‘No, she doesn't need to know.'
‘Yes, she does,' Flic spat. ‘It's not a rumour, Lucas. She could stop it from happening.'
‘The Hunters can stop it. The Elders couldn't even recruit enough unhumans to the Brotherhood. This army will be a handful of Thirsters who've been dragged from their realm – they'll be easily taken out. The Hunters can deal with them. That's their job.'
Flic stayed silent, glowering at him, her jaw set.
‘I'm sorry, Flic,' he said, shrugging. ‘I know you don't understand and I'm not asking you to. There's a reason I can't just accept this.' He bowed his head, staring at the ground. ‘And it's not just about loving her, it's something else – it's as if my life is marked in the same way as hers. Something's making me fight for her, something bigger than me. I just don't know what or why yet. I can't give up on her – it's like asking me to stop breathing.'
He looked up and saw Flic was blinking rapidly, fighting the tears. He'd never seen Flic cry. Not even when their parents had died. He resisted the urge he had to reach out a hand and place it on her shoulder, knowing she'd only swipe it away if he tried. For a brief instant he saw their mother in the expression on her face. Their mother who had lived in perpetual fear and worry for her two unhuman children. It had etched lines into her face even when she was not much older than they were now. He saw it clearly for the first time from Flic's perspective. He was all the family she had left and he was choosing Evie, a Hunter, over her. And, though he hated himself for it, he couldn't choose differently.
Chapter 34
Lucas was talking to Flic, who looked like she was on the verge of tears. For a moment Evie froze, watching them. Then Flic looked over Lucas's shoulder right at Evie, her eyes burning yellow fire. Evie pulled her shoulders back, took a deep breath and continued towards them. Lucas had turned too now, was looking at her as if she was about to break. Did it look that obvious?
‘Lucas,' Evie said in a rush, pulling herself together, ‘I think I just dropped my mum's wedding ring down the drain.'
His gaze dropped straight away to her hand. Then he nodded once. ‘I'll get it, don't worry,' he said, heading towards the bathroom.
The second he vanished into the bathroom Evie turned to Flic. ‘I need your help,' she whispered, darting a glance over her shoulder, making sure Lucas was well out of hearing range.
Flic turned on her heel and strode into the kitchen. Evie followed after her, finding her standing up against the kitchen counter with her back turned.
‘Flic?' Evie said.
Flic looked over her shoulder. ‘I'm not going to help you,' she snarled.
‘You don't even know what I'm going to ask,' Evie said, closing the kitchen door.
Flic whipped around and flew across the room, backing Evie against the wall. ‘You say you love my brother? Well, if you loved him you wouldn't be doing this! He's going to die if he keeps trying to protect you … '
‘No, he's not,' Evie answered calmly.
‘Yes he is. Issa saw it!'
‘She saw what?' Evie asked, reaching a hand to steady herself against the counter.
‘Lucas dying,' Flic spat, ‘trying to protect you. You don't need to be a Sybll with big eyes to see that. Or that thousands of other people will die too, unless you close the way through.'
Evie stared at her, speechless. Trying to fill her lungs was like trying to suck air through a crushed straw.
‘Lucas isn't telling you the whole story,' Flic hissed, eyeing the door and lowering her voice. ‘There's an army – an army of unhumans coming through here – to this realm … '
‘I know,' Evie cut in.
Flic stared at her, startled, ‘You know?'
‘Yes,' Evie nodded. She took a quick, unsteady step towards Flic, putting her hand on Flic's arm, more to steady herself than to make Flic listen. ‘I'm not going to let him die. I swear to you. I'm going to finish this. And keep Lucas safe. But I can't do it on my own. I need you to do something. That's why I made him come here, rather than letting him head east.'
Flic glowered at her, her yellow eyes pulsing hatred. Evie pushed down the anger that bubbled in response and started talking, watching Flic's scowl slowly transform into a frown as she explained what she was planning on doing. She finished in a hurried whisper, hearing Lucas's soft tread heading towards them. ‘Will you help me?' she begged.
Flic studied her. Her face had lost the disgusted look. Her eyes were wide. The hatred had muted into something less vicious. She nodded once.
‘I couldn't find the ring.'
They both turned. Lucas had appeared in the doorway. He shook his head at Evie. ‘I'm sorry.'
