by Susan Illene
“I. Don’t. Care.” She balled her fists. “You have to let me see him.”
Lucas glanced at me. “It is up to you.”
Emily gave me a pleading look. I wanted to save her the horrific pain of seeing her boyfriend like that—it would stay with her forever—but I also knew she needed closure. For some people being told their loved one was dead wasn’t enough until they saw the body.
“Ask Paula how we can work this. Emily has the right to see him.”
Lucas nodded and left the room. Emily paced the floor in her bare feet and bit at her nails. The tears had stopped now that she had a goal in mind, but for how long? Hunter had been with her through so many difficult times since last spring. Whenever I couldn’t get through to her, he could.
It was one of the reasons I had let her date the werewolf. He’d been the most patient and caring guy I could have hoped for her to have. His only problem had been how to get her attention in the beginning, but he’d come a long way since then.
Twenty minutes passed before the screech of a gurney came down the hall. Lucas and Paula were wheeling it toward us. There was no way they’d bring it all the way inside, though. I looked at Kerbasi.
“Can you get Emily one of those suits from outside, please? And a mask, gloves and hair cap, too?”
He glanced at the girl in question, sympathy in his eyes. “Of course.”
There was some discussion outside before he came back in with the requested items. Emily was silent as I helped her don everything. We stepped into the outer room and Paula held a hand up when we went to the next door.
“That’s as far as she can go,” the doctor said.
I took Emily’s arm. “Wait.”
Paula stepped back and Lucas pulled the sheet from over the body. A quarter of his head was gone. Someone had cleaned the worst of the blood off what was left of his face, but it was still a horrible sight to see. His remaining eye was closed. Despite the damage done to him, there was no mistaking him for anyone else.
Emily screamed.
I wrapped my arms around her as she pounded on the glass window.
“No, no, no, no, no. Why did it have to be him? Why?” Her legs collapsed from under her.
I pulled her around and pressed her head into my chest. She sobbed and pounded her fists into me. Her emotions overwhelmed my senses and tore me apart. The grief pouring from her was a tidal wave of pain, loss, and despair.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry,” I murmured over and over again.
As soon as they started to wheel the gurney away she jerked from my hold.
“Wait!” She pushed up against the door.
Lucas and Paula paused.
“You have to save him. There has to be a way!”
Aniya showed up then. Her expression was a strange mixture of determination and sadness. She brushed past the gurney and came toward us. Emily stepped back when she came through the door.
She pulled the teenager into her arms. “There’s no saving him, Em, but you’re going to get through this.”
“I…I can’t,” Emily said, trembling.
Aniya pulled back a little and brushed the tears from the girl’s cheeks. “Yes, you can. Hunter wouldn’t want to see you like this any more than my mother would have wanted to see the wreck I became after her death. I’m going to help you, okay?”
Emily didn’t look entirely convinced, but she did let the vampire draw her back into the room. Kerbasi and I followed.
Chapter Thirty
We were watching the latest breaking news. Paula had sedated Emily so I felt comfortable enough to leave her for a while—with Aniya. Since we’d told her about Hunter’s death earlier in the evening, the vampire had proved useful in helping her with her grief. Emily responded better to her, but I suspected that was because she blamed me for failing to save him.
Lucas, Kerbasi, and I stood in front of the television in the break room observing the latest developments. Angels were appearing in places across the world and not hiding their presence.
I glanced at Kerbasi. “What are your buddies up to?”
“I’m not entirely certain.” He frowned.
Though a few had been caught on camera apprehending sups who were causing trouble, most were holding crystal rocks and chanting. Their whispered words were in a language I couldn’t understand. If I could get close to one of them I could figure out what they were doing through the type of magic they used, but none had showed up in Fairbanks yet.
“Well, what are they saying?” I asked.
“It is an ancient language from long before my time. I understand very little of it.” He shifted on his feet. “I believe the word ‘harmony’ is in there, though.”
“It seems to be doing little good,” Lucas said, dryly.
The guardian shook his head. “That is the part that baffles me the most.”
On the screen a female angel chanted over her stone while rioters in the distance set a condemned building on fire. According to the reporter, there were suspected vampires inside. They were attempting to flush them out during the day. I had to hope there were no human vagrants inside.
A cell phone rang. Lucas dug his from his pocket and glared at the screen.
“What do you want?” he answered with a growl.
“We need to talk—privately.” I overheard Yerik say through the speaker.
“I’m not sure talking is what I have in mind.” Lucas’ eyes glowed golden.
“If you wish to know the purpose behind recent events I suggest you meet with me…and Micah.”
Lucas’ hand tightened on his phone. “Where?”
“Be at the alpha’s house in an hour. Bring Melena or you won’t get in.” The daimoun hung up.
He looked at me. “Do you know what this is about?”
“A reunion?” Damn, Yerik had put me on the spot.
“You.” He pointed at Kerbasi. “Stay out of my way.”
Lucas grabbed my arm and pulled me out into the hallway, taking me toward Emily’s room. The guardian didn’t immediately follow, though I sensed he left the break room.
