Naura (21 page)

Chapter Forty-Six

Naura awoke to an empty bed. She quickly sat up and scanned the room, only to find that Tony wasn’t there.

She threw her legs over the side and pulled on her sharkskin boots, tucking her knives in their proper places. She hurried for the door.

Voices floated up the stairs as she slipped out into the hall.

“All the paperwork is in order. You’re not going to be able to swim ashore with a baby in tow, which leaves us little choice but to take you into port. I suggest you leave the child here.”

Tony’s voice rang out loud and clear. “That child is my nephew. Either he goes, or none of us go.”

Naura’s heart swelled with pride at Tony’s words. She lifted her chin and descended the stairs.

Three men stood in the middle of the living room, eyes huge and mouths hanging open as they stared at her in stunned silence.

“This is Naura,” Tony intervened, holding his hand out for her.

She gripped his warm palm and faced the ogling humans. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

A tall, blond man cleared his throat. “Likewise,” he murmured before turning his attention back to Tony. “My other suggestion would be to have someone pick you up fifteen miles off the Cuban coast. You could bypass customs that way.”

Tony pulled Naura close to his body and nodded to the blond guy. “What’s the marker for entering Cuban waters?”

“Twelve miles offshore. After that, the guarda frontera must be notified.”

Naura peered up at Tony. “What is a guarda frontera?”

“It’s the coast guard,” he answered, brushing a kiss on her temple. “Can you contact Miguel and have him meet us in the gulf tonight?”

She glanced up at his handsome face. “Yes. I will ask him.”

Tony held her gaze for a moment before turning his attention back to the blond. “Get me the coordinates to rendezvous with Miguel, and we’ll pass on the information.”

Naura glanced around the room. “Where are Hauke and Abbie?”

“They haven’t come down yet. I didn’t want to wake them until I knew what the plan would be.”

“I see,” Naura stated softly. “I will go check in on them. Arcanum should be rising soon.”

“So will the sun,” the blond guy announced. “And we need to be leaving within the hour.”

Naura reluctantly let go of Tony’s hand and rushed up the stairs to locate her brother. She tapped on the only closed door that she could see. “Hauke?”

“You may enter,” her brother called out.

Easing the door open, Naura stepped inside. Abbie sat on the side of the bed, holding Arcanum to her breast while Hauke stood over them, beaming with pride.

“He eats as if it is his last meal,” Naura pointed out with a chuckle. She bent and kissed the top of her nephew’s downy-soft head. “The men are here to take us to Cuba.”

Hauke gently squeezed Abbie’s shoulder. “I will go learn what I can. Naura will stay with you while you finish feeding our son.”

Naura took a seat next to Abbie, watching as she expertly fed her small bundle of joy. “You make it look so easy.”

Abbie glanced up with a smile. “Make what look so easy?”

“Being a mother.”

“Oh, it’s far from easy. But it’s the most precious gift a woman could ask for. Something happens inside us the moment they slip into the world. A bond forms that compares to nothing else. Not even the love of a mate.”

“Really? I cannot imagine loving another as much as I love Anthony.”

“It’s not that my feelings for Arcanum are stronger than my feelings for Hauke. They are just different. You will see one day when you become a mother.”

Naura heart surged with the thought of having a baby with Tony. “Do you think Tony will ever want another child?”

“I believe he will. Talk to him about it, Naura. Tell him how you feel.”

Abbie finished feeding Arcanum and laid him on the bed to change his diaper. “I need to wash his soiled diapers before we leave. Would you mind holding him while I take care of that?”

“I would love to.”

Naura lifted him into her arms, smiling as he grinned up at her, his tiny fangs peeking out from his top lip. “How does he feed without puncturing you?”

“You’ve never had any experience with Bracadyte babies?”

“I have seen them with their mothers, but I have never actually held one until Arcanum.”

“Well,” Abbie muttered, lifting his lip and resting a finger against his gum. “This is the soft tissue of his fang. The tooth hasn’t formed around it yet. They collapse inward when he feeds. His teeth should be coming in very soon, and I’ll have to switch him to a bottle when that happens.”

