Flames of Redemption

by Jamie A. Waters

  Sergei returned her gaze, and even though she needed to get to her appointment, some things were more important. With determination in her steps, Valentina walked back over to him and pulled off her helmet. The moment he removed his, she gripped his jacket and yanked him toward her. Pressing her lips against his, she told him without words how much he meant to her.

  “I'm always careful, Seryozha,” she reminded him when she pulled away. “But I will be especially careful now that I know you're waiting for me.”

  Sergei hooked his hand around her neck and pulled her closer again. Placing another kiss against her mouth, he murmured, “And I won't make any promises about not killing Dmitri, but I'll try to wait until after you get your information.”

  He released her again, and she bit back a grin, shaking her head in exasperation.

  Leaving her helmet on the seat of her speeder, she headed into the ruins of an old city. The Coalition had constructed the camp by using the abandoned buildings as support structures, reinforcing some areas and constructing temporary housing for the workers. Various areas throughout the camp were sectioned off, indicating where excavations or demolitions were currently in progress. This camp's function was primarily to retrieve building materials and resources to be used in the construction of the new tower.

  Valentina walked deeper into the makeshift town, surreptitiously scanning the area. Several people passed by her, but no one seemed to give her a second glance. She ducked under a fallen overhang into a small plaza, which was the designated meeting spot. Some lighting had been installed along the pathway, illuminating the area where several people were gathered. Even under the cover of darkness, the Coalition continued to work, taking shifts around the clock to meet their deadlines and ensure their continued survival.

  “Valentina,” Dmitri called out, his eyes warming at the sight of her. He dropped down from an elevated ledge where he'd been sitting and walked over to her, his gait confident and holding a hint of the swagger she'd always admired. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her against him in a tight embrace. She hugged him back and brushed a kiss against his cheek.

  Dmitri leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I've missed you, beautiful.”

  “You're still as much a flirt as ever,” she teased.

  He rested his forehead against hers, still holding her in his arms. “You ran out on me too quickly last time. Is everything all right?”

  “Just a small situation that required my assistance.”

  Dmitri searched her expression for a long moment. “Hmm. I'm assuming the situation has something to do with the rumors floating around?”

  She pulled away, glancing around at the people nearby. Biting her lip and lowering her gaze a fraction, she peered up at him through her eyelashes. “Is there somewhere private we can be alone?”

  He took her hand in his. “There's a place not far from here.”

  Valentina followed him around the outskirts of the camp and into a nearby abandoned building. She took the opportunity to look around, noting the building had been well used over the past few months, most likely by lovers wanting a few hours of privacy.

  She turned back to Dmitri to find him watching her with brown eyes that were far too perceptive. He was usually quick to smile or joke, teasing her out of her more serious moods. It was part of the reason she'd been drawn to him from the beginning. But now his expression was filled with concern, shadowing his usual mirth.

  “I heard Sofia and Pavel hurt you,” he said, taking a step toward her. “Rumors say you were taken to the towers for medical treatment. Is that true?”

  She nodded. “Yes, but I'm fine.”

  He frowned, his eyes roaming over her before meeting her gaze again. Lifting his hand, he cupped her cheek. “Would you tell me if you weren't?”

  “Dmitri,” she began, placing her hand against his chest to stop him, “I didn't come here for this.”

  He put his hand over hers, holding her to him, and pretended to be affronted. “Shh. Give me a few moments to dream before you destroy all my hopes again.”

  Valentina couldn't help but smile. They'd had fun together a few times, but it had never been anything more than that. He'd made some suggestions about being open to something more, but she'd shut that down immediately. “Are you going to tell me why you asked me to meet you in the middle of the night?”

  “You already said you didn't come here for that,” he reminded her with a grin.

  A laugh bubbled out of her. “If you don't start talking, I'll walk out of here and ruin your reputation. Whatever woman you're currently trying to lure into bed won't believe your claims about your prowess as a lover.”

