Zeno: #8 (Luna Lodge) (7 page)

She set the clothes on the counter and stared in the mirror. No wonder he wouldn’t look at her. She was a mess. Her hair was knotted on the side she’d cried herself to sleep. Her eyes were slightly puffy and red. All the makeup she’d worn before was smeared under her eyes so she looked more like a raccoon than anything.

She reached out to pick up the washcloth on the rack and froze. Little red dots coated her hand.

Blood.

She turned her hand over and felt her stomach heave. She was coated in that creature’s blood. Not a creature… that… man? That Glycon? She wasn’t really certain what to call him. She shook as she thought over the events.

Her eyes welled up again at the thought of Piero. He was dead. She was certain. His scream haunted her. Whatever those things were, they had gotten him.

Her stomach rolled. She snatched a glass from the counter and filled it with water. She sipped down a bit then swallowed the rest. The cool liquid helped settled her stomach.

There had to be some logic for it all. Some way to make sense of everything that she’d seen.

She turned on the water to the shower and picked up a bar of soap. She needed a way to somehow wash this fucked-up day off her.

The red satin dress slipped from her shoulders and pooled on the floor. She glared down at it. She hated the dress. It represented everything she’d had to go through. It represented Antonio. She picked it up and tossed it in the trash. Never again.

She stepped into the hot spray and vigorously scrubbed herself, trying to erase any trace of what had happened.

Not even trying, her mind slipped back to the events of the night. The inhuman screams crowded her memories. The high-pitched near-howls made she tremble. Their red glowing eyes were like hot embers in the dark. She was certain they would invade her dreams.

They may have looked mostly like humans, but they certainly weren’t. They couldn’t be. There was nothing human in them, no matter how they started.

She closed her eyes and two glowing yellow eyes met her. Ava gasped and opened her own eyes into the spray.

Zeno.

She had nearly forgotten, but his eyes had also glowed, not the eerie red like those things but a softer yellow burn.

Why didn’t he frighten her like the others? She had all the reason in the world to be afraid of him, but for some reason she just couldn’t be. Instead, she felt warm and protected near him. Just the thought of him now made her center burn to be near him.

She shook her head. It was that sort of thinking that got her into this whole mess. Whatever it was she was feeling, it didn’t matter. He was just her ride home.

That was it. Nothing more to it, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to let there be more.

Still, who were these people her sister had sent? Paige had always been a by the book kind of person. These people were most definitely not by the book.

Amber eyes. Huge size. Strength, speed and endurance beyond normal men. There was only one explanation for Zeno and likely Apollo.

Last year the whole world had been abuzz with talk about the mysterious hybrids of Luna Lodge, men who were genetically altered somehow into super-soldiers, allegedly even part wolf in some ways.

They lived in a compound and seemed content enough to stick to themselves. Every now and again something might make the local news, but after the initial furor, most people all but ignored their existence. In many ways, it was almost like they’d forgotten they were even there despite the close proximity.

How in the world had her sister gotten mixed up with them? She’d never even heard Paige mention the hybrids, but then again, she’d never really been the kind of sister Paige deserved.

It was always all about Ava and what was going on in her life. Her sister, let alone the hybrids, were the last of her problems when the public learned about them. She’d just gotten over the breakup with the latest in a long line of losers.

She snorted. Apparently her streak hadn’t ended.

So petty. She’d been so broken after each one of them, believing somehow she was the one lacking. When, in the end, she was the only one trying.

It didn’t matter. That all seemed like a lifetime ago. She couldn’t go back to being the self-absorbed ass she had been. Other people mattered.

Piero mattered. Hot tears ran down her cheeks. She thought of his poor wife Anita. What would she do now?

Ava’s heart thumped hard in her chest. Antonio might go after Anita in revenge for Piero helping her. She had to make sure she was safe.

She bit her lip and thought. She started to scrub faster. She needed to get to Anita before Antonio did, but first she needed to know figure out what the hell these hybrids were up to.

Chapter Nine

The longer Ava stayed in the bathroom, the more worry ate at Zeno.

