Chapter 55
Sam
We were going to save Lock. That was all I could think about as I laced up my boots.
When he told me vampires were notoriously dramatic, I assumed he was just being, well, dramatic. Now, I wasn’t so sure. It could just be my own personality becoming stronger and more chaotic.
Dramatic or not, I thought my outfit was hot. Tight black pants tucked into knee high black boots with a jacket that was long enough in the back to brush the tops of my shoes. The hood came down to partially cover my eyes, which looked pretty badass. It was a little dysfunctional from a practical standpoint, but whatever. I wasn’t about to roll up to Sibon’s house in jeans and a t-shirt.
Imagining Lock’s eyes when he saw my outfit made me smile. Maybe he’d rip it to shreds. I wouldn’t even complain this time.
My hair was down in loose curls, which I usually hated to deal with, but the contrast with my black attire was undeniably dope as fuck.
‘Save Lock’ wasn’t exactly the correct term if we were being technical. I was saving him from death, torture, and physical imprisonment. The problem was he likely wouldn’t see it that way. Could I convince him to accept it in order to keep everyone alive? I had no fucking clue, but I had to try.
“So, you’re going through with this?” Mark asked when he strode into my bedroom without knocking.
I loved him like a big brother, but he’d been overbearing since I got back. Sure, I’d been through some shit and my mental state wasn’t exactly stable, but it still bothered me. I hadn’t run headfirst into danger like I might have in the past, so he could back off a little.
“Yes,” I replied. “I’d appreciate support if that’s possible.”
“You have my full support,” Raf said from the doorway.
“Can we not make my room a meeting place?”
“It’s where you are, so it’s where I am.”
“How has Lock not killed him yet?” Mark asked.
“Because he’s a weak little bitch, that’s why.”
Shaking my head, I turned toward them. “I’m not exactly in a joking mood. Can we just get on with this?”
Mark stepped closer, tucking my hair behind both ears. There was a tight set to his lips, but he attempted to offer me a smile.
“I wish I could come with you,” he murmured.
“We don’t need backup,” I reminded him. “This is about peace. Nobody gets hurt.”
“Still. I don’t like leaving you with only him.” He jerked his chin toward the door. “His loyalties are still iffy.”
“When we’re both with Sibon, none of these lines will be blurred anymore.”
“Alright, princess. Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Always.”
“That’s a fucking lie.”
His words made me smile more than I had since I woke up in the tower, aside from the maniacal kind I’d worn during my murder spree. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I melted into his embrace. I continued reminding myself that this was the right thing to do. It would keep everyone safe, and that was what mattered most.
“Make sure everyone behaves while I’m gone,” I told him through a sniffle. “If anything happens to-”
“No, Sam.”
“If anything happens,” I repeated, holding up a hand. “You become the Domini of this coven and Seattle. It’s what Lock and I both want.”
He let out a heavy breath through his nose and nodded. Satisfied, I joined Raf by the door and took his hand. His gaze traveled over my shoulder for a brief moment before we shifted into smoke.
The house- more like mansion- Sibon was staying in was in Sacramento. According to Raf, she had homes all over the world and moved between them often. Maybe she was restless. It was more satisfying to think she was unhappy and didn’t have anyone to stay in one place for.
Lonely old bitch with nobody to love her.
We materialized behind a gas station- one of those big ones with truckers and showers. I glanced around, my nose wrinkling at the smell of the dumpster back here.
“What are we doing?” I asked.
“Being smart,” Raf replied.
“I’d rather just get this shit over with. How far is it?”
“A couple miles. I want to know what your plan is.”
“My plan? Walk in, make sure Lock is okay, then do whatever I have to do.”
He hummed thoughtfully. “Are you going to kneel, Sam?”
The thought made me feel angry. “Is that a requirement?”
“I don’t know. I can’t imagine she’s happy about what she’s lost because of you and it might take a lot to convince her you’re giving up.”
“I’m not giving up,” I snapped.
“Whatever. Just don’t piss her off. I’m sure Lock has already done plenty of that. It’s up to you to make sure this goes smoothly since there’s no way he will.”
“You’re going to help me, right?”
He reached out to adjust my hood, then smiled softly. “Of course. We’re in this together.”
“What about… When I do this pactum thing with her, what happens to our connection?”
“I don’t know, Sam.”
My eyes burned at the thought of things changing. A few weeks ago, I would’ve loved to dispense with the bond Raf and I shared, but now it felt like part of me. He was woven through the very fabric of my blood similarly to the way Lock was and I was terrified to lose him.
My chest ached, reminding me of the absence I’d been feeling for two days. It still hurt, the emptiness too noticeable. Was that what would happen with Raf?
“Breathe,” he instructed, running his hands over my shoulders.
“I’m trying. Up until now, I’ve had tunnel vision, only looking at the end goal. Now, I’m overthinking it.”
