The Redemption Series

by Melynda Price

  “He’s a dangerous half-breed who ought not to be trusted—.”

  “Don’t call him that!” Indignation seethed in Olivia’s veins. She knew Tate would get the wrong idea and assume her ire was in defense of Haden, when in truth, it was in defense of the little life Haden insisted she carried.

  He was right, she realized with a growing sense of hopelessness. Nephilim would never be seen as equals to their angelic kin, and that knowledge broke her heart. She grieved for the life of rejection Haden had endured, and for the inevitable fate that would pass to any children she or Liam might ever have.

  “Call him what?” Tate snapped defensively. “A half-breed? Why the hell not?—it’s the truth. That’s exactly what he is. He certainly isn’t one of us, nor will he ever be. Nephilim are nothing but wolves in sheep’s clothing, Olivia. The sin of man corrupts their blood before they even draw their first breath! There is a reason the Creator destroyed them all in the Great Flood. How this one managed to survive is a mystery to us all. Don’t let his angelic looks fool you, Dove, there’s darkness in him. Trust me when I tell you, Liam will never abide infidelity, or covetousness. If you care for your ‘friend’ and do not wish to see him dead, then make sure he is gone before your warrior returns.”

  Chapter Eight

  Olivia couldn’t sleep—Tate’s hateful words were a relentless warning echoing in her mind. The finality of truth rang out like the sharp rap of a judge’s gavel. This had to stop. Haden had to leave, if not for his own sake, then for hers. Reaching up, she fingered the heart-shaped stone at the base of her neck. This was the one sure way to get him to leave her, but in doing so, she would betray Liam’s trust. Would he ever be able to forgive her? The thought of parting with the heavenly gift Liam had given to her on her eighteenth birthday brought tears to her eyes.

  This necklace was the most precious thing she owned, and it had broken her heart to part with it once, but at the time she hadn’t been given a choice. It had been the only way to keep Immanuel’s Stone out of Haden’s hands. The night before Liam left to bring Haden to court, he’d given the stone back to her.

  “This stone marks you as protected. Do not take it off.” He’d whispered the warning as he’s slipped the necklace around her neck and refastened the clasp.

  If Haden had the stone, he’d no longer have any reason to remain a part of her life, then she and Liam would finally be free to move on with theirs. Haden could pursue his vengeance, and perhaps he might finally grasp the peace he so desperately craved. In truth, she wanted to help him. Gahn was a monster who deserved to die, and as long as that vile bastard lived, he would forever be a threat to Olivia and her descendants. But if he were dead…

  The seedling of guilt began to take root in her conscience. She knew it was wrong to go behind his back; Liam would not approve of what she was planning. In fact, she had little doubt he’d be furious with her for giving Haden the one thing he’d desperately fought to keep out of the Nephilim’s hands. But what if she was pregnant? She had more than just herself to think about here. And if not now, then perhaps someday they would have a family. How much easier would it be to enjoy her life, her children, without the threat of Gahn hanging over her head?

  If she did this, she would make Haden vow to leave and never return. The more she pondered the idea, the more decided she became. Olivia wanted Gahn dead—for what he’d done to Haden, and for what he’d almost done to her in that cabin. The grizzly details of the death he had planned for her would forever be seared into her mind. At night, the monster visited her in her dreams—haunting her, torturing her. Whether or not the demon had truly found a nocturnal means to torture her, she couldn’t be certain. It just might be the stress of the last month getting to her, but either way, she’d rest easier knowing the demon was dead.

  Haden planned to hunt him down with or without the stone. So why not increase his chances of success by giving him the weapon to slay the beast? She didn’t want to see Haden harmed. The thought of him dying made her heart ache with grief, her chest tightened until it was difficult to draw breath.

