Blood Redemption (Blood Destiny #9) Read online

  "What did you want to see Cheedas for?" Roff was working his way through the others.

  "Honey," I was wiping my face, now, "I know Giff doesn't want to come back and I know she doesn't ever want me to see the baby. I was going to ask Cheedas if he knew somebody who could take her place."

  "Fuck," I heard Tony mutter off to the side. Roff stopped three feet away from me, a stricken expression on his face.

  "I'm not mad at you," I stifled the sob that came. "I just need to see Cheedas." Right then I might have had thoughts of just dropping to the floor and sobbing. I didn't have my wizard and I didn't have Giff. And I wasn't going to get to see her baby. Ever. My life since waking had been nothing but crap. I jerked a shirt and jeans off hangers and slammed the bathroom door behind me. I did my best to straighten myself up while I dressed, and then stomped out while fifteen males watched.

  Rolfe was standing guard outside the door to my suite, so I made a huge production of slamming that door, too, before anybody had a chance to come out behind me. I think I heard the thick wood crack as I ran down the hall. That meant I was breathing heavily when I made my way into the kitchen, my breaths coming in gasps and sobs. Cheedas stood patiently while I rushed toward him, threw myself into his arms and wept.

  If I'd thought to worry whether Cheedas might be uncomfortable while I cried, then my worries would have been unfounded. Honestly, I was wishing we didn't have an audience right then. Cheedas was doing his best to stop my tears, but that was easier said than done. He murmured nonsense to me and rubbed my back while everybody else watched silently. I was shaking by the time Cheedas sat on a barstool and pulled me onto his lap. A glass of juice was handed over and he helped me drink. When I got myself under control after a while, I wiped my face with unsteady fingers and looked up at Cheedas. "I need somebody to take Giff's place."

  "I know this," he sighed. "There are two who would fit well and I think you should hire both."

  "Where are they? I think I should talk to them soon." I scrubbed my face with a shaking hand.

  "I will have them here tomorrow morning. I do not think you should worry about this for the rest of the day. Have one of your mates take you to your room, Raona. You should rest. I will fix something good for your lunch and someone will bring it to you."

  "Cara, come with me." I buried my head against Gavin's neck when he lifted me away from Cheedas. Gavin didn't use his new folding skills very often, but he used them now. I was back inside my suite in a blink. My clothing was pulled off and I was dressed quickly in warm fleece instead—Gavin saw to that.

  "Let us lie here and talk," Gavin settled my head on his shoulder—we had a dozen pillows piled around us on the bed, making a comfortable nest.

  "Why did they do this to me, Gavin? What did I do to them?" I watched his dark brown eyes as I asked the question, hoping for an answer in their depths. He kissed my forehead carefully before offering a reply.

  "Shhh, cara, you did nothing wrong. There is no good purpose behind any of this. Shadow still loves you—he is being mistreated, just as you are. This could well have waited, or another method could have been found. I find this senseless, my love. And Giff's fears are irrational. Giff is a new parent and is frightened for her child because Toff's taking was such a blow. It is my hope that this will work itself out. Rolfe holds this hope as well, because he finds it difficult to choose between two that he loves."

  "He needs to stay with Giff. If we need to find another guard, then we'll find another guard." I sniffled—Rolfe was like the North Star for me—always at his post unless his position as Spawn Hunter for the Saa Thalarr called him away.

  "No, cara," Gavin whispered against my hair. "Rolfe will not stand for that and even Giff knows not to ask. Giff needs to think this through rationally one day and she will discover that without you, she would not enjoy the life that she does. Rolfe would have been kept from her, if you had not come to rule Le-Ath Veronis."

  "I don't want anything from her if she's not willing to give it," I muttered. Yeah, I was wallowing in self-pity.

  "Cara, try to let this go for now. These are undeserved blows and it grieves me to see them aimed at you."

  "What am I supposed to do, instead?" I watched Gavin's face—a muscle worked in his jaw—an emotional response he seldom displayed. His eyes weren't full of stars, either, as Kifirin's often were, but there was love and concern there. For me.

