The Twelve Zenati Pt. 28

"Now we can talk," he said quickly returning to the table. "I'll start if you like and you can fill in the gaps or tell me if my assumptions have no basis."

"Okay," Kairos said warily. "Shoot."

"Over the last two weeks or so since the demise of the last of the known Suebi, I have been at a retreat on my family's property. We celebrate Halloween in a big way as I am sure you know. This year, we had other things to celebrate, including the exoneration of Olivia from any wrongdoing freeing her to pursue a future free from accusations." Genesis began. "Now that I can relax and she can plan our wedding, I started thinking about how this all began. Particularly my meeting Olivia who has become the love of my life and how that first meeting occurred. She believes it was you who saved her from the chapel and got her to the hospital during the massacre. I believe it was you who then when to the priest and asked him to find me and seek help for Olivia. My brother," he indicated Noah, "also believes it was you who filed the fake wedding certificate with the Births, Deaths, and Marriages department to make the failed marriage attempt legal to the eyes of everyone who didn't witness the event. How am I doing so far?"

"Your assumptions are remarkably close to the events as they occurred," Kairos conceded. He had nothing left to lose by talking to these people, knowing or at least hoping they would offer him vengeance against those that had betrayed him and his family.

"So, I began thinking about why? Why not let her die at Remington's side? Why go to the trouble of rescuing her and then sending the priest to me? More importantly, how did you do it? How did you make it through a hail of bullets to get to Olivia without being gunned down yourself? How did you manage to get her out? To the hospital? How did you get the information to Bob here? You want to know what I have come up with?" Genesis asked.

"Sure, dazzle me," Kairos shrugged and sat back in his chair, folding his arms and narrowing his eyes at the insightful young man before him.

"I believe you saved her, gave her to us and sent in that marriage certificate as part of the renegade factions plan to overthrow Remington. In fact, if you were not the leader of the plan, I would say you were close to those who were the leaders of the plan. I believe that as a model, helpful prisoner you expected the grateful Zenati and Gambaro families to assist you in regaining your freedom as a way of thanking you for what you did for Olivia," he said testing the waters. "What I can't work out with the early part of this plan, is why Father Bob was involved? You could have gotten that information to me in several ways."

"You probably would have passed it off to someone else in your family to investigate, if not for the priest asking you for help personally," Kairos shrugged. "As you said, she is the love of your life. I hardly think you can find fault with my methods." He grumbled.

"Not at all I am just tidying up loose ends before we get to the part of the story involving the love of his life," he pointed at Noah who turned in surprise at his brother's words and looked between the two men. "You see once you had Olivia all squared away and the Zenati's involved you just had to bide your time until the remnants of Remington's men got comfortable enough to start to gather and plan their next move against us, or more specifically Olivia so they could claim the legitimate empire since the AFP had taken all of the illegal holdings into evidence. Then your people made their move through Bea which culminated in the big raid two weeks ago and also the massacre of your own people by an unknown person or group of people. So, the big question that I can't seem to puzzle out is, who would have betrayed Queen Bea and her daughter? And what happened to Olivia's sister Marcella that night."

"We hadn't planned on the sister; we had thought it would be you who worked through the clues to get to Bea and the information she had to give you. Marcella was a resourceful girl. I will admit that she impressed us with her doggedness and how far she went to get what she needed from us," Kairos admitted. He sat silent for a moment as if collecting his thoughts. "Let's cut to the chase, I know who the ghosts were who betrayed my friends and my nephew although I am unsure if he is in fact dead. I imagine the sister was taken because her intelligence alone would have made her an attractive prize to her captor. If she were not left behind with the dead, he would not have harmed her. If anything, he would be trying to seduce her into his bed."

"What do you know? Now is not the time for games old man!" A loud growl left Noah as he stood and leaned over the table, grabbing Kairos by the shirt collar and hoisting him forward from his chair.

It took both Genesis and Bob to pull the two men apart and calm Noah to a state where he could sit and not pace the room angrily pulling at his hair.