Her stomach clenched. ‘It doesn't matter,' she answered, forcing a smile, her insides jittery all of a sudden. She saw the pain on his face and guilt cut a swathe through her.
‘Lucas,' Flic said, sliding between them, ‘I think you two should stay.'
Lucas opened his mouth to argue, clearly puzzled by her change of heart.
Flic cut him off before he could say anything. ‘A few hours isn't going to hurt. I'm going to go and find Issa. I'll make her help you. And I'll get you a car too. You guys stay here, get some rest, eat something. I'll be back soon.'
Lucas's dark-ringed eyes narrowed at Flic, one brow arched in suspicion. He wasn't buying it. Not two minutes ago she'd been practically throwing them out of the door. His gaze flew to Evie, the suspicion growing in the light of her nervous shuffle.
He shook his head. ‘No, we need to go right now,' he answered, reaching for Evie's hand. ‘If Issa wanted to be here, she would be here.'
‘No, Flic's right,' Evie spoke up, snatching her hand out of his grasp. ‘I think we should stay. We've not slept in almost twenty-four hours. We need to rest.' She slumped her shoulders and gave him a pleading look, ‘Please? I'm exhausted. I can't fight if I'm tired.'
His eyes were storm-laden and shifting as he paused awhile, scrutinising her as if he could read her mind. She forced herself to stand still and hold his gaze.
‘Listen,' Flic said, clearing her throat behind them. ‘You're my brother. I might never see you again. I can't stop you from doing this, but I can try to help you.'
Evie registered the look of guilt that flooded Lucas's face. ‘If there's any chance that you can change things,' Flic pressed on, ‘then I want to help.' She put a hand on Lucas's shoulder. ‘Promise me you won't leave until I get back.'
Lucas frowned, then finally exhaled loudly, his teeth clenched. ‘Fine. OK. We won't go anywhere until you get back. But hurry,' he growled.
Flic brushed past them, shooting Evie a warning look that made her shudder. She disappeared and a minute or so later they heard the apartment door slamming.
Evie stood beside Lucas, her pulse quickening, listening to the hush descend and feeling Lucas's tension like an undertow pulling her down. ‘So,' she said, trying to smile, aware it probably looked like she was grimacing.
He brought his hand up and stroked a strand of hair out of her eyes. She dropped her gaze, knowing full well he'd see through the deceit in her eyes as easily as if she'd spoken it. Just as he was about to say something she took his hand and silently led him to the room they'd stayed in before.
He stood in front of the bed, then abruptly pulled his hand from hers and walked back towards the door. ‘I'm going to stay up and keep watch. You sleep,' he said. She could sense the motion inside him – the effort it was taking for him to stand still, to stay in this place.
‘I don't want to sleep,' she said, feeling suddenly afraid. She stuffed her hands deep into her pockets and looked down at her feet.
Lucas turned to her in the doorway. ‘You just said you wanted to rest. I don't … ' He stopped abruptly.
Evie took a tentative step towards him, her stomach falling away. ‘Hold me,' she whispered.
He hesitated, registering what she'd said. She watched the worry fade from his eyes and in its place a silent question form. But it was fleeting, there one moment and gone the next, the question apparently answered without needing to be voiced. He moved quickly, surprising her – was in front of her in just one stride, pulling her hard against his chest, kissing her in the next instant, cutting off her breath. One hand was pressed against her waist, the other holding the back of her head so she couldn't have pulled away from his lips even if she'd wanted to. Her hip bone jarred against his and she pushed closer, her fingers looping through the waistband of his jeans, pulling him towards her until his stomach was flat against hers.
She heard the low moan escape as she caught his bottom lip between her teeth and bit down softly. His hold of her tightened and for the sweetest, most perfect of moments she forgot everything – everything she had committed to be and everything she had committed to do – she felt so completely safe and so sheltered, as if his promises were all true and he could hold all the darkness at bay so that nothing could ever come near her or hurt her.
She pulled away from him for the brief seconds it took to tear her T-shirt off over her head with trembling fingers. She heard him take a breath as he glanced down, and he murmured something she couldn't hear as he fell to his knees in front of her. His lips brushed the cool skin of her stomach leaving a burning shiver in their wake. He pressed his cheek against the hollow shadow of her hip and it felt to Evie as if he was trying to fade into her, become part of her, and she closed her eyes and wished with every fibre of her being that he could.