Claimed by Light (9 page)

Chapter Thirteen

“Damn drivers.” Addie flipped the bird at the passing car.

Slade sure had missed her. It was nice to see her so…lively. She was smiling, laughing, and driving horribly as she always did. And he’d know, he’d taught her.

Lena sat in the front seat, staring out the window. She hadn’t said more than a few words since they’d piled into the car. Slade was thankful for a chance to get a quick nap, but now the silence was beginning to deafen him.

“We’re almost to the cabin. You think there’s food there?” Addie asked. “Cuz I’m starving.”

“When aren’t you hungry,
chiante
?” Lena sat up.

“How’d you find her?” Slade asked.

“Your computer, Mae, and my stellar Shomrei talent.”

Addie laughed. “You should have seen her, Slade. She was amazing. She—”

“That’s enough.” Lena’s firm voice sent a chill through him. He grabbed the back of Addie’s seat to pull himself up more.

Lena flinched. “Don’t touch me.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.” Not until she asked. No. He couldn’t, that was the next step in the mating process, and from what Votar mentioned about it, Slade couldn’t chance touching her.

God, he was so screwed. He wanted her bad, but he’d royally betrayed her, which didn’t help his chances at all. And if he
did
get lucky enough to fully mate with her, it somehow played into Votar’s plan.

Not to mention he was practically demon.
Son of a bitch
. He’d take final exams and a plain nine-to-five job over this complicated crap any day.

Lena crossed her legs and wiggled her foot. “Turn right up here. There’s a store.”

“I’ll run in, considering you two are covered in blood.”

“Grab us some clothes, too.” Lena handed her a credit card. “Use the automated lines—they won’t check for signatures.”

“Sweet.”

Addie, the forever shopper.

The car came to a stop and Addie jumped out.

“How is she?” Slade asked Lena.

“Nuts. She was cozying up to Jace—a fairly old demon, by the way—looking for you.”

“Fuck.” Slade fell back against the seat. “I met that prick. What was she doing with him?”

“Stubborn little
chiante
.” Lena positioned a fan on herself and combed the hair off her forehead. Her skin glistened with perspiration. Funny, it wasn’t that hot in the car. “She was trying to find you.”

“But no demon stuff, right? She’s…human.”

“One hundred percent.”

“Good. That’s all that matters.” He coughed through the thickness in this throat. “Look. I’m— About the— I—”

“Save it.”

“No. I have to say it. Please.”

“I said no. It’s fine…I get why you did what you did.” She eased farther away from him, until her shoulder met the window. “I’m not touching you.”

“But—”

“You
poisoned
me, Slade! I…you”—her jaw tightened—“fucking betrayed me. That’s not something I can get over with a snap of my fingers.”

“I’m sorr—”

“I said don’t.” Lena looked straight at him. “It’s my fault. I…let my guard down.”

“And I took advantage. I fucked up in an epic way, Lena. Epic.”

“Don’t call me that. Let’s just see what we can figure out. Tell me what you know about Votar and Jace.”

Slade told her about the demon university up in France and his lone encounter with Jace.

“Didn’t get it set up for you like most final steps?”

“No. Said I had to find the target on my own with only the clues in a bag he left me. That’s how I realized it was Addie. I found her necklace.”

“Sick sons of bitches.”

“I knew I was right to ask you to protect her. You won’t let me hurt her. You’d kill me first, right?”

“It won’t come to that.” She glanced over her shoulder. “But yes. If you try to hurt her, I’ll stop you.”

“Thank you, Lena.”

“I said don’t call me that. It’s too confusing.” She shook her head. “Tell me more.”

“They made me watch your torture. To see if it’d trigger the Ahavah Mark.”

“What the hell?” She turned around in her seat. “Votar told you that? But that’s impossible. Why would he even think that might work?”

“His Oracles saw some things about us, I guess. They were…trying things.”

“Why are the demons doing all this game-playing crap? What’s the endgame here? Did they ever mention anything about Artifacts or overthrowing Lucifer?”

“No. Wait, overthrowing who?”

“I’ll tell you in a second, but did you hear anything about the last two Artifacts? Where they were or anything?”

“No. Tell me more about these Artifacts.”

