by Susan Illene
At least it gave him some satisfaction to know he could do something for his mate. If only their bond had warned him she was coming home, he could have saved her from being injured in the first place. It pained him to see her this way.
Sable padded into the room and nudged him in the shoulder. He gave the cat a stern look. “It is about time you showed up.”
Melena pulled away from his wrist and wiped at her mouth. “She found me in the forest. My eyes got burned and I couldn’t see well so she helped lead me out of there.”
“She’s been missing. I believe she may have been searching for you.”
Melena rubbed Sable’s head. “She had good timing.”
Lucas observed his mate, watching as some of her more superficial wounds began to close. Many were too severe to heal right away even with his blood, but at least she was beginning to look and sound stronger. Within four or five days, he expected her physical condition to improve greatly. It was her mental trauma he worried about the most.
“What exactly happened?” Lucas asked, rubbing a bit of ash from Melena’s nose.
She was quiet for a moment. He waited and gave her time to process her thoughts. Considering his own experiences in Purgatory, Lucas understood she needed to integrate back into the world slowly. He would be patient and do whatever it took to help her recover her strength.
Melena took a deep breath and began. “Apparently, Remiel ordered that Bartol and I get released early. The guardian in charge—who, uh, sort of hates me—waited until the last minute to let us go. When we came out of the portal, there was a forest fire nearby. We ran to escape it, but then we came across Nik’s place.” She swallowed. “I couldn’t just leave him and Josslyn there to burn.”
Lucas frowned. “Bartol was with you?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “He’s in the kitchen.”
How had he not noticed? The nephilim in question stepped into the doorway. Bartol had come through the forest fire with fewer wounds than Melena, but his clothing only appeared marginally better. Several burns pockmarked his hands and arms and soot covered him. The two of them had come from the horrors of Purgatory only to face an inferno in the Alaskan forest.
Bartol didn’t quite meet his gaze. “If you could show me a place where I might wash up, I will be happy to take my leave.”
Once again, Lucas felt guilty for not being at the portal for their arrival. He should have been waiting for his mate and friend—if Remiel could have provided a warning. What was wrong with the archangel that he could order their release, but not update Lucas about it?
“You are welcome to stay here as long as you need,” Lucas said, managing to catch Bartol’s haunted gaze. “Micah can give you anything you need and provide you with a place to rest. He’ll meet you in the foyer.”
He opened a telepathic link to his brother. Bartol is here and requires your assistance as well. He needs a shower, change of clothes, and a place to rest. My office should suit him.
I’m glad he’s back. I’ll be there in a moment.
They’d already planned to give Patrick the guest bedroom, but the office next to the den would suit Bartol better anyway. It was quieter in there, and it had a private bathroom. All they’d need to do was add a cot for him to sleep.
“Thank you.” Bartol nodded and left.
“Lucas,” Melena said, struggling to her feet.
He reached out, intending to help, but her knees buckled. She fell into his arms, crying out in pain. Lucas searched for someplace safe to hold and pulled her a little closer. Melena buried her face into the crook of his shoulder and let out a shudder.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He massaged the back of her neck—one of the few places that didn’t appear injured. “What for?”
“Causing so many problems,” she mumbled, bringing her knees into his lap. “It’s one thing to mess up my life. I shouldn’t have dragged you and Emily down with me.”
He withdrew just enough so that their eyes could meet. “I knew exactly what I was doing when I chose to mate with you. Do not apologize for being the woman I love.”
“But I screwed up everything.” She blinked back tears. “First with your brother and then with getting us all punished. I left you with Emily. You didn’t sign up for that.”
It killed him to see her this way. Melena took too much responsibility on herself for things that were not entirely in her control. Not to mention he wasn’t perfect, either. “I could have saved you from all of this if I’d stopped you from coming to Fairbanks several years ago. Do you know how many times I have considered that?”
“But then Aniya would probably be dead, Nik would still be under a sleep spell, and I wouldn’t have found Emily. Who knows what would have happened to her? Not to mention we’d probably still hate each other,” she said, lifting her chin.
Lucas couldn’t help the smile forming on his lips. He’d worried Purgatory had broken her, but all it took was a bit of stoking to rekindle her fire. This was the Melena he remembered.
“Exactly. You can question your decisions all you wish, but if there is one thing I’ve learned, it is that you always act with the purest intentions. More often than not, they work out for the best. Do not linger on the difficult path you’ve taken to arrive at this point.”
She cocked her head. “How did you get so wise in the three months I was gone?”
“Watching over a teenage girl has aged me far more than all my centuries combined,” he replied, not wholly exaggerating. “I’m at a loss for how you’ve managed her all this time and handled the myriad of problems we face on a regular basis.”
“Did you try banging your head against the wall at least once a day?” she asked.
He lifted his brows. “Does it work?”
“As long as Kerbasi isn’t around to question you about it,” she said, swinging her head around. “Speak of the devil. He and Emily are pulling up—along with another sensor. Who the hell is that?”
Lucas inwardly cursed. He’d hoped to ease her back into their life, but it appeared that would not happen. “Emily has recently reunited with her father. That is the man you are sensing.”
