You’ve got this, Gary whispered when Julija slowed even more, her body trembling to the point of shaking.

Dragomir moved up behind her, placing both hands on her waist to keep her from falling. He had to concentrate and follow those intricate steps so that she could move freely. Even with his help, she was exhausted. Without his blood, she never would have made it through to that last move. When the thread unknotted and she erased it, she would have collapsed if he hadn’t been waiting for it. He caught her in his arms and took her to the stone table.

“You need blood,” he said, making it a command. All the while he watched Elisabeta. They all did. Waiting.

Elisabeta remained on her knees in the cage, eyes cast down for the longest time. Gary stepped close to the metal bars and held out his hand. “You may leave the cage now, Elisabeta.”

Her eyelashes fluttered. She took a deep breath and reached slowly for his outstretched hand. Her entire body was racked with tremors. Gary closed his fingers around her hand and slowly began to exert pressure, a silent demand that she obey him. She stretched out her legs as if afraid that at any moment Gary would reprimand her. When he kept up the pressure on her hand, she let him pull her to the front of the cage until her legs hung outside of it.

She gasped and almost retracted her legs, but Gary shook his head. “That’s good. See, you can leave the cage. I want you to leave it.”

She swallowed visibly. Her breathing was rapid. Panicked. How long has he kept her in that confined space? Dragomir demanded.

Julija shook her head. I don’t know. A long time. She’s terrified out in the open.

Dragomir assessed the situation. Elisabeta wasn’t a modern woman. She would expect a Carpathian male to take charge in a situation she was unfamiliar with and afraid in. He did so immediately, not only to spare her, but because the shadow in him had been growing.

Elisabeta, I am going to carry you to the safety of the healing grounds. If the night sky is too open and scary for you, close your eyes and put your head on my chest so you can’t see. Trust me to keep you safe. My lifemate will be in my mind to hold you as well. Do you understand me?

He reached for Emeline. I have need of you. We have found a woman who has been held captive for hundreds of years. She’s terrified. I need you to help me steady her while I take her to the compound.

Of course, Dragomir. Whatever you need. She gave him her response immediately, before he showed her the terrible conditions Elisabeta had been living in. At once he felt her – his other half. The best part of him. She was there, soft and soothing, reaching for Elisabeta to hold her fragile mind in hers while he physically took charge.

He put his arms around Elisabeta and indicated for Gary to lift Julija into his. Before the mage could protest, he pulled Elisabeta all the way out of the cage and then they were moving fast, going through the thin crack, Gary transforming Julija and Dragomir doing the same for Elisabeta so they could fit.

The moment Dragomir had lifted her wholly out of the cage, Elisabeta tensed as if she might fight him, but instead, she buried her face against his chest. He knew she was crying, but she forced herself to remain still, her body shuddering uncontrollably.

We’ve got you, Emeline crooned softly. Dragomir is strong. He won’t drop you.

Too open. Too open, Elisabeta chanted, her voice a sob of pure fear.

Her breathing was so rapid, her heartbeat so wild, Dragomir feared they might lose her before they had a chance to put her in the healing soil. She was so used to obedience that she didn’t fight, when every cell and instinct urged her to do so. Emeline did her best to surround her mind with hope and peace.

Dragomir shifted his arms, putting one over her head to cage her in. Is that better? Feel the night breeze. Think of the things you saw as a child that you loved so much.

It’s too much for her, Emeline said. She’s going to have to start small. I’m with you, Elisabeta. I’m Emeline. Vadim took me prisoner for a short time.

Elisabeta stilled. I know you. You saved the children. I saw you. I couldn’t warn you that Vadim had planned a trap for you. Sergey took my voice.

Dragomir was grateful to Emeline as she kept Elisabeta’s mind off the flight and on her story. Emeline told her all about the children and what they were doing. He made it to the compound while Emeline was telling her about how the children had tried to fly their dragons when they shouldn’t have. Somehow, in the retelling, Dragomir found a little humor in the story.

Tariq had the soil open, and Dragomir took Elisabeta deep in the earth, where the dirt richest in minerals and healing properties had been selected for her. Gary placed Julija gently on the surface and floated down to crouch close to Elisabeta’s head. “I am going to attempt to heal you before you are placed in the ground. Lie quietly and allow me to do this.”

Elisabeta nodded, but she didn’t look at him or Dragomir. Her eyes were on Julija’s. Julija smiled at her. We did it. I told you we would find a way.

You’re going to leave me.

Not for long. When you wake, I will return. That’s a promise.

The healer says three weeks.

Three weeks it is, then. These are good people, Elisabeta. Let them help you. I know it is new and scary, but you can do this. You’re Carpathian. Sergey is a vampire. He’s evil. There is nothing you can do to change that.

I tried.

He has no soul.

Abruptly Gary returned, throwing a quick glance at Julija, indicating he’d heard every word exchanged. No doubt he’d been in Elisabeta’s head, trying to help her recover faster. He waved his hand, and just that fast, Elisabeta was asleep, far from Julija, far from all of them. He closed the soil over her.

“I’m Tariq Asenguard,” Tariq introduced himself to Julija as they walked through the house, back to the outside. “You’re welcome to stay.”

Julija shook her head. I have things to do. Important things. I’ll be back, though, if you don’t mind.

Dragomir gave Tariq her answer.

“We would welcome you anytime,” Tariq said.

Julija held out her hand to Dragomir. It was a pleasure to meet you. She did the same for Gary. Both of you. I would never have been able to free her on my own.

They watched her leave, walking away, no car, no backpack, just a woman looking frail and battered. Their every instinct was to go after her, but she’d made it clear she wanted to be alone, that she had something of great importance to do, and they had to respect her wishes.

Dragomir couldn’t wait to get to Emeline. He saw her on the porch, talking with Genevieve and Amelia, but her gaze was on him.

Tariq, the city is destroyed but most of the vampires were not here, Afanasiv reported. They were not in the underground city. Nor in the park. We are on our way back.

Tariq immediately looked toward the high tower where Matt Bennet, the head of his security force, was stationed. Waiting. Be alert. Have your men ready.

Dragomir took a careful look around. That shadow in his mind had grown to full-blown dread. Emeline, send the children to the safe rooms. Have Amelia take them in now. You and Genevieve get inside.

She didn’t question him, just leaned over to talk to Amelia and calmly gesture to Genevieve. He was proud of her. Proud that she looked normal if anyone was watching. Amelia stepped off the porch and sauntered over to Danny. Slinging an arm around him, she laughed while she talked. The two of them scooped up Lourdes and Bella, putting them on their backs, and called to Liv to play with them. Liv ran over and they raced to the main house, laughing and calling out to one another as they went. They disappeared behind the door just as Maksim and Blaze arrived. Charlotte followed the children into the house.

The boom of Donald Walton’s new gun reverberated through the night. The night sky lit up with a fiery orange glow. Maksim was in the air immediately, heading toward the lake. The gun from the tower answered, one single shot, a fiery spinning missile fired toward the lake.

They’re coming in from under the water. The underground rivers Emeline showed us, Dragomir said. He has found a way to render safeguards useless in the water. That was a blow. A huge one. The spell had to come from accessing Xavier’s mind. That’s why the attacks always came from underneath us.

Dragomir launched himself, taking to the air, streaking toward the lake just as Donald’s gun and then Mary’s sounded. Both were loud, echoing across the wide expanse of water.