“There are seven items that can overthrow Lucifer—if the demons get their hands on them. We have five: the Ring of Episteme, which allows the wearer insight into whoever’s mind the wearer so chooses; the Thata, which can create splices anywhere; the Sword of Terentia, a sword forged from the fire of Hades, its metal lethal to angelic beings; the Bracelet of Aoratus, which renders the wearer invisible; and Yvonne, who can vaporize any living thing to dust with her touch. There are two we still haven’t found, the Gem and Necklace of Desmios. Alone, they are useless, but when paired, it renders the wearer invincible. If the demons get all seven Artifacts, they’ll overthrow Lucifer. Chaos ensues. World ends or just becomes one soul feast for the demons.”

“Motherfuc—”

“Welcome to my world.”

“Holy shit. I didn’t get that far in my reading at the university, I guess.”

“But with this Votar, Jace, and now you mention an Oracle involved…something’s up. They’re going to a lot of trouble for you and Addie.”

“I think Votar and Jace think I’m an Oracle, and they want me for that reason or something.”

Lena brought her leg up on the seat, resting her elbow on her knee. “Oracle, huh? You have visions?”

“Yeah. They’re random usually, but I’ve been having more these past few weeks.”

“Coming into the power. Let me guess, eyes flash white?”

“How’d you know?”

“Addie’s did it, too, back at the gas station.”

“No!”

“Ten bucks your Grams has it, as well.” Lena punched her thigh. “No wonder she wasn’t all freaked out when she saw me in action.”

“Wait. Grams saw you in action?”

“Demons crashed her house. I took care of them. She’s fine, but she didn’t seem all that taken aback by my Shomrei powers. I wonder if your parents had powers. Oracles are usually a family thing. Blessed by The Great One at the origin of your birth line, and it’s passed down.” Lena took in a deep breath and looked out the window. “But things are making more sense now. Any visions about us or the outcome? Can you make them happen? Control them?”

“No. I didn’t know that was an option until I touched Addie’s jewelry box and got a vision of her. You think I can control this?”

“Possibly.” She glanced out the window toward the convenience store. “Addie’s almost done and on her way back.”

“You can sense her?”

“For some reason I’m pretty attuned to her brain waves. I can sense anyone—with the exception of you—but she comes in stronger. More like my fellow Shomrei, almost.”

“So, Grams and my parents might have been Oracles?”

“Only when called upon are Oracles activated. The Great One must have had it in His plan to activate you if you were having visions as a child. Knew you’d be needed.” She sat straight. “Here she comes. Anyway, I’m worried that Addie’s now seeing things, too. Not that she’s aware of it. She explained it away as a headache, but I saw the flash of white.” She glanced at Slade.

God, he wanted to touch her face. Her smooth skin. Kiss her lips. He’d tasted them when they’d first met, before all this shit happened, and now it felt like he may never get the chance again.

“Stop it!” Lena said. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Sorry.” He eased back into his seat, watching his sister approach the car. “Go on.”

“The Great One must need you. And all this crap with Votar and Jace has to be connected. They want you for the same reason.”

“To make me a demon Oracle.”

“They have a few, but maybe they need you for… Oh shit. The Artifacts. I wonder if you’re a key to finding one. Or both.”

The door opened and Addie said, “I hope you like pasta and apple pie!”

“My favorite.” Slade reached over the seat for the bags. She winked and handed them to him.

“Addie, jump in!” Lena bolted out her door.

Slade reached for Addie, but something jerked her away. “Slade!” Her voice faded as the darkness swallowed her little body.

He burst out of the car just as Lena rounded the back end. “Here.” She tossed him a dagger. “Since you can handle these things, make yourself useful.”

…

Halena sprinted around the corner of the store. Addie’s scent was stronger to the left so she kept on. Buildings passed in a blur. “Addie?”

No response.
Please let her be okay. Please.

Footfalls behind her had her checking over her shoulder. Slade followed closely. He must have some demon speed in those legs of his because Halena was booking it.

Come on, Addie. Where are you
? Damn, that girl had weaseled her way into Halena’s gut.

“Let me go!”

Halena skidded to a stop. Slade spun away, hands up, nearly colliding with her. “Shhh,” Halena said, then pulled in a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Where are you, Addie?

