Revisited (Redemption Series) (14 page)

Liam let it all sink in. He was intrinsically a vampire from birth. Although it was never known how Anton and his brothers became vampires, Liam had always believed in his father’s theory: they were born that way.

“The point of all this is?”

“Though not what I would have chosen for Anton, he inadvertently gave me the perfect weapon: you.”

“Me?” 

“Yes, your DNA is fascinating. Unlike anything I have ever seen. Now that you are the only vampire on earth who doesn’t have a chip implanted, you can do what I’ve been waiting forty years for.” Filipp’s eyes glazed over in an odd euphoria. The same look he got every time thoughts of his ingenious plan came to mind.

The door to the suite opened and Valentina and Debir walked in. They both paused to survey the damage in the room.

“Filipp, I’m sure they would have brought up another chair if you’d shared your dislike for that one. No need to mar innocent leather.” Valentina flung her hair over her shoulder before reaching her hand out for Liam.

Liam took it and rose to his feet. He noticed the complete calm on Filipp’s face just at the sound of her voice.

“Moment of weakness. Our plans will have to change,” Filipp stated.

Debir shrugged off his coat and flung it over the back of the couch. “Everything is set. We just finished our final preparations.”

“Lily is alive.”

Debir froze completely.

“We’re not sure how. Gideon is working on it.” Liam’s fingers curled around Valentina’s palm.

Valentina eyed Liam and gave him a tug toward the bedroom. “It’s been a long day. Will you rest with me?”

“Of course.” Liam left his newfound uncle and Debir to figure out their plans. When he closed the door, he felt the day’s discoveries weigh on him. He collapsed on the bed and Valentina curled into him. “What are we going to do?” he asked, curling his arm around her.

“We’ve got to get out. Now.” Valentina attempted to gather her fragile emotions. “I trust you, but there are some in this new group that will be much harder to control. I’ve never really been scared before. I had no need to be, until now.” She brought their hands down to her belly.

“I hold the greater power. Filipp knows that. We just have to figure out how to use it against him.” He brushed his fingertips across the exposed skin at her waist.

“I put an obedience spell on Filipp a while back. It’s weak, but it still seems to be working. That could help.” She sniffled as she wedged her leg between Liam’s. A look of concern crossed Liam’s face and she immediately knew what he was thinking. “I would never put a spell on you. You do believe me?”

His concerned look vanished as he realized her words were true. “I believe you.” He lightly kissed her lips. “Lily does need to know I’m not a threat. She needs to know this is not what I wanted.” Liam pulled her in closer and caressed her stomach. “You two are more important than anything else right now. I will do anything to protect you.”

“We have to find a way to get in touch with her. What did Gideon say?”

“That they were all at Leatherby Manor, but would be leaving for Italy soon. He wasn’t sure why. One thing he was certain of was his wish for Filipp and Debir to end her permanently.”

“If these new ones become vampires, I’m sure they will have no problem taking care of her.”

Liam turned to face her. “What are they like? Who are they?”

“Several are surgeons who have lost their license for one reason or another. Two are physicists. Then there is a pharmacist, a few veterinarians, lots of people with some sort of military background, and even artists. It seems Filipp has scraped together the best he can, and will use their strengths to make them into his little puppets.”

“And you . . .” He caressed her cheek as he began to ask the question he already knew the answer to. “You cast a spell over all of them?”

“Yes.” She nodded, looking down at his hand on her belly. “I wish I could reverse it, but it’s just not possible now. I’ve conjured some very dark things in my lifetime, but the evil needed for that spell almost killed me. Killed us.” Her hand began to rub small circles over his hand.

“What did the spell do?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer to that question.

“It’s a mind control spell. I cast a spell for them to do whatever Debir and Filipp command. I can’t take back what I did or who I was, and neither can you. Together we have to find a way to take over Debir, Filipp, and their whole army.”

“I know.”

He kissed her forehead and began the long journey to form a plan to release the three of them from the hideous world in which they were involved.

“She did what?” A shocked look crossed Ryan’s face before Lily’s hands went to cover the look of embarrassment on her own.

Nathaniel eyed Abe as he playfully continued the story. “We were in Australia, and she had been complaining how the koalas and kangaroos were too cute to hunt. Abe and I ended up tracking a few wild boars for her and surprised her with the location. She was like a kid on Christmas. Her eyes lit up and she jumped up and down so fast, she broke a few of the floorboards.”

“Come on, guys,” Lily pleaded with them to stop.

“No,” Abe scolded her. “This is the best part.” He waved his arm with a flourish for Nathaniel to continue.

“We led her to the boar and she instantly dug in. I had seen her feed before, but this was a whole new experience. The way she unhinged her jaw to clamp down on the back of its neck was something I’d only seen in movies. Then she ripped through an artery and there was blood spurting everywhere. Abe and I were both drenched and more than a little disgusted. Then, when she was finished with the carcass, she pinned both of us down and licked the blood off us.” 

