Darkness Divides (Sensor #3) (7 page)

“She’s still really groggy,” I told him. “You might let the others look in on her, but tell them not to wake her.”

He nodded. “Those were my thoughts as well. I’ve already contacted Nik. He’s been awake for some time and restless to get here as soon as the sun goes down. It won’t be long now.”

Chapter Five

Nikolas, the master vampire of Fairbanks, arrived in a blur of speed that almost gave me whiplash. I was fairly certain no mortal saw him coming through the hospital and if they had, they’d shaken if off as a trick of the light. Micah must have given Nik directions to our exact location because it couldn’t have taken him more than fifteen seconds to reach us from the time he came up on my radar—a half mile away.

He didn’t bother greeting us. The moment he entered the room he had his fangs out and sank them into his arm. I winced. How did Nik and Lucas do that without showing any signs of pain? Every time I had to break a vein open with a knife it hurt like hell.

“Emily,” he spoke her name softly.

She lifted her groggy eyes to look at him.

“Drink.” Nik pressed his bleeding arm to her mouth. This would be the first time she’d ever needed vampire blood, but she didn’t hesitate to take it.

“That’s enough.” Micah intervened after what couldn’t have been more than two tiny swallows.

Nik withdrew his arm, which was already beginning to heal, and lifted his brows at the nephilim. “That couldn’t have been enough to do more than seal the surgical wound.”

That was what I was thinking. I understood taking it slow, but this was ridiculous.

“You can give her more later. We cannot rush the healing or we risk causing permanent damage.” Micah leaned over Emily and checked her over before straightening. “That is enough for now.”

If he said so. I took Emily’s hand, ignoring the two men as they continued to talk on the other side of the bed. At least her eyes looked more lucid.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“A little better.” Her voice came out clearer than before, too. “But now the pain is worse.”

She winced and rubbed around her bandage. I grabbed her hand and put it down before she could do any damage to the surgical site.

“Nik’s blood must have neutralized the pain killers,” Lucas observed.

He’d been standing next to me so quietly that if not for his imposing presence I might have forgotten he was there. He hadn’t been all that talkative since coming in the room and barely acknowledged anyone who came in.

“Yeah, vamp blood has that effect,” I said, looking up at him. I could see it in his eyes that he was already distancing himself from me. In that moment, I would have given my soul to keep him from leaving.

Micah stopped talking to Nik and turned to face us. “It will be a few minutes before Emily’s body finishes burning through the vampire blood. She can have something to dull the pain after that.”

He stepped out of the room to speak with the medical staff. Lucas and I settled into chairs by the window while Nik went out to talk to Derrick and Charlie. I tried to ignore the beep of the heart monitor and hum of other equipment. It was all too much and I was barely holding it together.

A short while later when we had Emily more comfortable, we allowed Hunter to visit her. He’d been pacing the hallways like a rabid wolf ever since he found out she’d woken up. If not for Derrick, we might not have been able to keep him away.

Of course, the minute Hunter walked into the room he froze. It was hard to see him as the same guy who’d harassed Emily at her Valentine’s Day party last year. He’d been following her around like a love-sick puppy ever since. Who knew getting beat up by a girl could be a turn-on? I’d have to ask Derrick if werewolves picked their mates by how easily the females could take them down.

Hunter’s throat worked up and down as he tried to come up with something to say. Emily’s overall appearance had improved, but she still had a bandage on her head, an IV in her arm, and a couple of machines hooked up to her. Even I didn’t know what to say that might be comforting.

She looked at Hunter with a measure of disdain. His bringing her to the hospital must not have made up for all the dead animal offerings he’d been leaving on our doorstep during full moons. His gifts had won over my shape-shifter cat, but Emily didn’t find them amusing.

Hunter stuck his hands in his pockets and moved forward until he stood at the foot of the bed. It took a few seconds before he managed to meet Emily’s eyes. Other than back on New Year’s when he was injured from a bear trap I’d never seen him so vulnerable. This kid had it bad.

“How’re you doing?” he asked in a low voice.