Frantic thoughts flooded Halena’s mind. Addie’s thoughts. Two demons. One held her with his hand over her mouth. Halena couldn’t flesh out the location of the second one. There was too much chaos in the girl’s brain.

Images started flashing. A Dumpster. A dagger. Another demon around the back corner of the building.

Good job, Addie
.
We’re coming
.

Halena pressed her forefinger to her lips, telling Slade to stay quiet. She tapped her temple, then pointed ahead of them. He nodded, dagger raised.

She held up three fingers. He thumbed to his left as if reading her mind to come in from another side.

She took off running, better to face them head-on, create a distraction for Slade, and take them all down. It wasn’t like they could kill her, and she needed to let off a little steam if she was going to be stuck in the same vicinity as Slade for any length of time.

Tearing around the corner, she found the scene just as Addie had mentally described it. Dark. A demon held her, dagger to her neck and his other arm securing her to him.

One creature darted out to her left, and Halena palm-punched him, then buried her weapon in his gut. Who were these lame, newbie demons? Another charged, but Slade tackled him around the waist. Addie screamed.

Slade and the demon rolled. A burning-hot pain lanced through Halena’s stomach. She looked, expecting to see her abdomen gushing blood, but she was fine.

What was that, then? Was Addie hurt?

The creature tossed Addie to the ground and ran. Halena flipped her weapon and tossed it at the fleeing piece of shit. No vanquish, though. She needed him still so she could get some answers.

Addie stood, holding her hand to her neck. Blood spilled between her fingers. “Halena,” she said, then wilted to the ground.

Slade lopped off his demon’s head.

Halena sprinted to Addie.

“It hurts. It hurts.” Tears ran down Addie’s cheek.

“Not for long.” Halena pressed her hand over the wound and took the pain. Her neck throbbed, and she bit back a curse. “Hold on, Addie.”

After a few seconds, she pulled her hand away. “There you go,
coquine.
Better?”

She nodded, no longer looking sixteen years old but more like a young child scared out of her wits. Everything that had happened to her so early on in her life sure had taken its toll.

“Can you stand?”

“Yeah.”

Halena put Addie on her feet and stomped toward the demon she’d sunk her blade into. “Now, you’re going to talk.”

The demon groaned.

“Hurts, doesn’t it? The Mavet stings like a bugger, I hear. Now talk. What was this little setup about?”

“Hurts less than your Mate’s injury.” The demon sneered.

Halena kicked him in the balls. “Yeah? Well, how’s that? Now talk!”

A nagging pain flared in Halena’s side. It was pretty intense, considering she wasn’t stabbed. Wait. Was that a poisoned dagger? She whirled around and found Addie hunched over Slade.

The demon let out an eerie laugh. “Now you’re going to
have
to touch him!”

She slammed her foot on his chest. “That’s what this is all about? Me touching him? What the hell is going on?”

“You’ll see.” The demon lay back.

“Fine!
Reverto ut Abyssus
!”

“Halena. Help me!” Addie screamed. “Slade. Oh my God.”

Halena hurried to Addie and stood over her shoulder. Blood oozed from Slade’s stomach. Right where she’d felt the pain. So now she experienced his injuries?

“Take it from him. Hurry!” Addie said. “Like you did mine.”

“No way.”
Theo
.

Silence.
Theo!

More silence.

She grabbed her phone and pressed his number on speed dial. “Addie. Run to the car. Get that blanket in the back.”

“Why aren’t you healing him? You did for me.” She stood, nostrils flaring, hands fisted. “Halena.”

“I can’t touch him, okay? Just go get the blanket.”

Theo’s voicemail picked up. “Come to the cabin. Slade’s hurt. It’s a poison dagger. Need you to heal him.”

You heal him.
Theo’s voice encompassed Halena’s mind.

She looked at the phone and pressed end.
Theo?

He’s yours to heal.

I can’t touch him.

Then if it is a poison dagger, he dies. Exactly what he’d asked for, and you won’t get a Mate. Win-win for you both, right?

Bastard.
She didn’t necessarily want a Mate, but she didn’t want Slade to die, either.

Theo sent her a mental growl.
The choice is yours.

But they did this on purpose. They
want
me to touch him.