Demon Gates (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 2)

by May Freighter

  “Alright, I’ll call him.” Helena ran to the phone in the hallway and froze. I forgot his number… She leant backwards, enough to see Lucious’ annoyed face. “What’s his number again?”

  He grumbled and rose from the sofa with obvious difficulty. Striding to her, he grabbed the receiver from her hand. His fingers pressed the buttons in quick succession, and he raised the phone to his ear.

  Helena tried shifting away from him. He caught her by the shoulder and pressed her into his bare side, trapping her in place. His mirth drifted through the link, and she pouted. The bastard was enjoying this too much. Maybe the hunters didn’t hurt him enough.

  “While you’re on the phone, I should clean up,” she said.

  Lucious feigned a pained expression, and his hold on her increased. “It takes everything I have to stand straight. Please permit me to use your body for the brief time to make this call.”

  She gaped at his audacity. Her cheeks flushed bright red, and she crossed her arms over her chest in mock defiance, brushing his side with her elbow. She heard him chuckle before Alexander answered.

  Lucious’ humour was gone in an instant. “Alexander, I need your help with something. There are hunters here, hovering around Helena and the apartment. They’ve wounded me and the hound.”

  His thumb traced circles on her hip. She glanced up. Is he doing this knowingly? He seemed too absorbed in the conversation with Alexander to be doing that intentionally. She closed her eyes, secretly revelling in his touch as it sent delightful tingles through her. She couldn’t place when she began to feel this way or why she was reacting the way she did to his touch, but there was undeniable attraction she would never be able to confess with a sober mind.

  Lucious ended the conversation and separated from her.

  Immediately, a sense of longing invaded her as she fought against the urge to wrap her arms around him and bury her face in his bare sculpted chest. Even with the bullet wounds closing, for some reason, she couldn’t tear her eyes away. She hugged her sides, clamping her fingers around the material of her t-shirt. This is ridiculous.

  “What did he say?” she asked.

  “He’ll arrange for the donors to come by. He also said I should pick you up, throw you over my shoulder, and carry you out of here while I can.”

  Helena swallowed. She couldn’t fight against him if he chose to go against her will. What she wanted most was some peaceful rest in her room with the distractions gone.

  “Helena!” Perri called. “Hans is waking up.”

  She ran past Lucious, and they both paused at Hans’ side.

  “How do you feel?” Perri asked.

  Hans gave her a tight-lipped smile and glanced at Lucious. “I cannot be near them. The thirst is overwhelming.”

  “I understand.” Lucious pushed Helena and Perri back. “Stay away. Your blood is calling to him. Until he feeds, he is dangerous.”

  “I will let him feed on me,” Perri said, extending her wrist.

  Past Lucious, Helena couldn’t see Hans’ face, but she heard his growl. “Do not joke about such matters, Perri. Master Vincent will kill me for taking blood from you.”

  “You needn’t tell him. Drink,” she pleaded.

  Helena’s eyes met Lucious’ for a split second. There was that blue glow in place again. His attention returned to Perri’s wrist as well. He had to be refraining from biting into her. Noting this, Helena cupped his face and forced him to look at her.

  “Let her do it,” she whispered.

  The blue glow of his irises intensified, and his gaze travelled to her neck. Helena peeled one hand away, covering the spot he was eyeing. “I can’t let you feed on me again, Lucious.”

  His lip curled. “I am not weak enough to drink from you.”

  Her heart contracted painfully at his sharp words. She studied the ground. Why did it matter if he didn’t want to drink from her? He already took as much as he could without hindering her physical ability, yet why did such heaviness settle in the pit of her stomach? Did he prefer drinking from the women Alexander sent over?

  Perri hissed when Hans bit into her wrist, snapping Helena back to reality. It seemed like Hans had caved into her demand and had his mouth pressed against her flesh. A blush crept to Perri’s face, and Helena’s cheeks flushed red from the memory of Lucious’ lips on her neck.

