Chapter 61
Derrick removed her shirt, leaving only the bandages around her ribs. He looked over her blackened and bruised body, his heart wrenching in pain.
“Derrick,” Lucie said quietly as she gave him a soft smile. She could feel his emotions raging. He was still angry at himself for letting it happen. “Don’t. We’re past this part, okay?”
Derrick lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers delicately. “It hurts my heart seeing this. I love you so much, and this just …” His voice broke for a second before he found it again. “I’ll never get past someone hurting my soul.”
It was a good thing their emotions flowed together as though they shared the same pulse.
Neither of them felt unworthy, because the acceptance between them was absolute and unspoken.
Still, that didn’t make the marks on her skin any easier for him to look at.
But the bond ran both ways, and where one of them ached, the other was already reaching to soothe it.
He tenderly bathed her, his tears flowing freely. He knew it was unreasonable, but someone else had to save his woman. Someone else had to fight the man who took her.
He leaned down and gently kissed the marks on her body, washing her skin with his own tears as well. She let him, knowing he needed to let his emotions out too. He needed to take care of her in this way.
He took his time washing her until he reached her breasts, where he met her heated gaze and promised all the things he planned to do to her later.
How he would make sure her body was purged by his heat.
She tried to get him to engage in that promise now, but he only smiled and shook his head.
There was no way he could possibly touch her like that in her condition.
But he still left gentle kisses on her sensitive mounds, smiling as he heard her protesting for more.
Derrick set the basin aside when he’d finally finished and gently eased her into the new clothes.
He grabbed some pillows and propped her into a seated position, stealing soft kisses and continuing to dote on her.
He leaned forward and kissed his mark on her neck, remembering the taste of her blood.
Lucie was also reminiscing about the way he tasted and how much she wanted to drink from him again.
“That is definitely not a good idea.” Derrick chuckled, knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop himself this time.
“Which is why it is a good idea.” Lucie grinned up at him.
“You are a little minx!” He chuckled, prodding her nose lightly. She heaved a pouting sigh. It felt good to be interacting normally with him.
He looked her over and frowned. “I guess I can probably carry you out there, but I’m propping you on the couch and you’re staying there. Deal?” He watched as Lucie smiled up at him appreciatively.
“Thank you.” Lucie reached up, placing her arms around his neck as he carefully lifted her body.
She winced once at the shift but then rested comfortably against his chest. She played with his neck and traced feather-light touches over her mark on him, enough that she could feel it arousing him.
She smiled and bit her lip as he eased her onto the couch and propped her up with pillows.
She pointed at something in the bedroom.
“Oh, could you put that in a bag for me and bring it here?” Lucie asked and Derrick smiled, nodding his head.
Abe appeared in front of Lucie, frowning. “Should you be out here on the couch?”
“Now don’t you start too.” Lucie giggled as Derrick walked back in with the bag she’d requested.
“We pick our battles with Lucie, and this is what will make her happy right now.” Derrick eased himself down beside her, using his arm to support her against his side comfortably.
“I’ll open the door so they’ll know you’re ready.”
Abe opened the door and was met with her family standing there, just waiting for the okay.
“Lucie!” Aedan rushed in front of the couch and knelt in front of her. His bottom lip quivered but he quickly tucked it in. He didn’t want to cry in front of her and upset her more. Inwardly, he trembled with anger at the sight of her condition. “I’ve missed you.”
“Missed you too.” Lucie smiled and watched as her family filled the room.
Jasper and Justice were next to make it to her.
Then, one by one, each of her family members came up to her and let her know how happy they were that she was back.
Most of their eyes gave away the emotions they were hiding behind their smiles.
They were very angry and eager for revenge.
“Lucie … I’m so sorry,” Alexa said in a strangled voice. She felt guilty knowing that Lucie had covered for her. What happened to Lucie should have happened to her. Seeing her cousin’s face crushed her, and made her appreciate Lucie’s sacrifice even more.
“Lex, don’t. I have something for you.” Lucie motioned for Derrick to give Alexa the bag. She watched as Alexa opened it and looked back at her curiously. “That is Ken’s shirt. I thought that way you could have his scent close to you.”
“Thank you so much, Lucie.” Alexa’s eyes watered as she clutched the bag close to her chest.
“He saved me for you, Lex. He cares, just so you know. I think it’s killing him to stay away from you, but he wants to keep you safe. He couldn’t stand seeing you suffer.” Lucie watched the tears trickle down Alexa’s face.
“What am I going to do with him?” Alexa smiled, shaking her head slowly before moving aside so Freja could kneel in front of Lucie.
Hunter placed his hand on Lucie’s while Freja rested her head on Lucie’s lap.
Losing Lucie and then seeing her in this condition took a toll on both of them.
It convinced them even more that they were doing the right thing keeping their children out of this battle with the witch.
It revealed how easily they could lose them and there would be nothing they could do.
The other covens hadn’t been able to make an antidote for whatever potion Beryl has created despite having a sample of blood from a wolf that was killed by it recently.
They still hadn’t been able to figure out how to stop its effects.
“I’m okay. It’s okay.” Lucie was the one comforting her parents instead of them comforting her.
She knew they must also be feeling like failures.
What happened to her was awful, but it could have easily been worse.
Much worse. And she decided she wouldn’t let it break her.
She was going to be stronger because of it.
A loud commotion broke the quiet moment between the parents and their daughter.
