Chapter 3
Samantha woke feeling refreshed. She’d had another dream about her mother. They came every couple of months and she cherished the moments when she had them. She knew she wasn’t actually speaking to her mom, but it felt so real that Samantha figured it was some kind of therapy her subconscious treated her to.
“You slept late.”
Gasping, she looked over at Liam. “How long have you been in my room?” It came out more harshly than she’d intended and she cleared her throat.
The boy’s green eyes looked bright against his dark skin. “Not long. I could tell you were going to wake up soon, so I thought I’d bring you your Christmas present.”
Now I feel really bad for snapping at him. “But, Liam, Christmas is more than a week away.”
“You know what they say about early worms.”
Smiling, she said gently, “Do you mean it’s the early bird that catches the worm?
Green eyes sparking, Liam threw her an amused glance. “Potato, tomato. Besides,” he nodded to the tray in his hands, “I felt like giving it to you now.”
Samantha hadn’t noticed it until now, but he was holding a large tray full of her favorite breakfast foods. “You made me crepes,” she exclaimed, sitting up straight.
“I also mixed Nutella and cream cheese to fill them with. I know how much you love that.”
Salivating, she smiled. “That’s so sweet, Liam! Thank you.”
In response, he walked forward and placed the tray on top of her lap. Steam rose from the mug of hot chocolate, and the combined smells of crepes, chocolate, and fresh fruit was enough to prompt Samantha to pick up her fork and dig in.
The crepes were golden brown, and the Nutella mixture burst onto her tongue. “Hmm. This is amazing, Liam.” She took another bite. “Are you hoping that I’ll give you your present early, too?”
That brought forth a rare chuckle from the boy. “No, I was just trying to be nice. No strings attached. Promise.”
She giggled as she ate some more.
Liam sat on the bed next to her. “You should try the hot chocolate before it cools down. I hope you like it.”
Taking his suggestion, Samantha wrapped her fingers around the heated mug. She normally didn’t like hot beverages when the weather was so warm, but it was nice to have in bed. A small sip told her it was at the perfect temperature.
“This is really rich.” She drank some more. It was the European style of hot chocolate—her favorite. There were other spices mixed in that brought out the flavor wonderfully. And there was something else. She couldn’t tell what it was, but it was adding more depth to the chocolate in a way she’d never tasted before.
“You should open your own restaurant when you grow up,” she murmured when she was almost done.
Glancing at her with his black hair hanging over his forehead, Liam smiled softly but didn’t comment. “Would you like to hear a story about a woman from long ago?”
She blinked at the change in subject. “Sure.”
“Iliana was born in a small village and grew up happy in her sheltered life. Until one day, she met a man.” Liam’s gaze pierced her, as if this story was very important to him.
“Was it love at first sight?” she joked, hoping to lighten the mood.
Liam stared at her, as if considering her question with all seriousness. “I think it was probably more fascination than love. After all, he was a god from a different world. She just didn’t know it at the time.”
Samantha swallowed her last mouthful. “This story doesn’t sound like it’s from one of your mythology books.”
“Actually, I knew this story before I was born into this world, but I’ve done some research from your history to see how it goes from her perspective.” He took the empty tray from her lap. “Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find much. So I must assume that what we were told is correct.”
“Whoa.” She put her hands up. “Back up for a second. Are you saying that you remember a time before you were born?”
“Yes. I come from the same world that the demon that you call Ptah came from.”
It took a few seconds for her to process the information. When it hit, Samantha felt her stomach flutter. “Does Leisha know about this?”
He shook his head. “I haven’t told her, but I’m pretty sure that she suspects something like that anyway.”
“Can’t you just read her mind?”
“No, those kinds of thoughts aren’t on a conscious level, so I can’t listen to them.”
Samantha mulled that over before getting back to what he was trying to tell her. “So how do you know this story? From what you’ve said, it sounds like you’re talking about a woman from this world, right?”
“Correct. But there are guardians that protect the laws of nature. When they tracked down this god that she fell in love with, he was forced back into our world and told others of what happened, including Ptah.”
Her heart accelerated at this new information. “What’s so important about this woman you’re talking about?”
He leaned back on his hands, looking like a typical ten-year-old boy lounging lazily. “You’ll connect the dots soon enough.”
He’s definitely not a typical boy. “That sure sounds ominous.”
Wry amusement touched his lips. “You know me—as far from a typical boy as possible.”
Samantha touched his arm. “And that’s why I love you so much.”
His cheeks darkened and a dimple appeared when Liam tried to contain a smile. “You better be careful of that power you hold.”
Laughing, Samantha sat back on her pillows. “I’m not the one who can read minds around here.”
Once again, Liam was solemn. “But you have visions of the future.”
“So?”
“So,” Liam drew out. “Since you have a paranormal ability, paranormal creatures are drawn to you. It’s why some vampires and immortals are able to accept and like you so quickly.”
Maybe Nik was never in love with me, just drawn to my power on a subconscious level. That was not a happy thought and Samantha could feel herself revisiting the depression she had when Nik left.
