Destiny's Whisper (53 page)

“Yes ma’am,” Sergei and Chloe responded as one, stepping aside as the skaters who just finished their program came off the ice, allowing them room to make their way to the ‘kiss and cry’ area.

Sergei and Chloe stayed back in the shadows, allowing the previous skaters their due, waiting patiently and calmly as the scores for the team were announced and clapped in appreciation for the effort the team had put forth. It wasn’t until the applause began to abate that they stepped on to the ice and awaited their introduction.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Chloe Spenser and Sergei Rocmanov,” a voice boomed over the speakers, cheering and applause once again causing the arena to come alive and practically pulsate with energy. Sergei and Chloe seemed to float soundlessly to center ice, and took their opening poses.

The two of them stood back to back, Chloe’s fingers spread, her palms resting sensually against the outside of Sergei’s muscular thighs, her head turned and leaning against his shoulder, her eyes closed. Sergei’s stance belied the arrogance of a sultan, his feet spread apart, his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest, his chin raised defiantly in the air, his expression one of bored indifference, as if the woman trying to seduce him, held no interest for him. The soft scent of her perfume enticed him, and he turned his head slightly toward her, and inhaled deeply, a look of sexual awareness making his eyes grow darker.

“Do you have any idea how easy it would be for me to simply drag you off the ice right this minute and ravish you in the kiss and cry area?” Sergei asked softly over his shoulder, his heart bumping erratically as he felt Chloe’s hands shift slightly on his thighs, the subtle movement a tempting caress.

“Don’t tempt me, Rocmanov, I could happily attack you right here, center ice, in front of God and everyone!” Chloe purred back at him, her breath hitching when she felt his bottom move against hers, as he shifted his feet a bit back and forth, his movement barely perceptible to the audience, but filled with intent to Chloe.

“Where’s the music?” Chloe murmured quietly, ignoring Sergei’s deep chuckle of amusement. He knew how the simplest of touches could set her on fire, and yet, here he stood, in front of thousands of people, engaging in foreplay! Of all the times for Sergei to assert his sexual power over her, this wasn’t it! Yet his sensuality washed over her like a huge wave and sent her senses reeling, make her antsy and anxious to run her hands over his gorgeous body, to, yet again, remind herself how his skin felt beneath her fingers, how his body felt pressed against hers. It took a supreme effort to push the image of him ravishing her out of her mind and she scolded herself for her lecherous thoughts and forced herself to focus on the next four and a half minutes.

The crowd grew silent as they waited for the first notes of music to fill the cool air, their gazes held captive as the simple pose sparked their imaginations, and they anxiously awaited the coming program.

The first, soft notes of
Scheherazade
floated through the chilly air, the music filled with a wistful quality that was at once hopeful and yet a little sad. Chloe’s hand’s slid down the outside of Sergei’s legs as she slowly lowered herself to the ice in a deep lunge. Sergei stepped away from her, his body language bored and dismissive, ignoring her imploring hands as she reached for him. He sent her spinning in a slow circle as he pushed her out-stretched hands aside and skated dominantly around her. Within the first thirty seconds of the program, it was clear they weren’t planning on holding back, or scaling down their performance. They were out to show the world they were a force to be reckoned with, and they didn’t plan to disappoint anyone.

“The first throw they have planned is a triple axel, the most difficult throw of all, and one rarely seen in competition,” Robin spoke into the microphone, her voice tinted with excitement. “and with her injury, they may turn it into a double…”

Sergei and Chloe were busy discussing the very matter on the ice. “Double, Chloe,” he directed her.

“No, triple!” she argued, narrowing her eyes in warning, her whole being focusing on the upcoming jump. “Don’t tell me I was wrong about your stamina, Rocmanov,” Chloe taunted.

“Here we go,” Robin stated in excitement. “This should give us a pretty good idea how her foot’s feeling.”

The music grew more powerful, Sergei and Chloe stroked deeply into the ice, flying across the shining surface, their speed causing Chloe’s chiffon skirts to dance on the breeze. Eyes met and silently communicated. Sergei’s hand squeezed Chloe’s reassuringly, his other hand caressed her waist and suddenly she was propelled into the air, sailing and spinning, once, twice, three times, silently landing on one foot, her blade holding her steadily as she held her spiral position until Sergei rejoined her.