  “You're a cruel woman,” he lamented with a sigh. “Very well. They’ve got me on a rather insane schedule right now, but there’s been some commotion lately and a lot of rumors. I heard Sergei made his displeasure known after you were hurt. Some of the people in Sofia's camp claim they heard Pavel's screams for over an hour.”

  Valentina nodded. “I heard the same.”

  “Ah,” he murmured. “But did you also hear an attempt was made on Sergei's life?”

  She froze. “What did you hear?”

  “He was meeting with some representatives from the towers. Orders came down from the top that Sergei's life is forfeit. There are rumors he's been organizing a rebellion.”

  Valentina frowned. No such order had been issued, but if people believed it and possessed a vendetta against him, they might decide to target Sergei without fear of any recriminations. Someone was carefully planting seeds and hoping their machinations bore fruit. “Do you know who was responsible for the attempt on his life?”

  Dmitri paused, studying her for a long time. “I was expecting more of a reaction from you, Valentina. You barely even blinked when I mentioned a possible rebellion, but you're fixated on Sergei? You've been keeping your own secrets, haven't you?”

  Her body stiffened. “What do you know, Dmitri?”

  He lifted his hand, brushing his fingers against her cheek. Valentina pulled back from him, suddenly wary. Dmitri didn't usually touch her again once she'd made it clear she wasn't interested.

  “The last time you pulled away from me was also when I mentioned his name,” he said with a frown. “Are you thinking about getting back together with him?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “If you don't start talking, we're going to have a problem.”

  “Dammit, Valentina,” he swore, running a hand over his closely cropped dark hair. “You need to stay away from him. People are already tying you two together again, especially after what he did to Pavel and Sofia. For fuck's sake, he tortured Pavel. Sergei made it clear that night that if anyone else put their hands on you, they'd meet the same end. Some of the men who cleaned up the bodies are still having nightmares.”

  “What's your point?”

  Dmitri’s jaw clenched, and he took another step toward her, backing her up against the wall. In a low voice, he warned, “Distance yourself from him, Valentina. He's being set up to take the fall for this rebellion. One way or another, he's going to be removed from the towers. If you're standing too close when it happens, you'll be dragged under too.” He paused, his eyes roaming over her face again. He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb across her cheek. “I don't want to see anything happen to you.”

  She swallowed, putting her hand on his chest again. “Who's behind this, Dmitri? What do you know about the rebellion?”

  Footsteps sounded from outside, and Dmitri's eyes widened before yanking Valentina against him. His mouth slammed against hers while his hands landed on her backside, a little more enthusiastically than necessary.

  Inwardly swearing, she wound her arms around his neck, softening her body against his to make it appear they were engaged in a passionate embrace. Someone chuckled, and Dmitri broke their kiss to glare at the newcomer. She didn't recognize him, but that didn't mean much.

  “What the fuck are you doing here, Marek? If you haven't noticed, I'm
a little busy. I'm supposed to be off schedule for the rest of the night.”

  Marek grinned, eyeing her with appreciation. “Change of plans. You're needed back on duty.”

  Dmitri tensed, and Valentina's internal alarms started going off. Something wasn't right, and Dmitri knew it too. After their last meeting, he'd gone back on duty and hadn't had a chance to get a message to her until tonight. It wasn't normal for them to recall him so soon. If there was a problem with one of the excavation sites, Sergei should have heard something.

  Dmitri shook his head. “I've been on for four days straight. Get someone else to cover for me.”

  Marek shrugged. “Sorry. I was told to bring you back immediately and not to take no for an answer.”

  Valentina pretended to pout and ran her hands up Dmitri's chest. Winding her hands around his neck again, she leaned against him and purred, “I came all this way to see you, Dima. I'm not sure when I'll get another chance to sneak away. I was really hoping to get some alone time with you.”

  Dmitri glanced down at her and muttered a curse before turning back to Marek. “Give me fifteen minutes, and I'll cover your shift tomorrow.”

