Endless (38 page)

He saw my concern and his expression eased but I could still feel his anxiety through our bond and I didn’t know why. He swiped the last piece of toast from my plate. I withheld the growl – he had cooked everything, after all.

‘We’re not giving up, Vi. We might be going to her willingly, but that doesn’t mean an opportunity won’t present itself to us. If we see a chance to end her, we take it.’

I nodded. We needed to be smart and consider everything. But still, it was too much to imagine we might actually survive this.

Our food demolished, we gravitated back to the verandah and I found my way onto his lap, where we stayed, wrapped in a blanket, whispering to each other all the things we’d never said before, sharing all the dreams we’d had for the future. Our future. All the things we knew we’d never have.

Eventually, fantasy gave way to reality.

‘Everything
is about to end, isn’t it?’ I asked.

Lincoln stroked my hair and ran his hands down my arms before kissing me – just a light kiss on my lips, but one heavy with his love and I soaked it up.

‘Not us, Vi. Everything else may end, but not us. What we have … We’re endless.’

CHAPTER THIRTY

‘Let your plans be dark and as impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.’

Sun Tzu

B
y late
afternoon, the honeymoon was over and we were arming up. Phoenix was due soon and we wanted to be ready. I’d found a pad and pen earlier and while Lincoln patrolled the perimeter I’d taken the time to write some letters.

Goodbyes.

I stared at the folded pieces of paper, before packing them away in my bag. One for Dad, one for Steph and one for Evelyn.

It was unfair, having lived my whole life without a mother, to suddenly have her back, and now, before I’d even given her a proper chance, to be losing her again. We still didn’t know what would happen to her once Lilith was ended, but I hoped for both Evelyn and Dad’s sake that she wouldn’t be taken from the world, too.

I wrote a group letter to Griffin, Spence, Zoe, Sal and Dapper. I wasn’t sure at first whether to include Onyx in the gang – him having made no secret that his loyalties should always be in question – but I quickly realised that whether he admitted it or not, he belonged there. I told him as much in the letter. I didn’t write to each of them individually as many of the same thoughts applied to them all – thank you, and wishes for their long and happy lives. I wished Spence good luck with his partner. It was comforting to know that in a couple of months he’d finally have someone by his side. I told him I was sorry I wouldn’t be there to have his back like he’d always had mine.

Lincoln finally
made the call to Griffin, telling him we had a way to try and get at least some of the captured children to safety. Griffin saw through Lincoln’s many omissions – even over the phone – and insisted we wait for the others to get there. Dapper, Steph, Salvatore and Onyx had apparently touched down in New York and were on their way to the cabin. Griffin had sent Spence on ahead, while he remained behind at the Academy to try to convince the Assembly to send more Grigori reinforcements when the time came.

It was strange to think they were so close – and with the almost completed Qeres, too. But Phoenix had been clear there would be no way to delay Lilith that wouldn’t result in deadly consequences.

Lincoln told Griffin what he could, without alarming him with the entire truth, asking him to make sure Dapper knew to expect an important call.

I could hear Griffin arguing, but Lincoln just carried on calmly instructing him to start readying the troops and that we would get Lilith’s location to him as soon as we could. He failed to mention it wouldn’t be us who would be sending the message and when Griffin wasn’t satisfied, Lincoln simply said, ‘Everything will be as it must be. You’ll understand in time. Bye, Griff.’ And hung up.

We stood
opposite one another in the basement. Both in dark jeans and T-shirts, Lincoln’s short-sleeved, mine long. Dark colours had been a conscious decision. I was going to bleed tonight and I had no intention of making it any harder for those who would be forced to watch and saw no point in giving Lilith more of a show than necessary.

In the bedroom closet I found a black leather vest, which must have been Evelyn’s. I put it on and zipped it up. It was snug but it was nice to have something of hers. I’d never had a hand-me-down before and besides … it was kick-ass. Lincoln also hoped the leather might offer some resistance to the arrows.

It struck me, watching him arrange things, that I never believed he would accept this. And yet he had. I thought he’d try and drag me into hiding, kicking and screaming. My brow furrowed.

Trying to pull my thoughts into line, I mumbled, ‘There has to be a way …’

Lincoln was looking over the weapons, deciding what we should attempt to hide on ourselves. There was little point. We knew that any weapons we had would be taken but that didn’t mean we wouldn’t try.

‘A way to what?’

‘To get the Scripture. If we’re going to do this, just … die like this, we need to at least get the Scripture back. If we don’t, she’ll just keep using it and take more children.’

