Charming (A Seven World Novel) (19 page)

“Where?”

“You know the old bridge with the arch? Be here in five minutes.”

Prince went from zero to sixty in four seconds. Tires screeched when Kat peeled out behind him, trying to keep up. The traffic thinned out, and it looked like a hill of rock had been sliced in half to accommodate the road. When they crossed onto Pennybacker Bridge, he saw Vlad standing behind his car with the hazard lights on.

“Vlad, you bastard. What are you up to?” he whispered.

He eased his car off to the right and Kat pulled up behind him, almost smashing into his bumper before hitting the brakes. He got out and approached Vlad, scanning his surroundings in search of anyone who might be lurking in the shadows.

Vlad sat against the front end of his car, arms folded and a flicker of madness in his eyes. If not for his modern clothes, he looked unchanged from the time Prince had known him centuries ago. Except cleaner.

Vlad’s sardonic smile faltered when Kat rushed toward him in quick steps.

When she passed Prince, he gripped her arm and held her back.

“The fearless ones always die first,” Vlad said gruffly. “You know, I much prefer you with blond hair.”

“Where’s my sister!”

His brows rose, revealing several long lines in his forehead. “Sister… or father? Once I threw her in with Alexei, he gave up her identity in a fit of rage. I didn’t see the resemblance,” Vlad said, a sonorous laugh escaping.

Prince spoke through clenched teeth. “Why did you summon us?”

“Yes, we are too old to play childish games.”

“And yet you keep playing them,” Kat snarled.

When Vlad cut his sharp eyes at her, Prince pulled her protectively to him.

“You see me as a depraved man, but you do not see the fault in those around you. Your father took something of mine I entrusted to him. He is nothing but a thief.”

That made Prince rock with laughter. “And why should I believe that? You would entrust
nothing
to a man you imprisoned.”

Vlad narrowed his eyes at a passing car. “Is that so? During the Breed exodus from Russia, his wolf was assigned to escort one of our generals out safely. We were ordered to stay behind and exterminate the prisoners. Alexei was supposed to return to the camp and meet his fate with his brethren, but I had promised him freedom if he would deliver something of mine to a trusted companion across the border. I made a special pouch for his wolf to keep it hidden beneath his fur, but instead of placing this item into safe hands, he put it in his pocket and escaped. Paid off the general with money he’d kept hidden from me.”

Kat wriggled free from Prince’s grasp. She took one step forward, and the wind lifted the long locks of her dark hair. “Good for him. A wrongfully imprisoned man outwitted you by patiently planning his escape. My father is a hunter and a fisherman, so he’s a patient man by nature. I can’t believe that after all these years you’re still holding a grudge. Look at what century we’re in,” she exclaimed, holding out her arms. “It’s time to let go of the past and get over your fucking ring.”

Vlad pushed off the car and approached them, stopping short and cocking his head to the side. “Who said it was a ring?”

A staggering fact about humans is how they ignore anything perceived as an inconvenience or a threat.
It was something Kat couldn’t relate to in the Breed world. The occasional car would drive past them on the bridge, not even bothering to slow down. It seemed like the shorter someone’s lifespan was, the more they protected it, despite the cost to others.

So there they stood, on the side of a bridge at night for all the world to see, and yet no one was looking.

Vlad inched forward, his eyes ripe with malice. “Have you suddenly gone mute? What makes you think it was a
ring
I gave to your father?”

“Because you don’t look like an anklet sort of guy, but I could be wrong. Where are my sister and father?”

“Where is my ring?”

Prince interjected with the obvious intention of keeping the situation under control. “We’re here for a reason. Why don’t you tell us what that reason is so we can cease all this unnecessary arguing?”

Vlad turned away from them and strolled toward the short wall. “How deep do you think that water is down there?” he asked conversationally.

Kat shot Prince a look of frustration, wanting to shove Vlad over the edge. “As deep as your compassion for others… so that would be pretty shallow.”

Vlad wrapped his fingers around one of the suspension cables. “I don’t know. Seems like you only need a few extra feet to drown.”

A small spark of blue light escaped his fingertips and a scream ruptured the silence below. Her blood chilled.

“Nadia!”

Prince caged her with his arms, and the fierce wind whipped at them like punishment. His body was tense behind hers, his alpha power radiating off him like the sun warming her skin. It wasn’t a calming energy, but one of rage, and she fed off that power. Kat reached beneath her shirt, ready to unsheathe her dagger and plunge it deep into Vlad’s black heart.

