Claimed by Light (19 page)

He broadened his shoulders. Repeating his Addie-focused mantra, he reached for the lip gloss.

Lena dropped it into his hand.

He narrowed his focus. Faint shimmers in the goo inside reflected the last flickers of the setting sun.

Images of Addie growing up flashed before his eyes. Her giggle. Her tireless shopping. Endless appetite. Her love of sappy romance movies. Snapping her gum.

“Slade!” Addie’s voice screamed through his consciousness.

Lena squeezed his hand just as a cold shiver sliced down Slade’s spine.

“I heard Addie,” Lena said.

He heard her voice, felt her presence, but couldn’t see her yet. Pitch darkness engulfed them. He waited for the ghostly feeling to overtake him so he could start observing, but it never came. Seconds rolled into minutes.

Nothing.

“Addie. Where are you?” He repeated it as he focused his concentration, while hopefully keeping himself invisible to prying Oracle eyes.

“Here…not…help.” Addie’s voice crackled like a bad connection between walkie-talkies.

“Please, Addie. Show me where you are.”

“They want…can’t…Gem…trap.”

If he could only see her. As if answering his request, the sun rose on fast forward, illuminating the area. It spilled over Votar’s torture room. Addie was chained to a slab of concrete much like Lena had been.

“At least we know where they are.”

It couldn’t be that easy. And what about the jungle he’d first seen?

The door swung open and bounced off the wall. Votar’s massive hand palmed the bars before it reached him. “Is he here?”

Addie turned toward Slade. She had two swollen eyes, a split lip, and too many cuts to count. Some even peeked out from what was left of the neck of her T-shirt.

He almost puked. “Addie.”

“Stay strong, Slade,” Lena encouraged as she looked around. “Something about this room doesn’t sit right.”

“It’s France. Where you were.” His chest tightened.

“No. Wait.” Lena released his hand, easing toward the wall opposite Votar. “Look.”

Above a dirty cot in the corner of the room, there was a window the size of a small shoe box. The jungle leaves were so dense, though, no light made it in.

“My cell didn’t have a window. And see the trees?”

“True.”

“Speak, human. Or I will send in my partner to try out a new tool made especially for extracting teeth,” Votar said.

“No!” Slade bellowed deep inside his mind.

“Bite me!” Addie said.

She was being so tough. The agony she must be feeling, and yet she smart-assed her captor?

“Slade, don’t find me. Don’t find me. It’s a trap!” Addie’s voice came through loud and clear.

“I know. But I have help. Theo, Lena, and another Gatekeeper are here to help. Tell me where you are. I can save—”

A flash of light ignited, stinging Slade’s eyes as if acid had been poured into them. Lena was at his side in an instant, grabbing his shoulders. “Slade. What happened? Where’s Addie?”

“I didn’t do this. Or, I don’t think I did.”

“Slade?” Addie’s voice piped through his throbbing head, but she was nowhere to be seen. “It’s okay. I’ll be with Grams. Please. Just—”

“Don’t do this, Addie.” Wait, did she kick him out of the cave?

“It’s you they’re after. They need you to touch the Gem.”

Slade forced his eyes open, shading them with his hand. He glanced to the side. Lena did the same, scanning the area. They were back to the jungle where he’d originally been when he first sought out his sister.

“What is this place, Addie?” Lena asked.

“Halena? You’re in our vision?”

“Yes, and quit being a brat. Help us find you.” The tension in Lena’s voice felt like a brick on his chest.

“Brat. Like you really believe that. You love me.”

Lena mentally coughed but didn’t deny it. “You’re in the jungle. Where? We’re coming for you.”

“They didn’t tell me a name. They’re baiting you, Slade.”

“I won’t leave you.”

“Neither will I, Addie,” Lena said. “You little
coquine
…”

Addie whimpered, and damn it, Slade wished he could see her.

“I’m not worth it. Look what I did to Slade. Look what I caused.” Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper along his consciousness.

“Don’t say that. I’m fine. We’ll all be fine.” What was she planning to do?

“You
will
be safe.” Her voice got louder, but Slade didn’t miss the waver in it. “I love you, Slade.”

“Addie…what are you thinking?” Halena’s voice had an edge to it. “Don’t do anything stupid. We’ll be to you soon.”

“It’s okay, Slade. I’ll be with Grams. Don’t worry.” Addie sniffled again. “Halena will be safe.”

In that instance, blood trickled along Lena’s neck. Her eyes went dark, lifeless, as her head tipped to the side and a plume of fine white sand billowed where she’d been standing.