  “Are you unwell?” Lucious asked, concerned.

  Helena shook her head and glanced at Laura. Her friend was preparing coffee on the bloodstained kitchen island as if it was normal. Upon closer inspection, Laura’s hands were quivering as she lifted a heaped teaspoon of instant coffee and let the brown crystals fall into her green mug.

  “Want some?” Laura asked with a strained smile.

  Helena walked up to her. Laura did not belong in the dark. She was normal. No matter how hard she pretended to be unaffected by everything that happened here, the signs of nervousness were there. She may regret it later, but Helena made up her mind. She had to keep Laura away from here.

  “Are you sure you’re alright?” Helena asked.

  “Fine, why?”

  “Look, I want you to leave for a while,” Helena added, “or until we sort something out.”

  Laura scowled at her. “Did you think I would abandon you? You can’t make friends at college, how are you going to mediate with those two when they get back?”

  Lucious drew to a halt behind Helena and placed his hand on her shoulder, sending a delicate current through her system. She fought not to close the one-foot difference between their bodies that felt like a bottomless cavern of no return. Remaining in his presence was unbearable. Her attention jumped to the faint musky scent of his cologne.

  “You should leave, human. There is nothing you can do for anyone here. Unless you are willing to be food for the Council’s hound.”

  Laura’s mouth fell open. She seemed to be at a loss for words.

  Helena whirled on the spot and speared him with her strongest, soul-crushing glare. “Don’t be rude to her.”

  “Make her leave while her limbs are attached. She will only be in the way,” he retorted and peeled Perri away from Hans.

  Once Hans released his hold on her, Perri swayed, and Lucious caught her. He let her go when Hans let out a possessive growl.

  “It is not as if I was going to feed on this child,” Lucious said to him.

  “Nonetheless, do not touch her if you want to remain alive.”

  Helena rolled her eyes. They were fighting among themselves when they had bigger things to worry about. That, and Lucious was right, Laura had to go. She glanced at her friend who was holding her mug of freshly made coffee in her hands and sighed. “Laura, you have to stay with your parents for a bit.”

  “What about her?” Laura pointed at Perri. “Why does she get to stay?”

  Hans cleared his throat. “I must contact Master Vincent. It is not safe for Perri to remain here much longer either.”

  “I’m fine,” Perri protested.

  Lucious chuckled. “Be a good girl and listen to the old man on the floor. Take the blonde and go. Leave the hunters to us. Or do you wish to continue this dispute?”

  Hans struggled to stand using the kitchen island for support. He clamped his hand over Perri’s and nudged her in the direction of the front door. “We are leaving.”

  “But, Helena…”

  “I’ll be fine,” Helena replied and gave her best reassuring smile. She faced Laura. “You too. Go.”

  Laura lowered her mug and planted her hands on her hips. “This is my father’s building.”

  Lucious slammed his fist on the counter. The action made Laura yelp in surprise, and Helena’s heart rate skyrocketed.

  “Get out, all of you!” he shouted.

  Blood drained from Laura’s face as she scrambled past Helena and ran for the door. Hans grabbed Perri’s hand and dragged her protesting form out of the apartment. The door slammed shut after them, and Helena released a shaky breath.

 
She finished Laura’s coffee to stabilise the tremors inside her. “You didn’t have to go that far.”

  “They would not leave otherwise.” He slumped against the counter. Lucious caught it before falling and groaned. “It would seem I am weaker than I thought.”

  She helped him stand upright. “You should leave as well, Lucious. You’re hurt.”

  He chuckled, and the sound vibrated through his chest. “Since when have you become brave enough to face two hunters by yourself?”

  “They must be here to help. Otherwise, Michael wouldn’t have sent them.”

  His expression darkened. “Your angel is gone. How long will you cling to his existence?” He grasped her sides and trapped her in place between his broad frame and the counter. “You only have me left, my dear. I could drain every last drop of your blood, and he will not show. I could put you in a cage, and he would not rescue you. I have come to understand that his kind is unable to have a physical form here, or he would have saved you at The Rift or from Andreaz’s clutches. For months, I’ve pondered this information, and I can see by your expression that I have hit the nail on the head.”

