by K.N. Lee
“Of course,” Livia said. “But I don’t think Egan should…”
“I’d love a glass of red wine to wash down this fine scotch,” Egan said with a grin.
“Excellent. You’ll be putty in my arms.” Rion winked.
Egan’s nether region surged in response.
Livia and Rion disappeared into the kitchen.
She closed her eyes and let the buzz of alcohol lull her into a false state of calm. Nothing about their situation spoke of calm. But unless she let go a little…
“Egan.”
Someone gently shook her shoulder.
“Egan. The food’s ready.”
“Huh? What?” She opened her eyes, sucking in the spit falling from her mouth.
“You were snoring.” Livia set a plate down in front of her.
“No, I wasn’t.” She wiped her mouth with her sleeve. “I don’t snore.”
She sat up, refusing to meet Rion’s gaze. This is embarrassing.
He held out a wine glass to her. “You’re exhausted. I’d snore, too.”
She sighed and took the wine. The smell of Italian food overpowered her. “Goodness, that smells fantastic.”
Livia settled next to her on the couch. “It tastes even better. Eat.”
Egan picked up her plate, piled high with lasagna, salad, and crispy garlic bread. “Thank you so much, Rion.”
“My pleasure.” He perched on the barrel chair next to her, holding a glass of wine.
“Aren’t you eating?” she said, through a mouthful of food.
“No, I already ate. I got this for you.”
Her heart turned to mush. Heat filled her cheeks. She smiled at him and said, “Did you find anything out?”
He slowly shook his head. “Not a thing. Renner and Alicia seem to be in the wind. I put out lots of feelers but no one could give me any information.” He set his wine glass on a coaster and clasped his hands over his knee.
“Crap,” Livia said. “We’re screwed.” Her eyes grew moist. She set down her plate on the coffee table and swiped at her eyes. “I’ve already got you in my will, Egan. I don’t have much, but whatever I have is yours.”
Egan stopped, mid-chew. She swallowed the lump of lasagna in her mouth and said, “Don’t talk like that.”
“But if no one can find them, I’m a sitting duck. I’m Cassandra.” Livia looked like she might start bawling.
“There’s got to be a solution,” Rion said. His eyes scanned the room, then he got up and strode toward a box of tissue sitting on a side table. “Here,” he said, when he’d returned. “Looks like you need this.”
“Thank you,” Livia sniffled, reaching for the tissue.
Egan’s muzzy mind whirled. She snapped her fingers. “I’ve got an idea.”
“What is it?” Rion asked.
“Cassandra had visions, right?” She sat forward on the sofa.
“Yeah, so. No one believed her.” Livia lifted her plate and began picking at the food with her fork. “Same with me. Danvers sure doesn’t believe me.”
Egan waved her hand. “He doesn’t understand. But he tries. Don’t worry about him. So, here’s the deal. Cassandra didn’t have a best friend who believes in her.” She smiled at Livia. “I believe in you, Liv.”
Livia’s eyes glistened as she looked at Egan. “Thank you.”
“So.” Egan quivered with excitement. If she were a dog her tail would be wagging. “I’m here and I believe you whatever you say. Rion’s here and he believes you, right?”
Rion nodded.
“So, we’re going to get you to lean into this. Have a vision. Take me where I need to go, and I’ll believe you.”
Livia frowned. “But what if it kills me?”
“It won’t kill you. I’m here. Rion’s here. We’ll both keep you safe.”
“I don’t know.” Livia set her plate down again. “It sounds risky. I lost myself when I had the visions before and my eyes turned all white. I have very little memory of what I did or said.”
“I promise we’ll keep you safe.” Egan held her hand out to Livia.
Livia took it and squeezed.
She held out her other hand to Rion.
He blinked, then took it.
“We can do this. We can conquer evil.”
“Okay, if you’re sure,” Livia said, sounding uncertain.
“I’m positive. We have no other options. It’s a make it or break it moment and I think we’re going to make it.” Doubt swirled in the back of her mind. She shoved those thoughts away. Life without Livia meant heartbreak. She couldn’t…no, she wouldn’t let anything happen to her best friend. She wasn’t sure yet how to make that happen. She simply vowed to keep her promise.
Livia
Later that night, Livia stood in the dark, before the quiet brownstone belonging to Lieutenant Danvers. She hesitated before climbing the front steps. I must talk to him. It could be my last chance to tell him how much he means to me.
She’d texted him about an hour ago, telling him she needed to talk. His response?
I’m here for you.
She glanced at his words on her phone display, and straightened her shoulders.
Light came from the street lights and the two outdoor lamps on either side of the green door. Her brows furrowed as she looked around. Pulling her jacket closed, she licked her lips and laughed to herself.
Of course, he came from money. Danvers seemed to be this roughened bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, when in reality he was just another trust fund kid.
Livia looked down at her phone and double-checked her message from Danvers.
This was it.
She inhaled and walked up the stairs. She knocked on his door, then tucked her hands in her pockets and waited.
