Inception (The Reaping Chronicles, 1) (34 page)

The world he had lived in his entire life and thought he understood was now unfamiliar—one he felt too weak to be in. He rested his head again and closed his eyes, but they sprung open quickly as the scene from his nightmare immediately began replaying. The red eyes descending on their target—his neck—played against his eyelids like a movie screen for his mind. Lucas let go of a sigh and began to put his fingers to his temples but stopped short. He stared at his shaking hands, cursing them for showing his fear. He didn’t need them to give him away, to show Gabby how disturbed he’d been since meeting the Elders.

He concentrated on taking as many slow, deep breaths as he could before Gabby returned, clenching and unclenching his fists in an effort to make them behave. He counted only eight breaths before Gabby was sliding back into the seat beside him with her gentle smile and radiating warmth. Lucas immediately felt better when he was with her. She held her hand out—a simple, masculine silver cross with a black cord dangled from her delicate fingers. He took it from her, glad to put it around his neck.

Anything that helps
.

He wasn’t much for wearing jewelry, but this piece would be a constant accessory from now on.

“So crosses actually repel vampires?”

“Not exactly. But it does remind them of what they’re giving up if they kill or turn a human.” She gave him a weak, unconvincing smile. “And sometimes that’s all it takes.”

“How about holy water?”

“That will definitely get their attention … hurts like hell.”

Chapter Fifty-two

Gabrielle ~ Apologies

Gabrielle didn’t know what was going on behind Lucas’s eyes, and that bothered her. She didn’t have a clue if he was handling what he had learned and experienced as well as he seemed to be or if he was just good at covering up what was really happening in his mind.

She sighed quietly, hoping not to alert him to her own worries.

Neither one said much until they walked into Lucas’s house. Emma beamed with relief when she saw her grandson, and as she hugged her only family, she reached out to touch Gabrielle’s cheek. Gabrielle smiled and touched Emma’s hand in response. She could see the deep concern Emma still held, though, even with Lucas home.

“I’m so glad you’re back safe!” Emma released Lucas and greeted Gabrielle with a hug of her own.

“Nonie and Nate have been wearing me out, asking where you were.” Emma made her way into the kitchen and motioned for them to follow. Gabrielle could tell she was baking, and by the aroma escaping the confines of the kitchen, cinnamon was certainly involved. Emma opened the oven to check on whatever it was that smelled so good as Lucas peered over her shoulder.

“Mmm … apple pie,’” Lucas said and turned to Gabrielle. “You’re in for a treat. You’ll never have better!” He gave Emma a peck on the cheek as she took the pie from the oven and placed it on the stove to cool.

Emma smiled. “You’re just biased,” she said, giving him a playful shove with her fingertips.

“Well, it’s true. I’m biased, but my bias is firmly reinforced as soon as
anyone
puts a bite of it in their mouth.” Lucas sat at the table, scooting his chair close to Gabrielle so he could lean back and place his arm around her shoulders. “So that means my opinion is based in fact. Face it, Gran, you make the
best apple pie around.” He winked at Emma.

Emma took the seat across from them, her worry washing away the cheerful expression brought on by their exchange. “So, want to fill me in?”

Gabrielle leaned forward and crossed her arms on the table, resting her hands on her elbows. “The Elders seemed to know nothing about an attack on Lucas and the twins. There are covens and lone Qalal in the area, of course, but no rogues they’re aware of. They said they would send out some of their guard to do a little reconnaissance to see what they can find out for me, but that’s the best they can do.”

“Do you trust what they say?” Emma looked doubtful.

Gabrielle laughed sarcastically. “As much as you can trust Qalal. They didn’t seem to be deceitful.” Gabrielle sighed and placed one hand under her chin. “I’ll be doing my own reconnaissance, anyway, starting tonight.”

Lucas shifted uncomfortably in his chair; his expression was one of deep concern. “I thought you were going to stay with me in the evenings.”

Gabrielle could see how frightened he was. Apparently, he’d been putting up a good front for her.

Emma saw it, too, and looked confused. Her eyes dropped from Lucas’s face to his new necklace. The furrow between her brows deepened as she realized the reason for it.

“
Oh, Lucas!
You went in with Gabrielle to see the Elders? I thought you would stay behind at the hotel.”
Emma shot Gabrielle an angry look. “Why did you let him do that, Gabrielle?”

“I insisted, Gran. She told me the risk I was taking. It’s not her fault. I didn’t listen. You and the Daniels are all I have, and a bunch of vampires want to wipe a third of you out! I felt like I had
to be there.”

