Atticus: #8 (Luna Lodge: Hunters of Atlas)

by Madison Stevens

  Apparently not.

  Atticus flexed his fingers, taking a few deep breaths. If Sergius could fight this thing, then so could he.

  "I will not let you have her," Atticus said to the shadow.

  A hissing sort of laugh came from the shadowy figure as it stepped out of the pool of water. Atticus moved forward, ready to do what needed to be done.

  It stared at him for some time. Examining him. Watching him intently.

  It took a step forward. Its inky body slashing out across the floor, reaching out to them.

  “No,” Celine moaned.

  The shadow stopped at her words. It stared at the woman before looking back to Atticus. Again, it moved forward. This time its intent clear.

  “No!” Celine shouted in her sleep. A bright blue light filled the room, bouncing against the inky black, breaking it up as it did so, returning the shadows to the nothingness from where they came. The Shadow Man rushed back.

  The hybrid stared down at his Vestal. She still lay sleeping on the floor. She shivered so hard her teeth rattled.

  He turned back to where the shadow had been, ready to take on the thing if it decided to gain any further ground.

  Instead he spotted the retreating form as it slipped back into the pool. The darkness drifted away, and he was suddenly left alone.

  He glanced furiously around the cave. Light streamed in again through the holes. The only shadows left were the kind that didn’t move on their own and invade water.

  Atticus dropped to the ground next to Celine and wrapped his arms around her body. She nestled her body against his. Her hand reached out to touch his tattoo, and the fear she seemed to have before slipped away.

  Her shivering subsided, and she lay, still sleeping, next to him, now far more restful than before.

  Atticus wasn't quite certain what had happened, but he was glad not to have to fight another battle. Whatever the case, it had been Celine who had chased it off with her bright light.

  It baffled him really. The connection. The blue light. None of it made sense. Well, unless he wanted to believe they were actually descendants of the Atlanteans and ultimately of Atlas.

  No matter how strange it seemed, all the evidence kept pointing to the same thing.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Feeling more rested than she had in some time, Celine gathered her now dry coat and slipped it onto her body. She was glad to have the extra layer of protection before she took on the big, bad outside again. She wasn’t thrilled with the idea of leaving but knew they needed to.

  Several times, she caught Atticus watching her. It wasn't the sort of watching she had hoped to get the day after they had slept together. Instead it was like he was observing her. Like any moment she might sprout wings and start doing tricks for him.

  Something had happened, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She could sense a tension around him that felt different than before. Maybe it was the difference between hiding and emerging from their cave.

  Atticus must have been preparing for the return trip back and another potential attack by Thrax. She wondered if Atticus had heard him but just wasn’t telling her. That didn’t quite make sense, though, as he’d been so honest with her about the threat before.

  Celine’s heart thumped heavy in her chest. Maybe he was less worried about what would happen along the way then what would happen when they returned. After all, they didn’t know what they would be returning to. Maybe the Glycons had slaughtered the people there. Maybe they had gotten to Allison.

  The mayor was supposed to have met up with Quintus the other night after work. Maybe the Glycons had gotten to her as well. Tears welled up in Celine’s eyes the more she thought about it.

  She shook her head. Now was not the time for those thoughts. For now she would assume that things were as they should be, and when they got back, everything would go back to the way things were before she made the fateful decision to go visit the Azilians.

  Something fluttered deep within her stomach.

  Celine wanted to go back. She really did, but she didn't want to go back to the way things were, back to when Atticus pretended she didn't even exist. Back to where she lived without knowing what was going on in the world around her.

  Ignorance was not bliss. It was just ignorance. And in this new world, ignorance could get a person killed. She needed to know if a monster was coming if she would have any chance of avoiding it, and like hell she was making it out of here just to get killed.

  "You ready?" Atticus asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

  Celine shook her head, and he frowned. He looked her up and down before meeting her eyes, a faint frown on his face.

  She stared back. Not only would she not let herself be killed, she’d not let herself be afraid of going after what she wanted ever again.

  "What's wrong?" Atticus asked.

  Celine stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him down for a soft kiss. When she pulled back, she was surprised to see the soft blue light in his eyes. She wasn’t sure she would ever get used to that but wasn’t going to complain. Something about it only turned her on.

  She smiled warmly at him. "Now I'm ready.”

  Celine slid her hand down his arms until their fingers twined together.

  Once again, they maneuvered through the dark tunnel, Atticus as her guide through the pitch black.

  Unlike the night before, this time she felt more at ease stepping through the lava tube. It was strange how one night could change a person's opinion about everything around them. How a strange place could seem like home when the person that means the most is there to share it.

  Her heart kicked up again. She did care for Atticus. Not just cared, loved. It was hard to deny the feelings that Atticus brought out in her. Not to mention how amazingly well they fit together when they decided to express those feelings physically.

  It sounded strange before, but the truth was obvious: they really were made for one another.

  Fresh air filtered through an opening, and she breathed in deeply. Rain from the previous night had given the soil an earthy smell. It was just another piece to help keep them covered in their daring escape.

