Days of Redemption (The Firsts Book 6) (19 page)

“Aye.”

He got it.  Someday.  Only he knew how easily
somedays
never came.  Particularly for humans, who were so short-lived.  Suddenly his breath hitched as he thought about Lauren’s brief human lifespan.  

He knew she had no interest in becoming vampire, but the idea of her gone within the next forty or fifty years brought moisture to his eyes.
   It was natural and just as it was supposed to be, and yet he found himself uneasy with the idea.  Fifty years was such a short time for a vampire, and would pass in the blink of an eye.

Fatigue moved back in and he began to lose focus.  She was here now, and in his arms, so he held her, buried his face in her soft hair, and fell asleep.

The sun had risen, sparkling off crystal clear water that surrounded the front of David’s estate.  The vampires were asleep now, so Lauren stood waiting for her phone call to connect, surrounded by David’s human blood-bonds who took care of the grounds while the vampires sheltered from the ultraviolet daylight.

“Hi,” she said, as the ringing stopped and a young girl’s voice traveled to her.  “Merry, how are you sweetie?  Good. I’m fine.  I know, it’s weird, but I’m okay.  How’s the shop?”

Listening, Lauren smiled.  “Great. Look, I want you to know what a wonderful young lady you are and how much I’ve enjoyed working with you.  Stay true to who you are, my friend.  Don’t let anyone ever tell you to change.  You are so special.”

Merry was obviously pacing, Lauren could hear her big biker boots tromping on the wood floors of the showroom at
Floral Magic
.  “I’ve been worried.  I had the police check out your apartment when you didn’t show up for work.  Lauren, there’s blood everywhere!”

“I know.  But I wasn’t hurt.  No one was, really, in the end.  Anyway, I don’t have much time, so listen.  The shop is yours.  I’ve made arrangements with a local attorney to change everything to your name.  I think
it can turn a nice profit this year.  If you want to keep it.  Or sell it, whatever you want to do.  But I won’t be back.  Merry, if anyone ever asks about me, just tell them you haven’t heard from me since I gave you the shop.  This is important.  Tell them you don’t have any idea what happened to me.  Okay?”

Merry tried to get Lauren to explain, but she stopped her.  “I have to go.  Good luck, sweetie. I know you’ll have a wonderful life.”

Lauren ended the call and wiped the moisture from her eyes.  Okay, time to go.

She picked up the pack that Cherise had given to her.  It contained a few items of clothing and five thousand dollars in cash.  Lauren hated to accept it, but she knew it wasn’t a struggle for Cherise and she couldn’t get somewhere new without the ability to travel.  So she reluctantly took the cash, with the hope
that she could pay it back someday.  Realistically, she knew it was unlikely.

“Are you ready, ma’am?”  A man large enough to be a WWF fighter waited as she handed the pack to him.

“I am.”

It was that simple.  She’d walk out of their lives now, and stay out.  If all went well, and God know
s she was due for some good luck, then she’d spend the rest of her days safe and hidden from vampires and their world.

Last night, while visiting Cherise’s precious menagerie, Lauren had decided where she would go and what she would do.  The flower shop had been nice, a second career choice when she wasn’t able to do what she was trained for and what she loved.   But seeing how Cherise had remained true to her own needs and desires, even though she now lived in a place that ordinarily would have deprived her of things she loved,
had motivated Lauren to do the same.

With such an extensive medical background, she knew that she needed to use it, to find a purpose again.  There were many ways she could do so without cueing Lamont and his society into her whereabouts. 

Arrangements made, Lauren left Iceland behind, seated comfortably in David’s private jet.  Her head rested against the seat back, with her eyes closed, Lauren felt some twitching between her legs as she remembered that final intense orgasm with Bryn buried deep inside of her.  His hands had been buried in her hair, and once more, he’d taken her blood as he shot into her.   What surprised her most, right now, flying away from him, was the thought of her blood inside of him at this moment, and she almost orgasmed.

SEVENTEEN

Park spent the next three weeks locked inside her lab with her lab partner, and best friend, Burne.  They ran the serums through every test with vampire blood, broke it down into identifiable components, and recorded every result and probability. 

