by Jenny Allen
Lilith was becoming frantic, running past every ambulance searching for any sign of Gregor and Alvarez. Someone grabbed her from behind and she spun around, ready to attack, when she came face to face with a woman whose face was streaked with soot. Her eyes were bloodshot and desperate.
“Please, has anyone found my son?” She clutched at Lilith’s arm like she was a rock in the surging tide. Her fingers felt like hot pokers digging into her skin, searing the woman’s pain into her body. It was energizing and excruciating all at the same time and it just made her want to scream and yank her arm away.
It took Lilith a few seconds to realize that she was wearing a police track suit. The poor woman probably thought she was an off duty cop here to help with the catastrophic scene. “I’m sorry, I haven’t heard anything.” It was heartbreaking but she still had her own people to find. The woman wouldn’t let go of her arm though. She kept clinging to her, staring at her with those pleading eyes, digging her fingers into her arm.
Lilith was on the verge of panic, trying to pry the woman off her when she heard a familiar southern accent. “Ma’am, we will help you as soon as we can.” Cohen appeared next to the poor woman and gently pried her arm loose. “We’ll find your son.” His eyes met hers with a significant look that Lilith thought might actually be genuine.
The woman nodded slowly while wiping at her soot-covered cheeks and shuffled off, aimlessly disappearing into the chaos. Cohen watched her leave and as soon as she was out of earshot, he turned on Lilith. “Are you completely insane??”
“I have to find them!” She spat the words at him and started back into the crowd.
Cohen snatched her wrist and yanked her backward. “Getting yourself killed isn’t going to help anyone. You go charging around here and that’s exactly what’s going to happen!”
“Let go!” Lilith spun and swung, nailing Cohen right in the jaw. As soon as the shock rattled him she ripped her wrist away.
“Dammit!” Cohen snatched her arm with a fierce grip and pulled her back around. He quickly grabbed both her wrists and pulled her closer. “Stop. I’m on your side, remember? We have to stick together. Ashcroft could be in this crowd right now.”
Lilith tried to wrench her arms free again, panic bubbling up inside her, making her lungs feel tight. “I know! I have to find my father and Alvarez before he does!”
“And then what?” Cohen’s scream startled a little of the fight out of her. “Assuming that Gregor and Alvarez are even here, assuming they aren’t still stuck inside, say you find them and Ashcroft finds you. What are you going to do to him in a crowd like this? It’s like a roving buffet for him. All you’d accomplish is becoming another hostage or worse.”
Her eyes lit up with tears as she stared into Cohen’s hazel eyes. Wait. Hazel? Was his sandy blonde hair a touch darker? Her brain was too rattled to make sense of what she was seeing. All the emotions swirling around her were screaming over her skin. It was like standing in the middle of a hurricane of shattered glass.
“Look, I know you don’t want to hear this, but the call came in twenty minutes ago. Judging by this crowd, the fire alarm never sounded. It’s an old hotel. There wasn’t much warning. Still, even if Ashcroft hasn’t found them in this crowd yet, he will and there’s nothing we can do to stop him. We need to get him somewhere isolated.”
“I can’t just leave.” Cohen was right, but how do you just give up and allow a monster to take your family? She wasn’t Spencer. “If there is any chance that we can stop this thing, we have to take it.”
Cohen just searched her eyes for a tense moment. When she still didn’t struggle, he slowly released her wrists. “We will talk to the cops and EMTs here and get a few officers to escort us around the crowd. It won’t be easy in this mess, but I’ll make it happen. A slight upturn of his lips told her that he had no confidence at all in his words, but he was willing to help her anyway. “You haven’t seen Whitmore or Humphries while you were running around, have you?”
Lilith was shaking her head when Chance finally caught up to them, shattering the compassionate moment. “What the hell, Lily? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Cohen saw that pained look on her face and awkwardly rubbed at his jaw. “Your woman has one hell of a right hook.”
