Page 53 of Lost in Fire

Tonight, I remember what it feels like to be a woman.

Chapter 19

Hargen

Morning comes, and I watch the light catch Vanya’s hair where the strands cling to her cheeks. And for the first time since the nightmare of watching her die, I wake up believing in hope.

She’s here. Real. Breathing softly beside me with one hand curled against my chest like she’s afraid I might disappear.

Last night changed everything. Not just the reunion, not just the desperate need finally satisfied, but the conversations that stretched between touches. Plans forming in whispered words. A future that seemed possible again.

She stirs as I slip from the bed, those pale blue eyes opening to find mine.

“Hey,” she says, her voice husky with sleep.

“Hey,” I say back, taking in the sight of her with a hunger that surprises me.

“What’s the time?” she asks.

“Just past dawn.” Sliding from the haven of our shared bed, I pull on my clothes, movements steady despite the anticipation thrumming through my veins. “I’m going to get hold of Viktor.”

“My secure phone is on the kitchen counter.” She sits up, sheet pooling around her waist, completely unselfconscious. “Encryption protocols are already active.”

We discussed this last night—the need to move fast once we committed. Viktor’s extraction teams can deploy within hours, but only if we give them enough notice. Only if we’re ready to disappear completely.

In the kitchen, I brew coffee while I dial the emergency number he provided. Two cups—one black for me, one with cream for her. Small domesticity that feels revolutionary after decades of distance.

The connection stabilizes as Vanya joins me, wearing a silk robe that clings to curves I memorized again last night.

“Operative online,” I start the comms brief the way he’d briefed me.

“Cole.” Viktor’s voice carries cautious anticipation.

“Affirmative,” I say, seeing Vanya’s lips twitch slightly at the stilted military speak.

“Status report.”

“Mission complete. I’ve located the package.” I pause, letting the significance sink in. “Confirmed and ready for delivery. We can proceed immediately.”

Silence stretches across the connection. When Viktor speaks again, his voice carries genuine surprise.

“Remarkable. I gave you three weeks, and you’ve accomplished this in days.” Papers rustle as he processes the implications. “You’re certain we have cooperation?”

“Absolutely. She understands the value of Aurora’s protection and is prepared to share intelligence on Syndicate operations.”I catch Vanya’s slight nod of approval at the phrasing. “How quickly can you deploy extraction?”

“Location?”

I give him our address, not far from the Syndicate stronghold.

“I’ll get teams mobilized now. We can have you out in thirty minutes.” Viktor’s excitement bleeds through his professional tone. “Transport will arrive at your coordinates. Two passengers plus essential items only.”

Thirty minutes. Faster than I dared hope, but Viktor recognizes the significance of this intelligence coup.

“Understood. We’ll be ready.”

“Outstanding work, Cole. This changes everything.” His approval carries weight that I find oddly gratifying. “History will remember this recruitment.”

The connection ends, leaving silence that should feel triumphant. Instead, I notice Vanya’s expression has shifted. The soft contentment from moments ago has been replaced by something harder to read.

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