Scion's Awakening (Seven Seals Series Book 3)

by Traci Douglass

  Unable to resist, Quinn toyed with his curls, the golden waves silky against her skin. She met his gaze, his eyes were bright and fixed intently on her. His pupils were dilated, signaling his attraction. He wanted her.

  She was surprised to find she wanted him too.

  But that was impossible. Men like him didn’t want women like her. She’d always been too smart, too prickly, too prim and precise. No way would he look at her with such fire and hunger. Honestly, a man like him wouldn’t look at her at all.

  The apartment door swung open at last, but Wyck didn’t move. Just remained on the threshold, staring at her as if he wrestled with a mighty decision.

  Sudden pain speared her chest and her breath grew rapid and shallow. The scientist in her knew the signs of hypovolemic shock well. She peeked down at her hands and saw her nails were blue. Soon she’d lose consciousness. Without aid, she’d die. Her opponent in the park must have nicked an artery. Wyck raced with her into his bedroom. Her vision tunneled as her blood pressure dropped precipitously low and her eyelids felt heavy as concrete. If he could heal her wounds as he’d claimed, now would be a good time.

  Then again, if this was all a dream, perhaps she was dead already.

  Wyck settled her atop a fluffy down comforter on the bed and she curled into a ball as bone-deep cold shredded her composure. She wasn’t afraid. She was a scientist. She believed in logic, not fate and magic.

  Her stomach lurched.

  Okay. She was terrified.

  “Shh.” Wyck took her hand. He was her only hope now. If he couldn’t save her, she wouldn’t have time to make it to the ER. He slowly stretched her stiff limbs out on the bed. She was too weak to fight him. “Try to keep still.”

  Then he stood over her, holding his hands out flat above her right arm, moving them along the length of her injured limb. White light beamed from his palms, warming her skin and soothing her pain. Soon, she felt boneless, weightless, totally relaxed and sleepy. Her eyes slipped closed.

  “Look at me.”

  She forced herself to do as he asked. Wyck’s gaze glowed golden now, the green of his irises completely obscured.

  “That’s it. Keep focused on me.”

  Quinn nodded, but soon her vision was dulled by excruciating pain searing through her entire body. She arched off the bed, clutching the covers and focusing on Wyck as he’d asked, but unconsciousness beckoned, pulling her under. She couldn’t hold on. Blackness overtook her.

  The next time she blinked open her eyes, the nightmare of agony receded. Her mouth felt dry as cotton and her head pounded like a jackhammer. A heavy hand settled against her shoulder, keeping her flat as she tried to roll onto her side. Memories of what had happened flooded back. The fight at the park. The escape afterward.

  She squinted at her right arm. Her lab coat was gone and so were her wounds. Not even a scar remained. She frowned as a second hand came into view. She tracked the length of the brawny arm to his face. Wyck smiled, not exactly cheerful, but full of warmth. Awareness tingled through her system before she could tamp it down. Quinn told herself he was only being kind, he’d rescued her from that creep in the park and felt obligated to be concerned for her welfare. That was all. It had nothing to do with her as a woman.

  They stared at each other for several seconds until she finally looked away to take in the rest of his appearance. He’d removed his leather jacket, and wore a T-shirt reading “Have Your Tried Turning It Off Then Turning It On Again?”. His faded jeans fit snug to his long legs.

  He looked like some kind of geek model, with his shaggy blond hair and hipster glasses. And he was built like a Greek god too, his perfection nearly otherworldly.

  “How long was I out?” The words croaked from her throat.

  Wyck handed her a glass of water, helping her sit up to drink it. Man, he smelled good—like sandalwood and soap. It took some shuffling to get her into a comfortable position. When she finally rested against the pillows, his hand had slid down to the small of her back, touching the bare skin where her blouse had scooched up from the waistband of her skirt. She stared at him, her thirst replaced with things altogether more alarming.

  Hunger.

  Desire.

  She definitely shouldn’t be feeling those things toward a stranger, no matter how handsome.

  “Thanks.” Quinn sipped the water.