In addition, Park had collected blood samples from each of the first blood vampires in their community and began to study the result of combinations.

Four weeks after returning from Brazil, she called the family together.  Xavier was in from Paris.  And she’d brought Ahmose from South Africa, another of the most powerful vampires she’d ever met.  This was too important.

This was her family, her friends, her life…her world.  Park looked around the room at the collection of beautiful faces.

From her horrible childhood, to the life she led now, Park accepted the journey that took her from that awful beginning to the glory of these moments with people she would gladly die for.  And she knew…they would die for her, too.

Her husband, the love of her life, of
all
her lifetimes yet to come, Bas, the big strong, ridiculously loving vampire, sitting there holding their daughter, Cairine, who was holding a squirming puppy.  Cairine, the most spectacular, often frustrating, child she’d ever known, a ginger-haired doll of perfection.  The frustration came from the fact that, as the newest generation of first-bloods, the child was already, in many ways, at only two years of age, smarter and more powerful than her mother.  

Koen, her father,
was one of the biggest vampires she’d ever known, and although volatile, and powerful, he would defend those he loved violently from any threat.  He sat quietly beside his beautiful mate, a hard-won love that he had nearly lost to her human frailties.  It would have destroyed him, but now he shined with love that reminded Park, although love might take time to come, it will come.

Eillia, Park’s soul sister, as close to family as anyone ever could be without blood ties, came into the room with her mate and
the second first blood child in their household, a precocious boy that had transformed their lives.  Caedmon had touched the fractured mind of the damaged and lost Tamesine, even while still in Eillia’s womb.  That he’d been able to reach out and touch Tamesine’s broken lifeforce before he was even born, told Park how powerful he would be someday. 

His
existence made Tamesine want to be whole and well again.  A good thing, since, without him, the vampire community might have had to destroy Tamesine. Park believed Tamesine was, without fail, the most powerful vampire known, and they couldn’t have a mentally unstable force of that nature left alive and uncontrolled.

Tamesine sat silently, her hands folded on the tabletop, and waited for Park to begin to speak.  Park watched her for a few moments.  Although she was healing, Tamesine had a long way to go, and it made Park s
ad to see her expression of grief and sorrow so often.

David and Cherise were there, holding each other, as they usually were, another couple who’d found each other against all the odds. 

Xavier kept his eyes on Tamesine.  Her beauty fascinated him, and Park thought her mental issues might as well, but he was doomed to be disappointed.  Park hadn’t seen Tamesine even notice his existence.

And finally, the dark and stunning Ahmose, a first blood, but from an entirely different group of first bloods.
  His tribe was new to her people, and yet family, too, because he was producing first blood children with a close family friend, sharing parentage between three vampires.  It was unheard of, but it was working, and she herself was the one who created the bizarre family dynamics.

Well, no one on earth understood crazy family dynamics better than Park…that blood alone doesn’t make family.  This was hers, and after only two years here in southern France, she knew she was finally home.

This Lamont, his mission, this SRS, the new serum, threatened them all.

“Hey, everyone, thank you so much for coming here today.
  I know we have other things happening right now, but trust me, this must take priority.  This is perhaps the most serious threat that vampires have ever faced.  So, get comfortable.”

Koen’s blood-bonds brought out trays of snacks and drinks as Park spoke.

“I think all of you are familiar with the research I’ve been doing for the past month.  The serum we took from Lamont’s Brazilian lab, it’s incredibly dangerous because it’s very effective.   Several of us here know what it was like to lose consciousness, and even our strength and abilities.  The man is a demon to have come up with this, but he has, and we must find the formula, and destroy any serum still out there.  This is going to require a concerted effort because so far, after four weeks of searching, Tim cannot find Lamont or his research society.  We’ve raided his office in Paris and destroyed a lab in Germany, where we rescued some supernaturals.   But we have found no evidence that he’s been there recently or that anything relating to the serum was present.  We will continue to search for him, but this poses another problem.”

