by Raven Steele
The vampire was almost directly above her, salvia dripping from his fangs. Eve was only ten feet away. So close, but not close enough. A vampire stepped in front of Lucien. Lucien picked him up and tossed him into the crowd. Eve struggled against a skinny vampire who seemed to be getting the upper hand until she shocked him away with a large dose of magic that sent him flying across the room.
Lucien was almost there. Just then, the vampire on the ceiling dropped, long nails extracted. Lucien saw the death-blow in his eyes.
He leapt as hard as he could toward Eve and knocked her to the ground. The falling vampire landed on top of Lucien’s back, and his nails ripped through his jacket and into his flesh. Lucien growled as the pain was sharp and instant. Beneath him, Eve’s eyes widened in surprise.
With one arm securing Eve, his free hand reached for a stake on the floor. He twisted around and stabbed the vampire in the heart. Lucien kicked him away just as parts of the vampire turned to ash while his bones fizzed and boiled into a gelatinous mess on the floor. Lucien stood up quickly, easily taking Eve with him.
“I told you to stay away!” he shouted to be heard over the chaos around them.
She stepped away from his grip. “You have no right to tell me what to do!”
He yanked her close to his chest, knocking back another attacking vampire as he did so.
His eyes scanned the crowd. Up front, several guards began moving the boxes out of the warehouse. Lucien groaned. He couldn’t leave Eve.
Lucien stopped when he saw Aiden looking at him thoughtfully, an evil smile spreading across his face. And in that moment, Lucien was terrified. Not for himself but for Eve.
Aiden motioned a guard over and pointed in their direction. Lucien tightened his grip on Eve, who fought him uselessly. The guard moved toward them, motioning for a few others to follow.
“Time to go,” Lucien said.
“We can’t! We’re not finished!”
“Yes, we are.” Lucien dragged her toward the opening in the wall.
“Let go of me!” she cried. “I can’t leave!”
He stopped and grabbed her shoulders. “Please, trust me.”
She searched his face, then nodded. “Let me expend my power first. I can’t leave without giving all that I can.”
Eve didn’t wait for him to respond. She turned on the fighting crowd, spoke quickly and quietly, and her eyes turning a brilliant white. She drew her hands to her chest, and then, in one quick movement, shoved them outward. A blast of cold air shot through the building, knocking most of the vampires to the ground in a dazed stupor. This gave the Deific soldiers a chance to get the upper hand. The chance was not wasted.
When Eve’s knees buckled, Lucien steadied her. She had nothing left to give, but at least she was still conscious. He scooped her up and fled the building, away from Aiden and his men.
Chapter 36
Inside Lucien’s car, Eve kept her eyes focused straight ahead as Lucien drove aimlessly through Dublin, trying to determine his next move. Only once did she turn to look at him. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then thought better of it. She turned back around to stare out the window.
Lucien didn’t speak either. He didn’t know what to say without explaining it all, and he wasn’t ready to bare his deepest, darkest secret.
He drove up to a rundown diner just outside the city. It was well lit and crowded, exactly what they needed right now.
“Let’s get you something to eat,” he suggested. “Maybe it will help you get some energy back.”
“Are you going to tell me why we had to leave so suddenly?” Her voice was weak and strained.
“I’m trying to keep you safe.”
“Safe from whom?”
“Let’s go inside.”
He got out of the car before she could ask any more questions. After popping his trunk, he carefully removed his long jacket. The pain in his back from being clawed still hurt, but the initial sting had left him.
“Are you going to be okay?” Eve asked, eyeing him with concern.
“Almost healed.” He tossed his torn jacket into the trunk and replaced it with a new one; he had over a dozen of them and made sure to keep a few spares in the trunks of each of his cars. The style and cut of the jacket was his favorite.
The restaurant claimed to be a family diner on the outside, but the name didn’t come close to being family-oriented, unless families were pigs and alcoholics. The inside was dimly lit, as it appeared most of the lights had burned out, their bulbs never replaced. Most of the lighting was coming from bright, neon, beer-brand signs. Tables were positioned unevenly across a floor littered with peanut shells.
“Nice place,” Eve whispered.
He led her to a table in the back and sat down. Eve took her seat in the booth across from him. She pulled a couple of napkins out from the dispenser and tore them in two.
“Tell me what happened,” she said.
Lucien watched her tear at the napkin. He couldn’t help but smile.
She noticed his smile and looked down at the crumpled napkin, which had already been ripped into several pieces. She pushed it aside. “Sorry, bad habit.”
He grabbed her hand to stop her. The moment his fingers brushed hers, he felt and heard the familiar, gentle humming of power. “Don’t stop. Never stop doing something that is a part of you.”
He quickly removed his hand.
She eyed him thoughtfully. “I will never understand you.”
“Don’t try.”
“Tell me what happened to you. What changed?”
His chest tightened. He stared down at the torn pieces of napkin.
“Lucien?”
He looked up into her worried eyes and shook his head. “I shouldn’t be here with you.”
Her expression changed from worry to anger. “Then why are you?”
He groaned and leaned back against the padded bench. He wanted to tell her everything, but that would only make matters worse. “I need to make sure you’re safe.”
