Emeline’s head came up and she scowled at her. “What?”

“Ivory looks as if she’s covered in wolf tattoos, but they’re immortal wolves, permanently a part of her pack. When she needs or wants them, they come alive, showing themselves, protecting her. It’s really cool, Tariq said, but what would we do with wolves in San Diego?”

Clearly she was going to have to communicate with Ivory and find out what kinds of gifts she planned for Carisma when she came.

We’re ready for you.

Emeline pulled the quilt to her, held it tightly against her body. The sense of fun was gone just like that. They were ready for her. They would lock her in that safety room, as they had Amelia, and they would try to destroy the splinter without it harming her or the baby. Sandu would be there. Gary. Dragomir. All would be at risk. For her – again. She licked her lips and tasted fear.

“They want me now.”

Blaze frowned, spinning around to stare out the window at the circle of men. “For what, Emeline? What do they want you for?”

They hadn’t told anyone. She glanced at Charlotte. No, she knew. Tariq had told her. “Vadim isn’t finished with me. Just as Amelia had a splinter of Vadim in her, there is one in me. He hasn’t used it yet, at least it doesn’t appear as if he has, but we have to remove it.” She kept her head up, refusing to be ashamed. Dragomir loved her just as she was and she refused to stay a coward. She refused to give Amelia advice and then fail to apply it to herself.

“Oh, honey.” Blaze reached out and caught her hand. “That vampire needs killing.”

It was such a Blaze statement. She always went to the final scenario, cutting straight to the kill.

“Yes, he does,” she agreed. “I’ve had enough of him in my life and I want him gone. I also want the other children searched, just to be sure.”

“It was done last night,” Charlotte said. “None of them have even a tiny sliver of Vadim in them. When we get this one from you, then he’s gone completely and can’t access the compound. Once again, it will be safe.”

Her stomach knotted, and she put her hand carefully over her baby as if she could protect her. A cloud passed over the moon, an ominous sign. Even the wind chose that moment to kick up leaves and twigs against the window. “I think, no matter what, as long as Vadim lives, we should all be on alert, even here in the safety of the compound.”

She squared her shoulders as Dragomir broke away from the group and started toward the house. She refused to give the appearance of cowering inside. She immediately put down the quilt, stroking her hand over it to collect courage and peace as she hurried to the door. She was halfway down the outside steps when Dragomir got there. He swept her up, his hands at her waist, lifting her off her feet and swinging her around to set her on the ground.

The small, dizzying dance warmed her. She slid her arm around his waist and looked up at him. “Your supersecret meeting is over?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you giving me a hard time about our strategy meeting?”

“Is that what you call that? I’m not certain I believe it was all about strategy. I think chest thumping went on.”

Now his eyebrow went up. “Chest thumping?”

She nodded. “You know – I’m the coolest. I’m the baddest badass in town. That sort of thing. Laying it out and measuring.”

“Laying it out and measuring? I presume you are now talking about cocks.”

There was a hint of a promise of retaliation for all her teasing, but that only sent a thrill of anticipation down her spine, rather than deterring her. Who could be deterred when it sounded like so much fun getting in trouble?

She let her hand slip from his waist to his hip, her fingers caressing the line of his trousers and inching toward the bulge developing there. “Just hearing that word makes me hungry.”

“You’re going to get yourself in trouble.”

“I like being in trouble,” she admitted, batting her eyelashes at him.

His hand slipped from the small of her back to the curve of her butt. Rubbed. Stroked. Massaged. She hoped no one was walking behind them, but of course his shadows would be there. Sandu. Andor. Ferro. She didn’t protest, even though she knew she should. His hand felt too good. Heat spread through her body, pushing the cold out – the cold fear brought. Now there was only Dragomir, with his hard body and amazing hands. She couldn’t think about anything else but that fire beginning to smolder so deep in her body.

They walked toward the main house where Tariq and Gary waited. She was aware of every step Dragomir took with her. The way his body sheltered hers, every ripple of muscle and the strength in his arms. Most of all she was aware of his hand, massaging her bottom. Then his fingers were around her thigh, under the hem of her long dress, his fingertips caressing bare skin.

“Someone will see.”

“They can’t see. I would never let them see your body. It is mine. It belongs only to me. I love the way your skin feels. So soft. I’ve never felt anything so soft, not in all my centuries of existence.” The pads of his fingers swirled over her thigh. “My name should be right here.” He ran his thumb down the inside of her thigh. His knuckles brushed her slick entrance. “So hot for me, already, sívamet? I love that.”

Before she could reply he pulled his hand from her thigh and wrapped his arm around her waist, waving his fingers in a circle to create a breeze. She swung her head around and saw Amelia hurrying toward them. She’d been so caught up in Dragomir and the magic of his hands that she hadn’t thought of anything else. Grateful he was still aware of their surroundings, she rubbed her face along his chest.

You’re amazing. She poured love into her voice.

I’m hard as a rock, and willing it to go away hasn’t worked yet. I need to come up with a spell. Dragomir sounded pained.

She burst out laughing. You get right on that. I’ll come up with a counterspell.

“I was worried about you,” Amelia greeted. “You looked so sad.”

Dragomir halted so the teen could hug her. She swept her hand down Amelia’s hair. “They found a splinter in me. Just like the one they found in you. I think it’s our fate to have similar lives.”

Amelia’s breath caught in her throat, but then she forced a small smile. “You found Dragomir, and he makes you happy. I can tell. If I find someone like him, maybe I can find happiness, too.”

“You’ll find a man who will make you happy one day,” Dragomir confirmed. “In the meantime, you have us. We will look after you and ensure your happiness until he comes along.”

Emeline liked that. Liked that he was all but saying they would stay there and help protect the children. She’d saved them and she was invested in them. She wanted them to be happy and healthy. She wanted to be a part of their lives.

“You won’t take Emeline away from us?” Amelia’s voice was tinged with fear, but she tried to keep the emotion from her face.

“We’re family. Part of a circle. We might purchase land for ourselves and set up a home, but it would only extend the compound so you would have twice the area to play,” he assured.

“I’d like that,” Amelia said. “Are you going to take out the sliver?”

“Yes,” he said. “Right now. I’ll keep her safe.”

Amelia stopped walking with them and just nodded her head as they continued toward the house, watching with that same fear in her eyes, but refusing to acknowledge it.

“She’s very brave,” Emeline said as Tariq opened the door for them.

“The place we want to go is accessed from the great room,” Tariq said.

He waved them from the foyer into the large beautiful room. Emeline caught a glimpse of high wood ceilings and hardwood floors as he ushered them through to the longest wall. He waved his hand and an entrance opened into another smaller room. She stepped inside.

She knew it was much like a panic room, but it was built to keep out vampires, not humans. Maybe both. The room reminded her of a huge vault. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe. Dragomir’s arm circled her waist, and he pulled her back against his solid body. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, his mouth moving against her earlobe, yet he spoke telepathically, making his communication intimate.