out the groundwork for what was to happen. As he sat back to listen to the others discuss the situation, he let his mind work on his own objectives. Stephenand Emilia would be together again. It was his plan that they have a child together,and he would stop at nothing to see that occur. If Zachary had to die to accomplish that goal; then it was an acceptable loss. He had worked too longand too hard on this project to let anyone stand in his way. * Reggie took Emilia back to Glenville a week after the funeralsand opened an office there. She had wanted to stay with the girl, but Emilia had insisted that Reggie find a place of her own. Emilia needed to feel that she had some say in what was going on, Reggie knew. The week after her father’s murder she had pretty much been shunted from one relative to another, without being asked if that was what she wanted. Emilia spent the next two weeks becoming reacquainted with her friends in Glenville. She was beginning to feel that life had settled downand she was safe when she saw him at the bank. Zachary was there, with a very pretty blonde on his arm. What was he doing here in Glenville? Emilia felt her heart squeezeand she turned away, struggling to control the tears that rose up at the sight of him. For a moment, it had been Stephen standing there. But then she had rememberedand a fresh wave of pain surged through her. Her husband was never coming back; he was dead. Their baby was dead. Her father was dead.And she was left alone. She was so deep in thought, as she stepped out of the bank, that she didn’t see the threat. “Watch out!” Emilia turned in time to see a football coming towards her head. A moment later a tall, golden-haired young man pulled her out of the line of fireand pressed her against the building. He smiled down at herand wondered why she was shaking. Gabriel pulled away, frowning. How could he have been so stupid? This child had been through helland he was manhandling her. He held out his hand, smiling innocently at her. “Hi!” he said as he looked down at her. “My name is Gabriel. My dadand I just moved into town. He’s the new vet.” He frowned when she remained silent. “You have a name, don’t you?” “Emilia Winslow,” she said softly. “I’ve only been in town a few weeks, Emilia Winslow,” Gabriel told her. He saw the shy smile on her face. “Maybe, you could join meand my friends as the Sunsetterand give me the lowdown on this burg.” “Do you always hit on girls you’ve just met?” Emilia asked, as she looked at the boy hesitantly. “Only the ones I rescue from impending doom,” Gabriel smiled at her. “Especially when they also happen to be my cousin.” He saw her confusionand frowned. He shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. “Join me for a sundae, Emilia. I’ll fill you in.” He seemed like a very nice person, but she had met nice people who had turned out to be monsters before. Still, this was her town; she felt safe here.And an ice cream sundae would be nice after the shock she’d just had. She had a cousin? She smiled up at himand nodded. Gabriel’s smile melted the chill off of her. She moved down the sidewalk with himand didn’t see Zachary standing in the doorway of the bank, scowling. “It would appear your little sister is moving on with her life, Zachary,” Bridget Maxwell smiled as she saw her companion’s expression as they watched Emilia walking away with the handsome young man. “Nice boy. His father is the vet here.” “He’d better not move in on her,” Zachary hissed, “or I will hurt him.” “Careful, my love,” Bridget reminded him. “You are sounding like your father,and you saw what happened to him.” “My father was a heartless bastard,” Zachary replied. “I am only here to look out for my brother’s widow.” “That would mean letting her get on with her life without your interference, love,” Bridget said softly, as she laid her hand on his shoulder. She saw his jaw clenchand shook her head. “That is not your plan, is it?” She kissed him on the cheek. “Owen will be ready to do his part.” Bridget moved off, smiling as she walked into the restaurant. Emiliaand her new friend were seated in a booth near the back. The girl saw herand a look of such sadness Crossed her face that, if she had a heart, Bridget would be in tears. The girl was still grieving for her lost husband. Well, sheand Zachary would have to see to it that she was kept too busy to think about her beloved Stephen. “Owen, my love,” Bridget called out as she approached the kitchen. “Your wife has come to call.” “Emilia?” Gabriel’s voice broke through the fogand she jumped. “Are you all right? You looked so sad.” “What?” Emilia shook her head. “I’m sorry, Gabriel,” she smiled back at him sadly. “I’m not being very good company.” “Mrs. Maxwell is a looker,” Gabriel smiled as he watched the woman go into the kitchen, changing the subject. “She teaches Medieval History at the community college.” He laid his hand on Emilia’sand she pulled away like he’d burned her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…” “It’s nothing you did, Gabriel,” Emilia broke in, apologizing for her reaction. “You said Mrs. Maxwell?” “Yea,” Gabriel nodded. “Her husband is a chef or something. Oh God!” he laughed as he realized. “This must be where he works!” The door openedand he looked up, his smile widening as a trio walked in. “Hey, Ryan!” Emilia turned to see a familiar trio walking towards the table. She got to her feetand surprised Gabriel by giving them each a hug. “I didn’t know you knew each other!” “Of course,” Ryan smiled as he sat down. “We’re old friends. Grew up on the same block.” He saw the sundae. “Looks good.” “You can have mine; I didn’t touch it,” Emilia told him, suddenly feeling the chill she recognized as a sign of danger. She looked at her watch. “I need to get back home. The attorney is supposed to bring me some papers to sign.” She smiled at Gabriel warmly. “It was nice to meet you, Gabriel.” “You’ve made a friend there, Gabe,” Ryan smiled as he watched Emilia leave. He turned to Gabriel, his eyes stern. “You do anything to hurt her or frighten herand I’ll hand you your head. Understand?” “And that goes double for me,” Brianna chimed in. “And triple for me,” Kevin, Ryan’s darker-haired twin, spoke up. “Suits me,” Gabriel smiled back at the trio. “Because I wouldn’t hurt the girl for the world.” He leaned forwardand told them his secret. “Emilia is my cousin. Her father was my uncle.” “So you moved into town to keep an eye on her?” Brianna smiled. She was actually relieved. The thought of Gabrieland Emilia together had made her very sad. “I’d be willing to bet a lot of the new people who’ve been moving into town over the past several months are ‘related’ to our friend, Emi,” Ryan laughed softly. He smiled as the pretty blond waitress approached the table. “Hey, Tara! How’s everything?” “Just fine, Ryan,” Tara smiled. “Are you all going to the party Friday after the game?” “We’re having a party during the game,” Kevin told her. “Emilia bought the family a skybox at the stadium.” He leaned closer to the pretty girl. “Would you like to join us?” “Can I bring my crew?” Tara asked him, her eyes shining with excitement. “Bring anyone you want, Tara,” Kevin nodded. “Just write down their namesand we’ll make sure the guard has you all on the gate list.” He blushed as he caught the looks on his siblings’ faces. “I guess we should order something now.” He looked at the menu. “I’d like the chocolate mousse crepe.” “Getting some mighty refined tastes all the sudden, Kevin,” His sister, Brianna, frowned after they had all orderedand Tara was gone. “Crepe? You don’t even know what that is, do you?” “What do you see in that girl?” Ryan chimed in. “She’s got to be one of the biggest flakes I’ve ever met. Sheand her silly ‘crew’ are going to ruin the party at the game.” He turned to Gabriel. “You’re invited too, Gabe.” While her friends discussed the fun they were going to have, Emilia sat at the desk in the study of her new homeand looked at the bespectacled bald man who had come to see her in utter disbelief. He had delivered the final documents transferring all of Samuel’s holdings to her,and gone over the will with her step by step. Nothing was going to Zachary. Samuel had cut him out completely. It didn’t seem right that he would do that to his own son, Emilia thought. She said as much to the lawyerand Timmons shrugged. “The relationship between the Professorand his sons was strained long before you came along, Mrs. Winslow,” Timmons said simply. “Zachary is not left a pauper. Heand Stephen each inherited a fortune from their mother;and their auntand uncle left them everything if they died before they had children of their own.” He took out the checkbooks, passbooks, credit cards, financial ledgersand several sets of keys. “You are now an exceedingly wealthy young woman. If you need any assistance in choosing an accounting firm…” “I will not be calling you, Mr. Timmons,” Emilia broke in. She saw no reason to tell him that her grandfather Sobieski had already helped her make arrangements for the handling of her inheritances. “I realize that you were only following Samuel’s orders, but I can not forgive you for filing the committal papers for him. Did you even consider talking to me before you did so?” She saw the man hang his headand knew the answer. “Perhaps in time, I may change my mindand bring business back your way.” “I look forward to that day in hope, Mrs. Winslow,” Timmons nodded. He got to his feetand bowed his head. “Enjoy your inheritance.” He started to leaveand then turned back. “You do realize that you are worth something close to 200 million now, don’t you? A lot of very hungry people are going to start knocking on your door.” “Don’t worry about me, Mr. Timmons,” Emilia told him as she saw him to the door. “I’ve already taken steps to protect myself.” She closed the doorand leaned against it with a sigh of relief. Emilia went to the studyand made a call. “Lieutenant,” she said softly, “can you make that call for me. The one we discussed earlier this month? Thanks.” She hung up the phoneand sat back to consider what she was going to do. She now had enough money to do whatever she wanted with her life, a hundred times over. So what did she want to do? No matter what she chose to do, she would have to take along people to keep watch on her. Her life was now far more complicated than she could ever have dreamed. She knew one thing that might help a little. Emilia got her house keysand car keysand went to the local pound. For the next half hour, she walked along the rows of kennels. For some reason just seeing the puppiesand kittens calmed her. “The rottweiler pups need a good home.” Emilia turned at the sound of a familiar voiceand saw Zachary leaning on the wall near the end of the row. He smiledand came to her side. He tried to take her hand and she backed away from him. He lowered his hand and nodded down the other corridor. They came to a kennel where two rottweilers, about six months old, were practically dancing for her attention. Emilia had to admit they were adorable. She knew rottweilers were good guard dogs, but didn’t know if she was strong enough to control such a headstrong breed. Zachary seemed to guess her thoughts. “I know having me hanging around makes you uncomfortable,” he smiled down at her, “but I consider you my sister,and I want to stay close – for Stephen’s sake.” He crouched downand put his hand out to one of the dogs. “I know this breed. I could handle them for you, if you like.” “I don’t trust you, Zachary.” She crouched downand let the puppies lick her, “and I’m not willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.” She saw the attendant coming towards themand smiled. Officer Roger Mitchell worked part time at the animal shelter that his sister had founded. He was an old friend. “I’d like them both, Mitch.” “Are you certain, Emilia?” the man balked. He looked at her slim frameand delicate featuresand saw something more elegant for the child. “Wouldn’t you rather have a lhasa? Or a pom?” “I want dogs that will protect me from harm, Mitch,” Emilia shook her head, “not lick me to death. Can I take them now?” “Ordinarily there would be a home inspectionand such,” a tall, golden haired man said as he came to join them, “but since you have given this shelter enough money to run for the next decade, you can have your new friends now.” He held out his hand. “My name is Doctor Geoffrey Caine. I believe you met my son this afternoon.” “Gabriel?” Emilia saw him nodand smiled. This was her uncle, she thought happily. She remembered what Gabriel had told herand did not acknowledge the connection. “Yes. He saved me from an errant football.” “That’s my son!” Geoffrey nodded. “Sir Galahad!” “Is it usual for the town vet to work in the animal shelter?” Zachary asked; feeling very uneasy around the man. “I own the animal shelter,” Geoffrey told him. He hid his own negative reaction. He had been warned about Zachary Winslow;and he was going to do everything in his power to keep this man from hurting his niece. “This way I can make certain that these little orphans are receiving the proper care.” He unlocked the cageand pulled the leashes off the wall inside the kennel. Then he snapped them on the dogs’ collarsand handed them to Emilia. “As long as you remember that you’re the boss,” he told Emilia as they went towards the front, “you should be just fine.” He looked at her appraisingly. “Yes. I think you’ll do.” “Emilia,” Zachary said as he tried to get her to go with him, “I need to talk to you.” “No, Zachary.” Emilia shook her head. “I’ve heard enough.” She turned her back on Zacharyand saw the brief nod of agreement Geoffrey gave her. “Are there any special instructions I need, Doctor Caine?” “Well done, child,” Geoffrey smiled as Zachary left with a frown on his face. “You handle your new friends like you just did that bastardand they will serve you well.” “Thank you, Uncle,” Emilia smiled. Geoffrey watched as Emilia took the dogs, a concerned smile on his face. So that was Dominik’s little girl; the wealthy young heiress. He had to admit that she was quite beautiful, but there was a wariness that no child of her age should have. He remembered being told her history,and knew the cause. It was a good thing that bastard, Ethan Randall, was dead, because he would have been tempted to take him out for what he’d done to that pretty child. It was a feeling he knew that every member of the Sobieski clan shared. He heard the door openand didn’t need to look to know who was there. “You did well, son,” he said to Gabriel. He turned his head then, his look stern. “You are to treat your cousin gently. If I hear that you have done anything