Well that definitely diffused the situation. Chance actually smirked. “It’s about time someone took a shot at you.” The relief was only momentary. Chance stepped in front of Lilith, completely blocking Cohen from the conversation. “You seriously cannot pull a stunt like that again.” Those hypnotic hazel eyes flecked with green were pleading. “I’m barely holding on here. I need you to stay with me. Let me do one damn thing right with my life. Please.”
She immediately regretted barreling out of the car. It was stupid. “I’m sorry for running off, but you have to stop blaming yourself, Chance. You aren’t responsible for the whole world.” His martyr complex was starting to get to her.
“And you are? You’re right. I’m not responsible for the whole world. I’m responsible for you and Gregor.” His hands slid up her shoulders to cup her face and it made her heart race, even here in the middle of a disaster. Everything else seemed to fade away. The raging storm of emotions died down, giving her one blissful moment of quiet. “Please, Lily. Let me do my job.”
“I hate to interrupt you two lovebirds, but we are at a raging hotel fire.” Cohen’s voice was clipped, and when Chance turned to look at him, Lilith could see the hard lines of his almost-handsome face and his arms crossed angrily over his chest. “What I was saying when Ms. Adams decided to barrel out of the car like a mental patient, is that we need to find Whitmore and Humphries. They’ll know more about what’s going on here. Once we know who is in charge of the scene, we can get whatever information we need. Let’s split up. You and Chance can search the crowd and I’ll get behind the police barricade and see what I can dig up.”
“And how is it any better for you to go running off alone?”
“So glad you asked.” The overly sweet smile stretching his lips was drenched in sarcasm. Apparently he did get the concept of sarcasm after all. “Unlike you, Ashcroft isn’t after me. I’m just a meddlesome detective, not a target.” There was a barely restrained anger in his voice but his face read differently. He was scared and his lips were slightly downturned indicating sadness. It was a very odd mix that she really didn’t understand.
Cohen seemed to notice her staring at him a little too intently and ran his fingers through his short dark blonde hair. “Look, you two just stick together and stay safe. Text me if you find something and I’ll do likewise.” His words were hurried and with one quick glance, Cohen turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Chance grabbed her hand and it was like touching a battery. She instantly felt stronger, better able to deal with the overwhelming emotions plaguing her from every single terrified person in the parking lot. It seemed like the strength she was drawing from Chance created a shield around her.
Chance flinched and pulled his hand back, leaving her to be bombarded by the crowd, but it wasn’t like before. She had more strength to deal with the powerful sensations. She could focus, push back the tide. A small smile stretched her lips until she saw Chance’s face.
He looked a little pale and disorientated. “What was that?”
A small little ball of dread knotted her stomach. “What was what?”
Chance frowned and looked down at his hand like he’d never seen it before. “I don’t know. I grabbed your hand and I just felt really dizzy and light headed.”
She flashed back to their conversation with Cohen in his office and the ball of dread bloomed into real fear. Lilith looked away and scanned the crowds. She had to get a grip on this crap before she hurt someone and the last person she wanted to hurt was Chance. “Uh, we need to start looking.”
Chance shook his head like he was trying to clear it and finally nodded. “You’re right. Let’s get moving.” Lilith was silently thankful that they we
ren’t going to have some huge discussion about what just happened. She was still panicked about finding her father.
They spent the next hour moving through the masses. Ambulances were finally starting to pull out with the more serious burn victims. At least another dozen cop cars showed up to help control the chaos. Firefighters were still battling the inferno, but they weren’t pulling out victims anymore. Anyone still in the building was beyond help now. Buses were beginning to line up at the end of the parking lot. Cops were organizing the uninjured and herding them toward the buses so they could be transferred to another hotel. The sensations of pandemonium and despair were finally starting to lessen.
They still couldn’t find a single trace of Gregor or Alvarez. The crowds might be starting to calm down, but Lilith was spinning into full panic mode. “Where the fuck are they, Chance?”
“You need to calm down, Lily.” Chance had regained his strength and his voice was definitely hard as iron.
“No I really don’t. I have every right to be completely freaked out right now. We both should be freaked out right now. Gregor and Alvarez aren’t out here and they aren’t answering their phones. Their either burned up in that damn monstrosity of a hotel or Ashcroft has his sadistic talons on them.” Lilith spun around staring Chance down. “Why are you being so fucking calm right now? Don’t you care?”
