"You'll be safe," Airiana added. "Everyone on the farm has been through . . ." She trailed off, searching for the right word. "Horrific circumstances. They'll help you with the younger ones."
Maxim looked at his watch. Time was slipping away. He had to get to the engine room. "We have to go now, Airiana."
Lucia straightened her shoulders, her gaze clinging to Airiana's. "You'll come back? Both of you?"
Airiana nodded. "If we're alive after all of this, we'll meet you on the farm. If not, you'll be in good hands. Lexi, my youngest sister, will be particularly understanding. She'll help all of you. We'll come back as soon as possible."
Maxim stood, reaching for Airiana's hand. "We have to go now, honey, we're running out of time." He tugged until she went with him across the room.
Airiana looked back at the four children huddled together. "Be patient. Stay strong. And don't leave this room."
She tightened her fingers around Maxim's, just as reluctant to leave the children as he was. He opened the hatch and resolutely stepped through into the passageway. Airiana glanced back, but she didn't say a word.
Maxim's eyes met Benito. The boy was holding himself very still, but his body vibrated with fear. "I'm coming back for you, kid," Maxim promised again before he could stop himself. "I know everything in your life has been turned upside down and you haven't been able to count on anyone else but one another. I'll find you. Do you understand me? Tell me the password."
"Nutmeg grows in odd places."
Maxim nodded. "Shoot anyone else who tries to come in. You keep your sisters safe and together."
Benito nodded, his gaze still clinging to Maxim. Maxim swore and slammed the hatch closed.
"I want to kill those bastards all over again," he admitted to Airiana, pushing down the rage threatening to take over.
"I wish you could too," Airiana said. "We have to do something for those kids. I know you think I was being impetuous, but I really thought it through. All of them are traumatized. They'll need special help to see them through this. Just the murder of their parents would be enough to traumatize them, but their sister as well? At the hands of a sexual predator. And then Benito and Nicia, the things she told me Saeed did to her . . ."
"She talked to you about it?" Maxim asked. He led the way to the stairs. The engine room was his next target.
"I think she had to. She was so scared and so grateful that you found her. Benito looked as if he worships you."
"Lucia and Benito knew they were going to be killed probably the moment they were brought aboard the ship," Maxim said.
"Nicia said Lucia and Benito told her to do whatever the man said so he wouldn't hurt her. She did it, but he hurt her anyway."
Maxim heard the anger in Airiana's voice. Anger and despair. He stopped just at the top of the stairs and put his arm around her, pulling her into the shelter of his body. "We can't save them all, but we saved these four. For now, that has to be enough, honey, or you'll end up going crazy."
"When we moved to the farm," Airiana told him, "I thought we were done with violence. We live pretty simply and it's beautiful there, and so peaceful. It sickens me to know that this is still going on right under our noses."
Airiana had used the word still. He didn't question her, but he knew she was referring to her youngest sister, Lexi. Of course, the moment he knew Lev and Stefan were involved with two of the women living there, he'd investigated all of them.
"We'll take care of those kids. I don't know how, Airiana, but we'll get it done. Right now, I need you to put everything else aside and give me a hundred percent right here and now. What we're doing is dangerous. We have to disable the ship, but there are going to be men down in the engine room. If possible, we'll round them up and put them in the cargo container they put the kids in. If not, we'll have no choice but to kill them."
"Do we know they're a part of this?"
"They know what's going on aboard this ship. They're paid to keep quiet, and they have in spite of the fact that women, boys and children are brought here, used and murdered. They aren't innocent. In any case, once we're gone, those children will have no protection. If I don't get to everyone, they'll be in danger."
Airiana nodded her head several times. "Okay. I understand. I just wanted to be certain."
"I'm sorry about all this. It was supposed to be simple--snatch you out from under the noses of Evan's men and get you off ship to a waiting sub and to your father where you would be safe. The children complicated things."
"I would much rather have been here where you could help those kids," Airiana said firmly.
