The Allies of Old; Book Two Renewal: Chapter Fifty Four "Viva Las Vegas!"

Book Cover created in acrylic by the extremely talented @therealpaul

If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn

Table of Contents for Fifty Two chapters of Renewal, created by @bashadow

Chapter Fifty Three

Chapter Fifty-Four

Aerik spotted her the moment she stepped out the sliding glass door and his jaw dropped. She was wearing a bright pink bikini top, a skimpy pair of shorts, and an expression he could not have pictured on her face. Her green eyes were slightly narrowed, her full lips curved in a confident and flirtatious smile. She looked a little wicked and a lot sexy, the shy frightened girl they’d come to know had utterly disappeared.

He turned to look for his brothers and located them over by the Tiki bar, both staring at her with the same shocked expression he was sure he was wearing. They turned toward him and he pulled himself from the pool and strode toward her just as they did the same.

A few hours ago they had been talking about how she still seemed frightened of them, wondering how much longer they should let her deal on her own before stepping in. They hadn’t wanted to overwhelm her, thinking it best to let her come to grips at her own pace, and apparently they’d been right and she had done just that.

“Hey,” they said in unison, stopping in front of her at the same time.

“Hi,” she responded smiling brightly, “I’d really love a Strawberry Daiquiri if it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“Of course!” Chris exclaimed with a grin. “Come over to the bar Lizzy, I’ll make you the best daiquiri you’ve ever had.”

She followed him with Jay and Aerik flanking her, and the three of them hopped up on the bar stools, both males watching her with fascination as Chris busied himself with the blender on the opposite side.

She looked back and forth between them, a smile still teasing her lips and said, “I know I’ve said Thank You numerous times in the past week, but I wanted to say it again.” Jay opened his mouth but she put up a hand. “Please, let me say it. I still don’t know what happened to me, in fact there’s an awful lot I don’t know, but I get the sense that I’m extremely lucky to be with you here, that it could’ve been different and not in a good way. So thank you guys, from the bottom of my heart.” She put a hand on her chest to emphasize it and they grinned at her as Chris slid the delicious smelling drink across the counter.

“You are most welcome Liz, we’re honored by your gratitude and your presence,” Jay told her.

“Absolutely,” Aerik jumped in, and then lowered his voice so he wouldn't be overheard by the people milling around. “Now that you seem to be feeling better, there are things we need to discuss.”

Chris leaned across the counter. “Yes, but not today,” he looked at his brothers pointedly. “Today she should relax and have some fun, tomorrow is soon enough for serious.”

Jay and Aerik nodded agreement and Jess grinned.

“I appreciate that,” she said, “I do want to know, well everything, but at the moment I just want to have some drinks and dance, and maybe get some introductions to your friends.” She glanced around the patio spotting a group of girls who were about her age and having a great time. “Like them,” she said pointing, “I’d like to meet them.”

“Sure thing, come on,” Aerik took her elbow and guided her over to the dancing girls.

“Caroline,” he spoke to the redhead that Jess had seen smooch Chris in the pool, “this is our... cousin Liz. She just moved here from the east coast.”

“Hi!” Caroline grasped Jess’s hand and squeezed it. “Welcome to Vegas Liz.” She put an arm around Jess’s shoulder and proceeded to make introductions to the other girls, all of them recently moved from California and taking a semester off from college to do some gambling and partying.

The brothers hovered for a moment until Caroline turned to them with a sly smile. “Don’t worry guys, Liz is in good hands.”

---

In the weeks following her acceptance of her new life, the guys whom she'd dubbed the “Brothers Three”, lavished her with gifts and attention. She now had an extensive wardrobe, everything tailor made by designers she’d only heard about in fashion magazines. Every few days she went to an exclusive spa with Caroline and the California girls, and if she wasn’t partying at the mansion she was hanging out in fancy clubs and casinos.

All in all she was having the time of her life.

“Liz, you have to go with us!” Caroline gripped Jess’s hand, her blue eyes sparkling. “You will love this new club!”

Jess smiled brightly, “Of course, just let me go and change,” she told her. She headed into the house, blurring as soon as she was out of sight.

God she LOVED her abilities! Every couple of nights The Brothers Three took her to secluded places so she could “play” with her powers. It had only taken a few days before she’d been comfortable, after which she continued the lessons purely for the thrill of it, and her “cousins” seemed to enjoy it just as much as she did. Her childlike enthusiasm had been contagious and the four of them spent hours leaping from tree to tree or racing each other through the woods, laughing and shrieking (well the males didn’t shriek, but she did).