  A soft rumble sounded in the distance. Atticus leaned close to her ear.

  "There's rain coming," he said. "When we reach the opening, you'll need to ride on my back. It’s a different opening than the other one. I scouted it out the other night.”

  “Are you going to be able to carry me?”

  “I’m fine. I was injured before, but I’m okay now.”

  Celine nodded. Atticus was much faster than she was. There was no way they would reach the compound before the rain set in.

  A small circular opening came into view just ahead. The incline was steep as they made their way out. Atticus was just a few steps ahead and helped pull her though the opening.

  It was funny. She never really thought of the black forest is being bright, but coming out of a pitch-black cave, it was amazing what a person could see. It was one of those moments where perspective was everything.

  They stopped at the opening, and Atticus knelt to allow her to climb on his back. Her arms circled his neck, a finger slipping just inside his shirt collar to touch the blue tattoo that she knew to be there.

  A soft hum pulsed between them. It was a reminder of their connection once again. Vestal and hybrid. Made for one another.

  Atticus placed a hand on her ass to help hoist her up. “You good?”

  Her thighs ached a little from the night before, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. “Yeah.”

  Celine leaned into Atticus and breathed in his scent.

  "You ready?" he said.

  She nodded against his back, and they were off.

  Through the one good lens in her glasses, she could make out the whizzing of the trees that passed by them. She closed her eyes to shut out the whirling world around them.

  His speed was a gift, but not one she was equipped to
handle. Still she loved the feel. It was like riding a motorcycle, the wind in her face.

  The first splash of rain pelted her closed eyes.

  “We’re going fast, so this might sting a little,” Atticus shouted.

  He hadn’t been wrong. The rain came at a steady pace now, slapping against her cheeks and blinding her already impaired vision.

  Cold rain now slipped down her face, running down her back. She shivered as the cold seeped into her body. She wasn’t even sure how he could see in this rain, but Atticus still pushed forward.

  Celine pressed closer against Atticus, his warm body helping to keep out the cold.

  “You’re so warm,” she murmured.

  A soft chuckle came from him, and Celine cursed the fact she hadn’t been able to see it. She loved to see him smile. His whole face just felt so warm and inviting.

  A high-pitched scream came from nearby in the darkened woods. Her fingers clenched his shirt as a new shiver raced down her spine.

  “Damn it,” Atticus shouted. “Bastard just won’t give up. He’s got our scent. Whatever you do, just don’t let go of me.”

  Celine nodded and tightened her legs around his waist. She could feel his muscles as they strained to go faster. If she hadn’t been on his back, she was sure he would be able to outrun the Glycon. There was no doubt that she was only slowing him down.

  Something sideswiped them. The impact was so hard her hands couldn't keep her grip on him. Celine went flying through the air and landed hard against a nearby tree.

  She heard the loud crack as her head smacked against the bark. The world spun around her. Her body landed hard against the ground, glasses now lost to the forest floor.

  Celine leaned forward, the contents of her stomach threatening to come forth from the force of the blow. She was certain she had a concussion, and that was probably the best-case scenario.

  The thuds and grunts of two men fighting nearby reached her ears. Their forms were just barely visible through the rain and darkness. Her lack of glasses didn’t help, making it all one giant clusterfuck.

  The slap of bodies as the two clashed grew closer. She pushed herself hard onto her feet but cried out as her ankle turned and collapsed under the weight.

  Celine fell into the mud now. Heavy rain splashed all around them. A crack of lightning overhead lit the way forward.

  She did the only thing she could think to do. She crawled.

  "Stay away," Atticus shouted to her. “Run.”

  Celine ignored him. She had to be with him. She wasn't certain she could do anything to help, but maybe if the creature had her, he would leave Atticus alone.

  If offering herself would keep the man she loved safe, she would do exactly that.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Atticus knew Thrax was nearby when the creature screamed. The high-pitched noise sent a shiver down his spine, but the hybrid would have never guessed that the damn Glycon was that close. He thought there might have been a little more time to prepare himself for the battle or at least get close enough to the forest line that Celine would stand a chance to get to the compound.

  His plan had been to lure the Glycon far enough away that they would be able to escape. It should have worked. It was the best idea he could come up with.

  There were two possibilities. Either Thrax had been smart enough to figure out the deception, or he was so fast he’d been able to double-back. Neither possibility filled Atticus with confidence about his ability to save his woman.

  The impact from the hit had completely blindsided him. One second they had been speeding along, and the next he and Thrax were sprawling across the mud trading blows. For a moment he lost track of Celine but spotted her some distance away, hunched over and dry heaving on the ground.

  It was better that way. If he could keep the Glycon distracted, maybe she could escape. They were close to the compound now. Not more than a mile away. She could run that far while he took on Thrax.

  If she could make it to the other hybrids, they would keep her safe. No matter what happened to him. And her safety was the only thing that was important.

  A hard blow knocked Atticus to the ground as he struggled to stand. Thrax screamed over him, his rage fueling him.

  Atticus glanced over to where Celine had been on the ground.