"I know that he would know already that you are here and the game he started by stealing your queen has begun by you taking his bishop," he looked meaningfully at Father Bob. "I know that while his interest in the girl may have saved her from dying with the others aboard the yacht, she is merely a piece in one of his bizarre games. I have no doubt she was and remains as disposable as the Suebi he betrayed once his deal with them was concluded," Kairos said casually.

"Ghosts? The Game Master?" Genesis asked as pieces clicked into place in his mind. "The Varangian Brotherhood wouldn't dare meddle in our territory," Genesis said quietly squeezing the steading hand he still held on his brother's shoulder. "Let alone with one of our women."

"You haven't met Konrad, have you?" Kairos smirked. "He is not like his predecessors. Money and fame amongst his brothers are not enough for him. He is a game master and that girl, Marcella, has just become a major piece of whatever game he is playing now. It could be with the Gambaro's, but I would bet he has decided to be the first of his kind in over a century to take on the darkness of the Zenati. And now that you have come to me with the priest seeking answers, the game will have begun in earnest. It's his move gentlemen, and this Varangian Brother is impossible to predict. If he were, I would have protected those I loved more diligently."

*****

Gideon strolled out of the hastily gathered meeting feeling better than he had in weeks. The sky even seemed brighter, and he wanted nothing more than to see his wife and tell her that they were sure Marcella was still alive and that they had a solid lead on her whereabouts. He checked his watch. When Genesis and Noah arrived, there would be a full meeting of the Table. Still, he had enough time to enjoy the beautiful woman who had become the centre of his world one more time before he and his brothers would swing into action to retrieve Marcella.

He found Vivienne in a small cottage with several other women, including Olivia talking about the project they were working on. He smiled at how amazed both women had been at the acceptance of their places within the larger family and that his mother was doing her best to make amends with his wife and find out about the project they were working on. He knew his mother had no intention of being shut out of any more of her son's weddings, let alone the birth of her first grandchild.

Noah's rage and subsequent sedation had shocked their mother, who had railed against the curse her whole life. Only now seeing how it affected her sons did she consider its validity. Gideon chuckled; he would have thought his father's constant forgiveness for all her misdeeds would have been the most significant clue. Still, she had been determined to disprove the curse despite the love she shared with Armando.

"Excuse me ladies, my wife and I have a lunch date that I must insist she attend," he grinned walking into the room and bending down to kiss her. As he helped her from her chair, he turned to Olivia. "Genesis is returning with Noah this afternoon."

"That's great, thank you," Olivia beamed at him. Even with Vivienne and Gideon here, she was lost without Genesis close by like a safety net.

"My always starving husband," Vivienne giggled at the ladies. "Maybe we could meet again tomorrow? If Genesis is coming back, I imagine Olivia will have a full afternoon as well," she blushed realising the implications of what she had said as snorts and laughter from the other ladies filled her ears. "That's not what I meant," she groaned.

"Hey, I'm all for a bit of afternoon delight," Shari winked at her and continued laughing at Vivienne's blush.

"That's exactly what I had in mind," Gideon chuckled and pulled Vivienne from the room so he could enjoy that delectable blush all the sooner. When they got close to the cabin they had claimed for the gathering, he picked her up in his arms, carried her into their house and sat on the couch with her in his lap holding her tightly in his arms and kissing her.

"Marcella is alive, and we believe she is being held by a man named Konrad Van Kempen. I will need to be with my brothers over the coming days," Gideon he explained softly as if he needed a reason for his desire to be with his wife right then. Since finding out she was pregnant, he had become insatiable taking any, and every opportunity to ravish her and gaze at her body looking for even the tiniest changes that he logically knew wouldn't be there yet but wanting them all the same.

"Alive and being held by someone?" Vivienne gasped. "She didn't just leave us? She didn't run away with this man?" Olivia had been so sure that was the apparent scenario as she had given too little too late to keep her sister here with her that Vivienne had believed her.

Vivienne had so many emotions running through her. She didn't know what to think or feel about Gideon's news. Still, she knew she loved how Gideon's arms felt around her and the warmth of his love enveloping her. She wished with all her might that Marcella would one day let herself feel this type of deep almost obsessive love for another person. She kissed him deeply then, not even realising he was laying her back on the couch they sat on until her back hit the cushions.