“Freaking out isn’t going to save them, Lily. If they are dead, they’re dead and all we can do is not join them.”
Chance caught her wrist just before her open hand connected with his face. Lilith struck out with her other hand, tears stinging her eyes. “How can you even fucking say that?!” He just held her arms while she struggled, waiting for the fight to go out of her. When she finally fell against him in a fit of tears, he scooped her up and carried her away from all the chaos.
Chance found a quiet alley one block over and ducked down it. When he reached the end, he set Lilith on her feet. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up into Chance’s stern, handsome face. “You’re losing it, Lily. You can’t flip out like that in public!” There was something deeper, she could hear it in his voice, see it on his face.
“Chance…”
“No.” His face snapped into painful rage and he leaned in, inches from her. “You have no right to tell me I don’t care! I’m not a soulless monster just because I choose not to lose my shit in front of hundreds of humans! Don’t scream at me that I don’t care just because you can’t deal.” Chance punched the wall with a guttural growl and Lilith flinched.
“Feel better?” She was angry. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she wasn’t really angry at him, but she couldn’t stop. “Go on. Break your hand on concrete and see if that helps things any. I’m sure Ashcroft will back off when he sees you’re injured.”
Chance gripped her shoulders and glared at her with clenched teeth. “Stop pushing me, Lilith. You aren’t gonna take all your anger out on me just cause I’m fucking convenient!”
Lilith’s heart was pounding in her chest as she panted for breath. Their eyes locked in a turbulent showdown and the seconds seemed to stretch into minutes. She felt a swell of anger and her hand rose to slap him, but he caught her wrist again and pinned it to the wall. He leaned in even closer, but the anger was leaking out of his face. “Stop trying to hit me, Lilith. It’s not going to make you feel any better.”
His eyes left hers for a fraction of a second, glancing down at her lips and she could feel the intense desire roar through her body. She couldn’t tell how much was hers and how much was his. She didn’t really care.
Lilith leaned into him, her lips crushing against his. For a moment, the heated kiss seemed to freeze time. Neither of them moved or even breathed. Then suddenly, Chance dropped her wrist. One hand slid up her neck and the other around her wrist, both of them tugging her closer. Lilith sank her hands into his hair, her fingers tightening as she kissed him hungrily. Chance growled into the kiss and pushed her back against the wall. There was no hesitation in him this time, just raw, powerful need.
His strong hands slid down to her hips, picking her up as she wrapped her legs around him. Chance’s lips moved down her neck, his teeth lightly grating against the tender skin, drawing a soft moan out of her. Lilith’s entire body vibrated with energetic passion, making her head spin and her skin burn. Her fingers clutched his shoulders, holding on to him like he was the only sane thing left in the world.
Chance leaned his forehead against hers, panting for breath, and for one terrified moment Lilith thought he was going to put on the brakes again. His eyes were closed, as if steeling himself. No. “I need you, Lily.” The tone in his voice was raw and powerful. It stole her breath, making her chest tight. Before she could say or do anything, Chance’s lips brushed against hers in a nudging kiss as his hands rubbed against her hips. The growing warmth trickling down her spine completely disrupted her thoughts.
Chance broke the kiss, his eyes finding hers, and all the insecurities, the indecisiveness was gone. His eyes burned with a confidence she’d never seen before. There were no questions, no second guesses. He knew exactly what he wanted and it made her heart race, the blood pounding in her ears. The moment exploded into a deep passionate kiss, his tongue gliding along hers. Their hands tugged impatiently at their clothes, each of them desperate to feel skin against skin. When his warm hands slid up her stomach and under her ivory lace bra, they felt electric.
Everything blurred into an intense moment of groping hands, grazing teeth, thrusting bodies and passionate moans. Her nails dug into his back, trying desperately to hold on as the most insane waves of pleasure wracked her body while Chance growled against her neck. His hands gripped her against him with bruising strength. After one last, powerful thrust they were both left clinging to each other, glistening with sweat and gasping for breath.