Emma was up now, taking her anger out on microscopic things on the counter she was attacking with her dishcloth. If she still had her former strength, the granite would have deep grooves in it already. She was mumbling to herself, but it was loud enough for them to make out what she was saying. “Of all the idiotic, immature, reckless, short-sighted things to do.
Damn it
, Lucas!”

She stopped abusing the counter and stood facing it, her arms out to each side of her supporting her upper body. Her skin was stretched so tightly against her knuckles from gripping the counter’s edge that there was absolutely no blood in them. Her body began to shudder as she started to cry.

Lucas was up and standing behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

“Gran, I’m going to be fine.
Please,
don’t cry. I’m so sorry. I should’ve listened to Gabby, but I refused to hear I’d be in any real danger.”

Emma turned around quickly and looked up into her grandson’s face, putting a hand on each cheek. She spoke in a loud whisper. “You are in grave danger, now. And I can’t protect you from
this.”

“Gabby told me what I need to do to keep safe, and she’s going to stay with me as much as possible. They won’t even try to do anything to me when she’s around.”

“But she isn’t going to be around all the time. She can’t protect you from this, either!” Emma shot another disapproving look in Gabrielle’s direction.

“Gran, stop looking at her like it’s her fault!
I
’
m
the one you need to be mad at.”

“She knows better! She had the power to make you stay away.” She slowly walked toward Gabrielle with a perplexed look on her face. “And she didn’t.
Why
didn’t you, Gabrielle?”

“Gran, don’t take this out on her! She—”

Gabrielle interrupted his defense. “Lucas.” She wasn’t looking at him. She was looking at Emma. “Emma’s right. I should have stopped you.”

“Why didn’t you?” Emma pleaded for an answer again.

Gabrielle lowered her head, ashamed for her lack of good judgment. When she spoke a few moments later, her voice was quiet and slow. “I’m sorry Emma, and I owe you the biggest apology, Lucas.”

“You don’t owe me, or Gran, an apology. I made the decision!”

“
Stop
—Lucas. Let me finish. This is one of the reasons I’m not supposed to become emotionally involved with a human, whether in friendship or romance. It can throw my judgment off, and my feelings for you are intense. Add to that human emotions, desires, and needs I’m still getting used to that make keeping my head ‘in the game’ even more of a challenge, and it’s a recipe for making the wrong decisions. I let my desire to make you happy interfere with what was best for you—
regardless
of how mad it made you.

“My actions, or lack of, have put your life even more at risk. It’s inexcusable.” Gabrielle looked at Emma and then back at Lucas. She couldn’t tell what either was thinking, but it didn’t matter. She would have to work as hard as she could to make sure Lucas was safe. “I promise to do everything within my power to ensure your safety.”

No one made a sound, all deep in their own thoughts about what Gabrielle had just said and all that had happened over the last several days.

Emma was the first to speak. “That’s all I can ask of you now, Gabrielle. I know you’ll do what you can,” she said in a defeated tone, and then she addressed Lucas in a stern one. “I expect you to listen to what Gabrielle says in the future. Try not to argue with her and make her sway from what she knows is best. She’s right; it’s going to be more difficult for her when she is in human form. Do your best not to make it harder.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m not going to try and keep you from each other,” Emma continued. “I can see how much there is between the two of you already. Your feelings for each other radiate off of you both, and I know it’d be useless to ask it. I also know it’s the best way to keep you safe. The more the Qalal see you in Gabrielle’s company, if they come around, the more they’ll realize you won’t be an easy target, at least. Maybe, after a long time of trying to get to you and seeing it will be more than a challenge for them, they’ll give up or get bored and move on to other things.”

Gabrielle saw Lucas shiver and wondered if it was the thought that Qalal would continually try to find a chance to get to him—speculating about whether or not they would ever give up. She knew they never would, though.

Never.

Chapter Fifty-three

Lucas ~ The Reality of Nightmares

Gran’s hope that the vampires would get bored and give up made Lucas imagine spending his life always wondering when one would finally get him. He felt a shiver begin and tried to suppress it so Gabby wouldn’t see, but he failed. He was sure she saw it, and he was sure the vampires would never get bored. Eternity allowed for a lot of time, and they would probably enjoy the challenge. They might even make some kind of vampire game out of it and have a prize for the one who eventually succeeded. They had all the time in the world.

I don’t.

