Deliverance (24 page)

She and Nikita disposed of the bodies by wrapping them in plastic and throwing them into the dumpster. Then they drove back to their hotel. As they walked through the parking lot, goose bumps broke out along Leisha’s back. She suddenly felt as if she were being watched. She continued to keep her pace, but focused all of her senses on the things around them. Of course, there were several people nearby, most staying in the hotel itself. But none of them had heartbeats to indicate they were immortal or vampire. There was also no indication that anyone was doing anything out of the ordinary as they made their way up to their floor. She could smell weed from the floor below them, but most of the people she detected sounded as if they were sleeping or watching television.

As soon as she locked the door behind her, she turned to Nikita. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt like we were being watched as we walked through the hotel.”

His eyes lost their focus and she knew he was also trying to figure out if her strange feeling had merit. “I can’t sense anything out of the ordinary, but we know that immortals use humans to get close to us.”

Frowning, she sat on her bed, resting her back against the headboard. “I don’t know how the immortals could have found us, but you’re probably right.”

“I’m not worried,” he said, mimicking her pose on his own bed. “If it is just a human, we’ll know when they try to follow us in the morning. And it’s child’s play for you to lose them in traffic.”

“True.” After mulling it over, she decided not to worry about it, but she stayed on alert for the rest of the night as she flipped through channels on the television.

They waited until the sun was higher in the sky to be sure they weren’t tracked by any vampires.

Leisha was watchful as she drove. There were no cars tailing her, and she didn’t feel like she was being watched, but she still didn’t feel . . . right.
But what would feel right when you know Rinwa’s gone? At least Tafari will get to see her in the next life. I never thought damnation could be so painful.

The trip went by quickly and she called Tafari once she’d reached the area he described.

“Just stay on the side of the road. I will come to you.”

After waiting for almost thirty minutes, she spotted him walking toward her car. Climbing out, she met him halfway.

Tafari pulled her close by her waist while he leaned down and kissed her deeply. Leisha returned his passion with equal fervor, her hands gliding along his chest and back. Their touch held emotions that they were both trying to suppress. The longer the kiss lasted, the more Leisha felt vulnerable and a deep sense of loss that she wanted to share with her husband.

After several minutes, she reluctantly pulled her mouth from his and forced as bright a smile as she could muster. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she murmured.

“You, too.”

She noted his face was pale as she stepped back. “We should get moving. I know Nikita will be rolling his eyes at how long this is taking.”

“And he will know the exact reason why, since he can hear everything from the trunk of that car.”

She shrugged. “Guess heightened senses can be a curse sometimes.”

They forced chuckles and made their way back to the car, hand in hand.

Tafari drove since he knew exactly where they were going. “It will not be much longer,” the immortal called to Nikita as he drove. After ten minutes, he steered the car off the road and onto a small dirt path. It was hidden in such a way that Leisha never would have seen it until they were right on top of it.

“So what is this place, anyway?” Her voice seemed to bounce along with the car as she spoke.

“It used to belong to the U.S. government,” her husband answered.

Leisha stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Excuse me? They’ll be able to find us within a day!”

He waved away her worry. “It was built as a military bomb shelter during World War II. Since it was never used, and the military base changed locations, they sold it about fifty years ago.”

Leisha quirked an eyebrow. “And you’re the one they sold it to?”

He nodded.

“And you didn’t tell the other immortals about this large purchase? It seems like the perfect base for you all to run to if needed.”

“Actually, that had been my original intention, but I thought it a good idea not to mention it.” He threw her a glance. “The immortal council can get their feathers ruffled over little nuances sometimes, so I decided to just keep it for a rainy day, as it were. I bought some random weapons over time and stocked them in this place.”

Cocking her head, Leisha considered his words. “You know, I’ve always thought of you as so dutiful to the immortals to the point that, in your eyes, they could do no wrong.”

His lips thinned. “Well, I did my best to keep my oaths to them, but I have come to realize that they are no longer worthy of me keeping those vows.” He glanced her way. “If I had not been blinded by our past, I would have seen that you are much more worthy than they ever were.”

Warmth suffused her chest and she gave a watery smile.

They drove in silence for twenty minutes until Tafari stopped behind a large Joshua tree and a gray Chevy parked there.

Tafari turned in his seat. “We will open the door first, and then come and get you, Nikita.”

“Fine.” His muffled voice drifted through the hot air.

After gathering the sacks of groceries Leisha and Nikita had brought with them, she followed Tafari down a path through some brush. He bent over and pulled away some branches to reveal a hatch. After pulling the wheel clockwise a few times, there was a release of air and he lifted it up to show her a ladder that led into darkness. Tafari gestured for her to hand him the groceries and she did so.

“I’ll get Nikita.” She walked back to the car and glanced up at the sun. It was shining high in the sky, just getting ready to start its descent. A sudden flash from a few miles away caught her attention and then vanished. It looked like a reflection from a mirror or something. She stopped and scanned the wilderness where the light had appeared, but there was no sign of it. She focused all of her senses in that area, but only caught the patter of some small animals, probably lizards. Mentally shrugging, she turned back to the trunk. “There is a little shade from a tree, but you will need to make sure you’re fully covered before I let you out,” she warned.