Park sighed.  “He may still have our abilities.   Ahmose, to catch you up, Lamont drank several ounces each of blood from five of us, and has become something more than human because of it.  He was able to freeze us four weeks ago.  Temporarily, but he managed to do it.  I’ve been doing some work with our blood, infusing it into some tissue samples, and then a few small animals.  Weeks later, the abilities and strength are still intact.  I guess what I’m summarizing is this.  We have to capture
and contain Lamont.  As soon as possible.  Any vials of the serum, or formulas for it, must be confiscated.  We absolutely cannot have anyone out there with the ability to control or contain us.  The danger is unimaginable.  So, we must bring all resources together on this project immediately.”  She paused.  “That’s all.  I wanted us to be here together when I went over this, because we need to begin plans and strategy right now.  We’re in danger, my friends, serious, devastating danger.”

Listening to Park, watching the concern of all of her friends,
Tamesine shivered.  They would need her, she knew it.  But she couldn’t.  She could feel something happening inside of her and she didn’t think she could trust herself.   So many things that made no sense to her…so many things that needed, needed, needed, and she had nothing to give. 
No. Yes. No!
 

It was time to search again, time to go.  But how could she leave the boy?  How could she survive without him? 

No, she could not leave.  They would need her power and she would give it to them gladly.  She would give them all of her, all.  And yet, she felt she was empty and had nothing left to give.  What the hell? 
Was she crazy?

Oh, yes, she was.  That had been verified
.  But it needn’t to have been, she’d known herself for some time.  She just couldn’t fix it.

Tamesine knew she had to go, and she
couldn’t
go.  
Here we go ‘round again
, she thought. 
Chaos.  Out of
control.
 
I’m not me.  Oh, the things I’ve done!  I’m bad, I can’t help those that I love!

EIGHTEEN

It had been a long
two months.  Bryn had been back to America. Twice.  And he’d been to his home country of Scotland, stayed a while, after which he’d visited Xavier in Paris for a few nights of debauched abandonment with some very lovely girls.  Bryn had to admit, the man
knew
how to party.

After returning to
Iceland, Cherise accused him of moping.

“You need to find something to occupy yourself, Bryn.”

“Nay, I’m good.  See, I’ve an entire case of Mars 28-year-old whiskey to kill before winter and I’m off to a good start.”

“No.  You are not lying around her
e drinking while the weather gets nicer, but the damned daylight gets longer.  I have an idea.  I’ve the perfect escape for you.”

Cherise set up travel plans,
and the next day Bryn took off with David for a while to escape the lengthening days.  Bryn hadn’t been to South Africa yet to meet Ahmose’s people, the children of the moon, a group of first blood vampire’s that no one he knew had any idea existed before events last year revealed over forty first bloods in that community.  

Ahmos
e was in the process of producing three first blood children, with Park’s help through insemination, a joyous event that seemed to be part of a prophesy for first bloods and the protection of Mother Earth.  Bryn’s head hurt when he tried to wrap his mind around the importance of what was happening in this first blood community, but he felt the beauty and reverence while he was there with them.  

The visit was fascinating and life-affirming.  Now, back in Iceland,
which was more his home than anywhere these days, he still felt unsettled.  As if there was something he’d left undone, or something he as yet needed to do.

Those bottles of bourbon begged for attention, but he found he wasn’t as interested in them as he used to be.  As the days advanced, Bryn knew what was bothering him.  It took him a while to admit it, but there was no escaping the truth.

He missed her.  The sharp-tongued human woman that knocked him out in bed, that taught him how to make love instead of sex.
He missed her
.

But she’d made it clear that there was no place in her life for a
vampire, and him specifically, in spite of their passionate physical connection.  And that was all it was. 
Right?

Cherise had prepared the entire menu of her little
pâtisserie for dinner tonight.

“I do not like to lose my skills completely,” she explained to the collected group of vampires who had arrived for first meal.  “So, I cook.  I bake.”  She shrugged and smiled as she glanced at the kitchen staff of four blood-bonds who stood behind her. 
“With help.  Dig in, my friends.”

