"How about something from the cafeteria then?" Gregori asked.
"I'm fine, really." Abby waved a hand. "Though some ice cream would be nice."
"You got it!" Gregori straightened. "Would you like something, Leah?"
"She likes apple pie," Dougal said. "And she gets verra excited over chocolate."
Leah glanced at him, their eyes meeting for the first time since the alarm had gone off. She blushed slightly. "Yes, something like that would be great, thank you."
"I'll get it." Laszlo hurried to the door. "You guys need to stay here to protect the ladies."
"Dougal?" Connor's voice called over the phone.
He picked up the receiver. "Aye."
"Do ye need my help?"
Dougal's heart swelled with gratitude. He knew if he said the word, Connor would be there in a second. He'd been the one to change Dougal, and he'd always taken his duty as sire seriously.
The night Dougal had lost his hand, Connor had stayed with him, clasping his forearm tighter than a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. He'd retained that grip for hours even though it must have pained him.
"I appreciate the offer," Dougal said. "What does Marielle say about Darafer?"
Connor sighed. "Bad news. At the moment, Darafer is free from the confines of hell. That means he can travel anywhere in the universe except Heaven. There's nothing ye can do to stop him."
Dougal swallowed hard. Romatech was no longer safe. "If we relocate, will he automatically know where we are?"
"Good question," Connor replied. "Let me see."
Dougal lowered the receiver. "Gregori, tell Angus the bad news."
Gregori opened the door. Angus, Roman, and Emma were in the hallway, talking to the newly arrived Vamps and shifters.
After Angus heard Marielle's dire warning, he strode inside the office. "If Darafer decides to stop our plans, he may target our scientists next." He glanced at Abby and Leah. "We need to move them somewhere safe."
Abby and Leah exchanged a worried glance.
Dougal's hand clenched, and he moved it behind the desk where no one would see. When he heard Connor's voice, he used his left hand to punch a button. "Connor, I'm putting you on speaker phone so Angus can hear."
"All right," Connor said. "According to Marielle, a demon isna omniscient. There are too many mortals in the world for him to handle all their thoughts and information at once. If ye change yer location, ye'll be safe for a week or so, depending on how motivated he is to find you."
Angus nodded. "Then we'll move. Emma, Roman, and I will figure it out. Gregori, take yer wife somewhere for a few nights."
"Doona go to Howard's cabin in the Adirondacks," Connor said on the phone. "Darafer knows about that place."
"I want to learn more about demons," Dougal said. "Do ye mind if I come to yer house?"
"Ye're always welcome here, lad," Connor replied.
"Thank you." Dougal glanced at Leah. "Would ye like to go to Scotland?"
Her eyes widened. "I've always wanted to go there."
"Good." Angus clapped his hands together. "Then it's settled. Laszlo can stay here and help us with the move."
Dougal glanced at the clock on the desk. Scotland was five hours ahead, so the sun would be rising there in a few hours. "I'll be there within an hour, Connor. And I'm bringing a guest."
"That's fine. We'll see you then." Connor rang off.
Angus took most of the Vamps and shifters to the conference room across the hall.
Dougal flexed his prosthetic hand. It was relaxed now that he knew Leah would be safe. "I'll teleport you to the townhouse soon so ye can pack."
She nodded. "Who is Connor?"
"He's my sire." When she gave him a questioning look, he explained, "He's the one who changed me."
"Oh." She frowned. "So he's a vampire."
"And he's married to an angel," Abby said. "Well, former angel."
Leah's mouth fell open. "Are you serious? An angel married to a vampire?"
"Maybe we're no' so bad after all." Dougal gave her a wry look.
She snorted. "Or it could be that an angel is too naïve and trusting."
"She's not an angel anymore," Abby said. "She's human now."
Dougal nodded, although he had serious doubts that Marielle was a hundred percent human. "I need to ask her about Darafer. There must be a way to defeat him."
Abby shuddered. "He's vicious. Don't even try to fight him."
Dougal shifted in his chair. They might not have any choice.
"I'm back." Laszlo sauntered into the room with a tray. He handed a bowl of ice cream to Abby, then a saucer of apple pie to Leah. "Did anything happen while I was gone?"
"Angus told Gregori and me to take a trip." Abby dug into her ice cream. "And Dougal's going to Scotland to see Connor and Marielle."
"I'm going, too." Leah ate a bite of apple pie.
"You're supposed to stay here, dude," Gregori told Laszlo. "Angus is planning to move the mission, and he'll need your help."
Laszlo twisted a button on his lab coat. "We're moving?"
"Aye." Dougal glanced at the clock. Angus might appear any second to announce the new location. "Leah, I need to have a word with you. In private."
Her eyes widened. "Now?"
"Aye."
She took a sudden interest in her pie. "I-I'm not ready to discuss . . . anything."
Meaning she wasn't ready to talk about their relationship. " 'Tis about work."
"Oh." She looked relieved. "Then it doesn't need to be private."
"Aye, it does." He gave her a pointed look. " 'Tis important."
"What's going on?" Gregori asked, his eyes twinkling. "Are you two having a lovers' quarrel?"
"No!" Leah exclaimed at the same time Dougal muttered, "Nay."
Abby gave her husband an amused look. "See how well they agree with each other? I think they must be dating."
"No!" Leah said at the same time Dougal said, "Aye." She glowered at him. "We're not dating."
"Ye have a date with me tonight."
She huffed. "That's business."
Dougal arched a brow. "And pleasure."
Gregori grinned. "So which is it? Business or pleasure?"
Leah scowled at Dougal. "Business, no pleasure."
He slowly smiled back. "But pleasure is my business."
Gregori snorted.
Abby snickered. "Definitely dating."
