Unclaimed (20 page)

Standing alone in the cool, cavernous space of the Council meeting hall, Dominic opened his mind and extended his energy signature in search of Tatiana's. It took a few minutes, but finding her had been far easier than he thought. His lips curved as the familiar scent of cherries and vanilla filled his head.

Then again, he'd never been mated before.

As Tatiana's sweet tendril of energy merged with his, Dominic whispered the ancient language and threw his arms wide as the rush of static enveloped him and carried him away.

With an energizing surge of electricity, he materialized in the driveway of Tatiana's home. The sun was beginning to rise and cast soft golden rays of light over the A-frame log cabin. To the right was the barn, which she used for her veterinary practice.

Dominic raised his gun and surveyed the area, but the only energy patterns he picked up were of his friends inside the house—and Savannah.

As he lowered his gun and holstered it, the front door of the cabin swung open, and Tatiana came bursting through. His heart thundered in his chest at the sight of her. With a wide smile and open arms, she ran down the steps and leapt into his arms, and the force of it almost knocked him over.

Clinging to him, she rained kisses all over his face before nuzzling his neck and breathing him in. Dominic held Tatiana, her feet dangling off the ground as she pressed her warm lips to his throat.

“I thought I'd never see you again,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears.

“It's okay, baby,” Dominic growled as a tsunami of feelings washed over him. Joy. Relief. Home. This woman, wherever she was, that was home. He placed her on her feet, cradled her face in his hands, and brushed his lips over hers. “I'm not going anywhere.”

“You better not.” She sniffled and kissed him again. “Since you scared the shit out of me, you do realize this means lots and lots of make-up sex.”

Dominic grinned and murmured against her lips, “I'm counting on it.”

“Wait a minute.” Tatiana's smile faded, and she looked around as concern and reality crept in to steal their moment. “Where's Richard?”

“He's in New York with the others.”

“Daniella?”

“She's gone.” Dominic shook his head curtly.

“I'm sorry,” she murmured.

Dominic kissed her forehead and draped his arm over her shoulders as he walked toward the house. “Let's go inside so I can fill everyone in at once.”

As they climbed the steps, Dominic took one more scan of the property. He knew Eric would eventually find them. He was smart and would figure out where they were holing up, but it was over a twenty-four-hour drive.

Thank God he couldn't imprint on anyone here. That bought them time to prepare for the battle that would inevitably come. At least Tatiana's house was hidden in the hills, and there didn't seem to be neighbors in sight. Let him come, Dominic thought. No more hiding. The man he once thought was his friend, his brother in arms, was now his enemy.

Dominic followed Tatiana into the cabin and was immediately hit with her familiar, comforting fragrance. The space was cozy with an open floor plan and carried her scent throughout, but nothing could mask the tense, fluttering energy waves of Savannah and William.

William stood guard in front of the massive stone fireplace with his gun pointed at a young woman. Dominic knew in an instant this was Savannah. She sat on the couch, with her feet tucked underneath her, and looked as though she didn't have a friend in the world, except for the dog, which was curled up contentedly in her lap. Based on the way William looked at her, she certainly didn't have one in him.

“Good to see you still in one piece,” William said without taking his sharp gaze off Savannah.

“You too.” Dominic flicked his glowing eyes to Savannah. “You have some explaining to do.” She shrunk further into the couch when she set eyes on Dominic. He turned to Tatiana as she shut the door. “How's Courtney? I can sense Steven with her upstairs.”

“She's the same as she was before. I set them up in the guest room.”

Tatiana moved into the room and sat on the arm of the sofa. Wearing yoga pants and a tank top, she was more beautiful than ever. Although her face was weary and reflected the stress of the past twenty-four hours, she radiated pure light, and all he wanted was to wrap her in his arms and bathe in it.

“What happened, Dominic?”

“Moravian, and the Purists he brought with him to the exchange, are all dead. He didn't have Matt. Never did. He agreed to the meeting to get
her
back.” Dominic moved around the couch and leveled a serious glare at Savannah, who wept quietly. “Your father was under the impression that you and Courtney were abducted by
us
, and he thought
you
were the one we wanted to trade.”

“Tears for your father?” William murmured. “How touching.”

“He was a bastard,” Savannah said through her tears, “but he was still my father.”

Dominic nodded. He understood the conflicting emotions the girl felt because he had the same experience regarding the loss of his sister. She'd betrayed their people and allowed her hatred to rule her, but in the end, she was still his sister.