“No!”

“See what will happen if you come?” Addie said. “Good-bye, Slade.”

A door appeared before him and opened. Stairs leading into darkness beckoned. “Lena!”

Her angelic remains sifted away with the breeze.

Slade should go through the door, to see where it led, but he couldn’t move. Couldn’t divert his attention from the granules in the air. Lena.

He had to follow. “It’s just a vision. Move it, Slade!” he yelled at himself.

He stepped into the darkness. Light ahead snagged his focus, and he slowed even though he didn’t need to, considering he was invisible in his visions.

What if Lena was hurt in reality and that’s why she disappeared? He should get back. No. He needed to have faith. Needed to see this through to learn what he was meant to learn.

He entered a hallway much like the cave where they’d found the Necklace. Voices trickled through.

“Make her try again.” Votar’s voice resonated through Slade’s body like a sonic boom. “And if we can’t force this girl to get it, I’ll find Slade, cut off his hand, and just use that to grab the Gem.”

“I doubt it would allow for improvisation such as dismemberment.” A new voice Slade didn’t recognize entered the scene. “And we knew Addie might not be given access to it. Despite being Oracle blood, she’s female. Prophecy says—”

“Fuck the prophecy.” Something cracked, but Slade couldn’t make out what.

He edged toward the mouth of the tunnel and peered around the corner.

Much like how they’d found the Necklace floating in a clear box, there was the black Gem hovering midair in a matching box. But a transparent force field that looked like a shimmering bubble surrounded it.

Votar thrust the nearly unconscious Addie to her feet. He roughly led her to the box and held out her hand toward the translucent shield. “By Lucifer I will make this work if I have to burn every last ounce of flesh from your bones.”

His sister’s scream was more than Slade could handle, and he let out his own bellow, “No!”

Addie jerked and looked in his direction. Tears streaked her bloody and bruised face. He couldn’t even see her left eye it was so swollen shut.

“Ahh, you finally decided to join us?” Votar stared in Slade’s direction, though his eyes didn’t focus on anything specific.

“No, Slade.” Addie’s voice was weak. “Don’t…”

“He’s here, isn’t he?” The other figure turned.

Bastian’s eyes flamed orange. His fangs dropped, and his tongue toyed with the tip of one. “Amazing.”

“Slade,” Votar said. “You see who I have and what I’m doing. Come here and fulfill the prophecy.”

Slade inched closer, only the two demons in the room couldn’t see him. Addie could, though, and her eye widened as she squirmed in Votar’s grip.

“What’s he doing?” Votar shook her. “What’s he saying?”

“Tell them I’ll come.”

“He’s not here, dumbass.” Addie coughed. “I told him to stay away, so kill me already.”

“Addie. No.”

“You can’t talk me out of this.”

“Lena and I will save you, Addster.”

“Oh, he’s here all right,” Bastian said. “I can sense him. Even if she says he’s not, he is here. I just can’t hear him.”

If Votar had Bastian, why’d he need Slade so badly?

“Is his bitch with him?” Votar asked as he tossed Addie to the dirt floor. She flopped to her side and didn’t move again.

“Can’t tell. He’s strong. Very strong. Let’s see if I can hear him.” He closed his eyes, his jaw tensed.

“Damn Shomrei bonding. I’d wanted him to mate her so I could kill her. Not to let them get away and him get—” Votar cleared his throat as if he remembered Slade could hear.

Might have been good to know what he was going to say. If Slade focused hard enough, maybe he could talk directly to this prick.

“Shomrei are tough to kill. You knew that. Your bet didn’t pay out.” Bastian pointed at Addie. “This one will. Despite her defiance.” He looked around again. “Slade. We have found the Gem and need you here to get it. Do this and your sister lives, free from our contract on her soul.”

“Bastian!” Votar yelled. “I agreed to no such thing.”

“Shut up.” Bastian waved his hand. “Five degrees south latitude and seventy-eight west longitude. But you must bring the remaining Artifacts if you wish to save your sister’s soul.”

“Slade. No.” Addie jumped up and grabbed the knife from Votar’s thigh.

Before Slade could blink, she buried the blade in her chest.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Slade!” Halena slapped him across the face.

Nothing she’d done shook him from his vision. Somehow she’d been cast out, but she couldn’t figure out how.

“He’s blocking you,” Zander said. “Has to be.”

“But why?” Theo asked.

“Not sure.”