Dougal leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Leah, I need to talk to you before Angus returns."
She shrugged and ate some more pie. "Then go ahead."
Dougal sighed. He'd have to do this with an audience. "I wouldna be surprised if Angus moves this entire mission to China."
Leah stiffened. "Oh."
"You think we'll go to China?" Abby asked.
"You're not," Gregori muttered. "Not when you're expecting. It's too dangerous."
" 'Tis too dangerous for any mortal," Dougal growled. "Leah, if Angus asks you to go, I want you to refuse."
She frowned. "But I've made so much progress."
"Did ye hear what Angus said? Our enemy might target you next. And our enemy consists of a vicious vampire named Master Han, his two vampire lords, plus an army of mutated supersoldiers and a demon."
She grew pale. "I don't intend to fight them. I'll do all my work in a lab. You can keep me safe in a lab, can't you?"
"I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe, but Darafer can travel anywhere. The safest course for you is to retire from this mission before Darafer knows ye're involved."
Leah winced. "I told the soldier my name."
Dougal hissed in a breath. It was too late then. He circled the desk and squatted next to her chair. "I will protect you. No matter what."
"So who is the lass ye brought with you?" Connor asked an hour later.
Dougal ignored the question as he paced across the library.
Connor leaned against his desk, folding his arms across his chest. "She seemed to be holding you verra tight."
Dougal snorted. "Teleporting makes her nervous."
Right after their arrival, Marielle had hugged her, and Leah's heart rate had immediately stabilized. Dougal suspected Marielle's touch had retained a healing quality. She'd certainly healed Connor. "Yer house looks much better than I remember."
Connor smiled. "Aye. We've been renovating it, making it more comfortable."
Dougal nodded. " 'Tis verra nice." Connor had neglected the old manor house for over a century. After all, a Vamp had very few needs - a supply of synthetic blood and a safe place for his death-sleep. But now that he had a wife and child, Connor's cold shell of a house had been transformed into a warm and happy home.
After their arrival, Marielle had insisted on giving them a tour. Now she was upstairs in the nursery with Leah so they could admire the sleeping Gabriel.
Connor walked over to the sideboard and opened a bottle of Blissky. "So did Angus decide what to do?"
Dougal's prosthesis fisted tight, but he managed to relax it. "He told us right before we left."
Connor watched him closely. "Ye have to go to China then?"
"Aye. I'll be going with J.L. and Rajiv."
Connor poured two glasses of Blissky and handed him one. "I know ye never wanted to go back."
Dougal took a sip and relished the burn down his throat. He wasn't happy about going back, but since Leah had wanted to continue with her work, he was determined to help her however he could. "The mission will be headquartered in Japan. The Coven Master there, Kyo, is purchasing an old abandoned school building on a remote island. One classroom will be turned into a modern laboratory for Abby, Leah, and Laszlo. Then the other classrooms will be changed into dorm rooms, no' just for the people working there but for any captured soldiers we bring out of China."
"Ye plan to keep them prisoner at this old school?" Connor asked.
"Aye. We'll keep them sedated or in stasis. Apparently, it will take time to change the mutated soldiers back to normal. One injection is no' enough."
Connor frowned. "What will keep Darafer and Master Han from rescuing them?"
"They'll be guarded constantly. And we'll keep them knocked out so they canna attempt to contact Darafer mentally." Dougal sighed. "But it is the weakest link in the plan." He shrugged. "What else can we do? We canna set up the operation in China without being attacked by Master Han's army or being noticed by the government. And Romatech is no longer safe. Besides, it is too far away to teleport a large number of prisoners."
Connor nodded. " 'Tis a tricky situation to be sure." He sipped some Blissky. "This Leah ye brought with you is one of the scientists then?"
"Aye. She's a doctor. Dr. Lee hired her to be his standby, but she also has a Ph.D. in genetics, so she's the one figuring out how to undo the damage wrought by Darafer."
"Och, ye're proud of her." Connor's mouth twitched. "Though it sounds to me like she's too smart for you."
Dougal snorted and drank more Blissky.
"Is she the one?"
Dougal swallowed so fast his eyes watered. "I doona - " He stopped. What was the point in feigning ignorance?
When Connor had drained his blood, drawing the last drop from his veins, he'd also sucked all of Dougal's memories into his mind. And then, when Connor had fed his vampire blood back to Dougal in order to complete the transformation, all of Connor's memories had been embedded in his blood. They knew each other's pasts. All the secrets, all the regrets, all the sins, and all the joys.
It didn't always happen that way. Dougal had learned since then that most vampires were strong enough to shield their minds when transforming a mortal. Connor had been strong enough, but after experiencing Dougal's painful past, he'd shared his own.
It had been an unspoken pact between the two of them never to tell anyone else what they knew. For almost three hundred years, they had protected each other's backs and each other's secrets.
"Did ye find forgiveness?" Dougal asked.
Connor's mouth curled up slightly. "Aye."
Dougal swallowed hard. "That's good. I'm glad for you."
"It is good. Ye should try it sometime."
Dougal sighed. Could he ever deserve forgiveness? Or deserve Leah's love?
"Is she the one ye've been searching for?" Connor asked quietly.
Dougal nodded. "I believe so."
"Good." Connor finished his Blissky and set his glass down. "Ye've suffered enough."
Dougal winced. He had a bad feeling there was more suffering in store for him. But hopefully not for Leah. Somehow, he would keep her safe. "I canna fail her like I did Li Lei."
Connor patted him on the back. "Ye'll be fine. 'Twill all work out in the end."
Dougal gave him a wry look. "Since when did ye become an optimist?"
He smiled. "I've learned to have faith. Come on." He strode toward the door. "I want to meet this lass who's too smart for you."
