Flames of Redemption

by Jamie A. Waters

  Sergei stood up. “I still love her, Nikolai. I am not leaving her again.”

  “We all love her!” Nikolai shouted. “The only difference is that she loved you best, and you fucking left her. Fix it. Now.” He turned and stormed out the same way Yuri had gone.

  Sergei sighed. His time had run out. It wasn't ideal, but he didn't have much of a choice.

  Sergei walked over to her bedroom door and hesitated. If he walked in, she'd likely throw a knife at him. Maybe more than one if her temper was hot enough. If he knocked, she'd probably ignore it. He lifted his hand, deciding to try the more conventional method first.

  “Valentina? May I come in?” he asked through the door.

  There was no response.

  He pressed his back against the wall and reached over to push open the door, waiting for an attack that never came. A muffled sob sounded from her bed. His heart dropped into his stomach, and he rushed into the room to find her curled up on her side, clutching her pillow.

  “Valechka,” he murmured, crawling onto her bed and pulling her into his arms. “Shh. Please do not cry.”

  She turned her head against his chest and curled her hand into his shirt. He ran his hand over the silky softness of her hair, completely at a loss. He'd dealt with weeping women in the past, but Valentina was stronger than anyone he'd ever known. She was proof that women weren't the weaker sex, just the prettier one. He didn't know if her tears wounded him so deeply because it contrasted with her strength or if it was because of his feelings for her.

  “What can I do to fix this, little dove?”

  “I am not your little dove anymore,” she grumbled against his chest.

  He smiled, continuing to stroke her hair. “You have always been my little dove.”

  She sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Go away, Sergei. I do not want you here.”

  He reached over to brush his hand against her cheek. “If you wish me to leave, I will go into the other room, but I am not leaving you again, Valechka. If you wish me to abandon my post at OmniLab to remain here with you, I will do so. If you wish to join me in the towers, I will make it happen.”

  “I do not want your promises,” she said, pulling away from him.

  “You have them anyway. I love you, Valechka.”

  “Do not say such things,” she snapped, turning away and climbing off the bed.

  “I will keep saying them until you believe me,” he replied, standing and taking a cautious step toward her.

  “Do not come near me, Sergei. I mean it,” she threatened.

  He ignored her and took another step in her direction. If he couldn't reach beneath the walls she'd built, she'd never allow him close enough again to try. “I have loved you since we were teenagers, Valechka. I love your insatiable curiosity and tendency to always get into mischief.”

  “Stop it,” she ordered.

  “I love your passion, your loyalty, and even your stubbornness,” he said, advancing another couple of steps. “You are fearless, strong, and the most beautiful woman I have ever known.”

  “Stop saying these things!” she yelled.

  “No,” he told her, inches away from her and knowing she was about to snap. “I will always love you, and I know you still love me.”

  With an anguished cry, she withdrew a dagger and brought it down toward him. He grabbed her wrist, yanking it to him, and pressed the blade against his chest over his heart.

  “Do it,” he taunted. “It will change nothing. I will still love you until my last breath.”

  She gasped and opened her hand, allowing the blade to drop harmlessly onto the floor. Her eyes grew haunted, and she pulled away. “Why are you doing this?”

  “I hurt you,” he acknowledged. “I promised you once before that I would always be here for you, and I broke your trust. I understand why you don't want to believe me now.”

  She backed away from him again. “Please, stop. Don't do this to me, Sergei.”

  He continued to advance slowly, refusing to retreat. “I love you. I will keep proving it to you until my last breath.”

  Valentina continued to back up until she was pressed against the wall. Her eyes were wild, their stark panic wounding him even more. “Stop saying that! I cannot give you what you want!”

  “You can,” he urged, cornering her until there was nowhere else for her to run. “Say it, Valentina.”

  Sobbing into her hands, she dropped to her knees. “I do. I still love you, Seryozha. I've always loved you. But it hurts. It hurts so much. I don't want to love you anymore.”

  With a relieved sigh, Sergei dropped down beside her. He wrapped his arms around her once more, and she buried her face against his shirt, tears streaming down her face. He threaded his fingers through her hair and said, “I know, little dove. That's my fault. I broke your wings when I left you.”

  She continued to cry, and he murmured quiet reassurances against her hair. Her pain was heart-wrenching, and he was furious at Nikolai and Yuri for forcing him to push her to this point. None of this was necessary. He'd hurt her enough. If he thought he could survive without her, he would have done as Yuri wanted and left again. But the past three years had been empty without her in it. After having a taste of her again over the past few days, he couldn't go back. He needed her in his life. He always had.

  Valentina sniffed and wiped away her tears, looking up at him with eyes that were more green than blue from her tears. He stroked her cheek, brushing away strands of chestnut hair that had escaped from her ponytail. He hadn't been lying to her. She was extraordinarily beautiful, and without doubt, the most sensual woman he'd ever known. But it was her passion for life, her mischievous and curious nature, and the tender heart she guarded so carefully that had made him fall so deeply in love with her.

  In a voice that was quiet and unsure, she asked, “Why do you keep pushing me?”