“Why?” she pressed.
“Because you’re in danger.”
“So? What does it matter to you?”
Faster than she could blink, he moved within inches of her face and whispered, “Because if anything happened to you, I would die.”
He moved back, startled, and a little embarrassed, by his confession.
The lines on her face softened. She reached up and placed her warm palm against his cold cheek. “Let it go, Lucien. Whatever has happened, it’s in the past. Live life with me now.”
He turned away. “I don’t know how.”
“You must forgive yourself for whatever it is you’ve done.”
“Some sins are unforgivable.”
“Not if you have become a different person. Evil would have us think we are wicked to prevent us from doing great things, but evil cannot, in all eternity and with all its power, completely destroy us, not without our consent. You are a better person now with a desire to do good and help others. Give yourself a little credit.”
“You don’t know what you are asking.”
“Then tell me! If you won’t let me in, how can I help you?”
“You can’t.”
“So that’s it? You’ve declared yourself a martyr for a cause you can’t even talk about?”
He glanced away, unable to answer.
“You are a coward, Lucien.”
He looked back at her, surprised.
“We’ve all done stupid things in our past, some worse than others. It would have been easy for me to spend my life with Boaz. He was powerful and seductive. The connection between us was almost unbreakable. I felt no remorse when I was with him. People died at our hands, at my hands. Do you think my horrendous guilt was easy to overcome?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but she continued before he could.
“It wasn’t, but eventually I did. I never gave up, even though there were countless times I wanted to take my own life.” She leaned
back. “And unlike you, I had to do it alone. So don’t whine to me about how you can’t redeem yourself or how you were meant to suffer for all time. You are not a victim!”
He closed his eyes, wishing he could believe her words.
“Please,” she pleaded again. “Just let it go!”
“Eve, I—”
The front door opened, and Lucien caught a familiar scent. Behind Eve’s shoulder, Lucien locked eyes with Charlie. He moaned. “Can this day get any worse?”
Eve turned around. Her face lit up when she saw Charlie. She slid from the seat and pushed herself up to throw her arms around him. Lucien looked the other way.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Psychic, remember? I knew there was going to be some complications tonight,” his eyes flashed to Lucien, “so I flew out to see if I could help. What’s wrong with you? You look weak.”
“I’m fine,” Eve insisted and sat back down. Charlie slid in next to her.
“How’s it going, Valium?” Charlie asked.
Lucien ignored him.
“Great. Good to hear it.” Charlie poured himself a glass of water. Lucien didn’t bother telling him that the cup was already there when they’d sat down.
“So what happened tonight?” Charlie asked, his expression darkening. “I spoke to Alana. She said the vampires moved all of the boxes, and that the Dark Prince got away. Last time I spoke to you Eve, you sounded so confident, like it was a done deal.”
“There were complications,” Eve started. “Lucien was on his way to destroy the boxes but came back to help me. As for the Dark Prince—”
“You were there?" Charlie asked her. "I specifically remember all of us agreeing that you would work from the outside! What were you doing fighting?”
“If you remember,” Eve said, “I can actually fight quite well, and I’ve been doing better with my magic. It’s more focused.”
Charlie turned to Lucien. “Then why didn’t you let her fight and just go after the boxes?”
Lucien’s eyes moved to the fork on the table. He wondered how many times he’d have to stab Charlie before he died. He hoped it was at least a thousand.
“Lucien had his reasons,” Eve defended.
Lucien wrapped his fingers around the fork. “She would’ve died if I hadn’t helped, but that’s beside the point. He saw her with me and now her life is in danger. They know she’s here.”
“Who’s ‘he’?” Charlie asked.
Lucien almost answered 'Aiden', but stopped himself just in time. “The Dark Prince.”
Charlie's hands curled into fists, and he spoke fast, "Why isn't he dead yet? That monster has to be stopped!"
Eve rested her hand on his arm, her eyes darting to the many customers seated near them. "I'm sorry about tonight. Maybe if I—"
"No," Charlie interjected and clenched his jaw. "I'm glad he got away. Now I'll get the chance to kill him."
"Why do I feel this is personal for you?" Lucien asked. This was the second time he had seen Charlie get angry over the mention of the Dark Prince.
Charlie slammed his fist on the table. "Because it is personal."
Eve turned to Lucien. “You saw this Prince guy. Do you happen to know his real identity? Maybe if we knew that we could track him down.”
“His real name is Aiden," Lucien said all while wondering what his brother had done to Charlie. "He’s extremely old and dangerous.”
Charlie leaned back against the seat. “Aiden. I don’t think we have him in our files.”
“You wouldn’t. He’s been trapped in a cave for the last several hundred years.”
“And how would you know that?”
“Because I’m the one who put him there.”
Eve’s eyes widened.
“So you guys go way back?” Charlie asked. “Sorority brothers or something?”
“Something like that,” Lucien said through his teeth.
"Can you find him?" Charlie asked.
"Possibly, but you don't want anything to do with him. I'll take care of Aiden."
Charlie looked pointedly at him. "Because you did so well the first time?"
“Did Alana say anything else?” Eve asked, mirroring the angry look in both their eyes.
