Darkness Seduced (Primal Heat Trilogy #2) (Order of the Blade) Page 24

  Gideon narrowed his eyes, unable to resist the lure of the mission, as she’d known he would. What warrior would rather talk about his soul mate’s emotional upheaval instead of saving the world? “It could mean where the world was formed, where Ezekiel was born, where the prison was built…” He shook his head. “There could be dozens of ‘it’s.’”

  Lily gestured at the books in her office. “If I know what the event is, I can find it. But we don’t have time to chase down every location that is significant to Calydon history.”

  Gideon got a determined look on his face. “I’m checking with Quinn.”

  Oh, yeah, that sounded like a great idea, given how determined the warrior had been to kill her. “If you connect with him, will he be able to find us?”

  “No. It’s a different kind of blood bonding ritual than you and I did. Different ritual words. I wouldn’t want to know where he was at all times. With a sheva…” Gideon’s gaze flicked to her. “Different story.”

  She swallowed, her body suddenly springing to life at the hooded look in his eyes, and her gaze flicked to his wrists, which were healing from the chains.

  He looked down and flexed his fist. “Yeah. Different story.” Gideon would never forget those five minutes, when Quinn had called for reinforcements after Gideon had dragged himself out of Lily’s room. It had taken four Order members to get Gideon down to that basement and chained up. He’d been ready to kill them all to get back to Lily and her allure of sex, of magic, of power, of…he thought of that moment in the bathroom, when he’d told her the truth about the day his sheva…the day Juliette had died. That was what Gideon had wanted to get back to as well: not just the sex and the magic, but also the intimacy of being in Lily’s arms and having her listen to him as if he were a male of value instead of the monster…

  Not that it mattered why Gideon had wanted back in that room. He would have killed Lily if he’d returned, and there was no one around to hold him back now. He had to keep his distance from her and focus on his mission.

  Gideon unwove the shields he’d erected to keep Quinn out of his mind and reached out with his mind. Quinn.

  Where the hell have you been? We’re under assault here.

  Gideon tensed, and he saw Lily frown, as if she were hearing the conversation. Of course she could. They were blood bonded now. Unless Gideon actively tried to block her, she’d be able to hear him. What’s going on, Quinn?

  A bunch of Calydons showed up right after you left and they’re hitting hard. The knife’s missing and so is Ana. Ryland and a couple other guys took off, so there are only three of us trying to keep them off. There was a grunt of pain from Quinn, followed by a roar of triumph, and Gideon knew he’d slain someone.

  Gideon’s forearms began to itch with the need to get back and help his team, to stand beside them. Where had Ryland and the others gone? Why had they left Quinn and the others in the lurch? Shit. The Order truly was crumbling.

  Ana went to Frank, Lily said. I know she did.

  Quinn cursed. Did you translate the knife, Lily? Tell me you got a good enough look at it. Hell help us if you didn’t. With Frank already in possession of it…

  Gideon looked at Lily. She translated it.

  There was a rush of relief from Quinn. Damn, I’m glad to hear you say that. Next time you challenge my authority in front of the team, I’ll kill you, but this time, all I can say is, thank the Lord you’re such an annoyingly stubborn son of a bitch.

  Gideon grinned. So, we’re good?

  We’re good. There was a pause. Gideon, I did what I felt I had to do. You know it would have haunted me.

  Gideon could feel Quinn’s regret through their link, and he nodded. He would have known it anyway. I know. It’s all good. You got time to talk?

  No. But do it anyway. What did the knife say?

  Lily gave Quinn the same recap she’d given Gideon. So, do you know where ‘it’ all began?

  Quinn was silent, but Gideon could feel the energy of their connection humming. He came back after a minute. I just checked around, and we think it might be the triggering event where Ezekiel went dark originally. Because that’s truly where it all started, when he crossed over. But we don’t know when it was—

  “I know!” Lily leapt out of her chair and raced across the office. She knelt in front of a shelf in the back corner, her finger tracing titles. The tip of her tongue was peeking out of the corner of her mouth as she concentrated, and Gideon caught the scent of her adrenaline, saw the energy in every feminine curve of her body.