Her blue eyes were a little cloudy, but steady. His heart did some sort of curious melt, leaving him wondering at the power of women--especially the one he found himself drawn to. She was small, and seemingly fragile, but her looks were definitely deceiving. She could roar like a lion, and no matter how afraid she was, she moved forward, willing to help him.
He wanted to kiss her again. The urge was strong, but he resisted. This wasn't the time or place and they had work to do. "Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice once again all business.
She flashed a small, secretive smile that made his insides tighten, but she obediently dropped back to do as he said. She had the assault rifle and the webbing over her shoulder while he carried his war bag over his.
They moved down the stairs in silence. He muffled the sound, but realized she was automatically doing so as well. She learned fast and he appreciated that. Once more, he shifted into stealth mode. He couldn't afford his mind to be anywhere but on his mission. The flight of stairs led to the engine room, and below that was the cargo hold.
Airiana walked in his footsteps, directly behind him, so quietly he wouldn't have known she was there other than the fact that her scent was so alluring to him. Everything about her was and he damned well wasn't going to lose her.
Voices drifted to him.
"Damn that Swede. He was supposed to be right back here. I'm not taking his bullshit anymore. Go find him, Lance, and get him back here."
"He's probably in the galley. He spends more time there than in here. I swear he puts on twenty pounds every time we go to sea." Lance laughed. "Really, Cahill, you need to see the humor in the situation."
"I don't find it so funny," Cahill groused. "Not when we have to do his work."
"We have to do his work when he's here," Lance said. "He doesn't belong in the engine room. He doesn't know what the hell he's doing. I think he's a hired gun. Half the crew doesn't know what they're doing. But the pay's good, and we occasionally get a woman for a while. What more do you want?"
"Someone to help out with the work," Cahill snapped.
"It's never going to be the Swede." Lance laughed. "If you want to find him, go yourself. Maybe you'll come back in a better mood."
Maxim held his fist up, a signal for Airiana to stop moving. He slid his war bag from his shoulder to the floor. Stalking Lance was easy, he'd begun whistling, giving his position away. Cahill had fallen silent after his outburst, but air told Maxim he was moving through the machinery, heading straight for him.
Crouching in the shadows, he sent Airiana reassurance. Just stay very still.
I'm out in the open.
I know. He's going to spot you, but he won't believe what he's seeing.
I'm bait?
He smiled at the outrage in her voice. He doesn't have a gun.
How do you know? What happened to me being so important?
You saddled me with four kids. I'm not certain your worth outweighs that particular transgression.
Cahill rounded the long line of pipes and came to a halt, his mouth open, staring at Airiana. Before he could move, or make a sound, Maxim came up behind him and pressed a gun into the back of his neck.
"You've seen me before, Cahill," Maxim said softly, keeping the thread of sound between them. "You know I have no problem ending you. Call your friend. Be very careful what you say. I killed the Swede and his buddy, so no on
e's going to rescue you. Just keep your temper in check and you'll come out of this alive."
Cahill swallowed hard several times. His face had gone bright red and his fingers curled into two tight fists. "Lance." He raised his voice. "Lance, I need a little help over here."
"Can't you do anything yourself?" Lance called back. "I'm on a coffee break, like the Swede." He laughed heartily at his joke.
Cahill swung around, going for the gun, hoping to shove it away from his neck, shouting as he did so. Maxim shot him through the temple, muffling the silencer he used so that no sound escaped. His body fell hard, and Maxim didn't block that sound.
Open your eyes and get into that dark alcove right behind you, he instructed Airiana. She looked a little shell-shocked.
She obeyed quickly, her face very pale. From his position he could see she was distressed, but her hands were rock steady on the MP-5.
It's going to be all right, honey. Hang in there with me. He couldn't resist reassuring her.
Lance moved around the long row and stopped abruptly when he saw Cahill's fallen body. Blood seeped out around his head, creating a halo of red.
"What the hell?"
Lance ran to the fallen man, crouching down, or he started to. Recognizing the wound for what it was, he pulled out a gun and looked wildly around.