to hurt her, then I will send you back to your mother in Philadelphia.” “Any man who would hurt that angel,” his son replied, echoing his own thoughts, “should be taken outand shot!” Gabriel smiled as he saw his father’s approval. “I am going to enjoy doing things with her: movies, dancing, bowling…” “Bowling?” “Why not?” Gabriel asked. “We could form a team, Emilia, me, the three Kennedy kids. We’d probably be the worst team in the league, but we’d have fun.” “You’re a nut,” Geoffrey laughedand ruffled his son’s hair. “Go on. Find your cousinand remind her that life has pleasant times as well as dark ones.” Gabriel moved off eagerly,and Geoffrey smiled. His son was also one who needed to remember that life could be pleasant. He had seen a great deal more sorrow than most boys his age. That was why Geoffrey had given him this task; to help someone else through the recovery stage after a major trauma. He was a good boy, Geoffrey thought to himself. At 20, he was quickly becoming a man any father could be proud of. He heard a squeal of tiresand looked up in horror as his son was tossed into the air. He was on his feetand running to Gabriel before his son landed. He watched the car drive off through a fog of tears. “They play hard around here,” Gabriel choked as pain shot through him. “Just lie still,” Geoffrey said as he pulled out his cell phoneand called for an ambulance. Once that was done, he called the police. “Hitand run in front of the Glenville Animal Shelter. Driver of a dark blue Taurus, license plate 583ABF.” He hung upand looked down at his son. The boy was aliveand a cursory exam proved he had a broken legand a broken arm. But, thankfully, he didn’t appear to have more serious injuries. “Your guardian angel was a little lax there, son.” “I’ll have a talk with him,” Gabriel laughedand then groaned at the pain. “The man hit me on purpose, Dad,” he said softly. “It wasn’t an accident.” The ambulance arrived a few moments after Sammy arrived in her squad car to take their statement. She frowned as she heard Gabriel’s assertion that he had been targeted on purpose. Why would anyone want to run down a 20-year-old student, she wondered. But then, the boyand his father had only been in town a few weeks. She knew next to nothing about them. As she followed them to the hospital, she found herself thinking that this was becoming less unusual. The past six months had seen a population growth in Glenville. “Hitand run victim,” she told him in clipped, angry tones. “I’ll get the APB out on the vehicle, Doctor Caine,” she said as she turned to Geoffrey. “If Gabriel remembers anything else that might prove useful in apprehending the man, let us know.” The man who had hit Gabriel ditched the stolen vehicle in the next town overand got into his Jeep. He drove back to Glenvilleand entered his room in the motel to the west. He had taken out one obstacle in his employer’s way to the girl. From this point on, it became a bit more complicated. She was not stupid; she had already started to hire security.And the fact that every eye in town was on her made it harder. But he was not the kind of man who backed down from a challenge. It was only a matter of time before his employer had Emilia Sobieski Winslowand her inheritance under his control. Emilia arrived at her homeand put the puppies out in the back yard with a bowl of waterand dog chow she had picked up on the way home. She was called away from watching them play by a knock on her front door. She opened it to see Zachary standing there. Emilia could tell there was going to be a confrontation. She was not in the mood for a fight, so she tried to close the door on him. He shoved against itand she fell back. There was no way she was going to let him get his hands on her again, she told herself as she backed away. She didn’t want him; she wanted her husband. She ran for her bedroomand he slammed his palm against the door as she tried to close it. He took a box out of his pocketand opened it. “No,” Emilia stated coldly. “I am not going to marry you, Zachary.” “You didn’t give me a chance, Emilia,” Zachary protested as he closedand locked the door. He pulled out the ringand came towards her. “It isn’t nice to break an engagement without at least giving your fiancé a chance to convince you…” “I don’t want you, Zachary,” Emilia broke in, her eyes blazing; her fists clenched in anger. “Why can’t you understand that?” “Because, my sweet,” Zachary told her as he caught her by the wristsand pulled her to himand shoved the ring on her finger, “no one ever says no to me.” He kissed her roughlyand heard her whimper of protest. “I do not release you from our engagement, Pixie,” he continued as he backed her towards the bedand forced her down. “Not now,” he snarled as he ripped her blouse open. “Not ever.” “Take your hands off me now, Zachary,” Emilia hissed as she tried to shove him off of her. “I’ll have you arrested for this!” He laughed at herand she grew even angrier. She managed to pull her arm freeand got her hand on a crystal vase on her nightstand. She brought it down on his headand he cried out in rageand pain. He slapped her across the face, stunning her. She knew she was fighting for her freedom now, if not her life. There was no way he was going to have her again, not without inflicting a great deal of damage. He was laughing as she cursed at him in Polish as she tried to fight him off. “You never had a chance, pet,” Zachary laughed as he finally beat her into a daze she could not shake. He turned her overand cuffed her wrists behind her back. “Now, pay attention,” he said as he clamped his hand on her neckand yanked her back to face him, “while I tell you how things are going to be from this point on.” * Gabriel woke up the next morningand was surprised to see Ryan, Brianna,and Flynn all waiting in his room. He was choked up by their concern,and accepted their gifts in the spirit they were given. It was nice to have friends again, he thought to himself. It was nice to have people to care about. He had missed that after that bus accident had killed the wrestling team on their way back from a meet. The only reason he had not died with them was because he had the fluand his dad wouldn’t let him wrestle until he was recovered. Good old dad, he thought happily; always looking out for him. “Tough break,” Ryan frowned. “You’re going to miss the game tonight.” He laid his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “Glad you’re okay, buddy.” “We all are,” Kevin nodded. “Have the police found the man who hit you yet?” “I don’t know,” Gabriel told her honestly. “They’ve been keeping me pretty doped up since I got here.” He smiledand leaned back against the pillows. “Good stuff. Had me seeing pink rabbits hopping across the walls.” “Gabriel, I…” Geoffrey paused as he came into the roomand saw the group. “You certainly haven’t lost your knack for making friends, son. Only been here four weeks,and the prettiest girl in town is in your room.” He smiled at the kids. “Good to see you, kids, but I think my son should be resting.” “We just wanted to make sure he was all right, sir,” Ryan spoke up for everyone. “The nurse at the front desk wasn’t being very helpful.” He nodded to Gabrieland steered his brother towards the door. “Get better, buddy.” Brianna hung back a secondand leaned over to kiss Gabriel on the cheek. She gave his good hand a quick squeezeand left the room, missing the blush on the boy’s face. She saw her brothers talking to Emilia, who was with her brother-in-law. The man was so nasty, Brianna thought as she caught his cold eyes on her. What could Emilia see in him? She smiled at Emiliaand joined her brothers on their way out. As they left, she saw Emilia going into Gabriel’s room. Zachary remained in the hall, waiting. It was like he was afraid to let Emilia out of his sight, Brianna realized. Was he holding her against her will? That was something she would have to check on. She got into the van with her brothersand wondered why they were just sitting there. Then the darkness descended amid noxious fumes clamped over her noseand mouth. Their abductors took the crosses off of themand one of them went inside. He slipped them to Zacharyand left the hospital to rejoin his companions. Zachary slipped the crosses into his pocket, smiling. “Emilia,” Zachary asked as Emilia came out of the room a few moments later. “How’s your friend doing?” “He’s okay,” Emilia replied. “I need to go see…” “You don’t have any appointments today. I checked.” Zachary broke in. “Youand I are going to spend some time alone.” He saw the fear enter her eyesand frowned. “Is something wrong, Emilia?” “Your father wanted you to marry me,” she stated coldly, “but you’ve made me your whore instead.” “I have never been good at doing what my father told me to do, Emilia,” Zachary said softly. “I have no need for a wife yet,” he smiled as he moved a bit closer, his eyes warm. “I enjoyed what we shared in New York; what we are sharing now.” He pulled back, stunned, when she slapped him across the face. “Emilia?” “Leave me alone,” Emilia sobbed. “I don’t want you touching me.” “I’m sorry you feel that way, Pixie,” Zachary replied as he took her into the elevator. They went down into the sub-basementand he shoved her into a supply room. He saw the wariness in her eyes as he locked the doorand came towards her,and it excited him. “I really thought that you understood how things were going to be.” “Leave me alone,” Emilia cried. She tried to get past himand he slammed her against the wall. “Let me go!” she screamed in protest as he shackled her in place. The look in his eyes was terrifying her now. “Zachary, please…” “You belong to me, Emilia,” Zachary broke in, as he pressed up against her. He kissed her roughlyand smiled as he heard her whimper of protest. “Get used to the idea, pet,” he said as he slid inside of her. “You are mine!” Emilia kickedand clawed as he raped her. Images of what he had done to her in New Yorkand just last night came flooding into her mind. They gave her anger fresh energyand she managed to kick him away from her. She screamed for help as she tried to pull free of the shackles,and slugged her across the face. “Stop fighting me, pet,” he said as he clamped his hand on her chin, “and your little friends just might live out the night.” He pulled something out of his pocketand held three crosses up in front of her eyes. “That’s right, pet,” he said as he stroked her hair, “the Kennedy children are my guests.And they will remain so,” he continued mercilessly, as his thumb ran over her lips, “until you accept your new life as my whore without any further argument.” “Please…” “No false promises, Emilia,” Zachary broke in, his thumb over her lips to keep her frozenand silent. “I’ll go with you,” Emilia said softly, her voice quavering. “Now, if that’s what you want. Please don’t hurt my friends.” “That’s all I needed to hear,” Zachary smiled. He raised Emilia’s chinand bent down to claim her lips. “I am so glad you have agreed to resume our relationship, pet.” * Stephenand his party arrived in Philadelphiaand made their way to the Sobieski castle. The mood was heavy as they discussed what they had to do in order to get Zachary. Stephen was brought up to date on his wife’s condition. She was well. Zachary had left town for a few days,and was believed to be with hismistress, Bridget Maxwell. They were planning something big,and all of them were quite aware that Emilia was going to be a big part of whatever evil they were plotting. “They have reserved staterooms on the Celestial Queen,” Captain LawrenceAndrews, Emilia’s maternal grandfather, said as he turned from the liquor cabinet. “Aren’t even bothering to hid their identities.” He took a healthy swig of the liquid. “It leaves the end of next week.” “We are going to have to make certain that the Sheik of Pashtuand his party are aboard as well,” Piotr decided. “In the staterooms on either side of theirs, if possible.” He looked at Stephen. “We should have been in a better position to help her, Stephen…” “I don’t blame you, sir,” Stephen broke in. “My brother appears to have learned quite a few tricks from our father. I had hoped…” He sank down on the couchand put his head in his hands. When he finally looked up, his eyes were hard. “Damn him! How dare he think he can use my wife – MY wife – like a prostitute!” His fists clenched in anger. “He is going to pay for this.” “Calm, boy,” Piotr said as he noted Stephen’s reaction. “Losing control now is not going to help our Emilia.” He looked over at his granddaughter’s other grandfather. “Who else do we have on your vessel, Lawrence?” “Your son-in-law, Doctor Brett,”Andrews told him, as he ran his mind over the staff; “four of Novak’s boys; seven of the Kaminski family;and,” he continued as he looked at Stephen, “the Sheik of Pashtuand his fourteen attendants.” “A veritable army then,” Piotr nodded, satisfied. He actually smiled for the first time since the meeting had begun. “Your brother is not going to know what hit him, Stephen.” “Good,” Stephen said stiffly. “It’s about time he realized what that feels like.” He looked over atAndrews. “I’d like my people to be in on helping you prepare the vessel, Captain.” “Of course, son,”Andrews nodded. “I brought the schematics of the vessel with me. If you’d care to look them over…” Stephen followedAndrews out of the lounge, eager to be at work. Piotr watched the boy goand turned to Stephen’s lieutenant, Yusef ben Aden. The sternness from both of their faces easedand they shook handsand shared a drink, like old friends. “My sister?” “Maryam is quite well, Piotr,” Yusef told him, smiling. Maryam, his newest wife, was Piotr Sobieski’s youngest sibling. “She will be leading the women we bring on this cruise.” “No children then,” Piotr frowned. “What is taking you so long?” “We have only been married three years, Piotr,” Yusef laughed at the man. “Maryam has been busy with designing, staffing,and supplying the teaching hospital on Pashtu. I am more than willing to allow her time…” “Three years, Yusef?” Piotr cocked an eyebrow, amused. “I think you’ve waited long enough.” He allowed himself one more moment to enjoy his friend’s discomfortand then went quiet. “Tell me that helping this man is the right thing for my granddaughter.” “They belong to each other, Piotr,” Yusef told the man. “He betrayed his own father to keep her safe. It is his child she carried in her womb before that bastard Randall caused her miscarriage.” He had watched Stephen over the yearsand knew his instincts were on. “They need to be one, or people like his brother will continue to flourish. Your granddaughter will always attract such men, seeking