by Austin, RB
She drew her shoulders back. “I can get those things for myself.”
“Of course you can, but tonight you don’t have to. Let me help. I want to be your friend.”
“I don’t have friends.”
“Ever?” he asked quietly.
Her lips pressed tight and her arms folded across her chest. She looked away. “Fine,” she said after a moment. “I’ll stay. For tonight only. In the morning I’m gone.”
“Okay,” he agreed, stepping into the aisle. “Shall we?”
She picked up the carton and container, which Lucas immediately relieved from her grasp, earning another scowl.
“What’s your name?” They were walking across the parking lot, Kate’s arms wrapped around her waist. She’d already declined the offer of his jacket.
A grin spread across his face. “Lucas.”
She nodded and said nothing more. He hesitated in front of the rectory door. “The Fathers are sleeping,” he started.
“I know how to be quiet and inconspicuous.”
He nodded and opened the door, wanting to take her hand. It was dark inside, she wouldn’t know the way, but he refrained. “Over here,” he whispered, and walked down the hall to his room at the back.
Lucas breathed a sigh when the door closed behind them. Kate gazed at the sparse room. It held a twin size bed, nightstand, and a dresser. The closet door was in the corner. Her eyes locked on his suitcase that lay open on the dresser.
“This is your room?”
He nodded. Saw her gaze shift back to the single bed. “But it’s yours for tonight. Completely. I’ll sleep in another one.” The couch more likely. There weren’t any unoccupied bedrooms in the rectory.
Her frown had returned, along with furrowed eyebrows.
“Are you hungry? Let me go take care of these.” He motioned to the empty juice carton and container in his hands. “I’ll bring you something back.” Before she could protest or demand to leave, he closed the door.
Lucas set the empty dishes in the sink and opened the fridge. As soon as Kate was out of sight, his heart had started to race again. Every second away, he feared she was going to take off.
But she’d have to pass him in order to get to the front door.
Unless she used the window in her room.
No. She said she’d stay. He had the rest of the night with her.
To do what? What was the end game here?
It’d been imperative to remove Kate from the bar and get her to safety. If she’d been caught it would’ve put him and the Trihune in danger of being found out.
So no brainer, he put her to sleep, dodged the cops, and . . . brought her to the rectory.
Why hadn’t he erased her memory? Dropped her someplace else? Got her a hotel room?
Because her eyes changed color when she touched something or someone. That wasn’t normal. For Followers, at least. It meant something.
Lucas pulled out his phone from his back pocket, closing the door to the fridge. There wasn’t anything else in there to warm up. He pressed a few buttons and held the phone up to his ear, moving to the pantry at the end of the counter.
“Lucas. Did you find anything?”
He rolled his eyes at Cade’s greeting. “Something else came up. Did you ever hear of a Trihune member’s eyes changing to yellow when they touch someone?”
Cade was silent for a moment. “No.”
“How about a Fallen?”
“I’ve never seen their eyes change.”
Lucas exhaled. “And the demon Gabe came into contact with, his eyes hadn’t changed.”
“What’s going on, Lucas?”
“I met someone. Her eyes changed color when she touched something.”
“When did she attack? Do you think she’s after the map? Where’s she now?”
Lucas shook his head then realized Cade couldn’t see him. “No. It’s not like that. She’s not like that.”
“I think you better start at the beginning.”
He frowned. Kate wouldn’t want him talking about her. If she knew he was making this call she’d definitely take off. “I met her. At a bar in town. She caught my eye.”
“Caught your eye? I’d believe that coming from Gabe. Not you.”
“She wears these gloves. Never takes them off. I thought it was strange.”
“Maybe she has scars or some deformity.”
“That’s what I thought, until I saw her touch something without her gloves on. Her irises changed to yellow and she seemed to be in a trance for a few minutes.”
“I’ve never heard of a female Fallen, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. Did you get an evil vibe from her?”
“Not at all.”
“Well, she could still be working for Apollyon. Strange that you found her while searching for the key. It’s too much of a coincidence. Have you followed her? Seen where she lives? Maybe there are others.”
“I’ve seen where she sleeps. She’s alone. Completely.”
“Where is she now? Question her. Confirm she’s neither demon nor Fallen. If she is, you can’t leave the city until Followers are safe.”
“She’s not either of those.”
“Find out who she works for. What she wants. Report back. Say nothing about us. Erase her memory when you’re finished.”
“Will do.” Lucas ended the call then pinched the bridge of his nose. Calling Cade had been a mistake. He’d learned nothing. Only gained more commands from his boss.
He grabbed the loaf of bread from a shelf inside the pantry.
He’d get the information from Kate, though not because Cade demanded it.
But because, he wanted to.
Chapter 31
What the hell was she doing here? Kate stared at the door. Her heart began to speed.
And where was her bag? Her stomach twisted. God, her bag. Her life.
