Revisited (Redemption Series) (17 page)

“Hey, this is the closest thing I’ve had resembling a vacation in years. I should be thanking you.” Marla smiled.

“Let’s get you all settled,” Sam said. “It’ll be a few hours before the others get here, and I need to check in with Abe and Nathaniel. We’ll be able to proceed then.”

“Fine, but I want to see the lab as soon as possible,” Lily said.

“You will, my sweet.” Ryan kissed her temple before leading her further down the hall where Sam directed them.

Renee squeezed Jefferson’s fingers, then she placed her hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Which way to the kitchen?”

“Why am I so tired?” Lily asked before yawning and lying on her new bed.

Ryan took his place next to her and pulled her into his chest. “It might be because you died a terribly painful death, and were brought back a matter of days ago.”

“Thank you, Mr. Obvious.” She rolled her eyes but continued to snuggle into his chest. “I know this has never happened before, but I’ve checked all my levels and everything is back to where it was before. I just don’t understand this sluggish feeling. I can’t afford to be off in any way, not with Gideon or Debir or whoever gunning for me.”

“All I’m saying is give it a bit of time. We’ll meet with Monte, Lionel, and Marla and take the initial blood samples. Sam has gathered all the samples he wanted you to test from The Blood Feast, but our first priority is Martin’s cure. We’ve got a plan. If at any time you are not feeling up to par, you do have me, Sam, and even Becca, watching your back. Please don’t worry.”

“I’m not sure how to stop. I’ve been relying on myself for decades; it’s difficult to let go.”

“Maybe I can help you unwind for a bit. I know, technically, our honeymoon was interrupted yet again, but I think we might be able to pretend for a while.” Ryan moved to unbutton her shirt.

“Mmm, I think that would be an excellent idea. Maybe we can take it slow this time. I do love how your ass looks in those jeans. It would be a shame to ruin them.” Lily popped the button above the fly of his jeans, remembering how she ripped a pair off him when they reunited in Rome. She wet her lips at the memory of his intense kisses that night.

“Slow and steady.” He placed soft kisses across the top of her breasts as she slowly pulled down his zipper. “Just what we need to relax.”

“Maybe we should take our own clothes off. You know, for preservation purposes,” Lily whispered in his ear before placing a kiss beneath his earlobe.

Ryan moved from her arms to stand beside the bed. He pulled his shirt over his head to reveal his toned chest with a smattering of dark hair across his pecs, and down the middle of his torso. He took off his socks and boots before his jeans and boxers hit the floor. “I believe it’s your turn, Mrs. Edwards,” he said, settling down on the edge of the bed.

Lily rose to begin her own striptease. She slipped her shirt off her shoulders, revealing a midnight blue bra. She quickly removed the rest of her clothing and let him appraise her. “You like?” she asked, fingering the lace of her matching panties.

“I
love
, almost as much as I love you.” Ryan kissed her just above her navel as she stood in front of him. His traced the contours of her hips with his fingertips before kissing one then the other.

She massaged his scalp in time with his kisses. Before long, he placed his hands between lace and skin. After she had removed her bra, Lily saw her panties around her ankles. She kicked them to her jeans before crawling onto Ryan’s lap.

She felt his length pulse against her stomach before he lifted her hips. Following his lead, Lily slowly sank down on him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he gently guided her above him.

Even in her exhausted state, Lily’s stamina didn’t waver. They kissed and caressed while they moved together for what seemed like hours. In the end, they both felt they had made up for their two previously botched honeymoons.

Nathaniel’s ever-vigilant watch over Filipp was quite boring. Filipp muttered under his breath or into his phone as he drank several bags of blood. Liam and Valentina were a different story. They awoke off and on, giving Nathaniel a free show resembling a soft-core porn movie. It disturbed him a bit, but during the couple’s interludes, they gave out some useful information.

    Valentina was more powerful than they could even imagine. A talk about her grandmother revealed the elder witch was indeed one of the witches who had worked side by side with Martin in his various endeavors at Manchester. With the new information, Nathaniel began to do some digging on the computer. He found several things they could use to their advantage if Valentina were to move to their side. Too focused on his research, he didn’t sense Abe’s return.

“Here.” Abe shoved a coffee at Nathaniel.

Nathaniel jumped out of his chair and toppled over. The chair followed and jabbed into his abdomen. “Christ, man!” He got to his feet. “You can’t just sneak up on people like that.”

“Sorry.” Abe chuckled before taking a sip of his own coffee. “I thought you would see me coming.”

“Shit . . .” Nathaniel grabbed the coffee and took a large gulp, the heat awakening his senses. “I’m not used to your smoky entrance crap. Be a little more respectful next time.”

“Fine.” Abe righted Nathaniel’s chair before he sat down in his own. “What’s going on?”

“Filipp is pretty much a rambling blood lush.”

“I could have told you that much. What about the two lovebirds?” Abe pointed to the screen where Liam and Valentina were naked and passed out on the rumpled covers.