  "Do you know why I was so worried about your walking into the sun, so long ago, cara? Why Aurelius was drawn into a trap so easily, when Xenides' whelp lied to him, telling him that one of his was injured by walking into the sun?" I blinked up at Gavin. I'd wondered about that—many times, in fact. It had seemed so incongruous, at the time—Gavin had been sent by the Council to eliminate me, but he'd begged me not to kill myself by walking into sunlight. I'd never figured that out.

  "Tell me," I sighed.

  "Aurelius made a female vampire, two centuries after René and I were turned. Her name was Lucia." I blinked at Gavin in shock and wondered if anyone else had heard this story. "We were all a little in love with her, I think," Gavin went on. "Lucia was barely nineteen and left for dead by travelers who'd been attacked by bandits. Aurelius attempted the turn and like a miracle, it worked. I think she must have had Elemaiyan blood, just as you do, cara. Else she would probably have died her final death. She lived with us for seventy years before giving herself to the sun." He shook his head sadly at remembered pain.

  "Aurelius was inconsolable afterward. He barely kept himself alive. René and I were also devastated, but we forced ourselves to bring donors to Aurelius so he would feed, otherwise he might have wasted away. This went on for nearly twenty years, before my vampire sire finally pulled himself together. Then, that information was used against him—many knew how much he cared for his children. Aurelius died, or we were led to believe that he did. Therefore, René and I were reluctant to speak of it again—it was much too painful for us." I lifted a hand and traced Gavin's jaw—this was the first time he'd opened up to me regarding his past, and certainly the first time he'd displayed this much emotion.

  "René went on to turn several and he loved them very much," Gavin continued. "I was unable to make any turns, because I did not believe I could deal with the pain of a child's death should it come to that. But you, cara, if I could turn back the clock and know of you and where you were, I would have been there a moment before Sergio could snatch you away. I would have turned you, just to make you mine. Wlodek would have been notified immediately. You would not have suffered, cara mia. Not at my hands."

  "What happened to Devlin?" I'd been pulled away by Griffin after Devlin and some of Xenides' get had been captured at the Council's Annual Meeting. Devlin had handed information to Xenides, because he was jealous of Tony after René turned him.

  "I wish you could have been at that Council meeting, love. Devlin and seven others stood before Wlodek for judgment that night. We'd learned of your death only days earlier, and many of us were half-mad with grief. This was before we were made to forget you. It was not a good time for the vampire race as a whole. Wlodek asked me if I wanted to draw out Devlin's death. Sebastian was always the one who'd done that before. I thought about it. Considered it. In the end, I did his beheading as swiftly as I'd done all the others. He did not suffer, though he deserved the suffering."

  "Did he feel any remorse for causing René's death?"

  "He blamed others for that and not himself," Gavin grumbled.

  "What about Cecil and Nestor?"

  "Nestor was killed by one of the humans who hunted us years later. While going through his and Cecil's records after their deaths, we found that they had collaborated with Saxom many times and brought wealth to themselves through his machinations. Cecil tried to kill Flavio after he took Wlodek's position. Kyler killed Cecil, I believe, when he attempted to eliminate Flavio, who was newly mated to her. Cecil had become more than wealthy through the centuries by selling weapons to terrorists. He also had h
is eye on the Honored One's place in the Council, and made careful plans to take it. Cecil gathered vampires sympathetic to his efforts in the attempted coup, in exchange for seats on the Council. Earth's vampires owe Kyler for eliminating that threat."

  "I tried to tell Merrill there was something wrong with him," I muttered.

  "And we all should have paid attention. We did not know, cara. We failed to realize that you would not say something like that unless it was important. We know better, now. Did you know that Fox foresaw what you did to the Elemaiya? Merrill told me this, not long ago after Anthony and I were given the abilities by Kiarra."

  "I haven't heard that before," I mumbled and snuggled closer against Gavin.

  "Fox it was who snatched the Khos'Mirai away from the Ra'Ak in the beginning, to ransom her father and brother, whom the Bright Elemaiya had kidnapped. When she brought the Khos-Mirai back to them, she learned they'd allowed her father to die while they held him and her brother captive. Fox pronounced their doom at that moment. She told them that one day the most unlikely one of all would stand before them and bring justice."