“Feed from me.”
I shook my head and he tightened his grip on me. He dipped his head, giving me access to his neck.
“Take my blood, Sam. It might be the last time it matters.”
With a deep breath, I pushed back my emotions and sunk my teeth into his skin. He leaned into me, heat igniting between us as the connection widened. His blood eased the ache and my worries, helping me to clear my head. When I pulled away, I felt slightly less anxious about what we were walking into.
With him by my side, we could deal with whatever happened, even if we were heading to our deaths. By some weird fate bullshit, Lock and Raf were bound to me and if I had to pick two people to walk into hell with, I guess it would be them.
“Let’s go,” I decided.
Suddenly, he pushed me against the wall and bit into my neck. I gasped, more from surprise than anything. As quick as it happened, he pulled back, running his thumb across his lower lip.
“It helps me too,” he explained with a shrug.
Keeping my eyes narrowed, I threaded my arm through his before we shifted to smoke again. My nerves were returning and when we stopped in front of the double doors, I had to take a deep breath so I didn’t throw up.
“Remember, Sibon has influence over the mind. She can use your memories against you. Don’t let her play on your emotions.”
I nodded. “No emotions in this head.”
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
With that cliché statement, I took a step forward. The doors opened on their own, but when I tried to go inside, I hit an invisible wall.
“Vas,” Raf muttered, crossing his arms over his chest as if he was annoyed.
“Dear,” a woman’s voice called. “Let our guests in.”
This time, I was able to step over the threshold. When I reached behind me, I found the barrier back in place, which didn’t make me feel better about this. We were trapped in here, so there was only one thing to do. Move forward.
Raising my gaze to the top of the stairs, I laid eyes on a short woman with a Karen cut. She was wearing a green sweater with the words Sleigh The Day across the front and snowflakes decorating it. Her dark green leggings and fuzzy boots tied the ridiculous ensemble together.
She smiled as she descended the stairs. “You must be Samara. It’s just fantastic that you decided to be agreeable and visit us with peace in your heart.”
I hated this bitch.
Raf’s fingers brushed over my shoulder blade. Sibon’s gaze moved to him and something flashed in her eyes that made my skin heat. The fresh, powerful blood in my veins may have been a mistake because controlling my magic was a feat. It nudged at my skin, begging to be set free.
“Where’s Lock?” I demanded, forcing a neutral tone.
“He was confined to his room,” she replied.
“He’s not a fucking child.”
“Are you sure? He was causing all sorts of problems.”
“You kidnapped him. What’d you expect?”
“Vasile, will you release Hemlock?” she called.
It only took a moment for his scent to strike me. I was about to take off in his direction, but he made it to me first. Like the crazy, perfect man he was, he immediately took me into his arms and thrust me against the wall. His tongue sought mine, tasting me, devouring me, owning me.
“Did they hurt you?” I asked against his mouth.
“They’re inadequate in everything they do, darling.”
“That didn’t answer my question.”
A growl rumbled in his chest as he ran his nose up the side of my neck. “You smell like fairy.”
“Perhaps we should move on to business,” Sibon interrupted.
Lock ignored her, trailing his thumb over my lower lip. “I will fill you with my blood, Belladonna. Then, I will follow suit with my cock and my cum. You’re only ever allowed to smell like me.”
He set my feet back on the ground and I smiled up at him. Looking over his shoulder, my breath caught when I met dark blue eyes. I put a hand to my mouth, choking back a sob.
“Sam,” Lock said.
He tried to grasp my fingers, but I stepped around him. I stared at Joseph’s blurry form, trying to blink away the tears, but it was useless.
“What’s wrong, Sam?” Joseph asked.
When I rushed toward him, he wrapped his arms around me, dipping his nose into my hair as he inhaled.
“It’s okay.”
“I thought you were dead,” I cried. “I… Fuck, I thought I killed you. How is this possible?”
“You’ll see, Sam. Just trust me.”
That ache ignited in my chest and I gripped him tighter. Along with the feeling came a sort of sting, sharp and hot. He looked over my shoulder and shook his head.
“Don’t interrupt our moment, Hemlock.”
I followed his gaze, feeling shocked by the expression on Lock’s face. His fists were balled at his sides and his jaw was clenched. I looked at Raf, finding a similar set to his features. He met my eyes and I thought there was sadness there.
Why? Joseph was here. He was alive. Everyone should have been jumping for joy.
The pain in my chest grew stronger, bringing my attention back to the man in front of me. He smiled, but it made my stomach churn. When I tried to step back, I was overcome by the ache, the burning inside of me.
My emotions were running rampant, mixing with the confusion tumbling around my head. I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t even breathe. Every intake of air made me cry out in pain.
“Stop this!” Raf demanded.
