Redemption, Book III of the Arotas Trilogy Page 21

  He stiffly turns in his chair, his jaw clamped down tightly. “I suggest letting this drop before I give you another lesson in manners.”

  “Oh, I’m quivering in my boots.” She slouches back into her chair, her arm slung carelessly over the back.

  Fane is sorely tempted to lash out and whack the back of her head, like a frustrated mother scolding her child, but instead he smiles and sits up a little straighter. “Hey, Nicolae? Isn’t it time for another training session? Sadie seems to have some pent up emotion she needs to release.”

  Nicolae blinks as he raises up from the map table. His face is emotionless, but Fane can see easily see his poorly concealed pain. Nicolae nods curtly and marches toward the door.

  Fane closes his eyes, instantly sorry for using the boy against Sadie. When her punch lands soundly on his bicep he doesn’t complain.

  “That was cruel and you know it,” she hisses as she rises to her feet. “What kind of man are you anyway?”

  His gaze drops to the floor. “You are forgetting that I haven’t been a man for a very long time.”

  She starts to speak, taking a step toward him, but changes her mind. He watches as her feet move away, refusing to look up until the door closes soundly behind her.

  Fane groans and leans back in his chair, his hands covering his face.

  “Don’t tell me you’ve taken up torturing Sadie and Nicolae in my absence.”

  With his breath caught in his throat, Fane lowers his hands and blinks, sure that the vision before him will fade at any moment. Roseline smirks and plants her hands on her hips, shaking her head in amusement. “I expected more from you, Fane Dalca.”

  He rises unsteadily to his feet, gripping the edge of the table for support. “Is that really you?”

  “In the flesh.”

  He crushes her in his grasp, twirling her about so that her feet leave the ground. Her laughter sounds like the peals of church bells on a beautiful autumn morning, reminding him of a better time, when the world was his, and so was she.

  “I can’t believe he did it,” he mutters into the silky strands of her hair.

  Fane’s arms stiffen as he smells his scent lingering on her. He slows to a halt and releases her, remembering his place as he steps back.

  “It’s good to see you,” he responds stiffly.

  “It’s good to be back.” Roseline’s smile brightens her entire face. His chest aches at the sight of her and yet he can’t bear to look away. “I think it’s time for you to fill me in on what’s been going on. Why are we here? You know the Senthe base was only for emergencies.”

  Fane nods and motions for her to sit. Over the next half hour he fills her in on Sadie’s transformation, all of the murders, the uprisings happening around the globe as fear begins to grip the humans and how Nicolae convinced the hunters to join in their fight.

  The more he speaks, the more grave she becomes. She hardly moves, hardly breathes as she soaks it all in. “And now we are all here, in one place, exactly where Lucien would want us.”

  “Yes, but we are one step ahead of him.” Fane shifts his attention to the TV that flashes through random shots of Lucien’s more recent killing spree. “We sent him on a wild goose chase to America while William and I brought you back here.”

  Roseline’s lips thin as she turns to look at him, surprised. “You unleashed him on an unsuspecting country just to keep him from finding me?”

  Fane swallows roughly. “We had no other choice.”

  “There is always a choice!” she shouts, rising to her feet. Her cheeks flush with anger as she pounds on the table. “I am not worth those human lives!”

  She stabs her finger at the TV. He winces at the sight of the empty ropes still swinging from the bottom of the Golden Gate Bridge. Luckily, the new isn’t showing the actual footage of when the bodies were first discovered.

  “We have already begun to leave breadcrumbs for him to follow us here. Once he reaches Canada there will be fewer casualties.”

  Roseline rolls her eyes as she raises her hands to rub her temples. “I know you’re not that stupid, Fane. Bloodshed will follow him from San Francisco all the way north to us. What’s really going on here?”

  He looks away, unable to meet her intense gaze. “It had to be done.”

  “Why?” She rounds the edge of the table and stops before him. His hands tremble with the overwhelming desire to take her into his arms, hold her and never let go again, but he forces himself to focus.

