Dead Awakenings (36 page)

“I asked you to do one simple thing, Tristan. If you couldn’t do it you should’ve told me. Here, take the dog.” Luca threw the leash to Tristan. Evaine started to protest that it wasn’t Tristan’s fault, but Luca stopped her. “Don’t apologize for him,” he said sternly. “This is one horror you should have been spared.” He pulled her up into his arms and carried her the rest of the way. When they reached the next tunnel he set her down but continued to hold her hand tightly. His body was tense with anxiety.

“Ease up, would ya? I’m not gonna run away,” she said to him.

His gaze fell on her heavily, but he didn’t loosen his grip.

They came to a fork in the tunnels that met up with two other tunnels. Everyone else was waiting from Haven House. Several were injured. Quinten’s dead body lay in Kade’s arms. Both men were covered in blood. Bobby Lee was being supported heavily by John Casey. Half a dozen Feeders huddled together in a corner, two men and four women. Evaine peered down one of the tunnels and saw several more bodies in it.

MJ had a huge smile on her face. “Hey all! Trey got bit by a Feeder after I knocked it to the ground. Took a chunk out of his leg. But it’s OK, baby, I got that Feeder good for ya.” She winked.

Tristan handed Evaine Kale’s leash and walked past without a word. He headed down a tunnel alone. Evaine passed the leash to Luca and ran after him.

“Where are you going?” She pulled him by the arm.

He stopped and turned wearily to her. His face held a sadness that tugged at her gut. His eyes were rimmed with tears. Blood and dirt caked every inch of him. He took a deep breath. “These are your people, not mine. My mother’s now really dead. My undead little sister is a psychopath that’s run off with my undead, comatose father. I really don’t think I can take anymore.” He reached out and stroked her cheek. “If I can find my dad, maybe I can bring him to Haven House. And maybe if I take the serum then we can—”

“Tristan, don’t! Don’t even think that! Promise you won’t even
think
about that. Promise me.” She was willing him to promise her with the force of her mind, but that was not her ability, and in the end he looked away, no longer able to hold her gaze.

Tristan shook his head. “I love you. I can’t promise I won’t.”

“Luca wants me to marry him.” She didn’t mean to say it, but she felt since he was making this break, he deserved to know.

Tristan nodded. “Of course he does. He loves you, he would be crazy not to. What did you say?”

Evaine looked down.

“I see,” he said. “As much as I hate to admit it, he is a good guy. He’s part of your world now, and I need to go back to mine.” He turned to leave again.

“Tristan I—” She didn’t get to finish what she was going to say. He turned and grabbed her. He kissed her hard and warm. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She didn’t care that everyone, including Luca, was less than twenty-feet away. Her first love was leaving her. Her Tristan, the man who had watched over her and loved her more than anyone in her lifetime.

Suddenly it was over, and he walked away without a backward glance. She wanted to go after him, to hold him and console him, but instead she ran to Luca. She cried on his chest as he held her.

“It’s time.” Raze’s voice came from a tunnel over. “We’ll give you three minutes, and then we’ll light it. Wait an additional five minutes for us. If we aren’t by then, we ain’t comin’.”

Nate nodded. Everyone started quickly toward the exit. Cami held Kale’s leash in her free hand as Victor carried her past. Kale lollopped alongside with his tongue hanging out.

The Feeders passed Evaine, and she hugged Luca a bit tighter. They eyed her warily but kept moving. Luca and Evaine followed the group up the ladder to the surface.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

They rode back to Haven House in Luca’s black sports car. He drove too fast, but his only concern was getting her to safety. They’d lived through the battle, but he knew that for Evaine, it wasn’t over. Her ordeal was worse than they had anticipated. He kicked himself for letting her do it. He’d been stupid. He should have found another way.

Luca kissed the back of her hand and gave her a half-hearted smile. She laid her head on the window and stayed silent. She was hiding something, but he refused to pry. She would tell him when she was ready.