“He has genuine feelings for you. You don’t need to worry about that.”
She glanced at Liam, wishing he hadn’t heard her thoughts. “You mean had feelings for me; it’s in the past now.”
Liam grabbed her hand in a tight grip. His eyes bored into hers. Samantha thought he was going to tell her something had happened to Nik. “There’s going to be a time when I’ll ask you for a favor.”
Samantha mentally changed gears to follow his change of subject. “Of course, Liam. I’ll do anything for you.”
Releasing her hand, Liam stared at the wall. “This will be difficult for you, but I know you can do it.” He glanced down to her. “You’re the only one that can. I need your help.”
Her brows drew together. “What do you need me to do?”
“Don’t worry. It’s not time yet.” Before she could say anything else, he stood and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “Merry Christmas, Samantha.”
“Merry Christmas, to you, too Liam.” She watched him curiously. “Thanks for the breakfast.”
When he took the tray and left, Samantha finally climbed out of bed, shook off negative thoughts, and got ready for the day. While Liam had shaken her a bit, she knew him well enough that she wasn’t going to press him or try to worry about his vague words. She didn’t bother to shower since Leisha would be helping her with self-defense training in an hour.
Samantha had gotten pretty decent at fighting. Being a human servant gave her extra strength and speed, and she’d picked up a lot of Leisha’s knowledge of techniques. Unfortunately, Samantha still didn’t feel too confident when it came to defending herself against vampires. She’d never be able to match their
agility.
She pulled her blonde hair up in a tight ponytail. Looking at her reflection, she noticed that her chestnut colored roots were starting to come in. She’d need to redo her dye job soon.
A Christmas tune popped into her head and she began to hum it as she went down the stairs. Liam’s thoughtful gift helped boost her spirits.
The song died in her throat when Samantha entered the kitchen. At first, she thought she was hallucinating. But after blinking several times, she couldn’t deny that Nik really sat at the dining room table. He was wearing dark jeans tailored perfectly to his body and an avocado colored shirt that made the green in his eyes more prominent.
Prickles of heat snuck along her spine, but Samantha forced herself to be casual as she leaned against the wooden doorjamb. “Nik.” Her voice quavered slightly. Mustering up confidence she didn’t feel, she continued. “When did you get here?”
Nik’s hazel eyes took in her appearance from head to toe, his gaze lingering over her snug blue yoga pants. Samantha felt herself blushing. Her hips had gotten wider with maturity and she wondered if that’s what he was noticing.
“Last night. I must have arrived after you fell asleep,” he answered.
She huffed and turned around to go into a different room. Of course, he’d have known when she was awake and asleep from his vampire hearing. He probably waited until she fell asleep before coming inside. But that doesn’t matter. I don’t care about him anymore.
As if to prove her point, Samantha slowed her steps and took a deep breath. When she let it out, she forced the tension to leave her body. As she relaxed, Samantha realized she didn’t know why Nik was there in the first place.
“Leisha,” she called out as she ran up the stairs and down the hallway to the vampire’s bedroom. Leisha was practicing her tai chi and deep in concentration, but Samantha didn’t care.
“Would you please explain to me what’s going on?”
Her friend’s expression changed to slightly irritated, but she continued to flow from one movement to the other with a fluid grace that only a two thousand-year-old vampire could acquire. The bedroom was devoid of furniture besides the bed, leaving plenty of space for Leisha to move about on the hardwood floor. “I’m almost finished here and then we can move on to your next martial arts session.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it!”
Leisha let her arms drop and she straightened from her lunge. “Yes, I know. But I honestly can’t tell you much of why Nikita is here, save that Liam invited him.”
Samantha’s brows drew together. “Did Liam say why?”
“Not really. He just said that he had a feeling we would need him around.”
All the food from breakfast suddenly felt heavy in her gut. “Do we need to uproot? Have we been found again?”
Leisha shrugged. “If they had, you can bet they’d have attacked by now.”
A mixture of uncertain emotions tightened around her heart. “Maybe we should move anyway. You know, just to be safe.”
“That occurred to me,” Leisha said. “But I think we need to move with caution. I wonder if a sudden upheaval would bring unwanted attention to us.”
Samantha chewed on her lower lip. “So what are you saying?”
Huffing out a breath, Leisha leaned back against the mulberry colored wall. “I guess I’m saying that I’m still considering our options.”
Accepting that things would probably be changing in the near future, Samantha decided to follow Leisha’s example and try to play it cool until it was time to go. She forced down the anxiety building inside her and focused on her friend’s tranquil movements as Leisha continued her morning exercise.
When the vampire was finished with her tai chi, they walked into the living room so that there would be more space. It was large enough to take up the majority of the main floor with minimal furnishings. They rolled up the Oriental rug, and Leisha leaned it against the wall where it would be out of the way.
“There’s not much else to teach you,” Leisha stated as they went through their warm up. “So now comes the time for practice. Today let’s spar and see how you do.”
