Relief washed through her when she saw Drake. He was here. She was safe. A flood of tears released the tension in her body as he reached for her.
“He will never hurt you again,” Drake said, lifting her to her feet, gathering her in his arms. “On my life, I swear no one will ever hurt you again.” He quickly untied her hands. Swinging her into his arms, he held her close. Keeping her face turned away from the body sprawled on the floor, he carried her out of the shed, then transported them into the castle. He would go back later to dispose of the body.
He kept a tight rein on his anger as he gently lowered Elena onto the sofa in front of the fireplace, covered her with the afghan, then started a fire in the hearth. He stood there a moment, gazing into the flames, his hands clenched at his sides. Dinescu would never know how lucky he had been, Drake thought. If not for his concern over Elena and what she might think if she knew what he was capable of, he would have torn the man limb from limb and taken pleasure in his anguished screams.
“Drake?”
Wiping his face clean of emotion, he turned to look at her, his gut twisting at the sight of her face, swollen and black-and-blue where Dinescu had hit her. “Do you need something? Aspirin? A cool cloth? Something to drink?”
She shook her head. “How did you find me?”
“I woke up and knew you were gone. I could sense your fear. I followed it to where you were.”
“But it’s daytime.”
“I was never outside.” He had transported himself from the castle to the shed. But he would have come after her even if he’d had to cross a desert at midday to find her. Would have walked through the hottest fires of hell itself to bring her home. Kneeling on the floor in front of the sofa, he took her hands in his. “Are you all right?”
“I think so. The baby . . .”
Eyes narrowed in concentration, he pressed one hand over her womb.
“Is she . . . ?” Elena bit down on her lower lip.
“All is well. Her heartbeat is strong and steady.”
Fresh tears welled in Elena’s eyes. “If you hadn’t come in time . . . if . . .” Her tears turned to sobs as the full horror of what had happened, what could have happened, set in.
Sitting on the sofa, Drake gathered her into his arms, blanket and all, and rocked her back and forth. “It is over,” he said, his voice low, soothing. “He is dead. Our daughter is unharmed.” He spoke the last words, hoping they were true.
Elena nodded, her body trembling uncontrollably.
“Elena, beloved, look at me.”
Capturing her gaze with his, he spoke to her mind, his voice quietly calming her as he assured her that he loved her, that she was safe, until she fell asleep in his arms.
Elena awoke with a groan. Her body ached, her face felt swollen where Dinescu had hit her, but those weren’t the pains that had roused her from sleep. She pressed a hand to her stomach. Was she having contractions? A gasp of alarm speared through her. It was too soon for the baby to come.
“Elena?” Awakened by the sharp intake of her breath, Drake sat up.
“The baby, I think she’s coming.”
He glanced at the hearth, igniting a fire to warm her.
“Drake!” She clutched at his hand. “It’s too soon.”
He swore softly. Had the trauma she’d experienced at her uncle’s hands caused this?
She bent over, her arms wrapped around her middle. “You need a doctor,” he said. And the best one he knew was one of the drones at the Fortress. A look smothered the fire in the hearth.
Gathering Elena into his arms, he kissed her cheek, then transported the two of them to his apartment at the Fortress. After tucking her into bed, he opened his senses, then summoned the doctor to his room.
The drone, known as Doctor Samuels, arrived moments later, medical bag in hand. A word released the drone from the thrall that bound him.
“My wife appears to be in labor,” Drake said, gesturing toward Elena. “See to her.”
With a nod, the doctor went into the bathroom and washed his hands, then returned to the bedside. He took Elena’s vitals, asked a few pertinent questions, then drew back the covers to examine her.
Drake stood beside the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. He had not prayed often in his life, but he prayed now, prayed fervently for a miracle.
The doctor was still examining Elena when someone knocked at the door. Before Drake could open it, Liliana stepped into the room. She didn’t say a word, merely moved to stand on the other side of the bed.
The doctor pulled the covers over Elena, then looked at Drake. “She’s in the early stages of labor,” he confirmed. “I will need some hot water and several clean sheets.”
“I will get them,” Liliana said, and left the room.
“You may want to help her into a clean nightgown,” the doctor said.
Drake nodded. “Wait outside.”