“Even in the throes of passion they provided me with some interesting information.” Nathaniel brought up a website on his laptop. “Looks like Miss Valentina is the granddaughter of a witch who helped Martin for many years. She has a tremendous amount of power, but it looks as if she has had the wrong instructor. She took in evil forces to solidify a majority of her spells, like the one on the hotel and that warehouse where you found Becca. If she’s not one hundred percent on our side, we are in for one hell of a fight.”

Abe sighed as he let his thoughts filter out. “After what I found out this afternoon, I believe she’ll come with us willingly.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense.”

Abe cracked a smile as Debir’s form appeared on the screen with Filipp. “It looks as if we’ve had an ally all along.”

Nathaniel turned his attention to the screen, his jaw slipped open at Abe’s declaration.

“Debir has been keeping tabs on Filipp for years, foiling him every step of the way, in one way or another. This scheme is the last straw, and he wants out.”

“And you promised it to him? Are you insane? This could be just another part of their plan.” Nathaniel crushed his now empty coffee cup and threw it across the room.

“No, his intentions are sincere; I’m sure of it.”

“Well, I’m not so quick to accept your assumptions. You almost killed my sister the last time we left you to your assumptions!”

Abe had Nathaniel by the throat in an instant. “Gideon fooled us all, not just me. You were no help to us, and I had to find a way, any way I could. You know I would never hurt her on purpose. So don’t give me your bullshit. Not now.”

Nathaniel violently shoved Abe’s hand away. “I wished I would’ve been able to see him; more than anything I wish it is me who gets to take him down.” He rubbed at his throat as Abe took a few steps back.

Nathaniel had wallowed in his own guilt for three years since Gideon had practically destroyed Becca. He would not leave the safety of his own home for fear of the demon. He knew he had no right to throw it in Abe’s face; he knew Abe was not the only one at fault.

“I know you would have done anything to keep her safe, and you did so by keeping her in your house. I almost wish she were back there now. At least then I’d know without a doubt she wouldn’t be harmed.” Abe sat down in his chair.

Nathaniel returned to his own seat. “Why don’t you tell me what Debir had to say, and we’ll go from there.” 

“Yes,” Abe said with a hiss, scrubbing both hands up and down his face. “His alliance with Filipp has been wavering since he discovered Anton’s formula was being used to get rid of vampires. Evidently, this plan has been in action since Anton deserted them both. When he saved Lily at The Blood Feast and Manchester implanted their chips, Filipp set out on a new course to find someone to do the dirty work for him.”

“Enter Liam.” Nathaniel shook his head. He knew the feeling of being a pawn in someone else’s game and was sure Liam’s experience was just as unpleasant as his own.

“Yes. Liam had no idea what he was getting into. Filipp even made him give several samples of sperm to carry on the Ahbmonite line. He believed with Liam and Valentina’s combined bloodlines, he could create a new race. Debir seemed to know what would happen as soon as Valentina became pregnant. The powers encompassed in the child are rebelling against her evil. The spell she cast on all their vampire wannabes almost killed her. The child is pushing the evil out of her and connecting her with its father.”

Nathaniel let the information settle. “In other words, the baby is making her fall in love with him?”

“I’m not sure about that, but if it helps disrupt her connections with the evil surrounding her, it can only help us.”

“By what I’ve seen between the two of them today, that kid is doing one hell of a job.” Nathaniel snickered and turned his attention back to the couple on the screen who were awake and looking to start another round. 

“Debir is setting things in motion. We will get them away from Filipp and back to Lily. I believe we will need the formula for Filipp instead.” 

“Let’s just hope he doesn’t have some of his own.” 

“Hope?” Abe shook his head. “We’d better pray.”

“You’re positive?” Filipp asked through half-lidded eyes.

“Yes,” Debir replied, a little annoyed at Filipp’s obvious distrust.

“I think I will check on them myself.” Filipp picked up his jacket and slid it on. “I won’t be long. Watch—”

Debir sighed. “Yes, I know. Watch over our two friends.”

“We can’t lose them at this juncture. This new bond they have worries me. I can’t have Valentina losing her edge at any cost.”

“You’ve gotten us this far; don’t worry about the few steps yet to be taken.”

Filipp nodded before walking out the door to check on their preparations for the following night.

Debir knocked on the door to where Liam and Valentina were resting. 

Liam answered the door in only a robe. 

Debir looked past him to see Valentina, who had just tightened the tie to her own robe around her waist. He pushed his way into the room before Liam closed the door.

“Debir?” Valentina let the unsaid question hang in the air.

“Filipp is gone. There’s no time to explain everything, but I’ve been thwarting his attempts for decades. This time, I think the best course of action is to run.”

Liam and Valentina exchanged a hurried glance, wondering if this was a trick or a test of some sort. 

“If you want out, like I do, we have to do it now. Soon, it will be too late to leave.” Debir sat next to Valentina and took her hand. “The child is causing your darkness to fade. With Liam here, the child’s will is even stronger. Trust in me; you have my word that what I speak is true.”