Sins of the Undead Patriot

by A. C. Mason

  “As for the other items, they should be arriving within the next few days. So, Rodeo will have everything you need to put the explosives together.” He stood. “He’ll have the bomb ready for the attempted assassination, and the evidence that will point to Vaihan tomorrow evening.”

  “Perfect.” Every now and then a fed could be good for something. “Devin will pick up the briefcase. And we will arrange for the plant.”

  If Rowley could, he’d make sure he and Devin wouldn’t go down for the crime, otherwise, better Devin take the fall than him. For all anyone knew, Rowley was the figurehead and Devin was the mastermind, since he’d ensured all the documents pointed to exactly that. He had made sure that he wouldn’t sink with this ship. He and Lee-lee could sail off into the sunset as the country rebuilt itself. “Once that is done, we will move everything else into place for the main event. I’ll finally get what my heart desires this Valentine’s Day.” A very dead president, a squashed Bill for Undead Rights, Vaihan framed and Leera back in his arms and his bed.

  “The vice president will take over leadership to stabilize the country, martial law will be enacted–even in Washington–to calm public concerns about chaos. You won’t have much time to get out of the city, but given the resourceful individual you are, I don’t see that being an issue for you.”

  Passage for two out of the city was arranged through the network. Better his people move him and Leera out of the city, not the feds.

  “I’d like one more thing from you before the big day,” Rowley said. “Fail to deliver me this, and our deal is off. I’ll find my own way to get my point across.” With the Fed backed in a corner, he could finally get some really answers.

  “What is the item you want?” Mr. DeGruis crossed his arms.

  “The official investigation files on my mother’s murder.” Rowley drummed the wood surface of his office desk.

  “Those documents are classified, above top secret. Why didn’t you ask for this sooner?” He huffed.

  “How badly does Homeland Security want its puppet to take over?”

  “Understood.” Mr. DeGruis stormed out of the room. Guess he had pressing matters to attend to.

  * * * *

  Rowley took great pleasure in what he was about to set into motion. Who wouldn’t? He finally had the Holy Grail in terms of ruining Vaihan Louchian in Leera’s heart.

  “Why am I here?” Peter paced. “You know I don’t like coming here.”

  “I have information you may find of interest. I thought you better see for yourself.” Rowley pushed the sheet of paper to the other end of his desk.

  “I’m not going to help you lure Leera from Vaihan. She’s a grown woman. I can’t force her do anything she doesn’t want to.” Peter shook his head.

  He’d eat those words, and he couldn’t wait. “I’m disappointed in you, Pete. I have no interest in luring Lee-lee. I’m worried about her well-being, as you should be, given we both know how she gets herself into messes.” He frowned. “Take a look, and you decide if you feel this is something Leera needs to know.”

  Peter stepped to the desk and scanned the sheet. His eyes grew wide, and he took a seat. Had that been the same face Rowley made when he read the information? Was that what alerted Devin to the gravity of the data?

  “You bastard!” Peter jumped to his feet.

  And so, he forced Pete to deliver the news to Leera. But she wouldn’t listen to Rowley because of what happened with Gunari. “Me? Leera is hooked on z-luv. Vaihan arranged for his doctor friend to inject the toxin into her. I can’t even imagine how the creature is able to lie with her, knowing it killed her husband.”

  “She won’t come back to you, even with this.” He buttoned up his jacket.

  Peter didn’t get his and Lee-lee’s kinship. No one really did. It wasn’t a healthy relationship, but one neither of them could avoid.

  “Perhaps not. But her safety is more important to me than her approval of my actions.” Where else would she go? With Peter, Leera would always have to wonder, if she got too hard to manage, would he lock her up like their father had done with their mother?

  “Whatever.” Peter rose, stormed to the door, paused and exited.

  His Lee-lee would be back in his arms and bed in no time.