  Marek hesitated, studying her again, and then nodded. “Hurry. I'll wait outside.”

  As soon as he was gone, Valentina frowned and whispered, “You can't stay here.”

  Dmitri turned back to her and arched an eyebrow. “Don't tell me you're worried about me.” He grinned and added, “If you want to reconsider my earlier offer, we have fifteen minutes before I have to go back on duty. We can do a lot in that time. Maybe not as much as I'd like, but I'm willing to give it a shot.”

  “I'm serious, Dmitri,” she hissed. “You know someone's suspicious or they wouldn't have called you back. You can't walk out of here and pretend nothing's changed.”

  “I don't have much of a choice,” he said in a low voice, glancing toward the door. “If I leave with you, I might as well admit I'm guilty of something. You know better than anyone how people love to talk. If I stay, I can probably convince them out of whatever they're thinking.”

  “And if they think you're smuggling sensitive information to Nikolai, they'll execute you,” she reminded him. “Did they act suspicious before I arrived?”

  When he hesitated, she understood the problem immediately. This part was always difficult, especially when you'd been playing a role for a long time. Friendships and relationships were easily forged, but they made it harder to walk away. Dmitri was very likeable, and it was one of the reasons he'd been perfect for her purposes. People naturally gravitated toward him, and like he said: they loved to talk.

  “I'm sorry, Dmitri. Someone must have recognized me and sent Marek to retrieve you. You managed to buy us a few minutes of time, but we can't spend it arguing. If you come with me now, I can offer you a place in the towers or in one of Nikolai's camps off-continent. It's your choice. Please don't take a chance with your life. It's not worth it.”

  Dmitri squeezed his eyes shut and sighed. “You're right. You told me to watch for anything out of the ordinary, and this isn't typical.” He opened his eyes again. “I have a speeder and some UV gear stashed not far from here. It's in one of the outbuildings.”

  She nodded and pulled out her commlink. “Good. Give me the coordinates.”

  He rattled them off, turning to watch the door while she sent the information to Sergei and Yuri with instructions to meet her there. Even though Yuri was monitoring, she didn't intend to announce that to Dmitri. People frequently opened up more when they thought conversations were private.

  She slipped her commlink back into her pocket and glanced around the room. This building was in better shape compared to some others in the area, but there were limited options as far as escaping. “What's the best way out?”

  “I scouted this area before I brought you here. We can climb up to the second floor and cross through to the next building.” Dmitri took her hand again and led her to another room where the ceiling was partially collapsed. Some supply crates had been pushed to the side of the wall, creating a rather unsteady staircase.

  Valentina carefully climbed to the top and used her arms to pull herself up through the hole in the ceiling. If the crates had been wobbly under her weight, they were even worse for Dmitri. He'd almost reached the top when one of the crates shifted, and he fell to the floor with a crash. She started to move forward to help him, but footsteps came rushing into the room. She scrambled back and waited, making sure to keep out of sight.

  “What the fuck is going on in here?” Marek demanded.

  “Would you believe it was a sex game gone wrong?” came Dmitri's pained reply.

  Valentina scanned the second floor. Aside from a window that looked out over an adjacent building's roof, there was another small hole in the floor on the opposite side of the room. It would be a tight fit, but she didn't have much choice. She crept forward, making an effort to keep her movements silent as she avoided various pieces of debris.

  “Not a chance. Where's your girlfriend? Caz said you were up to something.”

  From this new position, she was situated behind Marek and out of his line of sight. He was currently holding an electrolaser gun on Dmitri, who was still lying prone on the floor. It was unfortunate he’d chosen to bring out the weapons and escalate the situation. Not only was it an obvious sign Marek was an excitable amateur and therefore unpredictable, but it also limited her options in handling the situation. Above all else, she couldn't risk Dmitri being captured and interrogated.

