Darkness Divides (Sensor #3) (34 page)

When we got inside, Lucas was just starting to run the shower water. Fallon didn’t hesitate to embrace him—dirty or not. Lucas hugged him back, but it was a stiff hug.

“Master, it is good to see you again,” Fallon said once he pulled away.

Lucas gave him a stern look. “I would say the same, but considering you allowed Melena to put herself in danger I’m not pleased with you. We’ll be talking about this later.”

The vampire looked stricken. “She convinced me she could save you. I could not turn away such an opportunity.”

“Melena can be very convincing when she wants, but I suggest you think through your actions next time. She can be rather foolhardy and reckless. This was a good example of that.” He took the pack from Fallon and dug out the soap and shampoo.

Without another word, he stepped into the shower and shut the curtain on us. Looking forlorn, Fallon sat down on a nearby bench. Only Lucas could make a fifteen-hundred-year-old vampire feel like a naughty child.

I walked over to him and patted his shoulder. “Don’t listen to him. He’s been in prison for over a year and he’s just a little grouchy. He’ll get over it.”

Lucas poked his head around the curtain. “I can hear you, Melena.”

I gave him a saucy look. “I know.”

He grunted at me and went back to showering. A half hour later we made our way out of the pool house with Lucas in much better shape than when he’d arrived. Fallon had brought him a pair of blue jeans, a dark t-shirt, and a pair of black boots.

Despite being thinner and his clothes hanging a little loosely on him, he looked good. All his wounds had healed enough that there were only faint white marks on him now and those would disappear soon. I did wonder if he’d let his hair stay long—his bangs reached down to his cheekbones—or if he’d cut it short like he usually wore it.

“Did you have any troubles with the staff?” I asked Fallon.

We hadn’t been sure how long they stuck around after the place closed, but I hadn’t wanted them anywhere nearby when I came back with Lucas.

The vampire shook his head. “No. I compelled the owner to let them go early.”

“Good.” We came up on my Jeep in the parking lot and tossed the packs in the back before climbing inside.

“What did you tell Nik and the others about what you were doing?” Lucas asked.

I started the Jeep and pulled it out onto the road. “None of them know exactly where I went except Emily. Hunter was with her so he knows I went to get you, but not the location. Oh, and you should know everyone found out I’m immortal now.”

Lucas stiffened. “How?”

It was better to tell him now and get it over with.

“Someone in Feidlimid tried to kill me, and when a knife through my heart didn’t do the trick it sort of came out.” I kept my eyes on the road as I spoke.

“Who?” He leaned closer to me.

I still wasn’t looking at him. “It doesn’t matter. He was under a spell to do it. Zoe was the one who ordered me to be taken out.”

He punched the dashboard, leaving a crack in it.

“You will be paying for that.” I liked my Jeep and wanted to keep it in one piece, which wasn’t easy to do with a bunch of super-strong supernaturals around.

“This thing is a piece of junk anyway. You should get something better,” he growled out.

“It’s not a piece of junk. It serves me well.” I patted the undamaged part of the dashboard gently. “Sorry, baby, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“Are you talking to it?” he asked incredulously.

“It gets a lot less blustery than you do.” Sometimes I wondered if Lucas and I were capable of having a conversation that didn’t turn into a verbal match.

“I’m not blustery. Anyway, you didn’t truly answer my question. Who tried to kill you?” It was clear he wasn’t going to back off of that one.

I cleared my throat. “It was Gabe, Theirn’s alpha.”

Lucas would know exactly who I was speaking about since he had dealings with the master vampire in New Orleans.

“He’s powerful enough. He should have fought the spell.” I could hear Lucas’ teeth grinding.

“It was infused into a trinket someone dropped in his pocket. Trust me that it was too strong for him to resist. He already resented me for getting his son killed and that just threw him over the edge.”

Lucas’ eyes glowed bright enough I could see the extra illumination from the corner of my vision. “He’ll die for harming you.”

“No, he won’t. I got his son killed—even if it was inadvertently—and I owe Matt for that. Don’t you dare hurt Gabe.” I shot Lucas a look that said there’d be hell to pay if he went against my wishes.