  "Yeah, too bad they didn't pay attention. They just went right out and signed up with their Dark cousins. And the Ra'Ak, too."

  "I know." Gavin leaned in to give me a kiss. A really good kiss.

  "Honey, you've always tasted as good as you smell to me," I stroked his cheek.

  "I remember the first time I kissed you—I couldn't stop myself from biting. I am sorry for the compulsion after—very sorry, cara."

  "Kiss me again and we won't talk about that," I said. Gavin complied.

  * * *

  "Here is a list of available surrogates." Erland set a microcomputer in front of Garde. "Poradina has two friends on this list, so it wouldn't be a bad thing if they were together in this. The money would be well spent, too. I've already spoken with Poradina—she's willing to have in-vitro fertilization. I just need to track those Larentii down."

  "You may stop searching; we are here and we know what you want," Connegar folded in with Reemagar. "The Wise Ones called us in and they support this decision completely. Therefore, we will willingly redesign the donor eggs with integrated DNA from Lissa. The egg will be hers in all respects when we finish."

  "I think you just made my millennia," Erland smiled.

  "Graegar says to choose this one," Reemagar pointed out a name on the list that Garde was staring at on the microcomputer.

  "Evaline? That's one of Poradina's friends," Erland remarked, looking over Garde's shoulder.

  "Yes, Graegar was quite positive about that," Reemagar nodded. "We want this to go as smoothly as possible for Lissa, as well as the surrogates. The choice you made, Lord Morphis, along with her friend, yields the best possible outcome."

  "Now all we have to do is approach Lissa with this and hope she likes the idea. I certainly don't want to upset her. These will be her babies, in every respect. She just won't carry them."

  Erland had already sent mindspeech to Wylend. Wylend had agreed to put up the fees for both surrogates, as a gift to his granddaughter, Lissa. He and Erland would be ready with the detachment spell, too, if it were needed. Erland didn't think it would be—both women knew the child would not be theirs and they had readily volunteered when they learned Lissa was unable to bear children of her own. Poradina had two grown children; Evaline had one.

  "We will come with you and explain that the donated eggs will become hers," Connegar said. "I hope she will like this from the start—I do not wish to be forced to convince her it is a good idea. The Wise Ones think this is very important."

  "I think it's important too, but everything depends on Lissa liking it," Garde observed. "When do we go to her?"

  "We will come in two days—she will feel better then and the marriage between Shadow Grey and Melida of Belancour will be complete." Reemagar didn't look as if he appreciated that fact. Not even a little.

  "You know something." Erland stared up at the eight-foot Larentii. Reemagar was tall, but Connegar towered over Reemagar by a foot and a half.

  "The Wise Ones say we may not interfere. Therefore, we will not. Things will progress as they will, no matter our feelings in this."

  * * *

  Cheedas brought in both candidates he'd selected to take Giff's place. Winkler came with me—he was good at interviewing, so we met in my study. Norian was lurking outside when Winkler walked down the hall with me, a solicitous hand at my back.

  "Norian Keef, do I get a moment to interview assistants, first?" I still felt grumpy at his high-handedness. I think I made a face at him, too. He deliberately ignored it.

  "Of course. May I sit in?"

  "Oh, sure. Do you intend to ask questions on how they intend to keep my closet updated, just to make sure it meets ASD guidelines?" My hands were on my hips as I bristled at Norian's intended interference.

  "I'm not any good at that sort of thing," Norian grinned. "The ASD only has uniform guidelines. A Queen's garb has never been standard ASD issue." Was he teasing? Where was that coming from? Gavin told me the man was a total bear until I'd hauled him off to Twylec. Now he was all smiles and sunlight. Go figure. "But I would still like to sit in," he continued, his expression turning serious.

  "Fine. Sit in," I huffed. Cheedas had a tray of tea, coffee and pastry sitting on my desk as we walked inside my study, and Heathe and Grant were already eating. Cheedas and the two candidates were sitting in guest chairs, waiting for my arrival.