to use her.” “We can protect her…” “Can you?” Yusef broke in, looking at his friend sternly. “Then tell me why she is in this danger?” He held his hand up as Piotr started to defend his family. “You do not need to tell me how formidable your family is, my friend. I have seen the Sobieski in action. I know how capable you are, when you are active. But you are facing someone here who seems to have an innate talent for getting past your guards.And right now, he is winning.” “Very well, Yusef,” he sighed heavily as he finished his drink, “the ball, as they say, is in your court. Let us see if the Pashtu can accomplish what we Sobieski have not.” * Emilia was beginning to get antsy with all the protection. She was not allowed anywhere out of the house without at least one of the men Zachary had left behind with her along. She was certain they even followed herand Jason, who had made it his personal crusade to make sure she was safe, when they took the dogs out for a walk. Two weeks had passed since the attack at the hospital. She was surprised when Zachary still had not returned to townand she was free to do as she wished, under the watchful eye of his men. “When will it stop hurting, Jay?” Emilia sighed as they sank down on a park benchand let the dogs,and themselves rest. “You loved Stephen, Emi,” Jason told her firmly. “It’s going to take a while for you to healand move on with your life.” He looked down into her eyes, as he cupped her chin in his hand. “You are a gentle, loving,and talented young woman. The man who gets you is gaining a treasure,and should treat you accordingly.” His eyes darkened as he looked at the ring on her finger. “You can’t marry him, Emi! Leave himand marry me.” “Jay…” “I’ve adored you since the day youand your parents moved into town, Emi,” Jason continued, no longer able to hold back his feelings. His eyes were warm with affection. “I’ve watched you grow from a wide-eyed, freckle-faced tomboy into one of the most beautiful young women I have ever seen.” He saw the confusion in her eyesand let her go. “I didn’t mean to dump all of that on you, Emi. I just couldn’t keep it in any longer.” “Why didn’t you ever say anything before?” Emilia asked him. She remembered all the times now that he had been her protector, her champion. He had made her feel so safe, never a burden. “If I had known…” “I couldn’t be that selfish,” Jason told her. “You’re just a kid, Emi. You need to get out in the worldand find out what you want to do with yourself. I’m not going anywhere.” He looked down as her hand covered his. “If your life didn’t bring you back to Glenville, than I would accept we weren’t meant to be. I wasn’t going to chain you here.” He looked at her in shock. “You’re crying, Emi.” “You are the first person to say something like that to me,” Emilia sniffed, a strange feeling coursing through her. “I always thought of you as my older brother,” she said as she looked into his eyes, “but now…” She shook her head, confused. “It’s too late for me to think of anything like that.” “You have to leave him, Emi,” Jason told her gently. “I will do anything you ask to make that happen,” he finished as he roseand held out his hand to her. “Anything.” “You’re a good man, Jason Cross,” Emilia smiled up at him, “but I can’t risk losing you, too.” She leaned against him a momentand missed seeing the sad look that crossed his face. “We’d better get our friends here back home,” she said as she looked at the dogs. “Right, kids? Home? Dog chow?” They danced around her as she rubbed their heads. “Race you.” Jason watched as she ran off with Haley trotting along beside her. He grabbed Henry’s leashand took off after her. He knew he could beat her easily, but he held backand watched the way the sunlight made her hair glow. The smile on her face, the way her eyes were dancing with delight, when they arrived back home, was worth it. She actually threw her arms around him like she used to when she was happy about somethingand laughed. It had been far too long since she had smiled, much less laughed. The dogs trotted off to the kitchen for their mealand he followed her out onto the patio where Martha had a pitcher of lemonade waiting for them. “How about a movie tonight, Emi?” Jason asked her after a few moments of silence. He saw her hesitate. “Just two friends out together. Nothing more.” “Okay,” Emilia nodded, wishing she could give him some hope. “Sounds like a plan.” She got to her feet, smiling. “I’ll go get ready.” “You’re good for her, Jason,” Martha said once Emilia was gone. “That’s the first time I’ve heard her laugh in months.” She picked up the pitcherand glasses. “If she likes musicals,” the woman smiled as she started towards the house, “they’re showing some of the Rogersand Hammerstein ones at the Revival House downtown.” Jason heard Emilia returnand got up. He had to control his reaction as he saw her. She had changed into a simple cotton sundressand a sweater was over her arm, in case it got cold. Her long thick curly raven hair had been left loose around her shoulders, held away from her face by a headband that matched a color in the floral pattern on her dress. She looked like she had before all of her troubles had started. He held his hand out to herand she took it with a happy smile. He took her to the old movie theaterand they caught one musical. Afterwards, they made their way to Owen Maxwell’s restaurant. “Evening, Officer,” Owen Maxwell smiled as he came out of the kitchen at the sound of the door. The restaurant was empty. “Mrs. Winslow.” “Owen,” Jason nodded. He looked around the place. “Are you closed?” “Just a little dead,” Owen told him. “The big game is tonight, so most of the regulars are there.” He waved them towards the booth in the back. “Please, make yourself at home.” He got them menusand then pulled them away. “Since you are the only people here,” he smiled as he held his hand out to Emilia, “let’s do this a little differently.” He led them to the kitchen. “You tell me what you want,and we will all make it together.” For fifteen minutes, Owen guided them through the preparation of their meal. He poured them each a glass of grape juiceand looked over to see them chopping vegetablesand herbs as he had asked. Then he handed them to Emiliaand Jason, smiling. The couple would have time to eat the meal they were helping him prepare for them. The drugs, given to Emiliaand Jason in their desert, would start the fun. His employer had been very specific. This girls’ protectors were to be removed from her side by any means necessary. He watched as they fell victim to the sedative,and frowned. A hitand run, a rape/murder,and now a frame job; what was next? This was getting far more serious than he had been prepared for. “I’m sorry,” he said to the pair as he carried Jason out to the alleyand dumped him in his delivery van. He drove the man out to a motel two towns awayand signed into a room as far from the road as possible under Jason’s name. “Poor kid,” he said as he opened a whiskey bottleand poured half of it down the man’s throat. “You don’t deserve this.” Jason woke up several hours laterand looked around the room in confusion. What was he doing here? Heand Emilia… He got upand looked around in confusion as the room blurred inand out of focus. There were empty whiskey bottles, but no Emilia. He began to feel relief until he saw the blood on his shirtand hands. It was too much for a cut. He heard something falland went to the closet. He opened the doorand watched in shock as a young woman fell out. Jason checked her outand called 911. Half an hour later, he found himself in cuffs under suspicion of rapeand murder. The only thing on Jason’s mind, however, was worry about Emilia. What had happened to her? When Emilia woke up, she was lying in an immense four-poster bed with sheer silk curtains. She didn’t recognize the room at all. She sat upand her body protested the movement. She insistedand was shivering with weakness as she parted the curtainsand looked out. She got to her feetand had to catch herself on the bedpost. The door opened as she was struggling to remain standing,and Zachary picked her up in his armsand put her back to bed. “You are not yet strong enough to be on your feet yet, Emilia,” he smiled down at her. “I don’t want to stay in bed,” Emilia protested. “What you want is irrelevant,” Zachary told her bluntly. He kissed her on the forehead. “You will not push yourself, Pixie. Get some more rest.” “I don’t want to rest,” Emilia told him, trying to get back up. “I want to go home,” Emilia broke in, shaking her head. She felt the prick of a needleand looked down to see Zachary removing it from her arm. “What are you doing?” “You need to rest, Emilia,” Zachary replied, his voice tight with anger. “You’ll thank me for this.” He watched her fall asleepand sat by the bedside to watch her. Stephen had told him about this glorious child,and he had laughed. His brother had clearly lost his mind, he had thought. But now, seeing this child lying in bed, sleeping peacefully, he knew what Stephen had gone through. This mere child made a man want her so he could love her, protect her. He got upand went to the desk where he looked at the photo that Mama Cross had taken of his brotherand Emilia at their wedding. So much in love,and so oblivious to what fate had in store for them. She was his now,and she would give him children to continue the work his father had started. “Is she ready?” Bridget asked as she stuck her head in the door. She smiled at seeing Emilia asleep. “Poor baby,” she crooned as she came to sit on the bed. “We’ll help you forget all of this.” She smiled up at Zachary. “If you’re done settling your pet down,” she said as she ran her hand along Zachary’s arm, her eyes filled with anticipation, “perhaps we can move on to the main event?” Zachary smiledand took her in his arms. They went to the next stateroomand celebrated their triumph. With Emilia, they would have the perfect bait for their traps. She was a beautiful girl; any man with a libido would want her. That hint of sadness that clung to her still would draw even the most hard-hearted of their prey to her. Given a chance with her, these men would pay almost anything to Zacharyand Bridget. It was the perfect set-up; neither of them could see anything wrong with it. “They have boarded,” CaptainAndrews said to Stephen as they met at the railing on the main deck. “Emilia was sedated.” He clenched his fists in anger. “Why can’t we just take her from them now?” “Because they haven’t done anything we can hold them for,” Yusef replied as he joined them. He sawAndrews’ look. “They have the appearance of a pair of concerned relatives accompanying the girl on a cruise to help her regain her strength. Only Emilia can testify to the fact that she is being held against her will.” “I know it’s hard, Captain,” Roman Novak, Antoni’s older brother, added as he joined the trio, “but this action must go as we have planned it.” He looked at Stephen. “You look every inch the Sheik, Doctor Winslow.” He took in the goateeand the black eyesand nodded. “It don’t think even your pretty wife will recognize you.” “Let us hope not,” Yusef said softly, “or it will ruin all of our plans.” He looked at Roman. “Youand your men are set to run interference so the ‘Sheik’ can get the girl alone?” “By the time the team is through with that bastardand his witch,” Roman smiled darkly, “they won’t know which way to turn.” * Two days later, Emilia looked out the windows of the stateroom on the cruise ship, with tears in her eyes. Zacharyand his friend, Bridget, had come to talk to her shortly after she had awakened hereand the words they had shared still stung. They had done this to her, they told her, to give her a new purpose in life. Emilia frowned as she remembered what they were going to do with her. She did not want to be used as bait in their traps, but telling them so had only gotten her druggedand locked in the stateroom. She had yet to see any other part of the vessel. There was a knock on the doorand it opened slowly, as if the person coming in was not sure of a welcome. “Pixie,” Zachary called as he came in. “Bridgetand I would like you to join us at the pool.” “I’ve asked you not to call me that,” Emilia protested mildly as she finished knotting the belt on the sundress she was wearing. “I’m coming.” Zachary stepped aside for herand they went to the pool area. Men surrounded Bridget,and she was like a queen with her retainers. Emilia sank down on the lounge next to herand some of the men turned their eyes on her. They didn’t move when they caught Zachary’s chilly eyes on them. They had told her that they were scoping out the men, looking for just the right man for her to trap for them. She would have been just as happy to stay in her stateroomand spend the cruise alone. The idea of being used as bait to trap some hapless man for Zacharyand Bridget disgusted her, but there was nothing she could do. They would kill anyone she tried to turn to for help. “How do you like your accommodations, Mrs. Winslow?” the ship’s Captain asked as he came over to her side. “The quarters are lovely, CaptainAndrews,” Emilia smiled briefly at the handsome older man. He reminded her of the actor Brian Dennehy; the same broad chest, the same warm smileand dancing eyes. “Allow me to introduce you to Sheik Adrian ben Yusef of Pashtu,”Andrews smiledand indicated the tall, dark-eyed man beside him. “He has been dying to be allowed to meet you.” “Why?” She noted the man beside himand something froze inside her. There was something wrong about this man .He was not as he appeared to be. “Why would you wish to meet me?” “A woman of such incomparable loveliness must ask such a question?” Yusef spoke for Stephen, after Stephen had said something to him in Pashtu. “My lord Sheik would be pleased if you would do him the honor of joining him at dinner.” “Emilia would be pleased to join you, Sheik,” Bridget spoke up before Emilia could beg off. “She has been keeping to herself far too much.” She picked Emilia’s hand upand stroked it, the very image of a concerned sibling. “We’re here to help you move on with your life, darling,” she said as she smiled at the girl in feigned concern. “You need to get outand meet people.” Emilia bit her lip to keep from sobbing. She closed her eyesand leaned back on the lounge, struggling to control her grief. How could they be so callous? Stephen was gone, her baby was gone, her father was gone,and now she was their property. All she wanted to do was curl upand die so she could be free of this pair. She pulled her hand out of Bridget’sand moved away. Bridget was right behind her after a hurried excuse to her