Chapter Twenty-Nine
DILLON CLEARED HIS THROAT AWKWARDLY. “So I guess I’ll, uh, stand guard...
just in case anything happens.” His cheeks caught fire, matching mine as we stood in front of the open door leading toward a pocket of the glacier that’d been left entirely natural.
No transparent walls or pillars held back the dark blue ice, just the sheer strength of nature.
Throughout the lab, there were multiple rooms like this one.
When I’d been younger, I used to love to do my homework in them—the thick blanket of coldness soothed the constant headache I suffered from my necklace (not that I knew that at the time).
I’d asked my father once why the glacier rooms weren’t supported with steel like the other labs.
He’d ruffled my hair and said that if there was ever a disaster down here, the chances of being buried alive were too great.
Therefore, if an experiment was considered dangerous, it would be done inside one of these little pockets—relying on the glacier to swallow the explosion and fold in on itself, snuffing out the fire and containing the blast from damaging the rest of the lab.
Some had no furniture whatsoever. Some had tables and chairs. Others full of research equipment, but this one...this one had a bed, chest of drawers, and a bathroom.
“Go on, then,” Dillon arched his chin with a grimace. “Get busy.”
“Get busy?” Lucien snickered behind me. “You mean...fuck?”
Dillon’s ears turned bright red. “She’s basically my little sister, alright? I’ve already had to listen to Frank giving you a list of activities. I really don’t need the mental image of you two—”
“Relax.” Lucien chuckled, only for a cough to cut him off.
“We don’t want you watching us either.” A sliver of his pain fed down the bond from his cracked rib.
He leaned against the wall, acting nonchalant but unable to hide his misery.
“Then again...” His eyes met mine. “It would be interesting to know what happens.”
Dillon choked a little. “I think we all know what ‘happens.’”
“We don’t. Whatever happens in the dreamscape doesn’t seem to happen in this world.”
“Yes, well...someone else is going to have to tell you, I’m afraid.” Dillon shuddered dramatically. “Perhaps the panther can perve for you.”
Whisper chuffed, his whiskers flaring as if accepting the challenge. Then again, he’d already seen us have sex at Ashfall Cliff multiple times, thanks to not being able to keep our hands off each other.
I’d thought, back then, that our insatiable appetites were normal for newly deflowered virgins, but...what if it wasn’t? What if our systems were already feeding off each other even then?
Lucien sucked in a breath, wincing as fresh pain throbbed.
Moving closer, I linked my fingers with his. I hated the way he felt so...empty. How every second he felt a little less alive.
He shuddered as our fingers wove together.
Just that little contact gave us a shock of energy, warming me and cooling him, balancing everything that was going wrong with us.
You alright? I held his gorgeous black eyes.
I’m fine. He gave me the softest smile, squeezing my hand. You?
Never better.
Liar. He sighed sadly.
“You’re doing it again, aren’t you?” Dillon exhaled with annoyance. “Doing that freaky telepathic thing?”
I laughed quietly. “I can tell you what he said if you want.”
“Nope.” Dillon rubbed his arm where he’d been shot. “It freaks me out. I’ve met a few clairvoyants in my time but true telepaths? That’s something only the old folk should be able to do.” He gave me an exhausted grin.
I was worried about him.
He acted as if he was perfectly healed, but even the Cryolyt pills couldn’t erase his pain forever. “While Lucien and I heal, please have someone tend to your arm. You’re not looking so good.”
“I told you.” He scowled. “I’m not leaving this door. I’ll keep you safe, just like I promised. Just...no moans or groans, alright? Take mercy on me.”
Clicking his fingers at Whisper, he added, “Come hang out with me, pesky cat. What they’re about to get up to is not decent for your eyes. In fact.” He caught my gaze. “I better tell the security team to cut the feed to this room. No one needs to see their boss and her boyfriend getting naked—”
“Still hate that word.” Lucien shuddered.
“Then you should just marry her, shouldn’t you?” Dillon smirked.
“Oh, I intend to,” Lucien replied. “The moment we figure out how to stay alive she’s becoming my wife, and you’re invited to watch.”
“What’s with you and wanting me to watch?”
“Thank you for turning the cameras off, Dil,” I cut in, rolling my eyes, then gasped as a brutal spike of pain exploded through my chest. A wet, sickening crack echoed deep within my ribcage as a bone gave way under the strain of my failing body.
I doubled over, black blood spraying over the floor.
“Shit.” Lucien clutched me close.
I sucked in a breath as yet more pain cut through my organs almost as if they were cannibalising themselves. Ice responded, coating my bones with throbbing frost.
A bolt of heat shot into me as Lucien held me tight. His fiery energy wrapped around all the pieces that were breaking, soothing my pain at the cost of his. The scent of his spirit—heady rum and smoky sunshine—shot up my nose just as more warmth soaked into my blood.
“Don’t.” I tried to push him away as an echo of his agony fed down the bond. “Don’t hurt yourself for me.”
“I’d kill myself if it meant I could save you, you already know this.” He inhaled my hair, his heart pounding against me. “Better?”
I nodded, sagging in his embrace. “Thank you.”
Thank me by having sex with me. His lips quirked.
I wrangled enough strength to smirk. You drive a hard bargain, but I suppose I can oblige.
He chuckled, pushing away yet more pain.
God, I hated all of this.
There was no denying Lucien had the gift of healing me. But...like all medicines, his potency decreased the closer we got to our expiry date.
I could feel it.
Feel how his fire was no longer a blazing bonfire, but a single match trying to hold back a blizzard.
“We should go,” Lucien said softly, cutting into my morbid thoughts...probably deliberately.
I forced a smile and nodded.
As we turned to enter the room, Dillon asked, “Do you think you and Frank will be okay?” He flinched. “After what he just told you...about your parents.”
My heart hitched, still far too tangled with love and hate to think rationally.
When Frank admitted he’d basically murdered my parents, I didn’t know if I wanted to kill him or thank him. I hated my parents for the massacre they’d caused, but...I loved them because I was their daughter.
I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to move past the monstrous things they’d done.
Dillon rested his hand on Whisper’s head. “They loved you, Rook, but in all honesty, they didn’t deserve you.”
Whisper chuffed, flaring his whiskers as if he agreed.
“I know.” I nodded.
“We’ll talk about it when you’re ready. But for now.” He arched his chin at the room. “Do whatever you need to do to stay alive. I’ve got the cat and I won’t leave this door.”
“Thanks, Dil.”
“Don’t mention it. You’re finally allowing me to do my job. I’m happy.”
Turning his back on us, he clicked his fingers at Whisper. “Stay with me, pest. Help me keep them safe.”
Lucien scowled as the panther actually listened, plopping himself beside Dillon and taking his bodyguard job seriously.
I tugged Lucien into the room, and the moment the reinforced door sealed with a quiet hiss, Lucien grabbed my wrist, guided me toward the bed, then pushed me down and collapsed over me.
His mouth captured mine in the sweetest, softest kiss.
And we fell from this world into another.