“Go ahead.”

Pushing the latch, she opened the trunk. Nikita was completely covered with a thick blanket and she couldn’t see anything of his expression. “Follow me. We’ll be jumping below ground, down a ladder.”

“Let’s go then.”

Leisha ran as fast as she could to the hatch and stopped at the side. Nikita flew past her and didn’t bother using the ladder. She heard him land about thirty feet below and then climbed down, resealing the hatch before descending. Once arriving at the bottom of the ladder, she saw that the vampire had dropped his blanket on the floor of a small, round room that was about ten feet in diameter with three different doorways. Tafari waited for them in the doorway on the left.

Recycled air whirled around them as they followed Tafari. At the first intersection, they went left again. They turned at several intersections, the floor sloping downward the entire way. The ceiling was not very high and Nikita and Tafari had to stoop their heads as they walked. It smelled strongly of concrete and dust.

The way led to a large, open room that was big enough to house fifty people comfortably. It was filled with several drab couches and a few old industrial dining tables. The ceiling was probably ten feet high, so the men were able to stand up straight again.

Leisha spotted Samantha reclining on one of the couches at the far end of the room. The girl looked pale and a bit gaunt. Concern churned in Leisha’s stomach and she went to her friend.

Samantha’s darker roots were prominent against the blonde, bringing out the circles under her eyes. There were also several cuts and scrapes over her arms and Leisha assumed they were under Samantha’s clothes as well. Any part of her body that didn’t have scrapes on it was pink with new skin.

“Are you okay?” Leisha gently touched the top of her head.

Nikita was suddenly next to them, holding Samantha’s hand. Leisha still wasn’t used to seeing the vampire showing so much emotion. It was like being with an entirely different person even if it was the same face as the old companion she thought she’d pegged so well.

“I’m fine,” Samantha assured as she pushed herself up into more of a sitting position. “I’m healing pretty quickly, actually. The worst parts are the burns, but I’m finally able to lay back without it hurting.”

“What burns?” Leisha and Nikita asked in unison.

She waved a hand. “The car exploded as I jumped out of it and it burned up my back a bit.”

“Are you in much pain?” Leisha asked.

“I’m fine,” she repeated. She smiled up at Leisha. “Glad I’m a human servant so I can heal faster.” Nikita and Tafari’s expressions turned grim at the statement, but they didn’t say anything. Leisha tried to not let their reactions bother her.

Tafari changed the subject. “We are all staying in quarters near this main area, Nikita. Let me show you where the available room is.” He walked toward the far wall where he opened a door leading into another hallway. Gesturing to a room on his left, he said, “This one is unoccupied.”

Nikita nodded and dropped a bag inside the door, then turned and went back to Samantha.

Tafari motioned for Leisha to follow him. “Ours is down a little farther.” They walked to another bedroom on the right side. “It is larger than the others, but I realize that it is still a little small.”

He was right about it being small. There wasn’t room for much else besides the two twin-sized beds pushed together against the wall. She turned to him and didn’t bother to mask the softness she felt in her eyes. “If we get to sleep here together, then I’m not going to complain.”

Tafari pressed his lips together as he stared at her. All the grief that Leisha had been trying to suppress surfaced until she wasn’t sure if she was going to cry or scream at the top of her lungs.

Tafari took a wooden step forward and opened his arms. She launched herself into him and hugged him tightly. His embrace was almost bruising, but she didn’t protest. Tafari’s back shook with dry sobs and he rested his head on her head. Leisha let the tears flow as she lovingly stroked his back.

They stayed like that for a long moment until Leisha finally pulled away. She stared into his red-rimmed eyes. They had always fascinated her; a deep blue layered with an iridescent silver. Rinwa had the exact same color. “I’m always going to think of her when I see your eyes.”

Tafari lifted a large chunk of her hair and brought it to his nose, his hand trembling. “I will always think of her when I see your hair.”

They stared at each other for a long moment. Leisha blinked back the tears that threatened and noticed that Tafari did the same. After a time, he leaned down and gave her another slow kiss. When a single tear trekked down her cheek, he didn’t pull back, but continued to kiss her as he wiped it away. Lightly brushing her fingers over the rough surface of his face, she wiped the moisture there, mimicking him.

Without another word, they laid on the bed together, only breaking their kiss to remove each other’s clothes. Tafari rested his head on her chest and pulled her close, his tears dripping onto her skin. With his large, warm frame wrapped around her, Leisha knew they’d be able to get through the loss of Rinwa together.

Chapter 29

N
ik’s kiss was feather-light, as if she were fragile. Samantha leaned up to deepen it, but the vampire pulled back.

“You need to wait until you’re fully recovered.”

“I promise I’ll let you know if it hurts.”

The corners of his lips lifted in dry amusement. “Don’t tempt me.” He stroked her hair. “I’ve been worried for you.”