“Slade.” Halena held his face, forcing his white eyes in her direction.

He lay motionless on the soot-covered floor, only his glowing eyes and heavy breathing giving any indication he was alive.

Come back to me, or I’ll find a way inside you, Slade.

He cringed.

You know I will. I’ll break through whatever wall you have around your mind, and I’ll get you back. Trust me. I know walls. Been building them for more than four hundred years.

Slade stiffened.

Yeah, you cocky little frat boy.
You
broke through them. I gave you my heart, and you will not do this alone.

A tear streaked along his cheek.

She allowed her fangs out.
I’ll bite you if I have to.

“Her eyes are glowing,” Yvonne whispered. “Stay strong, Halena. Bring him back.”

The blood raging through her sounded like river rapids in her ears. Votar would not take her Mate like this. Nor would he take Addie from Slade. She didn’t want to lose Addie, either. As annoying as the girl was initially, Halena had come to care for that little
coquine
.

We can change your visions. Remember? We changed the cave. We can change whatever you’re seeing.
She pressed her lips to his.
And I’m really pissed at you for shutting me out. Not twenty-four hours after I gave you my entire soul, you withhold from me? Turn your back on me?

Lena…
Slade’s voice was strained.

Yes. Get your ass back to me, so we can go get your sister and kill Votar.

Slade blinked. Flickers of what he was seeing flashed in Halena’s mind. Trees. Branches. Jungle. The thick smell of humidity. A cave. Addie lying on the floor. A pool of blood expanding beneath her.

“Addie!” Halena yelled.

“What?” Theo said. “Shit. I heard it in Halena’s mind. Addie’s dead.”

“Come back to me, Slade.” She shook him, and his beautiful brown eyes returned. Tears streaked down his cheeks. “Addie’s gone. She’s gone.”

Theo and Halena propped Slade against one of the only walls that had survived the blasts.

“Fucking dead, Lena.” He slammed his fist against his thigh. “I failed her. She’s…alone with those monsters. She dies alone! She—”

“You did not fail. We will change this.”

“Five degrees south latitude and seventy-eight west longitude.” Slade took in a deep, hiccuped breath. “That’s where she is.”

Justin whipped out his phone and started typing. “Yvonne, can you get my laptop for me?” He winked at her, then focused on Theo. “If we can lock in on that location, can you splice us there?”

“Yes. But first, let’s gather our things, and I’ll take us to Halena’s compound.”

“No.” Halena stood. “We can’t be anywhere near that new baby of yours. Even with the cloak Zander cooked up for Slade, I’m worried they could reach him.”

“We could go to mine,” Brenton offered. “So new, might be an advantage.”

Slade pushed to his feet. “Only Halena and I can go, anyway. Well, and the Artifacts.”

“Hell no!” Justin darted in front of Slade. “You are not taking Yvonne.”

Halena growled and yanked Justin away. He landed near the demolished wall across the room. She stepped in front of Slade, keeping Justin in her sights. “Slade, what do you mean?”

He told the grisly tale of what he’d witnessed, including Halena’s death.

“Remember visions are up for interpretation,” Theo said. “Addie pushed you out. She said she showed you what would happen to Halena if you two came to get her.”

“We can’t
not
go get her,” Halena said.

“She showed you what she
thinks
will happen, Slade. She doesn’t understand the power you have now that you’re mated, and the powerful family you’ve inherited. We will get to her before she’s forced to end her life.”

“If she hasn’t already,” Slade said.

“You’d know. Somehow…you’d know.”

“I will
not
let her die.” Slade pushed off Lena and faced Justin. “And I would never put Yvonne in danger.” He marched through the doorway toward the front lawn. “I—just—I’m not sure what’s next.”

Ready to go after Slade, she nodded to Theo. “Brenton’s right—maybe we should go to his place.”

“We will go to yours. Our little one is safe with Beckett; I already spliced him there. Sadie is at your place, ready to fight. And I’m sure you want to be in your own bed for once. It’s been many moons.” He winked and whirled around to Justin. “Come. No one is taking Yvonne anywhere. Let’s gather what remains we have and prepare to leave.”

…

Slade stumbled through the doorway into Lena’s—er—
their
living room. Yeah, that felt weird to say; then again,
everything
felt weird right now after having spliced from Colorado to France. Not to mention almost falling over from fatigue and hunger.

But Theo insisted Lena and Slade needed to rest, or “power up” as Justin called it.

Didn’t feel right, though, not being involved in the planning going on downstairs.

