"Help? Pah-never needed it." His face took on a crafty look, and his eyes shifted to a distant place only he could see. "I have my ways…come and go from the palace any time I please, yes, I do…and no one the wiser. Took the babe from under their noses…" He laughed-a thin, gleeful snicker. "Raised the boy to despise his father, too…taught him to hate everything the man stands for…educated him…" His gaze snapped back to Nikolas, sharp and bright again. "Oh, and you were a fine boy, a clever boy, Nikolas. Blood will always tell. That was my one mistake you know-that brat I put in your place. Low-class genes…should have known better…"
"Who was he-Prince Reginald?" Nikolas asked softly.
A sneer curved Vladimir's lips. "Bought him. Didn't cost me much-mother was a prostitute and a drug addict. She was glad to get the bit I offered her."
"What happened to her? Did you have her killed, too?"
"Didn't have to," said Vladimir with a disdainful sniff, looking as if he'd gotten something foul on his hands. "Naturally, the bitch took the money I paid her and bought drugs- too much, as it turned out. Just as well-saved me the trouble of getting rid of her."
He seemed so pleased with himself, seemed not to realize how damning his boasting was. Rhia wondered whether he didn't care if they heard his confession-and the implications of that were chilling-or whether he was simply relieved after so many years of silence finally to be able to let the world know how clever he'd been.
"Wait." Nikolas said, shifting forward in his chair like an interested student at the feet of the master. "I don't understand. If you can get into the palace whenever you want, why didn't you just kill Weston and be done with it?"
Vladimir grimaced. "You disappoint me, boy. Think- what would that have gained me? If the king dies, the crown passes to a child-Reginald, and the power to a regent. I'd have my revenge, yes. but not the rest that I'm entitled to. The power, lad." He clenched a fist as if plucking that elusive commodity from the air. "The power that should have been mine."
"So…what was your plan? And why kill Reginald, after all those years? I thought he was your ticket to the power."
Vladimir snorted. There was a pause while he picked up the teapot and lifted the lid to inspect the brew. "Why, indeed. As I said, the boy was a lowlife, and stupid in the bargain. I'd kept the proof of your identity, of course-hidden safely away until I had need of it. I meant to use it to blackmail Reginald into doing my bidding-he'd inherit the crown, but I'd be the real ruler of Silvershire-the power behind the throne. But alas, the twit got a bit too big for his britches- tried to have me killed, if you can believe it! Stupidly, too-fortunately for me, I suppose." He leveled a glare at Nikolas from under bristling eyebrows. "Well, after that, what could I do? The nitwit left me no choice. Ah…but this is so much the better. We can have it all now. Nikolas, my boy, don't you see?" He was smiling again, that wild, insane light glittering in his eyes.
He seemed to have forgotten Rhia, who sat rigid in her chair, fighting a disgust so intense she could feel her nails biting into the palms of her hands.
She looked at Nikolas, caught his eye…and the instant flash of communion between them was like electricity in a dark night, a beautiful light flooding her soul. The message in his eyes was plain as spoken words, calming as a touch.
She cleared her throat…pushed her chair back. "I'm afraid that's not going to happen, your lordship, or…whatever. You see, I'm a licensed bounty hunter with the Lazlo Group. I've been commissioned by His Majesty King Henry Weston and his regent. Lord Russell, Duke of Carrington, to take you into custody and return you to Silverton to answer charges of kidnapping, extortion, murder, attempted murder, treason…let's see, what else? Oh. a bunch of things. Anyway, now-" she rose, hitched in a breath "-I'm going to have to ask you to put your hands behind your head-"
Vladimir's whip-crack laugh cut off the rest. "You? Think you can arrest me? Tell me, wench, how you mean to do that, precisely." His sneer was almost audible. "You don't even have a weapon!"
Rage sizzled behind her eyes…twisted cold in her belly. But it was the flash of recognition that took her breath away… turned her body to stone. My God…that's who he reminds me of. Except for the madness, he's my father.
Nikolas was smiling without a shred of humor. "Trust me, Vlad," he drawled, "the lady doesn't need one. Make a move on her, and you'll find that out soon enough. I'd do as she says, if I were you. And, by the way…" His voice tookon an edge of steel.
"In the unlikely event she should need an extra set of hands, she's got me. It's been awhile, but I've found that my commando training does come back to me when I need it. I don't think you'd get far against the two-" That was as far as he got.
Rhia had quietly slipped her handcuffs from the back of her belt where they'd been hidden by her leather jacket. She was bringing them into view when Vladimir, shrieking curses, hurled the teapot full of scalding hot tea at her face and bolted from the room.
Chapter 13
Rhia's scream cut through Nikolas like a bolt of lightning, deafening him to everything else. As he dove for her he didn't hear his own bellow of rage or the crash of his chair hitting the floor or the tinkle of shattering crockery. Silas/Vladimir vanished from his mind like a puff of smoke.
Then his hands were touching her…fearfully…feathering over her cheeks, her hair, the sleeve of her leather jacket, slick now with already-cooling tea. Shaken to the core, he whispered. "God… Rhee-are you…"
"Dammit. …dammit!" Her eyes blazed at him with rage and pain as she tried to shake him off. "Go! He's getting away- I'm fine, dammit-leave me-just go-don't let him-"
"Let him go." His voice was jerky, uneven. "It's an island-how far can he get? And you're not fine, you were drenched with boiling water. How bad…" He had to stop; he felt light-headed, all of a sudden. He drew an unsteady hand across his brow, wiping away ice-cold sweat. "My God…I'm sorry… I knew he'd never hurt me. it just never occurred to me he'd go for you instead…" Because you are a part of me now.
"I really am fine," she said in a tight voice that was itself proof positive of the lie. She was bent forward at the waist, breathing shallowly. one hand braced on the table, the other holding her black knit pullover away from her body. "Did he…does he have the gun?"
Nikolas nodded absently; he had himself in hand again, his attention focused now on getting Rhia's leather jacket off her without causing more damage. "He went out the front, so I'm guessing he's taken it with him. Can you let me have your hand for a minute, love? That's got it…now the other one… there's a good girl." He eased the jacket away from her and tossed it onto a chair, then took her by the arms and turned her gently to face him. "Which is another reason why I don't want you haring madly after him, my darling. He's got the gun, we haven't. There's only one way out of here, and we'll be on his trail soon enough. First, I want to see-"
They both jerked as a shot rang out-then quickly, before either of them could react, two more.
"What-"
He felt her muscles tense under his hands and tightened his grip. "No, you don't-you stay right here. Don't…move." He set her firmly aside and in two strides was at the window, flattened against the wall beside it. He leaned over for a quick peek, then sucked in a breath. "Bloody hell."
"What?"
"He's shot out our tires. I heard three shots, so it's nice of him to leave us one. I suppose." He said it with a jauntiness he was far from feeling. He knew better than anyone just how isolated they were.