The crowd exploded in applause and cheering, as if they had all been holding their breaths, waiting, as had been Sergei and Chloe, to see if Chloe’s foot would hold. But, it had, and the energy that flowed from the audience toward the pair on the ice, became palpable, a living, breathing force from which Sergei and Chloe fed.

“My God, she flew! I guess that answers any questions about the stability of her foot tonight!” Robin stated breathlessly, excitement causing her voice to lift an octave.

The music shifted to a heavier, more serious tone, and their skating followed its lead, Sergei’s ‘sultan’ showing hints of curiosity as Chloe’s ‘slave’ character seemed to draw him in, weaving a spell he was unable to ignore. As Sergei eased Chloe into a beautiful death spiral, and they spun in a perfect circle, round and round, Sergei’s hand stroked down Chloe’s cheek as he pulled her from her arched position, only inches off the ice and lifted her into his arms, their lips only a breath apart.

The audience sighed as one.

The music changed again, became joyous and playful, and the audience watched as Sergei fell totally under Chloe’s spell. The huge crowd watched as their skating took on a playful sexiness that had them smiling as they watched the pair on the ice tease and flirt with one another. Another huge throw was completed and suddenly the crowd was on its feet, cheering and clapping. Sergei and Chloe were oblivious of the thundering noise around them, their eyes on only each other, unaware of the thousands that breathlessly watched them.

Side by side jumps were made, and landed cleanly, intricate footwork from one end of the ice to the other, at a speed that should have exhausted the pair but seemed to energize them instead as they headed into the final minute and a half of their program.

The music slid into yet another rhythm, this one slow and filled with so much emotion tears filled the eyes of much of the audience, and once again, breaths were held in awe. The crowd watched breathlessly as Sergei effortlessly lifted Chloe into the air with one hand at the base of her back, and she arched sensuously backwards, her arms over her head, supported only by her partner’s single hand and faith, totally trustful Sergei would return her to the ice safely.

They traveled the length of the ice as one, Chloe held high in the air, the silk and chiffon of their costumes billowing in the gentle breeze they made as they floated over the surface silently. The music slowed, the final plaintive notes of the violin beckoning, as Sergei slowly lowered Chloe back to the ice, her body sliding sensuously down the front of his, their eyes full of desire and love.

And as the last emotional note of music echoed through the chill air, Sergei kneeled on one knee, his head coming to rest against her chest, her pounding heart pulsing against his ear. Chloe’s arms looped over his shoulders and rested against his back, her head fell back in surrender.

The crowd, still on its feet, went wild, the pulsing energy swirling wildly as they cheered and clapped and stamped their feet in appreciation and awe of what they had just witnessed.

As Chloe’s hands ran through his curling black hair, Sergei looked up into her smiling, flushed face, took her hands and kissed her palms before coming to his feet, and pulling her into his arms. Kissing her soundly, in front of the crowd, the screaming grew even louder and laughingly they parted, and took their bows. Waving and offering their thank you’s. It took several minutes before the crowd calmed enough for them to leave the ice and head for the ‘kiss and cry’ area to await their scores.

“Well, Robin, let’s hope the scores are what this crowd want, because if they’re not, I’d hate to be a judge,” Jim laughed nervously, still unable to believe the program he’d just seen skated had been real.

When their scores came across, the crowd went wild yet again.

“I’d say the crowd is pleased with what the judges awarded Sergei and Chloe,” Robin stated, watching as the scores of 5.9’s and 6.0’s ran across the scoreboard. “For all intents and purposes, I can’t believe this doesn’t assure Sergei and Chloe a gold medal. But I suppose with all that’s happened during this competition, anything is possible,” Robin suggested, smiling as she watched Sergei and Chloe step back on to the ice for a final bow. “All I can say is they skated the program of their life and tonight they’ve earned the respect of a lot of people.”

“That’s right, Robin, and rightly so. As far as I’m concerned, the Russian’s had better keep close tabs on this pair; these two are definitely going to give them a run for their money come the next winter Olympics!”

