Empath's Angel by M J Marlow (to read list TXT) 📕

“you would know.” “I should have slit that bastard’s throat,” Adam said as he opened the storage unit againand pulled out a coat. He wrapped it around Emilia. “Are you all right, Emilia?” “They were going to make me marry him,” Emilia told him, the reaction beginning to set in. She looked at her uncles as they watched her dissolve into tears. “I told them I wouldn’t do it,” she sobbed as her uncle Konrad put his arms around her, “but they wouldn’t listen to me. Zachary…” She quieted a moment, unable to relive that moment just yet. “You won’t let them do that to me, will you?” “Never,” Konrad replied tightly. He pulled her into his armsand stroked her back, his eyes darkand angry as he looked at his brothers. “This has got to end,” he told them in Polish. “Those bastards must be ended now!” He looked down at Emilia,and his anger eased only slightly. “Poor angel! She should never have had to be part of our war.” “Mam odczuwanie co Ja nigdy wybór,” Emilia said softly as she started to slip into the darkness, in perfect Polish. (I have a feeling that I never had a choice.) The brothers exchanged shocked glances. They had not known that Dominik had taught his daughter their language. It was quite evident now that their brother had done a lot of things that they had been unaware of. This realization was quite unsettling for all of them. They drove back to the penthouse they had leasedand turned Emilia over to Adam’s wife, Mikala. She got the girl to bedand joined her husband and the others for a drink. “She should be taken where she is away from all of this madness,” she said as she accepted the drink Adam held out to her. “She’s just a child!” she insisted as she saw their expressions. “She is not equipped to handle this…” “Unfortunately,” Adam broke in, looking regretful, “she is the one Winslow targeted.” “He is obsessed with her,” Konrad corrected. “If he knew she had the sight…” He saw his family members stiffen. “She is still too new to it, herself, to realize what she has.” “It’s a good thing that we got to her when we did,” Adam nodded. The Sobieski family kept their gifts a closely guarded secret. It was enough for their enemies to know that they were a fiercely protective clan who used their intelligenceand wealth to willingly prevent abuse in all its forms. Professor Winslowand his organization were among their primary enemies. He saw his wife’s frownand put his arms around her. “It is up to the Sobieski to determine how best to proceed in the child’s case, Mikala. For now, we will let her rest.” Samuel was outraged when he heard what had happened. Someone had dared to make a move on his family.And now Emilia was out of their hands. She belonged to them now. Stephen had made her a part of their family by marrying her. His holdings were in that child’s hands. He looked over at Zachary, who was glaring at a point in the floor,and knew his son was having similar thoughts. Emilia would be returned to them, or they would know why. “The Winslows have reached the point of no return, nephew,” Hamilton Snow told Hawke as they entered the gallery just in time to see Samueland Zachary storm out. Juliet had been only too ready to tell them what had happened. “Their obsession with this child has made them both too dangerous to be allowed any further autonomy.” He saw Hawke waiting for his ordersand smiled. “I will handle the father. I want you to continue watching Zachary. He has one more chance to redeem himself. If he makes any further moves on the girl, you will bring him in.” “And if he doesn’t wish to come?” “He is not to be given a choice, nephew,” Hamilton told Hawke coldly. He saw Julietand Wendelland his expression warmed slightly. “I suggest you go find him now. I wish to speak to the artist.” Hawke noddedand left the gallery without a further word. He nodded to Julietand Wendell as his uncle joined themand waited on the street for his Jaguar. Once he was behind the wheel, he pressed a button on the console. A light flashed through the interiorand then blinked green three times before going out. There were no tracking devices on his car. Hawke nodded, satisfied that he was now free to make his report to the people he really worked for. He did so,and was told he should do as his uncle had asked. It was apparent that Emilia was still a targetand needed to be protected. * Emilia was taken up to the front row in the courtroom two mornings later by her uncle Konrad. Dominik looked over her head as he embraced his daughter, confused. He had not expected them to get his daughter away from Samuel; but she was here, exactly as he had been assured she would be. He looked down at herand noticed how paleand anxious she was; it made his blood chill. He introduced her to his attorney, but she barely acknowledged the young man. Her mind was filled with worry for his plight, he knew. Emilia would only think of herself when everyone else was safeand well. “How are you feeling, Mój dzieckcko?” Dominik asked her, his shock plain. He looked over her head at Konrad. “Are you being treated well?” “Of course she is, Dominik,” Konrad spoke up before Emilia could. “She has been having a little trouble sleeping.” “I heard you lost your baby, Emi,” Dominik said as he stroked Emilia’s cheek. “I’m so sorry, Mój dzieckcko,” Dominik replied softly. “You should never have been involved in any of this.” “Maybe you should have left me in the orphanage, Mój ojciec,” Emilia cried in dismay. “It’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?” Dominik’s answer went unspoken. The gavel went downand he was forced to turn away. Emilia