The gates of Haven House swung open. All the dogs ran up to meet the cars as they piled up the drive. Abbey rushed out the door, her face awash with relief. She clung to Nate, kissing him over and over. Victor carried Cami inside. Luca and Evaine looked on from the car as everyone hugged and kissed and hugged some more.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you inside.”

Evaine grasped the door handle weakly. Luca rushed around the car to open it for her. The moist air hit his skin, but he didn’t shiver. He closed the door and led her along, much the same as he had the first night she’d arrived at Haven House.

At the porch he dropped her hand, and Abbey hugged her tightly. Concern and fear showed in Abbey’s eyes as she looked at him over Evaine’s shoulder. Luca wrapped his arm around Evaine’s waist, and he led her into the house. His anxiety began to dissipate once in the elevator. He pulled her close and kissed her hair. She let herself be held by him, standing immovable in his arms.

The elevator opened and he ushered her to her room. He pushed open the door and she stepped inside but didn’t move farther in.

“I’m gonna get cleaned up and then I’ll come back, if you want. Or would you rather just go to sleep?”

Evaine turned and met his gaze but said nothing. His heart ached for her. He walked to her, and a tear spilled down her cheek.

“You’re safe,” he said. “We’re all safe now.”

“No.” She shook her head. “We’re not.”

“No one can hurt you again. I won’t let them.”

She shook her head again and grabbed him suddenly, letting out a sob. “I killed them.”

“No, babe, no, you didn’t.” He pulled her close. “None of this is your fault.”

“Not that.” She sniffled into his shirt. “Simone and Karen. I killed them.”

Luca swallowed hard. His head swam. He knew the guilt she now carried. He’d tried so hard to keep that pain from her. But he hadn’t been able to.

“I severed Karen’s spinal cord. And I…I reached inside Simone and I—”

“Stop.” Luca pulled her face close to his. His heart broke at the sound of her grief. “You stayed alive. You fought for your life.”

She shook her head. “Deep inside, I wanted to. A part of me wanted to kill them. And Damien and Lisette. All of them. For what they’ve done. To feel their bones as I—”

“Hush.” He wrapped her in his arms again. He kissed her head, her forehead, her nose, her lips. “Come on. Let me take care of you.”

* * *

Evaine stood in the middle of her room, her mind playing and replaying the events of the evening. Luca walked into her bathroom, turned on her shower and then returned and sat her down on the desk chair. She let him slip off her sneakers. His hands hovered at her waist and he looked up at her with his bright orange eyes. She nodded mutely and lifted her arms. He tugged her blouse over her head. He pulled her to her feet gently. She stared blankly at the wall as he stripped off her leggings. Her mind couldn’t let go of the images from the arena.

Luca kissed her forehead and went back into the bathroom. He returned with her towel and wrapped it around her before leading her to the shower. Without thinking she dropped her bra and panties to the floor and stepped into the shower.

The water ran over her skin, warming her. She let it slide down her limbs, waking her up. A moment later the shower door opened and Luca stepped in. His body was hard and glorious. Her eyes met his, and he smiled at her. He lifted a puff and squirted body wash on it. He moved close to her and gently swirled the puff over her arms. She closed her eyes as he ran it down her breasts and over her stomach. Evaine let her mind drift away from the pain of the night and reveled in the feel of his touch. Sparks lit her skin and heat pooled between her thighs.

Kneeling he swirled down her legs to her feet. Lifting them one at a time he cleaned her feet and then moved back up her legs. He stood before her, and their eyes locked.

She wanted him.

Pushing him against the shower wall she attacked him. She plunged her tongue deep into his mouth, her slick skin sliding against his. The taste of him in her mouth excited her. The scent of human blood and his cologne mingled in her nose setting her on fire. His hands travelled down to her rear, and he pulled her against him. She knew what he wanted, and she wanted it too, and not because of the human feeding. She wanted it because, she loved him.

He lifted her off the floor and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed her back into the cool tile. The pain of her experience drifted away with ever kiss, every caress. She let herself be consumed by his thoughts and emotions. Their bodies heated like flames.

“Take me,” she said as he trailed kisses down her throat. “I’m yours.”