“But the note?” Tatiana said with confusion. She looked at Savannah. “Kerry found your energy signature on Matt's note and in the cabin.”

“I know.” Savannah swiped at her eyes but looked down at her hands as she spoke. “I'd been hiding on the property in my clan form, using my psychic abilities to mask my energy signature. I saw Eric and Matt outside your cabin.” She took a shuddering breath and looked at Tatiana. “He followed Matt inside, and it looked like they were arguing. Then Eric put him in a headlock and broke Matt's neck. I read the fake note he left on the porch but got back to the mountains before anyone saw me. That's why my energy pattern was on it.”

“Why the hell would he kill Matt?” Dominic murmured. “That kid couldn't hurt a fly.”

“Maybe he got wind of what Eric was up to?” William's eyes narrowed.

“Possibly.” Dominic rested his hands on his hips, and that hinky feeling crawled up his back again. He turned his attention to Savannah. “Was Eric involved with your father?”

“No.” Savannah shook her head and clung to the puppy like her life depended on it.

“What the fuck is his deal?” Dominic said tersely. “If Eric's not a Purist then what the hell is he doing?”

“Why wouldn't you come to us sooner?” Tatiana asked, her voice wracked with grief for the loss of her friend. She folded her arms over her breasts, hugging herself. Dominic closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. She leaned into him for support but looked at Savannah. “When you saw him hurt Matt, why wouldn't you tell us?”

“I was scared,” Savannah whispered. “I—I didn't think you'd believe me. It would be my word against his. As far as all of you are concerned, I was some nasty Purist, and he was a Guardian.”

“But why even hide?” Dominic asked. “You brought Courtney back. Why wouldn't you ask for amnesty from the prince?”

“Does it matter?” She sniffled and flicked her teary eyes to William. “I wanted Courtney and the baby to be alright. I didn't want that child born anywhere near my father or the others. Although after the last couple of days, I don't think there's anyone left.”

“That may well be the case,” Dominic said. “However, Eric is still out there. He's already tried to kill Malcolm and Zachary.”

“Are they okay?” Savannah asked.

“Yes.” Dominic nodded. “They're on the mend, but it will be awhile before they're up and running.”

“He's going to find us eventually,” William murmured. “If he's not in bed with the Purists, I can't imagine why on earth he's trying to kill everyone. Regardless of how baffling it is, that clearly seems to be his mission in life. I do
hope
I have the pleasure of killing him.”

“Not if I get him first,” Dominic said evenly.

“Will you at least let me watch?” William quipped.

The room hummed with silence for a beat or two.

“He's going to find us no matter where we go.” Dominic's voice was edged with anger. “I've known Eric a long time, and he won't stop until he's finished the job he's set out to do. Richard and Dante will be here before sundown. I've kept my mind open to the two of them, so they'll be able to follow the path.”

“How much time do you think we have?” William asked.

“Eric will wait until nightfall to try something. That should give us at least a day to prepare. Maybe two.”

“How can you be so sure he'll find us that quickly?” Tatiana asked. “He can't use visualization to come here. He hasn't been here before, and he's not imprinted on any of us.”

“He can still drive, Doc.” Dominic smirked and kissed the top of her head. “Besides, he knows Steven wouldn't bring Courtney to the vampire stronghold. The next logical place to hide would be at the home of a woman who had no plan to be part of our world.”

“Right,” Tatiana said through a wry laugh. “Well, like my aunt Rosie always says…
while
you
make
plans,
God laughs
.”

Dominic and Tatiana left William downstairs with Savannah as they checked in on Steven and Courtney. Unfortunately, she was still unconscious, and he continued to be the immovable force at her side. Dominic wanted to scout the property and get a better bead on their surroundings, but Tatiana wouldn't hear of it.

“Oh no, you don't.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway to her bedroom. “You need to rest—at least for a little while.”

“Normally, I'd argue with you, but I don't think I have enough energy left.”

Dominic followed her into the bedroom. It was a bright, clean space, mostly white with accents of aqua blue, and it reminded him of the beach. His body felt heavy and cumbersome. He couldn't remember the last time he had any sleep. In that moment, the weight of everything that had transpired hung over Dominic like a lead blanket. Eric's betrayal. Daniella's sacrifice.

Yet through it all, there was one thing that remained constant and kept him from feeling lost. Tatiana. His love for her held him, kept him grounded, and stopped him from tumbling over the edge into the abyss of revenge. Before Tatiana, he would have allowed bitterness and anger to take over and consume him. Now, the only thing that consumed him was his love for her and the driving need to protect her.