“I couldn’t agree with you more Jim. But their meeting with the Russians is going to have to wait. In the meantime, as we try to calm this enthusiastic crowd, and allow the last two teams their chance on the ice, we’re going to take a brief break. Stay tuned, though, we’ve still got lots of skating ahead,” Robin stated, smiling as the cameras went dark and they headed for commercial break.

“Was that for real?” Jim asked solemnly, nodding toward the now deserted ice.

“No, my friend, that was magic,” she whispered, her smile filled with amazement.

CHAPTER 30 

ubilation refused to be subdued as the enthusiastic crowd con-
^J
tinued to cheer and chant Chloe and Sergei’s names, hoping for a final glance at the pair team that had stolen their hearts.

“I can’t believe this,” Chloe laughed nervously, shaking her head in wonder as her eyes scanned the cheering crowd, squinting as the bright light of a camera flash went off nearby, temporarily hazing her vision.

Sergei smiled down into her upturned face as he pulled her into his arms, and kissed her on the forehead, his own dark gaze narrowing as another flash went off in their direction.

“Get used to it, it’s only the beginning!” Whittaker’s voice boomed, nodding in approval as he felt the crowds enthusiasm wash over the small group in an energetic wave. “This is the next generation of Rocmanov magic!”

“Don’t go jinxing them, Frank,” Dee warned. “Appreciate what you have for the moment, but don’t expect it to last forever.”

“Careful, Dee, you don’t want to start sounding like an old woman. Do you?” Whittaker growled back.

“Shut up, Frank!” Dee countered, sending a dark look his way.

“Where are we supposed to meet everyone?” Sergei interrupted, hoping to stem off the impending argument between their coaches.

“Back at the dressing room,” Frank answered,

“Then why don’t we get going, so we don’t keep them waiting? It’s going to take a while to get through this crowd.” Sergei suggested, bringing Chloe around in front of him and holding his hands on her waist so he could steer her through the thick crowd as they followed Dee and Whittaker.

Slowly the group of four made their way through the seemingly endless sea of people who surrounded them, acknowledging their offers of congratulations and good wishes, accepting hand shakes and high-five hand-slaps as they passed other skaters and coaches on their noisy trek toward the dressing rooms.

Despite Sergei being directly behind her, Chloe’s laughing statement over her shoulder as to the craziness of everything going on was swallowed by the noise before it reached his ears. Turning slightly to repeat her statement, her eyes widened in shock and then turned fearful as she saw Andrew, only a few feet behind Sergei, his eyes burning with hatred, and revenge.

“Andrew,” Chloe’s voice was a harsh whisper. Her feet refused to move forward and she felt herself go stiff with fear as her eyes met Andrew’s, and she felt the evil he emitted as surely as if he’d touched her.

“Chloe, don’t stop now,” Sergei chuckled, bumping into her suddenly still form, appreciating the softness of her round bottom and placing a soft kiss on her bare shoulder, her soft, flowery perfume surrounding him. “God you smell wonderful,” he murmured, looking at her face.

Chloe stood as still as a beautiful, frozen statue, her eyes wide and unblinking, her breath slow and shallow.

“Chloe?” Sergei asked quietly, surprised by her fearful expression. His gaze followed the direction of hers, and his heart skipped a beat as he found himself looking into the face of Andrew Manning, moving slowly toward them, a sinister smile on his lips, his eyes burning with hatred and evil intent. “Chloe, move!” Sergei demanded harshly, trying to push her forward, away from Andrew, into the safety of the still crowded hallway. All he could think of was keeping her safe, keeping her away from this madman.

Chloe watched as Andrew steadily made his way toward them, oblivious of the crowd that surrounded them, saw the bright flash of light reflected on the gleaming knife blade that suddenly appeared and knew, without a doubt, he intended to kill Sergei. Just as surely, she knew she wouldn’t let that happen, and if it meant giving up her own life for Sergei, she was ready to just that.

A sudden calm washed over her, leaving her focused and intent on what she had to do. Her deep blue eyes met Sergei’s ebony gaze and a small smile graced her full lips; her look filled with love. With a strength she never knew she had, she pulled from Sergei’s grasp, and launched herself toward Andrew, watching as the evil blade lifted and sliced down through the cold air. As if from outside herself, she felt a sudden heat burn along her upper arm, and looking down, was surprised to see a thin line of blood appear. The silvery glint of light on metal returned her attention to the knife and she watched as Andrew again raised the knife, and pointed it toward Sergei who was now coming to her aid.

