by Susan Illene
Patrick sat in the backseat, rubbing his forehead in agitation. Lucas could only conclude the magic spells and large presence of supernaturals in the area overwhelmed his senses. It had taken Melena a while to build up a tolerance when she’d first arrived in Fairbanks.
Sable perched on the backseat next to Patrick with her paws on the door, staring outside. She had been staying close to home since Melena returned, but the shape-shifter had become restless over the last couple of days and began chewing holes in their expensive shoes. They’d decided to bring her along with them to the compound to let her burn off some of her energy. Lucas didn’t allow her to come often because she proved more than a little distracting to the nerou.
He parked his SUV next to the training field. “It took approximately one week to construct this place—if you include the time Remiel needed to reinforce the magic.”
“Wow, that was fast.” Melena was quiet for a moment. “So, uh, speaking of archangels. If the council does decide to hear my petition, how will they transport me up to the courthouse?”
Lucas tensed at the reminder. Though he didn’t appreciate his old friend being trapped on a distant planet, he also didn’t like the idea of Yerik returning to help Melena save Ariel. Short of chaining and confining his mate, there was no easy way to stop her from going. He would have to hope the council refused her request.
“There is a portal to Heaven from Purgatory. He may have to take us through that way since he cannot flash you up there.” Lucas had every intention of going with her, whether she liked it or not.
“I swore I’d never go back there again,” Melena said, sighing. Then she jerked her head around. “Wait…we? How will you be able to go with that ankle bracelet on?”
“I am certain Remiel will be willing to remove it temporarily.” He’d already considered that, along with the arguments he’d make to the council. This was one battle where he and his mate would be at odds.
Melena stared hard at him. “I’m not going to argue about this now—we’ve had more than enough come between us already—but don’t think for a minute I’m going to let you mess up my plans.”
He schooled his expression so that no emotion showed. “We will wait to discuss it, if and when there is a reason to do so.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” She jerked the passenger side door open.
Everyone else got out of the vehicle as well, with Sable dashing off to explore. She’d spend the first hour or so sniffing around before she interacted with anyone. It was a routine she’d established during the handful of times she’d visited before.
Lucas gestured at Patrick to give him a moment. After the man moved a short distance away, he pulled Melena around to face him. “Do not be angry. There is little I would not do to protect you.”
“I know,” she said, averting her gaze. “But this is important to me.”
His grip on her tightened. “And so is your life.”
She lifted her head, meeting his eyes. “Would it be different if you could go with me to rescue Ariel?”
Lucas thought about it for a moment. He realized his biggest sticking point was that if Melena went to Hell with Yerik, they would have no one to back them up. “Yes.”
“I figured as much.” She shifted, inadvertently brushing against his cock. Melena froze, but then she looked up at him with mischief in her eyes. “Someone’s missed me.”
“More than you can imagine,” he said, his voice hoarse. The mood between them had just turned in a rather different direction.
In that moment, all Lucas wanted to do was shove her against the SUV and have his way with her right there in broad daylight. Something told him she would likely let him. How many times had he dreamed of that very thing while she was away? She must have sensed his internal battle because she gave him a sultry look. Her hand crept toward his crotch and fire raced across his skin. The woman was going to be the death of him.
“Don’t.” He stopped her not a moment too soon. “Though I want you more than life itself, we will wait until you’ve fully regained your strength.”
She gave him an amused look. “I’m fine, Lucas.”
“I am your mate. Do you think I cannot sense the lingering weakness inside you? Even now you are barely holding yourself together. Never mind the nightmares you continue to suffer each night and the tears you shed in my arms afterward. It was against my better judgment that I brought you here today.” He drew a shuddering breath, steeling his resolve. “Until I am certain you are sound in body and mind, I will not take advantage of you.”
She shook her head. “Sometimes I don’t know whether I should love you more for wanting to protect me or if I should hit you for being too cautious.”
Lucas lifted her chin and kissed her lips softly. It was the most he could give her for now. She did not understand how precious she had become to him and that he would make any sacrifice necessary to ensure her well-being. That included abstinence, though it might kill him before it was over.
“Soon,” he reassured her. “But not yet.”
“How soon?”
He reluctantly pulled away, unable to remain inches from her tempting form. “I will let you know.”
Melena blew out a breath. After an intense moment passed, she turned her attention to their surroundings. “This place is a lot bigger than I expected. I’m not even going to ask how you got it built in a week.”
“It was an interesting process,” he said, going along with her change of topic.
About a dozen nerou exited the dormitory, heading for the exercise field. Lucas called out to Patrick, who stood about twenty feet away. “Go stretch with them. I’ll be there in a moment.”
He walked up, rubbing his head. “I’m not certain I’m up for this.”
“Is that what you will tell Emily’s attackers? Do you believe they’ll stop and go away simply because you do not wish to fight?” Lucas asked, lifting his brows.
“Well, no, but…” Patrick began.
Lucas put a hand up. “Melena has fought many battles while her senses were overwhelmed. She has never hesitated nor asked for quarter.”
“She’s immortal. It’s not the same thing,” Patrick argued.