“That makes sense.” Naura stood and trailed toward the door. “I will take him downstairs and let Hauke know that you are washing soiled diapers.”

Abbie laughed. “See you soon.”

Tony had his back to Naura as she descended the stairs. She stood there for a moment, listening as he spoke in a low tone to one of the men in the group. “No matter what happens, you get the women safely to Cuba.”

“I will not go without you,” Naura announced, stepping up behind him.

Whatever retort he might have had died on his lips as he spun around to face her.

His gaze dropped to Arcanum and a shadow passed through his eyes. “You.” He cleared his throat and tried again. “Where’s Abbie?”

“She is washing soiled diapers in the upstairs bathroom. She will be ready to go when it is time.”

Tony continued to stand there, looking from Naura to the child she held in her arms. “Can I speak with you alone for a minute?”

Naura nodded and handed her nephew over to his father.

She followed Tony to the kitchen. “I meant what I said. I will not go without you.”

Tony stopped and rested his palms on the counter. The muscle in his jaw flexed several times before he spoke. “If something happens to Hauke or me, Arcanum will need you.”

Naura could feel his emotions. She understood them enough to know that he attempted to use guilt as a weapon. “I will promise you this—if you die on the way to Cuba, I will do my best to get Abbie and my nephew to safety. But I cannot promise you that I will not follow you into death after that.”

He suddenly gripped her upper arms and gave her a slight shake. “Don’t you say that.” He shook her once more. “Ever. Do you hear me? You survive. No matter what, you have to survive.”

Naura’s heart jumped into her throat. The emotions pouring from Tony were akin to desperation, fear, and panic.

Breaking free of his hold, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “I am sorry, Tony. I will do as you ask.”

She felt the moment the tension left his body. He tucked her face against his neck and a shudder passed through him. “I can’t even think about something happening to you. Promise me, Naura. Vow to me that you will survive.”

“I vow it,” Naura whispered, holding him tightly.

He pulled back far enough to crush his lips against hers. “
I love you
,” he mentally sent, his mouth devouring her like a man starved.

Naura kissed him back with all the passion she held inside. “
I love you, Anthony Vaughn.”

Chapter Forty-Seven

The trip to Cuba took less than twelve hours. As promised, Miguel was there to pick them up at the designated meeting place.

Tony thanked the crew Melvin had sent to assist him and accepted a new bag of supplies.

Miguel maneuvered his yacht through the choppy waters of the gulf with the ease of a seasoned captain.

Tony stepped up next to the tall Cuban and stared out over the moonlit water. “Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again so soon.”

“You wouldn’t be here if it were not necessary, Mr. Vaughn.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Cuba kind of grew on me.”

Miguel glanced at him with a grin. “And here I was thinking you missed me.”

“I missed your tequila,” Tony teased, staring at the lights of the rapidly approaching shoreline.

They grew quiet for a moment before Tony asked the question that had been plaguing him for days. “Did you plan on seducing Naura the night she fled for her life?”

Miguel had the audacity to laugh. “As beautiful as Naura is, my friend, I would never attempt such an atrocity.”

Tony’s voice turned deadly soft. Although he was glad to know the big Cuban hadn’t made a move on Naura, it pissed him off that he obviously found her beneath him. “Atrocity?”

“Easy, Mr. Vaughn. I meant no offense.”

“Then what did you mean?” Tony growled, his body tensing for a fight.

Miguel gripped the wheel with both hands and locked gazes with Tony. “Naura and I carry the same blood.”

Tony blinked in shock. Surely he’d misunderstood. “You’re related to Naura?”

“I am sure you’ve heard the story about the king that took the native princess, Aiyana, for his bride.”

“Yes,” Tony muttered, attempting to piece it all together.

“Naura is a descendent of that king…as am I.”

Tony rubbed the back of his neck. “But how is that possible? I was told that Aiyana didn’t survive.”

