Chapter 59
The voidless kept marching and marching, the bodies piling up, and yet there was no stopping them. The vampires were beginning to tire. Fatigue was becoming the real enemy. Derrick knew something seemed off, but there wasn’t time to think as they continued to smash against them.
A blue energy shot over the voidless, and the exhausting battle instantly came to an end.
Derrick watched as Levi materialized in front of him.
This was the strength he was missing. This was the strength that took Lucie.
Who could battle against that? What was tiring his army out, Levi instantly combusted. Damn … deities were scary.
“Levi!” Jasper called as he ran over to greet the deity beside Derrick. He glanced over at Derrick and could see he was anxious as well. If Levi was here, that meant he had news of Lucie. But he didn’t have her with him, which didn’t seem like a good sign.
“Thank you. We were starting to wear out,” Derrick said as he panted to catch his breath. His amber eyes were locked onto Levi as he waited for news.
“We have her,” Levi said quietly.
“You found her! Thank goodness.” Jasper sighed and patted Derrick’s back.
“Ken found her. He saved her,” Levi answered while keeping eye contact with Derrick.
“Take me to her.”
“I will. It’s just …” Levi frowned. “Derrick, I want to prepare you.”
Derrick felt his chest squeeze in pain. He waited with bated breath for what Levi was going to say. Jasper squeezed his shoulder, showing him he was there for support.
“I don’t know what she’s been through. But physically, she’s in bad shape.
She has broken ribs, bruising, and cuts.
She has something in her system that won’t allow her to be healed by her magic or any magic.
And … I don’t know what else he did to her.
Ken had to give her his shirt to wear. As her soulmate, you’re going to see and know what happened to her.
You need to be prepared. Lucie will need your strength.
I’ve never—” Levi shook his head and closed his eyes at the memory of seeing his niece. “I’ve never seen her look like that.”
Derrick clenched his fists so tight his knuckles turned white. “What about the man who took her?”
“He got away. But he won’t come back for Lucie.
Selene has woken up Rogio. Rogio will make sure nothing happens to her or your kind.
Erebus will not dare come near you, because that is one deity he does fear.
He fears his power over the council. Don’t worry.
I will continue to hunt Erebus down for what he did to Lucie, and Ken will as well.
Lucie protected my daughter. If she would have just confessed that she wasn’t Ken’s mate …
but she didn’t. I’m sorry, Derrick. I’m so sorry. ”
“Derrick!” Ryan jogged over to them. “Has she been found?” Derrick nodded his head.
“Thank the heavens. I’ve got things covered here.
You and Jasper go.” When Derrick had ordered the full assault on the witch, Ryan took his rightful place as the head of the elite soldiers.
Now, they had built up a relationship. It was his job to lead the soldiers, and they already respected him before, thinking he was the prince.
It was a bit of an adjustment to realize who was the prince and who was the soldier, but now Derrick could take care of what was important.
“I can bring you both back, but … Lucie doesn’t want to see anyone.” Levi gazed at them sadly.
“Wait. When you say anyone …” Jasper said, glancing over at Derrick.
“As I said … we don’t know what she’s been through. But if there’s anyone she needs, it’s Derrick. If you’re ready for that.” Levi met the amber eyes of the young prince.
“Whatever happened doesn’t change anything for me. I’ll help her through this. I’ll give her the time she needs and just be there for her. This soul bond will really come in handy. She won’t be able to hide what she’s feeling. I’ll be able to give her exactly what she needs.”
“It’s also why you need to be prepared and careful. Expect the worst. And you know what I mean by that. Your feelings flow through each other, and if you feel like you need to walk away to let your feelings out, then do it.”
“Levi, whatever happened would never make me think badly about my Lucie. I may feel like killing someone. But none of that matters. I just want to be near her and smell her. I can’t help it, though.
I’m probably going to cry like a baby when I see her.
” Derrick rubbed the back of his neck with a small smile.
He already felt like crying in relief hearing they’d found her.
“Ryan, take care of things here. I’m going to Lucie. ”
“Don’t worry. Everything is in good hands,” Ryan said, and Derrick nodded appreciatively. He wasn’t too worried, since Levi had wiped out the voidless army. It would probably be quiet for a while.
“Okay, Levi. Take me to her,” Derrick said firmly.
They found themselves standing near the bottom of the stairs to his upper pad. Standing there was all of the family except for Lita, Freja and Hunter.
“Jasper, wait here,” Derrick said with a small smile.
“Take care of her for me,” Aedan said quietly. He didn’t know how she was doing, but for Lucie not to want others around, she must be in pretty bad shape.
Derrick nodded, and Levi immediately transported him up the stairs.
“I’ll be at the bottom waiting with Reiya,” Levi said, leaving Derrick standing in the room. He glanced up to see Abe standing there, staring at a closed door.