  Sergei pressed a gentle kiss against her lips. He wanted to erase all traces of sadness and uncertainty from her face, but that would take time. As it was, he needed to tread carefully or she would pull away from him even more.

  “I ran out of time. I'm sorry I pushed you, but I needed you to admit how you still felt about me. You don't open up easily, Valechka. It was the only way I could get you to lower your guard and talk to me.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean you ran out of time?”

  “Nikolai and Yuri are worried you may turn away from them,” Sergei admitted, drawing her closer. She leaned against him, and he tightened his arms around her. She'd always felt so right in his arms, as though she'd been made for him. “Nikolai told me to fix things with you or leave his camp. I was worried if he forced me out, it would be even more difficult to convince you. I don't want to live my life without you in it, Valechka.”

  Valentina placed her hand directly over his heart and whispered, “I don't think I could truly kill you, not even if I were ordered. You have always been my weakness, Seryozha.”

  Hope surged within him, and his mouth curved upward. “I'm glad to hear it. You had me worried a few times.”

  A small smile played upon her lips, that mischievous glint entering her eyes once more. She moved her hand to the shoulder still covered by a bandage where she'd stabbed him. “I don't have a problem hurting you, though, especially when you are annoying.”

  Sergei wrapped his hand around her wrist and lifted her hand to brush a kiss against it. Her eyes softened at the gesture, and he said, “You could hurt me easily without weapons. You are the only one who has ever possessed that power.”

  She frowned. “Did you mean what you said about abandoning your post?”

  “Yes,” Sergei said immediately. He'd put duty first for too long, and he was determined to correct his mistake. He wanted his family back, no matter the cost. “If you wish me to remain here, I will turn over my position to someone else. I don't care where I am, so long as you are by my side.”

  “You enjoy commanding,” she said, searching his expression. “I th
ink too much has changed between all of us to fall back into old patterns. How can you think to share control with Nikolai and Yuri when you've been on your own for so long?”

  “We were a family once,” he reminded her gently. “And you have always been the heart of our family. We can find a common ground again. None of us are willing to lose you.”

  Valentina rested her head against his chest once more, lacing her fingers with his. Sergei knew she was still wary, but at least he was one step closer. He inhaled deeply, the subtle scent of her hair and skin teasing his nose like an intoxicating perfume. She always smelled of spices and something sweet, like the cookies she loved.

  He placed a kiss against her hair. “Do you remember when we were still in training and you convinced Yuri to help break into the storeroom to get into the cookies? I believe you called it a 'training exercise'.”

  She smiled at the memory and nodded. “You helped me convince him. Nikolai didn't want any part of our scheming.”

  He chuckled. “Nikolai has always been a righteous bastard. He would have covered for us, though, if we had gotten caught.”

  “He would have,” she agreed, glancing up at him again. “Why did you bring that up now?”

  “We were taught to work together as a unit,” he explained, determined to convince her they could make this work between them. “We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. Nikolai has always been the politician and negotiator. Yuri and I are more suited to strategy and tactics, doing whatever needs to be done to accomplish our goals. You, my dear Valechka, are a chameleon. You work in the shadows, taking on whatever role is necessary and helping all of us blend in. Without you, our group does not work.”

  “All of the parts are necessary to form a whole,” she argued with a frown.

  “To an extent, yes,” he agreed. “But I believe the success of our unit is the reason our leaders have tried to select similar group dynamics to make up other units. What they failed to understand is that we are more than a unit. Your love turned us into a family, and that made us stronger.”

  Valentina fell silent for a long moment. “What if Regina was part of a similar unit?”

  “What?”

  She sat up a little straighter. “None of us suspected Regina, and we know she was working with others. What if she was part of a similar unit? She didn't have my exact same skillset, but we had a few similarities in our ability to blend in and avoid suspicion.”

  Sergei paused, surprised by the unexpected turn in the conversation. “That wasn't exactly where I was going with this, but you could be right. The two speeders we found may belong to soldiers, more like myself and Yuri. Which means there is at least a third person involved we don't know about.”

  “Someone with similar traits to Nikolai,” she mused. “A politician or someone else making decisions. Regina was not a planner. She would have followed someone's orders.”

  “You are a planner,” he reminded her, playing devil's advocate. “But I see your point. Trying to attack Nikolai was foolish and desperate. Regina should have known he was more than he appeared. Anyone in this camp would have, if they paid close enough attention. If Regina had been under orders to kill him, she may have attempted it without arguing the point.”

  “Unless the order was also a way to clean up loose ends,” Valentina said with a frown. “The chances of the shooters surviving the ambush were slim. I had wondered about that. They had no way of knowing we would use the electrical wind pulses to cover their escape. What if someone sent Regina after Nikolai knowing she wouldn't be successful?”

  Valentina stood and began to pace. Sergei couldn't help but grin. She was magnificent when she got like this. Determination and confidence emanated from her, and there was no mistaking her intelligence and drive. Too many people viewed her as little more than a decorative trophy. He was continuously amazed by her ability to transform into whatever role she wanted to play. Few people had the opportunity to see the real Valentina, and for those who did, well, it was usually the last thing they saw.

