Page 68 of Blazing Embers

Weightless.

Flying.

Then—slam. I hit something soft—a giant inflatable cushion.

I blink. I’m on a rooftop. Someone grabs my hand, pulling me into a stairwell.

“Who are you?” I ask as the woman drags through a set of doors and into an underground parking area.

“Petra,” she answers. “I'm your driver and pilot who will be taking you to your safe house.” We climb into an SUV. “Buckle up and then slide down so you can't be seen.”

She pulls out of the parking area, and I'm so exhausted I close my eyes. Next, I'm being woken up, and we're at a private airstrip.

As the plane takes off, I once again fall asleep and wake up in paradise.

I blink awake to sunlight glinting off turquoise water, the scent of salt and flowers in the air. I stumble outside and freeze.

Irina is there. Gavriil too. And a little boy—his spitting image—hanging in a baby sling against Gavriil's stomach.

And Irina’s belly is full and round. She’s pregnant again.

She turns and her eyes fill with tears. “Tara.”

I don’t move. Don’t breathe. Gavriil walks toward me slowly, warily.

“We were so excited when Petra told us you were being brought here,” he says.

“Am I dead?” I say, stupidly.

Irina walks closer, tears slipping down her face. “No. You are safe.”

Over the next few days, we talk. We raise our voices. I storm out a few times, but go back and listen. Eventually, we work thingsout. I know what it's like to have to deceive those you love to protect a child.

I start to settle into life on the island when word comes—My mother has gone missing along with Nik, Galina, and Mark, and a few days later, Sabrina is in Russia looking for me.

Worse, she has Elena. And they’re with Oleksi Mirochin.

Clyde swears they’ll extract her. But then, RMSAD grabs Sabrina, but has left Elena with Oleksi because they think she's his and Syd's child.

While I'm relieved my baby girl is safe, she's still in Russia and fuck, the RMSAD has my highly intelligent hot headed, sassy-mouthed sister. So yeah, I panic. My first thought—head to Russia and get my sister even if I have to burn the fucking RMSAD to the ground.

Irina. Gavriil. Clyde. They all tell me to stay put, that a plan is in motion.

I hate it. But they are right. I'm just over five months pregnant. First, the RMSAD would have a field day with that, and secondly, I would only slow everyone down. So I stay.

Because I’m almost six months pregnant.

And I’m having a boy. And my body is not adjusting as well as it did with Elena.

TARA

Two Days Ago – A Private Greek Island Bungalow

I step into my room and nearly collapse.

“Jesus!” I yell.

A shadow detaches from the wall. Konstantin.

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