  Her eyes watered. She didn’t want to admit it, but Michael couldn’t help her. Although he was her guardian angel, he couldn’t interact with anything physical in her world. Yet, his moral support throughout her life kept her sane. He gave her strength when she was weak and urged her to study harder when she was failing in her studies.

  “Please, don’t speak ill of him.”

  Lucious lifted her face, and a tear escaped her, wetting her cheek as it raced downwards. “I will not hurt you. Do not fear me.”

  “I’m not crying because I’m scared,” she admitted. “I’m crying because you’re right.”

  He lowered his head, and his lips found hers.

  Stunned at the sudden contact, her body froze, unable to comply with any further commands. He tilted her head back, and his tongue teased her lower lip open.

  Against her better judgement, she permitted his entrance, and his tongue darted inside her mouth, spreading heat through her body. As their kiss deepened, she let out a soft moan which was drowned in the sudden burst of passion as he crushed her body against his. The soul-bond between them trembled with anticipation, tickling her gut. Helena’s hands found their way to his shoulders, and she buried them in his silky raven hair.

  He smiled against her lips before everything she was doing caught up with her. It was the link’s fault. She was doing something so outrageous because it was trying to bring them together. With her thoughts swirling in her mind, the link quietened, and Lucious broke the kiss.

  “What is the matter?” he asked.

  Irate with her lack of restraint, she couldn’t believe it was so easy for him to make her give in. She raised her hand in an attempt to slap him. He caught her wrist mid-air and raised a dark brow.

  “I do not believe I deserve a slap,” he said.

  “Move, Lucious. Don’t touch me again.” She pushed him with her free hand, trying her best to ignore the smooth, muscled chest under her fingertips.

  He edged closer, crushing her hand between their bodies. His mouth was a few inches away from hers. “Why do you resist me?”

  Biting her lip, she focused her attention on his pink lips that were dangerously close. Because, if she looked into his blue-brown eyes, she knew she would be caught in them. “It’s the link’s fault. I shouldn’t—I don’t have any feelings for you.”

  Lucious released her wrist and, from his back pocket, retrieved Vincent’s necklace she had lost in Andreaz’s mansion. Her eyes widened with recognition.

  “Where did you find this?” she asked, studying the familiar amber stone.

  “It was among the items Vincent’s servants recovered from the incident. He told me to return it to you.” He raised the necklace to her eye level. “May I?”

  She pulled her hair to one side, letting him secure it behind her neck. His deft fingers brushed her skin, and she pressed her lips together to prevent embarrassing noises from leaving her mouth as she revelled in the tiniest of touches and craved more intense ones.

  “Done,” he announced and took a step back, seemingly unaffected by their closeness.

  Although she should have been happy with the renewal of her personal space, every cell in her body screamed for his touch to return. She clutched the counter to stay in place.

  “It appears that against my warning, Alexander chose to come along,” Lucious grumbled and went to open the door.

  Once he was out of sight, she placed her hand on her chest. Her heart hammered in its cage.

  Alexander sauntered into the room dressed in another pristine cream suit with two women in tow and Lucious at his side. He pointed at the women while eyeing the room and Helena. “These are my most trusted donors. Feed and heal. You look like shit,” Alexander told him.

  Lucious chuckled. “You must stop coming to my rescue, Alexander. You almost died when you chose to face Eliza with me.”

  “And, you.” Alexander’s eyes speared Helena. “Why is it every time something happens, it is your fault? You’re like a walking catastrophe.”

  “I didn’t know hunters would show up!”

  “Leave her out of this,” Lucious said.

  The women warily studied them. They shuffled to the sofa and took in the scene. One blonde paled, and the other covered her nose with her hand, mumbling, “Ew, someone puked there.”