“You like,
oui
?” Lena asked.

“It’s awesome.” Slade followed her toward the kitchen.

There was an eighty-inch plasma fixed to the far wall with state-of-the-art speakers mounted on each side and leather couches facing the TV. To the right, a plush rug lay at the foot of a fireplace and hearth that filled the entire wall.

An image of Lena and Slade lying on that together, making love, flashed before him.

“We should eat first, if we’re going to do that.” She took the tray of food from him. “But yeah, that looks like fun.”

“How come I can’t read your every thought like you’re reading mine?” He followed her to the left and stepped into a kitchen as large as the one downstairs. White tile, white walls, white cabinets, and stainless-steel appliances.

“You can. I just have my shield up.” She set the tray on the table in the center of the massive kitchen.

Windows filled the far wall and offered a view of sprawling land spotted with trees and shrubbery. In the corner, there was a winding staircase that led to yet another level.

“Why shield your thoughts from me? What are you hiding?”

She cracked open two beers and handed one to him. “Not hiding anything. It’s just habit, really. Been doing it for eight hundred years.”

Now that he thought about it, that would be a lot to take in if she did open up. Might need to tackle that one later.

“Wise choice.” She faced him and hitched her hip on the counter next to the stove. The tight fatigues she wore clung to her long, slender legs. Her bright red T-shirt hugged her full breasts and narrow waist.

Suddenly, he wasn’t hungry for food.

Her nostrils flared as she licked her lips, and that undid him. Three long steps brought him to her. He pressed a bruising kiss on her mouth, needing to be as close as possible, and she instantly responded by burying her hands in his hair and opening herself to him.

“Eating’s overrated,” she whispered between kisses.

“Are you particularly fond of this shirt?” Slade nipped at her neck.

“No.”

He grasped the neckline and ripped it apart.

“At least you asked.” She laughed as she let him sweep a lazy gaze over her body. Quicker than he could follow, she tore his shirt down the center and tossed it to the side. “I wouldn’t have.”

He pulled her into his arms and smothered her with more kisses. God, she tasted amazing. A mix of sweat and coconut.

Another rip and the buttons on his pants popped, skittering across the tile floor. “I’ll find you another pair of jeans.”

A few well-timed tugs, and he was bare before her. Gentle hands caressed every part of him, learning, feeling, energizing. Each point of contact fueled him—both for her and for what lay ahead with Addie and Votar.

But for now, Lena was his world. He grabbed her pants, and as she had done to him, he ripped them open, sending buttons flying. “Two can play at that game.”

Her laughter filled the room. Pushing her pants over her hips, he kissed a trail down the front of her body. He stayed on his knees and looked up the length of her. Easing his fangs out, he pressed a kiss to her abdomen, and her fingers combed through his hair.

Gliding his hands around her waist, he teased her panties down, nipping her tender skin.

“You’re a naughty little frat boy,” she whispered.

A smile filled her face as her eyes slid shut. He bit at her belly button, letting his fangs score the skin. She drew in a sharp breath, and her fangs dropped as well.

Tracing his finger up the inside of her leg, he found her heat, ready and waiting for him. She hummed her approval and rocked her hips forward. If that wasn’t the hottest thing…

“Lena,” he whispered. “Turn for me.”

She did, and he came up behind her, never disconnecting. With his free hand he captured her breast, holding her flush to him. Arms up, she buried her hands in his hair and wiggled her tight ass.

“Now who’s the naughty one?” he said, nearly out of breath.

Her body tightened around his fingers, and her hands fisted in his hair.

“Lean forward.” He gripped her hips. “Hands on the counter.”

Silently she obeyed, shifting her legs apart for him. That was all he could stand, and in one gentle motion they were joined. Mates. Eternally bound. Sacred.

Her back arched, and she let out a long sigh. “Slade.”

Rolling his hips, he reached around and caressed her. A wave of her coconut scent flooded his senses. And that got him moving. Soon they found their rhythm, and damn, it was sweet.

And hot.

He grabbed her hips. “Okay?”

“Yes. Go…go.”

Picking up the pace, he bit the skin at the curve of her neck to her shoulder. It didn’t break through, but her entire body jerked.

Emotions too intense to comprehend rolled off her and into him, comforting him, encouraging him. Her soul opened, flooding him with everything inside her. Images, feelings, thoughts, words…everything. And he greedily accepted.

In all the darkness and evil they’d faced and would soon face, she was his light, and while he could, he’d get lost in it for as long as possible before all hell broke loose.