Lucas was still thinking about what Gabby had said about the information she’d received from the Elders. He didn’t remember hearing any of it.

It must have happened when the conversation seemed so distant—when I didn’t exactly have control over myself.

He felt his pulse quicken with the memory of the incident and hoped that his body wouldn’t betray him further.
His actions may have put him on the path to meet his maker much sooner than planned unless he was meant to do everything he had.

And this was to be the manner of my death already.

He let the thought go but knew it would be revisited again—and often. If there’s a destiny for everyone, and there’s a reason for everything that happens, then the events over the past week and the things that were to come had a purpose. Lucas felt the truth in his thoughts but didn’t know what purpose it would serve if he, or his family, were killed by vampires.

What would that accomplish?

Lucas needed to get the subject out of his head.

“Gran, what did you tell Nonie and Nate?”

She seemed to be glad for the conversation shift. “Just that you decided to go out of town with Gabrielle to her family’s resort in Florida when she heard her dad was in the hospital.”

“Impressive! I had no idea you were so good at coming up with covert covers.” He knew his kidding had lightened Gran’s mood, at least a little, when she gave him a slight smile. “So … how ‘bout some of that pie?” He looked back and forth between Emma and Gabrielle, waiting to see if there were any takers.

“Sounds good to me.” Gabrielle said. “My mouth started watering as soon as I walked in the front door.”

Lucas stood up and walked to the fridge. “I’ll get the ice cream.”

Gabrielle made her way to the cabinet. “I’ve got the plates and forks.”

“I guess it’s up to me to do the cuttin’ and servin’,” Emma said, “I’m all over it!”

They settled into an easier mood and tried to let their tension go. No one mentioned anything about their troubles again for quite a while even though they could see the churning of emotions and thoughts behind each other’s eyes.

After finishing their pie and making small talk, Gabby took everyone’s dishes to the sink and began washing as Gran excused herself to fold a load of laundry. Both seemed to be trying to act like things were moving along as they normally would have. Only things weren’t normal anymore for Lucas, and his instincts were telling him that they never would be again.

It was frightening.

“Gabby, how long will you be gone tonight?”

“Not long, Lucas. Hey … try not to worry.”

Lucas cringed, realizing his concern must have been evident in his tone.

“I don’t see any way for them to strike this quickly, anyway,” Gabby continued. “They still don’t know where we are. They’ll have to send out trackers and talk to their informants and allies in the Shadow World in order to find you.” She finished the dishes and turned. She must not have known he had moved right behind her because she jumped a little, making them both laugh.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said. Lucas was glad for the laughter; it allowed him to relax his expression and tone. He put his hands on her waist and his forehead to hers.

“We have some time, Lucas,” she whispered. “You can sleep easy tonight.”

Gabby’s words weren’t making him feel better, and Lucas knew the muscles in his shoulders and neck under her hands were tight with stress. If she knew how unlikely it would be that he would sleep, she might stop trying. She
should
stop trying. Because even if vampires weren’t in the room with him, threatening his life, they’d be in his nightmares—threatening his sanity.

That wasn’t information he would share tonight. Lucas already felt miserable enough that he wanted his girlfriend to baby-sit and protect him from his enemy. It was embarrassing. At least she wasn’t an ordinary girlfriend—and it wasn’t an ordinary enemy.

“Gabby, how do you find a vampire, anyway?”

“If you’re an angel, it’s easy. Every living thing gives off energy, and each species has its own signature. Angels can see that energy. But there is so much of it all around that it’s like white noise to us, only it’s visual and not audible. It all just kind of blends together unless it’s a Qalal. Because the Damned have no soul, they give a distinct, erratic signature. It disrupts the balance we’re accustomed to seeing so they can’t hide from us—at least not without help. It would be the equivalent of you seeing a search light a mile away in the dead of night with no other lights around for hundreds of miles. You couldn’t miss it if you wanted to.”

Why did she have to mention the word dead?

“When are you going to go?”

“Now. I have a lot to do and a lot of ground I want to cover tonight.” She cupped his face between her hands. “The quicker I leave, the quicker I can get back to you.” She smiled, and he leaned in slowly.

“Then hurry up and come back. I hate when you’re not with me.” He whispered to her. Her lips were only an inch away from his; her breath was sweet with apples and cinnamon.

“I can’t say I like it much myself,” she whispered back.

He closed the short distance between them and kissed her, tasting the sweetness of apple pie that still lingered on Gabby’s lips.