"You're not Enforcement Agency," Nikolai said cautiously.
"No. I am a Hunter."
Renata brought Mira close, holding her as the chaos of the ongoing disruption in the woods and at the house slowly died down around them. "His eyes, Nikolai," she said, understanding now. "He is the golden-eyed assassin who tried to kill Sergei Yakut that night. He's the one Mira witnessed at the lodge."
Nikolai's expression darkened. "Is this true? You are a hired killer?"
"I was." The Hunter gave a grim nod and finally lifted his gaze. "The child saved me. Something...changed in me after I saw the vision in her eyes that night. I saw her saving my life, precisely as it happened a moment ago."
In that next instant, the surrounding forest came alive with armed men moving in on them from all directions. Nikolai had his weapons at the ready, but he made no move to fire on the newcoming threat. Renata's pulse spiked in panic. "Oh, shit. Niko - " "It's all right." He calmed her with a reassuring look and a few gentle words. "These are the good guys, my friends from the Order."
She watched in relief as four of Nikolai's fellow warriors stepped into the area. All of them were formidable in size and attitude, a cadre of muscle and might that seemed to suck all of the air out of the woods by their presence alone.
"How you doing, amigo? Everything okay here?" asked the smooth caramel voice Renata now recognized as belonging to Rio.
Nikolai nodded, his eyes and weapons still trained on the Gen One in their midst. "I've got this under control, but the situation at the house is all fucked up. Edgar Fabien is dead, and Dragos and the others slipped out the back. They went by boat to the other side of the lake. I tried to track them, but..." He glanced at Renata. "I had to make sure everything was okay on this end first."
"We heard a small-engine aircraft buzzing overhead as we arrived," Rio said.
"Shit," Nikolai hissed. "That'll be them, no doubt. They're gone. Goddamn it, Dragos was right here and we lost the bastard."
"Let me help you find him."
All eyes turned to the vampire still held in Nikolai's crosshairs.
"Why should we trust you?" Nikolai asked, his gaze narrowing. "Why would you be willing to help us get Dragos?" "Because he is the one who created me." There was no warmth in the golden hue of the Gen One assassin's eyes as he responded to the question, only cold hatred. "He made me what I am. Me, and all the other Hunters bred to kill for him." "Oh, my God," Renata breathed. "You mean there are more of you?"
The shaved head nodded soberly. "I don't know how many, or where they are all located, but Dragos told me himself that I am not the only one of my kind. There are others."
"Why should we believe you?" asked another of the warriors, this one almost as dark as the night around them, his teeth and fangs gleaming like pearls against his brown skin.
Another warrior stepped in then, his eyes quick and shrewd, as cunning as a wolf's under the ebony spikes of his cropped hair. "Let Tegan tell us if we can trust him."
Renata watched in astonishment and not a little dread as the largest of the group - a warrior who'd held back from the rest like a ghost stalking the shadows - took a few steps forward. Immense, with tawny hair peeking out from under the black knit skullcap he wore, he was a broad, towering slab of muscle and dark energy. Easily as big as the Gen One who stood before him, waiting his judgment.
Saying nothing, the warrior called Tegan held out his large hand. The Hunter took it, his eyes as steady as his grasp.
After a long moment, Tegan gave a vague nod. "He comes with us. Let's secure this site and get the hell out of here."
Renata felt a heavy weight lift from her as the tension of the moment gave way to a new purpose. The group split up, most of the warriors heading off to take care of things at Fabien's place while Rio and Nikolai walked Renata, Mira, and their unexpected companion back to the Order's waiting vehicle.
Partway there, Nikolai caught Renata's hand in his. "We'll catch up to you, Rio."
The warrior nodded. As they moved on, Renata watched in awestruck wonder as Mira slipped her tiny hand into the larger palm of the Hunter.
"My God," she said to Nikolai. "What just happened?"
He shook his head, clearly just as much amazed as she was. "Gonna take me some time to figure it out, I think. But first I want to figure things out between us."
"Nikolai, I'm sorry - "
He silenced her with a long, sweet kiss, pulling her into his warm arms. "I screwed up, Renata. I was so afraid of losing you that I drove you away from me with a stupid, reckless lie. I never would have forgiven myself if anything happened to you, or to Mira. You're my heart, Renata. You are my life." He stroked her cheek, his gaze engulfing her, drinking her in. "I love you so much...I don't want to live a single moment without you at my side."
She closed her eyes, overwhelmed with emotion. "I've never wanted anything more," she whispered, her throat constricted with joy. "I love you too, Nikolai. But you have to understand, I'm a package deal. Mira's not my child by blood, but she is the child of my heart. I love her like she is my own."
"I know," he said soberly. "You've proven that in spades."
Renata glanced up at him, unable to contain the hope that was battering around in her breast. "Do you think you can find room in your life - in your heart - for both of us?"