“What? How can you be sure he’s her real father?” Melena stood so fast he had to leap up and hold her to keep her from falling again.
“I questioned him thoroughly. I assure you I will explain everything later and it will be your decision whether he stays or goes,” he promised.
Her expression turned panicked. “But he might try to take her away.”
“Over my dead body—and he knows it.”
Emily raced into the house. “Melena!”
The teenager leaped forward and wrapped her arms around her adopted mother. Melena winced as the burns on her back were squeezed too tightly, but she didn’t make a sound. She simply closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief.
“I missed you, Em,” she said, her voice cracking.
“Oh, crap,” Emily let her go. “You’re hurt!”
Melena gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll heal.”
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Kerbasi said, sauntering into the room. He kneeled down to pet Sable, who growled at him.
Patrick came inside next. “Is that…?”
“Later,” Lucas interrupted. “Let me help you get those bags upstairs. Kerbasi will help.”
“Wait, what happened to the lasagna?” The guardian dashed around the table, lifting dishes as if he’d find the missing food underneath them. “It should have still been here.”
Emily rolled her eyes at him. “Mel was probably hungry when she got home.”
“But surely she couldn’t have eaten all of it, and I was the one who saved it from the fire,” Kerbasi argued.
Melena said nothing, but Lucas thought he caught a faint hint of amusement in her eyes. She knew exactly what had happened to the lasagna.
“Do not concern yourself with that. Let’s go—now!” Lucas commanded. Though it was difficult to leave, he wanted
to give Melena and Emily a moment alone. He’d get his time with her once they got Patrick settled.
“I will find out who ate that lasagna,” Kerbasi grumbled, giving up his search for the missing food. He paused at the doorway and turned back. “Oh, and it is good to see you again, sensor. I strongly recommend a shower at your earliest convenience.”
Melena grabbed the nearest plate and tossed it, striking him on the back of his head.
Chapter Fifteen
Lucas
Morning light filtered through the bedroom window. It highlighted Melena’s thick auburn hair where it curtained her face, seemingly protecting her from the world. She lay on her side so that all he could see of her features was her pert nose and a hint of pale cheeks. One of her bandaged hands reached out to clutch her pillow, each fingertip protruding from the gauze seeming far too fragile.
Every few hours, he changed the dressings covering her body with fresh, moist ones. She wasn’t healing as quickly as he’d hoped. Melena’s injuries were far too extensive for her weakened body to cope with, including several cracked ribs, countless cuts and scrapes, and third-degree burns across her back. Severe malnourishment and exhaustion didn’t help. It would take more food and rest for her to regain her strength. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how she’d gotten out of the forest on her own two feet, but the shaman had sworn she’d managed it.
Melena had been sleeping restlessly for about eight hours now. Like a precious gift he feared might be taken away, Lucas had been unable to take his eyes off of her. It was still difficult for him to believe she’d finally returned home. Despite being alive for more than twenty-five hundred years, he’d begun to realize his life didn’t begin until Melena. If he could wrap her in a cocoon and protect her from the world, he would—not that she’d ever allow it.
Emily had joined them during the night. Lucas had taken one look at her stricken features and forfeited his side of the bed, relocating to a chair by the window. The teenager had settled as close to Melena as she could without disturbing her and drifted off in minutes.
A heavy weight lifted from his chest as he realized his family was back together again. Lucas had never expected to care about two women as much as he did Melena and Emily, but he’d do anything to keep them safe. They gave his life meaning. Memories of his cold and violent past faded into dull black and white images lived by a different man. Who knew it would be two sensors—a race he’d once reviled—that would bring him peace and make him whole?
Micah poked his head into the doorway and beckoned him. Lucas took a final lingering look at the bed before walking out of the room. He suspected Melena and Emily would be asleep for some time yet. Though he would have preferred to stay by their side, it was best if he took care of business while they were unconscious. He would come back later to clean Melena’s wounds and put fresh dressings on them. No one else would care for her in this way except him.
Lucas waited until they moved down the hallway before speaking. “What is it?”
“Is Emily not going to school?” Micah asked.
“No. Under the circumstances, I believe it’s best to keep her home today.” It wasn’t only because of Melena’s return, but also due to the attack the previous evening. They had no way of knowing if the humans might target her at school, and they couldn’t watch her there until they took care of their home first.
“I suspected as much.” Micah gestured toward the stairs. “The mystics are here to put the protection spells around the house.”
“Good.”
They headed down and found Yvonne and her daughter, Dianne, waiting in the foyer. Lucas didn’t know them well, but Melena had befriended the elder of the two soon after she arrived in Fairbanks. Yvonne was in her early seventies with long silver hair. She was surprisingly spry and had a set of sharp eyes on her. Dianne was a middle-aged nurse with a hint of gray in her brown hair. According to Melena, she had nearly as much magical talent as her mother, but after she lost her husband ten years ago she preferred to focus on raising her sixteen-year-old son. Using her powers was more of a part-time job for her.