“That was an asinine question. How the hell does it look like she’s doing?” Lucas growled out.

Hunter jumped, but he didn’t turn around to look at us. Damn it all to hell. I might have my reservations about the kid, but he didn’t deserve this treatment.

I smacked Lucas on the arm. “Stop it. You’re making it harder for him.”

Lucas’ eyes glowed. “He shouldn’t be allowed in here. She’s too young to have boys sniffing around her.”

“She’s sixteen. I was dating guys at that age,” I pointed out.

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Don’t remind me, sensor.”

I pretended to shiver. “Is this the part where I’m supposed to run screaming in fear?”

He leaned in closer. “Only if you want me to catch you.”

“That could be fun.” I smiled. I’d finally drawn him out of his shell.

“Um, guys,” Emily spoke up. “Do you mind if I talk to Hunter alone?”

“Yes, I do mind.” Lucas took an intimidating step toward the young werewolf.

I had to give Hunter credit. He stood his ground and met the nephilim’s eyes. If not for my senses, I wouldn’t have known the poor guy was scared shitless.

“Don’t listen to him,” I said, grabbing Lucas’ arm. “He missed his morning coffee and you know what that does to some people. We’ll be right outside.”

“Melena …” Lucas said in a warning tone, resisting my pull.

I gave him a patient look. “The kid’s not going to do anything to her. She’s lying in a hospital bed after brain surgery, for crying out loud.”

He worked his jaw. “Very well, but we will not go far. If I even think he’s trying anything, I’ll break every bone in his body.”

“That would be a productive way to spend your time here.” I rolled my eyes. “Let’s go.”

This time he followed when I tugged on his arm.

Nik, Micah, and the others were just down the hall in the waiting area. The master vampire hadn’t had a chance to acknowledge Lucas when he first arrived, but he moved straight for him now. I braced myself, unsure what to expect.

“It’s good to see you,” Nik said, giving Lucas a pat on the shoulder. “Wondered when you might turn up.”

Lucas stiffened at his touch, but he didn’t push the vampire away. “I’ve been…busy.”

“That’s what I’ve heard.” Nik glanced over at me and winked.

“No trouble while I’ve been gone?” Lucas asked.

Nik shrugged. “Nothing of note. I’ve been conducting personal interviews with the local ladies to make sure none of them have any aspirations for power. One can never be too cautious.”

He’d lost his territory once after being tricked by a power hungry witch-vamp and her female friends. The topic was still a sore spot for Nik, but he’d reached the point he could joke about it now.

“By that he means he takes them home and seduces them,” I said, shaking my head.

“Well-pleasured women don’t betray their masters.” Nik grinned suggestively at me.

Lucas closed the gap between them. “You’re not her master.”

I was fairly certain the only reason the nephilim didn’t rip his head off was because he knew Nik was a consummate flirt. The master vampire did it to everyone, but only those women who responded to his attention got more. It was an interesting dichotomy—serious and responsible when his position called for it, amorous and playful when it didn’t.

Nik put his hands up. “Oh, I’m well aware of that. Believe me. She makes her point even clearer than you do.”

“And that’s why she’s mine.”

Lucas wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I looked up to meet his gaze and found that his eyes were still cold. Somewhere deep inside him I knew that he cared, but for whatever reason he’d chosen to hide it. Jealousy was just the one way he always revealed himself. If only I had more time to work things out with him.

I faked a smile. “You know what they say. If you can’t beat them, join them…”

The words ran dry in my mouth. I widened my eyes at Lucas and pulled away from him.

The archangel had just popped up on my radar outside the hospital. He was heading straight for the entrance. I could only assume he’d purposely arrived farther away so we’d have warning. A little time to say goodbye.

“What is it?” Lucas asked.

“You know who is here.”

“Excuse us.” Lucas nodded at Nik.

The master vampire looked curious, but he respectfully nodded and went back to the others.

We moved back down the hallway closer to Emily’s room and stopped. Not a hint of emotion showed on his face and his body could have been carved from stone. He knew his time was up.

“I’m going to find a way to get you out,” I said in an urgent voice, stepping closer to him.