What the hell was he supposed to say to her? Given how she’d cried over the old man, they had to have been close. But there was nothing he could have done. She was hurt, and he had to get her to safety. The old man seemed to get that.

Zeno frowned and nodded once to himself. He had to give his respect to the old man. Dying in battle took a certain kind of bravery. Dying when you knew you couldn’t win took a different but just as important kind. He added the man’s death to the list of reasons he’d take down Antonio Díaz.

Apollo’s voice cut through his internal debate. “Hey.”

Zeno brought his eyes back to focus on the conversation they had been having.

“We’ve gotta contact Titus about this,” Apollo said. “If Antonio is a part of the Horatius Group, our cover could already be blown.”

“I thought you said he wasn’t,” Val said.

“I said he probably wasn’t, but I’m not sure.”

Zeno shook his head. “The more I think about this, the more I don’t think he knows what I am, and I don’t think he’s part of the Group.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Apollo said. “We still need to let Titus know the status of the mission.”

Zeno shrugged. “You’re the only one with a secure phone.”

Val nodded and looked over at him. “What makes you so sure he’s not a member of the Group?”

He shrugged. Was his gut a good judge of this situation? It wasn’t something he wanted to put all at them at risk over. Still, his instincts said that Antonio wasn’t part of the Group.

“He would have tried to get me the first time I came by,” he said. “I don’t think he has any clue what I am. He comes off like a big thug, not some Group guy with big plans and schemes. It was like he was depending on just being Antonio Díaz to control. He’s too open compared to what we’ve seen from those fucks. Besides, I don’t think he knew what Ava is, either.”

Val gave a little smile. “She is a Vestal, then.”

He looked away. It was more than clear what she was thinking. Vestals were a rarity, but it just wasn’t something he could think about at that moment. Right now they could all be in serious danger.

Even if Antonio wasn’t part of the Group, that still didn’t make him any less dangerous. One wrong word, and they could have a storm of trouble fall on them.

Given what had already happened at Luna Lodge, including Army soldiers coming after them, it was obvious the Horatius Group had deep influence in the US government. Who knew what they were doing in Peru? Drawing too much attention could get two continents turned against the Luna hybrids. Even if Antonio wasn’t with the Group, he might end up catching their attention.

“So, what are we going to do about her?” Val asked.

He shrugged, not really sure what they could do about Ava. They were in another country and far away from their reinforcements and resources.

Apollo thought quietly for a bit.

“We keep her safe until it’s time to go,” he said. “Zeno, you’ve been tasked with her safety. We all have jobs to do, and we’ll continue to do them.”

Zeno grunted. He hadn’t really done that great a job keeping her safe. They had nearly been torn to pieces by the Glycons, and she’d badly cut her foot.

He’d been cocky. He gritted his teeth, realizing how close she’d come to death.

She likely needed stitches, but there was no way they’d be able to go to the hospital. For right now, they were just going to have to hope the wound healed on its own.

He nodded to Apollo. No matter what, he’d do what he needed to. No matter what it took, he wouldn’t let Ava get hurt again.

“Great,” Val said, She stood and smiled at them. “Now if you all don’t mind, I’m just going to have a little chat with our new friend.”

Zeno groaned. Something about the way she said it didn’t set him at ease in the slightest.

* * *

Ava raked her fingers through her wet hair and sighed. It felt good to be clean. Maybe a tiny piece of the night had been washed away. She’d certainly come to terms with the situation, and now just had questions. The first question was, would any of them even bother to tell her the truth?

She supposed she could always demand to talk to her sister and then get the truth out of Paige.

Her fingers stilled in her hair, and she dropped them to her side to stare at herself in the mirror. The spot on her cheek where Antonio hit her was now very visible without the makeup she normally wore. She looked pale in the florescent light, or maybe she’d become pale after being trapped inside for the last month or so.

She gave a little tug on the shirt Val had given her. The other woman was quite a bit shorter than her and most certainly wasn’t as endowed up top. No matter how hard she tried, the shirt bordered on indecent. The only saving grace was that both the shorts and the tank were black and not sheer.