He glared back. “We’ll see.”

We were clearly at a stalemate for now. I’d have to keep working on him.

“Anyway,” I said, making the turn to get on the highway that’d take us near Charlie’s place. “We need to get you caught up on everything else that’s happened.”

“Very well. Tell me what other troubles you’ve gotten yourself into.”

***

Everyone piled outside when we pulled up to the cabin. Emily and Hunter stayed on the porch, standing close together. Both of their moods were on edge, so I guessed them having to break the news about my activities hadn’t gone over well. I’d warned them when I asked for help that it could happen, but they’d wanted to do their part anyway.

Nik and Derrick were ahead of the pack in coming toward us as we got out of the Jeep. The master vampire looked especially angry.

“What were you thinking, Melena? Breaking into an angel-run prison? You could have been killed!” He was almost shouting as he spoke.

I lifted my bare arms. “Look. Not a scratch on me. Oh, and none of this blood is mine.”

My clothes were going to have to be thrown out. By the time we’d left Purgatory, they’d become a mess.

“He’s right, sensor.” Lucas moved to stand next to the master vampire. “As I told you before, you shouldn’t have done it. You were lucky we made it out safely, but it could have gone much differently.”

The look in his eyes made me think he was referring to the nerou. If Lucas hadn’t befriended them, it would have been tough to get out alive.

I crossed my arms. “That was a risk I was willing to take. You can be angry about it or you can look at the bright side. You’re out now and you can help us deal with Zoe—who will kill me eventually if we don’t do something about her.”

“That’s not the point…” Lucas began.

“How crazy can you be…” Nik said at the same time.

Seeing that this conversation was going nowhere I walked off. They could keep talking to the air if they liked. I almost made it to Emily before Lucas grabbed hold of me.

“I’m not done with you.” He twisted me around to face him.

“Tell you what.” I lifted my chin and met his hard eyes. “I’ll listen to your lecturing for as long as you want if you’ll just tell me what kind of deal you made with the archangels to get me immortality and protection. Then we’ll see who is crazier than who.”

A hush fell across Charlie’s yard. I wasn’t the only one who wanted to know the answer to that question.

Lucas’ grip tightened on my arm for a moment before he let go and stepped away. “That is not your concern.”

“Fine.” I looked at Emily. “Did you get the food ready?”

She nodded. “It’s all laid out on the kitchen table.”

“Can you escort Lucas inside and get him fed?” I asked. “I’m going to handle things out here.”

“Sure.” She gave me a commiserating look.

“Go,” I told Lucas. “I’ll make sure you eat in peace.”

He hesitated for a moment, but then he walked through the door Emily held open for him. I turned to face the angry crowd of well-meaning people. Kariann and some of the others Zoe had been holding hostage were in the yard. They looked worn and dirty, but otherwise okay. No one was missing from those who’d gone on the rescue operation so I presumed everyone made it out of the fight alive. I was glad to see that that part of our plan had been successful as well.

Nik and Derrick came up the steps still looking outraged.

“Melena, we need to talk,” the master vampire said.

I sighed and let him guide me toward the back of the house. My night was definitely not over yet.

Chapter Thirty-eight

Lucas was still asleep when I woke up the next morning. He’d passed out soon after he’d finished eating the night before, but I hadn’t been able to join him until hours later. With the bright light filtering through the window, it was clear he was looking better. His skin had more color to it and some of the hollowness in his cheeks had gone away. He still had dark circles under his eyes. Who knew how long it had been since he’d gotten some decent sleep?

Nephilim could recover fairly quickly under the right conditions—food and rest being the most helpful. It’d just take a few more days for him to get into semi-fighting shape. A couple of weeks would have been better, but we didn’t have that luxury. At least if he’d been training with the nerou he wouldn’t be out of practice fighting. Those guys had looked strong and the power level of their leader was rather high.