Melena cursed and grabbed his shirt, jerking him close. “I’ve fought against witches, vampires, werewolves, and even demons. Before that, I was a soldier fighting in the Middle East. All of these things occurred before I gained my immortality. If you start using excuses now, you’ll never stop. Suck it up and get over it.”
Patrick stuttered. “You…you must be insane.”
“Only on my good days,” she replied, letting him go.
He smoothed his t-shirt. “I’ll give it my best try.”
“Good. Now get over there!” Lucas ordered.
Patrick hesitated for only a moment before jogging toward the nerou. Lucas could only hope he didn’t waste their time. By the expression on Melena’s face, she thought the same thing.
“How well is training going?” she asked. Lucas was relieved to see she was letting their earlier discussion go. He did not enjoy being at odds with her.
“There is a great deal we must cover,” he said, motioning for her to join him on the exercise field. “In the beginning, they needed to learn basic skills such as how to operate appliances, run a shower, and cook. It was a month before I could begin their physical training. Now I give them classes twice a week. They also exercise in the gym daily.”
Melena looked at him in confusion. “Do they need to build up their strength?”
He understood why she asked, considering how little she knew about the nerou. “The problem is that they spent their entire lives in Purgatory where the gravity is stronger. We have them exercising to help them improve their coordination. If you’ve ever wondered why Kerbasi was so clumsy when he first arrived here, that is the reason. Also, their endurance is poor. Working in the mines confined them to a small space. The first time I took them on a three-mile run, most of them struggled to keep
up with a moderate pace.”
“Huh. I hadn’t considered that.” She watched the students stretch for a few minutes. “Now I feel bad for making some of them patrol with me as soon as they arrived on Earth.”
When supernaturals first came out, humans had rioted even worse than they were now. Melena had selected a few nerou to assist her in curbing the violence. She provided them with a few instructions on how to hold a gun and use handcuffs, then took them on patrols around Fairbanks. They’d performed well enough, but he suspected it was because she had a knack for working with people. The archangels put a stop to the outings soon after that and now the nerou were being given more time to prepare themselves.
“I should begin my class,” Lucas said, wishing he didn’t have to end their conversation. They’d had very little time alone since she returned. He might insist on delaying their physical relationship for the moment, but he still wanted her companionship.
“Okay, I’ll be right here watching.” She lifted up on her toes and gave him a kiss.
Lucas let it linger for a moment before he forced himself to walk away. He sought out Tormod and paired him with Patrick. The sensor probably noticed his training partner was a quarter demon—unlike the other nerou—but he was the youngest and weakest student. At only fifty years old, Tormod hadn’t built up nearly as much strength yet.
“Take it easy on him,” Lucas whispered to the nerou. “He is mortal and weak, but this is your chance to show me I can rely on you.”
Tormod furrowed his brows. “Who is he?”
“Emily’s father.”
Surprise widened his eyes. “I’ll be careful.”
“Good.”
Lucas pulled Ivan from the group next to use for his demonstrations. When he’d last been imprisoned in Purgatory, he’d worked with the five-hundred-year-old nerou for a while. Ivan was far more advanced in his skills than the others and knew all the basic moves.
“I’m going to show you what to do if someone grabs you from behind by the throat,” he announced. The students settled on the ground to watch. They enjoyed these sessions almost as much as he liked giving them.
Without needing prompting, Ivan got behind Lucas and wrapped his arm around his neck. Lucas reached over his shoulder and grabbed a fistful of Ivan’s shirt, then bent forward and tossed the nerou over his back. The student landed with a thud on the ground. After he recovered, Lucas switched places, and they repeated the move. This time, Ivan sent him sailing onto the ground.
Lucas stood and brushed the grass from his pants. “Now try the same move with each other.”
The nerou faced their partners and began practicing. Their first attempts were less than ideal with the students falling in all manner of ways. Lucas moved around them, correcting their positions as needed. He glanced over at Melena and caught her watching him. There was a contemplative expression on her face. He wished he could get inside her head and find out what she was thinking. The damn woman could be as enigmatic as the eldest of immortals.
Their gazes locked, but before he could discern her emotions, Sable came to sit next to her. Melena broke her gaze to lean down and scratch the cat’s ears. The animal had changed from a lynx into a tiger at some point while it was wandering around. Sable knew she could shape-shift inside the compound without getting in trouble. She just couldn’t be a large cat around humans. Even if they explained she was well-trained by the fae, it wouldn’t make them feel much better.
Micah’s daughter, Olivia, caught sight of Sable. She got up from where she’d just been tossed to the ground and headed for the cat. It had been over a month since she’d last seen the shape-shifter. Olivia ran her fingers through the tiger’s fur and crooned to her. Before long, other students stopped their training to visit Sable. The cat ate up the attention and swished her tail happily.
Lucas groaned. He should have known this would happen. The nerou had limited exposure to animals since arriving, and most of that came from the wildlife living near the compound. Sable was the only domestic breed they’d seen up close—if one didn’t count Derrick turning into a wolf.
“She’s so cute!” a female nerou said.
“Can she fetch?” another one asked. “We watched a movie once where a dog retrieved balls that a human threw for it.”