The king-size bed looked ridiculously inviting. Tatiana sidled up behind him and slid her warm hands beneath his T-shirt. Her fingers grazed up his back, and he lifted his arms as she pulled his shirt off and tossed it aside.

Dominic grasped her hands and held them to his belly, closing his eyes as he allowed himself a moment to simply feel her. Tatiana's silky, soft fingers linked with his, her warm lips grazing his back. The heat from her gorgeous body as it pressed against him made him stir, but before he could do anything, she nudged him toward the bed.

Without a word, she pushed him down and lay quietly next to him. He wrapped his arm around her as she snuggled up. She laid her head on his shoulder while her fingers trailed little circles on his stomach, and she draped one leg over his.

“We can have make-up sex later,” she whispered. “Right now, even though I want to maul you, I insist you sleep.” She kissed the scar on his cheek. “Doctor's orders.”

“You're not a people doctor,” he said in a sleepy voice. His eyelids felt heavy, and he struggled to keep them open. “You take care of animals.”

“Yeah.” She giggled. “Then I guess I can take care of you since you're half tiger. Now stop arguing, and get some rest.”

“Yes, ma'am,” he murmured.

As the welcoming arms of sleep claimed him with the love of his life wrapped around him, Dominic knew he was home.

Tatiana languidly emerged from the cloud of sleep. Dominic's butterfly kisses fluttered down her arm, and his strong hand traveled up her bare thigh. The rough, calloused skin of his palm rasped over her enticingly as he nibbled her ear. He curled up, spooning her, and his erection pressed into her back insistently.

Sighing, she rolled onto her back as she stretched her arms over her head, arching as Dominic pushed her shirt up and nuzzled her breast. His hot breath washed over her skin as he flicked aside the lacy fabric of her bra and took her nipple in his mouth. Tatiana moaned as white-hot pleasure zipped to her core.

One hand tangled with hers above her head as the other slipped beneath the waist of her yoga pants. She was already wet as he slid two fingers inside her, and his thumb massaged the tiny nub. Tatiana bit her lip and held back the cry of desire as he took her to the brink of orgasm.

Tatiana tore her hands free and pulled his face to hers, devouring his lips and sweeping her tongue into the hot cavern of his mouth. Dominic growled, and in a tangle of limbs they cast the rest of their clothing aside, leaving them naked with skin brushing along skin.

Dominic covered her body with his and lifted her leg over his hip as he drove his thick shaft deep inside. Tatiana clung to him, kissing him as he pumped into her, filling her deeper each time, and taking all she had to give.

There was a feverish pitch to their lovemaking, as though both secretly feared this could be the last time, needing to take everything, absorb it all, afraid the memory of this moment alone would be all they had left.

Growling, with muscles straining, Dominic pushed forward in one final thrust and arched back as the orgasm rocked them both to the core. He fell forward, bracing his hands on either side of her head and stayed there, his face hovering inches from hers. His body locked inside hers, and she never wanted him to leave. She wanted to keep him there forever, to savor the intimate moment of perfection, and hide from the world in a cloud of bliss. As the effects of the orgasm faded, the sounds of the others talking downstairs brought them back to reality.

Dominic withdrew and rolled over so he was stretched out next to her. He pulled her into his sweaty embrace, and she felt his heart beneath the surface. Tatiana smiled as she noted the comforting way it beat rapidly in sync with hers.

Tatiana's thoughts were interrupted as she picked up two new energy signatures in the house.

“Dante and Richard are downstairs,” she said quietly as she looked at their intertwined fingers.

“You can pick up on each of them individually?” Dominic asked, pulling back and adjusting the pillow so he could look her in the face. “That's good. Your abilities are getting stronger, and when Eric shows up you'll need every bit of power you have.”

“Maybe he won't come.”

“Yes, he will.” Dominic played with her hair and let out a slow breath. “It's not a matter of if, but when.”

Panic swamped her. There would be an Amoveo battle on her property. The world she'd tried to avoid had infiltrated every part of her world, and there was no going back.

“I'm going to hop in the shower.” She glanced at the digital clock on the dresser and extricated herself from his embrace. She didn't want to think about Eric or what he might do. “It's almost two o'clock. We should really go downstairs.”

“Hey.” Dominic grabbed her wrist and propped himself up on one elbow as he gave her a concerned look. “It's going to be okay.”

“No, it's not.”