  He didn’t move away.

  Silence stretched taut between them.

  After she finished, Quinn stared down at her toes. He’d removed her shoes, revealing her ripped stockings from the fight. Those unearthly bastards would go to any extreme to gain control of her research, her precious serum. And she’d do anything to stop them. She frowned, glancing around the room for her weapon. She spotted the trusty knife on a small nightstand beside the bed, its razor-sharp blade gleaming under the lamp’s glow.

  “I didn’t want you to hurt yourself. I hope you don’t mind I removed it,” Wyck said, giving her another of his charming, lopsided grins.

  Quinn frowned at the nightstand. Beside the knife was a neat stack of books, placed precisely in descending order by size.

  “It’s fine,” she said, distracted.

  Her tattered lab coat was thrown over the back of a chair across the room and the top buttons on her blouse were undone. The thought of Wyck’s hands so close to her breasts made her blush.

  “You look flushed.”

  Her cheeks prickled with heat. “I’m fine. Tired, and groggy, and in need of some painkillers, but otherwise, I’m good.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I think you need more rest.”

  He was right, of course, but she didn’t trust herself to spend more time so close to him. It was better to fend for herself alone than to face more rejection and heartache.

  “Quinn?” The way he said her name, all husky and low, made her toes curl.

  “Yes?” Her gaze remained lowered. She sipped more water, ran her finger around the rim, did anything to avoid looking at him again.

  “How much do you know about the man you encountered last night?”

  “That was no man.” His question surprised her. She knew that thing that attacked her last night had been no normal man, and had assumed he did too. She met his gaze again, mesmerized by their light green hue, the flecks of gold. She could stare into those eyes forever and die a happy woman.

  Erotic images of them entwined together in his sheets flickered through her mind. Quinn tried to suppress them but they wouldn’t leave, not while he looked at her with such hunger and need. She wasn’t used to being an object of lust. Usually men couldn’t flee fast enough from her big brain and kick-ass attitude.

  But he’d asked her about the creature last night, which meant he knew things too. Things that might be useful in her fight to keep her lab and her research safe.

  Quinn cleared her throat. Whatever this weird connection was between them, it wasn’t going anywhere. The sooner her body got that message, the better. The fact he looked like her every torrid fantasy come to life didn’t matter, not did her urge to drag him into bed. She barely knew him. Things would turn out badly, as they always did for her in the love department.

  She’d stick around long enough to get the information she needed about these creatures who’d turned up without warning and threatened everything she’d worked so hard for, then she’d leave Wyck behind. “I’ll tell you about that man on one condition. We work together.”

  “No.” His stern tone brooked no argument. “I can’t risk you.”

  “Risk me?” Quinn scowled and set her water aside. “Listen, buddy. I don’t need protecting. I can handle myself. I know Atlanta, and I know the scientific community. If you want information, you’re going to have to work with me to get it.”

  Wyck’s frown increased. “How do you know the Nephilim?”

  She sighed and forced herself to relax. “They bought out the lab where I work a few months ago. At first I thought they were just allergic to sunlight and happiness, but I�
�ve seen them do things no mortal could do. I did some research. How do you know about them?”

  “It’s my job to know.”

  “And what exactly is your job?”

  “I’m a Scion.”

  “Huh?” Quinn scrunched her nose . She’d turned up evidence of all sorts of odd creatures—demons, angels, minions, spirits—but never anything called a Scion. Her scientific curiosity got the better of her though. “What’s that?”

  “I’m immortal warrior created by Divninty to guard the mortal host of the third Seal of the Apocalypse. You, Quinn.” He sighed. “And I’m here on a mission to uncover evidence of a conspiracy by the Nephilim.”

  “Wait a minute. Slow down.” She grabbed his T-shirt and yanked him toward her. His eyes widened. “You think I’ve got this Seal you’re guarding? Because I don’t.”

  “It’s not an object. It’s within you, part of your DNA. The host is sometimes unaware of the power inside them.”

  If he was trying to throw her off with useless trivia, it was working. She filed the info away for later and focused on the more pressing issue. “The Nephilim are planning a conspiracy?”

