Empath's Angel - M J Marlow (easy readers .TXT) 📗

he said as he took the throne. “It is dedicated to destroying you, Zachary Winslow,and the foul men who have made it their life’s work to destroyand enslave others.” He was every inch the Sheik now. “To celebrate this alliance, I have been given Emilia as my wife.” “You are going to regret this!” Zachary snarled as he met the man’s eyes. Even now, he did not recognize his own brother. He saw only a man who was getting in his way. “Emilia belongs to me!” “She never belonged to you, bastard,” Roman snappedand slapped the man across the face. “She is Sobieski, as far above youand your witch, as a man is above an amoeba. By moving against her, you have written your own death warrant.” He drew his knifeand turned to Stephen. “I know their lives are yours, lord Adrian, but this monster can not be allowed to live.” “These three shall be given into the hands of those whose lives they sought to destroy,” Stephen decided. “Give them to the villagers, as slaves, with our compliments. They will live,” he continued coldly, “or die at their new masters’ pleasure.” He looked at the three, his eyes hardand unyielding. “If they leave the village, your men have our permission to end them. My princessand I are not to lay eyes on any of them ever again.” Roman bowed his headand barked out orders to his men. Zachary, Bridget,and Omar were given slave collarsand leg shackled. His cousins herded them out while Roman watched Stephen. Roman had seen men in the midst of battleand knew that Stephen was fighting one now. He remained silent, letting Stephen come to terms with what he had just done to his own brother. If it had been his choice, Roman knew, those three would be dead now. What Stephen had done was far more cruel. He wondered just how long those three would live when the villagers were told that these people were some of the monsters who had nearly destroyed their lives. “They did not deserve a merciful end, Stephen,” Roman finally spoke into the silence. “Your sentence was just.” Stephen looked upand Roman saw gratitude in the man’s eyes. “What is your plan now?” “I will take my wife to Pashtu,” he decided. “We will make our plans from a place where I know I can keep her safe.” He ran a hand through his hairand rose to his feet. “I meant what I said to my brother, Roman. The organization my father worked for is going down, one bastard at a time. This war has gone on long enough.” * Three weeks passedand Emilia was kept busy preparing for their return to America. The woman of Pashtu taught her the languageand customs of their countryand she drew it all in eagerly. These people were hers now. Her husband, returned to her from the dead, was their Sheik.And they were dedicated to bringing an end to people who would destroy lives merely to gain wealth. Stephen had her female guard teach her more of the martial artsand the use of weaponry. She knew he was doing this in case he fell, so she would not be helpless. The only negative in their life together was the shared fear of losing each other again. They clung to each other at nightand spent the days as close to each other as their duties allowed. “Are you certain this is wise, angel?” Stephen asked three months later when they arrived in Philadelphia. “It is not safe here…” “I will not keep hidden, moj serce,” Emilia told him. Their party moved out of the terminaland got into the armored limousines waiting for them, provided by the Governor of Pennsylvania as a courtesy to the family of Piotr Sobieski. They went to the private airfield where the Governor himselfand several other state dignitaries had planned a welcome ceremony for Piotr Sobieskiand his people. Emiliaand Stephen got out of the limousines as the jet taxied inand waited. Piotr was the first person off the jet. He nodded briefly to the Governorand the others, then strode towards his granddaughter. “You have done the Sobieski proud, little one,” Piotr nodded as he kissed Emilia on the forehead. “Every one is waiting eagerly to meet youand your husband.” He put his arm around herand herded her to the jet, leaving Stephen to follow. They were introduced to the Governorand other dignitaries, who would be coming to the compound in a week for a welcoming party for the friends of the family. “Bring them some refreshment, Karolina,” he barked at his oldest daughter, sending her flying. He settled backand nodded. “Barnabas,” he bellowed at the cockpit. “We leave now.” Stephen had never met anyone so forceful,and so respected, in his life. He was used to men like his father, who demandedand forced. Piotr demanded, but it was in a manner that did not belittle or demean. He had been fortunate to find such a family, he told himself as he sank down on the couch next to his wife. For the first time since they had left Pashtu he felt safe. He relaxed his guardand was drawn into the camaraderie that flowed as easily as the refreshments. They landed at the private airfield on Sobieski propertyand were taken to their rooms. They had been given a suite with a series of connecting rooms leading off of the main rooms that belonged to himand Emilia. The only way to get into the main rooms was through the hallway behind the other rooms, adding extra security. “Your grandfather has thought of everything,” Stephen smiled as he saw the setup. “No one is going to get to us here.” “He’s your grandfather, now,” Emilia smiled as she removed her jacketand went into the closet to hang it up. She kicked off her shoesand turned to find him standing behind her. “Careful, moj serce,” she sighed as he lowered his lips to