A lock of Lucas’ blond hair was covering part of his eye. I gently brushed it back. An overwhelming sense of tenderness hit me in that moment. It occurred to me I’d kill to protect that lock of hair. It was a ridiculous thought. He was the strongest man I knew and didn’t need my protection. Right then though, he looked so vulnerable I couldn’t help feeling that way.

I eased off the bed and almost stepped on Sable, who was catnapping on the floor in her tiger form. Naturally, she didn’t feel the need to move on my account. I was forced to stretch my legs over her to get off the bed. As I tiptoed to the bathroom, doing my best not to disturb Lucas, she hopped onto my spot on the mattress. He stirred in his sleep and reached a hand out to touch her. His brows creased when his fingers met fur, but after a moment his body relaxed and he fell back into a doze.

I continued on my way, leaving the two of them to rest. At least we had the only bedroom upstairs with a bathroom attached. After getting cleaned up and dressed, I headed downstairs.

The smell of eggs and bacon wafted over me as I moved toward the kitchen. Lisette and Charlie were in there cooking with Emily and Hunter observing from the doorway. Derrick and a few werewolves were standing around the dining room as I passed them.

All the bedrooms in the house were at double or triple occupancy with more people sleeping in the living room and some camping outside or in the garage. It was rapidly getting crowded around the place now that more of Nik’s people had been freed.

I nodded at the werewolves and ignored the alpha. He’d taken his turn laying into me last night and I’d decided to give him and Nik the silent treatment until it came time to plan for the upcoming battle. All the men had ticked me off with their overbearing protectiveness—except Charlie, who’d found the incident rather amusing. They hadn’t missed all the leftover weaponry in my pack when I’d brought it in, so I’d had to give them a few details.

“How’s it going?” I asked Lisette.

She glared at me when I swiped a piece of bacon from the plate where it was cooling off. “You can wait your turn just like everyone else.”

“Everyone else didn’t invade a prison last night for a rescue operation. I worked up an appetite.” I hadn’t gotten anything to eat after returning, thanks to all the irate people coming at me. By the time they finished with their speeches and admonishments, I’d been too tired to fill my empty stomach and had gone straight for the shower. Sleep came fast after that.

“Melena, you don’t have to keep reminding us,” Derrick said, lumbering into the kitchen.

I gave him the middle finger salute and swiped another piece of bacon. My stomach was rumbling loudly enough no one could dispute my need for food.

Lisette rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying you should have done what you did, but these guys need to quite being patronizing fools. Women can kick ass, too.”

“She wasn’t the only one who had to fight battles last night,” Derrick said. “The difference was the rest of us were smart enough to work together as a team.”

There was a fruit bowl on the counter in front of me. I grabbed an apple from it and spun around, pitching it at him. It smacked Derrick directly in the forehead. I never would have had the speed to pull that off as a mortal—the alpha had excellent reflexes.

Derrick glared at me. Then he turned on Emily and Hunter who were trying really hard not to laugh, but their chests were shaking. “You two better stop right now unless you want to be out washing cars all day.”

I tossed an orange at him this time, hitting the back of his head. He swung back around and growled at me.

I got up in his face. “Threaten those kids again and the next piece of fruit is gonna be shoved up your ass.”

Damn, he made me break my silent treatment. Oh well, he was being an overbearing brute. I already had one of those in my life and didn’t feel like putting up with another.

Derrick and I were still having a staring match when Lucas arrived.

“Sensor.” He looked between us. “Is there something wrong?”

I forced myself to break eye contact with Derrick first, though that gave him the win. Then I walked up to Lucas and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Nope. I’ve got it handled.” I smiled sweetly at him and went back to my post by Lisette where she was transferring the scrambled eggs onto a serving dish. It would be pushing it to grab some of those with my fingers.

A few minutes later we crowded into the dining room. Some of the guys had brought in a couple of fold-out tables and chairs to accommodate all the new guests. Lucas and I sat next to each other at the main table and dug into our food.

Despite the tension in the room, there was a strange sense of togetherness among everyone as we ate. At some point in the near future we’d be fighting a major battle together to take back Fairbanks. We had to put aside any differences for a common goal. Eating meals together seemed to help build the solidarity we needed.