Each of the mystics had a tote bag hanging on their shoulder, filled with various supplies. They’d arrived faster than expected, considering the demand for their services had risen with all the recent upheaval. More than likely, they’d rushed over for the sake of Melena and Emily. The sensor had once saved Yvonne, Dianne and her son from being captured by the Department of Homeland Security. The agency had a facility where they studied the various supernatural races in the hopes of discovering their strengths and weaknesses. The mystics were grateful to avoid that fate and would do whatever they could to help Melena.
“Thank you for coming,” Lucas said, giving them a courteous nod.
Yvonne scrutinized him. He might be her elder by more than two millennia, but that didn’t stop her from judging him. He didn’t flinch under her gaze, though he speculated on whether she’d ever turned anyone into a toad or not. He wouldn’t put it past her.
“Is Melena doing well?” Yvonne asked, her voice dry and crackly.
“She’s weak, but resting.” Lucas glanced upstairs. “If we could keep noise to a minimum, I would appreciate it.”
“Do I look like I was born yesterday?” the elder mystic asked, putting her hands on her hips. “We heard what she’s been through and wouldn’t dream of disturbing her.”
Micah spoke up. “There are also two vampires sleeping in the basement. If you need to go down there, let one of us know first.”
Ajax hadn’t known there was a basement when he brought them the previous evening and Melena hadn’t been in any shape to mention it. Last night, Micah set up make-shift living quarters down there so they could rest comfortably for the day. It would have to do until they could transport them to another location.
“Which vampires?” Yvonne asked.
Lucas lifted his brows. “Does it matter?”
“Nikolas and his paramour, Josslyn,” Micah answered, shooting Lucas a censorious look. His brother was more diplomatic than him.
Yvonne pursed her lips. “Won’t the alpha have something to say about that?”
“He can try.” Lucas crossed his arms. Derrick had forbidden Nik or Josslyn from entering his territory ever again, but this was an emergency situation. The master of Fairbanks would have to get over it.
“It’s no trouble,” Dianne said reassuringly. “Where do you want the spell placed?”
Lucas gestured toward the woods. “Along the tree line. I don’t want anyone getting too close to our home again.”
He would have preferred the protection spell went farther out than that, but the two women could only cover so much ground before the spell became less effective. Using the trees as a demarcation line would give them a reasonable safe zone. Once Lucas and Micah recovered the strength they’d lost the evening before, they could add their power to it.
“I’ll explain the specifics,” Micah said, then drew Lucas’ attention toward the road leading to their house. A black truck was coming down it. “You can handle Derrick.”
Lucas cursed inwardly. He should have known the alpha would visit as soon as he heard about Melena’s return. The man had checked in regularly while she was gone. Couldn’t Derrick have given them a little more time before encroaching on their home?
“Remember, no magic on the house,” he reminded Micah before going out to meet the werewolf.
They’d chosen to have the mystics enact a spell that would prevent those with ill intent from crossing the designated border. He would have liked to put a secondary one on their home, but with two sensors living there—and a third visiting—it would only take one of them getting a paper cut and bleeding on the floor to nullify the magic. With the line drawn well away from the house, there was less risk of that.
“Derrick,” Lucas said, walking up to him.
The alpha nodded, then shot a concerned glance at the house. “How is she? I heard she had to go through a fores
t fire and got injured.”
No doubt the shaman had told him. “You heard correctly, but she’s resting and healing now.”
Derrick worked his jaw. “I’d like to see her.”
“She and Emily are resting together upstairs,” Lucas said, firmly. Even the alpha wouldn’t begrudge them time alone or wish to disturb their sleep.
Derrick sighed. “It’s just as well you let Emily miss school today. Several supernatural students were attacked before classes started. One boy was beat to death and two others barely managed to escape.”
Lucas glanced over his shoulder at the upstairs window. If Melena hadn’t come home last night, Emily could have been attacked at school today and Nik and Josslyn might not have escaped the forest fire. Once again, she’d suffered for the sake of others.
He returned his attention to Derrick. “We’ve got more help at the compound now. I will rearrange my schedule so that I can watch over Emily and the other students on school days. If I can’t be there, Micah or someone else will take my place. There is only a week left until their summer vacation begins. I believe we can manage to keep them safe for that long.”
Relief flashed in the alpha’s eyes. “I’ve posted guys near the schools where my people have children, but they can’t get too close without drawin’ attention. It’ll help if you can be inside the high school without being seen. I suspect that’s where these attackers will focus their attention anyway since they ain’t gone after the younger ones yet.”
“Agreed.”
An old beat-up red car pulled up the road. Lucas had known this was going to be a busy morning, but he hadn’t realized Cori would also hear about Melena’s return this quickly.
“Is there anything else?” Lucas asked Derrick.
The alpha let out a heavy sigh. “Afraid so. I can smell those vamps you got hiding in there. Heard Melena was the one to bring them back.”
Lucas tensed. “You and I both know she would never leave them to burn in a forest fire.”
“That’s just it.” Derrick shook his head. “I can’t say nothin’ without her leapin’ out of her sick bed to argue with me about it.”