He pulled away and gazed deep into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

She told him silently what she wanted from him. To love her and pleasure her until everything that had happened was washed away with their passion. She didn’t need to tell him twice. She shuddered as they became one. His shudder came minutes later.

Evaine awoke the next day completely sore. She stared at the ceiling. Memories of killing Karen and Simone beset her mind. The feeling of holding Simone’s life in her hands and then choosing to end it had poisoned her. She had a feeling she had turned a corner that she could never come back from.

A soothing presence invaded her, and she smiled. She rolled over to find Luca lying beside her. His eyes were closed, and he looked as if he was still deeply asleep. He was her saving grace. So tender, so loving, she knew she’d made the right decision. He was her one. A piece of paper from the government could never create the kind of bond they shared. She ran her hand across his firm chest, loving the feel of him. He stirred and pulled her close. Their skin brushed against each other, sending sparks of energy between them. Without opening his eyes he kissed her mouth. She smiled as his thoughts invaded her.

“Morning,” he said sleepily.

“Morning.”

He ran his hand down her body and pulled her leg up over him. Her body hummed with desire. His body was alert and awake, and she responded, kissing him again.

He rolled her over in a flash, pinning her underneath him. He pressed his lips into her skin, roaming his hands over her till she couldn’t think.

“Stop, stop.” She was breathless.

“Say, ‘Luca is the king,’” he murmured against her shoulder.

“Luca is the king.”

“Say, ‘Luca is the most gorgeous man on Earth.’” He kissed her belly button.

“Luca is the most gorgeous man on Earth.” She gasped and then moaned.

“Say, ‘I will never love another man as long as my body lives.’” He looked up at her.

Evaine looked into his eyes and laid her hand gently on his cheek. “I will never love another man, ever.”

He kissed her mouth, his need running over her in waves of delight. She gave him a mental shove and flipped him on his back with her on top, her legs straddling him.

He let out a piqued, “Hey!”

She smiled at him. “My turn.” She kissed down his stomach, causing him to moan beneath her touch.

Evaine sat up and pushed her hair down on her head, trying to flatten the tangles. Luca lay next to her watching. He pulled her close and hugged her, nuzzling her neck.

“I think we need to decide where we are going to live,” he said.

She pushed away from him. “What do you mean? You don’t want to move to one of the other Haven Houses do you?”

“No, no.” He laughed. “I mean, we can’t just live with you in this room and me next door.”

“Why not?” She produced a wry smile. “I like my space.”

“Well, as much as I like your small bed, I’m afraid we need somewhere bigger to…uhm…love each other.”

“What about your room?”

“It isn’t really female friendly.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“There are a few larger rooms at the end of the hall. They’re about twice the size of this one. We could decorate it anyway you want. That would free up these two rooms for the new Feeders. Or should I say, the new family members.”

Evaine shivered.

“They’ll take some getting used to. I know it’s hard, but it’s our way. To allow anyone to have a place to go.”

“It’s the way they stare at me. Like I am a box of chocolates that slipped out of their fingers.”

“Well if they look at you like that, give them a mental push and they’ll back away. And try to remember how they’ve been living for the last several years, possibly even more than several. When Cami got here, she was worse than they are now. We have to give them a chance.”

Images of Simone and Karen bombarded her again. She took a deep breath trying to clear her thoughts. “I think that maybe a bigger room would be better. It would be nice to have more room for the both of us.”

“Great. I already had a bed put in the room.”

“You what?”

“I knew that sooner or later you would say yes, so I took the lead on this one.”

Evaine mentally pushed a pillow and it hit him in the face. Luca laughed.

“Oh, really?”

He picked it up and threw it back before jumping on top of her. She flipped him off with a mental shove. He lost his balance and fell to the floor, dragging her down with him. They laughed as they rolled on the ground.

“You are so beautiful.” He leaned in to kiss her again.

She pressed on his chest with her hand, stopping him. “Nope. I want to see this new room of ours. That room needs to be christened too.”

He laughed and got to his feet, pulling her up with him. “Well, by all means, my lady. Let us christen another room.” A large smile spread over his face. It was the most beautiful thing Evaine had ever seen.