“She nearly didn’t. The virus she contracted made her sick as well as her tribe. A lot of the natives didn’t survive, but Aiyana went on to live a long life and birth the king many children.”

“But how did the king take her below without a dive suit?”

“That, I don’t know. Perhaps he took her in the same way you came out.”

Tony hadn’t thought of that. “So, why don’t you live with the Bracadytes?”

Miguel grinned. “I do not possess gills, Mr. Vaughn. I’ll admit, I can stay underwater a hell of a lot longer than most men, and I have telepathic abilities, among a few other gifts, but I am more human than Bracadyte.”

Miguel’s story blew Tony’s mind.

“One more thing,” the Cuban voiced, guiding the yacht into its designated spot. “Miguel is a name I picked up when I moved here and bought a big piece of Playa Pilar. My name is Nicho Ozele. You can call me Oz.”

A lot of pieces suddenly fell into place for Tony. “The cartel?”

Oz nodded. “I am originally from Puerto Padre. I spent most of the first thirty years of my life running drugs for the Cuban cartel. My mother worked for Carlito Acosta as a whore, and she introduced me to the game at the ripe young age of seven.”

“Acosta is the leader I take it?”

Ozele nodded. “Carlito killed my mother after a john accused her of stealing from him.”

“Jesus,” Tony swore. “How old were you when she died?”

“Thirteen.” Oz switched off the engine and met Tony’s gaze. “I broke into his safe on the night I left and took twenty million dollars in diamonds before I killed him.”

“Twenty million dollars?” Tony swallowed hard. “Is that why the cartel paid you a visit last week?”

“No. Acosta’s son took over after his father’s death. He’s been looking for me since.”

“Then how did he find you?”

Oz pinched the bridge of his nose. “He didn’t. Some of my hotel guests happened to be cartel. One of them recognized me. Naturally it got ugly. The bastards got trigger-happy and shot up the place. It’s going to cost me a small fortune in repairs.”

“Any sign of them since?”

Nicho hesitated. “They will not be a problem any longer.”

Tony turned to go collect Naura. “You won’t get any judgment from me.”

* * * *

Nicho’s hotel sat a short distance away from the gulf’s shore, boasting of over five hundred rooms.

The Bracadytes were all in attendance, settled comfortably in their suits.

“It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen,” Naura remarked, holding Tony’s hand as they walked through the lobby.

Tony had filled Naura, Hauke, and Abbie in on Nicho’s secret. Now that the cat was out of the proverbial bag, Nicho felt it safe to come clean.

“He prefers to be called Oz,” Tony continued, glancing back to be sure Hauke and Abbie understood. “See you guys at dinner.”

Nicho strode through the lobby, speaking to Klause and another Bracadyte that Tony didn’t recognize. Oz said something else to the king before breaking away and sauntering over to kiss Naura’s hand. “We meet again, lovely one.”

Relative or not, Tony didn’t like the intimate touch.

“The king is searching for Vaulcron,” Nicho murmured, releasing Naura’s hand and meeting Tony’s gaze. “Perhaps an intervention is in order.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “An intervention?”

“Vaulcron is with Mallory Cahill. And trust me when I say, this will not bode well for him.”

The growl Tony had been fighting rose up in his chest. “Where are they?”

“In Room 323 on the third floor.”

Tony was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to take Naura to their own room, grab a hot shower, and make love to her the rest of the night.

He turned to his beautiful mate. “Go on to our room. I’ll be along after I speak with Vaulcron.”

“I’ll see that she gets there safely,” Oz assured Tony with a teasing light in his eyes.

Tony grinned in response. He couldn’t help it. “If you value your neck, you’ll stay clear of hers.”

“Yes, sir,” Oz saluted, taking Naura’s hand and leading her to the elevators.

Tony took the stairs, jogging up them two at a time until he emerged onto the third floor. Stopping in front of Room 323, he raised his hand and rapped on the door with his knuckles.

Silence.

Knocking once more, Tony twisted the knob and pushed the door open to find the room empty.

Damn you, Vaulcron. You’re playing with fire.