  “We believe so. That’s what I’m here to find out.” Wyck removed her hands from his shirt but didn’t let them go. Instead, he laced their fingers together. “Without your help, more people could be in danger. They’ve already killed more than a hundred people. Please, Quinn…”

  Whenever he said her name, she wanted to give him whatever he wanted, but she had to protect her lab, her research, her heart. “I have more to consider than just this conspiracy theory of yours. What I’m working on could end famine forever, save millions. I can’t just abandon my life’s work. No. You partner with me or forget it.”

  His gaze drifted over her, a sexy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She didn’t want him to hurt her. Years of rejection had taught her to never get involved emotionally. Common sense demanded she leave before things got complicated. But her instincts urged her to stay, to find out more about him and these Scions and whatever this conspiracy was he talked about.

  “Deal.” He smiled and her insides quivered with anticipation.

  Quinn swallowed hard and shook his hand. “Deal.”

  3

  Wyck wasn’t sure why Quinn had insisted on partnering with him to find the Nephilm, but he was certain three was more to it than this research of hers. Something else was at play and it wasn’t just the Seal she hosted. He’d thought telling her the truth of who he was, what she was, would be enough to make her never want to see him again.

  Alas, it hadn’t turned out that way and now he had another problem to deal with—his feelings.

  He shouldn’t have agreed to let her help him, given the seriousness of the situation. Quinn was a distraction. He didn’t doubt her ability to take care of herself, she’d more than proved her skills were adequate there. No, the threat came from the fact he found her beautiful, alluring, tempting, despite his wishes not to. Worse, after healing her, his thoughts had been plagued with all sorts of sexy images of them together. He hadn’t been with a woman in centuries and he’d certainly never wanted a female like Quinn. His past sexually interludes had been limited to women who knew the score, partners who dealt in sex like other dealt in cards—quick, efficient, with little to no fuss and little chance of cheating. There’d been no fuss, no muss, no emotions involved.

  Wyck suspected making love to Quinn would be all fuss, all muss, and exquisitely enjoyable. He shouldn’t want her, yet he felt drawn to her like a siren’s call, irresistible and deadly. She lured him to temptation. So much so he’d spent the day and a half she’d slumbered away the effects of her injuries watching over her, instead out looking for the half-breeds as his Scion duty demanded. There’d been no reason for him to stay. His earthly apartment had the most advanced security available. There was no logical reason for him to have stayed.

  Except that he hadn’t been able to leave her side.

  He’d removed her shoes, then her lab coat. She hadn’t stirred, not even when he’d inspected her weapon. The ornate silver blade had been blessed with holy water. He suspected she’d sought guidance from a priest at some point. She’d mentioned the Nephilim buying out the lab she worked for then stealing her research.

  No wonder she wanted them gone, same as him.

  Something in common.

  While she’d slept, Wyck had fought the urge to coil her red hair around his fingers. He’d yearned for her to open her eyes so he could peer into their depths again. She had stunning deep emerald green eyes surrounded by long dark auburn lashes. He’d wanted her to awaken and speak to him again, so he could ask her if she felt this strange connection between them as well.

  But he’d done none of that.

  Instead, he’d slept on the sofa in the living room or tried to anyway. Relaxing had been impossible, knowing she was in his bed.

  She was a beautiful distraction.

  Now, Quinn walked beside him through the night, tall, graceful, regal. Wyck glanced at her and found her watching him. The streetlights dimmed the bright emerald of her irises, but he still remembered their color vividly.

  “How well do you know Atlanta?” she asked as they turned a corner and headed down another road. They were going back toward the plaza in front of the lab where they’d fought the Nephilim. She’d insisted on returning, though Wyck could have told her it was a dead end. Wherever the half-breed had disappeared to, he wouldn’t return anytime soon.

  “Pretty well.” He’d been around since the beginning of time and had lived in Atlanta off and on since the turn of the century. Still if her thinking she knew more about this city and what happened here than he did and it kept her around, he wouldn’t argue. He wasn’t ready for her to leave.