“I suspect it is more than a reunion,” Lucas said, keeping his gaze forward.
I flexed my hand. It hurt every time I even thought of trying to explain.
“We’ll see when we get there,” I replied.
He jerked open the outer door to the quarantine area. “That’s all you have to say?”
My mouth opened and closed—the words wouldn’t come out. I gave him an exasperated look. “That’s all I can say.”
He tossed a white suit at me and began putting on his own. “Can or will, Melena?”
“Can.” I extended my arm. The vow prevented me from even mentioning its existence to him, but it couldn’t stop me from reaching out my hand.
Lucas glanced at my palm. For him, nothing would be there. “What is the meaning of this?”
I let out a scream of frustration. “The only way I can tell you is if you cut off my hand!”
Even then, I wasn’t sure if it would be enough.
“Have you lost your mind?” He gave me a searching look.
I pulled a knife from my pocket and set the blade to my wrist. If that was the only way I could explain things to him then, that was what I’d do. He jerked it from my grasp and tossed it across the room. His face reddened as he glared at me.
“What is the meaning of this?”
My hand burned. It burned so badly it brought me to my knees. Then the pain spread to my whole body as I forced the words out between gritted teeth. “I’m bound.”
“That’s not even possible.” He shook his head.
I gave him a pleading look. There was no way I could take any more pain. It had nearly torn me apart to do it the first time. The vow was imprinted on my very soul.
A sheen of tears filled my eyes. “I can’t.”
A resigned expression came over his face.
“It’s hurting you to try. I can feel it through our bond.
” He gently pulled me back up. “We will figure this out—don’t say anything more.”
I nodded. The pain was leaving now that I wasn’t trying to break the vow.
“We’ll check on Emily and then we’ll meet with them. Whatever they’ve done to you—they damn well better fix it.”
***
“I do not like this,” Kerbasi said, glaring at me through the rearview mirror.
Kariann held the rear passenger door open. “Unless you want me to cop a feel and get your virginal engines running, I suggest you get out.”
I almost smiled. She always had a way of getting Kerbasi to do what she wanted.
“You will not touch me with your dirty little vampire hands.” The guardian brushed past her on the way out of the vehicle.
She hopped inside. “Maybe someday he’ll take me up on the offer.”
“Let’s go,” Lucas ordered.
The gate was opening up for us. My stomach knotted as I passed through it and guided the Jeep up to the house. Yerik and Micah were in there waiting for us. There was no telling how this might go, but I suspected not well.
We left the vehicle, passed the guards at the entrance, and made our way to Derrick’s office. The alpha wasn’t in there, having stayed at the clinic, but the nod he’d given me when Lucas and I left told me he knew what was going on.
Yerik opened the door just before we reached it. “Come inside.”
“Have fun.” Kariann left us.
I still had no idea how much she knew about our activities. Being a good little soldier, it was possible she knew nothing at all and simply obeyed orders. I’d left that kind of thinking behind the minute I got out of the military. The army could only change you as much as you let it.
Lucas’ back tensed as we entered the room. Micah stood next to the bookshelf the same as the last time I met him, but now he had a wary expression on his face.
“Brother.” He nodded.
“Don’t call me that,” Lucas said, coldly.
Micah took a few steps toward us. “We asked you here so we could explain.”
Lucas glanced at me. “Perhaps you could start by telling me why Melena practically goes into painful convulsions whenever she tries talk about this.”
“Which is exactly why she was bound in the first place,” Yerik said, taking a seat on top of the desk.
Lucas rushed toward him and put a hand around the daimoun’s throat. “You’re the one responsible for harming my mate?”
Yerik’s eyes flashed with annoyance, but he didn’t free himself. “I didn’t do it. Ariel did. I simply went along with it for the obvious reason that Melena would never keep a secret from you unless her vow was bound in magic.”
“Why is the archangel involved in this? And how did she do it? Melena should be immune to her as well.”
I tested the words and found the vow didn’t cover them. “She’s my guardian angel. Kind of like how it used to be with you, she can get around my immunity.”
“For a vow to work you must have given it willingly.” He let Yerik go and stalked toward me. “Why would you promise to keep secrets from me?”
My feet itched to run, but I forced myself not to move. “I didn’t know the vow would be this involved or that I’d have to keep so many secrets. I trusted her.”
Lucas took hold of my chin and studied my eyes. He wasn’t hurting me, but the intense rage I felt coming from him was so strong it was hard to stay near it. Like a burning fuse, it was only a matter of time before he would explode. I really wanted to be in another state when that happened.
“She’s an archangel. You should have known better than to trust her.” His words were like shards of glass digging into my soul. “To take that vow blindly was to betray me.”
“I didn’t mean to…”
“You never do,” he interrupted, letting me go.
It was like a frozen wall went up between us. He’d shut off the bond—not all the way, but I could barely feel it anymore. I felt empty inside and wrapped my arms around myself.
“Now tell me why we’re here,” Lucas demanded.
Yerik straightened from where he had been leaning against the desk. “It’s time to invade Purgatory and free the nerou.”