Anxiety threatened to close her throat. She wanted to turn and run, but knew she had to do this.
There wasn’t a choice. Turns out she cared for him too much to not do this. She had to tell him how she felt.
The door opened and Danvers held an arm out on the frame, looking down at her.
“You actually showed up,” he said.
She shrugged. “I’m a girl of my word.”
“Is that so?” he asked, cracking a grin.
Livia averted her eyes from his shirt, which clung to his tight abs and muscled shoulders. Focusing on his eyes wasn’t any easier. He always had this power to seemingly read her thoughts and emotions.
She couldn’t hide much from him, though she tried.
“Can I come in?”
He nodded, and stepped aside. “As you wish.”
She walked past him as he held the door open. His home was impeccably clean and neat inside, which didn’t surprise her, given his tidy office. His foyer floor seemed to have been polished recently, and the staircase that led to the second floor had a deep maroon rug leading upstairs. Expensive art hung on the walls and a sitting room was dimly lit to her right.
“Want a drink?”
Livia raked her hand through her hair and nodded. “Sure. Whatever you have.”
He motioned for her to enter the sitting room, and she did so, sitting on a plush chaise lounge. Bookcases lined the back wall, stacked with books from every genre, dominated by history and cookbooks.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Livia said under her breath.
She wished she’d let him cook for her when he’d offered. It might be too late, now.
She rested her back and kicked her feet up, careful to keep the soles of her boots from tainting the beautiful fabric of the chaise.
Danvers walked in, carrying two small glasses of a dark liquid.
Livia accepted hers and sipped what smelled and tasted as whiskey.
“So,” Danvers said as he sat on the leather sofa next to her. “What’s this visit about?”
Livia took her time, sipping her drink, and letting it burn its way down her throat and into her chest. It was a welcome feeling, filling the void.
She felt his eyes wa
tching her, examining, coming to his own conclusions, and sat up with a grunt. “I just needed to tell you that you mean something.”
When she looked at him, he raised a brow.
She set her glass on the glass table and rubbed her temples. “I mean, you mean something to me.”
Her voice came out soft and fragile, not how she wanted it to. But, it was fitting, for the way she felt at that moment.
Danvers didn’t reply. Instead, his face softened and a hint of a smile lifted the corners of his lips.
Livia kept talking, to fill the silence.
“Something is going to happen,” she said, meeting his eyes. “And, I don’t know if I will survive it.”
Danvers scooted to the edge of the seat and took her hand into his own. “What do you mean you don’t know if you’ll survive it?”
Livia shook her head. “What I said. I don’t know if I will come back from this. So, I needed you to know…that you were more than a fling. To me, this was more than just sex. I care about you. As stupid as that sounds.”
“No, no, no,” he said, pulling her to him and lifting her onto his lap. “There is nothing stupid about what you just said. You know I’m falling for you—have been since the day you strode into the precinct.”
“What?” Livia asked, her eyes widening.
His arms around her back made her melt into his chest. He stroked the small of her back, soothingly.
“You heard me, Liv,” he whispered into her ear as he pulled her even closer. “Don’t act as if you don’t know I’m crazy about you. I haven’t loved—”
Livia gasped and pushed away. “Love?”
His face paled and he pursed his lips.
Livia cupped his cheeks in her hands as tears stung her eyes.
Danvers closed his eyelids and exhaled. “No hiding it now,” he said with a sigh. “That’s right, Livia. I love you.”
Her brows furrowed and she bit her bottom lip to contain the smile that threatened to take over her face.
“I can’t believe it,” she whispered.
Danvers stroked her hair. “Can’t believe what? That you’re worthy of love?”
“Yes,” she said as tears trailed down her face. “And, that I feel it, too.”
He cracked a grin. “Are you saying you love me too?”
Livia nodded, fast and fervently. “I do.”
His face turned serious.
“Good,” he said with a nod.
His lips pressed against hers and she closed her eyes, submitting to its passion. For a moment, she lost herself in his kiss. She swooned from the sensation. Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him closer. After a time, she eased away from him. “I…I’d better go,” she whispered.
He cleared his throat. “So,” he said. “You better come back to me. No matter what.”
His words struck a tender chord in her heart. The tears were too abundant to see through anymore. But, she nodded and kissed him again.
“I will,” she promised, hoping it wasn’t a lie.
Livia
When Livia returned home, she was drained, physically and emotionally. Egan waited for her, on the sofa in front of a loud sitcom.
Livia scooted onto the sofa next to her, and leaned her head upon Egan’s shoulder.
“I have something to tell you,” Livia said, preparing herself for the worst.
“What is it?” Egan asked, turning the television down.
“I’ve been seeing Danvers. For a while now.”
The silence was brutal as Livia imagined all the horrible things Egan could say. She betrayed her. She kept secrets. She didn’t trust her. Those were all untrue. It wasn’t her intention to keep it from Egan. Egan had been her rock, ever since Psi-3891. They supported one another. Kept each other strong. She worried what might happen now that her alliances were shifting. Now that I’ve fallen in love.