  “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “It does to me,” she whispers. He flinches as she reaches down and gently pulls his chin up. He clamps his eyes closed, his heart hammering in his chest, as she squats down before him. “Fane.”

  He exhales, silently berating himself for being weak, for making it so obvious to her. Of course she can hear his pulse thumping wildly and smell the sweat that clings to his brow. “I couldn’t leave you behind. I searched…” his voice chokes off. He shakes his head, refusing to look at her.

  “You did this for me?”

  All he can manage is a stiff nod. When she releases his chin, he hangs his head with shame. “I’ve tried to let you go. I swear it, but when he took you…”

  “I know,” she whispers, settling down before his legs. She places her hands on his knees and waits for him to look at her. When he does, his breath catches at the sight of tears in her eyes.

  “I’m so sorry, Fane. I never meant to hurt you.”

  He wipes at his eyes, angry with himself. “I don’t blame you.”

  “And Gabriel?” She presses gently.

  He hesitates, unsure of how he really feels about the boy: remorse to be sure, sadness no doubt, but no malice. “You know I could never hate him, not when you love him so much.”

  A tender smile tugs at her lips as she rises up to eye level. “Can I?”

  His muscles lock down as she winds her arms around his neck. She leans in and rests her head upon his shoulder, holding him. Tears dampen his shoulder and his resistance shatters completely.

  Fane takes her into his arms, holding her as tightly as she clings to him. She trembles in his arms, and in that moment he realizes just how terrified she had been. He buries his nose into her shoulder and gives her the only thing he can…support.

  “Does Gabriel know what happened to you?” he finally asks as she leans back. She will give him the details when she is ready. Her fear is enough to tell him how unbearable her abduction must have been.

  She shakes her head, swiping away her tears with the back of her hand. “No, and I don’t want him to.”

  Fane releases his grip on her shoulders, sliding his hands down along her arms until he reaches her hands. He clasps them in his, resisting the urge to twine his fingers with hers. Instead, he cups her hand, squeezing it tightly. “I don’t know what Lucien did to you, but I know you would never have hurt Malachi on your own.”

  Roseline falls eerily still. “What did you just say?”

  “Malachi. You…” He frowns, seeing the genuine confusion on her face. “You don’t remember, do you?”

  She pulls back from his grasp, sinking to the floor. Her eyebrows furrow as she stares unseeingly at the far wall, trying to draw up the memory. After a couple minutes, she shakes her head and looks back at him. “There’s nothing. It’s just…gone.”

  Fane releases the breath he has been holding and smiles. “It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t you.”

  “Tell me,” she says, surging up to her knees. “What happened?”

  Reaching into his pocket, he closes his fist around something cold and metal. He extends his hand and slowly uncurls his fingers. Color drains from her face as she stares down at the red-eyed serpent ring Malachi always wore.

  A single tear slips down her cheek as she reaches for it. “He saved me…in the end.”

  Fane nods. “I figured that was what happened.”

  Roseline closes her eyes and clutches the ring to her chest. He may have helped her, but h
e skinned the old monk alive and killed Enael. What little sorrow she feels for his horrible death is marred but this knowledge.

  Fane watches as she draws her hand away and opens her fingers. The ring looks large in her hand, nearly stretching the length of her palm. With quivering fingers, she lifts the ring and places it on her forefinger. A look of defiance sharpens her gaze as she looks up at him.

  “Lucien has many sins to pay for.”

  For the first time since she entered the room, Fane sees the old Roseline, the fiery girl he knew existed all along. “Then let’s make sure that he does.”

  ***

  Sadie follows behind Nicolae down the darkened hall, not the least bit excited about being forced into close proximity with him. This is all Fane’s fault.

  A tiny sliver of guilt manages to wiggle in as she realizes she could have been a bit nicer to Fane. He is obviously hurting. Poking fun at him probably wasn’t the brightest thing she’s ever done.

  “Where do you want to go?” Nicolae asks over his shoulder.