her shoulder. “We could forget our mission.” “It’s time we thought about children, angel,” Stephen smiled as he unzipped her dressand lowered it off her shoulders. “It wouldn’t be right to deny ourselves the joy of being part of a largeand loving family.” “You’ve been talking to my grandfather behind my back,” Emilia pouted as she pushed his jacket off his shouldersand began to unknot his tie. “Is this how you’ll keep me safe, moj serce,” she smiled as she unbuttoned his shirt, “by giving me children to protect?” “It worked for your Grandparents,” Stephen smiled as he lowered the straps on her bra. “You are so beautiful, my angel,” he sighed as he picked her up in his arms. “Let me show you how much agony I’ve endured waiting for you to return to my bed.” Much, much later, Emilia left Stephen sleepingand went downstairs to the kitchen. She smiled at the woman putting together the ingredients for the next evening’s dinner. She poured herself a glass of grape juiceand went out onto the patio behind the house. She walked down to the river between the compoundand the airfieldand watched the sun setting behind the trees that surrounded the compoundand the airfield. She frowned as she saw three black dots coming towards them. They grew largerand she got to her feet, the glass of juice falling as she realized what they were. Helicopters were headed their way. She turned to go back into the compoundand found herself face to face with a tall, silver-haired man. “I have a warning for you, girl,” Hamilton Snow smiled coldly as he clamped his hands onto her throatand tightened his hold. “If youand your husband try to take me on,” he said as he saw her start to collapse, “what you endured under Winslow will seem like a pleasant dream.” He let her goand Emilia sank to the ground, gasping for air. Hamilton smiled at the sight, admiring the girl as he enjoyed the sight of her helplessness. She was indeed an exquisite creature, he thought as he turned on his heeland boarded his helicopter. He might have to amend his plansand take her in hand. He was not as soft-hearted as Samuel Winslow, or as obsessive as Zachary Winslow. There was no reason he could not possess herand be destroyed by the attempt, as they had been. “Emi?” Stephen’s voice broke through the spell Emilia was under. She blinkedand found herself lying in her own bed. What had happened had been a nightmare. She sobbedand he put his arms around her. “What’s wrong, angel?” “It was just a dream,” Emilia said, willing herself to believe it. “Just a very unpleasant dream.” * The rest of the week passed quite pleasantly. The Sobieskisand their associated in-laws gathered, filling the compoundand the surrounding area’s hotelsand motels quickly. They were all quite eager to celebrate the addition of two new members to their ranks. Stephenand Emilia were quite astounded by the number of people in the family. They spent pleasant hours becoming reacquainted with Romanand the others who had helped them take down Zachary Winslow. The only dark spot were the nightmares Emilia suffered every night. Each night they began as the first one hadand grew darkerand more terrifying as the nights passed. She was seated in the garden the day of the party as her uncle, Konrad, came to find her. “I have been told that you are having nightmares, Emi,” he said bluntly. “Tell them to me.” He listened to themand his frown deepened as he shared the memory of them with her. He shook his head. “These are no mere nightmares,” he said as he pulled her to her feetand took her to Piotr. He closed the door as his father looked up. “Emilia has foresight, Ojciec,” he said without preamble as he made her sit down. “We are in danger.” He nodded to Emilia. “Tell him exactly what you told me, Emilia.” Piotr listed as Emilia recounted her nightmares again. His expression grew as dark as Konrad’s had. When she was done, he sent her awayand nodded to his son. It was as Konrad had said; the girl had foresight. The details she had given told them that there was going to be an attack on the compound.And it was going to happen during the party tonight. Piotr called Barnabas, the head of their security forceand he joined his fatherand his brother for a war council. Emilia went into the gardenand found Barbara there with her son, Stefan. He was walking nowand Emilia was pleased when he toddled up to herand held his arms up. Emilia picked him upand he grabbed a handful of her hairand held it tight. “Do the men in this family always think they are the only ones equipped to fight?” Emilia asked Barbara as she bounced Stefan on her hip. “They feel you have been damaged enough by the fight, little cousin,” Barbara told her bluntly. “Your zeal is commendable, Emi,” she continued as the girl looked at her, “but you are still a child in their eyes. Their child,” she smiled; “and we Sobieski protect our own.” “I’m not used to this,” Emilia sighed. She laughed down at Stefan as he yanked on her hair. “Down?” He noddedand she set him on his feetand watched him a moment, her heart aching as she thought of the child she had lost. “Our child would have been about the same age.” “You’ll have other children, Emi,” Barbara said softly, laying her hand on Emilia’s shoulder. She saw her son reaching down to pick up a wad of mudand she got to her feet. “No, Stefan,” she scolded as she pulled him away. “That’s not to eat.” She picked up her sonand turned to see Emilia walking out the gate into the fields beyond. “Poor little thing. We’ll have to see what we can do to make her happy, little one.” Emilia wandered down to the gateand watched as the helicoptersand