Everyone except Ryan broke out in laughter. He shook his head in disbelief at the image Nathaniel painted. “Gives a whole new meaning to bloody hell, I suppose.” 

“It was a long time ago. I was so hungry, and they were so good. Like the way you used to drool over those lamb chops I would make.” Lily lifted her brow, reminding Ryan that he, too, had his animalistic tendencies.

“All right, my sweet, that’s enough of that. Why not tell a tale about Nathaniel here, hmm?”

“What? Me? What did I do to you?” Nathaniel threw an apple at Ryan who caught it with ease.

“I’ve heard enough from these two for now.” Ryan set the apple down and waited for a different story.

“I suppose I could tell the story about how I potty trained him.”

Nathaniel crossed his arms and laid them flat on the table. “Kill me now.” He groaned as he dropped his head to forearms on the table. Without warning, Nathaniel’s brain began to convulse painfully in his skull. He gave an ear-shattering scream as he fell from his chair and onto the floor.

The others rushed to his side. Lily placed his head in her lap and applied pressure to his temples.

“What is it?” Ryan asked in a state of panic.

“A vision,” Abe answered. “From the looks of it, not a pleasant one.”

“Talk through it. Tell me what you see,” Lily said.

Nathaniel concentrated through the pain and saw the large group clearly. He saw Debir and a woman with long, black hair commanding what looked like troops. They were eager and followed every command that Debir threw out. The vision changed to the woman lying in Liam’s arms. “Liam,” Nathaniel said through clenched teeth. He focused on the delicate touches Liam was giving the woman, who was obviously human. He clenched his entire body as he began to hear what they were saying.

“Lily does need to know I’m not a threat. She needs to know this is not what I wanted. You two are more important than anything else right now. I will do anything to protect you.”

Nathaniel’s breathing came out in rapid pants as the visions subsided. He kept his eyes closed and began to relax his strained muscles. “Liam’s with a woman. She was with Debir. Debir has a hold on them.”

“Debir?” Lily couldn’t believe her friend would have anything to do with Liam.

“Yes, but that’s not all. The woman is pregnant. It sounds like it’s Liam’s, and whatever they’ve gotten themselves messed up in, they want out. Liam wants to find you. He’s scared he can’t protect them.” Nathaniel opened his eyes and looked straight into Lily’s astonished face.

“Debir is in Bucharest with Filipp. They’ve been investigating a coven of witches.” Lily looked up at Abe.

Abe clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Well, buck up, Archer, looks like you and I are making a trip to Romania.”

Becca ran out of the manor and to the outskirts of the property as if she was on fire. In all aspects, she felt her body was indeed aflame. Being in a room with both Ian and Abe was torture of the worst kind. “This isn’t me,” she whispered, sitting down at the base of a large elm tree.

    Her fingers twirled around the ends of her hair, and she thought about how her life had been turned upside down in a matter of days.

The structure of a rigid routine over the past few years had been good for her. She got up every morning, ate her grapefruit, and drank her coffee. She was showered, dressed, and on her way to the office by eight. A typical day included some paperwork, phone calls, and an occasional bit of fieldwork. Almost every night, she was home by six. Two nights a week, she went out for dinner or drinks with friends, but that was the extent of her social life. The thought of a romantic relationship never entered her mind. She had no idea how she went from having no one, to having two very willing and gorgeous prospects.

As for Abe, it was true: She did love him. She had tried to push him out of her head, but he never left her heart. Their life together was always an adventure, one she admitted she missed terribly. The trips they took on a whim had her experiencing the world like she never had before.

The thought of twisting through time and space brought her to her own realization: She could now do it by herself. She could leave that moment and be sunbathing on the Rivera or skiing in Aspen. Though very appealing, it would do nothing to make her problems disappear.

Then thoughts of Ian and their brief, but eventful, time together made it to the forefront of her mind. Ian was intelligent, talented, funny, and, not to mention, a fabulous cook all wrapped in a perfect package. There was nothing else she could ask for. 

Picking the man with so much promise and devotion, over the one who gave her nightmares, seemed like the logical choice. 

“Ugh,” Becca grunted as she picked up a rock and threw it as hard as she could.

This back and forth wasn’t about to solve anything. She had to look at what was happening right in front of her. Ian was back and expected to pick up where they had left off. Abe was patiently waiting in the wings for his cue.

She had no idea what to do. The fact that all the chemicals in her body were going haywire didn’t help, either. In time, she knew they would calm down. Her body was just adjusting to the acceptance of her powers, which had caused slight pandemonium. Every nerve ending was on fire, a feeling she had only experienced in times of great danger. That fact alone had her terribly frightened.

With resolve, and a large helping of guilt, Becca decided she would see where she and Ian would lead. She knew she might be setting herself up for failure, but she couldn’t deny what she felt. She hoped her guilt over letting Abe stand on the sidelines didn’t eclipse the choice she had made.

She wished she knew if it was the right choice. There was no way to know for certain, but she decided it was time to talk with the one person who had always been an honest confidant: Lily.