“Won’t do you any good, princess,” he said mockingly. “I can move much faster than you.” Vlad held a sharp blade in his hand, pressing it against a rope that was tethered to the cable. “The rope was up here before you arrived,” he said, tapping the cable. “Seems to have slipped, but she’s not going anywhere. The cable stops just below the wall, and it only takes one clean slice to send her on her way. She’s suspended by her ankles, and her arms are bound. She won’t be able to shift without breaking her wolf’s legs. Unless you want to find out how long your sister can hold her breath, I suggest you hand me my ring.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you’ll just let her go? I wasn’t born yesterday.”

“I’ll call off the bounty,” Prince interrupted. “And that includes the men I have creating roadblocks on the interstate. We’ll settle what’s between us another time, but I give you my word you’re free to go if you set down the knife.”

“And what of my ring!” he bellowed, holding up a fist.

“Once the woman is pulled to safety, we’ll make the trade.”

Vlad gripped the cable again, and Kat couldn’t be sure if he was sending a current of energy through it. “And what makes you think I can trust you won’t come after me? Do you even
have
the ring with you?”

“I’ll go with you,” Prince said without hesitation.

Kat looked up at him in horror. Was a Packmaster really offering himself over as a sacrifice—risking his pack, his reputation, and his life… all for her? “You can’t… You have a pack to run. I’ll go.”

“I’m more valuable to him. There’s a score he’s wanted to settle with me for centuries,” he murmured before turning his attention to Vlad. “Take me as your hostage and I’ll ensure you not only get your ring but leave the city safely. Free the girl; I can’t trust you won’t cut that rope once you have the ring in your possession.”

Vlad drew in a heavy breath. “I never did like negotiators. It doesn’t always go your way, Prince. Now hand it over.”

Kat’s heart raced so erratically that she had to hold her breath for a second to steady it. Nadia’s life was hanging in the balance, and Kat refused to lose her sister over some cheap ring that meant nothing to her.

“Give it to him,” she said, her voice cracking.

Prince moved in front of her, blocking out everything else and locking eyes with her. His hair was pulled back—like it always was—and she realized how much she preferred him in his usual clothes. The cargo pants and plain shirt made him look out of form, as if he were dressing up for Halloween. He’d never been anything less than himself, and that was the way she wanted him.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked in a quiet voice. “It’s risky. Nothing comes that easy. He might do something drastic because he’s afraid we’ll chase after him.”

She placed the flats of her hands on his chest. “I don’t care. If he doesn’t keep his word, then I’m ready to fight to the death. I’ll do whatever it takes to save my sister’s life. I can’t quibble over a stupid ring. I know it gives us an advantage, but years ago I made a terrible decision that cost a man his life. I don’t want to make the same mistake again. That’s why I’m good at my job, Charming. I learn from my mistakes so I can make better choices. If he stabs me, then I’ll shift to heal and let my wolf go after him. Save my sister, no matter what happens.”

With a brisk nod, Prince turned around and reached in his leg pocket. He extended his arm—fist closed—and held Vlad’s undivided attention with the promise of the centuries-old ring enclosed in the palm of his hand.

“Let me see it,” Vlad said anxiously, a flicker of light sparking in his eyes.

Prince gracefully opened his hand and tilted it so the headlights shone on the gold ring with its ruby setting.

Vlad kept his knife on the rope. “Set it on the ledge and back away. Don’t try anything stupid or I’ll cut the rope.”

Kat swallowed hard when Prince set the ring on the ledge and moved out of reach.

Vlad waited patiently before he snatched the ring and slid it onto his finger, then slowly made a fist. His shoulders sagged and he breathed out a heavy sigh. “So many years. You have no idea how powerful this is for a Mage. The craftsmanship is no longer to be found, and it has become invaluable with time.”

“Put down the knife. We gave you the ring and kept our end of the bargain,” Kat said, keeping her voice calm so as not to provoke him. “We’re not coming after you; I just want to get my sister and go home.”

I’ll hunt your ass down another day
, she thought to herself.

Vlad licked his lower lip, his gaze centered on Prince. “You won’t last much longer.”

Kat couldn’t assess what was going on in Prince’s head, but she just prayed he didn’t say anything to set off this maniac.

Prince straightened his back. “I come from a powerful line of Shifters, and I’ll outlive a worthless man such as you.”

Kat sucked in a sharp breath when she saw the blade move. Tiny threads of rope sprang loose.

“Don’t be so sure, my friend. War is in the air. Your puny little pack won’t be able to stop the oncoming storm, and the best part is you animals will end up destroying yourselves, saving us the trouble.”