Snuggling her face closer to his hand in her tresses, Samantha closed her eyes and basked in the pleasure she felt from being with Nik.

“Sorry to interrupt.”

Samantha’s eyes popped open to see Liam standing by her feet next to the couch. She could see by the widening of Nik’s eyes at the fact that the boy had managed to sneak up on the vampire.

“No problem.” Nik stood and faced Liam.

“I was hoping to talk to Samantha for a bit,” the boy said as he looked up at the vampire.

Nodding, Nik looked down at Samantha. She could feel the heat of affection in his hazel eyes. “Tafari mentioned that he’s been collecting weapons and storing them in a room here. I’ll go and see if there’s anything I like.”

After his retreat, Samantha stiffly swung her feet to the ground so Liam could sit next to her. “Are you having fun exploring?”

“This place is massive.” His response was more politeness than true interest.

Studying his emerald eyes, Samantha could see that there was some emotion stirring, but she wasn’t sure what. “Would you like me to finish that story of the woman who escaped the god?”

She paused, her mind working to connect what he’d just said. She had thought he was going to talk about Rinwa. Then it clicked. “The one you told me about when we were in Italy?” She tried to pull her feet under herself, but her body protested, so she forced herself to relax as she was and shrugged. “Of course. I’ve been dying to hear more, but so much has happened since Italy. It just seems like there was never a moment to bring it up with you.”

Liam tapped his foot softly on the floor. “Now is the time. The god eventually found Iliana.”

Samantha raised her eyebrows. “So what happened?”

“She died, but the baby survived.”

“How? How could a baby survive the wrath of a god?”

“He had become obsessed with finding them and used too many of his powers. When he tried to kill them, they were at sea and he used all of his powers to create a terrible storm. Using so much power in a world that was not his own weakened him terribly.” Liam sat back against the cushions, dust puffing behind him. “There are rules, and they must be obeyed. If not, guardians will seek you out and punish you. This god was powerful and came from a well-connected family, so he got away with a lot. But not this time. The guardians found him and pulled him back into his own world. He was stripped of most of his powers and is damned to live a life of servitude for eternity. But the mother and her baby were still in the ocean and should have drowned.”

“Should have, but you said the baby survived.”

“Yes, it did. I can’t be sure, but I’ll bet that the mother used all of her strength to swim her baby to shore. Since I can’t find any record of her after that, I assume that the mother may have been swept back out to sea when the tide rose or something. But the bottom line is that she most likely died saving her daughter’s life.”

“The baby was a girl?” Samantha remembered a detail from when Leisha spoke of her childhood.
I was washed up on the shore somewhere in Africa but was considered a bad omen because of the terrible storm.

“Yes. You have it right.” He studied her expression. “Leisha was that baby. Her mother’s name was Iliana.”

It was suddenly difficult to pull in a proper breath. “Why haven’t you told Leisha about all this? She needs to know! Ptah said he knew her father, but we never had any clue he was talking about a god from another dimension!”

“Because she would feel guilty.”

“You mean, because her mother died to save her, or because her dad was a complete womanizing jerk?”

Liam chuckled softly. “Neither. This next part is what will make her feel so much guilt.”

Samantha waited, her muscles tensing.

“From what you and Leisha have told me, no one really knows how the Africans unleashed that chaos demon that later possessed Ptah’s body and became a master vampire.”

“You know how? It has something to do with Leisha?”

“When someone from our dimension stays in a single place on your world for a long time, it . . . affects things.”

Samantha grabbed his arm until Liam was looking into her eyes. “You mean it was her fault? Somehow her powers pulled him toward her?”

The boy’s gaze traveled behind her. “I’ll tell you the rest later. In the meantime, don’t say anything about this.”

Samantha was going to prod further when Leisha and Tafari walked in, holding hands. Both of their eyes were puffy and bloodshot, but they seemed more relaxed than before. Samantha was positive Tafari was doing better now that he could lean on Leisha in his grief.

“What are you two up to?” Leisha asked as they entered.

Liam smiled. “I’m just trying to keep Samantha entertained while she’s recuperating.”

“We should eat,” Tafari said. “The kitchen is just through that door.” He pointed for Leisha’s benefit.

“How about we make dinner together?” Leisha winked at her husband.

He agreed. “Do you want anything in particular?” he asked Samantha.

She shook her head. “Whatever you make, I will eat.”

Once they’d gone into the kitchen, she turned back to Liam. “Well? Aren’t you going to tell me more?”

His strange accent sounded stronger. “I wouldn’t have brought this up if I hadn’t planned to explain everything to you, but we’re going to have to wait until there is more time to speak in private.”

“Why can’t the others know about all this? What makes me so privileged?”

“You’ll understand when I’ve finished.” He stood and walked in the direction of the armory.

Samantha sat, trying to process everything the boy had just revealed.
If nothing else, at least now I understand why he speaks with that strange accent and why Leisha grew up in Africa.
But nothing else really made sense to her. The time she’d have to wait to get more answers was going to be brutal.