She still had no idea how they had ended up with her in the first place but she no longer entertained ideas of them being evil. One night she’d overheard them talking about Europe and what they’d referred to as the “sick and twisted” underground places. They were worried the perverted entertainment might spread to America and were adamant about shutting the practice down if it dared pop up in their city. She knew they were referring to the kind of place where Anna had been turned, and since it definitely disgusted them she knew they could not be associated with Paulo or the females.
Occasionally she would think about Anna and Jenna and feel a twinge of guilt. But then she would think about the comments on facebook-she hadn’t checked it again it upset her too much-and anger would sluice through her making her feel justified.
But deep down she knew she had another less savory reason for avoiding them. Never in her life had she felt so free. Free to be who she was, without worrying about what anybody thought, or who she would disappoint…and the absence of Jenna’s constant disapproval was a large part of that freedom.

She drank and danced and flirted, had a small army of admirers, and for once did not think she was in love with anyone in particular. She was proud of herself for having gone no further than some heavy make out sessions, finally proving once and for all that she could show restraint.
Inserting Jenna into her life here would be like putting a wet blanket on a magnificent bonfire, and though she knew she would eventually have to at least call her she decided a little more time wouldn’t make a difference. After all, she’d been through a lot and there was no reason why she couldn’t perpetuate the lie of her “initial amnesia”. Besides, she thought her eyes narrowing, Jenna left me behind, she doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

Once in a while she did regret not involving Anna since it had occurred to her with a jolt that they were now sisters in a new life. The two of them would remain young and live forever! And Anna would never judge her for her lifestyle, she’d be more likely to join right in.

She finished dressing and blurred back downstairs, seeking out the Brothers Three to let them know her plans. She located Chris in the Game Room--an enormous space filled with pool tables, poker tables, dart boards, and Air Hockey machines--playing a game of Nine Ball against a tall dark haired guy named Smith. She waited until Chris made his shot and waved at him.

“Hey Lizzy, what’s up?” he grinned as he made his way over to her.

“I was just letting you know that I’m going out to a club with the girls.”

“Oh, sure, do you need some money?” He started reaching into his pocket and she shook her head adamantly.

“No, Aerik gave me a debit card, remember?”

“Yeah, you still have plenty left on it?”

She nodded, flushing slightly. It bothered her to continue using their money, mostly because she’d lied to them and was now convinced it was no longer valid for her to perpetuate the fabrication.

He put a hand on her cheek, noticing her embarrassment. “You know what’s ours is yours, I wish you would stop feeling funny about it. If you get close to the limit do not hesitate to let us know, understood?”

She nodded again and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll probably be back late.”

“Okay, have fun sweetie.”

She went back outside and Jay met her on the walkway, draping an arm around her shoulders. “I hear you’re going to Le Fleur et Vin.”

She smiled up at him, studying his side profile. He had dove grey eyes that were streaked with blue, the same color as the dye in his messy blonde hair, set in a face that was perfectly formed, and she wondered why she wasn’t attracted to him, or any of the brothers for that matter.

“I guess that’s the plan,” she answered, “why, do you want to come?”

His barbell brow ring glinted in the fluorescent flood lights that had just turned on as evening descended, and she realized their gothic style no longer bothered her in the least.

He glanced down at her as they stopped in front of Caroline and company. “I might show up later, I haven’t been there yet and I hear it’s a great place.”

He dropped his arm off her and grinned at the giggling girls. “Try and stay out of trouble,” he told them with a wink, then brushed a kiss across Jess’s forehead and strode in the direction of the grill.

“I’m not sure if you’re extremely lucky or unlucky that they’re related to you Liz,” one of the girls, a brunette name Brooke stated. “I mean obviously being family has its perks, but you’ll never know what it feels like to have them between the sheets, and believe me when I say that I’ve yet to find any other men who compare.”

Jess gave her a mock scandalized look. She knew that most of the girls had had flings with at least one if not all three of the brothers. “I’m going with lucky,” she said with a grin, “since they’ll never take care of any other girl as well as they do me. While you hussies will eventually stop benefiting from their extravagance, I will continue to be spoiled and pampered for life.”

Caroline pouted. “But since we’re besties we can continue benefiting through you, right?”

Jess laughed and changed the subject, “I thought we were headed to a club.”

“We are, let’s go!”

They walked over to the side of the house where several golf carts were parked for people to travel the extensive grounds and Jess jumped in the driver seat. She drove down the brick walkway in the direction of Caroline’s convertible listening to the girls’ gossip, her mind wandering to another group of girls, one with faces so familiar and well-loved it made her heart pinch for a moment.

Two more weeks, she thought suddenly, then I’ll call…Anna and let her know I’m okay. Which meant she would have to tell the Brothers Three that she’d regained her memory between now and then. She twirled her hair nervously for a moment then pushed the feeling aside as she stopped the cart next to a sleek red mustang. I’ll come up with a plan next weekend. Until then…Viva Las Vegas!

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