It was time to face the truth. Buck up. It was probably gone. Time to proceed without it. She needed cash. Her gaze fell on the open suitcase on top of the dresser.
A peek at the still closed door.
She heard nothing except an old man’s snore. The bed creaked when she rose.
Kate stilled. Listened.
Clear. She crept to the case. Lifted folded pants, all with creases. Buttoned shirts and sweaters that looked softer than any blanket she ever had. A pair of loafers.
Jesus. Did he own any jeans? A T-shirt?
The clothes were folded so carefully Kate had the desire to mess them up. Throw them around. Gather them in a ball like she did with her stuff. Her shoulders fell. Oh yeah, she didn’t have clothes anymore.
Living on the streets, clothes were just as important as food and cash, sometimes more so when the temperatures dropped. Her hands were on a dark green sweater she’d seen him wear in the bar. It wasn’t heavy, but probably warm any way, made of some fabric she was sure had never touched her skin. She’d take it. Wear it under her jacket. She wadded the sweater in a ball and tucked it underneath the bed to grab on her way out.
She wasn’t a thief. Not in the real sense of the word. She only took what she needed. Like food. And showers. And a place to sleep. And, tonight, cash.
R.G., no wait, Lucas—Kate scoffed silently. Of course his name was Lucas. Probably Lucas the third or some shit. She rolled her eyes—wouldn’t mind helping her out. He left her that big tip after all.
So far the only thing in his bag were clothes. Ugh. He had his cash on him. Probably in a wallet that cost more than the rent she’d never paid on that last place. She was about to sit back on the bed, positive he’d be coming back soon, when her gloved hands hit something hard. Kate gently lifted the pile of clothes and set them to the side.
Her lips curved in
a wide smile. It was a watch. Gold. With diamonds instead of numbers. The word Rolex scrawled across the center of the face. She curled her fingers around it. This would more than pay for her trip to Chicago. It would also fund her and Stacy’s new IDs. A slash of guilt ran through her. She shoved the watch in her jacket pocket and repositioned the clothes. He wouldn’t even miss it. Probably had five others just like it. Besides, she couldn’t trust him. He wanted something from her. No one was nice for the hell of it. This would be payment for whatever he had in store for her.
Plus he knew her secret.
Her stomach swirled. She tamped down the wave of panic. No. It’d be fine. Just continue avoiding his questions. Act like she didn’t know what he was talking about.
How had he known, though?
When she touched something, she always assumed it looked like she passed out. Apparently that wasn’t the case.
Didn’t matter. She wasn’t sticking around to get answers. As soon as he left for his own room, she’d get out of here.
Satisfied the suitcase looked undisturbed, she checked the one window in the room. It was above the bed. A regular lock with a screen. A less than ten second no problem, c-ya bye bye.
She sat. Stood a few seconds later. Was he calling the cops after all?
Screw this. She wasn’t waiting around to get nailed.
In the next instant, Kate was on the bed, pulling the curtain aside. The window was quickly unlatched. She pressed against the screen’s border to pop it off.
The door opened. She turned slowly.
Lucas stood in the doorway, a tray in his hands filled with two plates and two glasses. He was frowning. His gaze went from her to the window.
“Hey.” She climbed off the bed. “I was a bit warm. Thought I’d get some air.”
He shut the door behind him. “Really?” After closing the lid of his suitcase, he set the tray on top of it. “Because it looked like you were trying to leave through the window.”
That couldn’t possibly be hurt in his tone. Kate gave a little laugh. It rang false even to her own ears, but it wasn’t like she laughed often. She’d forgotten what it really sounded like or even felt like.
Forget the pity party. She’d laugh when she and Stacy were laying on a beach in Mexico.
Lucas handed her a plate and a glass. “If you want to leave, Kate, you can walk out the front door. You don’t need to sneak out the window.”
Kate didn’t answer, eyeing the food in her hands. Two sandwiches, carrots, a mound of chips, and a glass of milk. When was the last time someone made her a meal? She couldn’t remember. Tears pricked her eyes and she blinked them back, horrified.
Must be going to start soon. She’d have to pick up a box of Tampax before getting on the bus. Those frickin’ expensive things had been in her bag, too.
She swallowed a thank you, not sure if she could speak without her voice cracking, and sat cross-legged on the bed. A gust of wind blew through the room ruffling her hair. She forced back a shiver.
Lucas set his plate on the bed and walked to the window. “Mind if I shut this? The wind is a bit cold.”
She stuck a chip in her mouth and nodded.
“Sorry it took me a while. I wasn’t sure what you’d like, but figured you probably weren’t a picky eater.” Lucas sat next to her.
“I’m not. I appreciate the food.”
“It’s nothing.” It looked like he was going to say something else, but took a bite of his sandwich instead.