Tatiana pulled her arm from his grasp and walked to the bathroom door, practically forgetting that she was naked as a jaybird. Funny. She'd never been comfortable walking around naked in front of anyone, not even herself, but somehow, being naked with Dominic seemed… natural.

However, there was nothing
natural
about the situation they were faced with.

“No.” Her hand lingered on the bathroom door, and she leveled a serious stare at him. “Nothing is going to be okay again.” Tatiana shivered as the reality of what her life could be like swiveled vividly into focus. “I don't think I can live like this, Dominic.”

“Like what?” He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and smirked at her. “Waking up to hot sex every day?”

“Be serious, would you please?”

“I am.” He strode toward her, evidence of his renewed desire rearing to life. He linked his hands around her biceps, his fingertips pressing gently into her arms as he pulled her to him. “Tatiana, talk to me. Don't shut me out.”

“I'm not a fighter.” Her voice quivered, and she fought the tears that threatened to spill over. “I'm not good at this. I spent my life healing animals and curing them. I can't spend the rest of it running from people who want to kill me, or fighting for my life at every turn. It's terrifying. It's cruel, you know. I was fooled for a little while into thinking I was safe.”

“You will feel safe again. I promise, your life will not be like this all the time.” He wrapped her in his arms, his hands splayed across her back, searing her and branding her as his with every touch. “After this is over, and I put Eric down like the fucking traitor he is, I'm leaving my position as Guardian.”

“What?” Tatiana sniffled and pulled back to look him in the face. Her eyes searched his and found nothing but his typical resolute stubbornness. “But—but you love being Guardian, Dominic. I can't let you do that.”

“Tatiana,” he said on a sigh as he cradled her face in his hands. “I love
you
. Don't you get it?” His voice, gruff and serious, surrounded her. “My place, my home…
my
life
is with you. I already told Richard, and while he wasn't happy, he understands my decision.”

Tatiana was speechless. However, before she could say anything else, Dominic slapped her naked butt playfully, scooped her up, and carried her into the shower. He kissed the argument right out of her.

They made love again under a cleansing spray of water, and afterwards, when they dressed to go downstairs, Tatiana caught sight of Dominic's formidable silhouette in the light of the window. He was a soldier in every sense of the word, and his presence filled her tiny bedroom the same way it filled her heart.

Taking over, totally and completely.

As she followed him downstairs, she couldn't help but wonder if he would do what he said. Could he really give up the life of a Guardian and be happy here, or would the life of a warrior always call him back?

***

After Dante and Richard arrived, William took a turn catching up on much-needed sleep. The others took a survey of the property, imprinting on the area. The sun was setting, and as it sank deeper into the horizon, Tatiana's anxiety ratcheted up, bit by bit. The darkness approached, and more than likely, Eric along with it.

Tatiana's nearest neighbor was almost a quarter of a mile away, and her property backed a nature preserve. So while there was minimal chance of human involvement, it didn't stop her from worrying about what might happen. Her thoughts went to Matt, and tears stung her eyes, but she willed them away. Crying wasn't going to solve anything, and the best thing she could do was to help stop the man who killed him.

However, since she wasn't much of a soldier, she did what Rosie always did in a crisis when Tatiana was growing up. She made food. Lots and lots of food. Normally, she'd make one of Rosie's pies, but given time constraints, they would have to settle on sandwiches.

Tatiana worked on an assortment of turkey, ham, and roast beef sandwiches for the men and enlisted Savannah's help. The girl seemed happy to be doing something other than sitting around with a gun in her face. Savannah had showered and was wearing a pair of Tatiana's pajamas. She was a beautiful woman, but weariness rimmed her eyes, evidence that the ghosts of her past clearly haunted her.

Everyone had agreed that Savannah wasn't an immediate threat, and if she'd wanted to do something, she would have done it by now. It was a guarded trust, but Tatiana was grateful for the modicum of peace in an otherwise volatile situation.

She avoided scolding Savannah when she fed Cass some lunch meat. Tatiana smiled as she watched the puppy work his soothing magic on Savannah.

“I'm not sure where you'll go after this whole mess is finished,” Tatiana said as she put the lid on the mustard, “but why don't you keep Casanova for a while?”

“Really?” Savannah's green eyes lit up as the puppy licked her face. “I always wanted a dog, but my father wouldn't hear of it.”

An awkward silence fell between them at the mention of Moravian. Tatiana didn't push. With everything else going on, an awkward silence was the least of their problems.