minions. Roman cut her offand she was caughtand held by his dancing eyesand his warm smile. Stephen smiledand moved after Emilia, knowing Roman would keep the woman occupied while he went to his wife. She was in such pain,and he could do nothing yet to free her of it. He saw her enter the lounge,and went towards the sound of a piano playing a very sad piece. Sure enough, Emilia was in the lounge, tears streaming down her face as she played. It had been one of the pieces she had shared with him after her father had ‘died’ the first time. He came towards herand she rose to her feet, a wariness in her eyes that he hated seeing on her face. He bowed to herand when he straightened, she was looking at him with a puzzled look on her face. “Forgive this intrusion,” he said in his chemically altered voice, deeperand richer than his normal tones. “Your song drew me.” He took a step towards herand saw her stiffen. “I would not frighten you for the world, little one.” “I just needed some time alone,” Emilia replied. She rested her hands on the keysand calmed herself. She looked up as he came towards herand something in the way he moved made her frown. “Do I know you?” Emilia asked as she looked at him shyly. “There is just something so familiar…” She flinched as the doors openedand Zachary came into the lounge. He saw the Sheikand Emiliaand felt a strange surge of jealousy. “I will see you at dinner?” “I am looking forward to it,” Stephen said warmly,and bowed over her hand, “most anxiously.” He bowed his head to Zachary,and Emilia watched him go, wondering why he felt so familiar to her. She had never met the man; she would have remembered someone like him. He reminded her of the sheiksand swashbucklers she had adored in the old films her father had shared with her. Maybe that was it, she nodded. He was reminding her of Errol Flynn. Zachary clamped his hand on hersand he yanked her back to the stateroom, frowning. He was not at all happy with Bridget’s plan. The sheik was far too dangerous an animal to trap, using Emilia as the bait. But when he told Bridget about finding Emilia alone with the Sheik, the woman was ecstatic. “It’s perfect, Zachary,” Bridget cooed. “He is already smitten with our darling pet. It will be all too easy to use her to trap him.” “I’m not going to let you use me to hurt that man,” Emilia protested. “No,” she shook her head as the couple turned her way. “I won’t.” “You have no say in this, Emilia,” Zachary told her bluntly. “You gave yourself to me. Remember?” He clamped his hand on her throatand pushed her up against the wall. “Disobey meand I will have someone you love disappear again or worse.” “No, please!” Emilia cried. She saw his eyesand knew he was not going to change his mind. “All right,” she lowered her head in defeat. “What do you want me to do?” “That’s a good girl.” Zachary smiledand kissed her. “All you have to do is be your own lovely little self. The Sheik will do the rest.” He stroked her cheek, relishing the silken feel of her skin. “Don’t worry, pet,” he smiled as he saw her expression. “We will step in long before he can ravish you.” He stepped back. “Now take your medicine.” “Open up, little one,” Bridget laughed as she took a pill from the bottleand forced it into Emilia’s mouth. “Swallow it down, like a good girl.” She patted Emilia’s cheek when it was done. “That’s my sweet pet.” Emilia opened her eyes several hours laterand sat up, frowning. She dressed quicklyand moved out of the stateroomand down the companionway. He was here, her mind told her. Waiting for her. Stephen wanted her with him,and she had to go to him. Emilia saw the crewman as she passed, but she did not stop. This was too important. She continued around the corner to the first stateroom. The door was just openingand she froze as the Sheik stepped out. This wasn’t Stephen, her mind cried out in pain. She let out a cry of such pain that Stephen felt as if his heart had been knifed. He caught her as she collapsedand carried her into the stateroom, leaving her to the care of the women. “Stephen!” she whimpered in her sleep while Maryam tended to her. “Proszę nie pozostawia ja!” She thrashed out wildly in her nightmareand Stephen was horrified. What had his brother done to his angel? “Proszę pozwalał mnie udają się!” Her eyes shot openand she looked directly at Stephen, her eyes wide with longing. “Proszę …” “Poor child,” Maryam shook her head as Emilia collapsed. She looked at Stephen sadly. “We have to take her back to her stateroom, Adrian.” “Call them in a couple of hoursand tell them where she is,” Stephen decided, refusing to let her go in this state. “Let her sleep somewhere safe for a while longer.” He slammed his fist into the wall with a Pashtu curseand saw that his people agreed with him. “I need to talk to the Captain.” Maryam noddedand watched him leave. She agreed with his sentiments. Zachary Winslow was a bastard of the first order for harming this glorious child. She waited three hoursand then made the call as he had asked, praying it was the right decision to make. Five minutes later, Bridgetand Zachary arrived. Bridget looked at the sleeping girl, frowning. She heard the lady Maryam’s story of how the girl had been found wandering in the companionway. “My ladies thought it unwise to leave the child alone, as she appeared to be in a trance state,” Maryam finished her tale “so they brought her here to me. We are more than willing to allow her to remain here until she wakes.” “Thank you for your concern, lady Maryam,” Bridget nodded at the woman’s concerns, “but I think we can handle things from here.” She followed Zachary back to the stateroom where he was just setting Emilia down on the bedand saw Emilia’s eyes opening. “You have a strange talent for gathering protectors, little one,” she said as she pressed certain points on the girl’s body. “It won’t help you.” “That hurts,” Emilia cried. She looked at Bridget in shock as she tried to get upand her legs refused to obey. “What have you done to me, Bridget?” “Just seen to it that you can’t go roaming again, pet,” the woman smiled down at her. “I’ve paralyzed your legs by applying a little pressure at the right points.” She sank down on the bed, smiling coldly as she opened the bottle of pillsand took one out. “It’s time for your medicine.” “What are you…” Emilia’s eyes opened wide as Bridget shoved the pill into her mouthand made her swallow it. “Please stop this, Bridget. I don’t want to seduce the Sheik.” “You will by the time I’m through with you, darling,” Bridget smiled down at her. “The drug will make you very eager for him.” She laughed as Emilia shook her head in refusal. “You can’t fight it, pet. I’ve used this drug many times over the past several years. It always works.” Emilia’s eyes began to glaze overand Bridget smiled. She opened a box from her robe pocketand slid out a patch. She turned Emilia onto her sideand pressed the real drug to the back of the girl’s neck. Great invention – time released medication. “You know you want him, Emilia.” “I want Stephen,” Emilia cried out softly. “Stephen is gone now, baby,” Bridget said softly, stroking Emilia’s back gently as she began removing the paralysis. “He would want you to be happy. The Sheik can make you happy.” “The Sheik?” Emilia frowned, wondering why she couldn’t seem to hang on to her thoughts. Something was very wrong with her mind. Bridget had – her frown deepened as the memory slipped from her grasp. “I feel funny, Bridget.” “It will pass, love,” Bridget smiled in triumph. The drug was working beautifully. “It’s time to get ready for dinner.” She saw the frownand knew Emilia was still fighting for her mind. “Listen to me, baby. I only want what’s best for you.” The frown remained a moment longerand then vanished, replaced by a smile. Emilia got upand went to the closet to pull out an evening gown. Bridget was quite pleased. The girl was theirs; she was never going to remember that she was here unwillingly. Soon she was going to do anything they asked of her. Bridget’s smile widened as she watched Zachary pick another gown; one that displayed Emilia’s lovely body to its fullest. He smiled as she allowed him to strip her, without one word of complaint,and then dress her. “You are going to have the man panting for you, pet,” Bridget smiledand kissed Emilia on the cheek. “That is what we want, isn’t it?” “That is what you want,” Emilia said softly, still struggling to keep control over her mind. “Please don’t make me do this.” “You don’t have to do anything, pet,” Zachary laughed, as he looked her over. “You show up at dinner looking like thatand every man on this ship is going to want you.” He clamped his hand on her chin. “You just stay close to the Sheikand leave the rest to us.” * CaptainAndrews was in his cabin going over the daily reports when Peter came to join him. Both men were growing increasingly annoyed with being told to wait. The Captain wanted to take Zacharyand his woman into custodyand free Emily. Though Peter agreed with the man, he trusted Stephenand his men. What they were planning to do was far more satisfying.And it would mean that Emilia found her way back into her husband’s arms in a place where they could both live safe. He told Emilia’s grandfather thisand the man thought it over. “I am not as certain as you are,”Andrews replied, “but I will agree. You have always proven yourself to be a very level-headed young man.” He took a swig of his drink. “The poor child. Hasn’t she been through enough over the past eight months?” “She will have it all back,” Peter assured him. “Her real husband is not like his father. I have found him to be a very honorable man,and,” he continued as he raised his own glassand examined the contents, “he loves our pretty Emilia with every ounce of his being.” He took a drinkand set the glass down. “I have the very distinct impression that he is only holding off ripping his brother’s heart out at the advice of his companions.” “I wouldn’t stop him,”Andrews replied tightly. He finished his drinkand got to his feet. “I have a meeting with the senior officers. I will go over the plan Dr. Winslow has suggested with them, so that we are certain that everyone is on the same page.” He put on his hat. “How is the girl doing, Peter?” “They continue to drug her to keep her confusedand docile,” Peter said sadly. He finished his drinkand accompanied the Captain out of the man’s cabin. “I am keeping an eye on the situation, Captain,” he said as he caught sight of Zachary going down the companionway with Bridget. “I expect to see improvement quite shortly.” “I’ll leave you to it then, Doctor,”Andrews nodded. Peter returned to the Infirmaryand went over the reports on the other patients under his care. There was always the cases of mal-de-mere, hangovers,and the occasional flu. He expected those. The one patient he was most concerned with now, was the one he was being denied access to. Bridget had made it quite plain that he was not to interfere with Emilia’s care. She was his niece,and he could only stand byand watch as her kidnappers slowly stole the girl’s mind from her. He slammed his fist into the top of his deskand winced at the pain. They were letting themselves be played for fools by this couple. “Calm now, Peter Brett,” he chided himself as he remembered what the outcome was going to be. “It’s all in hand. This will soon be over,and those bastards will pay!” “I see you’re as antsy as the rest of us,” Roman smiled as he came in just then. He had a bottleand two glasses in his hand. “Care to join me in a toast to a successful hunt?” “With pleasure,” Peter nodded. He accepted the glass Roman handed to him. “Give them both a blow for me, Roman.” “With pleasure, my friend,” Roman nodded. He raised his glass, smiling. “Powodzenie!” “Success!” Peter nodded. * Emilia seemed to be floating by the time they left the stateroomand went to dinner. They sat down at the Captain’s tableand she took the seat beside Stephen. She smiled up at him warmlyand he was struck by her change in behavior. The terrified girl was completely gone; the young woman who sat next to him was warmand ready. He hid his scowl as he realized that they had drugged his pretty wife. They were planning on using her to trap him into some impropriety or other for the purpose of blackmail. He had to get her away from the bastard who had once been his brother before he turned her into something she was never meant to be. “Good evening, lord Adrian,” Emilia’s voice was husky. Her eyes were already shining with longingand he felt himself stirring. “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting.” “A man would wait an eternity,” Stephen replied, smoothly as he took her hand in hisand kissed it, “for just a glimpse of such beauty.” He ran his eyes over her, appreciating her charms,and hating his brother even further for putting her on display. “If I did not know we were alive, I would swear I had diedand was now in Paradise.” “You are a poet, lord Adrian,” Bridget smiled from across the table. “Do all your wives inspire such verse?” “We of the Pashtu do not speak so openly of things meant to be private,” Stephen frowned at the woman. Here he could be rudeand he took full advantage of the fact. He looked at Zachary coldly. “It would be wise to keep your woman silent, Mr. Winslow, if she can not speak with more intelligence.” He saw the faint smile on Emilia’s face at his wordsand was relieved. She wasn’t quite as far gone as he had feared. He turned back to her, smiling. “I would like to dance with this angel later, Mr. Winslow. Have I your permission?” “Of course, lord Adrian,” Zachary nodded, wondering why this man made him so angry. It was like it had been when Stephen had lectured him on his behavior. He hadn’t liked it much then, he didn’t like it from this stranger now. “Emilia would be delighted to dance with you.” Dinner passed quicklyand the party moved to the lounge. Stephen led Emilia to the dance floorand he took her into his arms with great satisfaction. How he had dreamed of having her back in his arms like this. Not quite like this, he amended as he saw the dark look on Zachary’s face. He looked down into her eyesand saw the confusion again. As if she was trying to figure out who he really was. Somehow she knew who he was, but her drugged mind couldn’t quite grasp the truth of it. He wanted her so much, his heartand mind cried.And he could see that she wanted him in those glorious gem stone eyes of hers. He remembered seeing that expression on her face the night they had first made love. He could no longer fight the urge to kiss her. “Here we go,” Bridget whispered into Zachary’s ear as she watched the Sheik take Emilia out on