  "These two are vampires?" Norian nodded toward Grant and Heathe, who were grinning and eating cherry turnovers.

  "Yes," I sighed. "I sure as hell hope you know how to keep secrets, Norian Keef."

  "Oh, I know how to keep secrets," he agreed. "Very well." He helped himself to the turnovers and coffee. Winkler and I just had coffee, although mine was mixed with cream and sugar.

  "This is Taff, and this is Mora," Cheedas introduced the two comesuli. They were both shy—I don't think they'd been this close to me before. I didn't recognize their scents, I knew that much.

  "So, you both want to wait on me, buy my clothes and keep up with my closet and my suite?" I asked.

  "Oh, yes, Raona," Taff sounded breathless with anticipation. I did some Looking—they would both be female vampires one day. They were still very young, too—less than sixty. That was young for comesuli.

  "Raona, I want this very much," Mora chimed in. "My parent would be so happy if I became an assistant to the Queen."

  "Both have worked in the clothing shops in Casino City, but have not been treated well," Cheedas supplied. I blinked at my cook in alarm.

  "Have those jerks who think they're fashion experts been mistreating my people?" I demanded.

  "Only one or two," Cheedas replied with a shrug.

  "Can you give me names? I'll have this investigated right away." Grant put his plate down and was poised to enter information into his handheld. "Grant, have Trevor look into this—those people signed contracts before they got here. If they haven't adhered to those contracts, I want to know and I want their butts in these seats as quickly as possible. They'll be off this planet before they can sneeze if they're fucking employees around." Grant nodded and entered the names Cheedas, Taff and Mora supplied.

  "Already transmitted to Trevor's office," Grant nodded and set his handheld down.

  "Good. Keep me advised on that. Tell Trevor to let me know as soon as possible."

  "Already done," Grant smiled.

  "Perfect. Now, where were we?" I turned back to Taff and Mora.

  "We know where all the good clothing can be found," Taff said. "Mora and I would go through the shops every week just to see what the others had. The good jewelry, too. Plus, we know where to order—we took care of that for our employer, who went out gambling every afternoon."

  "That's another violation," I nodded to Grant. The shop owners weren't allowed to gamble; it was one of the few rules that had migrated from Campiaa. No casino employees of any kind, or shop owners or casin
o owners were allowed to gamble. There was too much opportunity for crime to enter the picture.

  Winkler asked standard questions after that. He and I were both satisfied and we settled on duties, off-days and salary. I had two new assistants before midmorning. Cheedas offered to take them to my suite so they could get started, so I turned to Norian. "What's the problem du jour?" I asked as sweetly as I could. He didn't understand the French phrase. Winkler explained it for him.

  "We have information from Trell," Norian said. "We're having some trouble there—one of my investigators disappeared a while back. I need to find out what happened to him. I was hoping you might get me there quickly, when you're able," Norian held up a hand, holding off my questions. "My agent was investigating an influx of money into the royal treasury and we want to know what that's about. Trell wasn't one of the worlds that wanted to approve their own religions without Alliance interference, but you can't ever tell about these things. Perhaps they only wanted to draw attention away from the fact that this is what they intended anyway."

  "We can go next week," I said. "I think."

  "That is what I was hoping for," Norian said, rising from his seat. "I'll be checking in with you occasionally."

  "I'm sure you will," I muttered.

  "Of course I will. I don't think I've ever enjoyed an assignment as much as this." Norian was smiling as he strutted out of my study.

  "Raona, wait until you see what we've done," Grant and Heathe hauled out plans for Niff's Sweet Shop when Norian was out of hearing range. Not only had my assistants arranged for the shop to be purchased in Casino City, but another in Sun City, the version of Casino City located near the beach on the light half of Le-Ath Veronis.

  "Not bad," Winkler went over the plans with me while Grant and Heathe talked excitedly about setting up the businesses.

  "We're ordering ovens and ice-cream machines and setting things up to get the fruit, milk and other ingredients straight from the farms," Grant said. "I think we can open in three months."