After the doctor left, Drake pulled the covers from the bed, then undressed Elena.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide. “I’m scared.”
“I know.” He found a clean gown in one of the dresser drawers and slipped it over her head, then covered her with one of the blankets. “Samuels is one of the best doctors in the world.”
She grimaced at the onset of another contraction. “Why didn’t you free the drones when you freed the sheep?”
“I honestly did not think of it.”
“You should. It isn’t fair to keep them here. Or to keep one of the world’s best doctors imprisoned when he could be helping lots of people instead of the few who live in the Fortress.”
“Yes, wife.”
“But I’m glad he’s here now.” Elena choked back a groan. “It hurts,” she wailed, clutching her stomach. “I didn’t think it would hurt so much.”
Liliana entered the room just then, with the doctor at her heels. She carried several folded sheets; the doctor carried a basin of hot water.
“Drake,” Liliana said, dropping the sheets on the foot of the bed, “I think you should wait outside. Having a baby is women’s work.”
“No!” Elena exclaimed, grabbing one of Drake’s hands. “Stay with me!”
“Whatever you wish, wife,” he said, squeezing her hand.
With a humph, Liliana said, “Then at least get out of the way so the doctor can do his job.”
“He can work around me. I’m staying right here.”
Liliana glared at him.
Drake looked at the doctor. “Is everything all right?”
“Her labor has accelerated,” Samuels said.
Elena moaned as her contractions came harder, faster. She clung to Drake’s hand, her nails biting into his palm.
“Push,” the doctor said.
Elena squeezed Drake’s hand harder, a low groan rising in her throat as she labored to bring their child into the world.
Unable to bear seeing her in pain, Drake wrapped his mind around hers, shielding her from the worst of it with his preternatural power.
“We’re almost there,” Samuels said. “I see the head.”
Elena’s body tensed and then, taking a deep breath, she pushed as hard as she could.
“That’s right,” the doctor said. “Just one more push and you can hold your baby in your arms.”
Drake wiped the perspiration from her brow. “You can do it, sweeting,” Drake said encouragingly.
Elena stared up at him, her hand clutching his as she expelled the infant from her womb in a rush of water and blood.
“It is a girl,” Liliana murmured. “A perfectly beautiful little girl.”
Leaning down, Drake kissed Elena on the cheek, then whispered, “I love you, wife.”
She smiled up at him. “I want to see her.”
“The doctor is cleaning her up. She is beautiful,” Drake said, “but not as beautiful as her mother.”
Moments later, washed and wearing a clean gown, Elena was sitting up, her daughter cradled in her arms. “She’s so tiny.” She looked up at the doctor. “Is she all right?”
“She’s strong and healthy, her lungs are clear, her heart rate is good. I don’t foresee any problems.”
“Thank you.”
“Doctor.” At the sound of Drake’s voice, the doctor turned to face him. “You will return to your quarters until you are needed.” There was a note of command in Drake’s voice.
“Yes, Lord Drake,” he said, his voice a monotone. Bowing his head, he left the room.
Elena pressed a kiss to the baby’s brow, then smiled up at Drake. “She’s beautiful,” she murmured, running her fingers lightly over the baby’s thick black hair. “I wonder if her eyes will stay blue, like yours.” She looked up at Drake’s mother, who stood near the bed, a rapt expression on her face as she gazed at the baby. “Would you like to hold her?”
“May I?”
“Of course.”
A smile spread over Liliana’s face as she took the baby in her arms. It was, Elena thought, the first genuine smile she had ever seen on the other woman’s face.
“You beautiful little thing,” Liliana crooned. “How I wish your grandfather was here to see you.” A single scarlet tear trickled down her cheek. “He would have adored you.”
Elena glanced at Drake, astonished by the gentleness in Liliana’s voice, the love that shone in her eyes.
“Have you chosen a name for her?” Liliana asked.
“Yes,” Elena said, smothering a yawn. “Kaitlyn Liliana, after her grandmothers.”
Liliana looked at Elena, astonishment clear on her face, and then she looked at Drake. “You are going to name her . . . after me?”
He was as surprised as his mother, perhaps more so, but he managed to hide it. “You are part of the family, after all.”
“Thank you, Drake. Elena.” Blinking rapidly, Liliana handed the baby to Drake and vanished from the room.