  Chapter 49

  Embers glowed in the fireplace, as Leera opened her eyes. Not since Christmas morning last year had she been this happy. Jean had whisked her to the Jerome Hotel in Aspen for a romantic getaway. Just the two of them. More time was spent in bed than hitting the slopes.

  For the first time in a nearly a year, she wanted the tranquility of having someone who loved her in her life. When everything was settled, she’d explain to Vaihan the lies and her involvement with Rowley and Devin.

  “You’re awake, beaute.” Vaihan kissed her forehead and pulled her to his body.

  Desire filled her with hunger. The man was a nympho. “Miss me?” A smile spread her lips, which trembled. The yearning for the toxin had yet to vanish, but the cravings diminished between their lovemaking sessions.

  “Yes. But I didn’t want to wake you, as lack of sleep shortens one’s life expectancy, and since you’ve probably slept less than a few hours for the past week, I thought it only reasonable of me to give you some added rest.” He traced along the profile of her face with his index finger.

  Specks of green darkened the outline of his irises. “How thoughtful.” Whatever was going on with him, he appeared less like a handsome Ancient and more like an attractive man by the hour.

  “I even went out and got you more food to make sure you can keep up with me.” His dimple showed, which made warmth and comfort flutter up inside her.

  She still struggled to eat, while he consumed the liquid mix he drank. Raw pig bone, fat, blood, skin, organs and muscle tissue made for a gruesome shake. Just the thought of the smell twisted her stomach into a gazillion knots.

  “You’ve got that look on your face like you won’t eat again.” He kissed between her eyebrows then the bridge of her nose. “Wouldn’t you rather nourish yourself the healthy way?”

  She leaned into his ear. “You mean by swallowing your seed?”

  “You dirty tease. What can I say? I’m a sucker for it.” He sat up. “I won’t have you distract me with offers of sex. I’m going to have to feed you cake and ice cream to fatten you up. You’re a good twenty pounds too light to nourish a baby.” Vaihan was considering the state of her health to carry a child.

  “You’re not against me having a child?”

  “No. Why would I be? I did provide the toxin for you to restore your womb.” Vaihan frowned. “Unfortunately, because of what I am, I don’t think I’m able to provide you the biological second half, but we could get a donor close to as handsome as me. I’ve made us an appointment with Marty for next week. I hope you’re comfortable with that. I assumed time is a factor.”

  “Thank you.” She hugged him.

  “Don’t thank me just yet. I’m not very good with small humans.” He leaned back to meet her gaze. “I have no idea how useful I will be.”

  “I’m sure you’ll do fine.” Would he be there to see the child’s grandchildren? Or were the changes she saw in him going to take away his immortality?

  A car pulled up outside in the roundabout driveway.

  Who could be out there? Her heart raced. Don’t let it be Rowley. The last thing she needed right now was a fight between the two of them. What if Barton had come for her? “Are you expecting someone?”

  Vaihan shook his head. “Put my robe on and go to the kitchen. There is a gun in the first drawer under the oven mitts. The safety is on. Do you know how to unlatch it?”

  When her father became a senator, he’d made them all learn to use a firearm. “I think so.” She hadn’t handled a gun since she was a teenager.

  “Good.” He kissed the top of her head, smiled, got up and walked over to the foyer.

  The car door slammed.

  “Everything is going to
be fine, beaute.” Despite the switch in facial expressions, she could tell he was worried.

  So was she. How many people had he told where he was?

  A knock came.

  Vaihan pulled the door open. Peter stood on the porch, scowling.

  She let out a sigh of trepidation, knowing this wouldn’t be pleasant. Since her niece had been born, she hadn’t had any contact with her brother or his family. In the beginning, she’d expected angry phone calls, but those never came and she’d decided Peter must be secretly happy he didn’t have to deal with her any more. Vaihan had told her he’d contacted Peter to tell him where she was, and her brother had been grateful. So what would cause her brother to make the drive out there? Whatever it was, his silence couldn’t be good.

  Peter pulled back and socked Vaihan in the face.

  “Shit.” She ran over to Vaihan. “What the hell are you doing, Peter?”