  That was Lily. Knowledge was her passion. Just watching her get fired up about her books made his body react.

  Gideon.

  He jerked his attention back to Quinn. Yeah.

  You holding up?

  Lily’s still alive, isn’t she? I haven’t drained her.

  True. Quinn cursed. I have to go. We’ll try to catch up as soon as we’re clear here, but I get the feeling these Calydons are here to keep us pinned down. Follow up on Lily’s findings and stay safe. Ryland, Gabe and Zach are out hunting Lily so they can kill her, and there are rogue Calydons all over the damn place. You’re on your own until I can get this place cleared out.

  Gideon ground his teeth, needing to go back and stand by Quinn’s side.

  No. You have to stop Frank. We’ll be fine. Grace is already working an illusion to bring them down. Just go! There was a flash of pain, and Quinn abruptly cut off contact.

  Gideon closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. His adrenaline was raging, and his forearms were burning with the need to jump into the fray. It wasn’t his style to do strategic work behind the scenes. He got in, did his job, and got out. It was easier that way. Less to get invested in.

  “Got it.” Lily was bent over a huge notebook, her hair falling onto the dusty pages. “It’s thought that the triggering event for Ezekiel going dark was when he was fourteen years old and he saw his father attack his mother. He went after his father in retaliation and it took six men to pull him off.” Her forehead furrowed. “They lived in the town of…hang on…I need to compare maps.”

  She set the book on the ground and hopped to her feet, not bothering to dust herself off as she crossed the room and thumbed through a few more books. She seemed oblivious to Gideon, just intent on her work.

  She fell silent as she flipped through the pages, and suddenly Gideon realized she was humming to herself. A quiet, cheerful melody that spoke of contentment and satisfaction. Music that wove its way inside him and made desire thrum through him like the steady beat of a drum. “Lily.”

  She didn’t even look up, and she hummed louder as she got to another page, her anticipation clearly building.

  As was his own lust for her, responding to the music she was calling. “Lily.”

  “This is it.” Her voice was a whisper under her breath, so sensual the way it slid off her lips, as she crouched and pulled another book off the shelf. He could feel the excited thudding of her heart as she quickly flipped through the pages, and his body began to ache with the need to respond.

  “You need to stop singing.” He couldn’t keep the growl out of his voice, couldn’t keep himself from leaning toward her.

  Lily’s eyes widened at whatever expression she saw on his face. Heated desire simmered in her eyes, and she swallowed. “You look like a predator,” she whispered.

  Something dark rumbled deep inside him. “Don’t look at me as if you like it.”

  “I can’t help it. I do.” Her cheeks flushed. “The look on your face right now is why my magic responds to you. You’re dangerous, you’re deadly, and…” Her hand went to her throat. “This isn’t good,” she said.

  “No.” He pulled himself upright and stalked across the office to the window. He gazed at the shadowed afternoon sky, heavy with rainclouds and took a deep breath. “Stop humming, and I’ll be fine.”

  “I didn’t realize I was.”

  “I did.” He turned to face her, needing to focus on anything o
ther than the flush of her cheeks. “What did you find?”

  “Right. I was working.” Lily seemed to pull herself together, and she stood up, dropping the books on a card table. Dust flew up, and she waved the cloud aside. “There are two possible locations.” She pointed to the map, and after a minute, Gideon grudgingly left the window to stand beside her, so he could see what she was pointing at.

  Gideon caught a whiff of her scent, and his groin tightened, but it was simply lust, not magic. Without her singing, it was just his own need for her. He could handle his own desire for her. He took a deep breath and leaned forward, resting one hand on the table as he peered at the map.

  “This map dates back to when Ezekiel was young, and this is where he was rumored to live.” She pulled another book next to it, and her hair drifted across his arm. It looked so soft and inviting, just begging him to slide his fingers through it—

  “This is a current map of Oregon. If you compare these natural landmarks…” Lily pointed to a couple rivers and a mountain. “Then this is where it happened. Southeast Oregon, near where the forest ends and the desert begins.” She looked at Gideon. “Not that far from Nate’s house. It could even be on his property, depending on how much land he has.”