Chance just leaned his forehead against hers with his eyes closed, panting softly. Lilith was still trying to make her body stop quivering. Her skin tingled and crackled with energy. She’d never felt so completely alive. Distantly somewhere in her brain, she knew it had to do with Cohen’s blood, but it was the farthest thing from her mind. Neither of them spoke. Lilith didn’t think she could form words anyway. Besides, she didn’t want to break the magic of the moment. She was trying as hard as she could not to think about the usual awkward moments after having sex with someone for the first time. It always changed everything. A tiny bubble of panic started to tighten her chest.
As if he could read her mind, his hand slid slowly up her neck, his fingers delving into her auburn curls, and kissed her tenderly. Chance brushed the matted hair from her face, staring into her eyes with a slow, impish smile. It felt so completely natural that it eased away all her panic. She nuzzled a kiss against his neck and relaxed into his arms.
“Not that this is my favorite suggestion ever, but…” The sound of his voice almost startled her. “…we may want to put some clothes back on.”
That’s when reality came crashing in. They were mostly naked in a dark alley with cops and fire trucks still passing by at regular intervals. Under any other circumstances she might have been mortified, but after the past few days and the fact that Chance was still pinning her to the wall, all she could do was laugh. He frowned at her for an instant and then grinned like a Cheshire cat.
“Like I said, it’s not my favorite suggestion.”
“And what would be your favorite suggestion?” She quirked an eyebrow as a slow smile curled her lips. Before Chance could say anything, Lilith nudged her lips feather-soft against his, pulling a languid growl from him. His hands tightened around her and that heated rush flushed her body again.
Just then Lilith’s phone rang, completely breaking the moment like a shower of ice water. “Shit. Cohen.” She looked up at Chance and his smile faltered.
Chance zipped up the front of her track suit and kissed her softly before putting her on her somewhat unsteady feet. “You should get that. He may have found something.
” His voice was steady and even. For a moment her mind raced in a panicked mess, running through all the possible reasons for that tone. She pushed them all aside. There wasn’t time.
Lilith shimmied back into her pants and dug her phone out of her pocket. There were a dozen text messages and a missed call, all from Cohen. Crap. She watched Chance’s back as he buttoned his low slung jeans and she dialed Cohen’s number. The phone was still ringing when Chance turned around. There it was, just below his navel. The tattoo of a beautiful, white lily with a curling scroll bearing her name just below it. Chance caught her looking, followed her eyes to the tattoo, and when his eyes met hers again they were filled with a vulnerable confidence that laid all her panicked thoughts to rest.
When Cohen finally answered, his voice startled her and she almost dropped the phone. “Where the hell are you two?”
Thankfully you can’t really hear a grin over the phone. “Did you find something?”
“I’ve been trying to reach you for half an hour? What the hell is going on? Are you two in danger?”
Chance tugged on his shirt, his hazel eyes watching her with a languid desire that made her want to hole up with him in a hotel room for a week. Damn he was distracting. “Uh… no. We’re okay. We didn’t find anything except a bunch of scared and hurt people.” Lilith squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, trying desperately to focus. “We’ll meet you at the car and figure out our next move.” She was just about to hang up when Cohen’s voice stopped her.
“Well move your asses. Whitmore called a little over half an hour ago. The men he posted at the Industrial Park outside of the old nuclear plant site radioed in. Suspicious activity. Whitmore and Humphries are already on their way. We could have all gone together, but someone was too damn busy to answer their phone.”
That sobered her up instantly. “Sorry. We’ll be right there.”
“Whitmore and Humphries are heading to Phipps Bend. We need to meet Cohen so we can catch up.” Lilith leaned back against the wall with a heavy sigh. Some part of her felt guilty for not staying focused on trying to find her father, but she’d lost it. Chance was right. She was freaking out. As distracted as she might be by Chance, she wasn’t having panic attacks and running towards fires. In fact, she felt better than she ever had. She felt powerful, strong, in control. It was the first time since she got out of the cab at the Italian joint in New York City. Everything just seemed clearer.