“We—we should probably bring something up to Steven,” Savannah said with a little smile. “He hasn't been taking care of himself, and he needs all of his strength.” She lifted one shoulder and looked back at the tray of food. “You know, for Courtney.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Tatiana nodded as she spread mayonnaise on several slices of whole wheat bread. Something about the way Savannah talked about Steven gave her pause. She seemed more in tune with him than anyone else, and while she was clearly concerned for Courtney, she seemed more worried about Steven.

“Tatiana!” Steven's voice filled the house. “She's waking up. Come quickly, please.”

Tatiana wiped her hands on her jeans and ran upstairs with Savannah close behind.
Dominic, Courtney's waking up.
Taking the stairs two at a time, she ran down the hall and burst into Courtney's room as Dominic materialized next to her.

Courtney's eyes fluttered open, and Steven sat on the edge of the bed, holding her hands. He kissed her fingers and brushed her blonde hair from her forehead.

“Courtney, honey?” He spoke softly and smiled through his tears. “Can you hear me? It's me, Steven. You know, you really shouldn't scare your mate that way.”

“No.” Courtney licked her dry lips and squinted against the light as she winced in pain and tossed her head back and forth. “You're not. I'm so sorry, Steven, but I'm not your mate.”

Stunned silence fell over the room, and they all stared at the beleaguered couple, but Tatiana glanced over her shoulder at Savannah. The look on her face said it all, and when she locked eyes with Savannah, everything fell into place. The girl backed into the corner of the room with Cass clutched tightly in her arms and sat in a small wooden chair.

Courtney wasn't Steven's mate—
Savannah
was.

“What are you talking about?” Steven let out a sound of disbelief and gave Tatiana a frantic look before turning back to Courtney. “Sweetheart, yes, of course I am. You had the baby. It's a boy. Our son is healthy and gorgeous. Don't you remember how excited we were and the name we picked out for him? For our son.”

“It was all a lie,” Courtney whimpered and pleaded through red-rimmed eyes. “I'm sorry. He—” The words came between short, gasping breaths. “Moravian used me as a host. A surrogate.”

“This is crazy,” Steven rasped as he turned his furious eyes to Savannah. “What is she talking about?” His eyes glowed brightly, and a growl rumbled in his chest as he rose from Courtney's bedside. “What did you do?”

“Don't,” Courtney sputtered. She reached blindly and grabbed Steven by the arm, pulling him toward her. She grit her teeth, using her last bit of life to set things straight. “It's not her fault, Steven… take care of your son… the same way you took care of me.”

Courtney lifted a pale, quivering hand and laid it against Steven's cheek. As her eyes fluttered closed, her arm fell limply to her chest as the last breath escaped her broken body.

Steven dropped to his knees and sobbed over her, clinging to her as deep, grief-stricken cries wracked him. He pleaded for her to come back to him, but it was no use.

Courtney was gone.

Tears fell down Tatiana's cheeks in a steady stream as Steven's grief filled the room. Dominic moved in next to her, linking one arm around her waist and holding her close, needing to feel her as much as she needed him. That deep, innate connection, the one that Courtney never had with Steven, drove him to pull her into his arms and comfort her.

That realization only made Tatiana's tears fall faster.

Swiping at the tears, her heart broke—for all of them. Steven, Courtney, and even Savannah. Tatiana sniffled and looked back at Savannah. Weeping quietly, she sat in the far corner of the room with Cass licking away her tears.

“I'm—I'm so sorry,” Savannah whispered in a tear-strained voice. She rose from the chair but stopped short when Steven turned his fierce, glowing gaze on her. “Something in the rock of the mountains at the Purist compound stifled our powers. You thought Courtney was your mate, but it wasn't her. It was me. It
is
me. I am your mate, Steven.”

Tatiana looked from Savannah to Courtney and couldn't believe she didn't see the resemblance before.
They
do
look
alike. Both blonde, similar build, and large
green eyes.
She touched Dominic's mind.
If
there
was
some
weird, whammy thing blocking the Amoveo abilities, it's easy to see how wires could get crossed.

“I saw you in the dream realm once you arrived at the compound, but you slipped away, like a radio station with heavy static.” Savannah moved cautiously toward Steven, her voice gentle and soothing. “When the guards captured you trying to break into Courtney's room, I confessed to my father. I thought if he knew you were my mate, he would spare you… but instead, he did something unthinkable.”

Steven growled, and Savannah stopped a foot from the bed.