  Gideon didn’t miss the tremble in her voice, the slight paling of her skin, and his hand went to the back of her neck before he could stop himself, his fingers kneading gently. “We believe Nate had been working for Ezekiel since Ezekiel was initially imprisoned. It would make sense that Nate would set up his home at a place that was significant for Ezekiel.”

  Lily worked her jaw, her fingers clutching the table so hard her knuckles were white. “So, we need to go there. We need to find exactly where Ezekiel killed his father, and search for the information that will tell us where the actual rite has to occur.”

  “Yeah, we do.” Gideon caught her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Can you do that? Can you handle going back to Nate’s?”

  She lifted her chin. “Of course.” Her voice was strong, her eyes were determined, but he could feel the terror in her mind, the panic trying to consume her.

  “We’re blood bonded now,” he said. “I’ll be able to find you no matter what.”

  She nodded. “I know.” But there was no conviction in her voice.

  His grip tightened, and his gaze bore into her. “No, Lily. You don’t understand. I will find you.”

  She stared at him, her green eyes haunted. “What if they kill you?”

  “God, Lily.” He slid his other hand behind her neck, so that both were cupping her. “Don’t you get it? Letting you get hurt isn’t an option for me. It’s just not. No one’s been able to take me down for the last five hundred years, and I didn’t even have you to keep safe. Now? Forget it. Me getting killed simply isn’t an option.”

  She grabbed his forearms, her fingers icy cold. “Your arrogance will get you killed.”

  “It’s not arrogance. It’s reality.” Gideon pulled her closer and bent his head to press a kiss to her mouth. Red hot lust raged through him instantly, and he broke the kiss before it could take over. “I swear on my Oath I’m going to stay alive long enough to ensure your safety. I swear it.”

  She didn’t take her gaze from his. “Okay, then. We’ll go to Nate’s.”

  He felt the conviction in her voice, in her body, and something eased inside him. Something that had been bound for five hundred years. She trusted him. She trusted him. She, who had every reason in the world to hate him, to fear him…she trusted him to take her into her worst nightmare and bring her out alive.

  Hell, he hoped he didn’t let her down.

  But before he could think about it, there was a crash from the hallway. They both spun toward the door as a heavy thud sounded on it.

  Gideon shoved Lily behind him. “I thought you said no one could find this place.”

  He didn’t bother to listen to her answer as he held out his forearms and called both axes out with a loud crack, the blades glistening in his hands as he backed Lily into a corner, reaching out with his senses to try to identify their assailants.

  The dominant scent he caught was Calydons. Dozens of them.

  Plus the three Order members who were hunting Lily.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  The door of Lily’s office flew open, and Gideon leapt in front of the doorway, rearing back to hurl his axes—

  Son of a bitch! He aborted his attack at the last second when he realized it wasn’t Calydons who had invaded his private time with Lily. An older woman in beige slacks and a beaded sweater hurried into the office. She had the same blonde hair as Lily, and the man behind her was tall and lean. His brown slacks and crisply ironed shirt were far too intellectual for a Calydon, and he had Lily’s dark green eyes.

  Her damn parents, who hated him. Crap. Gideon did not have time for a meet-the-parents moment right now.

  “Lily!” the woman shouted, her face radiating with joy and love so intense Gideon actually felt it hit him right in the chest. She looked past Gideon, clearly so excited about Lily that she hadn’t even noticed the armed warrior standing in front of her. “We knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away from your office.”

  “Mom! Dad!” Her voice brimming with emotion that leapt under Gideon’s skin and slammed into his gut like a red hot fire, Lily tried to lunge past Gideon.

  He blocked her. “Don’t,” he growled. This was not the time for a damned reunion.

  “Lily!” Her mom’s eyes filled with tears and she started to run across the office. She was less than two yards away when she finally realized Gideon had pinned Lily behind him. Her face blanched out and she stumbled to a stop, her whole body shaking and the scent of her horror blasting through the musty office. “Gideon.” Revulsion and terror spat at him.

