Flames of Redemption

by Jamie A. Waters

  “You're awake,” a gentle voice murmured.

  She turned her head, trying to focus on the man standing beside her. His dark hair and hazel eyes were more than a little familiar. She frowned, trying to recall the memory. It was Brant, the security officer from the towers. More memories came rushing back, and with them, a sharp fury. Valentina pushed herself upright in bed, sloughing off her confusion and grogginess for something far more dangerous.

  Sergei was standing on the far side of the room watching her. How dare he sit at her bedside after his betrayal? She didn't need to glance down to know she'd been disarmed. Removing her weapons would have been the first thing Sergei would have done after sedating her, but he would do well to remember she was hardly defenseless.

  Brant picked up a cup from the bedside table and offered it to her. “Would you like some tea?”

  Valentina glanced over at him and nodded, hesitant to take her eyes off Sergei. Brant had proven to be somewhat honorable, unlike other people in the room. Never would she have believed she could trust one of these Omnis over one of her own people.

  She accepted the proffered cup, inhaling the highly aromatic floral scent, and took a long sip, murmuring her appreciation for the warm liquid as it soothed the dryness in her throat. Brant took it from her when she finished, placing it back on the bedside table. She pressed her hands on the bed, her body beginning to tense from Sergei's continued scrutiny.

  He was leaning against the wall, his expression guarded. His body language was equally tense, which didn't bode well for either one of them. A small bandage covered his shoulder, indicating she'd hit her mark before passing out. Too bad she hadn't had the opportunity to appreciate it when it happened. Valentina made a point to stare at the injury and lifted her chin in a silent challenge. Sergei slowly pushed away from the wall, taking a deliberate step toward her. She caught a glimpse of some sort of small object in his hand, and the sight was enough to kickstart her adrenaline.

  She shoved off the bed, grabbing Brant's weapon from his side, and rolled into a defensive position, aiming it directly at Sergei. Brant cursed, ducked down and withdrew a secondary weapon from his ankle holster, aiming it at her.

  Sergei froze, lifting his hands to show her he held only a commlink. She caught sight of Brant out of the corner of her eye and had a moment to appreciate his quick reflexes. Brant might be aiming his weapon at her, but she couldn't afford to drop her focus from Sergei except to give the security officer more than a cursory glance. Even though Sergei didn't appear armed, he'd always been the most dangerous man in the room.

  “Lower the weapon, Valentina,” Brant urged. “You don't want to do this.”

  “Do not hurt her,” Sergei barked at Brant.

  “I won't hurt her. Not if she lowers the weapon.”

  “She will not lower the weapon,” Sergei snapped. “You're not to fire on her under any circumstances.”

  Valentina agreed with Sergei's assessment. She had no intention of lowering her weapon until she'd determined Sergei's intent. Even with Brant aiming at her, the odds were still in her favor. “Why are you here, Sergei?”

  “Nikolai had a commlink delivered for you,” Sergei said, nodding toward the device in his hand. “I told him you'd been brought back to medical and were sedated. Nikolai ordered me to wait here until you awakened. He wants to speak with you right away.”

  “Toss it on the bed and step away,” she ordered, adjusting her stance slightly so she could hold the weapon longer if necessary.

  He did as she asked and moved away from the bed, his back once again pressed against the far wall.

  “I mean you no harm, Valentina.” Sergei made sure to keep his hands within sight.

  Valentina got out of her crouch and approached the bed, picking up the commlink. She pressed the button and put it against her ear. With her other hand, she kept the weapon trained on Sergei.

  “Valya,” Nikolai's warm voice greeted her. “I see Sergei gave you the commlink. How are you feeling?”

  “I am well,” she replied, still eyeing Sergei warily.

  “Good,” he murmured in her ear. “Sergei said you required additional treatment. I was surprised you didn't want to come back to have our doctors treat you, but he indicated there wasn't enough time. It was too dangerous. Their physicians appear competent, but I do not like placing you in their care.”