  Helena pinched the bridge of her nose. Where does Alexander get these bimbos? Was there some kind of application process they underwent to become vampire food? She berated herself for having become food, too, since she was the one to offer Lucious her blood. It had to be different in her case. She had no choice. His life and hers were tied.

  Lucious settled between the girls, and they giggled.

  “You’re pretty good lookin’,” a blonde on his left said.

  “Even if you have blood covering your chest, it is somewhat sexy,” the second one added.

  Lucious smiled at them. A smile she rarely received, and it gnawed at her heart to see him enjoying their company so much. Did his preference lie with women who behaved like Barbies, dressed nicely, and had a cloud of perfume surrounding them?

  “Let us get better acquainted.” He buried his face in the first woman’s neck.

  “If you glare any more, you will make holes in my guests,” Alexander said beside her.

  Helena jumped. When did he move? Then again, not like she noticed anything other than the moans of ecstasy escaping the blonde’s glossy red lips.

  She averted her attention to the apartment. There was rope scattered on the floor. The UV lamp the hunters left was unplugged from the wall. How long would it be before they returned?

  “You should leave,” Helena said to Alexander. “They will return soon.”

  “All the better. I can tear their throats out myself,” Alexander replied with a glint in his eyes.

  “You can’t do that!”

  “Have you sided with the hunters now? Is that why you let them shoot Lucious full of holes?” Alexander demanded, his expression a perfect blank, but she sensed angry undertones in his voice.

  “This doesn’t involve you,” she spat out. “You’re not the one the demon is after.”

  Alexander snorted. “I may not be the one, but I sure as hell am paying for everything.”

  “I never asked you to spread your generosity around. You should take your whores and be on your way.”

  “Apologise,” Lucious hissed from the sofa.

  Helena glared in his direction. “For what?”

  He separated from the women and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he rose from his seat. “Alexander is the reason I managed to get to you in time before Eliza had you killed. He looked after you in my stead in regard to your college fines and influenced the university board to permit you to do your retakes. He is even paying for this apartment’s rent. Can you not see how hard he works?”

>   All of a sudden, Helena felt inadequate. She never thought about Alexander in the good light. He was always someone who brought women into her home and snapped at her every time she was in his sight. He had, indeed, looked after a lot of things, but she never paid much heed to it. She was so busy trying to act normal, she forgot rent existed.

  She lowered her head in shame. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

  “You never do,” Alexander replied, indifferent to her apology.

  Rage sparked in her at his dismissal. Here she was, trying to sincerely apologise, and he threw it back in her face. Her hands balled at her sides, and Lucious’ hands wrapped around her as he sent calmness through the link. Now that he had fed, his energy was stronger, and she had to mentally fight against him to keep from relaxing.

  “Don’t. Touch. Me.”

  His hands fell away, and he observed her with concern. Because of that, she wanted to explode. He was treating her like a child. Every strong emotion within her was transmitted through the damned link, and she couldn’t do anything to counter it. The link was a mistake. It needs to be broken.

  “There is a way…” a feminine voice whispered in her head.

  Helena eyed Lucious. Did he hear it as well? His expression remained the same, making her assume he hadn’t. She stormed past the two vampires and marched into her room where she lay on her bed and closed her eyes, concentrating on her shields.

  A minute later, she stood within the bounds of her mental barriers. The radiance she created above her was dim, and she couldn’t see much. It seemed the light was a reflection of her energy. The weaker she was, the less intense the luminosity was.

  She squinted, studying the space around her and her link. As Michael had said, her string was grey. For a long time, she feared confirmation. Now that she had it, her shoulders sagged and her heart sank. Am I still human?

  “You are human, Helena, do not doubt that,” the same feminine voice bounced around her shields.

  “Who are you?” Helena asked, her eyes searching the surrounding space.

  A figure emerged from the shadows—the doppelganger. She looked exactly like Helena only she wore a long white gown that brushed the floor as she glided across.