Page 48 of Mikhail
My life is in shambles, and I have to fix things, or at least try. I have your letters, the ones between you and the Belishaw family. I have a plan that will hopefully clear my name and yours. With luck, you’ll be free to go home and be with your brothers, and the jewels will finally be yours. If I can set you free of the past, maybe you will someday find a way to forgiveme.
Piper
There wasa blotch on the paper. A tearstain. She’d been crying when she wrote thenote.
Mikhail tried to catch his breath. The knowledge that his mate had abandoned him burned through his chest. She didn’t know they were already mated. His life was bound to hers, his heart, body, and soul. She could not undo the bond. Only death could separate them, and even then only for a littlewhile.
He had to find her, explain to her. He had no regrets. This life was his choice to make, and he’d made it with open eyes. He would win his little dove back somehow. He had to. Mikhail started for the stairs, but the phone rang. Thelandline.
He froze. Only a handful of people had that number. He rushed back to the kitchen and answeredit.
“Hello?”
“MikhailBarinov.”
“Yes. Who isthis?”
“My name is Conrad Sinclair. You have something that belongs tome.”
He knew of that name…he’d seen him on TV. A politician. He couldn’t fathom why a member of Parliament would be callinghim.
“What are you talkingabout?”
“Come now, Barinov. There’s no need for secrecy. We are past that now. I know you have the jewels, the Cheapside trove. In exchange, I have something youwant.”
“How could you have anything I want?” Mikhail asked, his voice turningcold.
“Because I know what happens when you take a mate,dragon,” Conrad said with a chuckle. The sound grated on Mikhail’sears.
“My mate?” Mikhail choked on the words. He couldn’t have Piper. She was on her way to London. Conrad had to bebluffing.
“Yes. Ms. Linwood. You see, I was looking for you when your little dove fell right into my lap. That is what you call her, isn’t it? Your little dove? She told me that was your nickname for her.” Conrad’s voice was velvet-coveredsteel.
There was only one way Conrad would know that he called Piper his little dove. Piper had told him. What had he done to her to make her give up that information? Mikhail’s throat constricted, but he had to keep his dragon calm. The beast was already snarling inside hishead.
“You want the jewels? Very well.” He would give them away without hesitation. Piper was the only thing thatmattered.
“You plan to give them up without a fight?” Conrad soundedsurprised.
“She’s my mate. I don’t care about the jewels,” Mikhail snapped. His hand tightened on the phone so much that the plastic creaked. He forced himself torelax.
“Very good. We won’t have any trouble getting things sorted out, then, will we?” Conrad’s voice was so damned businesslike that Mikhail wanted toroar.
“No. We won’t have any trouble. As long as you leave herunharmed.”
“She’s quite safe, I assure you,” Conrad said. “Now, I’m going to give you an address. Come here one hour before the sun sets. You will give me the jewels, and I shall return your mate toyou.”
“Fine.” Mikhail listened as Conrad gave him an address in Boscastle, and then he went upstairs to pack a set of clothes, just in case. Piper must have taken one of his cars. His dragon paced restlessly, wanting to fly. Belishaw’s words came back to haunt him. Had his dragon tried to kill him? Would it try again, or would it fight forPiper?
She isn’t Elizabeth. He sent thoughts of Piper to his dragon, reminding the creature that not all mortals had betrayed him. Piper had been trying to free him from his past. She thought she’d betrayed him, but she hadn’t. She had left him to protect him; it’s what a true mate woulddo.
The dragon stilled inside him. He could feel the beast’s heart matching his own as it communicated with him through a wild array of images.Protect Piper. SavePiper.
He returned to the house and began to carry the boxes of jewels out to his car and load them in the trunk, wondering how a member of Parliament knew about him. He knew of dragons, so could he be a dragon himself? Or perhaps a different creature of the ancient lines? But he’d desired the gems for the trade, and that saiddragonto Mikhail more than anythingelse.
After the last one he paused as he recognized a red bag that contained one piece that hadn’t been featured in the museum. He slipped the Dragon Heart Stone out of its velvet bag. A fist-size ruby. He remembered all those centuries ago when Belishaw had placed it into his hand, warning him to be careful. Even then he’d sensed it was not just a normal gem, but filled with a kind ofmagic.
Keep me…The ruby seemed to whisper to him. He slipped it into his coat pocket. Then he got into the driver’s seat and began the drive toBoscastle.