Lincoln looked down. He’d thought of this too and its absence from our plan was another flaw. Problem was, it didn’t change our predicament. The value of the young lives we had a chance of saving was real, despite what dangers lurked in the future. Logic couldn’t mess with that.

Fear – like
a slippery snake – wound its way up my legs and wrapped tightly around my chest. We could not win this game. Lilith had backed us into a corner and now we would pay the ultimate price. The most we could hope was that the Academy would come through with troops, overpower Lilith and get the Scripture back once we were gone.

Lincoln braced his hands on my shoulders. ‘Vi, everything will be okay.’

My eyes narrowed. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’

His features strained. ‘Nothing. I just want to protect you.’

I cupped his face in my hand. ‘I’m strong, Linc. With your power connected to me, I’ll last. We’ll save those kids.’

He nodded, determined. ‘And you
will
take everything you need from me to survive every single one of those arrows, you hear?’

There were at least sixty children that we knew of. It would be impossible to withstand that many arrows. But Lincoln was pleading with me and I knew what he was really asking – that I take more than
he
could survive.

Is it for the children? Or for me?

I didn’t know the answer, but for him, I nodded. Not long ago, I’d made him promise that if it came down to a choice between an innocent life and mine that he choose the innocent. I would have to stand by the same promise, even if it carried a truth I didn’t want to contemplate.

He grasped my hands. ‘Once we get in there we might think of another plan. There’s only one way to find out.’ He seemed too confident and again it sparked nerves in me. In fact, since coming back from dropping Phoenix into town last night, Lincoln had not only developed an unnerving acceptance, but also a certain belief in the plan.

Sensing
my concern, he pulled me to his chest. ‘I’m not afraid to die. After having you in my arms, knowing that we are together …’ He stepped back, his hands bracing my shoulders and his eyes locked on mine. ‘I was a fool to think there was any other way for us. I have no regrets, not one.’

It was true for me, too. Right now I had everything and I wouldn’t have traded that for an eternity of life denying myself Lincoln’s love. We were soulmates in the truest sense, heart-mates to the greatest depths. That we must now die … That was irrelevant to our love. Lincoln was right – we were endless.

As he hid the last knife inside my boot, I felt Phoenix’s nearing presence.

‘He’s almost here,’ I said. ‘And he has company.’

Lincoln smiled, shaking his head in awe. ‘I can feel it through you, every sense like never before.’ His nose crinkled. ‘Never liked musk,’ he added.

I rolled my eyes and his smile broadened.

‘What is it?’ I asked.

‘I can feel your emotions for him. It’s real and intense on so many levels, the way you care for him. I can even see how deeply he scarred you.’

My brow furrowed. This was not a normal conversation. ‘So, why are you smiling?’ I wasn’t sure if I needed to start defending myself or not.

Lincoln knelt on one knee to strap his own knife under his jeans. He looked up at me with a knowing grin. ‘Because what you feel for him doesn’t even come close to what you feel for me.’

I snorted,
though I was smiling back. ‘Ha, ha. Can you please get out of my head now?’

‘Not in your head.’

I knocked him on the shoulder and he lost his balance, falling back. ‘Male egos,’ I grumbled as I walked past where he was on the ground laughing.

I walked out to the front of the cabin. Phoenix was standing on the grass, looking resigned. A small troop of six exiles stood back at the tree-line beyond the glamour. Lincoln came out behind me and, despite our fast-approaching doom, he was still chuckling. Countless expressions passed over Phoenix’s face and through his eyes in one moment.

He knows.

I held my breath.

But Phoenix’s reaction quickly dropped to zero. His eyes narrowed and he growled, ‘Let’s go.’

I glanced at Lincoln nervously. He had also registered the waiting exiles, but nonetheless was smiling. I could actually sense his satisfaction in showing Phoenix that we’d bonded.

Men.

Lincoln’s smile broadened.

Phoenix gave a huff that would’ve put Dapper’s efforts to shame and stomped towards us. ‘At least try to control your goddamn emotions!’

I was already nodding apologetically, embarrassed.

Lincoln
, on the other hand, simply chuckled again as he replied, ‘I am.’

Jesus. Phoenix will kill us before we even get to Lilith!

We opted to drive the truck, rather than let Phoenix use his powers to get us to Lilith’s estate. Right now, we were all keen to conserve as much of our strength as possible. It also meant that Phoenix could arrange us some privacy, separating us from his exile enforcers. Heading in the opposite direction from the town, they drove in front and behind in their own vehicles.