  Wyck fell behind a step and watched the sway of her hips beneath her slim black pencil skirt. The material fit snug against her shapely bottom and hugged her curves in all the r right places.

  He shook off the errant thoughts. Whatever she looked like, it had nothing to do with him. She was his Seal’s host and therefore under his protection. If he did let her out of his sight now, she might go after the Nephilim on her own and could end up hurt. He was doing his Scion duty by keeping her with him. It had nothing to do with his attraction to her. Then there was the fact he still needed to make sure that this wasn’t all some sure and she wasn’t colluding with the enemy.

  Wyck shuddered. If anyone discovered he fancied a possible traitor, he would be in serious trouble. Having relations with a mortal was one thing. Falling for an ally of the Nephilim was another.

  Possibly ally.

  Ugh. Such reasoning wouldn’t last two seconds with Divinity or his Scion commander. If either of them thought he’d entered into a liaison with a half-breed sympathizer, he couldn’t say he was only doing his Scion duty.

  Nope. Quinn was strictly off limits.

  He caught up to her and met her gaze. She looked away and turned. Her reactions confused him. Several times, she’d done something similar, as if she feared he’d read too much in her gaze. Realization dawned. Perhaps she was attracted to him too. Perhaps she felt the same desire he did.

  They entered the dark park and he remained close by, lost in thought.

  “Take a look at this.” She touched his arm, jolting him back to the present. Her fingertips brushed his wrist and awareness tingled through his skin, forbidden yet so enticing.

  Quinn crouched as best she could near the scorched circle where the Nephilm had vanished. She touched the burnt earth, as though trying to read something in the lingering ashes.

  “Picking up a signal from the mothership?” he joked, trying to lighten the tension between them, then reconsidered. The last thing he needed was for her to think he was flirting. Heaven knew he was susceptible enough to her, as evidenced by what had happened on the threshold of his apartment. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel her fingers in his hair, stroking his scalp. Talk about divine. She’d pu
shed him to the limit with such a simple, small touch.

  It was all very wrong, yet felt so very right.

  “No.” Quinn snapped, giving him a flat stare. “This wasn’t anything man-made that did this.”

  Tell him something he didn’t already know.

  “It wasn’t another Nephilim either. This sort of thing isn’t possible for them. I know what they’re capable of, and this isn’t it.” She looked up at him, gaining his full attention now.

  Wyck knelt beside her and held his hand over the dirt too. Pale light filtered down from his palm to cover the entire circle. The ash swirled and lifted, drifting into the beam them disappearing. He concentrated. It was always difficult to test samples in this manner. If he lost focus, he would have to start all over again, and he didn’t want to waste his strength on a second attempt. When he had collected enough of a sample, he fisted his fingers and the light blinked out.

  “What did you do?” Quinn’s eyes were wide in the low light.

  “Magic.” He grinned and straightened, wiping his palm on the rear of his jeans.

  “Liar.” Quinn stood toe-to-toe with him, meeting his gaze. She really was beautiful, especially when she was annoyed. Fire flashed in her eyes and her jaw was set, ready for a fight. Her bravery and tenacity drew him like a bug to a zapper.

  Not a fate he should strive to emulate.

  Wyck sighed. “Fine. If you must know I’ve sent the soil to the heavenly labs for analysis. Perhaps they can find something.”

  “Heaven has a lab?”

  “We have all sorts of technology, far superior to what everyday humans use. After all, we’ve perfected it for an eternity. Plus, our Scion duties are easier with access to a database of supernatural phenomena we can check when needed. When I’m not on a mission, I help keep it updated. Makes the whole capture and smite thing way easier.” Wyck bit back a grin at Quinn’s disappointed expression, like she’d finally seen behind the veil and spied the real Oz. “What? Just we’re heavenly beings doesn’t mean we’re not addicted to our gadgets as much as the next creature. Besides, even my excellent mind can’t hold all that knowledge at once. Scions can’t see and know everything. Only Divinity has that privilege.”