“How is she?” Derrick whispered. He was shocked to see Abe’s red, puffy eyes. It was obvious he’d been crying, and this made his stomach turn anxiously.
“She’s been beaten up pretty bad. She hasn’t talked to anyone about what happened, but some of it is obvious.
” Abe shook his head. “She fell asleep on me. She was so exhausted that even when her parents arrived, she didn’t wake.
Her father carried her into the room there.
Her grandmother is examining her.” He nodded toward the door.
“Go and relax. I know you’ve been searching nonstop for her. I’ll handle everything from here. Jasper is downstairs. Why don’t you go and stay with him?”
Abe nodded and turned to leave.
Derrick took in a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open.
Freja was sitting near a bed, while Hunter had a hand resting against the wall, his forehead pressed against it.
Lita was finishing wrapping a bandage around Lucie when she raised her gaze to him.
He walked in closer and his eyes landed on Lucie.
Her eyes were closed. Her lip was cut, and she had a red, swollen mark across her face.
Her lower body was covered with a sheet, but her arms had bruises of all different shades, from old to fresh.
The dress he last saw her in lay shredded on the side of the bed.
He turned his eyes away from it and walked closer to the bed.
Lita immediately got up to make room for him to be closer.
“She has four broken ribs and needs to stay still until she can be healed. When she wakes, you’ll be able to see what happened through her thoughts.
Instead of us talking to her about it, you can come out and tell us later.
It’ll be less stressful for her this way.
” Lita watched as Derrick sat on the bed next to her.
“Hunter, Freja … why don’t you come back with me?
Let’s have some tea. You two need to rest as well.
There’s nothing more to be done here. Let’s leave the rest to Derrick.
He’ll come and talk to us when he can.” Lita understood the soulmate bond.
Derrick would know everything, and he would know exactly what Lucie needed.
They couldn’t help her more than he could.
Hunter looked at Lucie, his gaze full of pain.
He was also struggling with not being strong enough to rescue his own daughter.
It made all of them realize that no matter how powerful they were, there was another level of strength above them.
He felt Freja’s warm hand intertwine with his, and she nodded in understanding.
Slowly he allowed her to lead him out of the room.
The door closed quietly, leaving Derrick alone with Lucie.
He shifted carefully in the bed so he could lie next to her.
He just laid there, staring at her. He missed her so much.
His sweet, precious little mate. He felt his eyes burning as tears began to seep from them.
They kept coming as he looked at her. Deep down, he was terrified he would never see her again.
Seeing her broke something in him, and weeks of worry were spilling out of him.
He smoothed her hair back from her face, his fingers brushing against her skin ever so slightly, and he felt the surging tingles rush through him from the contact. Lucie felt it too, because her eyes fluttered open.
Green stared into amber. No words. Just silence.
Their lives, their hurt, their pain … everything flashed between them.
She knew his pain and his worries. He knew hers.
He saw her memories, how she was beaten.
How she fought and how Erebus forced his kisses on her.
But that was all he’d forced on her. He didn’t take her completely.
And yet, he could feel how Lucie still felt tainted because of it.
Instantly, they knew it all. And they knew how the other felt about it.
Absurdity from both ends. Lucie didn’t blame Derrick and he didn’t think any less of her. They both wanted the other completely.
“I love you, my little mate.” Derrick brushed his thumb against her cheek. “Everyone’s here. They’re all worried about you.”
Lucie reached up and covered his hand with hers. Their fingers tangled together and she closed her eyes, enjoying the touch of her mate. “I didn’t know if I would ever see you again.”
Derrick squeezed her hand and breathed in deeply. He understood her feelings. He’d also felt them.
“I would kill for a shower,” Lucie said with a chuckle.
“Sorry, baby. I’ll get a washcloth and wash you, but you need to stay still.
You have four broken ribs.” Derrick’s heart stung.
His sweet Lucie had endured so much. A smirk played across his lips as Lucie’s thoughts entered his mind.
“Don’t even, you little temptress. Strictly a pure, wholesome sponge bath.
That’s it. But once you’re healed, I plan to mark every single part of your body and leave my scent on every inch of your skin. ”
She closed her eyes and rested quietly. He scooted closer, leaning his forehead against hers, still holding her hand.
This was enough. They both just needed to be near the other.
All their worries and concerns instantly vanished.
They needed this quiet moment together, just to breathe the other’s scent and feel the other’s touch.
Something so simple and yet so powerful.
Derrick brushed his lips over her forehead before leaning back to watch her face.
He felt her drift into unconsciousness. His eyes watered as the floodgates released.
All his emotions flowed out of him as he watched over her.
And for the first time since Lucie had been taken, he also relaxed.
He’d been tirelessly fighting and hardly sleeping.
With his head against hers, their fingers intertwined, they both slept. Two halved souls, finally reunited.