Samantha nodded and moved into her fighting stance, waiting for Leisha to make the first move. Leisha yelled a warrior’s cry as she attacked. Samantha had finally learned not to let the fierce screaming intimidate her. She held her position until the vampire was almost on her, then she blocked the blow and lunged aside, narrowly avoiding Leisha’s follow-up kick.
Her friend nodded approval before attacking again. This time, the vampire hit Samantha’s temple, but she went with the motion and spun, bringing her leg up into a hook kick, aiming for the back of her opponent’s head. Leisha pulled to the side before Samantha could make contact. As she brought her foot back down, Samantha ducked into a squat and did an upper-cut punch into Leisha’s gut, this time hitting her target. Leisha huffed out what sounded like a painful rush of air. Samantha blinked in surprise. It felt as if she’d just had a vitamin B shot. What did Liam put in my breakfast?
“Good,” Leisha smiled as she rubbed her stomach. “It feels like your punches are getting stronger. Why don’t you attack me now?”
Time went by in a blur as they continued. Salty sweat permeated the air making the room feel stuffy. Samantha laid into Leisha a few times, but she knew that the vampire was slowing her responses to let Samantha accomplish this. The only sounds to be heard was Samantha’s labored breathing and the slap of fist against flesh when one of them hit their target. Leisha’s upper lip blossomed in red sweat.
At one point, Samantha knocked Leisha onto her back and jumped so she could bring her heel down into Leisha’s head. Just as she was bringing her foot down, Samantha saw Nik watching from the corner of her eye. Her focus snapped to him and she didn’t notice that Leisha had dodged until Samantha’s foot came crashing into the hardwood floor.
Pain shot up into her hip and Samantha’s face flamed to think Nik saw her clumsiness. Pressing her lips to keep from gasping at the pulsing ache, Samantha did her best not to limp as she walked over and grabbed her towel to wipe off the sweat from the back of her neck.
Leisha joined her. The vampire always used paper towels to wipe off her sweat, since it was bloody. The red smears quickly absorbed into the paper, getting larger with each pat Leisha made. “You did pretty well for a long spar like that. It’s good to see you’ve built up your endurance.”
Samantha knew Leisha was complimenting her, but with Nik there, it felt condescending. “Thanks,” she murmured, not looking anyone in the eyes.
“Yes,” Nik said. “I’m impressed with how much progress you’ve made over the last few years.”
Forcing a smile, Samantha nodded in his direction. Trying to look casual, she left the room and went upstairs to shower and change. She already had a bag packed that she could grab in emergencies, but decided to pack another one and include the gifts she’d bought for Leisha and Liam. I will not feel bad that I don’t have a gift for Nik. Hopefully, he won’t even be around next week. But she had a sneaking suspicion that she was giving herself false hope.
Chapter 4
After showering and dressing, Leisha decided the best course would be for them to move. She was headed toward the stairs to talk to Samantha about it when the doorbell rang. It was their neighbor, Katie. She could detect the overpowering scent of her coconut shampoo before she even got close to opening the door.
Sighing at the inconvenience, she plastered a welcoming smile on her face and opened the door. The older-looking woman was holding a plate of treats. “These are Scotcharoos,” she said by way of salutation. “I made a double batch so I could bring some over to my favorite friends on the street!”
“That’s too generous,” Leisha said in an Australian accent. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Whenever Katie came over bearing gifts, it meant she wanted to sit and
gossip for a while. Leisha usually indulged her to be a nice neighbor and not draw any negative attention, but she tolerated these little visits at best. “I don’t have much time right now for socializing. I’m helping my son with his homework, and then we need to pack for a holiday.”
Katie walked past Leisha and went into the kitchen. “Oh, a holiday? How fun! Where are you going?”
As the woman helped herself to some coffee sitting in a pot on the stove, Leisha walked over to Liam, who was sitting on the floor. The boy had obviously heard her because he had text books open and was writing in his notebook.
Leisha joined him on the floor and scanned the chapter he was taking notes on. “I thought you already learned everything about Greek mythology.”
Glancing up at her, he replied, “I did. But I just finished Roman, Egyptian, and Celtic mythology. Now I want to compare them.”
Katie came into the room then. “Liam, I don’t know if I’ve ever met a boy as smart as you. Shouldn’t mythology be taught when you’re a bit older?”
The boy shrugged. “That’s why I’m homeschooled.”
Sitting on the sofa, Katie took a sip of her coffee. “You should really think about putting him in school, Rebecca. He would be such a hit with all the girls.”
“What can I say?” Leisha rubbed Liam’s back. “Guess I want to keep him to myself for just a little bit longer.”
“You’re such a doting mother.” Katie put her mug on the coffee table. “I did come over to talk to you about something specific. Would you mind if we had a little bit of privacy?” She turned her eyes toward Liam.
Biting back her annoyance, Leisha asked her son to go get a snack from the kitchen. Not that it would really make a difference, but Katie didn’t know that. “So what did you want to talk about?”
Deliverance Page 3