Revisited (Redemption Series) (25 page)

In her reflection, she saw it was evident. Renee couldn’t say she was in love, but it was clear she seriously liked him and lusted after almost every part of him. The beat of her heart and the blush on her cheeks told her it was time for Jefferson to know how she felt about him and their possible future together.

While stepping out into the darkened hallway, Renee caught a glimpse of a single ray of light as the door next to hers cracked open. “Becca?” she called, moving closer to the door.

“Renee, is that you?”

“Yes.” Renee walked over to the door and Becca opened it a little wider. “What’s wrong?”

“Ian’s still sleeping, but could you find Sam for me? Don’t tell anyone else. I’ll explain later.”

“Sure, no problem.” Renee was a little confused by Becca’s demeanor, but she brushed it off since she didn’t know Becca very well. “You want me to have him bring some breakfast? You missed a wonderful dinner last night.”

Becca glanced into the room then back to Renee. Her face paled as her throat bobbed with a large swallow.

“Not if it’s too much trouble. I just need Sam here as soon as possible.”

“Okay. Don’t worry. I’ll find him.”

“Thank you,” Becca whispered before she closed the door with a soft click.

Renee shrugged, making her way to the kitchen. She heard two muffled voices just before she entered.

“I was just wondering, mate. No need to get testy.” Gideon groaned as he flipped an omelet in the frying pan and set it down on the stove. He almost regretted taking over Jefferson’s body as everyone bombarded him with cooking requests, but the things he had discovered were more than worth it.

“Morning.” Renee’s chipper voice lifted the obvious turmoil she’d walked in on.

“Lovely to see you this morning, Renee. How are you?” Sam asked with a genuine smile. “Sit down with us. Are you hungry? Jefferson will make you anything you want.”

“Thanks. I’m not very hungry, but ready for some coffee. I didn’t sleep very much.” She looked over at Gideon who gave her a quick wink while he poured her a cup of coffee.

“The coffee will perk you right up then. It’s a special blend. Becca calls it her ‘go juice.’ No matter how tired you are, it’ll give you that push to get up and go.” Sam smiled as he sipped from his own mug.

Gideon handed Renee a mug of her own caffeinated morning delight. 

One sip later, and Renee was in heaven. “This is delicious.”

“He must—” Gideon abruptly stopped and cleared his throat. “
I
had it blended for Becca. I know it’s her favorite.”

“Well, it’s mine now, too.” Renee kissed his cheek before lightly touching his face. “By the way,” she turned to Sam. “Becca wants you to come up to her room.”

Gideon spat coffee from his mouth and nose, cursing his lust for not getting back to Becca sooner. He grabbed for the nearest towel to wipe his face and took the omelet off the burner as it scorched. “Wrong pipe.” He coughed a bit as she rubbed his back. “Thank you.”

Renee spied muffins cooling beside the stove. “Take these to her; I’m sure she and Ian could use a bite.” She wrapped a few muffins in a napkin and handed it to Sam.

“Thanks.” Sam hurried off as she heard the water turn on in the sink.

Gideon furiously scrubbed at the pan for a few seconds before shutting off the water, then dried his hands on his jeans. “I gotta take care of something.” He moved with inhuman speed, but somehow Renee caught his wrist before he could escape.

“What’s your hurry? I thought you might want to try out that kitchen fantasy you had the other night.” Renee raised her eyebrows in what she thought to be a seductive manner, but she could see it had the exact opposite effect.

“I can’t. Just give me a few minutes.” He clenched his jaw and shut his eyes for a moment.

“I’ll come with you. You seem upset.” Renee reached out to cup his face, but he instantly batted her hand away.

“Not now!” Gideon shouted, his eyes taking on a fierce luster.

Renee froze. Only having known Jefferson for a short time, she hadn’t experienced each of his moods. Synapses began firing in her brain with a signal to run, but she couldn’t listen with her head as her heart beat wildly in her chest. “What’s wrong with you?” she screamed back, blocking his way to the door.

“Out of my way.”

It was if Renee were as light as a feather, as Jefferson swatted her away. The pain crackled throughout her body the instant her head hit the wall with a violent thrust. A few short breaths left her lungs in rapid succession before she felt the blood gurgle in her throat. Another look to her side was met with a blurred vision of Jefferson’s face before the blackness settled in and the pain that overwhelmed her entire being ceased completely.

“Shit! What have I done?” Gideon searched for a pulse. When he couldn’t find the beat he had hoped for, he scooped up the body and began his hunt for a place to hide it.

A knock at the door startled Becca, but she quickly gained her composure as Ian lay down to feign sleep. She cracked the door just the tiniest bit to see Sam on the other side.

    “What’s this about?” Sam asked as he held up the muffins he had brought.

“What was the name of the stuffed monkey you gave me for my second birthday, and what color was it?” Becca asked rapidly.

Without a second’s pause, he said, “Sally, and she was pink. Why? Did you forget and need reminding?” Sam laughed as he looked over his daughter’s features.

