She paused when she reached the front door. “Who’s there?” she asked, suddenly cautious.
“Victoria Galleries. I have a delivery for Kaitlyn Sherrad.”
She smiled as she opened the door.
A man wearing a uniform stood on the porch beside an enormous box wrapped in brightly colored paper. “Miss Sherrad?”
“Yes.”
“I need you to sign this, please.” He held out a digital clipboard.
“Certainly.” Wondering what on earth could be in such a large box, Kaitlyn reached for the clipboard, gasped when the man grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her outside. Before she could scream, he jabbed a needle in her arm. The effect was immediate. As if in slow motion, she watched him lift the lid on the box. She tried to scream when he picked her up, but only a whisper emerged. She tried to fight him off, but she had lost all control of her arms and legs. As if she was a rag doll, he dumped her into the box and replaced the lid.
And her world faded to black.
Zack rose with the setting of the sun, his first thought for Kaitlyn. He took a quick shower, pulled on a pair of clean pants and a gray shirt, combed his hair, and left his room.
As soon as he stepped into the corridor, he knew something was wrong. The sound of angry voices drew him toward the council chamber. He paused outside the door. It was closed and he hesitated to go inside. Until he heard Kaitlyn’s name.
When he stepped into the room, all eyes swung in his direction. Zack nodded at Drake, who stood on the dais in the front of the room. Elena stood beside her husband, her face pale, her eyes swollen and red. The thirteen chairs at the horseshoe-shaped table were all occupied.
“Zack,” Elena said, “do you know where Kaitlyn is?”
He shook his head. “I haven’t seen her since last night. Why? Is something wrong?”
“She’s missing. We’ve looked everywhere. No one has seen her since late this morning,” Elena said. “I even checked your room while you were sleeping. . . .” She smiled apologetically.
Zack looked from Elena to Drake. “You don’t think that I . . .”
“No, of course not,” her father said. He sat down heavily. “There can be only one answer,” he said, his voice as cold as glacier ice. “Nadiya.”
“But how?” Stefan asked.
“A good question,” Ciprian said. “Since Kaitlyn’s return, we have placed additional wards around the Fortress to warn us of intruders.”
“Maybe the intruder didn’t come in,” Zack remarked. “Maybe Katy went out.”
Drake stared at him a moment, then nodded. “Andrei, I want you to go to the Korzha estate and see if anyone is there. Liam, go to the Russian Fortress and see if they have heard anything. Stefan, visit the Italians, Ciprian, the Fortress in Ireland. If we want to find Kaitlyn, we must find Nadiya.”
Zack shook his head as he listened to Drake assign the other members of the council to Fortresses throughout the world. It was, he thought, a waste of time and energy. But he understood Drake’s need to be doing something, anything.
Leaving the council chamber, Zack returned to his room and shut the door. Standing in the middle of the floor, he closed his eyes and opened his vampiric senses, searching for the blood bond that had been forged between himself and Kaitlyn.
After twenty minutes, he gave up. Either she was dead—an option he refused to consider—or she was unconscious.
Swearing under his breath, he began to pace the floor. Whether she was dead or alive, he would find her, and God help the man or woman who had taken her.
Chapter 29
Lucien looked up, smiling, when he saw Nadiya striding toward him. “I can see by the look on your face that you have good news.”
“Indeed.” She took the chair beside him. “The Carpathian Fortress will soon be ours. I have a bargaining chip that Sherrad cannot ignore.”
“What have you done?” he asked, suddenly wary.
“I have his daughter.”
“Are you mad? He will kill you for that.”
“This is no time to lose your nerve, Lucien! The Fortress is within our grasp.”
“Where is the girl?”
“Heavily drugged and in a secure location.”
“I see.” He braced his elbows on the arms of his chair and studied her over his steepled fingers. “So, what are your plans?”
“Ready your men. I have sent a messenger to Sherrad telling him to abandon the Fortress immediately.”
“And if he refuses?”
She sat back in her chair, her expression serene and confident. “He will not.”
“But if he does?” Lucien pressed.
“She dies, of course. She has to die, no matter what happens.” A slow smile spread over Nadiya’s face. It was an event she looked forward to with great anticipation. Blood for blood, a life for a life. Her sons would be avenged.
“I don’t like this,” Lucien said. “You said nothing of kidnapping the Sherrad heir.”
“No one is asking you to like it,” she said curtly.
“You have the girl. What do you need me for?”
“In case Sherrad decides to fight. If he agrees to leave, we will have to quarter some of your men there to hold the place after he evacuates. My sons and daughters will also be there, as well as those of Sherrad’s people who wish to join us.”
Lucien tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair. To be Master of the Carpathian Fortress was a long-held dream. But was it worth the risk? Drake Sherrad was not a man to be trifled with. He would make a formidable foe.
Lucien was still debating the wisdom of Nadiya’s plan when one of his sons entered the room. “Stefan Sherrad wishes to see you, Father.”
“He is here? Now?”
“Yes. He said he will not leave until he has spoken with you.”
“Tell him to wait. I will be out shortly.” Rising, Lucien ran a hand through his hair. “This is a fine mess. What is he doing here?”
“Sherrad is obviously looking for his daughter,” Nadiya said. “Keep your wits about you. Stefan will find nothing here. Get rid of him as soon as you can. I will be waiting for you at the Fortress, at the foot of the mountain.”
“Very well.” Taking a deep breath, Lucien went out to meet his guest.
Stefan was waiting in the antechamber.
“Stefan, how good to see you,” Lucien said jovially. “It has been years. I heard you had gone to America.”
“Yes.”