He shook his head. “No, you won’t. You will stay here and be safe. Take care of Emily and avoid doing anything that could draw attention to yourself.”

I lifted my chin. “I’m not going to sit around and do nothing for fifty-nine years while I wait for you to come back. There has to be something I can do and if there is, I’ll find it.”

He leaned down and gripped my shoulders. “Do not even think of it, Melena. The only thing I want is for you to stay alive. Nothing else matters. Do you understand me?”

I just stared at him, giving him my most defiant look.

“We must go, Lucas.” Remiel. He’d made it to us.

“Do nothing,” Lucas whispered forcefully in my ear. “Or I will make you regret it.”

Then he stalked away toward the archangel without a backward glance.

“I love you, you asshole,” I said to his back.

His footsteps faltered for a moment, but then he kept moving. He stopped by his brother and said something in his ear. I only caught the words “watch her.” Micah nodded and the two separated.

Remiel gave me a solemn nod and his eyes looked almost apologetic. I flipped him off. He turned away and took Lucas with him.

I wasn’t going to cry or do anything else weak and pathetic this time. No, I was going to let my rage take over. Somehow, I’d find a way to get him out and while I was making a list of impossible things to do, I’d find out who in the hell set that blast off and nearly killed my kid.

I rammed my fist into a wall. It went straight through, but when I pulled it out there wasn’t a scratch on my skin. I was stronger now and more resilient. As soon as Emily got better I’d have work to do.

Micah walked up. He glanced at the hole and then at my hand. “Rather obvious, don’t you think?”

“Fuck off.” I turned away from him, heading for Emily’s room.

“He’s dealing with this in the only way he can, Melena. If Lucas had allowed himself to feel anything this time it would have broken him.”

I bowed my head and took a deep breath. “I know.”

That didn’t make it hurt any less.

Chapter Six

I wanted to release the anger and frustration of Lucas being taken away again. I wanted to wallow in self pity and be selfish. To only focus on myself. He’d left me without a backward glance. It had killed me to watch him go, but Micah was right. He was only protecting himself by cutting off his emotions. In his shoes, I probably would have done the same thing. But in mine, I wanted to race out and do something. Anything that could fix one of the many things wrong in my life.

Except I had Emily to consider.

It would take time for her to recover and I had to hold myself together until she did. To be there for her. Once she was better, I could turn my attention to other things. Someone had set off a massive magical explosion. I couldn’t ignore that. Someone had hurt Emily, me, and a whole lot of other people.

The devastation was everywhere. Even at night I couldn’t miss the damage as I drove through Fairbanks with Emily and Nik riding along as we made our way home from the hospital. Though it had only been a day and a half, the whole city remained a mess. I’d been too worried and in too much pain from my own injuries to notice it all before. The previous trip not being much more than a blur, but I saw it all now.

Fences were knocked down, roofs had caved in, and debris was strewn everywhere. People wandered outside their houses with grief-stricken expressions on their faces. Young children cried and held their parents’ hands. One little girl hugged her teddy bear close as she sat on her lawn, looking at what was left of her home. While most houses still stood and could be easily fixed, not all of them had fared well. Work crews everywhere worked to repair downed power lines, damaged water and gas lines, and other assorted problems.

According to the news, five people had been reported dead and hundreds more wounded in the Fairbanks area alone, but the numbers could continue to climb. Especially once they counted the entire affected region, which spanned hundreds of square miles. The Yukon Territory in Canada had it worse than us. The towns there were completely wrecked. Whatever caused the blast, it had definitely started there.

From what we’d heard, the shaking in Fairbanks would have been the equivalent of a 6.3 on the Richter scale. Not the most destructive, but this one didn’t come from deep inside the earth like real earthquakes did. That made the impact stronger.

I grew angrier the longer we drove. It wasn’t just the people I knew who’d been hurt by this, but a lot of innocent humans as well. They’d been caught in a supernatural attack and had no idea what really hit them. In their minds, this was just a natural disaster and sups everywhere would work to strengthen that belief. Humans couldn’t be allowed to know the truth.