  “Something I should have done a long time ago. Now, get dressed. You are coming with me.” He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her from Vaihan.

  “The hell, I am.” Leera yanked her arm back.

  Blood dripped from Vaihan’s nose. No longer as resistant to injury as the rest of his kind, he was far too human.

  “I can’t believe you just walked in here and hit him.” Vaihan had called Peter, which was more than she could say for Rowley.

  “Trust me when I say, he’s lucky that’s all I’ve done to him. He deserves far worse.” He massaged his knuckles.

  “Peter... This isn’t like you.” Her brother didn’t like the undead, obviously, given he was helping Rowley, but he never made public displays of his dislike. Image was everything to the Waltz family. Where was the family code of cover up and pretend when she needed it?

  “He hooked you on the drug and his doctor friend supplied you with more.” He narrowed the look he fixed on Vaihan. “Now get ready. You are coming with me.”

  She was more than a little tired of everyone telling her what she was going to be doing. “No, no, and definitely no. It was my fault the drug got in my system. That first night, Vaihan wanted no part in it. Is that what Rowley has told you? That the doctor supplied me the drug?”

  “It doesn’t matter who told me. It’s true.” His tone rose.

  “You have no idea what you are talking about. The toxin had a positive side effect, shrunk the growths on my uterus. It reversed my abnormality. The doctor agreed to more treatments in hopes that we could reverse the damage far back enough so I may have a child.”

  “The last thing you need is a child, Leera. You can barely take care of yourself. Now get dressed. You are coming with me.” Their father’s self-righteous indignation saturated his every word.

  If he said that one more time, she would scream.

  “That was uncalled for.” Vaihan gathered her near him, as though he sensed her hurt. “If she doesn’t want to go, she doesn’t have to.”

  “Stay out of this.” Peter jabbed his finger at Vaihan with anger. “You’ve done enough damage to my sister.”

  What was it going to take to get through to him? “What are you talking about? Have you not heard anything I just told you? Vaihan has been helping me. I’m not going.”

  “I’m not going to argue with you, Leera Samantha Waltz. Get dressed this instant!” Father’s tone all over again.

  “Go home, Peter. Meg and Bethany need you. I don’t.” She wrapped her arms around Vaihan’s chest.

  “I think Leera has made herself clear, don’t you?” Vaihan rubbed her back.

  “Is that what you think?” He turned to Vaihan. “Are you going to tell her or should I?”

  Vaihan jerked his head back, eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure I follow.”

  Tension hardened the lines of her brother’s face. “About the accident.”

  “What accident?” Leera moved closer.

  Vaihan crossed his arms. “Is this how you want her to find out?”

  “What choice do I have?” He rubbed his temple. “I was happy to take her home with me, tell her myself, which would have relieved the burden from you. But you wouldn’t let her go, and she won’t listen to me.”

  “I see,” Vaihan said in a low tone, and gestured to the sofa. “Leera, please sit down.”

  What on earth could this be about? “Tell me what’s going on?” She sat down.

  “There is no easy way to put this.” He took a seat across from her and gathered her hands into his.

  “You know you can tell me anything.” Didn’t he know that, after what they had been through? He’d been able to forgive her, and she would show him the same strength and courage. It was the only hope she had, if she expected him to forgive her for the lies she’d told, covering up for what Barton had her doing.

  “The roads were bad that night. I was driving extra slow. One moment the road was clear, and the next, a man was right in front of me. I hit the brakes, but he slid under and the wheel crushed his chest. I called 911, but I was on official government duty. Military contract. I couldn’t stay, and the accident was written up as a hit and run. I’m so very sorry, Leera.”

  “That isn’t possible.” She jerked to her feet. “Tell me you are lying, and I will believe you. Tell me that Peter wants this to be true to keep us apart. Tell me you didn’t know. Tell me you didn’t keep this from me.” She grabbed him. “Say something.”