David slapped Bryn on the back.  “You want to come with me tomorrow?  I’m heading to France to
meet with Xavier and catch up on the latest details of Lamont’s society.”

Biting off a huge piece of one of Cherise’s famous cinnamon rolls, Bryn shook his head.  “Nah,” he said, when he could speak again.  “Not up to a visit this soon.  I’ve some things to do tomorrow.”

David stared at his friend.  “Like?”

Bryn took a second enormous bite of the icing-laden sweet, shifting his eyes up to David’s.  “What?”

“Like, what.  What do you have to do tomorrow?”

“I don’t know. 
Things.”

David caught Cherise’s gaze.  She gave him a non-verbal order. 
Leave Bryn alone
.

Nodding, David did exactly as she wanted him to and did not query Bryn again.  Moments later, she came over and put her arms around his neck
, grazed it with a fang.  The fang scored a little streak of blood, so she licked it sensuously and whispered in his ear.  “I’ll take care of Bryn tomorrow.  You, I’ll take care of tonight.”

David twisted out of his chair and shoved Cherise gently against the wall, his fangs out as well. 
“Soon.”

Katerine and her mate Gunnar had just entered and took seats across from David and Cherise’s chairs.

“Get a room, kids,” Katerine said.

The next night, after David had departed for France, Cherise cornered Bryn, who sat in front of their theater-sized HD television with a bottle of bourbon in his hand.

“Would you like a glass?” she asked.

“Nah.
  I’m good with this.  Gonna kill it.”

Stepping in front of him, she lifted the bottle from his hand with a little resistance. 

“Eh?  Whatcha doin’ there,
chérie
?”  Bryn asked, his eyes watery, his speech already slightly slurred.

She pulled up an ottoman and straddled it in front of him, placing the bottle on the floor behind the ottoman.

“Bryn.  Do you know why you’re so miserable?”

It broke her heart that he did and couldn’t admit it
, that he had such confusion and pain in his eyes.  She’d grown to love this man who had been a friend of David’s for centuries, a vampire with a special skill she had never seen in another vampire.

“I’m miserable because
ya stole my hooch.”

Smiling, Cherise took his face in her hands.  And it began.

Bryn had an ability to spread a healing aura around those he touched, or who touched him.  It only happened when his guard was down.  And it was always down with Cherise because of her empathic skills.  And because he loved her like family.

“
Mon frère
, you need to complete yourself.  You need a mate.”

“I never have.  And I’ve been fine for many years, lass.”

“True.  But now, you have met her and you must go to her.”

His eyes watered more as
they locked with Cherise’s, and he stilled.  “I don’t know what ya mean.”

“That is because you refuse to see. Open those big eyes, Bryn.  Lauren.  You did not notice, both of you only saw each other, but when you are with her, both of your auras glow.”

He began to shake his head.  “Nay, ye’re mistaken.  She’s a fine woman, don’t get me wrong, but we’re not meant to be.  Not like you and David.”

“I’m the empath here, buddy.  I see beyond the mundane.  I see your spirits.”

“Even so, even if I did feel something, the lass did not.  She made it clear, she wants a life without vampires.  I can’t blame her.  We’ve cost her dear.”

“Listen to me.  She doesn’t get it any more than you do, because she refuses to see.  Neither of you think you’re ready.  Both of you are running from this.  Bryn, my darling, you must run, yes.  But to her, not
from
her.”

He was silent
and let his eyes drop.  Cherise moved closer and lowered her hands from his face to pick up his. Closing her eyes, she reached into him, sliding past the confusion and regret of a life less than perfectly lived.  He needed a purpose.  He needed a partner.  And now, he knew it.

“I
know where she is.”

Lauren had not told Cherise where she was going.   She’d flown to
London on David’s jet and then left from there.  But she’d had her tracked.  Cherise had not want to lose track of her friend. 

She waited for Bryn’s response.  If he really didn’t want this, his response would indicate it.

Drawing and releasing a deep breath, Bryn spoke.

“Where is she?”

With relief, Cherise smiled.  “She’s in Indonesia.  Sulawesi.  The city of Makassar.  David has the plane.  You’ll have to fly commercial.”