  Dmitri's eyes widened at the sight of her through the ceiling. Marek's shoulder's tensed and he started to turn, but Dmitri groaned and clutched his balls. “The bitch took off. She not only left me high and dry but had the nerve to kick me first.”

  Valentina gripped the edge of the ceiling and lowered herself down, dropping to the ground as soon as Dmitri started moaning again. Withdrawing the knife strapped to her back, she silently moved forward. With one quick thrust, she shoved the knife between Marek's ribs, puncturing his lung so he couldn't call out. She yanked it back out as he dropped to his knees, unable to take a breath. Moving forward, she roughly grabbed his hair and shoved the blade upward again at the base of his neck, severing his brain stem. She twisted the knife, and his body twitched, falling to the ground with a thump.

  “Fuck,” Dmitri muttered, shock and horror filling his expression. “I just thought you'd hit him over the head or something. Did you have to kill him?”

  “Get up,” she ordered, yanking out her blade and ignoring his question. Valentina couldn't afford to doubt herself or her actions. The time for that would come later when they were out of danger. She picked up Marek's abandoned weapon and began searching his body until she located his commlink. She pocketed both items and lifted her head to find that Dmitri still hadn't moved.

  “Don't make me say it again, Dmitri. You either come with me now and keep your mouth shut about who you've been working for, or I can end your life right now. You have ten seconds to decide.”

  Dmitri blinked at her. She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing he was just now coming to the realization Nikolai was the one truly at risk if he opened his mouth. She might like Dmitri, but her first loyalty was always going to be to Nikolai. She'd kill Dmitri in a second if it kept him from talking and implicating Nikolai in their subterfuge. Even though she'd been the one who had enlisted Dmitri's help to gain insight into what their other leaders were doing, Nikolai was the one who'd be held responsible.

  Dmitri scrambled to his feet, his expression both wary and fascinated. “You're very good at making people forget who you really are. Now I can't decide which version of you I like better. This one is pretty hot.”

  “It figures. I seem to attract a specific type,” she muttered, gripping his arm and pulling him toward the main room. Valentina stopped him before they got to the door. Reaching down, she quickly unhooked his belt and unfastened the top button of his pants. When he arched an eyebrow at her, she said, “Fast
en it when we walk out.”

  He nodded and grinned. She pulled out her ponytail and shook out her hair. The reddish-brown color was distinctive, but she hoped having her hair down would alter her appearance enough to make someone pause for a few seconds and question whether it was her. At the very least, it would lend some believability to the appearance they were lovers who’d just finished engaging in a tryst.

  Taking Dmitri's arm again, she leaned into him and kept her hand close to her weapon as they headed outside. No one was within the immediate vicinity, but that didn't mean no one was watching. They only had a handful of minutes until someone came looking for Dmitri and discovered Marek's body.

  They walked quickly around the back of the building, ducking between partially collapsed structures and climbing over rubble. It was too risky to pull out a light, so they navigated as quickly as possible with the limited moonlight. Valentina's commlink buzzed in her pocket, and she knew it was either Sergei or Yuri checking in to see if she needed assistance. She pressed a button, letting them know she was on her way, and slid it back into her pocket.

  This next part was going to be far more challenging. She'd managed to keep Dmitri alive so far, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to protect him from Sergei. Having them meet each other face to face had never been part of the plan.

  I hope you enjoyed this sample! Click here to buy Spirit of the Towers now!

  About the Author

  Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy romance author. Her first novel, Beneath the Fallen City (previously titled as The Two Towers), was a winner of the Readers’ Favorite Award in Science-Fiction Romance and the CIPA EVVY Award in Science-Fiction.

  Jamie currently resides in Florida with her two neurotic dogs who enjoy stealing socks and chasing lizards. When she’s not pursuing her passion of writing, she’s usually trying to learn new and interesting random things (like how to pick locks or use the self-cleaning feature of the oven without setting off the fire alarm). In her downtime, she enjoys reading, playing computer games, painting, or acting as a referee between the dragons and fairies currently at war inside her closet.