  Tomorrow… Tomorrow she would figure out a way to get out from under Tate’s watchful eyes and speak with Haden. She’d give him the stone, and in exchange, secure his vow never to return. The thought of not ever seeing him again brought her no pleasure. In truth, she’d miss him—more than she cared to admit. More often than not these days, he showed her a side of himself she knew no others were privy to. Ashley thought she was crazy for even talking to him. Liam thought he meant to manipulate her, but Olivia knew Haden’s moments of softness were genuine. The eyes didn’t lie, and the vulnerability she glimpsed in those pale green depths when he looked at her, or the anger that quickly followed on the heels of his softening emotions, that was genuine. She knew it was wrong, but Haden made her feel…special in an indescribable way that was unique to their relationship. Haden was like a wild timber wolf, slowly learning to trust—little by little, drawing closer to that one special human that, with time, would forge a friendship, a bond that would never be broken.

  Exhaling a heart-felt sigh, she flopped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. The full moon shone in through the open slats in the half-mast blinds, lighting the room enough to see the lazy whir of the blades on the ceiling fan turning round and round. As painful as this conversation was going to be, in her heart Olivia knew Tate was right, she owed it to Liam to make sure Haden was gone by the time he got back. They needed a fresh start, and as long as Haden was in her life, she feared that would forever be an impossibility. She just prayed Liam forgave her for the means by which she planned to make that happen, once he discovered what she’d done.

  Night was well on its way by the time Liam crossed dimensions and entered the house. After finding Tate and sending him on his way, he silently crept up the stairs and into the bedroom, mindful not to disturb Olivia. He thought about camping on the couch where Tate had taken up post, but the need to see her, the desire to hold her in his arms was a temptation neigh unbearable.

  Haden’s revelation was all he’d been able to think about. Even when he’d met with Sephat, and the elder had given him ultimatums that were drastically going to alter his and Olivia’s lives, he’d not been able to get past the shock that, even now, she could be carrying his child.

  As a created being, procreation was forbidden. But he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t a deep, forbidden desire he’d harbored as long as he could remember. The longing to create a life spawned of his seed, born of his blood… Just the thought of holding his newborn babe in his arms…

  At the thought, his chest tightened his heart constricting as if an invisible hand had reached through his ribs and took hold of it. The yearning was strong, yet it was something he’d never allowed himself to give credence to. The possibility that Olivia could be pregnant stirred a melee of emotions that both overjoyed and terrified the hell out of him.

  Did she know? How had she taken the news? Did she have any idea how this was going to alter their lives?

  Liam dragged his hand through his hair in frustration and exhaled a deep sigh before peeling off his clothes. Leaving a trail of fabric from the door to the bed, he paused a moment to stare down at her, deep in the grips of slumber. Lord, she was stunning… The moonlight painted her face in an ethereal glow of beauty. Her glorious raven hair spilled upon her pillow like a midnight halo, her delicate porcelain features making her appear vulnerable as she lay there sleeping.

  At the sight of her, his pulse quickened, his protective instincts stirring to life along with his passion. He ached to bend down and taste those full, slightly-parted lips, but was afraid he’d frighten her if she woke. His love for this woman burned like an unholy fire in his veins—a blaze never to be quenched. Liam slid beneath the covers and molded his body against her slight frame. Slipping a protective arm around her waist, he tucked the soft round curve of her bottom against his aching erection and drew a deep breath. Her light vanilla-jasmine scent made hi
s mouth water. His body hungered for her, ached to make love to her again and again until there was no doubt in her mind that she belonged to him.

  He felt like the worst kind of bastard for letting Haden get to him, needling him with insidious doubts about her loyalty. In his defense, their relationship had taken some pretty hard hits. They’d weathered more than a few turbulent storms, so it wasn’t entirely inconceivable that Haden had managed to endear himself to her in the time Olivia had been without memory of him. He couldn’t hold it against her if she had. It was his mistake to leave her, an error he’d have to live with for the rest of his life. All he could do now was love her to the best of his ability, and pray that, with time, the affection she held for Haden would die away.