  “I was going to tell you. I swear, I was, but in the car, you told me you didn’t want to know.” He stood and reached for her. “Even still, when you came back into my life, I intended to tell you. You were so happy, I couldn’t bring myself to relieve my guilt by telling you. I love you.”

  She shook her head and stepped back. “That isn’t possible, not if you kept this from me.” She ran to the bedroom. Everything between them was a lie. Always had been.

  His footsteps hurried behind her, then Vaihan caught up to her and gathered her to his chest. “What are you doing?”

  “I have to go, right now.” She shoved him.

  “Leera, we need to talk this out.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “It was a mistake not to tell you when I realized. I thought I was doing what you wanted, but maybe I was too afraid of losing you again. “

  She spun toward him and pointed. “How long have you known?”

  “Since we went to the lab. I saw your medical file as we were leaving, and the name of the man from the accident was crossed out as your next of kin.”

  She shoved him hard. “And you let me perform for you like some circus freak so you could get off?” She grabbed his shirt and shook him. “Why contact my lawyer and push the matter of getting hold of me? Evidently, once you found me it wasn’t that important to share Jean’s dying words. Or did you forget? Maybe you realized, as I suspected, it was all about relieving your own guilt. You bastard.”

  “That’s why I questioned you about how you felt in regards to the driver. I wanted to find out why you didn’t want to know what Jean said. Maybe I was being selfish, but I was pushing his widow, because I thought she had a right to know what her husband said as he died. When you told me you wanted the driver to leave you alone, I wanted to respect that. I intended to respect your wishes and leave you alone. Then I got the call from Errol and I couldn’t leave you there to let some undead use you.”

  “I wish you had.” She shoved him, grabbed sweatpants and a t-shirt from the closet and pulled on the garments. Conversation over. There was nothing for them to talk about. For a moment, she’d thought she felt something for him, but all that was gone. Inside was empty again, or at least, it would be soon.

  “Leera, please, don’t leave like this.” He reached for her. “I can’t imagine what you are feeling, but I can make this right between us.”

  “There is no us.” She ran to the kitchen, opened the drawer and pulled the gun from under the oven mitts.

  “Shit.” Peter moved toward her. “Leera, give me the gun.” He extended his hand.

  “Isn’t this what all of you wanted? Me
, flying off the handle with an emotional breakdown?” Her entire body trembled. What did she feel? Anger or pain. Did it matter?

  “You think I want this? I’ve only ever wanted your happiness. Mostly, for my own selfish reason, so I don’t have to take care of you anymore.” Peter shuffled closer.

  Another lecture about her mother was on the horizon. Excuse her, if she just didn’t want to listen to one more! “Unlike Mom, though, I wouldn’t kill myself. I would have offed Dad.”

  Vaihan had crept his way next to her, while Peter distracted her.

  Leera released the safety and pointed the gun at his heart.

  “You aren’t going to shoot me.” He covered her hand with his.

  “I want you to see how it feels to have a gaping hole in your heart too, and yet you can’t bring yourself to feel the pain.” She pulled the trigger.

  The gun clicked.

  “Leera...” Vaihan’s eyes widened with pain. “I keep the first chamber empty in case a burglar got hold of the gun.” He wedged his finger between the trigger and the gunmetal. “Getting shot hurts like hell.”

  She released the firearm. Despite his good humor, she and Vaihan knew she intended to kill him.

  “What the hell were you thinking? Just because he can’t die, doesn’t mean you wouldn’t have gone to jail if it went off.” Peter gathered her up. “If you decide to press charges, before you do, call me and I’ll make sure she turns herself in.”

  “Don’t worry, she won’t see me again. Unless, she contacts me. But given what just occurred, I’d say that’s a very low probability.”

  “I don’t have shoes.”

  Peter guided her to the door. “I’ll give you a piggyback ride like when we were kids.”

  Her brother hadn’t done that in years. When they reached the door, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her leg on each side of his waist and then opened the door. He let her down on the passenger seat of the car and got in.