Chapter 41

Nicki jerked awake so violently her entire body convulsed. Her eyes snapped open as she took a swing at the man hovering over her. "Get away from me!"

"Nicki." Stefan's voice was intense, focused. It calmed her immediately, though she couldn't understand the events going on around her. "You passed out. The mission is solid. You're safe, but we have to get out of sight. I'm carrying you. Allow me to pick you up. Allow me. Stay awake."

Distantly, Nicki sensed Stefan picking her up but she couldn't control her arms or legs. He lifted her and there was another man beside him, both of them running as he clasped her to him. She filled her lungs with deep, blessed air. Then Stefan was jogging hard right and she felt cool stone beneath her legs as he laid her down again.

"No! I need to sit up—to sit up," she gasped. "To breathe!"

That last part seemed to shake him, and Stefan crouched in front of her, allowing her to sit up while he whipped his phone out of his suit and held it to his ear. He spoke rapidly to someone, ordering them to come pick them up, and she blinked around, trying to make sense of where they were. It looked like a park and she frowned. "We're still on the hill? Near the warehouse?"

Her gaze wandered to the man standing beside them, watching them both with a puzzled frown. "Is that?—"

Stefan's sharp glance quieted her voice in her throat. "Tamas is coming. We're heading back to the boat." At her nod, he turned to the shaggy man beside them. "This is Ryker Stavros. He was a prisoner in that warehouse, but he is O?rois. We're bringing him home."

"Ryker…" Nicki blinked as the man turned to her, an abashed smile on his face. He looked like a vagrant, but she didn't care. He alone out of the wild men had stopped and stood with her—with her, not against her. "You helped me, back there. Defended me. Thank you."

"Those men—they are not bad men." The man spoke English, but his voice sounded rusty with disuse. Stefan stared at him with open admiration, however, and she suddenly knew. This man might think his name was Ryker, might have told Stefan that. But he wasn't Ryker.

This was Crown Prince Aristotle Andris.

"They were penned up like animals," the prince continued in his ragged voice. "The only relief was the work we did with the dirt and the trucks. It wasn't hard work, but it was constant, and they—some of them—had families. They could never work off their debt. It always climbed higher. Some were sick, but they couldn't get better, not in here. And some were merely unlucky." His smile turned self-deprecating. "I was that. It was a very dark place, that warehouse. There were very dark things that they kept further in the back. We didn't see them, but…we heard them."

"Oh, right." Nicki nodded, then rounded her eyes at Stefan. "One of the others warned me about monsters there. He seemed pretty sure that's what they were."

"Someone spoke to you about them?" Stefan asked sharply. He swung to Ari. "Did you see them?"

"Monsters…" Ari swayed on his feet, then stumbled a bit as he put a hand to his head. "I think…I mean I saw…"

Just as quickly, Stefan seemed to change his mind. "Never mind. Don't try to push your memory. We're taking you home."

Ari stepped back, blinking, his thoughts just that quickly derailed. "Home?"

"I know your family." He gave Ari an encouraging nod. "O?ros is not so big that we don't notice when our countrymen go missing, my friend. You were missed. You have a family."

"A family." The idea appeared foreign to Ari, and he stared at Stefan with an earnest confusion that almost made Nicki forget about the monsters. Except Stefan had totally not seemed surprised about them, which meant he was totally going to be explaining that piece of crazy as soon as she got him alone.

"You're not my family, yet you came here?" Ari asked, his words slurring a bit. "Why?"

Stefan straightened under the direct question but kept his manner easy. "You're my countryman, and you've endured a lot. That's reason enough. There are many people who will be happy to have you back."

"There was…" the man hesitated, then lifted his gaze to the starry night. "There was a crash. I was in a crash. A plane crash. That's all I know. The rest—" he waved his hand in front of his face. "The rest is a blur. I try to remember and there's only pain." He pointed at Nicki. "Then you show up singing songs I didn't realize I knew, and you…" He swung to Stefan. "You come with your fists and keys and—" he spread his hands. "Now we're here."

"The men were sedated every night, we suspect," Stefan said. "Some had been on meds which they had no access to, others were picked up as drunks or vagrants."

That was exactly the story the squatters had told them, and Nicki nodded, trying to keep her voice steady, natural.

"And now we're going back to O?ros," she said to Ari. "Where your family is."

"Yes," Ari said uncertainly. "That…" he turned as a car's lights swept up the road, and Nicki gradually became aware of sirens wailing in the distance. Her eyes widened.

"The warehouse," she breathed.

"I didn't have time to shut down the lights," Stefan said. "There was a guard I left behind who I suspect has awakened and sounded the alarm. The men have fled, though. I suspect they won't be hunted."

Ari straightened, squinting back at the building. He took a half-staggering step forward. "The police…they'll find more than they expect there. It's too dangerous. We have to?—"

"I contained the other threats," Stefan cut him off. He held up the keys and rattled them, which made Ari flinch. "There's no more danger. Everyone will be safe."

"Safe…" Ari muttered, still staring at the warehouse with wide eyes.

The long car slowed in front of them and Stefan turned to her. "How are you feeling?"

The sudden realization of what had happened hit her with a rush. "I blacked out, didn't I?" she blurted. "I momentarily got dizzy—I think I might have fallen and cracked my head. My pants are pretty wrecked anyway." She scowled down at her tights, the knees practically ripped out of them and a long snag down one side. "There were all those men."

Stefan bit out a tight curse. "I'm aware. When I hit the console for the garage door lift, I didn't realize it was next to the controls for the men's cages. I tripped those too. I should've realized—both units were new to the building. But I didn't. I put you in danger."

"I was fine—I must have gotten light-headed, then you were there to help me up. You both were," she shook her head, but Stefan didn't appear any less pained. "I was fine. I am fine. Really."

"Ambassador." Tamas stood at the door to the limo, and Stefan helped Nicki up, treating her too carefully. She did feel woozy, though, so she didn't argue, allowing him to fold her into the car without protest.

Ari followed, awkwardly getting into the limo and taking the opposite seat, facing them. "I—I'm not exactly fit company for a car such as this," he said, peering around the enclosed space.

Nicki snorted. "Tell me about it."

Stefan remained outside a few moments more, speaking rapidly—but once again, Nicki could follow every word. Was he speaking in English for her benefit? That was nice. It was so, so nice of him.

Why did she feel so tired?

Tamas closed the doors after Stefan joined them, and within moments the car headed out deeper up the ridge.

"We've charted a circuitous course to the yacht. I've taken the liberty of having us checked out of the hotel," Stefan said. He turned to Ari. "There's no one locally you'll need to notify?"

"What? No," Ari seemed to be having a hard time in his seat. He'd begun to tremble. "No one knows I'm here. I don't remember—I don't remember much beyond that." He frowned, staring out the window. "I don't enjoy being in enclosed spaces, I'm afraid."

Stefan hit a button and all the windows of the limo smoothly sank into their slots, the car filling with the redolent air of Ala?ati's lush vegetation. That seemed to calm Ari, and he nodded with appreciation.

"There's a spare change of clothes in the bag next to you," Stefan said, and Ari blinked down at the crisp cloth bag. "We guessed on the fit, but if you'd like to change, you can."

"I'll close my eyes," Nicki supplied, and immediately snapped her lids closed.

As she heard Ari open the bag, Nicki relaxed too, leaning against the cushions. Man, that was close. She'd almost fainted back there at the warehouse, almost…

Wait. She had fainted.

She blinked open her eyes to find Stefan staring at her.

"Just how sick are you?" he asked.