Sergei’s loud roar of rage echoed through the hallway, and caused the boisterous crowd to suddenly become silent. In disbelief, the crowd watched as Sergei rushed Andrew, coming in low, his muscular arms encircling his combatant’s waist, lifting him off his feet and throwing him to the ground with a solid thud.

The momentum Sergei hit him with had Andrew’s hand coming down; the knife headed straight for the center of Sergei’s back. How Chloe managed to grab Andrew’s wrist with both hands before he plunged the knife downward would be a question asked for months to come, but somehow, she was able to pull Andrew’s hand, and the knife, outward, toward her and away from Sergei. When the knife finally made its descent, it merely cut a shallow path along the outside of Sergei’s left hip.

Andrew raged in fury, his eyes wild, as he sought to pull his arm from Chloe’s grasp and plunge the knife into his nemesis’ heart. “You’re going to fucking die, Rocmanov!” he swore, bucking and thrashing around to throw the larger man off his body.

“Not today!” Sergei growled, punching Andrew in the jaw with his right hand, flinching as he felt the bones in his hand protest and throb in pain. He couldn’t decide if his hand or his hip hurt more.

Andrew’s eyes rolled in confusion and he shook his head to clear his vision, his gaze coming to rest on Chloe. “Come back to me,” he murmured.

Chloe’s eyes widened in surprise and for just a split second she loosened her hold on his wrist, which held the knife.

It was all Andrew needed. With a quick jerk, he pulled his hand from Chloe’s grasp and plunged the knife into Sergei’s thigh, smiling at Sergei’s groan of pain as he rolled off Andrew’s body and away from the knife, blood pouring from the wound in his leg.

“Sergei!” Chloe screamed; her scream one of many that echoed in the hallway.

Andrew rolled to his knees, his smile the epitome of evil incarnate as he watched Sergei clutch at his wounded leg, watched the steady stream of blood pour between his fingers and on to the floor. “So much for the great Sergei Rocmanov. You’re not so fucking hot now, are you?”

Chloe watched as Andrew calmly, and methodically, wiped the blade on his pants.

“Run, Chloe,” Sergei begged, his eyes pleading she go.

Andrew cast a derisive glance at her, smiled at her fearful expression, disgust in his gaze. “Chloe doesn’t have the guts to do anything but what I tell her to do,” he hissed sickly, dismissing her. After all, she was a coward, unable to think for herself. She’d never be anything without him, and he voiced his belief.

Chloe remained frozen, kneeling on the hard ground, her gaze locked with Sergei’s, trying to ignore Andrew’s hateful words.

“Go,” Sergei whispered.

Chloe could only shake her head back and forth; she refused to leave him.

“See? I told you she was a coward. She won’t even do anything to stop me from slitting your throat, which you know; I have to do, because you dared to fuck her. She was mine, you had no right to touch her that way,” Andrew’s voice trailed off on a whine.

“You’re not man enough to love her the way I do,” Sergei countered, gasping when Andrew suddenly jabbed him lightly in the shoulder with the tip of the knife.

“Don’t fuck with me, Rocmanov! You’re the one lying here on the floor bleeding like a fucking stuck pig. You lose, asshole!”

“Wrong!”

Chloe’s softly spoken word barely registered with Andrew before a searing pain in his left knee, from where the toe-pick of her skate penetrated his pants and shattered his kneecap, had him rolling on his side. The knife fell to the floor, forgotten, as he clutched his knee in pain and wailed. Adrenaline flowed through her like fire, making her focused and calm, a robot on auto-pilot, and it took little effort to push Andrew on to his back, despite his attempts to remain curled in a ball, and place her razor sharp blade across his throat.

“How much pressure do you think it would take to slice your miserable throat and rid the world of your kind of scum?” Chloe asked softly, her eyes so blue they were nearly black, in her beautiful, pale face.

Andrew could only look up at her in disbelief, fear clouding his eyes for the first time as he realized he had absolutely no control over his life.