  Sergei got to his feet, continuing to watch her. Her movements were brisk, but there was an underlying sensual grace to them that tempted him into trying to seduce her again. There was no way to know if she'd attack him if he tried, but her unpredictability always made things more interesting. Right now, he was definitely a fan of interesting.

  Valentina paused and arched an eyebrow at him, her expression wary. His grin deepened, and he prowled toward her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. “You are irresistible when you get like this.”

  She huffed in exasperation. “We can play later. There are people to hunt.”

  He bent down, nuzzling her neck, and felt her tremble in his arms. Her neck had always been so sensitive. He nibbled on her earlobe and whispered, “We can make it quick, Valechka.”

  “I do not believe you,” she retorted but tilted her head, giving him better access to kiss along her neck.

  He slid a hand under her shirt and against her flat stomach, caressing the softness of her skin. Sergei heard her sharp intake of breath, and he smiled against her skin. He'd never get enough of this woman. Reaching down to unhook her belt, he said, “I am willing to try.”

  “You're a lousy liar,” she whispered, running her hands up his chest and winding them around his neck.

  “Only with you,” he agreed, bending to claim her lips with his, intent on making her his all over again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Valentina was sprawled on her stomach, her body deliciously sated. As she suspected, Sergei was a lousy liar. He was propped up on his arm looking down at her, his expression a little too smug. Once she managed to work up enough energy, she'd have to find a creative way to wipe that smirk off his face.

  He ran his hand down her naked back. “There is something to be said for taking your time.” She made a small noise of agreement. He chuckled and added, “You are quite agreeable when you are relaxed. I rather enjoy it.”

  “Keep talking,” she murmured. “I will make you pay for it later.”

  He laughed, bending down to kiss her temple. “I rather enjoy that side of you too.”

  Despite herself, her mouth curved in a smile.

  Someone pounded on the door, and she groaned, burying her face in her pillow.

  “Who the fuck is that?”

  “Yuri,” she mumbled into her pillow. “He will keep banging until I come out.”

  “He can wait,” Sergei said and kissed her shoulder. “I'm not finished with you yet.”

  Yuri kept pounding and called out, “Do not make me come in there and drag you out.”

  “If you wish to die, be my guest,” Sergei shouted back and pushed off the bed. He grabbed his pants and began pulling them on.

  “Great,” she muttered. “You had to issue a challenge.”

  Before Sergei could respond, the door flung open. There was a brief pause and then Yuri said, “I will be happy to escort Sergei out of our camp if you are finished playing with him, Valya.”

  “I think Yuri has gotten more irritating over the years,” Sergei stated casually, still fastening his pants. “Why haven't you killed him yet?”

  Valentina yawned. All three of them had been walking in on her often enough over the years that it no longer phased her. She stretched, guessing it was time for her to get up and let them work out their issues. “Do what you wish, but do not get blood on my floor.”

  She climbed out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. The sound of a crash echoed from her room, but she ignored it and climbed into the small shower enclosure. Even though their water was recycled, distribution was timed to minimize resource consumption. She started lathering soap, holding off on pressing the button to activate the water while her thoughts drifted back to Regina again.

  Yuri had probably already started tracing Regina's correspondences and known associates. Most likely, Regina would have hidden her tracks, or her accomplice would have done so. Yuri was good, but Sergei
was better with network security and electronics. Maybe she should ask him to take another look.

  In the meantime, she wanted to approach things from a different direction, perhaps by identifying those who had the most to gain by taking Nikolai out of commission. It was possible they were targeting her directly in conjunction with an investigation, but it was much more likely that discrediting Nikolai was their ultimate goal.

  Nikolai was one of more than a dozen chairpersons who comprised their leadership. He wasn't even close to being one of the most powerful, but that was largely due to his lack of experience. He was still fairly new to his position, but he garnered more allies and additional influence in their political arena every day.

  There needed to be some benefit in eliminating Nikolai, either politically or from a personal standpoint. Otherwise, it didn't make sense. The trick would be narrowing down the list of suspects.

  She could put together a list of possibilities, but sometimes plans could take years to come to fruition. If this was part of a long-term plan, it might be harder to detect the culprits. She wasn't willing to wait around, not when Nikolai's life was at stake. If each of them worked different angles simultaneously, something had to shake loose.

  Valentina pressed the button, enjoying the relaxing sensation of the water cascading over her skin. That was one thing she'd enjoyed about her time in the towers: they had exceptional showers. Lifting her head to let the water rinse away the soap, she started considering who would be at the top of her list of suspects.

  Another loud crash interrupted her thoughts, and she scowled. If the two idiots didn't kill each other, she might have to take matters into her own hands and do it for them. She shut off the water before her time expired and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around herself before heading back into the bedroom.

  Her trunk had been knocked over, along with a chair. The small table she frequently used while working had been destroyed. Yuri and Sergei were rolling around on the floor, taking swings at each other. Yuri's shirt was torn, and Sergei was completely bare-chested. She paused for a moment to appreciate the view and then stepped over them to grab some clothing from her toppled trunk. Some things never changed.