Lilith - TI3 Read Free Page B

pressed the syringe against the sleeping woman's arm and pushed the plunger, forcing the clear fluid into a small vein. Belinda stirred slightly from the pain and tried to push the man’s hand away. When she tried to speak, her tongue felt too thick for her mouth, but her eyes gave away the fear she was feeling.
     
    "I'm sorry. But I need you," the man apologized. Picking up the phone, he quickly dialed a number. Within minutes, two large men arrived in a dark van. Motioning to the woman, he decided to get some rest, leaving her future to them. They would remove any evidence of her presence in the house and lock up afterward.
     

CHAPTER 4

 
     
    T HE FLIGHT HOME took only a few hours. Yemaya had made arrangements for a Jeep rental to be delivered to Dakota so there was only a slight delay between departing the plane and leaving the airport. The journalist had to admit that money made things a lot easier. Feeling somewhat guilty about Yemaya continually paying for her expenses, she made a mental note to talk to her about how she could help share some of the costs. There would have to be some type of financial arrangements between them if they were going to be traveling so much. The journalist refused to live off her lover’s wealth.
     
    Driving down the almost deserted highway toward her mom's house, she pulled out her cell phone and punched the number one, silently thanking the powers-that-be for speed dial. Listening to the familiar clicks, she scanned the mountain peaks, hoping she for good reception. Until two years ago, very few cellular phones worked in this part of the country. With the new towers in place, it helped some but still was lacking.
     
    "Hello?"
     
    Dakota shivered and she unconsciously squeezed her legs together at the tingling sensation building between her thighs.
     
    "Hey," she replied, her voice slightly breathless.
     
    "Hey to you too! Are you okay?"
     
    "Yeah! You caught me by surprise is all."
     
    "You were the one that called," Yemaya said, laughing softly. "So, how was the flight?"
     
    "Bumpy but not bad. The rental Jeep is cool. I'm not sure black is the best color, though."
     
    "It was the only one available with all the bells and whistles. I know how you like to play with gadgets," teased Yemaya.
     
    "Not while I'm driving, but they're teasing me now. The satellite radio is nice."
     
    "Well, I can drive when I get there and you can play with the radio and the GPS system."
     
    "GPS? You have a global positioning system in this car?"
     
    "Like I said, bells and whistles."
     
    "That's so cool! How long will you be in New York?"
     
    "Hopefully, no more than a week. I've contacted Andrei to arrange the funeral services for Dalnos. He'll be buried in our family cemetary until we can locate his mother's gravesite. Then we'll probably transfer her remains and lay them next to his."
     
    "That's a nice thing to do although I'm not so sure he deserves it."
     
    "He did not deserve his childhood. It does not excuse what he became or did to those girls but it may give him and his mother some peace. Other than that, Sonny and I need to finalize some details for the next tour and then I should be able to join you."
     
    "So, you've decided not to retire, then?"
     
    "Well, you and I still have to talk about that. I want you to be a part of the decision process. Until then, I might as well plan on at least one more show. It is the least I can do for my crew. I definitely need to make sure they are well compensated if I do retire and...  I need to be sure about us."
     
    "You have doubts about us?" Dakota asked, surprised by the confession.
     
    "Not about my feelings. I just want to make sure you are comfortable with our relationship."
     
    "Listen, sweetie. If there's one thing you can bet your life on, it's that I'm comfortable. I love you and I intend on being in your life for a very long time, so get used to it."
     
    Dakota could actually hear the sigh of relief on the other end and