  Liam slid his hand to the flat plane of her stomach and he held it there, wondering if his child was possibly growing beneath his touch. He closed his eyes and stretched his senses, searching for that spark of new life, seeking the inherent bond that connected all angelic to each other. When he felt no such presence, he listened for a heartbeat, but from this position he couldn’t detect anything over the pounding of Olivia’s pulse. Dipping his head, he brushed a kiss against the petal-soft skin of her neck and cupped the swell of her breast. The weight of her feminine flesh overfilled his hand and he couldn’t resist squeezing the soft mound.

  Olivia flinched at the contact, startling awake. Her slender body tensed against his. “Liam?”

  Uncertainty and a hint of fear laced her sleep-drugged voice. That she had to ask, even under the veil of sleep, was enough to put him on notice. His lips stalled against the gentle curve of her neck. “Were you afraid I was someone else?”

  At the sound of his voice, the tension eased from her body. She rolled toward him and melted into his arms. “No, of course not. You just startled me that’s all.” She slid her arms around his neck and tugged him down to her lips for the welcome home he’d been hoping for—one that after the day he had, he desperately needed. Liam could still taste the mint of toothpaste on her tongue as her mouth hungrily devoured his. She wiggled closer, as if she couldn’t get near enough, pressing her body tightly against his.

  Exhaling a tortured groan, he rolled her beneath him and took control of their kiss, plundering her mouth as he tugged the straps of her nightgown off her shoulders, dragging the satin nightie over her lush curves. In her arms, he would find the solace his body craved and rest for his weary soul.

  “I was worried when you didn’t comeback,” she whispered against his mouth. “How did it go in court?”

  “Not good,” he answered, kissing the delicate line of her jaw. He didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want to think about Sephat’s ultimatums. He just wanted to turn it off—no more thinking, only feeling… When she started to speak again, he nipped the sensitive spot right below her ear. She inhaled a pleasure-filled gasp, her hands slipping into his hair, holding him tight against her throat as he marked her with love bites.

  But she wouldn’t let their conversation go.

  “That’s what Haden said.”

  Fuck… The mention of that bastard’s name was like ice water in his veins. His mouth stalled against her flesh and he lifted his head, meeting her gaze that sparkled like emeralds in the moonlight. “What else did he say?”

  At the unmistakable growl in his voice, her brows drew into a questioning frown. She tensed at the brittleness of his tone. “Nothing... He told me to ask you.” Suspicion and ire ripe on her tongue in response to his brisk demand.

  “I don’t want to talk about it. Not right now.” Even he could hear the curtness in his voice and knew it stung her feelings. She wouldn’t take well to him shutting her out, but dammit, the last thing he wanted to think about was that infuriating prick.

  When he dipped his head to take her mouth again, Olivia turned hers to the side, dodging his kiss. The stress of the last few days and the uncertainty of their future lit the wick of his short-fused temper. Muttering a curse, he rucked up the hem of her nightgown and pulled down her panties as he shifted his weight, pinning her to the mattress. He brought up his knee, parting her thighs, and pressed his solid length against her intimate flesh. Whether her startled gasp was born of passion or indignation, he couldn’t really tell nor did he particularly care at the moment. Her slick heat betrayed her ire, her body welcoming him, even if she outwardly did not.

  But he refused to enter her with the thought of another male on her mind. With a gentle, but firm grasp, he took her chin and turned her face to meet his unapologetic stare. “Is it so important we talk right now? Is there something you want to tell me?”

  Her gaze faltered, the distinct flash of guilt adding the accelerant of suspicion to the inferno of jealousy already blazing inside him. When her eyes snapped back to his, they were icy shards of indignation.

  “What are you suggesting?”

  When he didn’t respond, other than the expectant “well?” arch of his brow, she wrested out from beneath him. With a frustrated sigh, he lifted his arm and reluctantly let her go.

  Olivia planted her palm on his chest and shoved him onto his back. Curiosity won over his instinct to resist submission and he let her topple him, falling back onto the mattress. He could have her beneath him in less than a second if he had a mind to, and they both knew it.