As if a curtain was falling in slow motion, a layer peeled back from the world before me. Joseph’s skin darkened, turning a deep olive shade, and his blue eyes shifted to the color of tree bark. That menacing smile fit better on the face that replaced his, and it both angered and saddened me.
I looked down at my chest, at the hand he had inside of me. When I drew in a breath, something sharp jabbed me, probably a rib piercing through my lung. It was a strange sensation when someone held onto your heart. I couldn’t feel it as much as if it were something like my arm, but there was an awareness, almost a throb, as Davi gripped the organ. All he had to do was squeeze it a little harder and it’d be over- this time forever.
“Lock,” I whimpered.
Davi tsked at him. “One step and she’s dead.”
He growled behind me. “You tricked her.”
Sibon laughed lightly, coming into my peripheral. “I had to see if she was dead inside like you. It’s good to know her faculties are intact.”
A trick. Of course it was a trick. Raf had warned me, but I’d fallen for it before we’d been here for five minutes.
“Davi,” she went on, her tone buttery soft as she addressed him. “Kindly release the girl.”
His eyes narrowed on me. “She deserves the same fate Erla suffered.”
I pursed my lips, hoping he saw it as a nervous gesture instead of amusement.
“Where is the rest of her?” he demanded, tightening his grip and forcing a gasp from my lips.
I heard Lock step forward, but he stilled when Davi looked at him. His anger and fear rippled across our bond, the combination intense enough to make my muscles tremble. Along with it came a surge of power that hummed in my veins. I latched onto the connection and forced a burst of heat outward from my chest.
Davi gritted his teeth, but held on firmly, even as the smoke ate away at his skin. If it wasn’t for Raf keeping a grasp on me through our own connection, I was sure it would’ve burned me as well. Grabbing my arm with his free hand, Davi began to drain me the way he had at the rest stop. I felt the energy flare and fizzle out, but it was replaced by the two men behind me, creating enough of a flow that I could keep fighting. At least, until they inevitably ran out.
An intense pressure in my head distracted me from my task. Davi seemed to suffer the same affliction because he released me and stumbled backward. I dropped to my knees and fell into strong arms. The familiar scent made me relax into him, even as it felt like I was being torn apart from the inside.
“Careful, Seraphim,” I heard Sibon say. “If you attack me, we don’t have a deal.”
“This wasn’t the deal,” Raf replied.
“I’m simply breaking up the fight.”
“We both know that isn’t true.”
He swore and I felt his pain, followed by Lock’s.
“Everyone should accept the fact that you are in my home,” Sibon drawled in her annoying, nasally voice. “Shows of strength won’t be tolerated. In fact, Davi will be muting the magic in your blood.”
The pressure disappeared and I sucked in a sharp breath. Lock helped me to my feet, just his simple touch making my body feel better. I quickly checked in with him, making sure I couldn’t feel anything wrong now that we were closer. It felt like my very blood was straining toward him, desperate after being separated for two days.
“It’s not necessary to weaken us,” Raf said, taking a couple steps closer to me. “If we’re not attacked, we’ll make no moves.”
“It would be stupid to leave a Nexus, even an incomplete one, with their defenses fully intact,” Sibon replied.
She stopped in front of him with a strange look on her face. It wasn’t soft, but it also didn’t feel hostile. I didn’t like that she was so close to him or staring at him at all. Taking Lock’s hand, I drew strength from him, continuously reminding myself that this was necessary. It was the only way.
He positioned his lips at my ear. “Relax. She can feel your emotions, your fear, your intentions.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “None of this should have happened.”
His arm tightened around me. “Not now, Belladonna.”
Sibon rose on her toes and held her hands up. Raf was tense as he inclined his head so she could touch his temples. Everything inside me was trying to respond to the threat, urging me to eliminate it. With the touch, she awoke their own bond and it triggered a wave of nausea in my gut.
Davi moved over to me and Lock dragged me backward.
“Follow instructions or everyone dies,” Sibon said without looking at us.
“It’s okay,” I assured Lock. He wasn’t convinced, but he nodded, stroking his hand down my back.
When Davi roughly grabbed my wrist, I forced myself to remain silent. All of the heat fled my body with the silencing of my magic and there was a burst of air that made the crystal chandelier clink above us, then it was still. As before, I felt completely empty.
As he reached for Lock, I panicked. We were at their mercy, which I knew would be the case, but not having the means to protect ourselves wasn’t okay. I was drained and if they did the same to Lock and Raf, our connection would be useless. None of us could help each other and they could do whatever they wanted to us.
This was a mistake. It was the wrong move, but now there was nothing I could do.
Pulling out of Lock’s grip, I thrust my hand into Davi’s chest, sending him toward the staircase. He crashed into the banister, making the wood shatter, then shifted into smoke. I lost track of him and the small laugh from a few feet away told me I’d completely fucked up.
Classic Sam move.