  Valentina swallowed, wondering what sort of game Sergei was playing now. In a soft tone, she said, “Nor I, Kolya.”

  She didn’t use his diminutive often in public, but it was enough to let him know she missed him. There was a long pause on the commlink before Nikolai spoke again. “If you wish to return to me, I can send Yuri to assess Sergei's command and the situation there.”

  “Yuri?” Valentina didn’t bother to hide to her surprise. It was no secret Yuri disliked Sergei, and vice versa. It was unlikely he would determine a favorable outcome for Sergei if she agreed to step aside. Granted, she was currently aiming a weapon at him, but that was beside the point. “I don't think that would be wise.”

  Nikolai sighed, and she heard something rustling in the background. “You are right, as usual. I suppose I'm just anxious for you to return. Go ahead and rest. Fulfill your assignment, but I would ask that you check in with me more frequently. I will be moving around to some of the surrounding camps to assess the situation firsthand.”

  “You are here?”

  Sergei stiffened, and she narrowed her eyes at him. What was his problem now?

  “Yes, I arrived yesterday.” There was another pause, and she heard someone else speaking in the background. “Excuse me, Valya, but there is a matter that requires my attention. Rest, and get well. I will speak with you soon.”

  He ended the call, and she lowered the commlink and weapon. It sounded as though Sergei had been telling the truth about Nikolai ordering him to remain until he'd delivered the commlink. She still didn't trust Sergei, especially after he'd tricked her. She'd take the lesson to heart, knowing she deserved it for lowering her guard with him. She couldn't afford to make the same mistake again.

  Sergei frowned at her. “Nikolai is here?”

  Now that the immediate danger had passed, Valentina offered the weapon to Brant. The security officer accepted it and lowered his secondary weapon, returning both to his holsters. Although he was now regarding her with a measure of wariness and apprehension, underneath was a trace of admiration. The first two might make it more difficult to extract information from him, but the latter had possibilities.

  “Yes. He arrived yesterday,” she replied, still trying to figure out the logistics. Nikolai was too valuable to put at risk. That's why she and several other of his representatives would usually handle business for him that required a hands-on approach. Something must have changed for him to move so close to OmniLab. She didn't like it.

  “Has he recalled you?” Sergei asked, his tone a little too even.

  She studied Sergei closely, but his eyes were shuttered, his expression and body language not revealing anything. He was hiding something. “Not yet.”

  After a lengthy pause, Sergei said, “Ariana was able to heal you again without the need for surgery. The doctors gave you several units of blood substitute. They still advise you to rest and finish healing the rest of the way. From what I understand, Ariana's healing abilities only work up to a point.”

  Valentina rubbed her abdomen and stretched, noting how much better it felt. She hadn't had any twinges from leaping out of bed either. “She's very skilled.”

  “She is,” Sergei agreed and then paused. “I would approach, if you do not object.”

  Her body tensed, but she forced herself to relax and regulate her breathing. “I don't think that's a good idea. Trust hasn't been our friend for a long time, and it's even less so now.”

  He glanced over at Brant. “I need to speak with Valentina alone.”

  Brant eyed them both with a small frown. “I'm not sure that's wise.”

  S
ergei's eyes narrowed on him. “If either one of us wanted to kill the other, you wouldn't be able to stop us. Now leave.”

  Brant crossed his arms over his chest. “That's not a ringing endorsement.”

  Sergei pushed away from the wall, danger emanating from him, but he still didn't approach. “You were asked to come here to protect the people within the towers. Neither Valentina nor I are part of that description.”

  Brant hesitated, glancing at her. “Would you prefer that I remain?”

  Her eyes widened a fraction, surprised Brant was asking for her permission. She couldn't help but smile in delight. “I will be fine. I appreciate your concern though.”

  He searched her expression and nodded. With one more warning glare at Sergei, Brant left the room.

  “You already have him wrapped around your finger,” Sergei stated with a frown.