“Um, well, I know Sable can.” Melena shrugged. “I’m allergic to other cats, so I can’t speak for them.”
That was part of the reason Lucas had acquired Sable for Melena. Normal cats, even after the sensor became immortal, caused a severe allergic reaction that could incapacitate her. Before she’d become immortal, Melena had needed a pet to watch over her home and protect her. Sable had cost him more than he’d ever admit, but she did her job well. Even werewolves preferred to steer clear of the animal. The shape-shifter could always size up to a larger breed of cat if needed and use all the additional strength that came with being fae-enhanced.
Sable broke away from the nerou and let out a low growl, baring her teeth. Lucas followed the cat’s line of sight to the newest nephilim trainers at the facility. Sabelle and Udo stood about ten feet away, glaring disapprovingly at Melena. The way his mate stared back revealed she didn’t like them any better. She hadn’t mentioned anything about there being a problem with the other nephilim in Purgatory, but Lucas hadn’t asked, either. He should have considered it. Most of them wouldn’t have approved of her being there.
“Do you have a problem?” Melena asked.
“You and your cat need to leave right now,” Sabelle said, taking a few steps closer. Lucas had to wonder if the woman didn’t notice him standing nearby or if she didn’t care.
Melena cocked her head, no sign of fear on her face. “Who put you in charge?”
“The archangels assigned me to work here, but you are not welcome.”
Lucas was strongly tempted to teach Sabelle a lesson, but he needed to give his mate a chance to work this out on her own. It was the only way she’d gain respect among his kind. The only problem being he didn’t like the timing. Melena had regained some of her strength, but she was still too thin and weak for his comfort. If the confrontation escalated, he’d end the problem in one swift move. While Sabelle and Udo were more powerful than Melena, they were half as strong as Lucas.
“She has more of a right to be here than you do,” Tormod said, his eyes glowing violet as he stepped forward.
“I agree.” Olivia stuck her chin out. “Melena is the one who risked everything to free us. You can’t make her leave.”
Lucas couldn’t help appreciating the way the nerou closed ranks around his mate. Even after being gone for months, they still remembered her and respected her. Their show of loyalty wasn’t necessary, but it would ensure the newest instructors knew where their students stood.
“Thanks, everyone.” Melena gazed around at the nerou. “But trust me when I say I can handle this.”
Lucas had a feeling things were about to get interesting. His mate had a gleam in her eyes that told him she had a plan. He would have to trust in that, considering she was one-tenth the strength of her opponents. Still, he preferred to improve her odds if he was going to allow this foolish game to continue.
“Give Sabelle and Melena space,” he ordered.
The nerou’s steps were reluctant, but they obeyed him. Olivia took hold of Sable and pulled her away as well. Udo remained standing in the same position. Lucas gestured at him to back away. The nephilim shook his head and continued to glare at Melena. Udo wasn’t one to speak often, but if he preferred action that was fine. Lucas flashed over to the nephilim and grabbed him by the neck, dragging him away like a misbehaving school child. Udo struggled against him, but he couldn’t break free.
Lucas tossed the nephilim to the ground in front of the nerou, giving him a disgusted look. “Lesson one—do not ever challenge me again.” He turned toward Kerbasi, who’d just arrived on the field. “Watch him.”
“Must I keep him in one piece?” the guardian asked, cocking his head at Ud
o.
“Yes, but if he so much as lifts a finger without my permission, you may do whatever you wish to him.” Lucas didn’t relish the idea of allowing Kerbasi to harm any nephilim, but he knew it would be a strong enough deterrent that Udo would stay down until told otherwise.
He returned his attention to Melena and Sabelle, who now faced off against each other. His mate stood in the ready position with her feet spread apart and her fists up. She hadn’t expected to fight today and had left her long auburn hair hanging loose. Lucas swore that if Sabelle—who appeared ready to charge—harmed one strand of Melena’s hair, he’d impale the female nephilim and leave her baking in the sun. It was all he could do to stand by and wait for an excuse. The last thing Lucas needed was one more incident to slow his mate’s healing process.
Eli appeared at his side. “You’re going to allow this?”
“Is the psychologist in you balking at the idea?” Lucas asked, not taking his eyes off his mate.
The nephilim was silent a moment. “I suppose this has been coming for a long time, but I’d hoped they’d move past their differences without resorting to violence.”
The women circled each other, and everyone held their collective breaths.
“I assume that means Melena had some trouble with the others while in Purgatory?” Lucas asked, wishing he could have been there to shield her from that. She’d done more than enough to prove herself by now.
“They verbally harassed her, but we were chained so they could do little else,” Eli replied.
Sabelle flashed forward and struck a punishing blow in Melena’s stomach. His mate fell to her knees, clutching her abdomen with one arm. Rage infused him, and he stalked forward, ready to put a stop to the fight.
Melena shot him a dark look. “Don’t. Remember New Orleans.”
Though it killed him, he backed away. This was hardly the same situation at all, but Lucas understood what she meant. He needed to be patient and give her a chance.
“Come on, you weak bitch,” Sabelle taunted. “Fight me.”