“Those rumors have been circulating for eons, and that’s all they are. Rumors invented by cowards.”

Vlad smiled fiendishly. “Believe what you want.” He dragged his eyes over to Kat, and her heart nearly stopped. “Your family has caused me nothing but grief for two hundred years.  But I’m feeling generous tonight and would like to give you a choice.”

“You said you’d let her go.” Kat stepped forward, caught in a nightmare she couldn’t control.

“And I will. That’s a promise I will keep. If you look to your left on the other side of the divider, there is a rail. Further up is another rope with your father tied to the end. It’s too far away for you to reach in time, but who knows? Maybe you’re a fast runner. But you won’t be able to save both. So what I’m curious to know is who do you love more, your sister or your father? Choose wisely, and we’ll see each other again.”

The sound of the blade cutting the rope was like the threads of her sanity shredding. She felt it all the way in her bones, and without time to process it all, she instinctively ran toward the wall. Kat jumped, her right foot propelling her off the ledge, and she leapt into the inky darkness.

Falling… falling.

Kat held her breath and shut her eyes as the sound of water exploded all around her. Her blood chilled when she penetrated the surface, and she imagined that this was what it felt like to die—so unbearably cold, so quiet. She opened her eyes, desperately trying to see in the murky waters.

Too dark. It’s too dark
.

A scream sounded underwater, and she swam toward it as hard as she could. Something touched her—coarse rope and smooth skin. Hair like spun silk enveloped her before she grabbed hold of Nadia’s arm. Kat used her dagger to cut the rope, allowing Nadia to regain use of her hands and legs. When she had a tight grip of Nadia’s waist, she swam upward.

At least, she hoped it was up. She moved toward a faint glittering of light, perhaps from the moon.

Nadia began to panic. Her body moved frantically and her lungs must have been screaming for oxygen. She’d given up whatever air she had left to call attention to herself when Kat had plunged into the water. Even in a chaotic situation, Nadia was always able to think clearly.

Kat’s chest tightened as if an invisible hand were gripping it. The need to inhale became so intense that it became all-consuming.

Almost there, almost there
, she repeated in her head, keeping her focused, keeping her alive.

They breached the surface and pulled in a hard gasp of air. Her lungs burned with sweet oxygen. Nadia was coughing as she struggled to catch her breath and stay afloat at the same time. Kat dipped below the water momentarily before surfacing again. She turned in a circle and looked at her surroundings, breathing heavily and trying to calm down so she wouldn’t get muscle cramps.

The bridge stretched over them and they were close to the center. Kat swam in the direction where her father was supposedly tied up. Maybe Vlad hadn’t gotten to him. As they kept swimming, Kat looked up, searching for someone swinging from the ledge, but in her heart, she knew he’d cut the rope.

As they neared the shore, Kat’s tears were carried away by the river. She gasped at one point, wanting to just give up and sink to the bottom, but Nadia urged her on.

When they reached the shore, Nadia flipped onto her back, weak and out of breath. “Thank God, Katarina.
Thank God
.”

Every muscle in Kat’s body screamed, but that dissipated when she raised her head and saw movement on the other side of the bridge. My God, she’d forgotten about Prince.

She swiftly got up and sprinted in that direction, stumbling over a rock. As she neared him, she began to process what was happening.

Prince hovered over her father—his hands locked together, delivering life-saving compressions. As she reached them, Prince stopped and blew another breath into his mouth.

Her father’s gaunt features told a story of torture, but the rope tied around his ankles offended her most.

Kat fell to her knees, crippled with grief and guilt, blended together in a poisonous brew that threatened to pull her into a darkness from which she’d never come out of. Years of searching for her father… and she’d chosen to let him die.

“I drew the water out of his lungs,” Prince said, starting another round of compressions. His wet shirt stuck to his body, and strands of hair had fallen from the band that held it.

Kat looked at her father’s lifeless body. Shifters were hard to kill, but by no means were they immortal. Shifting allowed their body to speed up the healing process, so if they were injured, a few shifts would make them good as new. But if her father’s heart had stopped…

“Papa!” Nadia shrieked, stumbling toward them. She put her arm around Kat, clinging to her and trembling with fright.

Prince blew another breath and then checked her father’s pulse before he started compressions again.

Seconds turned into minutes. Nadia was shaking and whispering incoherently in Russian. Nothing could have prepared Kat for this moment, and she looked on in disbelief. She’d spent decades searching for her father, never giving up hope that one day they might be reunited. She wasn’t ready to let him go. She reached down and took his hand, pressing it to her cheek.