  “Why does every argument always have to be about Haden?” She yanked up the thin straps of her red satin and lace nightgown, covering the generous swells of her breasts. He scowled at the straining lace and was surprised when she climbed on top of him, straddling his hips. The heat of her core seared his shaft, the reflexive urge to rock against her, wringing a groan from his throat that swiftly turned into a frustrated growl. Liam laced his hands behind his head in a desperate attempt to keep from touching her—his male pride forbade it. If she wanted to talk so damn bad, then so be it—talk.

  “Well?” she demanded.

  She expected him to answer her? “Well what?” he countered, scowling up at her. This was so not what he wanted to be doing right now.

  “Why are you getting so testy?”

  “Perhaps we are always having the same argument, Olivia because you refuse to believe Haden is in love with you. And until you admit it, he will continue to manipulate you, and pose a rift in our relationship.”

  “Will it really make you feel better to hear me say that I know he loves me? I don’t think it will. The bottom line is it doesn’t matter if he loves me or not because I am in love with you. That’s all that matters. He’s toying with you, Liam—baiting you to violence. And this isn’t you—.”

  Wresting up to his elbows, he rose to meet her chest to chest—eye to eye. “That’s exactly my point, Olivia. This is me. I’m not the same angel you fell in love with all those years ago. I’m changing, and the more I look in the mirror, the more I see that bastard instead of myself.”

  She took his face in her hands and bent down, pressing her soft, full lips against his, effectively silencing his confession. “You’re nothing like him,” she professed against his mouth.

  “If I lost you, Olivia, I fear I would become exactly like him.”

  “Well, you’re never going to lose me,” she vowed, sealing her promise with a kiss that heated his blood and sent it rushing south. Gripping his shoulders, she pushed him back into the pillow, and keeping her emerald eyes locked on his, bent her head and placed a kiss over his thundering heart. “I belong to you…” she whispered, kissing her way down his chest. “I always have…” Her tongue traced the muscled lines of his stomach, making them tense beneath her skillful touch. “And I always will...” She followed the indented flesh near his hip, drawing a strangled groan from his throat.

  Olivia inched lower, taking him in her tight little grip until a pearlescent drop beaded his crown. Dipping her head, her raven locks trailed across his stomach as she purred, “You don’t have to try to be perfect for me, Liam because you are perfect for me.”

  Even if he could have spoken, words failed hi
m. How could he ever have doubted, for even a minute, Olivia’s love? Although she was on her knees, bowed before him, he was the one knelt humbly, a slave to this woman’s heart.

  Chapter Nine

  Olivia woke to a gentle weight pressing upon the flat of her stomach. Liam’s breath tickled her flesh as his exhalations brushed across her bellybutton. Opening her eyes, she lifted her head to see what he was doing. His face was turned away from her, his dark hair starkly contrasting her alabaster skin. Her fingers itched to dive into the softness, but she didn’t want to disturb him if he was resting. But then she heard his velvet soft voice whisper something in his angelic tongue and Olivia’s heart seized.

  He thinks I’m pregnant… Dammit, Haden!

  He must have told Liam she was pregnant. Her pulse quickened at the flash of outrage flooding her veins. How dare he! Just because he believed she was pregnant didn’t make it so. She didn’t give a damn how much her light might have changed, ten tests couldn’t be wrong. And now she was going to have to tell Liam she wasn’t pregnant, after all.

  Why couldn’t he just mind his own blasted business? If she’d had reservations about the decision she’d come to last night, there were none now. This only confirmed Haden needed to leave. She couldn’t continue to allow him to interfere in her life or her relationship with Liam anymore. And if giving him what he wanted would make him go away, then so be it. It was a small sacrifice to make if it meant restoring peace to her troubled heart.

  “What are you doing down there?” she asked, wincing at the sound of her brittle voice. She didn’t intend for her tone to be so waspish, but her anger at Haden and her disappointment that she wasn’t pregnant made her frosty.

  Liam lifted his head and the smile he greeted her with promptly fell. No doubt the scowl on her face was the cause for his now guarded assessment of her, but she just couldn’t bring herself to feign happiness at the moment. Not when all she wanted to do right now was rail at Haden for spreading his damn lies.