Page 15 of Mikhail
With shaking hands, she entered the combination on an electronic keypad. There was a series of beeps and clicks, and then the vault made a loud hiss. Piper cranked the metal wheel at the door’s center, and the door swung open. A light turned on, revealing the collection of jewels tucked safely away in travel boxes. The sight filled Mikhail’s heart withjoy.
Atlast.
Pearls, opals, emeralds, rubies, amethysts, gold—it was all there. The tightness in his chest that had lasted for nearly five hundred years started to loosen. He was so close to bringing the jewels home and reuniting with hisfamily.
“Help me carry the boxes,” he urged Piper with a jerk of hishead.
She stiffened, and her lips parted as though to protest. Mikhail curled his fingers around the back of her neck, holding her still, not hurting her, but more in the way a male dragon would handle a rebellious drakeling as he reminded her who was incharge.
“Piper, now is not the time to test me,” hewarned.
“Why do I feel so strange?” she asked quietly. “It’s like you’re making me help you,but…”
Mikhail didn’t answer her. Instead he met her gaze and worked his will into her again, reinforcing the belief that they were returning the jewels back to where they belonged. Which was true, for him atleast.
He didn’t miss the flash of anger in her eyes before they softened with obedience. That was also good. She was strong enough to fight his powers. That was a quality worth admiring in a female. His mother, gods bless her, had been both beautiful and fierce, and Mikhail had always longed for a female of his own with suchqualities.
Piper lifted a box labeled “Emeralds” and waited while he grabbed a box of topaz gems. Then he nodded at thedoor.
“Go to the kitchens and exit through the door that leads to the mews. There will be a Range Rover waiting forus.”
“Okay.”
They were able to move the entire cache in less than ten minutes. When Piper moved to take the final box, Mikhail stoppedher.
“Leave it. Those who found the treasure have done me a great service. That is their reward.” It was a decent-sized box, holding perhaps a tenth of the trove, but she had no reason to disobey. “Now, lock the vault and come withme.”
Piper did as he commanded and followed him to back to the kitchens. The door was open, and he could see the car was ready. The back door behind the driver’s side was already open. Belishaw slipped out the back door of the auctionhouse.
“Cameras are still on loop, and the guards are still at theirposts.”
“Mr. Belishaw? What are you doing here…?” Piper stared at him, then at Mikhail as though pieces were falling into place. “You planned this together, didn’t you? The guards, the cameras…” Her accusing tone stung him because it was true. They’d planned this quite carefully, and if she didn’t get in the car soon, she would ruin hisplans.
“We did. Now, get inside. You’re helping take the jewels to their rightful home, remember? This is the right thing to do, Piper.” He gestured to the car. Belishaw walked around to the driver’s side door and climbedin.
Piper froze, her eyes full of fear. “But—”
“Get in or I will make you. You must come with menow.” He wasn’t going to leave her here. She was his true mate, and he wouldn’t leave her behind. If he could convince her the jewels were rightfully his, she just might lose her fear of him and realize shewantedhim.
That was a bigif, however, because from the look in her eyes right now, the ones that burned with resistance, he knew that she didn’t trust him. It was going to be a hard battle to win herover.
“Please, Mikhail, just let me go. I won’t tell anyone.” Her voice broke, and it crushed something soft and unprotected inside his heart. He didn’t want her to cry or beg, didn’t want to see her afraid of him. But he needed her to come with him. A true mate was sacred, a gift from the gods, and he wasn’t going to let her go, not after living nearly two thousand years withouther.
“Piper, I swore I wouldn’t hurt you, but you need to listen to me. You cannot stay here. You helped steal the jewels. Come with me, and I will take you somewheresafe.”
She shook her head and took a step back from him. It was the only warning he was going to get. She started to turn, ready to run. Mikhail lunged for her, grabbing her waist and hauling her back against his body, clamping a hand over her mouth again. He didn’t want to entrance her again if he could helpit.
Her teeth sank into his fingers, but he swallowed down a cry of pain as he carried her back to the vehicle. Mikhail shoved Piper into the back seat of the Range Rover and followed her. She jabbed an elbow into his face, catching his jaw. Pain radiated from the point of impact, but he shook it off and pushed her flat on her back. Then he snatched her wrists, pinning them against the leatherupholstery.
Piper screeched and struggled but wasn’t able tobudge.
“Need help?” Belishaw chuckled as he glanced at them struggling in the back seat. “I can mesmerize her for you if you are tired of playing thevillain.”
Mikhail let out a soft hiss of warning. “Justdrive!”
The car sped into the night. Mikhail focused on keeping his little human female captive. It wasn’t going to be easy. Piper was afighter.
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