  “Yeah, it’s me.” Yeah, Gideon knew he shouldn’t take it personally, but damn, it was hard not to notice the screaming horror emanating from her. Damn Lily for eradicating his emotional shields. He was completely empathic right now, and it pretty much sucked to feel her horror, and to realize it was directed right smack at him. “Nice to see you again,” he offered awkwardly, having no damn clue what one was supposed to say to the child of someone he’d murdered. Especially when he was the soul mate and chosen one of the daughter she’d lost for so long.

  Seemed a little late for a good impression.

  Apparently not buying into the “let’s try and put that hell behind us” approach, Lily’s dad grabbed his wife and threw her back toward the door, his own face white. “Get the hell away from my daughter, you murdering bastard! I won’t—”

  “Dad! No! He’s on our side.” Lily tugged at Gideon’s arm to get him to release her, but he tightened his grip on her, searching the door for the Calydons he’d scented. They were coming. He knew it. “Lily.” Gideon turned her toward him, ignoring her blustering parents. Screw being pleasant. He had a sheva to protect, and that was all that mattered. “Calydons are coming. We have to get out of here.”

  “What?” Lily stared at him, then her face went white. Hell, was he going to have to carry all three of them out of there? “They must have followed my parents.” She whirled toward her parents, and Gideon winced to see her mom scrambling backwards on the floor, away from Gideon, and Lily’s dad was trying to pull her to her feet. He was still shouting at Lily to run.

  Their revulsion was palpable, and Gideon could feel it pressing against him and tainting the air. He could smell their horror in their sweat and he could feel the frantic thud of their heartbeats as they shrank from the monster who held their daughter.

  Gideon clenched his jaw against the need to defend himself. Instead, he shoved Lily behind him and sprinted across the floor to pick up her mother. The woman screamed as he scooped her up, a sound of such brutal terror that he’d never heard before. She started pounding at him, and Lily’s dad jumped on Gideon’s back and started beating at his head with one of Lily’s books. Lily started yelling at her parents, trying to get them
to calm down.

  “Let’s go, Lily,” Gideon commanded, his muscles straining with the effort of trying to hold Lily’s mom still without hurting her. He grabbed Lily’s wrist with his free hand as he felt blood streaming down his face from her mom’s fingernails. He sprinted for the door, confident Lily’s dad would be on his heels as Gideon took both women with him.

  Gideon burst out into the hall and skidded to a stop as the scent of Calydons overwhelmed him. It was coming from all directions. Through the air vents, down the hall, up through the floor. He could hear the rapid thud of heavy footsteps as they charged them. He heard the rasp of heavy breathing and felt the air pressure hum with their deadly intent.

  “Oh, God, I can feel them.” Lily stopped beside Gideon, her shoulder pressed against his arm. “They’re everywhere.”

  “Back inside,” Gideon snapped. He shoved Lily in the office and slammed his shoulder into Lily’s dad to throw him back inside. Gideon kicked the door shut, didn’t bother with the lock, and sprinted across the room to the window. He deflected Lily’s mom as she went for his eye, then he slammed his axe into the thick glass of the picture window. The glass shattered, covering all of them.

  Lily’s mom paused in her attack, staring at the window. “Dear God,” she whispered, her voice stark with horror. “He’s going to throw us out.”

  “For hell’s sake, what do you think I am?” Gideon snapped. “I’m trying to save you.”

  Lily’s mom screamed like a freaking maniac and raked down his face with her claws again. “Let me go, you bastard!” Lily’s mom screamed. “Run, Lily, run!”

  Jesus. And he was the insane bad guy? Really? He dropped the woman. “Fine. Do whatever the hell you want.”

  Lily raced over to the window and looked out, catching her breath. “It’s six stories, Gideon. It’s too far.”

  Damn, it felt good to have Lily on board with him. Her calm focus was steadying, and he appreciated the fact that her trust of him was firmly resistant to her parents’ attempts to drive a wedge between them.

  “Nah, six stories is nothing.” He grabbed Lily and planted a hard kiss on her, needing to show her parents exactly what stood between them. He grinned when Lily just smiled at him, as if she understood exactly why he’d done it.