“Chloe?” Sergei’s voice called her softly.

“It would be so easy, and no one would blame me for killing you. In fact, there are probably people who would thank me for ridding the world of such evil. What do you think, Andrew? Do you feel lucky today?” Chloe’s voice was a study of calm detachment.

“Chloe?” Aleksei’s deep voice called to her, drawing her attention, his hand held out, waiting for her to take it. Around him stood several policemen.

She looked down into Andrew’s terrified face, frowned as she felt compassion remind her of its presence, and lifted one eyebrow, a perfect imitation of Aleksei’s well known expression. “Well, Andrew, it looks as if this is your lucky day after all,” she murmured, lifted her foot and took Aleksei’s hand.

Paramedics and police were everywhere, tending both Sergei and Andrew, Chloe refusing to have her arm looked at until Sergei had been tended to by both the paramedics and Dr. Chen, insisting it was nothing more than a scratch.

Andrew was removed from the scene, and taken to the hospital under police guard.

Sergei lay quietly on the stretcher as they tended him. Chloe stood on the opposite side of where the paramedics worked on him, hooking him up to an IV, taking blood pressure and pulse readings. Her fingers laced with his, her eyes never leaving his.

“You don’t listen very well,” Sergei grumbled, trying to still the trembling that still rocked his tall frame as the adrenaline rush dissipated.

“Don’t start, Rocmanov,” Chloe warned, fighting her own trembling body that wanted nothing more than to dissolve into a puddle.

“I told you to run.”

“Dr. Chen told me to take it easy on my foot,” Chloe countered with a sweet smile.

Sergei rolled his eyes in disbelief. “Trashing his knee with your foot is taking it easy?”

“I used my good foot for his knee. I would have sliced his throat with my bad foot,” Chloe explained calmly, lovingly rubbing her knuckles against the side of his face.

“Oh, in that case, it’s okay,” he offered sardonically.

“I thought you’d see my side of it,” Chloe agreed.

Sergei’s dark eyes scanned her face, noted the tired circles under her eyes, the still-pale complexion, and way she tugged her lower lip with her teeth, all signs of too much stress. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.

Chloe released a shaky breath and swept tendrils of curls out of her face. “Let’s see? I watched the love of my life get stabbed–three times,” she held up three fingers. “Seriously contemplated murdering my ex-partner, ruined a perfectly good costume!” She complained, fussing with the blood-stained material. “I don’t know how they’ll ever get all this blood out of it, and never mind that your pants are done for. Then, to top it all off, I probably ruined my skate blade,” she rambled.

Sergei smiled a gentle smile. “Sounds like you had a busy day.”

Chloe shrugged. “Just your run-of-the-mill, average, dealingwith-a-psychopathic kind of day.”

“Didn’t you forget something?” Sergei asked.

A frown creased Chloe’s brow as she tried to think of what Sergei was referring to. Several seconds later, she shook her head back and forth, an I-give-up look on her face.

Sergei heaved a defeated sigh. “Boy, give a girl a gold medal and she doesn’t even remember you doing it.”

“Oh, that.”

“Yeah, oh that.”

“I thanked you for it,” Chloe stated with a smile.

“Did you?” Sergei hedged. “I can’t remember.”

“You don’t remember the kiss?”

Sergei shook his head no.

“In the middle of the ice?”

His head continued to move back and forth.

“In front of all those people?” Still he shook his head no.

Chloe looked skeptical. “Either you’re looking for another kiss or you banged your head and you can’t remember.”

Sergei slipped his hand from hers, his fingers sliding up and around the back of her neck and he slowly pulled her forward, his dark eyes glowing sexily as his lips lifted toward hers. “I didn’t bang my head, Chloe,” he murmured, just before his lips touched hers.

Chloe pulled away just enough to look into his dark eyes, saw her own reflected in the ebony depths and whispered, “I know.” Their mouths met with a gentleness and welcome that threatened to melt them both. Filled with love and caring and a sigh of relief that everything had turned out the way it did when it could have been so much more disastrous. Only the paramedic’s discreet cough and quiet announcement they were ready to leave made the pair end the kiss.

But they refused to let go of each other’s hands.