“First you reveal supernaturals’ existence and now this?” Lucas balled his fists. “That’s why you did it, isn’t it? You needed to distract the angels on Earth so that we can invade Purgatory without them interfering?”
Well, at least he picked up on the gist of it quickly.
“We can’t wait any longer,” Micah said, jumping back into the conversation. “The plague is still spreading, we need a cure, and some of us have an interest in seeing the nerou freed regardless.”
Lucas shook his head. “We couldn’t pull it off without…”
“Me,” I answered. My palm only burned a little to say that much.
“That’s the real reason you dragged her into this. How long have you been plotting this lunacy?” Lucas ran his gaze around us.
“For me?” Yerik shrugged. “Since I first found out where the nerou were located, but I didn’t bring Micah into it until he escaped Zoe.”
“And Melena?” Lucas didn’t bother to look at me for the answer.
Micah gave him a regretful look. “Since August.”
Lucas swung around and directed his anger at me once more. “You’ve known about this plan and hid it from me for that long?”
“I…” Couldn’t say a damn thing. Once again, my hand was burning me to a crisp.
“We need to go there now,” Yerik interjected. “You, me, Melena, and Micah. I’ve got the transportation and weaponry ready to go. All that’s left is to get the location of the portal.”
Lucas shook with anger. “Forget it. I won’t take part in any of this.”
He went straight to the door and slammed it open, then stepped into the hallway. For a second I thought he meant to leave me, but then he turned back. Our eyes met.
“You’ve got two choices, sensor. Come with me and I might forgive you. Stay with them and I never will.”
My throat swelled. If we didn’t invade Purgatory, we might never get the cure and the nerou would remain captives there forever. But if I didn’t go with him I’d lose him.
“Melena, we had a deal,” Yerik said, coming behind me to put a hand on my shoulder.
At least Micah had the decency to remain quiet.
“I can’t.” I shook my head. “Sorry.”
When Lucas reached out his hand, I took it. I’d messed up by accepting the vow, but I wouldn’t make another huge mistake with him.
“You’ve only got tonight to change your mind, Melena,” Yerik shouted. “After that there will be reprisals for this.”
Lucas stopped and turned around. “Threaten my mate again and I will send your ass to Hell. Don’t think I don’t know how to do it.”
Damn. He spoke the truth.
Chapter Thirty-one
Lucas
“Give me your keys.” He held out his hand.
Melena barely kept up with his rapid pace as he headed toward her Jeep, but she caught up and handed the keys over. A myriad of emotions crossed her face—pain, remorse, fear. He was the one to cause them, but he wasn’t in the right state of mind to give her reassurances.
Lucas pulled the door open and settled into the driver’s seat, adjusting it for his longer legs. She hopped in the other side and put her seat belt on. Smart girl. This wasn’t going to be a smooth ride. He peeled out and sped toward the gate. The guards rushed to get it open and barely made it before he passed through.
“Lucas, I…”
“Not now,” he said.
Her vehicle didn’t have as much power as he would have liked, but he’d make do with it. Lucas needed the open road, the night sky, and time to think. Never had he faced a worse betrayal than he had this evening. Those closest to him had lied, kept secrets, and manipulated him. Just when a man thought he knew who his true allies were they turned on him.
His fingers tightened on the wheel until they embedded into it. He took a deep breath and loosened them. Melena had been foolish and too trusting, but he didn’t entirely blame her. There was no doubt in his mind she would have told him the truth long before now if she could.
He replayed numerous memories in his mind of her curling her branded hand and standing there at a loss for words. She’d tried. Now Lucas knew the real reasons he’d caught remorse, regret, and sadness in her eyes so many times. She’d had to watch him leave her repeatedly to go search for his brother, knowing it was a waste of time.
But when she’d finally been given a choice she chose him. For that, he could forgive her once he managed to calm down. Right now, his anger at Yerik and Micah were too great for him to say anything. And perhaps it was just as well she suffer a little while waiting, considering she did make the mistake of getting herself into this mess.
Lucas drove for an hour, replaying every memory of the past months in his head. He could see Yerik’s manipulations so clearly now. The daimoun had used Lucas to remove anyone who could cause problems for his plans. Ones that would draw the attention of the angels after supernaturals came out.
Nearly every corrupt leader in the country who would harm humans was now eliminated. Lucas had been too blind with his need to find his brother to care who he killed and Melena’s softening him had made him a perfect instrument of justice when a lead didn’t pan out. He’d just figured while he was there he’d get rid of the supernaturals who hurt innocents. That she would be proud of him for doing it. All the while he was being led on a false chase and they’d no doubt been laughing at him for his foolishness.
Finally, he got tired enough of navigating icy roads to take them home. The house was dark when he pulled up. He sat there staring at it for long minutes, unsure what to do next. The cold empty feeling inside of him threatened to take over. If it did, he’d have to leave Melena until it passed, but he preferred not to do that. Not if he could help it.
“Let’s go inside,” he said.
She barely made a noise as they made their way to the front door. Her actions reminded him of how one acted around a wild animal who could attack at any moment. That’s not how he wanted her to behave around him. Fuck. He didn’t know how to deal with this pain.