"Drop it, Lance. Right now. I tried to give Cahill his chance, but he didn't listen. Make your choice."
Lance dropped his gun.
"Put your hands behind your head and lock your fingers together."
Lance complied, and Maxim stepped behind and used a zip tie to secure his hands.
I'm taking him to the cargo hold. Stay right where you are. No one should come down here, but that doesn't mean they won't.
Maxim could feel her reluctance to be left alone, but she didn't object. He shoved Lance ahead of him, already regretting not killing him. He didn't like leaving Airiana alone either, but it would only take a couple of minutes to get Lance secured in the container the children had been locked in. He shoved Lance toward the stairs. The man was solid, although not particularly large, but clearly he was all muscle. A small alarm went off in Maxim's head.
Lance had indicated that the Swede was useless in the engine room--implying he was most likely a hired gun--but the Swede had been easy to dispose of. Too easy. He was no highly skilled mercenary, but Lance . . .
Maxim indicated the stairs and Lance went down them without question. The moment he hit the bottom, he crouched and swung around, using his head to butt Maxim in the chest with a hard blow. Prepared for the attack, Maxim moved his body back just inches enough to escape the assault.
Lance kept spinning around, hooking his ankle in Maxim's, his momentum pulling Maxim's foot out from under him. Maxim leapt over the man, kicking him hard in the head as he went down, somersaulting and coming back up on his feet. Lance's head hit the metal railing hard and he slumped down, shaken.
Maxim reached for his shoulder to yank him up and Lance came up fast, a knife in his bound hands, ripping up Maxim's belly to his chest. The burn was fierce, but it was a shallow wound. He leapt back away from the grinning man. Lance spat on the floor and flicked the blade of the knife through the zip tie.
"Amateur hour," he snapped.
Maxim smiled. "Nice move."
Lance circled to the left, forcing Maxim to circle with him. He kept the knife in close, indicating he knew what he was doing. Maxim lifted his gun and shot him right through the middle of his forehead. Lance actually looked a little startled, as if he'd forgotten Maxim had a gun, not a knife. He toppled slowly to the floor.
Maxim sighed. The body count was climbing higher than he expected. He glanced at his watch again. He needed to disable the engine, forcing the crew to drop anchor. He still had to figure out what to do with the rest of the crew.
He made his way back to the engine room. As soon as he entered, he held his hand out to Airiana. She came to him instantly and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in close to him. It astonished him just how much she had taken over his thoughts. She'd found a way inside of him, creeping in when he wasn't expecting it.
"You're dangerous," he said, his tone harsher than he intended. She was just so insidious, slipping into his soul when he was so certain his every defense was in place and no one could ever find that last piece of himself that belonged only to him. There was no running from her.
He'd known her less than twenty-four hours. What would it be like in her company for a lifetime? She'd be so tightly wound inside of him that there'd never be an escape. Would he even want to?
Abruptly he caught up his war bag and stalked through the engine room with Airiana following. She didn't say anything at all and he kept his back to her, not wanting to see her face. He was giving too much of himself away. He wasn't a man to be out in the open, naked and vulnerable to a woman. He lived in the shadows and slipped easily from one skin to another. No one could know him. Not even Airiana.
He went to work, losing himself in the familiar process of building his devices and setting his timers. He took his time, not wanting to make a mistake. Everything depended on the ship stopping on time.
Airiana waited quietly until he straightened up and looked at her. "What next?" she asked, her voice quiet.
"Everything depends on stopping the ship. We've got a few hours before the engines start to go. The ship will slow and then they'll drop anchor. We'll suit up and get out of here. I'll call for help to rescue the kids. These couple of hours, waiting until dark, is our most dangerous time."
She made a face. "You know they landed that helicopter on the deck. It's still there. Why don't we just use the helicopter to get out of here? You can do everything else, I can't imagine that you don't pilot a helicopter as well."
He couldn't help but smile. "As a matter of fact, I can fly a copter, but that's not the plan. You're doing your best not to set foot in the ocean, aren't you?"