It was a few seconds before Charlie finally turned away from Lucien. “Alana followed the truck containing the virus to a warehouse on the other side of Dublin. It belongs to a company called Bodian Dynamics.”
“Their name was printed on the boxes,” Lucien remembered.
“Why do they sound familiar?” Eve asked.
“They are a huge medical research corporation. You’ve probably heard their name in the news. They come across as this big charitable organization, but they’ve been on the Deific’s watch list for decades for being involved in all kinds of questionable activity. It doesn’t surprise me that they are involved with this. Alana thinks we should destroy their building as soon as possible.”
Eve sighed. “Good.”
Lucien noticed how tired she looked and suddenly felt guilty for fighting with Charlie. His only concern should be for Eve … but then Charlie opened his mouth again.
“You look tired, Eve. Let’s go find a hotel where you can get some rest. I’ll fill you in later.”
“I’ll take care of Eve," Lucien said. "You can call us in the morning."
Eve lifted her chin. “I will take care of myself. And I think it will be easier if we all stay at the same place.”
“I agree," Charlie said. "Eve, you can stay in my room, and Lucien, well, you don’t need a room, right?”
Lucien opened his mouth to say something really insulting but Eve interrupted. “I’ll get my own room. I’m done with both of you.”
Chapter 37
Lucien didn’t think it was possible, but Charlie found them a motel dumpier than the restaurant. He tried to convince Eve to go somewhere else, but she wouldn’t hear of it. And that is how Lucien found himself sitting on a metal chair outside her door at two in the morning.
Eve’s breathing finally fell into a rhythmic patter about an hour later. Then there was Charlie, down one door, who had fallen asleep within minutes of going into his room. Lucien didn’t think he’d ever get used to him. It was clear by the way Charlie looked at Eve that he was in love with her.
Lucien tilted the chair against the motel wall. The clouds above had finally moved on, revealing a beautiful night sky. The moon, barely a sliver, seemed to smile at Lucien as if it knew something he didn’t.
From inside the room, Eve turned over. He leaned his head closer to the door and inhaled. Her lilac scent filled him and, once again, he felt great sorrow. The emotional roller coaster he was putting Eve through wasn’t fair to her.
He should stand up and walk away right now. But he couldn’t do it. The thought of something happening to Eve hurt him more than he could bare. His stomach twisted in tight knots, and a sharp pain stabbed at his heart at the mere thought of Eve suffering in any way.
He closed his eyes and shook his head. A wall separated him from the only person who loved him enough to bring him joy at any cost, including her own life. A cheaply made, plastered barrier was all that stood between him and the only person he would ever love. Eve was right. He was a coward. He claimed he would do anything for her, but could he let go of the past? Could someone like him be forgiven for all that he’d done?
He stood and faced her door. It was the only thing stopping him from being truly happy. Eve loved him. Despite who he was, she had found him and she loved him. But even if she didn’t, if for some reason she suddenly stopped loving him, would it change the way he felt about her? He knew it wouldn’t. She had captured his heart completely, and no matter what happened, he would always belong to her.
Lucien suddenly understood why the moon was smiling. It, along with all the stars in the sky, were witnesses to Lucien almost giving up on life’s greatest gift—love. But no longer. He was finished letting the past rule his life.
/> He chose to live.
Lucien placed his hand on the doorknob, anxious to rush to Eve, but stopped. How could she believe him after all he’d put her through? He needed something; something special that would prove to her that he was sincere, that this time he would never leave.
He walked to the middle of the parking lot and looked around, for what he didn’t know. What could he possibly find at this time of night?
Across the street, a convenience store was still open. He jogged over and opened the glass door; a bell announced his arrival. A skinny man with shaggy black hair glanced at him briefly and then returned to reading the book in his hands. Lucien walked up and down the aisles, which were mostly filled with food. He gritted his teeth. It was going to take a lot more than a Ding Dong to prove his commitment.
Two aisles over, he found a shelf containing hardware items. He stared at the few items, his mind racing. And then he knew. He only hoped that what he was about to make would be enough to convince Eve.
He quickly grabbed a package of silver wire, wire cutters and, up front, next to the sunglasses, he found a box containing several cheaply made necklaces. He chose a necklace with a thin, black cord; a gold cross hung from its center.
After paying for the items, he walked back to the motel, while opening the package of wire. He lowered himself back into the chair in front of Eve’s door and twisted the metal wire into a tight spiral. Every so often, he’d overlap the metal to give the design texture. Using the wire cutters, he clipped the end and tucked it inside his small, circular creation.
When he was finished, a quarter-sized silver rose lay in his palm. He removed the gold cross from the black choker and looped the string through the top of the rose. He dangled it in front of him. It wasn’t a diamond, but it would have to do. He stood and quietly turned the doorknob.
Eve slept in the bed, covered only by a white sheet. Her eyebrows were pulled tightly together as if she were dreaming something unpleasant, but as he approached, her features softened.
“Lucien,” she whispered and opened her eyes.
He fell to his knees, his face inches from hers. He smoothed back her hair and then, as if she were a porcelain doll, gently traced the edges of her face with his fingertips.