  “Oh, now you’re speaking to me?”

  His shoulders rise and fall with an exaggerated sigh. “I’m not going to do this with you, Sadie. We are here to work, not bicker.”

  She stops and crosses her arms over her chest. When Nicolae finally notices she’s not behind him, he turns and walks back. “What? You really want to do this here?”

  “Sure. Why not? You afraid people might hear what you have to say?” She lashes back, knowing exactly how much he would prefer not to speak about their relationship around his hunters.

  “You want to talk now? Fine!” He stomps up to her, allowing his height and bulk to intimidate her. She steps back but doesn’t let her glare fade. “You want to hear how seeing you ever day but not being able to be near you drives me crazy? Or how torn I feel between my duty to the hunters and my love for you?”

  She gasps, stepping back a step. “You love me?”

  “Of course I do,” he shouts, reaching out to pull her close to him. She stumbles forward, placing her hand on his chest.

  “I’m a mess without you, Sadie. I can’t think. I can’t eat. I can’t fight.”

  Her mouth gapes open, but he continues before she can speak. “Do you have any idea what kind of pressure I’m under? If I choose you, my men might turn on us and hunt us for betraying them. I can’t risk that, not if it means risking your life. So yes, I pushed you away, but only because I can’t stand the thought of losing you for good.”

  His grip tightens on her arms as her knees threaten to give out on her. She blinks rapidly, trying to process everything he said. She can’t seem to get past the I love you part.

  “You really love me?”

  Nicolae’s gaze softens as he raises his hand to gently brush along her cheek. “I have since the first time you rejected me. And every time after that.”

  She flushes, thinking of how mean she’s been to him. “You were just so…”

  “Nerdy?”

  “I was gonna say you were as annoying as a bad rash, but yeah, that works too.” She cracks a grin.

  He pulls her close, leaving only a few inches between them. Sadie’s lips part, mesmerized by the way he is staring at her. She can feel the importance of this moment. She could turn him down and walk away, forever regretting that decision, or she can embrace his love and risk losing everything.

  “Just kiss her already,” a gruff voice shouts from down the hall.

  Sadie looks over Nicolae’s shoulder, instantly flushing when she realizes the hallway beyond is filled with hunters. Nicolae blinks, obviously shocked by the smiling faces around him. “Seriously?”

  Grigori laughs as he steps out from behind his men. “Look, we may not like the way things turned out, but Sadie hasn’t ripped your throat out yet, and believe me, some of us wished she would have over the past few days.”

  A chuckle of agreement rumbles through the hunters. Sadie flushes as Nicolae’s fingers slide down her arm to grasp her hand. “So what are you saying?”

  Grigori looks to Costel and Bodgan. Sadie knows these two men are the ones Nicolae is most worried about. When they each crack a hardened smile, she breathes a sigh of relief. “We will stand by you, even if that means she is by your side too.”

  Tears sting her eyes as the men begin to hoot, pumping their fists into the air. She laughs, embarrassed and overwhelmed at the same time.

  “Thank you,” she says, clinging to Nicolae’s arm. He turns to look at her, his gaze filled with tenderness.

  “Will you have me?”

  “Of course, you big oaf.” Reaching up behind his head, she yanks him close, crushing her lips upon his. Roars of laughter and clapping fill the hall, but she hardly hears any of it as she sinks into his embrace, knowing that she is finally where she is meant to be.

  ***

  Lucien breathes deeply, savoring the metallic aroma that clings to the snow covered ground. Crimson streams out around him in wide rivers of cooling blood. The scent is heady, mouthwatering with its intensity.

  Lifting the edge of his cloak, Lucien tiptoes out of his masterpiece, careful not to disturb any of the bodies he has so elegantly arranged. The human cross spanning the middle of a clearing just on the outskirts of Anchorage, Alaska is twenty bodies long and fifteen bodies across, his largest feat yet.

  Each have been stripped of their exterior clothing, leaving their flesh open to the elements. Lucien looks to the sky above, noticing the churning gray clouds pregnant with snow.