Relief rolled off Becca in waves. Sam’s quick response led her to believe Gideon had not taken him over. Ian had informed her it usually took Gideon more than a few seconds to retrieve memories from before he inhabited a body. She snatched his arm and pulled him in into the room, the door locking behind him. “Gideon is here.” Becca wrapped her arms tight around him.

Sam wondered how in the world it was possible for Gideon to find them, but then he remembered who Gideon was, and what they were dealing with. “Tell me everything.” Sam said, pulling back from her embrace. He searched her face for answers before he turned to where Ian sat on the bed, his head heavy in his hands.

“Ian is his new vessel, but he left him last night.”

“What?” Sam screamed before he took a defensive stance and looked back and forth between her and Ian. 

“No, it’s not like that. Gideon’s not here now. He slipped out sometime last night,” Ian announced while he held his hands up defensively in front of him.

“Then . . . how?” Sam shook his head. He had more knowledge of Gideon than anyone did. Gideon’s vessels were never conscious when he was out of them.

“Dad,” Becca called for Sam’s attention. “We don’t know how, but we need to protect Ian and anyone out there who he might have jumped into.”

Sam’s thoughts went to the conversation he had with Jefferson in the kitchen. The questions Jefferson posed about Sam’s relationship with Becca angered the conservative angel. As he looked at their exchange of words from a new angle, he could hear Gideon in every question. “I think I know where he is.” Sam scowled as he looked down at the tray of untouched dinner.

“Jefferson?” Becca asked.

Sam nodded as he took her hand.

Ian made a fist. “Damn. We have to do something. Becca said you know how to get rid of him for good.”

Sam nodded again then squeezed Becca’s hand and led her over to the bed where they both sat next to Ian.

“I’ve done extensive research on Gideon in the last twenty years. Just recently, I came across a demon that ran with Gideon for quite a while. The demon turned to Manchester for what I guess you would call witness protection.” Sam laughed, remembering the interview with the demon known as Kent. “At first, we were going to put him in one of our detention facilities, but when he said something, it hit me hard. It just made sense and I believed him.”

“What was it?” Becca asked, eager for his response.

Sam let the memory catch up with him as he looked down at Ian’s arm. “The source of Gideon’s power is transferred to each vessel. It carries his life force. Separating the entry point from the vessel while he’s not in it will release Gideon back to hell.”

“My arm,” Ian whispered before he brought it to cradle against his chest. “I have to cut off my arm?” 

“No!” Becca shouted before she flung herself into Ian’s arms. “There must be another way.”

“If there was, I would know about it.” Sam placed his hand on her shoulder in comfort.

“How can we do it now? He could be back any second.” Becca took Ian’s hand in hers and squeezed it tight.

“Lily can do the amputation. Between you and me, we might be able to heal Ian afterward.”

“Then what happens? Where will he go?” Ian questioned.

“Straight back to hell, I assume,” Sam stated.

“You assume? You’re going to cut off his arm on an assumption?” Becca was livid as she pushed against her father’s chest.

“Once the source of his power is gone, it should be the only place he could go.” Sam knew it was a risk, but after years of research, he believed in his answer.

“Let’s do it,” Ian said firmly.

“No. Let’s think about this for a second.” Becca gathered her thoughts and attempted to calm herself. With a deep breath, she looked up and directed her words to Sam. “You said ‘might be’ able to heal him. I’m not doing this unless you’re sure.”

Sam loosened the collar around his neck as he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. “We will be able to heal the skin, muscles, and blood vessels like they would after an amputation. What we might not be able to do is grow the bones back. I’ve never been able to before.”

Becca turned back to Ian to see if the new information swayed him at all.

Ian only thought a second about his music career. It would be over without two hands, but he would have his life and be free of Gideon for good. “Get Lily. I’ve made my decision.” 

Nathaniel had spent his morning in deep thought. Memories of the past filtered through his mind and brought forth all the pain and pleasure that went with them. He could distinctly remember his first encounter with Gideon like it had been days ago, not years and his mind slipped back to the events that occurred ten years ago. 

As Nathaniel waited for Becca in a little hole in the wall restaurant in Rome, he spied the demon he later came to know as Gideon with a beautiful young girl. Whether it was the wine or something supernatural, Nathaniel was never sure, but the girl distracted him long enough for Gideon to kidnap Becca. By the time Nathaniel got to her, almost all the skin on her body had crusted over. He remembered the hours that followed and how he watched over his “sister” as her skin painfully healed one cell at a time.

    That was when Nathaniel’s first vision of Gideon occurred. He saw Gideon talking with the young girl he’d been distracted by. The girl’s death came to him in vibrant, living color, as did the anger flowing violently through Gideon. There were many other visions after that. At one point in time, Nathaniel thought Gideon was sending the visions to him, goading him, baiting him to make a move. Nathaniel knew the only way to destroy Gideon was to have a definitive plan. A plan he was positive was just on the horizon.