  Damn it. Instead of running away, the crazy woman was moving closer to the fight.

  “Stay way, run,” Atticus shouted to her.

  Thrax’s rage seemed to almost drip off him. The Glycon hadn’t expected to have to spend so much time tracking Atticus and Celine. Thrax probably thought it would be a piece of cake. Even without him saying it, Atticus could tell.

  Instead, he’d spent the past few days tracking them in the woods. Not ideal, especially when there were a whole group of hybrids still out there.

  The Glycon was driven. There was no question about it. He knew what he wanted, and he was hellbent on getting it. Atticus could almost respect that.

  He climbed to his feet while the Glycon circled him, finding himself far more unsteady than he expected. The impact from earlier must have thrown him off.

  It didn’t matter. It’s not like he needed to survive the fight. Celine just needed to escape.

  Maybe she hadn’t heard him over the thunder the first time.

  “Celine, leave,” he shouted. “Go to my people.”

  She continued to move toward them, crawling. Crawling?

  The sickening realization that Celine might be injured hit Atticus.

  The hulking Glycon turned his attention to the beautiful woman on the ground, and Atticus felt his anger swell. He slammed a fist into the side of Thrax’s head.

  A howl ripped from Thrax’s mouth at the pain.

  "Hey!” Atticus smirked at the sound. “Keep your eyes on me, you son of a bitch.’

  Atticus raced forward once again as Thrax turned to look at Celine. This time he landed a blow hard into the Glycon's ribs, but Thrax caught his arm as he did. Like a rag doll, Thrax tossed him hard against a nearby tree.

  The hybrid’s body ached now, but he forced himself to stand. Celine needed him, and there was no way he was letting the Glycon get to her.

  They circled one another as they had before, each eyeing the other through the pouring rain. The strange purple hue once again filled the Glycon's eyes.

  Atticus had formed a theory about that, a theory that filled him with dread for what lay ahead of them with Agatha and her minions.

  Maybe Thrax was not fully a Glycon. Thrax might have been touched by the blue stone in some way. There might have been a piece of him that was hybrid.

  It wasn't completely unheard of. Nero had been a form of Glycon before being purified into a normal hybrid. But unlike Thrax, his mind had been left as his own, unmarred by the killer instincts of a Glycon. Thrax might have the ability to think, but the overwhelming bloodlust still existed inside him, making him a dangerous foe.

  Thrax lunged toward Atticus. His fist slammed into the same spot he struck before.

  Unlike the Glycon though, Atticus felt the pain lancing through his body, a searing pain that throbbed through him.

  It was clear he wouldn’t win this fight. The only thing he could do was make sure that Thrax wasn't able to carry out whatever his sick plan was. Atticus had to keep Celine safe. That was the only choice.

  With ease, Thrax picked Atticus up and tossed him hard against the ground. The wind rushed from his lungs as Atticus slammed into the ground. The side that had previously been hurt now ached with an intense pain.

  "You are weak," Thrax said to him. "Your body is weak.”

  Atticus grunted as the Glycon kicked him hard in the ribs. He could hear the crack and knew they were surely broken now.

  "No!" Celine screamed into the night. She'd made it to her feet now but limped badly as she tried to get closer to him.

  Thrax lunged at her next. Atticus mustered all his strength and gripped the Glycon by the leg, pulling him down and springing on
top of him. He slammed his fist into the Glycon’s face and felt satisfaction as blood spilled to the ground around Thrax.

  Atticus pulled back and hit Thrax again from the other side. His fingers ached from the blow, but it was better than allowing his foe to get close to Celine.

  The Glycon lay still bleeding on the ground, seemingly dazed by the blow. Atticus took the opportunity and rolled off him to make his way to Celine.

  They were so close. If they could just get to the compound, everything would be better.

  Pain seared through his leg as the Glycon used his claws to tear the skin there. Atticus buckled to the ground as he could no longer support the weight of his body.

  “You will not deny me, weakling,” Thrax said, growling. “And she will take me to what is mine.”

  Atticus turned to stare at Celine. Her eyes were filled with fear and unshed tears.

  "Run," he rasped out.

  But it was too late. Thrax was already towering over her.

  "You will take me to her," the Glycon said.

  Celine shook her head. Atticus could see she was mustering every last ounce of energy she had to hold herself steady.

  "No,” she said.

  Thrax circled around the small woman who stood her ground. His anger was visible as his purple eyes shone in the darkness.

  "You will take me to her, or you will die," he hissed.

  Atticus struggled to get to his feet. He had to do something.

  "What?" Celine spat at the Glycon. "So you can torture some poor woman because you think she belongs to you?" She shook her head and pulled her arms across her chest. "You're just going to have to kill me because there is no way in hell I'm helping you."

  Thrax reached out a giant hand and wrapped it around her neck. Atticus watched as the Glycon lifted her up by the neck, his fingers squeezing as he did so.

  Celine clawed at his hands and struggled to breathe, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

  Atticus had to find the strength. If Atticus didn't, he was going to watch the woman he loved die right in front of him.