  “That won’t do.” He leans down to retrieve a red canister, sloshing with gasoline. Throaty laughter rises into the night as he walks the line, dousing each man and woman. He pauses at the base of the cross and tosses aside the canister.

  “This should get their attention.”

  With a flick of his wrist, Lucien tosses a lighter onto the foot of the man closest to him. The blue flames spread like wildfire, bubbling flesh and burning hair. The scent brings a wide grin to Lucien’s face, and he digs out his cell phone to place the emergency call that will bring reporters swarming to the area.

  He cuts off the call and momentarily closes his eyes. He is getting closer to Roseline. He can feel it.

  “I’ll see you soon,” he whispers to the north sky as he turns and heads back to town. He has business to attend to.

  Twenty-Four

  Roseline slips from the conference room, curious to find out what all of the racket is. Hooting and hollering echoes from the north end of the building. She silently winds down one corridor after another, her steps silent. These passages are as familiar to her as the halls of Bran Castle.

  “Hey, gorgeous.”

  Gabriel appears in the doorway of the room that he shares with his angel guardian. Peeking past him, she is amazed to even consider that the two of them have any space to move in the closet sized room, especially with Elias’ wingspan.

  “You all moved in?” She asks, offering an awkward wave to Elias. Their first meeting in the forest beyond the ice cage had been strained. This one isn’t gearing up to be any better.

  When Elias dips his head, his wings rise over the planes of his shoulder. Her smile falters at the imposing sight. Although Gabriel has told her that he trusts Elias completely, she still isn’t sure that she does, not after her time spent with Malachi.

  Elias may not be among the Fallen Ones, but that doesn’t mean he is as good as he claims to be. She vows to keep a close eye on the angel. If he so much as dares to look at Gabriel the wrong way, she will take him down.

  “Home sweet home.” Gabriel grins, closing the door behind him. “I assume you weren’t just passing my way for a stroll. On your way to be nosy, aren’t you?”

  “Am I that obvious?” She laughs as she takes his hand.

  It feels like it has been a lifetime ago since they began their hunt for information on the mysterious cross that is tattooed onto his forearms. Now, she hardly even thinks of it. The markings have become a part of him, forever etched into his fl
esh as evidence of who and what he is.

  At first, she had feared that their forbidden bond would bring pain to him, and she had been right, but not in the way she had thought. She never could have dreamed that it would have been Sorin that tortured him instead of her husband Vladimir. But now, both are gone and there is nothing to stand in their way from being together once they deal with Lucien.

  She smiles as she squeezes his hand, knowing with all her heart that this is right. He is right. Their bond has never been stronger.

  They walk side by side down the darkened hallway, following the swelling sound by instinct. Although the compound is not overly large, it has many twists and turns to slow down any attacker that might stumble across it.

  She allows Gabriel to take the lead, wanting to measure how much his senses have been dulled by Lucien’s poison, but he never falters, never attempts to go in the wrong direction. She breathes a sigh of relief.

  Perhaps the poison didn’t affect him near as much as I thought, she muses silently.

  “There they are,” Gabriel whispers as they round the corner and come face to face with a human pile up.

  The hunters near the back sense their presence and fall silent, turning with their backs to the wall to allow them room to pass. As soon as they do, the hunters fill in behind Gabriel who takes up his position at her back.

  Roseline steps forward, smiling at each hunter in turn as they move aside. She recognizes many of them from their attack on Vladimir; others are new to her, but seem no less interested in her. She holds out her hand in greeting to Grigori, grateful to see that he has come to join in their fight. “How’s the nose?”

  He laughs. “It’s been better.”

  “Still fit for battle, I assume.”

  His chest puffs up. “Of course. Nothing could keep me from it.”

  “I thought you might say that.” She grins and waits for him to move aside. When he does, Roseline squeals with delight at the sight of Nicolae bending Sadie over in a long, slow kiss. She had no idea he was so limber.