"If you don't hurry it up, we won't have time for s.e.x before we sleep."

He felt his lips pull into a smile. "I thought you said we had two hours," he said, rising and moving toward her slowly.

She walked toward him, holding out her hands. "It was so good before, Ethan," she whispered. "I want as much of that as I can get. Don't you?"

"Oh, h.e.l.l yes." She flashed him a smile that was more than pleased, but then, as he reached for her hands, she dropped them to her sides, turned and walked away from him, back into the barn.

Ethan practically ran after her.

Chapter Fourteen.

I relished Ethan. Every touch, every sensation, every incredible, mind-bending o.r.g.a.s.m. And maybe part of the reason was that I knew we might not get another chance. The very next nightfall would bring us to our goalwell, my goal, not his. And I knew we could die in the effort if things went bad.

And yet there wasn't a cell in my body that truly believed that could happen. We would be successful, I knew we would. We would free them all. We would shut that horrible place down for good. I felt buoyant. And I knew part of that was because of him. Had I been facing this challenge alone, I thought I would have been much less optimistic about my chances. But I honestly felt as if there was nothing I couldn't accomplish with this man by my side.

I lay there then, in his arms, and he held me as if I were the most cherished thing in the universe.

"We're going to make this work," I told him. "We'll be successful, and we'll escape unscathed. I know we will."

"I hope you're right," he said. "And if we do then what?"

I felt my brows furrow in a tight little frown. "What do you mean?"

"I meanwhat's going to happen afterward?"

I lifted my head from his shoulder to better see his face, but there was no reading his expression. "We'll live freely. Without being hunted. We'll have others of our own kind to interact with."

He shook his head slowly. "Not of our own kind, Lilith. Not really. We're vampires. The captives at The Farm are the Chosennot the undead. They're not like us."

I lowered my eyes and nodded reluctantly.

"But that wasn't what I meant by my question," he said softly. "I meant, what will you do if we survive this?"

I blinked, my head coming up again, my eyes meeting his. "I don't know. I could stay with you, I suppose. If if that's what you're asking."

He smiled. "I guess it is. I feel like we have something together, Lilith. Something more than just this physical bliss we've been enjoying. And I'd like to take some time to find out just what it is."

"Oh, I already know what it is," I told him. And I ran a hand over his cheek. "It's trust." His eyes shifted to the left, away from mine.

"I don't think I've ever trusted anyone before," I told him. "It's a new feeling for me. All those years at The FarmI've been remembering more and more, and I know I didn't trust anyone there. Or anything they told me."

"Does that include your fellow inmates?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. I cared about them, but I wasn't stupid. I don't think I've ever been stupid. So no, I didn't trust them." I lowered my head to his shoulder again, pressed small kisses to his neck. "But I trust you." It felt so good to be able to say that to another being, and to mean it.

His arms tightened around me, but he didn't say a word.

Ginger put her superior on speaker, so the others could hear the entire conversation. They both knew this was going to be a delicate negotiation. While the heads of the organization knew about the existence of The Farm, they didn't know that Ginger's branch of the Sisterhood had placed a woman inside. They didn't know that Serena was the mother of an escaped vampiress. They didn't know that Ginger, Serena, Terry and Callista, had been waging a four-woman campaign to uncover the DPI's secrets and rescue Lilith for her mother.

When Phaedra answered, Ginger said, "We have discovered the location of The Farm."

"How?" Phaedra asked.

"Anonymous tip."

"Anonymous?" Phaedra hesitated. "Do you realize that would suggest that someone not of the Sisterhood has learned of our existence?"

"Well, we already know there are a handful of vampires who know. It may have been one of them."

"But you don't know for sure?"

"No, Lady Phaedra, I don't know."

There was silence on the other end. Ginger glanced from Serena to Terry and back again, cleared her throat, and said, "There's more."

"Do tell."