The dress she’d been wearing hadn’t needed a bra, or at least she hadn’t been given one to wear. Her mind flashed to Antonio, and she pushed him from her head.

First thing tomorrow she’d have to get some new clothes. For now, she was just glad she didn’t have to put back on the dress and be reminded of the murderous bastard who had kept her prisoner.

She turned from the mirror and opened the door to the cooler main room. Ava crossed her arms over her chest.

Hanging on the chair, she spotted a large leather jacket.

It had to be his.

She looked around the room for him and was surprised to find Val half laying on the bed, her back propped up against the headboard, flipping through the channels silently.

Ava grabbed the coat and wrapped herself in it. The spicy scent of Zeno’s soap enveloped her. Not even thinking, she breathed in deeply, the scent almost intoxicating.

“Two-hundred and fifty channels and still nothing to watch,” Val said absently. She flicked off the TV and tossed the remote onto the bed.

A pair of yellow flip flops sat next to her. She picked them up and offered them to Ava.

“Not the best, but better than nothing,” Val said.

Ava smiled and took the shoes.

For some reason, knowing she could leave if she needed to made her feel safer with them. Still, she needed some questions answered.

“Are they hybrids?” she blurted out. “From Luna Lodge?”

She hadn’t really meant for it to come out like that, but it was on the top of her thoughts.

Val patted the bed next to her.

Cautiously, Ava sat down. Was this the moment where they killed her for knowing too much? Even though in the US, the hybrids kept to themselves, they were a long way from Luna Lodge.

“Your sister asked us to look in on you,” Val said, staring directly at Ava, like she was searching for something. “Specifically, Zeno was asked to look in on you.” She turned her body and her face softened. “A lot has changed since you came here. Your sister met one of the hybrids at Luna Lodge. She saved him.” She sighed. “In the end, some very bad men burned down your home. Cultists who hate hybrids.”

Ava gasped. Cultists? Their home was gone? And Paige had been subjected to that? She shook thinking about the danger Paige had seen.

Val took her hand and gave a little squeeze.

“She’s fine,” Val said reassuringly. “She’s moved to Luna Lodge. She’s working as a nurse there. She lives with Justus.”

“Justus?”

“The hybrid she saved.”

Ava frowned. It seemed so unlike her sister.

“Lives with him?”

“Well, she’s his Vestal.”

“Vestal? What’s a Vestal?”

The small woman tilted her head, as if thinking about her answer. “Let’s just say a Vestal is kind of the woman for a hybrid.”

“What, like their wife?”

“Something like that…” She shrugged. “It’ll make sense later.”

Ava watched Val for a moment. She was still a bit confused, but she didn’t know if she could fully wrap her mind around Paige being with this Justus.

“I guess as long as she’s all right.”

Val chuckled. “Don’t worry. She’s whipping everyone into shape and loving her new job.”

Ava shook her head. So many things had happened, and if she had been there like a good sister, Paige wouldn't have had to go through all of them alone, all the while worrying over Ava enough to send a super-soldier to come and check in on her.

“Your sister loves you very much,” Val said. “And the one good thing about family is their ability to forgive.”

Ava nodded. The question was never if Paige would forgive her. The real question was if she could forgive herself.

“It’s been a long night,” Val said and pulled her hand back. “You should get to sleep. Tomorrow we’ll go over what you know about Antonio and put some things in a better context for you.”

She nodded. Whatever they needed. Maybe they would take him down for her even without her asking. He deserved it for all his evil acts. He deserved it for Piero.

Val stood and smiled down at her on the bed. Ava’s heart kicked up a bit.

“Aren’t you staying in here?” she asked.

She might trust Zeno, but that didn’t mean she wanted to share a bed with him.

Val shook her head. “We still could be attacked by Antonio. You and I wouldn’t be as much use in a fight.” She smiled. “Don’t worry, he won’t bite.” A wide grin spread across her face. “Well, he might, but you’d like it.” She winked.