He had sent word to the prince. She knew he hadn't yet sworn allegiance to Mikhail, but he had still contacted the prince to let him know of the newest addition to the Carpathian family. That had been answered with a beautiful welcome. Her heart hurt it was so full. Dragomir loved Emeline and Carisma, and he showed it in everything he did. She rubbed her palm over her little baby bump. Carisma kicked her, a small little brush of her foot, much like the brush of Dragomir's voice when he spoke to her telepathically.
"This is beautiful," Blaze said, smoothing her hand over the squares she could see.
"The safeguards are strong," Charlotte said. "She'll be safe while she's sleeping aboveground."
"I can't feel safeguards, but it is gorgeous," Genevieve added. "I've never seen anything so beautiful. When you touch it, it feels so soothing."
"Tariq and Dragomir must have sent them the measurements of the crib they're making. Tariq likes to work with wood. He uses his hands, not magic, but there is magic in his work. He embeds safeguards as well. Dragomir asked him to help him make the crib with his own two hands. I loved that so much. I told Tariq that when we have a baby, I want him to make our crib with his own hands."
Dragomir had asked Tariq to help him build a baby crib. For her. For Carisma. He'd done that without saying one word to her. It was so like him.
"He's so . . ." She struggled to find the right words. There were none. He was incredible, but even that didn't describe him, or what she felt about him.
"He told Tariq you love the dragons and he wanted to incorporate dragons into the design. I thought that was very cool," Charlotte went on. "Did you talk about it with him? About the dragons? He was very specific."
Emeline shook her head. "Specific in what way?"
"The headboard is the male dragon with his wings outspread. The footboard is the female dragon with her wings spread. He wanted the feeling of the baby being held by both, protected by both. Loved, he said. The carvings are beautiful, and both Tariq and Dragomir are weaving strong safeguards into the wood."
Emeline set the quilt carefully on the small end table and stood up to walk to the window. She touched the glass, staring out at Dragomir. He was talking, shaking his head, the others listening. Tariq said something, and Dragomir nodded. Suddenly he turned his head and looked straight at her. His features had been stone, cold, expressionless. The moment his gaze touched her, he warmed.
You have need of me?
Just looking at the man I love. Her heart was so full she knew it was overflowing. So what if Vadim stuck a splinter of himself in her? Dragomir would take it out. Dragomir could move mountains.
He smiled at her, that small, barely there smile, but it was for her alone. She owned that smile and it was more precious to her than any treasure. She touched the glass in a little salute and turned back to her friends. She discovered that Dimitri and Skyler had not only contributed a square to the crib quilt but sent a small stuffed wolf to put in the crib with the baby. The wolf had magical properties woven into it, but Emeline wasn't certain what they were--or what they did. She would have to ask Dragomir.
Another package was from Paris, from Gabriel and Francesca. Francesca was famous for her quilts, and she'd sent a beautiful blanket. This one looked embroidered, although Emeline could see it wasn't, it was actually quilted with material. The intricate scene had been handstitched using tiny pieces of material for every hill, rock, forest and stream. Wolves peered out of the forest, birds peeked through the trees, dragons dipped their muzzles into water as others sat with folded wings on rocks.
Every movement of the blanket brought the images to life. She knew Francesca was renowned for knowing what was the most appropriate thing for a client; she was famous enough that she was written up in magazines. Looking at the quilt, she saw, once again, the theme of dragons and wolves. She loved it, but more, she loved the power and peace woven into it. She felt the love that had gone into every stitch and she knew Carisma would feel it as well.
"I can't believe he would think to do this. To have the Carpathian people welcome our daughter as they have. It means everything to me."
Charlotte smiled at her. "Your man is a force of nature, Emeline. Tariq says it's like trying to tame a hurricane or tornado. He wants him to stay here with us, but it's all about you. Dragomir doesn't care where he is, as long as you're happy. He made that very clear. He also made it clear that everyone had better make you happy."
Emeline couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing. It would be like him to try to command the world to make her happy. "He makes me happy." She was telling the wrong people. You make me happy.
"The prince also sent protections and blessings," Charlotte added, holding up the letter. "I think Ivory is going to come for the birth. I hope she isn't planning to tattoo the baby."
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."