"Well, we know of two vampires who escaped captivity. And we believe they're on their way back there to try to free the others. We suspect the DPI knows it, too, and are waiting in ambush."

"This anonymous source of yours seems to have a lot of information."

"Yes," Ginger said. And Serena knew the other woman had also heard the skepticism in Lady Phaedra's tone, the suspicion. "We'd like to intercept the vamps. To warn them."

Phaedra sighed into the phone. "And you believe this meets with our criteria for intervention?" "I do. Humansthe DPI, in this caseare tampering with the supernatural order. It's our sworn mission to prevent that kind of tampering, to protect that order and allow it to evolve as it's meant to. Besides," she added, "they won't stand a chance if they walk into that trap."

Serena could almost see the older woman nodding slowly, eyes narrowing as she considered every option. She was thinking, and Serena, Ginger and Terry stayed silent, giving her time to strategize.

"I agree," Phaedra said at length. "Although I'm going to insist on a full accounting afterward, you realize." Her voice had a water-over-gravel quality, probably from years of sneaking cigarettes, despite the Sisterhood's ban on smoking. The Sisters of Athena had be healthy and strong, and Phaedra was both, in spades. But she still loved her Marlboros. "What is your plan?"

"I'd like to send several groups out today. Have them waiting along every route to The Farm, with orders to intercept the vampires if and when they try to pa.s.s."

Serena nearly held her breath as she awaited the reply. Terry was listening, too, but also constantly peering outside at the vampires standing sentry all around them.

They hadn't tried to come inside yet. They hadn't attacked. They were just watching, Waiting. Probably for Ethan and Lilith.

"Ginger, you'll have to keep your women far enough from The Farm to be safe. You'll have to make it look innocent. As if they've stopped along the road toI don't knowchange a tire. That sort of thing."

"Yes, naturally."

"And they'll need to be armed with tranquilizersevery single one of them. I will not risk my women being killed by vampires who may not realize they're only trying to help."

Ginger swallowed, her eyes shooting to Serena's. "All right."

"I want the intervention to be fast. Instantaneous. If the DPI forces catch you, G.o.d only knows the damage that could be done. We cannot risk the government getting a clue as to our existence. They would destroy us."

"They would try," Ginger agreed.

"So this is how it will unfold. The vampires begin to pa.s.s, our women stop them, tranquilize them and get them to h.e.l.l out of there. Immediately. No conversation. No reasoning. You strike, and you get out."

Serena closed her eyes, not liking the plan at all. And yet it was probably the only thing that would work.

"Once you get them to safety, they are to be physically restrained until they wake and you can explain the situation, and determine that they are not a threat to you. And even then, I want most of the Sisters well beyond their reach. Understood?"

"Yes, Lady Phaedra."

"All right, then. It will take place tonight?"

"I'm almost certain of it," Ginger said. "I'll expect a report as soon as it's done."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

"Be extremely cautious, Ginger. Your main objective is to protect the anonymity of the Sisterhood of Athena. That above all else."

"Yes, ma'am," Ginger said again. "I'll call you tonight, when it's done."

"Do that. And text me the location of The Farm as soon as you hang up."

The click of Phaedra disconnecting seemed to be the period at the end of a sentence. "In case we die tonight," Ginger whispered. She sighed and lowered her head. "It's the best we could have hoped for."

"You didn't mention that we were sitting here surrounded by DPI-trained vamps," Terry said. "You should have had her send help."

"We won't need help," Serena said softly. She nodded toward the grandfather clock, with its slowly swinging pendulum, in the corner of the room. "It'll be dawn in another hour. They can't very well stand there watching us while the sun comes up. They'd be toast."

"You really think they're alone?" Terry asked. Then she shook her head slowly, in answer to her own question. "Their mortal puppetmasters must be nearby. They'll take over watching us like vultures once the vamps take cover for the day."

"Maybe. Maybe not," Ginger said. "It's vampires they were sent to find, after all. Ethan and Lilith. And they have to rest by day, too. Maybe once they fall asleep we'll be able to slide right out of here unnoticed."