"It makes sense to fly."
He shook his head. "We're disabling the helicopter. I don't want it used for anyone's escape. Come on, we have a lot to do to keep those children safe."
8
AIRIANA made a face at Maxim's back. He was determined that she was going in the sea, with scuba gear no less. She didn't know how to breathe with a tank, and she didn't swim. Taking a chance with the helicopter seemed a much better idea.
"You're stubborn and bossy, did you know that?" she asked, exasperated with him. "I've done everything you've said, and given you the courtesy of listening to you. I can't swim. I'll drown in the ocean."
He moved up the stairs, past the deck with the empty luxury cabins and continuing toward the upper deck. "I always listen to you, Airiana," he said, over his shoulder. "The problem is, you keep repeating yourself. We have no choice, we have to use the water. I've gotten you this far; why don't you believe I'll get you the rest of the way?"
He sounded so reasonable she had an unexpected urge to kick him. His back was to her and she could probably get away with it, although she wouldn't be surprised if he had eyes in the back of his head.
"Maxim." She bit out his name between her clenched teeth. "I'm terrified of the water. I can't swim. What part of that don't you understand? I suppose you've never been afraid a day in your life, of anything, but I actually am a human being and the thought of water closing over my head and swimming in the dark is sheer madness. I don't think I can do it."
Maxim stopped abruptly and she found herself blinking up at him, a little ashamed that she couldn't conquer her fear when he was so omnipotent. He caught her chin in his hand and leaned down, his eyes drifting over her face with a kind of hard possession. No one had ever looked at her like that before. She found herself holding her breath, wishing he'd bend his head closer.
"Nothing is going to happen to you, Airiana. Not as long as I'm alive. We've gotten this far together, and I'll get you through the rest of it."
She understood why the children had clung to him so fast and so
fiercely. Maxim seemed invincible. She knew he wasn't. There was a thin line of blood staining his shirt from his belly to this chest, but he hadn't said a word to her of how it had gotten there.
"You really don't like me very much, do you?" Airiana asked.
He was the most reluctant of heroes. He didn't want to tow the kids around, and she doubted if he was happy with being in her company. In spite of being physically attracted to her, there were times when he seemed annoyed with her presence. Still, he had something reliable and steady in him, an absolute conviction that he could get through anything--and take her with him.
"You're very unexpected, Airiana," he said softly. "I've never met a woman like you. It doesn't seem to matter how frightened you are, you're still ready for business. I find myself intrigued--and distracted by you. Neither is a good thing for either of us."
She rubbed her palm down her thigh. "You marked me. I've seen Rikki and Judith rubbing their palms just the way I am right now, so I know you've somehow connected us. But the reality is, you don't really want to have anything to do with me."
To his credit, he didn't back away from the conversation--or deny it. "I have a difficult time trusting something I don't understand. The way you make me feel--I don't understand. I've never wanted a woman the way I want you. I've never kissed a woman and then couldn't get the taste and feel of her out of my mouth. You're like a drug in my system, and the craving just gets worse the longer we spend time together. I made you a promise to keep you safe. Now I have to wonder if your greatest threat is me."
Airiana frowned. She could hear the ring of honesty in his voice. "Maxim, I'm not afraid of you." She touched his mouth with the pads of her fingers. "I'm just as drawn to you, just as vulnerable. It could be because we're both air elements, or that you're incredible and you're saving my life, but I can't help it either."
"We're not alike, Airiana. Never make the mistake of thinking we are. I'm utterly ruthless when I have to be. If you belonged to me . . ." He broke off, shaking his head. "I'm not doing that to you . . . I hope."
"I'm just saying that you don't have to be afraid of me either. Or for me when it comes to you. I make my own decisions regarding my life. I have since I was about fourteen. I make my own choices and my own mistakes. Don't think I'm so easily pushed around that you can walk on me. We're in life-or-death circumstances and this isn't the way life is on a daily basis . . ."