the deck. “He’s hooked.” Stephen took his wife out on deckand his breath caught as he saw her bathed in the moonlight. She was every bit as exquisite as he remembered. His longing for her had not magnified her beauty in his mind one bit. He raised her eyes to hisand saw her true emotions behind the drug-induced longing. She did not want to be used like this, he saw. He wished he could tell her the truthand end her nightmare, but it was too soon. They had to force Zachary’s hand. “You do not want to be with that man, little one,” Stephen said simply as he continued watching her eyes. “I have seen in your eyes this truth.” He ran his thumb along her lipsand she sighed. “You are too innocent a creature to be used so foully.” “Why do you care?” Emilia whispered, her body moving closer to his despite her struggle to keep herself distant from this man. “He is going to harm you if you don’t leave me alone.” “He can try, little one,” Stephen laughed. He cupped her cheek in his hand,and she leaned into his touch. He was lost. He could not stop himself from claiming her lips. “So beautiful,” he sighed against her lips a moment later. “So willing.” He let his longing show in his eyesand saw her eyes widen in shock. “I must have you,” he told her fiercely. He moved with her into the shadowsand claimed her lips once more, losing himself to the joy of having his wife back in his arms where she belonged. “Tell me you want me, too.” “It’s not real,” Emilia cried softly as she looked up into his longing. She had to get away from this man, her mind screamed. He was dangerous. She tried to push him awayand he would not let go. “Please stop. I don’t want…” “Let my sister go,” Zachary’s cold voice broke into the shadows. His eyes were blazing with anger as he held his hand out to Emilia. “Come here, Emilia.” She went to himand he put his arm around her, possessively. His eyes remained on Stephen. “My sister is not a whore, lord Adrian. You will not treat her with such disrespect.” Zachary took Emilia awayand Stephen watched them go, his heart aching at the loss of her. He started after themand someone stepped out of hiding, directly into his path. It was Roman Novak. He was just lighting a cigarette, the flame of the match lighting up his dark eyes. He saw the expression on Stephen’s faceand knew how close the man was to breaking. It had to hard to watch some other man claiming your wife as if he had a right to her, Roman thought. He laid his hand on Stephen’s armand shook his head. Stephen glared at himand moved off without a word. Thank God it was in the direction that Zacharyand Emilia had not taken, Roman thought, as he watched his new friend leave. “You’ve done your job well, pet,” Zachary laughed as he shoved Emilia into the stateroom. “He wants you badly.” He removed his dinner jacketand set it over the back of a chair. “I wonder what he’ll give us for the chance of taking you to his bed?” “I don’t want…” “Enough!” Zachary broke in, slapping her across the face in his anger. He grabbed her wristsand yanked her to him. “One more word of argument from you, pet,” he warned her, “and I will have your voice taken away from you.” He let her go. “Turn aroundand put your arms behind your back,” he ordered her. Emilia did as she was toldand he removed his tieand used it to bind her wrists. “Now go lie down.” He smiled as she obeyed him. “He’s never going to have you, pet,” he said as he turned herand unzipped her gown. He turned her back. “You belong to me,” he smiled as he pulled off her gownand the rest of her clothing. “Tell me,” he ordered as he removed his clothingand straddled her. He yanked her up, pulling her head back so that she was forced to look into his eyes. “Tell me.” “I belong to my self!” Emilia protested. “I am going to continue to fight you as long as I can.” “You won’t last much longer, pet,” Zachary laughed as he moved inside of herand her body responded. “See how easily I make you mine?” When he was done, he left her boundand helpless, enjoying the sight. “You are never going to be free of me,” he laughed as he heard her sobbing in reaction to what had happened. “Never.” He yanked her upand glared at her. “You will not let that man get you alone again, pet. Is that clear?” Emilia noddedand he released her. She curled up in a balland he covered her with a blanket. He left her still boundand sobbing her heart out. Let her cry, he thought to himself as he went to find Bridget; she was realizing that he had won. After this, she would do as she was told without complaint, without argument; exactly as he had planned. * Emilia was on her way to the pool to join Bridget when the Sheik found her. She tried to go around himand he cut her off. He pressed her against the walland removed the sunglass that hid the bruises Zachary had inflicted on her the night before. Stephen hissed in anger as he saw them. Zachary was beating her like an animal! He was going to pay for doing this to Emilia. He kissed her gently on the sight of the bruises, meaning only to comfort her. But when she sighedand softened, he could not stop himself. He kissed herand she did not fight him. He looked down into her eyes in confusion. She was looking back up at him with equal confusion. He had to have her, his mindand body screamed. He could not let her go back to Zachary now; she was his. “He beat you,” Stephen choked as he stepped backand laid the back of hisand against her cheek, “because of me.” “Please don’t involve yourself,” Emilia cried. “It was merely a disagreement that got out of hand…” “He has marked you, little one,” Stephen broke in, his voice cold. She backed away, her fear plainand he was instantly repentant. “I do not mean to frighten you…” She moved away from himand ran. Stephen stood with his fists clenched in anger. “He is going to suffer for every last blow he inflicted on you,” he vowed as he followed her to the pool. He saw her seated beside Bridgetand went towards them. Stephen had never known such rage. The sound of guns going off dampened his emotions quite quickly. He looked at Yusef, who was over by the railingand smiled as the man nodded. Their men were coming. “Come with me.” “What’s going on?” Emilia asked as he moved in front of her. She saw the anger in his eyesand was suddenly very frightened. He clamped his hand on her elbowand led her over to where his women were waiting. “Keep her safe.” Emilia watched as the Sheikand his guards moved towards the railing. They looked overand she tried to go see what was going on. The women held her back, shaking their head at her. She heard a bolt being drawnand turned to see several armed men coming down the passageway. Their faces were hidden under hoods. The men shoved the group of women away from the pooland towards the main lounge. Emilia remained with the Sheik’s women, who seemed determined to keep her safe, as moreand more of the passengers were herded inside. Bridgetand Zachary came towards herand she backed away from them. They stood to one side, glaring at her as she allowed the women to act as a buffer for her. Stephenand his men were brought in, their wrists cuffed behind their backs, their faces bruisedand bloody. “Do not be frightened,” Roman said as he took the stageand removed his hood. “We are here for the Sheikand his people only.” He looked at Stephen coldly. “Your enemies have asked us to extend an invitation for you to visit them, lord Sheik.” He looked over at the womenand smiled as he caught sight of Emilia. “You have added a new woman to your entourage, lord Adrian,” he crooned as he yanked her to his side. His hand moved up to stroke her cheekand he saw the rage in her eyes. “She is a fiery beauty. How much will you pay me to keep her untouched?” “Take your hands off of my sister!” Zachary snarledand rushed at the man. He was struck down to his knees by one of the Kaminski boys. “You have no right!” “Your sister?” Roman looked from Zachary to Emilia to Stephen. “You are stealing other men’s women now, lord Adrian?” He laughed in delight. “How delightful! The noble champion of the downtrodden is abducting women!” He said something to his men in Polishand they cuffed Zachary. “We must see what we can do to rectify this situation. Oh no, pretty,” he laughed as Emilia tried to pull away from him. “You are going to stay right here at my side.” He took a pair of cuffs outand fastened her wrists to the long chain on his belt. “As a woman under dispute, you have only me to stand as your protector now.” He nodded to his men. “We go.” The ‘pirates’ herded Stephenand his people,and Zacharyand Bridget away. Roman remained behind a moment longer with Emilia. He saw her looking up at him, her eyes blazing in anger. A true Sobieski, he smiled. Faced with uncertainty, they showed no fear. He was quite proud of his little cousin. He grabbed her wristand pulled her out on deck where the gangplank had been lowered for their use. The crew was being guarded by more armed men. Once Emiliaand Roman were off the ship, these men joined them in the remaining boat. “You have questions, Księżna?” Roman asked his cousin as he shoved her to a seatand sank down next to her. “I’ve never heard of Polish pirates,” Emilia retortedand tried to move away. He pulled her back, his arm holding her to his side. “Pirates?” Roman laughed in delight. “Such an antiquated term for what we are!” He repeated her comment to his relativesand they laughed. “You have amused my men, Księżna. That, in itself, would earn you safety from our attentions.” He stroked her hairand her eyes flashed. “Your grandfather is going to pay us dearly to have you returned to him.” “You know my grandfather?” “The Sobieski have been enemies of my clan for centuries, Księżna,” Roman told her bluntly. “When we heard that the granddaughter of the Krol himself was going on a cruise, we saw a chance to strike back at them.” He cupped her chin in his hand and looked her over insolently. “You are an exquisitely beautiful young woman, Emilia Winslow. I can see why men fight over you.” He said something to his menand Emilia cringed as she realized what was going to happen. “The Sheik wants you, the Winslow bastard wants you. We shall make them fight for you.” “You’re vile!” Emilia hissedand tried to pull free of him again. He yanked her back roughly, twisting her wrist. “Co kontynuuje tutaj!” “Then behave yourself, Księżna,” Roman told her roughly. He was enjoying this game, he thought to himself. This cousin of his was a true delight. “You sit stilland do as you’re told,and you may see your grandfather yet.” Emilia glared at himand he laughed in delight. She turned her head awayand watched as the cruise ship grew smallerand smaller. Where was this bastard taking them, she wondered. She had tried to read his mind, but it was guarded against her talent. She saw only his delight in winning such rich prizes. Other men were thinking of the contest they would soon see between the Sheikand the bastard Winslow. They were already taking bets to see who they thought would win. She closed her eyesand tried to relax. The men had not hurt anyone yet, she told herself. She dozed offand missed the regret on the faces of the man next to her. “She is the lady Elzabet returned to us,” his brother, Krystian, whispered as he joined Roman. “Why can’t we just slit the bastard’s throat nowand lose him over the side?” “And take Stephen’s vengeance from him?” Roman shook his head. “It is brother against brother now. We stand ready to assist only if Stephen falls.” He stroked Emilia’s hairand she whimpered in her sleep, striking out in protest. Roman’s expression darkened as he saw this. “Then we slit Zachary Winslow’s throat.” * The vessels sailed into the harbor of the island as the sun was just rising up over the horizon. Roman kept Emilia at his side as he watched the other prisoners being unloaded. He felt her shiverand took off his jacketand put it around her shoulders. This deference was something she was not used to. Apparently her grandfather, though this man’s enemy, was held in some respect. This man had been calling her ‘princess’ ever since he had taken her captive. Her grandfather was no king, surely. She saw the Sheik eyeing herand she wondered again why he felt so familiar to her. His face had the same shape as Stephen’s, but his eyes were blackand his hair was night black. In his arms, she had almost felt like she had her husband back again. She was ashamed at herself for allowing a stranger to stir her. Surely she owed it to her husband’s memory to keep another man from reaching to her heart; at least for a time? “This is Pożerają Trzymają, Księżna,” Roman smiled as he led her after the prisoners. “Raven Hold. It has been our home for seven centuries.” They came up the hilland he paused so she could look at the village nestled around an immense castle keep. “Is it not awe-inspiring?” “It’s like something out of a medieval history,” Emilia said softly. “I suppose you’re going to lock me in a tower now?” “Would you prefer that, Księżna?” Roman laughed as he looked down at her. “I was going to give you the best suite of rooms in the hold.” He sobered slightly. “I should not tease you, Księżna,” he said in apology. “You are an innocent in these mattersand should be treated gently.” They entered the villageand Emilia saw several people watching the parade. Their expressions were quite waryand she could feel fear in the minds of several of them. What she saw in her mind as they walked by had her nearly in tears. These ‘pirates’ were not the hard-hearted bastards she assumed them to be. The people who inhabited their village had been rescued from lives of slaveryand given a home. Anyone brought here as a prisoner was one such as those who had enslavedand tortured them. She understood their fear. They entered the keepand Roman went to the daisand sank down on his throne, one leg over an arm in a nonchalant manner. “Welcome to Raven Hold,” he told his other prisoners. “Your stay here shall be as uncomfortable as your behavior makes it. The Księżna Emilia alone,” he pulled Emilia to his side, “is an honored guest here.” He nodded to Stephen’s women. “The lord Adrian’s women shall be her attendants; as will the Maxwell woman.” He gave these orders to his menand they took the women away. “Lord Adrian, since youand the Winslow bastard are in dispute as to the custody of the Księżna Emilia, we shall have combat at the end of the week.” He turned to his men. “Lord Adrian’s men will be put in the dungeons. Lord Adrianand Mr. Winslow shall be given quarters in opposite towers of the keepand held under guard.” “What are you going to do with the girl?” Stephen demanded coldly, in his haughtiest Sheik manner. “If you touch