"Bed?" she asked breathlessly.

"Gideon stood with her still in his arms and walked to the bed, laying her down and looking at her beautiful face for a moment before he leaned over and kissed her again. He removed their clothes with some help from Vivienne barely breaking his kiss. He was starving, but it was not for food any longer, all he wanted was her, over and over and over again.

Gideon ran his hands over the soft skin of her belly, and she moaned softly and sensuously. He pulled back to look at her face again. He marvelled at the wonder of finding her and the over the top feelings of possessiveness that drove him to her every spare moment of the day. He had never believed love like this was possible before breaking his curse, and he felt for Noah and his unfulfilled love of Marcella. Looking into Vivienne's face he couldn't doubt that she felt the same depth of emotion for him, her mouth was open in a pant, and her tongue snaked out to her lips, her rapid breath caused the rising and falling of her chest where he could see that her nipples were hard and pointed to the ceiling.

As Gideon's hand caressed across her belly, moving towards her breasts, she arched her back and thrust her breasts upwards in a silent plea for more. He moved his hand up and caressed one breast and then the other. With a lust-filled moan, her back arched even further thrusting her breasts into his hands. Gideon leaned over and took one of her nipples into his mouth and began to caress it with his tongue. Vivienne took a deep gasping breath and then let the air out with a shuddering moan that sounded like the sweetest music to Gideon's ears.

He ran his hand down her quivering belly and slid a finger through her pussy lips and found her hot and wet. He switched to her other nipple and began to lovingly lash it with his tongue as he slid two fingers into her soft, wet pussy. Her hips tilted upwards begging without words for his fingers to go deeper and Gideon accommodated thrusting his fingers deep into her, making sure to rub her g-spot with each thrust and caress her clit with his thumb.

Vivienne's breathing was ragged, gasping as her whole body began to rise in an arch off of the bed. Gideon felt her quivering, reaching and climbing towards him as he continued to suckle her nipples and finger her hot, wet pussy. Suddenly she stopped breathing as her whole body tightened and bowed in a muscle clenching orgasm. Gideon tried to keep fingering her pussy, but she had clamped his fingers in place. He manoeuvred, so he was still able to thumb her clit as he extended one of the most hard-hitting orgasms, he'd ever seen his wife have. Pregnancy definitely agreed with her he grinned to himself.

Her body stayed in her gravity-defying arch as her orgasm overwhelmed her for what seemed an age, and then her body fell back to the bed. Gideon lifted his head from the nipple he had been nibbling on and looked into her now open eyes filled with love, and he had to kiss her. He moved up and began to gently and softly kiss her lips. It took only moments for her to respond and turn the tender touch of his lips into a more demanding kiss. As he pulled back from the kiss, he looked into her eyes and saw the need that mirrored his own.

Gideon wasted no time and kissed down her belly, spending an extra few moments there knowing his son slept and grew within this wonderful woman. He could smell her arousal, and moving lower kissed her thighs as he opened them wider. The moment he started to lick and savour her, her hips came back off the bed, pressing her pussy against his waiting mouth. Gideon grabbed her ass in both hands and began to give her pussy full tongue thrusting licks with flicks of her clit at the end of each lick. Her panting breaths and mewls of pleasure spurred him on, and he could feel her belly quivering again as he pushed her to yet another climax. When she was almost there, Gideon sucked her clit into his mouth and began to lash it with his tongue, and she shattered for him, screaming out his name.

"Gideon!" she cried in a breathless half screech as her body convulsed.

As her hips fell back to the bed, Gideon kissed up to her breasts and began to push his rock hard cock into her tight and still quivering pussy. Vivienne moaned and continued to tremble as Gideon started to thrust hard and deep into her pussy. She was still on edge and building towards another climax as Gideon rode her determined to finish with her this time.