bit her lipand wondered why her father was so upset. Then she saw that he was looking past herand turned her head. Samueland Zachary were coming into the courtroom, with the tall dark-skinned man, Bravo. The Winslow men sat on the other side of the roomand Emilia looked away from them as they nodded to her. They were up to somethingand it was not going to be at all pleasant. She looked to her uncleand his frown confirmed her reading. “Dark men have dark thoughts,” Konrad said to her softly as they sat down. “They can’t pull anything here. The Sobieski are here in force.” He nodded to where her other unclesand their wives were seated. “And there are others,” he told her in Polish, “who you have yet to meet.” The trial beganand Emilia tried to follow it, confused by some of the medical jargon being thrown around. The first witnesses were people who had been used as test subjects in the drug trials. They all said the same thing; Doctor Sobieski had personally supervised the injections himself. He had been “quite eager” to see what the reactions were. Emilia saw her father’s faceand knew he was reliving the horror he had been forced to inflict on these people. Samuel was called to the stand and he told the same story on the stand that he had told Emilia. “He’s lying,” Emilia whispered to her uncle in Polish. “He was no innocent spectator in this.” “That will be shown,” Konrad assured her, as he squeezed her hand. “The information you sent to Adam has all the facts he is refusing to acknowledge.” He looked at his watch. “They will be adjourning for lunch now. You have an appointment with my sister, Doctor Regina.” “I can’t go anywhere, Konrad,” Emilia protested. “My father needs me…” “He will be more at ease if he knows you are well,” Konrad broke in firmly. He saw that she understood. “Dominik,” he said as he squeezed his brother’s arm when the recess was called. “Stay strong. It will be over soon.” “Just take care of my girl, Konrad,” Dominik told him. He kissed Emilia on the foreheadand looked down at her. “Listen to them, Mój ojciec. They will keep you safe.” Emilia bit her lip to keep from cryingand left the courtroom with her uncles’ wives. They guided her easily through the phalanx of journalistsand camera crews lining the stairs; they reminded Emilia of vultures circling in search of a meal. She saw the squad cars roaring past them as they drove off. Something had happened at the courthouse. Had it had anything to do with her father? The newspapers were coloring him as a heartless maniac; could someone be out for revenge? Her demands to be taken back, however, fell on deaf ears. She was taken to the doctor’s officeand kept there. “You are very agitated today, Emilia,” her father’s cousin, Doctor Regina Novak Turner stated as she saw the blood pressure reading. She laid her hand on Emilia’s shoulder, her expression understanding. “Your father went on trial today, I understand. But,” she continued, her manner brisk, “you can’t let it get you upset. It’s not good for you.” Emilia noddedand laid back for the examination. She couldn’t do anything about what had happened at the courthouse. She didn’t even know that it had anything to do with her father. But, for some reason she didn’t understand, she had a very uneasy feeling. She had to keep her mind on what she could control, Emilia told herself. Regina smiled as she finished the examand told her that everything looked just fine. She wrote Emilia a prescription for a mild sedative. “You are only to take the sedative if you feel yourself getting seriously agitated,” the Doctor told her. “I have a feeling I don’t need to worry about you,” she smiled at Emilia. “You are a very level-headed girl.” “Thank you, Reggie,” Emilia smiled. She watched the woman leaveand got upand dressed. Regina came back a moment later, with Mikalaand Donata, Adamand Barnabas’ wives. “What’s wrong?” Emilia asked in confusion as she noted the women’s distress. She had a sudden fearand her face went pale. “My father?” Reggie hesitatedand she grew even more anxious. “Please, tell me what’s going on.” “Please get me a glass of water, Dona,” Reggie asked Barnabas’ wife, Donata. She took the vial of pills from Emiliaand shook one out. “Take one of these, Emi,and then we’ll talk.” Emilia did as she was told; wondering why a sedative was necessary. Something bad had happened, Emilia was sure of it now. But Reggie was not telling her anything just yet. The women took her to the kitchenand made some tea. Only when it was on the table,and Reggie could see Emilia calming down, did she say a word. “Right after you left the courthouse, a madman broke in.” She gripped Emilia’s handsand her eyes were filled with anguish. “I’m sorry, Emilia,” her eyes weremisted with tears. “He shot your fatherand Samuel Winslow. They’re both dead.” “No,” Emilia shook her head, wondering why the woman was lying to her like this. “It isn’t true.” She got to her feetand darkness closed in around her, sending her tumbling to the floor. “To nie jest prawda.” “Poor child,” Reggie frowned. Sheand the others helped Emilia upand took her to the guest room. Something serious was going on,and Reggie had the uncomfortable feeling that it was going to threaten Emilia even more before it was over. * Stephen slammed the paper down on the table in his room in the island fortressand cursed. He had spent the last seven months here at his uncle’s suggestion,and he was getting antsy. Being here with the Pashtu, as their Sheik,and policing the shipping lanes had not kept his mind off of her. He wanted to be with his wife, damn it! She had lost their child. He should never have