her, fiend…” “The Księżna Emilia is safe from me, lord Adrian,” Roman broke in, laughing. “She is to be ransomed back to her grandfather, the great Krol of the Sobieski. He will pay dearly to have his beloved grandchild back safely.” He nodded to his men. “Do ich komórek.” When they were gone, he turned to Emilia. “It is time I contacted the Sobieski, Księżna.” He nodded to two women standing nearby. “Take her to the Rose Suiteand turn her over to her women.” “Please don’t make them fight over me,” Emilia protested as he freed her from the chain, but left her wrists cuffed. “You have no intention of giving me to either of them,” she cried. “There is no point…” “It amuses me,” Roman broke in, his eyes cold. “That is the point.” He nodded to the women. “Take her.” Emilia was escorted up the massive stairs to the leftand to the wing to the left. A pair of guards stood outside of an immense door. One of the men opened itand she was freed from the cuffsand pushed inside. Emilia frowned as the door banged shut behind her. The sheik’s women were seated in the sitting area, waiting. Bridget was over by the window, a dark scowl on her face. She was not at all pleased to be told she had to be Emilia’s servant, Emilia saw. Emilia sank down onto the couchand one of the women, Sareena, brought her a glass of water. “You don’t need to serve me,” Emilia protested, even as she accepted the glass with a nod of thanks. “We are all prisoners here.” She looked over at Bridgetand frowned at the malice in the woman’s mind. “We wouldn’t be here,” she couldn’t resist the gibe, “if youand Zachary had left me alone.” “When we get out of this, pet,” Bridget hissed, “you are going to pay for that remark.” She looked at the other women. “Stay out of my way!” The doors openedand two men came inside. They went directly to Bridgetand pulled her away as she kickedand screamed in protest. Emilia tried to go after themand Maryam held her back, shaking her head. Emilia sat back down, wondering why they had taken Bridget away with them. She was answered a half hour later when the men returned shoving Bridget ahead of them. She had been leg shackled. She was carrying a large pitcher in her armsand several goblets were fastened by cord around her neck. One man shoved her to her knees in front of Emilia, raising his hand as Bridget froze. She set the pitcher down on the table in front of the couchand took the goblets off their cord, setting each of them on the table. She filled each of themand handed one to the others in turn. When she was done, the pitcher was left,and Bridget was shoved out of the room. Krystian bowed his head to Emilia. “The woman has been reassigned to the kitchens, Księżna,” he told her bluntly. “She is far too evil to be allowed anywhere she might cause your noble self harm. My lord Roman has asked me to inform you that youand your ladies will join him at the evening meal, Księżna.” He left the room, locking the door,and turned to where Bridget was waiting. She glared at himand he slapped her across the face. He watched her a moment as she tried to find some way to get around him. When she found she could not, her anger mounted. He laughedand shoved her down the corridor. He returned her to the kitchen where he told the Cook what to do. The woman put a collar around Bridget’s throat fastened by a thick chain to a ring in the walland shoved Bridget over to the sink. Krystian was delighted; the haughty beauty had been relegated to the role of kitchen drudge. “If you behave yourself, witch,” he said as Bridget glared at him, “you may be allowed to serve. Until you learn your place, you will be the kitchen slave. Every disgustingand lowly task will be given you.” “You can’t do this to me!” Bridget hissed. She tossed a plateand it shattered against the wall. The Cook slapped her across the face as punishment. “I am not going to be anyone’s slave!” “You were willing to turn the Księżna Emilia into a slave, woman,” Krystian said darkly. “This is better than you deserve.” He nodded to the Cook. “Olenka has orders to whip you if you do not obey. She will not be gentle.” He smiled over at his mother, who had a very fierce expression on her face. “Kobieta jest wasz dyscyplina, Matka.” He left the kitchen, smiling as Bridget cried out in rage. She would learn her place, he knew. His mother, Olenka, would not take any guff from that socialite who fancied herself a queen. He made his way to the keep’s war roomand found Romanand the others waiting. He nodded his thanks as his cousin, Edmund, handed him a goblet of wine. He drained itand set it down with a bang, then settled back to listen as Roman spoke to the Sobieski. Piotr was smiling as he heard the report of the successful raid over the overseas line. “You have done quite well,” he nodded once their report was over. “Continue the little subterfuge. I want the Winslow bastardand his witch to suffer a while for what they did to my grandchild.” “As you will, lord Piotr,” Roman nodded. The screen went darkand he turned to his cousinsand brothers. “You heard the Król’s order. Winslowand his witch are fair game.” He saw their expressions. “Until the Interpol agents arrive next week to take them away, any act that will not dishonor the clan is allowed.” * Emiliaand the other women were taken down to the great hall where a large table had been set for dinner. Roman rose from his throneand bowed over her hand escorting her to a seat to his right. He was all deference as he saw her to her place, making certain she had everything she needed. He asked if her quarters were comfortable, if she had been treated well,and she was struck by his manner. This man was no monster, she realized. He had no intention of harming her. There was a scuffleand she turned to see Zachary being shoved into the room. He saw herand he came towards the table. The guards yanked him backand made him sit at the other end of the table. While they shackled him to the chair by his left wrist, Stephen was brought in. His entrance was as dignified as Zachary’s had been unruly. He bowed his head to Roman, who returned the honorand was given a seat next to Emilia. Yusef joined them, taking the seat across from Emilia. “Now that we are all here,” Roman smiledand took his seat at the head of the table. “We shall eat.” He clapped his hands. “Przynoszą jedzenie.” The kitchen servants brought in the soup tureen. Behind them, the Cook followed pulling on a leash that led to the collar on Bridget’s throat. She released the leashand slapped Bridget on the backside sending her forward with the bowlsand spoons. Bridget set them on the table, her eyes cold as she saw Emilia watching her. Zachary watched his friend in horror as he saw what they had done to her. No one turned his Bridget into a slave, his mind roared. He was standing to protest, when the guard behind him forced him back into his seat. “You do not approve of your woman’s treatment, Przestępca?” Krystian laughed as he took a seat next to Yusef. “I think she makes a very lovely kitchen slut,” he said as he pulled Bridget into his lapand kissed her roughly. He set Bridget on her feetand slapped her on the backside to get her moving again. “Don’t you agree, my Książę?” “Once she has learned to hold her tongue,” Roman nodded, looking over at Zachary. He was delighted to see the rage in the man’s eyes. “It is a fitting punishment for the damage she did to the Księżna Emilia.” He took Emilia’s hand in hisand kissed her palm. “I know you did not ask for her to be punished, Księżna. Consider it a token of my respect.” He saw Stephen’s lookand released her hand, smiling. “It would appear that the lord Adrian does not approve of my touching you.” “She is not yours to touch, fiend,” Stephen hissed as he let himself loose in the role chosen for him. “Did you find any fault in my manner, Księżna?” Roman asked as he turned his eyes on Emilia, who was watching them both warily. “You have done nothing to make me feel threatened,” Emilia replied. She turned to Stephen. “The customs of other people do not imply disrespect surely?” “Only one man should touch you, my lady,” Stephen told her as his eyes darkened with longing. “Have I not shown you my mind in this matter?” “I will not be told what I should do,” Emilia snapped at him, tired of being a puppet. “I have lost my husband, my child,and my father. I will have a time to grieve before I decide when – or even if – I will let another man into my life.” She turned to Roman as she rose. “If you will excuse me, lord Roman. I am no longer hungry.” “As you will, Księżna,” Roman bowed his head. He motioned to the two guardsand they escorted Emilia back to her suite of rooms. “No,” he shook his head as the other women rose. “Allow her time alone. You should eat.” He turned to his wife at the other end of the table. “My lady wife, Paulina, shall see to her.” Emilia turned from the window as the door opened twenty minutes later. The tall, leggy redhead she knew was Roman’s wife, came into the room with a tray. She set it down on the tableand Emilia went to sit down. She ate while the woman moved behind herand picked up a comband brush. Paulina sang to her an old Polish folk lullabyand Emilia felt her temper easing. When was she ever going to learn not to spout off in such an undisciplined fashion? “You had every right to speak as you did, Księżna,” Paulina said as she continued to braid Emilia’s long thick waves. “No man has the right to decide for you what your life will be. It is not our way.” She smiled as she saw the meal vanish,and the girl start to nod off. She led Emilia over to the bedand helped her undress, leaving her in the chemise. “Sleep now, Księżna,” she said softly as she got the girl down. “Paulina shall stand watch against your nightmares.” “That’s not necessary, Paulina,” Stephen said as he came into the room. “I’ll do the honors.” He saw her leaveand locked the door. Then he went to the bedand laid down, holding his wife in his arms. “How I’ve missed you, my angel,” he whispered as he leaned his cheek against hers. “The nightmare is almost over. Just stay strong.” “Stephen?” Emilia’s eyes openedand he could see she thought she was dreaming. She pulled him to herand he knew he should pull away, but he could not. He had been longing for this moment far too long; he could not stop as she kissed him. She smiled as she pulled away from himand he was lost. He was not going to deny himself this joy, he defended his actions as he removed her chemiseand took off his clothing. His handsand his mouth danced over her. Even locked in what she thought was a dream; Emilia was aflame for him within moments of his touching her. They collapsed together with mutual cries of joyand fell asleep. * Emilia was taken down to the village the next afternoonand introduced to the people who lived there. They welcome the Księżna Emilia with warmthand smilesand she was touched. When they found she was as warm-heartedand generous in nature as she was beautiful, they loved her. The children took to following her as she was taken on a tour of the island. Wherever she turned, there was always someone keeping an eye on her. She felt safe in a way she had not known since the nightmare had begun. Had it only been six months since her father had been abducted? She found herself remembering the strange dream she had the night before. It had been so vivid, she recalled, that her body was still singing from what it had experienced in the dream. It was like Stephen had really been there in her bed, loving her, comforting her. If only, her heart sighed with longing. “Księżna,” Paulina smiled as they went back to the keep. “The villagers would like to hold an entertainment for you tonight. If it would please you?” Emilia noddedand Paulina told the village elder that it was approved. “You have made them very happy.” “I have a feeling their lives before they came here were anything but happy, Paulina,’ Emilia said softly. She saw Maryam coming towards herand felt the woman’s concern. “Has something happened, Maryam?” “We were merely concerned over your tardiness, Princess,” Maryam told her. “My sisters would like to teach you the dances you admired.” Emilia noddedand went with the women. Once she was gone, Maryam turned to Paulina. “The witch is missing,” she said simply. “She will make a move on the Księżna,” Paulina frowned. “I shall have the guard doubled on her suite. You must keep the child distracted, my aunt.” Bridget watched the two womenand wondered what they were chatting about. They acted like they knew each other well.And that disturbed her. She turned to the man at her side in the hidden passage. He was a tall, heavily muscled man, with deep scars on his bare arms. She had used him several times over the years for her heavy work. He did as he was bid without question; delighting in the pain he was allowed to cause. “They will expect us to go after the girl, Omar,” she said as her plan spun. “As we shall, but wisely, carefully. I will return to my chains. Once you have her, send word. I will join youand we will leave this blighted island.” “What of your man?” “Zachary can fend for himself,” Bridget told him coldly. “It is our arrangement.” She noddedand watched the man slip away. He would know when the best opportunity to take Emilia came. He was a professional. She waited a few momentsand then wandered out of the keepand headed towards the boats as quicklyand quietly as she could. She didn’t expect to escape; this was merely a test to see how efficient these men were. She found Krystian waiting for her at the pier. He straightened up from the post he was leaning againstand his smile was cold as he grabbed her arm. “Let me go, you bastard.” “Olenka is missing you, witch,” Krystian laughed as he hefted her over his shoulder. He slapped her on the backside, smiling as she cried out in protest. “She has a floor that needs scrubbing.” He carried her to the keepand dumped her on the floor of the kitchen. Olenka put her back in her collarand shackled her face to the wall. “She is not very happy that we had to look for you, woman,” Krystian translated his mother’s words. “She is going to have to discipline you now.” He kissed his mother on the cheek, took an apple out of the bowl on the nearby table,and left. He heard the first blow strikeand was not surprised when Bridget did not scream. “Wife!” he called as he went to his quarters, surprising the little blond nursing his infant son. “I need to be reminded that loveand warmth remain in this foul world.” “You found the witch?” Lidia asked as he moved to sit behind herand wrapped his arms around herand their son. She sighed as he lowered his lips to her shoulder. “She is ice.” “And you, moj