However, with his stunning wife writhing in pleasure beneath him, it was difficult for Gideon to keep from losing his battle and empty himself into her sinfully delicious body before she was ready. He added to her torment by reaching a hand between them to rub her clit and very quickly she climbed her peak and met him at the top as they both tumbled into ecstasy together. Vivienne's pussy clamped down hard on Gideon's cock as he lost control and buried himself deep into his wife's body.

Each time Gideon made love to his wife, he fell in love with her all over again, and he sighed in sated bliss as he pulled out of her and lay down next to Vivienne. Before he could pull her into his arms, she rolled over and laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him and in a quivering voice said.

"I love you, husband, so much. Thank you for loving me the way you do and for making everything better," Vivienne said sincerely.

"What needed to be made better?" Gideon asked with a frown as she lay on his chest, he wrapped his arms protectively around her still trembling body. He kissed her head and felt an ache in his heart with the love he had for this stunningly beautiful and incredible woman.

"I hadn't wanted to believe she would leave us without even saying goodbye," she said quietly. "I was blaming myself for her, not bothering to do that because thinking about the alternative was far worse. I couldn't bear the thought that she was dead. Someone took her, and that means there is a chance we can get her back. If she wants to come back, that is, but you make me believe that miracles can happen," she placed a hand over her belly. "If someone had told me before I came to Darwin that I would be married and expecting a baby, I would have had them committed to an asylum. Now I have almost everything I could ever have dreamed of, because of you. You saw me. In a crowd of beautiful people, you saw the plain, frumpy, nerdy Vivienne, and you made me feel worthy of you."

Vivienne had tried to hide her body away all her life and had denied her body's needs and wants. She had always felt like her body was a problem and something to be hidden, not exalted. Throughout their rapid courtship, Gideon had striven to make her see how beautiful and sensual she could be, and she was starting to believe him.

"You could never have escaped my notice no matter how hard you tried," Gideon squeezed her against him. Even in the beginning, he could see her stunningly beautiful face as she tried to hide it with her hair. Still, he never saw her stunning figure until their wedding night. The first weeks of their courtship were the most frustrating of his life, being unable to make love to this dazzling woman had been maddening, and he had tried everything to get her to open up.

Since their wedding, however, she had finally begun to realise how right his words had been and, she had finally let him show her how much he loved her. He was determined to make up for lost years of her life where she hid behind books and white lab coats and show her all the love and passion she had been missing. Not that he was complaining that his wife was a virgin on their wedding day. He loved that he was the only man ever to have her in this way.

"Do you think Noah can convince her to come back?" Vivienne asked softly.

"I know he will try," Gideon said. "Marcella isn't the most predictable of girls, and she has issues with control," he pointed out.

"I guess but wouldn't it be nice if she could settle and know she was safe here with us even if she can't accept Noah for who he is to her at first?" Vivienne pressed. "She has been a prisoner of her family for her whole life. I understand why she craves the freedom to do as she pleases so much."

Gideon had known that, but the simple explanation from his intelligent wife made him consider Marcella and Noah's volatile relationship in a different light. Maybe there was a way for Noah to get to her if he would take the advice of his older brother for once.

*****

"The cursed ones are a dark force that nobody meddles with lightly. It is how they have survived and prospered as well as they have over the centuries. Of all of the table's dark histories, theirs is the darkest, and over time they have embraced that and the legend their forefathers garnered for their deeds," Konrad explained. "In this modern age, they are constrained by the agreements with each of the tables, but I believe they are close to breaking point."

"So, this game you are playing is to push the Zenati to do something that would separate them from the other tables? Isn't that a risky move that could backfire on you and have all twelve turn on you?" Marcella asked.

"The greater the risk, the greater the reward," he grinned with childish delight. "The Tables have been fractured in the past, not badly enough to last over time but there are cracks and wariness in each of the Table's dealings with the others. Given the last attempt to destabilise the tables following closely after the Pellegrini fiasco with the Donati Table, that time is now," he said consideringly. "The time is ripe to sew discord but don't look so concerned my dear, Mischa. It is only a game, and at its end, there will be no hard feelings, there never are in games between gentlemen," Konrad reassured her.