43. Lucien
Lucien
When I get to Cece’s apartment, the door is already open. My chest immediately feels like it’s being squeezed. I move fast, heart pounding, praying to the gods I’m not too late. Then I nearly collide with Xan as he’s stepping out. His eyes widen.
“Luc,” he says, and there’s a flicker of relief in his voice. “I’m so glad to see you.” He hesitates. “How did things go?”
“I’m the Seventh.” The words fall flat. My eyes sweep the apartment, searching for her as he watches me carefully.
“Well, that’s great . . .” he says, waiting for more.
But as much as I don’t want to be an asshole, I don’t have time for this.
“I had a run-in with Aris. The Surgers will not stop. But apparently, they’re not the only ones after her now. Aris wouldn’t say more. He was holding back, but I could tell he wasn’t lying.”
Xan’s expression darkens.
“Yeah, there’s been a breach. Lots of energy spikes. I need to check things out. I was just heading out—”
I cut him off. “Heading out? Where’s Cece?”
I’m already pushing past him, moving through the apartment fast, making a straight line for her bedroom.
“She’s not here, Luc,” he calls after me, quickly keeping pace. “I asked her to go to a work event. Some Halloween party they’re having. Figured if she was surrounded by people, she’d be safer. Gave me a window to check the surveyors—”
“Alone?” The word rips out of my throat. “Are you fucking kidding me, Xan?”
The apartment lights begin to flicker wildly.
“I went with her. Made sure she got inside. I was heading straight to the sites, but realized I’d left some materials back here.” Xan glances around, clocking the evidence of my temper sparking in the fixtures. “Fuck, man, you need to calm down before you ignite this place.”
I don’t answer right away. My jaw locks, teeth grinding as anger brews low in my chest. It’s not Xan’s fault. He’s doing everything he can, carrying this mess on his own. But that doesn’t stop the fury from bleeding through. Or the fear. Or the bone-deep exhaustion of it all.
The danger never lets go of her. No matter where she is, she’s still standing in the crossfire.
I turn to him, voice tight. “Tell me where the party is.”
When I’m in full Pomerian attire, blending in on Halloween is effortless. No one looks twice at the man in black, a sleek trench coat hiding the daggers resting quietly at his sides.
I slip into the hotel where SciCell’s throwing their Halloween party, but before I can make it into the main hall, I spot a guy at the door checking tickets.
Dammit.
I’m in no mood to charm or lie my way past anyone tonight.
Instead, I turn inward, conjuring a distorted field of energy, not to tear open the veil, but to twist the essence of time itself.
For the moment, it’s the only trick at my disposal, since no Warper can stop, rewind, or freeze time for more than a few moments.
But the dome I create bends its flow, warping perception and bending the very fabric of reality just long enough to create a brief delay. It’s enough for me to slip by the guard unnoticed before the distortion collapses and this realm snaps back into its regular rhythm.
And that’s exactly what I do.
As soon as I enter, I scan for Cece. The room is chaos, color, and noise colliding. Superheroes. People dressed as candy bars and fruit. Even a few soaked in fake blood like they’ve wandered in from a horror set.
I tune it all out.
Then I see her.
She’s breathtaking. Radiant in a way that hits me like a punch to the chest. After all these days without her, the ache that’s been building inside sharpens into something almost unbearable.
I just need her to look at me. To meet my eyes, even for a second.
I want to reach out, touch her face, feel her warmth, see that smile meant only for me.
She’s standing near the back with Daniel, and my hands clench at my sides. He’s leaning in close, laughing at something only he finds funny. Idiot. His intent radiates from him like heat. Jealousy sears through me, hot and vicious, before I crush it down with force, before anyone can see.
Cece’s smiling. It’s polite, sure, but there’s something in her eyes. Uncertainty? Hesitation? I don’t have time to pin it down before he gestures toward the dance floor, and she gives a small shake of her head.
Subtle. The universal absolutely not.
I don’t just see it. I feel it. Her body’s speaking loud and clear.
Her body.
A body I’ve mapped. Worshipped. More than once. Burned into memory.
Gods. I need to stop.
How does he miss it? Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he sees it just fine and chooses to ignore it. No, he absolutely ignores it, because he keeps pushing, like persistence might rewrite her answer, confident she’ll fold.
And despite everything in her eyes, she does.
I should move. Step forward. Say something.
But I don’t.
I just watch. Like I need to see how far this will go. Like some twisted part of me wants to feel the full sting of it.
They reach the dance floor. She’s trying to keep distance, edging away in small, careful ways she thinks no one notices. He doesn’t care. He keeps drifting into her space, closing the gap. Then his hand curls around her bag, drawing her in closer.
That’s where my restraint snaps.
Because if I don’t act now, I’ll tear this entire place apart.