  Valentina didn't bother replying. Instead, she picked up the tea Brant had brought and took another long sip. It really was heavenly. Maybe she could arrange to take some back to camp when she left.

  “I am sorry for deceiving you,” Sergei said in a solemn voice.

  Her eyes flew to his, and Valentina lowered the cup. “I do not like this new game, Sergei.”

  “It's not a game, Valechka,” he admitted. “I have come to know many of the people here. They're different, but some are honorable. I wouldn't have abandoned you to them without keeping watch over you.”

  She put the cup back on the table, wanting both hands free. “You told Nikolai it was too dangerous for me to return. I would have agreed to stay if I had known this. Why didn't you tell me the truth?”

  Sergei hesitated before speaking. “I feared for your safety, and I made an error in judgment. I worried you would make the wrong decision.” He paused and added, “I shouldn't have taken the choice from you. I hope you will forgive me.”

  She blinked at him. He’d never asked for forgiveness for anything in all the years she'd known him. He shouldn't have done what he did, but she was having trouble reconciling his words with the man she knew. Had he changed so much since she'd last seen him? Physically, there were differences, but perhaps the changes also went beyond the surface.

  Valentina tilted her head to study him and took a small step toward him. He watched her but didn't make any other moves, seeming content to let her close the distance between them at her own pace. She took another step, but he remained passive. “This isn't a new game?”

  “No,” he said quietly.

  “I do not understand you, Seryozha.”

  He nodded. “I know. I am sorry for that too.”

  She frowned, searching his face and body language for some hint as to his motivations. When he set his mind to it, he was almost impossible to read. It might be a mistake to ask, but she needed to know. “Will you explain it to me?”

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, they were pained. “Not yet.”

  Valentina didn't reply. She wasn't sure what she should say to him.

  “May I approach you?” he asked again.

  She nodded, waiting to see what he would do. He kept his movements slow, deliberately choreographing his intentions, until he was barely inches away from her. Reaching down, he took her hand in his and ran his thumb over a small scar on the outside of her palm. “I saw this when you were sleeping. I remember when you received it.”

  His touch was disconcerting and confusing. Valentina resisted the urge to pull away from him, making an effort to keep her body relaxed. She remembered too. It had been many years ago, another time and place.

  He ran his hand up her arm, pausing at another scar on her forearm. “I do not know this one though.”

  Valentina swallowed, his light touch searing her, but she couldn't pull away yet. “Yuri and I were exploring some ruins. A piece of scrap metal fell on me.”

  He frowned, rubbing at it as though he could erase the injury. “How long ago?”

  “Maybe eight months.”

  “I should have been with you,” he murmured.

  “Yuri was with me,” she repeated.

  He looked up, his eyes filled with unspoken emotion. “I should have been with you, Valechka. Not Yuri. Not Nikolai. Me.”

  She pulled her arm away from him. “What are you doing, Sergei?”

  He stared at her for a long moment and took a step away from her. Whatever had passed between them a moment ago was gone. “The doctor said you can be released. I can escort you back to Lars's quarters, or if you prefer to interrogate the security officer, he is outside waiting for you.”

  She rubbed her arm, still feeling the effects from his touch. “I will go with Brant.”

  He nodded and started to turn away but stopped suddenly, a warning in his eyes. “Do not fuck him, Valentina.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “I will fuck whomever I want.”

  He grabbed her arm. “I mean it. Not him.”

  Valentina laughed and pulled away from him. “I heard you warn away Lars. Is there an approved list of people I'm allowed to fuck?”

  Sergei grabbed her again, yanking her to him, and pressed his mouth against hers. He fisted his hand in her hair, yanking it backward, and she gasped. His tongue swept in, thrusting into her mouth, an intense explosion of suppressed desire sparking between them. His tongue mated with hers, his passion devouring her with its intensity. Sergei broke the kiss a second later, leaving her panting and strangely bereft.

  “Yes,” he replied. “My name is the only one on it.”

  Without saying another word, he turned and left her still trying to figure out what had just happened.