Serena nodded. "We'll have to make sure of that. I don't want to find Lilith, only to learn that I led the DPI right to her" She thinned her lips, and began picking up the empty plates. They'd made bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for their pie-dawn dinner. "We need to get out a map and start planning this out in detail."

"We got maps at the store," Terry said, moving for the door, reaching for the k.n.o.b. "They're in the caroh." Her hand fell away from the doork.n.o.b.

"Yeah, we don't want to be walking out to the car just yet," Serena said. "Let's try to rest, okay? I'll set my phone alarm to wake us in an hour."

"Yeah. Like I'm going to be able to sleep," Terry muttered.

I woke the next night in Ethan's arms and tugged myself free and sat up slightly, so I could look down at him. He was a beautiful man. Reluctant to help me in my mission, yes, but surely he would soon see that it was necessary.

He opened his eyes slowly, and his lips pulled into a soft smile as he saw me looking at him. Drinking him in.

"You look happy this evening," he said. I let my smile grow. "I am. Tonight's the night we're going to find that place and free the captives."

He blinked, his smile fading a little. "Oh. I thoughtnevermind."

Realizing my mistake immediately, I hurried on. "Besides, what woman wouldn't wake up happy after the time we spent together and sleeping in your arms all day long?"

He nodded, but I didn't think he bought it. Not entirely, anyway. He knew I had a one track mind, and right now that track was leading me to The Farm.

Still, he pulled me to him for a deep kiss that grew deeper and hotter in a hurry. I enjoyed it thoroughly, until I began to suspect his intent. And then I pulled away and blinked at him.

"Are you trying to distract me?"

He sighed and let his hands fall away from my shoulders. I missed his touch immediately, but I knew it was necessary. "I was hoping to. But I didn't think it would work."

"You know me very well, then, Ethan."

He nodded. "I like to think so. Listen, once we locate the place, we should take enough time to do some careful surveillance. Map it out, note all the ways in and out. We should know how many guards there are, when they change shifts, what weapons they carry, things like that."

I sat on my heels. "You are trying to delay us."

He sat up, too, smoothing my hair as if soothing my temper. "I'm only trying to keep us alive. And we'd be more likely to stay that way with more help."

I rolled my eyes. "Not this again."

"Lilith, my brother"

"I don't trust him. I don't know him."

"He's one of us. What more is there to know?"

"How about whether or not he's working for them, Ethan? How about whether he's only in touch with you now because he's hunting you? Or me?"

"He's my brother."

I lowered my head, then lifted it again and got to my feet, then gathered up our few possessions, walked to the Bronco and tossed them inside. Then I moved to the barn doors to open them wide.

The night spread out before me, smelling of alfalfa and wildflowers. It was warm, and barely a breeze stirred the air.

I heard Ethan sigh, but he got up and pulled on his clothes. Then he joined me outside, looking around, but not listening to the nightbirds and crickets as I was, I thought. No, he was searching for signs oftrouble.

His caution irritated me. I went back inside and got into the vehicle, and then, growing impatient when he took his time joining me, I turned the key, starting the noisy engine.

He took the hint and got in beside me, shoving me over to the pa.s.senger seat. "I've never seen anyone in such a hurry to face her own demise," he muttered. He said it as if he was joking, but I knew that deep down, he wasn't. Not really.

"I'm in a hurry to get my siblings out of that place."

He looked at me sharply. "You have family there?"

"So do you," I told him. "We're all family. It's in the blood, and it's a bond every bit as strong as the one you have with your brother, Ethan, whether you like to admit it or not."

"It's not the same."

I pressed my lips together and said nothing as he backed the vehicle out of the bam and, once clear, drove over the b.u.mpy ground to the road beyond. I half expected him to turn in the opposite direction from the one I wanted him to take, but he didn't. He continued on the same course we'd chosen the night before.