serce,” Krystian sighed as he laid his cheek against hers, “are the sun.” He sat like that for several long moments until he was calm once more. Then he ruffled his son’s hair, kissed his wife on the lips,and returned to his duties. He saw a shadow disappearing into the tower where Zachary was being heldand frowned. Where were the guards, he wondered as he hurried over? He found them lying in a heap behind a stack of crates. He whirled as he heard someone comingand saw the branch coming down at his head a second too late. Zachary looked at the fallen man coldly as Omar lowered the branch. He woke up to find himself shackled down on the rack. “Krystian?” Yusef’s voice called through the fog that he was swimming through as consciousness returned to him. “Who?” “We have an intruder in the keep,” Yusef told him. “My menand I woke up to find ourselves shackledand the door locked.” He saw the blood on the younger man’s face. “Are you all right?” “Our intruder is handy with blunt instruments,” Krystian replied, trying to sit up. “Damn!” he cursed as he saw where he was. “Is he serious?” “Quite serious,” Bridget laughed as she came into the dungeon. She ran her nails slowly up Krystian’s armand he knew he was in for a world of hurt. “My friend is doing his best to take down every one of the men who stand between usand Emilia.” She yanked his head up so he could see the cells. “By the end of the week, you will all be in these cells,and we will be on our way with the girl.” “If you think our women will wail in terrorand do as you bid, witch,” Krystian hissed, glaring at her coldly, “you are quitemistaken.” “Your women,” Bridget laughed, “will be joining you.” She held up a bottle. “A little medicine added to the soup at meal time,and they will wake up here next to their men.” She ran her nails along his jaw line. “I really wish I had time to play with you,” she said as her nails dug into his skinand he flinched, “as you deserve.” She leaned overand kissed him, biting his lip until he bled. “Youand your people are going to regret moving on us.” “You won’t win, woman,” Krystian snapped. “We are not as easy to defeat as you believe!” “Keep believing that, pet,” Bridget laughed as she gagged him. “If it makes you feel better about being taken down.” She looked past him at Omar. “I have to return to the kitchens now. Try not to damage my new pet too much. I want that pleasure for myself.” While people were falling to Bridget’s plan, Emilia was taken to the tower cell where Stephen was being held prisoner. His women pushed her insideand she turned to find the door locked. Stephen rose to his feet, as puzzled as she was. Emilia moved to the couchand sat down, confused by what the women had told her. It wasn’t possible. But she looked at himand noted things about the Sheik that she had missed before. “Your women told me the truth,” she said simply, wondering if she should be angry or elated. “Why have you been hiding behind this false face, Stephen?” “I do not know what you are talking about, little one,” Stephen replied. Why would they tell her now? It was too soon! He saw her eyes widenand knew a truth about her. “You can see into my mind!” “Yes,” Emilia told him bluntly. “Just then, not before. Maryam told me that I was to tell you that the keep is in jeopardy. Sheand the women are moving out to see what they can do.” She watched as he moved to a section of walland turned a candleholder. The wall opened to reveal a hidden flight of stairs. He held his hand out to her. “Aren’t we safer here?” “If the castle is falling,” Stephen told her, “the only place you are safe is in the village. They will hide you until we can regain control.” He saw her confusion. “I know you don’t understand, angel,” he said as he pulled her into his armsand held her tight, “but there is no time to explain. You are the one they are coming after, so you need to be out of here.” Emilia noddedand went with him. The wall closed behind themand they hurried down the stairs through the gloom. They came out into the courtyardand snuck as quickly as they could towards the front gate. Just as they approached it came clanging down in front of them. Stephen turned, keeping Emilia behind him, as Zachary’s laughter preceded the man out of the shadows, accompanied by Omar. Stephen felt his blood run cold. He recognized this man; he had been one of his father’s favored torturers. “You can’t leave, lord Adrian,” Zachary laughed as he raised the gun. “The festivities are just beginning.” He held his other hand out to Emilia. “Come here, pet.” He shot at the ground in front of Stephen. “Now, Emilia,” he hissed, “or the next one will go into his heart.” Emilia could see he meant it. She moved around Stephenand went to Zachary. He slapped her to the groundand held her down with his foot as she tried to rise. “You are going to suffer for what these people did to Bridget, pet.” “Let her go, Zachary,” Stephen snarled as he took a step forward. “Your argument is not with this child. It is with the people who protect her.” Zachary fired as Stephen hurled himself at him. They felland the gun went flying. Emilia picked it upand rose to her feet, shaking. She fired it into the airand the men froze. Stephen got to his feet, worried by the expression in her eyes. Omar came towards herand she whirled, giving Zachary an opportunity to grab her. They wrestled over the gunand it fired. Emilia looked down at the red spreading along her side, stunned. Stephen let out a cry of rageand grabbed the gun that had fallen from her hands. He brought it down on Zachary’s headand whirled to find Omar being subdued by his women. He threw the gunand sank down beside Emilia, shaking in fear. “Emi?” he cried softly as he pulled her into his arms, searching her face. “Please, angel,” he pleaded as he saw how pale she was. “Don’t leave me!” “You left me,” Emilia said softly as she opened her eyes briefly. She bit her lip as pain struck her. “It hurts, Stephen.” She looked down at her sideand saw the blood. “I see.” Emilia passed outand Stephen cried out in pain. He carried her into the keepand laid her down in the infirmary. Maryamand the keep doctor moved inand he was pulled out of their way. The door closedand Stephen found himself being guided to a bench along the wall. Someone put a cup in his handsand he drank the whiskey numbly. As sensation returned, he struggled to control his anguish. He had made her feel this way, he realized as he continued to fight the grief at the thought of losing her. How could he have allowed himself to do such a thing to that angel? The door opened a half hour laterand Maryam came out. “Nothing major was struck,” she told the worried man. “Your wife will be just fine once she recovers from the injury.” She laid her hand on Stephen’s arm. “I’m afraid you are going to have to wait a while longer before she is back in your bed.” “Can I see her now?” “A few minutes only,” Maryam told himand found herself nearly run over in his rush to get to his wife. Stephen approached the bedand didn’t even register the fact that the keep doctor left them. All he could see was his wife, so paleand still, on the bed. She smiledand the ice that had formed around his heart melted away. He went to the chair beside the bedand sank down onto it, taking her hand to his cheekand holding it there. She had been given a local anesthetic he realized, but she was dozing off from the shock her body had gone through. He didn’t say a word as she let sleep claim her; he knew he didn’t need to. “I love you, Emi,” he said as he kissed her foreheadand left her sleeping. “I will always love you.” He left her to Maryamand the doctor’s careand went out with Roman at his elbow. He went directly to the great hall where Zachary, Bridget,and Omar were waiting. “You bastard!” he snapped as he backhanded his brother. “She could have died!” He turned to Roman, who nodded his permission. “The lord of Raven Holdand I have formed an alliance,” he said as he took the throne. “It is dedicated to destroying you, Zachary Winslow,and the foul men who have made it their life’s work to destroyand enslave others.” He was every inch the Sheik now. “To celebrate this alliance, I have been given Emilia as my wife.” “You are going to regret this!” Zachary snarled as he met the man’s eyes. Even now, he did not recognize his own brother. He saw only a man who was getting in his way. “Emilia belongs to me!” “She never belonged to you, bastard,” Roman snappedand slapped the man across the face. “She is Sobieski, as far above youand your witch, as a man is above an amoeba. By moving against her, you have written your own death warrant.” He drew his knifeand turned to Stephen. “I know their lives are yours, lord Adrian, but this monster can not be allowed to live.” “These three shall be given into the hands of those whose lives they sought to destroy,” Stephen decided. “Give them to the villagers, as slaves, with our compliments. They will live,” he continued coldly, “or die at their new masters’ pleasure.” He looked at the three, his eyes hardand unyielding. “If they leave the village, your men have our permission to end them. My princessand I are not to lay eyes on any of them ever again.” Roman bowed his headand barked out orders to his men. Zachary, Bridget,and Omar were given slave collarsand leg shackled. His cousins herded them out while Roman watched Stephen. Roman had seen men in the midst of battleand knew that Stephen was fighting one now. He remained silent, letting Stephen come to terms with what he had just done to his own brother. If it had been his choice, Roman knew, those three would be dead now. What Stephen had done was far more cruel. He wondered just how long those three would live when the villagers were told that these people were some of the monsters who had nearly destroyed their lives. “They did not deserve a merciful end, Stephen,” Roman finally spoke into the silence. “Your sentence was just.” Stephen looked upand Roman saw gratitude in the man’s eyes. “What is your plan now?” “I will take my wife to Pashtu,” he decided. “We will make our plans from a place where I know I can keep her safe.” He ran a hand through his hairand rose to his feet. “I meant what I said to my brother, Roman. The organization my father worked for is going down, one bastard at a time. This war has gone on long enough.” * Three weeks passedand Emilia was kept busy preparing for their return to America. The woman of Pashtu taught her the languageand customs of their countryand she drew it all in eagerly. These people were hers now. Her husband, returned to her from the dead, was their Sheik.And they were dedicated to bringing an end to people who would destroy lives merely to gain wealth. Stephen had her female guard teach her more of the martial artsand the use of weaponry. She knew he was doing this in case he fell, so she would not be helpless. The only negative in their life together was the shared fear of losing each other again. They clung to each other at nightand spent the days as close to each other as their duties allowed. “Are you certain this is wise, angel?” Stephen asked three months later when they arrived in Philadelphia. “It is not safe here…” “I will not keep hidden, moj serce,” Emilia told him. Their party moved out of the terminaland got into the armored limousines waiting for them, provided by the Governor of Pennsylvania as a courtesy to the family of Piotr Sobieski. They went to the private airfield where the Governor himselfand several other state dignitaries had planned a welcome ceremony for Piotr Sobieskiand his people. Emiliaand Stephen got out of the limousines as the jet taxied inand waited. Piotr was the first person off the jet. He nodded briefly to the Governorand the others, then strode towards his granddaughter. “You have done the Sobieski proud, little one,” Piotr nodded as he kissed Emilia on the forehead. “Every one is waiting eagerly to meet youand your husband.” He put his arm around herand herded her to the jet, leaving Stephen to follow. They were introduced to the Governorand other dignitaries, who would be coming to the compound in a week for a welcoming party for the friends of the family. “Bring them some refreshment, Karolina,” he barked at his oldest daughter, sending her flying. He settled backand nodded. “Barnabas,” he bellowed at the cockpit. “We leave now.” Stephen had never met anyone so forceful,and so respected, in his life. He was used to men like his father, who demandedand forced. Piotr demanded, but it was in a manner that did not belittle or demean. He had been fortunate to find such a family, he told himself as he sank down on the couch next to his wife. For the first time since they had left Pashtu he felt safe. He relaxed his guardand was drawn into the camaraderie that flowed as easily as the refreshments. They landed at the private airfield on Sobieski propertyand were taken to their rooms. They had been given a suite with a series of connecting rooms leading off of the main rooms that belonged to himand Emilia. The only way to get into the main rooms was through the hallway behind the other rooms, adding extra security. “Your grandfather has thought of everything,” Stephen smiled as he saw the setup. “No one is going to get to us here.” “He’s your grandfather, now,” Emilia smiled as she removed her jacketand went into the closet to hang it up. She kicked off her shoesand turned to find him standing behind her. “Careful, moj serce,” she sighed as he lowered his lips to her shoulder. “We could forget our mission.” “It’s time we thought about children, angel,” Stephen smiled as he unzipped her dressand lowered it off her shoulders. “It wouldn’t be right to deny ourselves the joy of being part of a largeand loving family.” “You’ve been talking to my grandfather behind my back,” Emilia pouted as she pushed his jacket off his shouldersand began to unknot his tie. “Is this how you’ll keep me safe, moj serce,” she smiled as she unbuttoned his shirt, “by giving me children to protect?” “It worked for your Grandparents,” Stephen smiled as he lowered the straps on her bra. “You are so beautiful, my angel,” he sighed as he picked her up in his arms. “Let me show you how much agony I’ve endured waiting for you to return to my bed.” Much, much later, Emilia left Stephen sleepingand went downstairs to the kitchen. She smiled at the woman putting together the ingredients for the next evening’s dinner. She poured herself a glass of grape juiceand went out onto the patio behind the house. She walked down to the river between the compoundand the airfieldand watched the sun setting behind the trees that surrounded the compoundand the airfield. She frowned as