  Chapter Five

  Sergei stormed into his quarters, furious at himself and Valentina. Always. He always lost control with her. He could launch an entire attack against a facility, putting hundreds of his people's lives in jeopardy, and not lose a shred of his ironclad control. However, one look into her blue eyes or even a hint of her devilish smile, and all sense of his composure was gone. No other woman had ever managed to affect him this way.

  With a muttered curse, he grabbed an unopened bottle of vodka and a jar of pickled vegetables and slumped down in the chair. Pouring a healthy dose into the glass, he tossed it back and immediately poured another. He downed that one and started on his third when the door chimed.

  Sergei scowled at the door but hit the button to open it. At the sight of Lars, he turned away and went back to his drinking.

  Lars sat at the table across from him. “How is Valentina?”

  Sergei refilled his glass before relinquishing the bottle to Lars. Valentina was a pain in his ass, but he knew that wasn't what Lars was asking. “Ariana healed her.”

  Lars poured a drink and leaned back in his chair. “Alec mentioned she stabbed you.”

  Sergei snatched the bottle back. “It's none of your business.”

  “Uh huh.” Lars took a sip, immediately grimacing at the taste, and grabbed one of the pickled vegetables out of the jar. “We should talk about you trying to drink something different. This stuff is just foul.”

  “What do you want, Lars?” Sergei demanded, not interested in petty chitchat. The liquor wasn't doing nearly enough to erase the erotic memory of Valentina's taste. He doubted anything would. Sergei poured another, trying to distract himself so he wouldn't hunt her down. If he kissed her again, he wouldn't be able to stop and would likely end up taking her against the wall.

  “Alec wants a complete list of everyone working on the construction tower and their biometrics uploaded to our system. Full surveillance on the construction areas will be installed by the end of next week. He's also insisting that you provide information on the surrounding camp locations, including detailed demographics of the people living there.”

  Sergei lowered his glass. “I will agree to the first, but not the second.”

  “Sergei—”

  Sergei held up his hand to cut him off. “No, Lars, we will abide by his request to provide informatio
n about our people living on OmniLab property, especially given what happened with Ariana. However, we aren't at war with each other. I haven't asked him to share the same information about your tower residents or the abilities of your Inner Circle. Some measure of trust must be established or this alliance will fail.”

  “I had a feeling you were going to say that,” Lars said with a sigh. He took another sip of his drink. “This is going to be a problem. Alec is being pretty insistent.”

  Sergei poured more of the liquid into his glass and leaned back. “That is his choice, as are the consequences.”

  Lars frowned. “Sergei, he's watched you infiltrate the towers and take control over them. The woman he loves was just abducted and beaten by two of your people. Now your people are crawling all over the construction site, inside his towers, and hidden in the surrounding areas. Can you not see how this can be perceived as a threat?”

  Sergei regarded the contents of his glass for a full minute. “I value your friendship, Lars, but you're overstepping yourself. If Alec wishes to discuss this, I will meet with him. Our agreement was made to preserve life, and that is still my goal. However, the Coalition will not blindly bow down to OmniLab's demands. If Alec decides to insist upon it, our alliance will be at an end. As it stands, he's already in danger of not meeting the terms of our original agreement with these repeated delays.”

  Lars scrubbed his hands over his face. “All right. I'll tell Alec you've agreed to the first part. Will you consider sharing with him at least some of your camp locations that are in proximity to the towers? That might pacify him.”

  “No.”

  Lars lowered his hands and shook his head. “You have to give me something.”

  “Your leaders should have negotiated better if that was what they wished.”

  “Fine. I'll relay your message.” Lars picked up his glass again. “Have you chosen a new second-in-command yet?”

  “No,” Sergei said, leaning back in his chair again. He had a few possibilities in mind, but he might need to put that on hold. If their alliance fell apart because of Ariana's abduction and the construction delays, choosing a second would be the least of his worries. “Nikolai is here. I will need to speak with him before making a selection.”