Deliverance by Adrienne Monson

this.”
    Her lips were dry and Samantha had to work up courage to ask the question. “Who am I supposed to kill?”
    Shaking his head, Liam touched her hand. “You’re not ready for that yet. But please think on my words. I need you to believe me when I say it’s the only way.”
    Samantha’s breath trembled as she continued to stare at him. She loved Liam, even when she had that scary vision of him killing, she fell in love with him as he grew. And she knew that he wasn’t malicious and would never ask something of her that wasn’t important. “I promise I won’t be able to think of anything but this conversation for a while.”
    He gave a half smile, then pointed to her phone, which was resting on the cement between them. It was almost six. “We’ll have to continue this at another time.”
    Samantha silently cursed herself for not paying attention to the time and they rushed down the stairs to make their way back before Nik flipped out.
    As they waited at a crosswalk, the little hairs on the back of Samantha’s neck stiffened. She glanced around, not certain what to look for. She locked gazes with a woman across the street who was going in the opposite direction. Samantha recognized her, but wasn’t sure from where. The light changed for them to cross and she studied the young woman as they passed each other. The other woman sent her a curious glance but continued on. Just as they reached the sidewalk, Samantha realized the woman was a human servant to a vampire—one of the few human servants that had survived when the vampires went on a murderous rampage.
    Tension coiled in her shoulders, and Samantha didn’t dare look back. Does she remember me?
    Liam grabbed her hand. “She recognizes you, but can’t place from where. I don’t think she’ll make the connection soon.”
    She let out a slow breath and relaxed. “If she does figure out who I am, we’ll be long gone by then anyway.” She let the near-incident slide from her mind. “Don’t tell Nik that happened,” she said to Liam. “I’d never live it down if he found out.”
    Liam nodded. Moving quickly, they made it back to the hotel about eight minutes after six.
    Nik opened the door before she could get her keycard out. “You’re late.” His tone was stern, but she could see relief in his eyes.
    “Sorry. Time got away from us, but we’re back and everything went just fine.”
    Sighing, the vampire stepped back to let them in. Once the sun was close to setting, they headed to the airport.
    The plane touched down in Liverpool right at one o’clock. Nik had already reserved a rental car, and they were on the road within thirty minutes of landing. They headed toward a hotel in Dumfries. It was one Leisha had designated. She and Tafari were to meet them there later in the morning.
    The sun wasn’t even close to rising yet, and Nik drove with Samantha in the passenger seat. Liam slept in the back. There was no snow, but a frost blanketed everything in sight.
    “I haven’t driven on the left side of the road for years.” Nik commented. “I keep wanting to go onto the other side of the freeway.”
    Samantha shrugged. “I’ve been driving on that side for the last six months, so it doesn’t seem so bad to me.” She looked over at him. “Do you want to pull over and let me drive instead?”
    “And be completely emasculated by a girl half my size,” he joked. “I don’t think so.”
    Chuckling, Samantha parried. “You don’t need me for that. You’re the most effeminate man I’ve met.”
    Nik suddenly tossed his head dramatically and batted his lashes at her.
    Samantha snorted from laughing so hard. She quickly covered her mouth and tried to pretend she hadn’t done that.
    Nik chuckled quietly beside her. “Your face lights up when you laugh,” he said. “I like seeing it. It transforms that sober expression you try to keep in place.”
    “I don’t have a sober expression all the time,” she protested. “I’m just