Hers was ham with cheese, lettuce, and mayo. It was the best sandwich she’d had in a while. She never bought lunchmeat or condiments. Fridges weren’t always in her life.
“Why were you going to run?”
A lie was automatic on her tongue, but one look at his expression and she couldn’t voice it. “I thought you were calling the police.”
He nodded slowly. “You don’t know me. I don’t know you.”
“Exactly.” Good. He wouldn’t get pissed when she took off before he woke. Kate was already on her second sandwich. She wasn’t used to eating so much. First the meat-vegetable-whatever in the church and now the feast here. She was getting full, but not going to stop. Who knew when her next meal would be.
“So what can I do to change that?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Change what?” The carrots looked really good. She hadn’t had raw vegetables in forever.
“You trusting me.”
What was his deal? The food, the charming smile, the trust-me-I-only-want-to-help attitude.
Well she was truthful once, might as well keep it up. She’d call it payment for the sweater. “Nothing. I’ve learned early that no one does anything for free. They all expect payment sooner or later. It’s easier to trust no one and rely on only myself to get the things I need.”
Lucas set his plate on the floor. He’d only eaten three-quarters of his sandwich and none of his chips. “That’s a sad way to go through life.”
Her eyes narrowed. “It’s the only way.”
“I don’t expect anything from you, Kate.”
Scoffing, she shoved a chip in her mouth. “Sure you do, Lucas.” She drew out his name with a sneer. “Why else would a rich, pretty boy like yourself stoop so low to help me? You getting your jollies out of it? Going to brag to all of your rich buddies how you helped a homeless girl? Chest puffed out for a week or a month at the good deed you did? Or maybe you’re hoping I’d give you a hand job for the food. Or even better, let you fuck me.” She had a chip in her hand and threw it down. Forget it, the meal wasn’t worth choking down.
“You’re right. I do want something from you.”
Her chin lifted, just as something inside her chest broke. She hadn’t realized how much she’d hoped he’d be different. Not that it would’ve mattered.
God, she really must be starting soon. Periods made women completely mental.
Chapter 32
Damn, this nheqeba was driving him crazy. Her emotions giving him whiplash.
It was pity when she described her outlook on life, which was confusing. Who did she pity? Him? Then it moved to a roar in his ears. Anger made a bit more sense. Until it changed to sorrow, adding weight to his chest. When it changed to lust, though, that almost blew him away. She was so skittish it hadn’t even crossed his mind to—okay, it did cross his mind, more than once actually, but he wouldn’t act on it.
The one emotion he observed quite clearly was disdain, but he hadn’t once felt an itch in his nose. She hid her emotions better than any Follower he’d met before.
“Sooo,” she said.
Could she be more sarcastic with that one word?
“I assume this is a cash on demand transaction,” she continued, “since I don’t exactly have an address you can mail an invoice to.”
Her words angered him, but her expression made him regret opening his mouth. “Answers.”
“What?”
The two spots of color in her cheeks leeched away. She knew what he was talking about. “Can I tell you a secret, Kate?”
She blinked.
He didn’t wait for a response. Probably didn’t want to hear it any way. “You’ve been the one bright spot in my life the past couple weeks.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“It’s true. I do have money. But I work for it. The job isn’t easy. Used to be fun. Fulfilling. What I do serves a higher purpose, so my enjoyment doesn’t really matter. I accepted that going in, but lately, that’s not enough for me. Something happened, and it made me see things in a different light. I tried to go back, to the way it was before, but I can’t. My present has changed. My future, which was once crystal clear, is cloudy.”
“So why don’t you just change jobs?”
“It’s not an option for me. There’s only
one way out.” He shook his head. Could he be more dramatic? “Then you came along.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“I was sent here for punishment, though my boss will say otherwise. I’ve accepted it. Done my duty, while praying the days move faster so I can go back.” He paused. “Though that’s not what I want either.” His lips curved with a wry grin. “I believe the phrase is a mid-life crisis. I’m at a cross roads that lead in only one direction. Was feeling pretty miserable, until I saw you.”
Here he was, a rich boy complaining about his horrible life when she just had all her worldly possessions stolen and had been living on the streets with not enough food to eat, or warm enough clothes.
“How I must look to you?” He shook his head. “But you quiet me, Kate. I don’t feel so lost or purposeless when you’re with me.” Or the need to seek out the dark.
“Because you can focus on fixing me instead of fixing yourself.”
Was that it? “That’s very astute. And more than likely the reason.” Although he’d been attracted to her, calmed by her, before even learning of her situation.
“So my payment for food and warmth is what exactly?”
He sighed. “Nothing. You being here is payment enough. You’re a distraction from myself.”
She frowned. “What do you do?”
Lucas hesitated, recalled his conversation with Cade. Say nothing about us.
What Cade didn’t understand, and what Lucas had discovered in the little time he’d known Kate, in order to get her to confide in him, he’d have to trust her first.