she saw three black dots coming towards them. They grew largerand she got to her feet, the glass of juice falling as she realized what they were. Helicopters were headed their way. She turned to go back into the compoundand found herself face to face with a tall, silver-haired man. “I have a warning for you, girl,” Hamilton Snow smiled coldly as he clamped his hands onto her throatand tightened his hold. “If youand your husband try to take me on,” he said as he saw her start to collapse, “what you endured under Winslow will seem like a pleasant dream.” He let her goand Emilia sank to the ground, gasping for air. Hamilton smiled at the sight, admiring the girl as he enjoyed the sight of her helplessness. She was indeed an exquisite creature, he thought as he turned on his heeland boarded his helicopter. He might have to amend his plansand take her in hand. He was not as soft-hearted as Samuel Winslow, or as obsessive as Zachary Winslow. There was no reason he could not possess herand be destroyed by the attempt, as they had been. “Emi?” Stephen’s voice broke through the spell Emilia was under. She blinkedand found herself lying in her own bed. What had happened had been a nightmare. She sobbedand he put his arms around her. “What’s wrong, angel?” “It was just a dream,” Emilia said, willing herself to believe it. “Just a very unpleasant dream.” * The rest of the week passed quite pleasantly. The Sobieskisand their associated in-laws gathered, filling the compoundand the surrounding area’s hotelsand motels quickly. They were all quite eager to celebrate the addition of two new members to their ranks. Stephenand Emilia were quite astounded by the number of people in the family. They spent pleasant hours becoming reacquainted with Romanand the others who had helped them take down Zachary Winslow. The only dark spot were the nightmares Emilia suffered every night. Each night they began as the first one hadand grew darkerand more terrifying as the nights passed. She was seated in the garden the day of the party as her uncle, Konrad, came to find her. “I have been told that you are having nightmares, Emi,” he said bluntly. “Tell them to me.” He listened to themand his frown deepened as he shared the memory of them with her. He shook his head. “These are no mere nightmares,” he said as he pulled her to her feetand took her to Piotr. He closed the door as his father looked up. “Emilia has foresight, Ojciec,” he said without preamble as he made her sit down. “We are in danger.” He nodded to Emilia. “Tell him exactly what you told me, Emilia.” Piotr listed as Emilia recounted her nightmares again. His expression grew as dark as Konrad’s had. When she was done, he sent her awayand nodded to his son. It was as Konrad had said; the girl had foresight. The details she had given told them that there was going to be an attack on the compound.And it was going to happen during the party tonight. Piotr called Barnabas, the head of their security forceand he joined his fatherand his brother for a war council. Emilia went into the gardenand found Barbara there with her son, Stefan. He was walking nowand Emilia was pleased when he toddled up to herand held his arms up. Emilia picked him upand he grabbed a handful of her hairand held it tight. “Do the men in this family always think they are the only ones equipped to fight?” Emilia asked Barbara as she bounced Stefan on her hip. “They feel you have been damaged enough by the fight, little cousin,” Barbara told her bluntly. “Your zeal is commendable, Emi,” she continued as the girl looked at her, “but you are still a child in their eyes. Their child,” she smiled; “and we Sobieski protect our own.” “I’m not used to this,” Emilia sighed. She laughed down at Stefan as he yanked on her hair. “Down?” He noddedand she set him on his feetand watched him a moment, her heart aching as she thought of the child she had lost. “Our child would have been about the same age.” “You’ll have other children, Emi,” Barbara said softly, laying her hand on Emilia’s shoulder. She saw her son reaching down to pick up a wad of mudand she got to her feet. “No, Stefan,” she scolded as she pulled him away. “That’s not to eat.” She picked up her sonand turned to see Emilia walking out the gate into the fields beyond. “Poor little thing. We’ll have to see what we can do to make her happy, little one.” Emilia wandered down to the gateand watched as the helicoptersand jets began to land. The Governor of the State, the Mayors of local towns, policeand fire commissionersand captains, were arriving with their family members. All were coming to meet herand Stephen; the newest members of the Sobieski family. She could feel their excitementand curiosity all the way from the airfield,and she smiled. Stephen came up behind herand wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head. She closed her eyesand sighed happilyand then she stiffened. A mind, angrily determinedand bent on destruction, blazed out from among the happier thoughtsand Emilia began to shake in fear. “Emi?” Stephen asked as he felt her reaction. He turned herand looked down into her eyes. “Angel, what’s wrong?” “Our enemy is coming to us, moj serce,” she said softly, looking back over her shoulder. “He intends to cause great harm to our family, our friends,and those who have come here.” She got a very determined look on her face. “We can’t let him do this, Stephen.” “And just how do you propose we stop him, Angel?” her husband asked her, even as worry blazed to the forefront of his mind. “We confront him immediately,” Piotr said from behind them. They turnedand saw Piotrand his sons, his nephews, his grandsons, their cousinsand in-laws, all standing behind him. “Emilia, child,” he said as he looked at her. “Come show us who our enemy is.” Emilia noddedand went to Piotr’s side. Stephen followed her, joining the throng of defenders. Piotr led them to the main gateand they formed a receiving line. For the first twenty minutes, the people who had come to visit were greetedand escorted inside. It wasn’t until nearly the end when a tall, silver-haired man came through the gate. Emilia nodded to her grandfatherand stepped forward. “Hamilton Snow,” she said simply. “You are not welcome here. You are an enemy of the Sobieskiand you came to do us harm.” She looked at Adam. “His men are hiding out in the woods. They are set to attack at a pre-arranged signal,” she continued as she read the man’s mind. “An explosion that Mr. Snow’s companion will set while he remains in our view to prove himself an innocent.” She looked past the manand froze. “Hello, Bridget,” she said to the brunette standing behind Hamilton. She ripped the woman’s hatand wig offand removed her sunglasses. “You made amistake coming here.” She turned to her grandfather. “She was placed under an extermination order if she ever left Raven Hold.” “How does she know?” Bridget hissed as she moved closer to Hamilton. “You assured me that there would be no hitches in your plan.” Hamilton shoved her awayand, in the confusion, he grabbed Emilia. He held his arm across her throatand raised his gun to her temple. The Sobieski men froze, waiting for an order or a sign from the Krol. Piotr stepped forward, his dark green eyes coldand hard. Hamilton pressed the gun in harderand Emilia winced in pain. “My companionand I are leaving with the girl,” Hamilton hissed as he began to back up. He did not see Stephenand Adam moving in behind him. Adam grabbed Bridgetand clamped his hand over her mouth. Then everything went wrong. Emilia passed outand as she collapsed, Stephen moved inand grabbed the gun, wrenching the man’s arm up behind his back. Hamilton squeezed the triggerand the bullet went wild, striking the brick wall. It ricochetedand everyone dove out of its way. Hamilton yanked Emilia back up just as the bullet returnedand it hit him in the back. “What is it about this girl?” he wailed as he collapsed, pinning Emilia to the ground. “Emi!” Stephen pulled Hamilton off of herand checked her over, paling as he saw that the bullet had gone through Hamiltonand struck her near the appendix. “Angel,” he shook his head as he picked her upand ran inside, “why can’t you stay out of the line of fire just once?” He took her to the infirmaryand laid her down on the table near the X-ray machine. Maryam came in as he was setting the controlsand took over. He noddedand went down to hold Emilia’s hand. She was in a great deal of pain now that the shock had worn off. He felt her squeeze his hand and watched as the machine circled around her slowly taking multiple shots. When it was done, he gave her a painkillerand left her in Barbara’s hands as he joined Maryam in the control room. The bullet was lodged in her appendix. Thankfully, it had not damaged any major arteries. He found it surprising that every time she was wounded the bullet took the least damaging route. He looked at her appendixand saw that it was inflamed. “She would have had to have her appendix out soon anyway,” Stephen told the rest of the family when he went to make the report. He sank down on a chairand shook his head. “This wife of mine is really something quite remarkable.” The medvac unit arrivedand Stephenand as many Sobieski as could fit aboard went with Emilia. The pilot did not argue when he realized who was on his copter. He flew as fast as wind speed would allowand landed on the roof of the nearest hospital. They piled into the waiting room, as Stephen insisted on being allowed to accompany his wife into surgery. The surgeon did not argue, he was a friend of Sobieski. He removed the bulletand Emilia’s appendixand smiled. It was a textbook surgery with no complications; if he’d ever seen one. He looked over at Stephen,and had never seen a man with a grayer face. That’s what he got for insisting on watching his wife being operated on. “There’s a reason why we have a waiting room, Doctor Winslow,” Doctor Danvers smiled briefly. “You’re going to want to be in recovery with her, too, I suppose?” He turned to his nurse as Stephen nodded. “Doctor Winslow is to be allowed at his wife’s side in recovery, Martine.” Stephen dozed offand was brought awake as something soft touched his cheek. He looked at his wife’s smiling faceand relief flooded through him. He leaned overand kissed her, leaning his cheek against hers. “Do you think you can avoid being shot the next time we take on a target, wife?” he whispered fiercely. “It wasn’t my fault the bullet ricocheted, darling,” Emilia smiled weakly. Her eyelids began to droop. “Can I sleep now?” “I love you, angel,” Stephen smiledand kissed her again. He kept a hold of her hand as she was transferred to a private room. He was not surprised to see the entire Sobieski tribe in the waiting room as they passed. He remained at her side, only eating when someone thrust a sandwich into his hand and drinking when a cup of coffee was placed before him. Several hours later, Emilia woke up again, stretched gingerly,and smiled at him, lovingly. “So,” she smiled impishly, “who’s our next target?” “You are not allowed to think about such things,” Stephen lectured her, “until you are back on your feet.And maybe not for several months afterward.” He took her hand in hisand his fear hit her. “Do you know what I go through every time I see you hurt? I should send you back to Raven Holdand let them lock you in one of the towers.” “Except I know about the secret staircase,” Emilia smiled weakly, trying to get him to relax. He was so terrifiedand she didn’t know how to help him. The door openedand Piotr strode in. “Grandfather,” she smiled warmly, “Stephen needs to talk to you.” She saw Stephen’s expressionand shook her head. “You haven’t left my side since I was shot, Stephen Winslow. You need a break. Adamand Mikala are here,” she nodded towards the door where Piotr’s oldest son was standing. “They’ll make sure I stay right here.” “We’ll strap her down if she tries to run,” Adam noddedand took the seat Stephen vacated. “Go talk to Ojciec, Stephen.” Once Stephenand Piotr were gone, he turned to his niece with a stern look on his face. “You are going to give him gray hairs before he’s thirty, Emilia Elzabet. You need to slow downand let the rest of us have some fun.” “You call being abducted, assaulted, committed, drugged,and shot at, fun?” Emilia asked him bluntly. She closed her eyes a moment. “If I hadn’t known I belonged to this family before,” she smiled impishly as she opened her eyes again, “that statement of yours would have proved it, onceand for all.” “Just try to take it a little easier on your husband, darling,” Mikala said as she took Emilia’s hand in hersand patted it. “Men are such babies when you don’t keep them in the loop.” “Mik,” Adam chided her. “I don’t think Emilia needs any pointers on how to put herself in danger without thinking about the consequences.” He turned to his niece as Mikala reddened. “Just try to remember the family motto, Emilia: I can do it, but I will arrange for backup just in case everything blows up in my face.” “A motto,” Konrad laughed as he came in just then, “that was adopted the first time Adam struck out on his own without thinking.” He came overand kissed Emilia on the cheek, handing her a box. She opened itand saw a nice watch. “If you are going to make an end run, maly jed, we’d like you to have a lifeline,” he told her. “Barnabas just finished adding some very interesting doodads to the workings.” “It’s a tracking device,” Emilia guessed, even as she put it on. She pulled Konrad closeand kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Uncle Konrad.” She frowned. “Just don’t tell Stephen until it’s absolutely necessary?” “Plotting without me again, angel,” Stephen frowned as he heard her last statement. He shook his head. “I must admit, I can see now that you come by your recklessness honestly. The stories your grandfather has been sharing with me…” He smiled as Adam, Mikala,and Konrad, all looked ashamed. “He tells me I am either going to have to keep you barefootand pregnant, or I am going to have to develop an ability for arriving at the nick of time.” He sank down on the bedand picked up Emilia’s hand, his eyes warm as he kissed her palm. “I must admit the first suggestion is very appealing, angel,” he said as the other three trooped out to give them privacy.” “But…” “Knowing you,” he frowned, “you’ll be beating down the bad guys while you’re ready to deliver our children.” He leaned down to kiss her lips. “I love you, Emi.” “And I love you, idiot!” *

Impressum

Texte: M J Marlow
Bildmaterialien: Bookrix
Lektorat: M J Marlow
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 11.01.2010

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