I move.
I come up on their side, closing the distance fast. The second she turns and sees me, her eyes go wide with surprise, then soften. And that smile . . . it’s breathtaking. It hits me so hard I have to pause, just for a second, to take it in.
She stops dancing immediately and walks straight to me without hesitation, wrapping her arms around me in a hug that feels like coming home.
“Hey, beautiful,” I say, looking down into her eyes. “I’ve missed you.”
From the corner of my eye, I catch Daniel’s expression shift. Confusion. Maybe disappointment. But none of it matters. Not right now. All I can see is her.
Her lips are soft, parted slightly, that familiar pout pulling me in like gravity. I meet her gaze, let her see everything I’m feeling. Want. Longing. The heat that’s been building inside me since the second I walked in.
I bring my hand up to her face, brushing back a strand of hair that’s fallen across her cheek.
Then I lean in, claiming her mouth with urgency, longing, demand. And just like that, the rest of the world disappears.
I don’t care that her coworker’s watching. I don’t care that this is a professional event. I want her, and the way she melts into the kiss tells me she wants me just as much.
It’s warm. Deep. Full of everything we haven’t said since we’ve been apart. I feel it ripple through me, heating every nerve in my body.
But as much as I want to continue this, we’ll have time for more.
Later.
When I pull back, I see it in her eyes. She feels it too. The same heat. The same rush.
“I’ve missed you too,” she whispers.
Then it hits her. We’re not alone.
Her gaze shifts, scanning the room, taking a quick inventory of who might’ve seen. Her eyes land on Daniel.
“Oh. Daniel,” she starts awkwardly. “This is—”
“Lucien,” I cut in, stepping forward. “Cece’s boyfriend.”
Because fuck it. I am.
And I’m not blind. I know exactly what he was trying to do.
He eyes me, sizing me up. Then a casual smile slips onto his face.
“It’s good to meet you, Lucien. I apologize; I didn’t know you’d be joining Cece tonight. I didn’t mean to occupy her time.”
He doesn’t look surprised to hear about me.
So . . . she’s mentioned me before.
That hits me two ways. Part of me feels good, knowing I’m not some secret. But the rest of me just feels anger. He knew about me, and the asshole still made a move on her.
Good to know.
He glances toward Cece, all polite regret. She gives him a warm smile.
“No problem,” I say smoothly. “I planned to surprise her. She didn’t know I was coming.” I hold his gaze steady. “But I’m sure glad I got here when I did.”
He catches my meaning. No need to spell it out.
His smile shifts, and he gives me a subtle nod. “Well, let me not interrupt your night.”
His eyes move between Cece and me. She offers him a kind, appreciative smile.
“Thanks for the dance and the company, Daniel,” she says, casual as ever.
“Anytime,” he replies, his eyes lingering on her a moment too long before he turns and walks away.
Yeah. I can already tell he and I are going to despise each other.
The small comfort is knowing I could annihilate him in a matter of moments. It helps. A little. Sure, that probably makes me an immature asshole, but right now, I’m not aiming for moral superiority.
Cece faces me, amusement tugging at her lips. That knowing smile says she saw right through me, but she doesn’t call me out.
“Did you just get back?” she asks, then glances around the ballroom. Her voice lowers. “Were you successful? Are you Gatekeeper?”
I look into her eyes. “I am.”
She smiles, but there’s something behind it. It’s gone before I can be sure.
I slide my hand along her back, gently guiding her away from the crowded dance floor and toward the quieter edge of the room.
“I saw Xan,” I say, voice low. “He told me about the . . . activity.” Her eyes drop to her bag, then lift back to mine. “And I think we need to be extra careful about what’s out there.”
She looks down again, unzips her bag, and pulls out her phone. A crease of confusion crosses her face.
“Everything alright?” I ask, watching her get pulled into whatever’s happening on that screen.
“Yeah . . . um. It’s Ethan. We’ve never actually talked, just texted in the group chat about Kate’s party. One sec,” she says, already lifting the phone to her ear.
Then it hits.
Confusion first. Then dread.
And finally . . . panic.
“Wait, what do you mean?” she blurts out, her voice cracking halfway through his name. Her free hand trembles. “When did this happen?” she demands, louder.
Silence.
Her lips part. Her breath catches. “Oh my God,” she gasps.
I step closer, heart hammering. What the hell is going on?
“Where?” she cries. “Where did they say I need to go?”
What? Go?
She ends the call with a shaking hand, eyes wide like she’s seen something unspeakable. Then the tears come, fast and hard.
I grab her arms. “What is it?” I ask, my voice rising. “Cece . . . what happened?”
Her whole body is shaking now. Her voice breaks completely. “It’s Kate . . .” she chokes out, eyes locked on mine in terror. “They have her. They have Kate!”