"He had her less than an hour," Tariq said. "We were hard on his heels."
Dragomir found himself swearing, using his ancient language, wanting to hit something hard. Emeline had a talent of dreaming and one didn't think much about it. But Emeline didn't just dream; she had prophetic dreams. And she could change the course of events by continually dreaming the same dream over and over and changing details in it, until the dream itself changed. She could literally figure out how to best others every time. She would be a huge weapon in Vadim's arsenal. She'd gone for psychic testing and she'd been off the charts. Vadim had realized her potential immediately.
"I'll talk to Emeline and see what she thinks is possible. She must have some idea of the scope of her talent. I don't want Amelia anywhere near her." Dragomir was adamant on that.
"You're going to have trouble with that," Tariq said. "Amelia was cultivating a relationship with her. They shared a similar experience. In truth, we were all playing right into Vadim's hands by trying to get Amelia to talk to her. We thought it would be good, they both could open up to each other about what had happened to them. Once they started talking, Charlotte had hoped to bring in a professional. In the end, Amelia talked to Charlotte, not Emeline, but I fear she didn't tell the entire truth."
Andor scowled to show his displeasure at the idea. "We can't mix with humans to that degree. A counselor?"
"We have an experienced counselor," Tariq said. "She's in London at the moment, but she is wrapping things up and will arrive in a week or so. If she doesn't work out, there is another in South America we will try. These women and children have the right to feel whole again. If talking to a professional works, then that's what we'll get for them."
"What are we going to do about Amelia?" Dragomir brought them back to the problem at hand. "Because she isn't getting near Emeline, and that's going to alert Vadim that his plan isn't working."
"Not necessarily," Gary mused. They all turned to look at him. He wore a faint, humorless smile. "You made your dislike of her apparent already. Vadim knows you're at odds with Amelia, that you don't like her."
"She's smug."
"Vadim is smug," Tariq corrected.
Dragomir shrugged. "Right now, she is Vadim. Everything that comes out of her mouth is because he's her puppet master and is controlling her."
"It's important that you understand Amelia is a victim in all this. She's being controlled, it isn't her choice." Tariq was adamant.
"She can fight him. Not allow him to swallow her whole."
"She's fourteen, Dragomir, and not Carpathian. She is without shields of any kind. She was taken before Emeline was and subjected to Vadim's form of rape. He also managed to invade her mind somehow." There was a clear reprimand in Tariq's voice.
Dragomir shrugged. While he could acknowledge that Tariq made a good leader, and he could even find compassion for the girl, he couldn't find it in his heart to agree with the man on this particular subject. The bottom line was simple: Amelia wasn't getting anywhere near Emeline. He hoped they could save the girl, but he wasn't risking Emeline.
"If we have conversations in front of Amelia about how we didn't find any parasites and you must accept that verdict, that she's clear of all evil. If all of us argue with you, Vadim will think the split between you and the rest of us is going along happily for him. It makes sense that you don't like her and would want to keep her away from Emeline," Gary pointed out. "Vadim will love the fights you have with your lifemate over him."
"Great." Dragomir knew Emeline wasn't going to like any of this.
"We should feed Amelia some small bit of information that requires activity on his part, just so we can be certain," Gary said.
Tariq sighed. "I guess it's necessary, but I don't like it."
"A location of a lair?" Sandu suggested. "We're going out hunting now. Andor found some possible activity in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. We were going to check it out. She can overhear us talking, making plans to raid it."
"That's a pretty big target to give up," Dragomir protested. "One of Vadim's lairs?"
Sandu shook his head. "No, the safeguards were pathetic. No one was home, but we think they'll return before sundown. In front of Amelia we can say we'll be waiting for the vampire when he rises on the next day, but we'll get him tonight."
"Vadim won't have a chance of finding out until it's too late. He'll send someone to aid the vampire against the hunters and we'll get them as well. Vadim won't know that we killed the original vampire the night before. He'll just know he'd better be careful with the elite hunters in the area." Gary turned his head, those slashing silver eyes meeting Dragomir's.
They were both eager for the hunt. Men like them didn't sit around talking. They weren't diplomatic. They left that to the leaders, like Mikhail, their prince in the Carpathian Mountains, and Tariq, the acknowledged leader here in the United States.
"It is best if we test our theory before condemning Amelia," Tariq acknowledged. "I believe Vadim has found a way to control her, just as all of you do, but I would prefer proof."
"We can set a trap for Vadim," Dragomir said. "Using me as bait."
Tariq glanced up sharply. "You have a lifemate. Emeline's been through as much as she can take. You have a daughter. Both need you."
Sandu nudged him, a psychic nudge, not a physical one, but it was the same, only others couldn't see it. He means keep your ass home. Perhaps your woman could find a broad leaf and fan you.
Terad keje, Dragomir responded mildly, telling his friend to "get scorched." Life as you know it is going to end.
You're soft now that you have a woman. I will bet that the moment she cries because she cannot see this girl, you will give in and the teen will move right into your house.
Dragomir turned cold golden eyes on his friend. There was nothing remotely humorous about his reaction. I will kill that girl before she gets near Emeline, he vowed. He glanced toward the house where the children were.
Not yet, Sandu said. If it needs to be done, I will do it for you. You cannot afford to have your name attached to her death. Your woman and the rest of the community would find it difficult to forgive you.
I have the right to keep my woman safe.
You need to spend a little time at the computer. The days are long past where we kill our enemies and are glorified in song.
Dragomir frowned. You were glorified in song?
Of
course. My deeds were great. Weren't yours?
My deeds were great, and yet no one glorified me in song. Kod alte han. Darkness curse it, Sandu. That's just not right. There must be some mistake.
Andor nudged him next. Pay attention. Tariq is sharp, and he's watching you two. He knows you're up to something. You planning to kill that girl? Because if you are, I'll do it. You do have a lifemate you have to think about.
Do I look like I'm going to kill her? Dragomir asked, exasperated.
"I want all of you to remember, Amelia is my daughter. I have taken her and her siblings as my children. I would track any man who harmed her to the ends of the earth."
"Do I look like I'm going to kill a child?" Dragomir snapped aloud. He had an expressionless mask for a face. There was a multitude of scars, but he didn't show what he was thinking.
"Yes." Tariq looked him in the eye. "That's exactly what you looked like. You also look as if there might be a few others willing to help."
"Were you ever glorified in song?" Dragomir asked abruptly.
Tariq's brows came together. He looked at Dragomir as if he'd grown two heads. "Yes. Of course I was. Several centuries ago. Weren't you?"
"Kod alte han, darkness curse it and all songs glorifying the lot of you." Dragomir pushed himself away from the wall. "I've had enough. I'm going hunting."
It was all he could do to keep from answering Tariq's grin. Humor was still new to him. Abruptly he turned away from Tariq. The man had the right to protect his family--the same right Dragomir had. Dragomir knew he'd kill any man threatening his lifemate or his daughter. Despite his diplomacy, despite looking as if he had been born and raised in the current century, Dragomir had no doubt that Tariq would hunt him down if he harmed Amelia.
That knowledge would never stop him from doing what he considered right. Dragomir liked Tariq--more, he respected him. Tariq wasn't blind to the fact that Amelia was tainted. Frowning, he regarded Gary. "You said we had to figure out just how Vadim is able to use Amelia as his spy when she has no parasites in her."