“Brody!” Chelsie yelled. “I can’t believe you. Those weren’t for you! I made you your own. Those were for Lucie.” She growled as she chased Brody around the kitchen area.
“Aww, Chels, I didn’t know. Don’t be mad.” Brody dodged behind Xander, then tried to hide behind Reiya.
“Uh oh. Po panda strikes again.” Xander chuckled and leaned back into his chair. This had been a regular occurrence since Reiya first came to his kingdom. It felt like only yesterday, and yet it had been over two decades now.
“Chasen ate some too!” Brody immediately deflected some of the blame to his twin brother.
“Sure, only because you offered them to me. How was I to know they were specially baked?” Chasen smirked and leaned his head down into Jin’s neck.
Chelsie jumped at Brody, but he effortlessly grabbed her hand and twirled her back into his chest. He leaned his head down and quietly whispered something inaudible to her, making her cheeks turn red.
“Save the foreplay for the bedroom.” Brian chuckled as Raine covered her face, mortified over her parents.
“Hey whelp, just wait until you find your mate.” Brody winked at the young dragon.
“Maybe I’ll meet the lucky lady at this mating party coming up, if I’m fortunate. And if not … I wouldn’t mind tasting the other fruit available.” Brian shrugged with a sly grin.
“Oh, dragon fruit. I like it. Maybe I’ll join in on this party.” Mikah chuckled. “Just because I’m not taking a mate doesn’t mean I can’t sample the fruit.”
“Lucie got to sample your fruit. How was it, Luce?” Justice asked with a smirk.
“It was awful.” Lucie smiled, trying not to laugh.
“Hey! That wasn’t a kiss, and I said no judgment.” Mikah pouted.
“The only reason you’re still alive is because it wasn’t a kiss,” Jasper said with a snicker.
“Oh? Is that a challenge, fangs?” Mikah smirked, turning to Jasper.
“Fangs?” Jasper quirked a brow. “You’re a freaking werebear, and you’re calling me fangs?”
Lucie giggled and winced from the pain in her side. Not having your healing abilities was horrible.
“Hey, don’t make her laugh.” Derrick scolded as he doted over Lucie, gently brushing his fingers through her hair.
It was relaxing. It felt normal, and everything felt like it was okay. Lucie was surrounded by the people she loved the most in this world, and the normalcy was exactly what she needed.
“Hey Abe, what about you? Does that all work in spirit form? You want to join us on the prowl?” Justice asked, slapping the half-demon on the back and glancing at his pants pointedly.
Abe chuckled. “Yes. Everything still works in this form. But I think I’ll hold off on prowling. I think I’d rather be the prowled than the prowler.”
“Oh I like it. I want that too. I need a lady stalker,” Justice said with a laugh.
Alexa made her way out of the room quietly, escaping to the balcony.
She stared into the silence and leaped from the balcony.
She silently fell to the ground, lifting herself with her ice and gently landing on her feet.
White mist and sparkling crystals twinkled around her under the night sky.
She walked to the garden that she always visited when she wanted to be alone. There, she stared out in the darkness.
“I don’t know if you can hear me … but thank you.
” She sighed. “I don’t care what the risks are.
I know you’re trying to protect me, but I just want to be with you.
Are you really planning to keep avoiding me?
” She bit her bottom lip, staring into the darkness.
“It isn’t fair for you to decide this yourself.
What do you really want? Do you really want me to move on and take another mate?
You can’t want that. Staying away from me isn’t going to stop anything. It’s only going to hurt us both.”
She felt dumb talking into the darkness, but it was the only way she could vent.
She hated this. She hated that he took the choice from her.
She didn’t want to take another mate, not when she had a fated one.
And now that she knew he did care about her, she was infuriated.
He wasn’t even giving her a chance. Did he really plan to make her wait until Erebus was dealt with?
What about after that? Would he come to her then?
And who knew how long it would take for the Erebus situation to end.
She clicked her tongue angrily and glared into the darkness. “You aren’t making this decision. No! If you won’t show yourself to me, then I will find you. I’ll drag you here and put you to your knees. You are mine. And I’m going to take what’s mine. Just wait. I’m going to find you.”
Alexa turned and stormed away. She felt dumb, always having to yell into the empty night air. She had no way of knowing if he was there to hear her or not. But it was all she could do to vent.
Little did she know that hidden in the darkness, Ken watched her. A smile played on his lips as he listened to her words. He watched her stomping away adorably as she marched back to the castle.
“I’m sorry princess, but you won’t be able to find me. You deserve someone better than me, and I hope you find him. This has to be goodbye for us. I’ve loved watching you grow. I’ve loved seeing your shining light. But your light isn’t for me. The light doesn’t belong in the dark.
“The day can never be one with the night. Be happy, Alexa. Find love … and be safe.” It pained Ken to even think of another man embracing her.
But it was dangerous for him to take her.
She was someone too pure for him. It was best all around to just let her go.
She would never know the man who loved her so much he was sacrificing himself for her.
The sting of walking away hit him deep in his chest. He’d slowly fallen deeper and deeper in love with her, after all these years of watching her.
She wasn’t just a mate to him. She was the woman he loved.
He was a monster who had dangerous enemies. He couldn’t risk her life for his happiness. It was best for her to find another, to have a chosen mate instead. It would be hell, but it was a hell he deserved. He would endure it as long as she was safe and happy.
“Goodbye, my love.”