“I know,” Egan said, softly.
Livia shot up and turned to her. “You did?”
Nodding, Egan drew in a deep breath. “How could I not? You two are terrible at hiding it.”
Livia rubbed her face. “Oh, God,” she grumbled. “I’m sorry. It’s just been you and I for so long, I didn’t even know how to begin to bring another person into our lives. I never expected to feel this way about him.”
Egan put a hand on Livia’s thigh. “Listen. It’s okay. Trust me, I understand. You deserve love, Liv. I don’t think you realize it, but I do. I’m happy for you.”
Grinning from ear-to-ear, Livia tackled Egan with a hug, squeezing her athletic shoulders, tightly.
“Okay. Okay,” Egan shouted with a laugh. “Back off for a bit. I have something to tell you, too.”
“Oh?” Livia’s brow lifted and she returned to her seat and folded her hands in her lap.
With a sigh, Egan played with a loose thread from her jeans. “I think I’m falling for Rion.”
Livia didn’t like how Egan’s voice cracked at the end, or how her smile had faded. She rubbed her back. “It’s about time, girl.”
“What did you say?”
Livia gave her a sidelong grin and leaned forward until she was looking up at Egan, whose face was pointed at the carpet.
“What did you just tell me? I deserve love. And, so do you.”
Egan’s eyes locked with hers.
“We’re such dorks,” she said, wiping the wetness from her eyes.
“Yes, we are,” Livia agreed with a laugh.
Egan leaned back. “But, you’re right. I swore I’d never love when we escaped Psi-3891. I haven’t been able to trust anyone but you—ever. I figured what you and I have is enough. I don’t need more love, not when I’ve got you.”
Livia opened her mouth to reply. A vision shot into her brain and pushed her back into the sofa.
Paralyzed, she sucked in a breath and was forced to submit to the images that played out in her head.
From far away, she could hear Egan calling for her. But, her voice was too distant, and Livia couldn’t find where it was coming from, let alone catch it.
Then, their beloved city—New York—appeared before her.
It was on fire. Buildings burned. People screamed and ran around, consumed by flames. Even the water was ablaze.
Livia cried out and reached for the people. If only she could get to them, to help. But, she was frozen in place. Useless.
Their screams filled her ears, drowning out Egan’s call to her.
Then, out of the flames and smoke, a man appeared.
Calmly, he walked toward the destruction.
Livia watched him, but couldn’t make out his face. His body was burned, charred, and blackened.
Follow the leader.
Follow the leader.
Follow the leader.
Those words repeated over and over.
“Follow the leader!”
“Livia! Wake up!”
Livia woke up screaming. Her eyes flew open.
Egan yanked a knife from her fists.
Livia looked to her, eyes wild, palms sweaty. They were in the kitchen.
Her gaze dropped to the knife in Egan’s hand. “What happened?”
“You tried to slit your throat! What the hell just happened? Why were you screaming ‘follow the leader?’”
Livia fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. “I wish I knew, Egan! Oh, God. This is terrifying. I have no control over my life.” She shook, her entire body feeling ice cold.
While she sobbed, her phone rang.
Egan kept her eyes on Livia and answered Livia’s cell.
“Rion? What’s up? It better be important because we have some serious shit going on here!”
Livia watched her through a veil of tears. Why did this have to keep happening to her? She’d promised Danvers that she would fight this and come back to him. Her sobs stopped when Egan fell to her knees in front of Livia, a stunned look in her eyes.
“What is it?” Livia asked, reaching out to Egan who looked as if she m
ight faint.
“He’s awake,” Egan muttered, her eyes unblinking. “Jason Chambers is up and he’s walking around. Saying, ‘follow the leader.’”
Follow the leader.
Egan
Jason Chambers is alive.
Egan kept repeating the phrase in her mind, like if she said it enough times, it would be make more sense.
“Get your coat, Livia. We’ve got to get over to Rion’s office.” She hustled toward her closet and grabbed the first coat in reach. Holding up a coat meant for the dry cleaners, she shrugged and put it on. “Livia! Are you ready to go?”
Her faint voice from the far side of the penthouse answered. “Yes! I’m coming.”
They met in the foyer, and, together, scurried out the front door.
They took the elevator to the parking garage and raced toward Egan’s Corvette.
“Back in the beast we go,” Egan said as she unlocked the car and ducked inside.
“Right? I feel like we’re hamsters, scurrying back and forth,” Livia said, as she slid in the passenger’s seat.
Egan powered the Corvette on and screeched away.
The streets blurred as they drove to NYC OCME. Egan punched Rion’s number into her phone as they approached the office. “Hey, Rion. We’re almost to your building.”
“Don’t come up. Stay outside.” Rion’s voice flew out the car speaker.
“What? Why? I thought you said you had Jason in the morgue, securely locked.” She clenched the steering wheel.
“I did. Apparently, lock and key can’t hold this new Jason. He twisted the door knob, melting it like it was made of wax. After he exited, it solidified. Imagine how I’m going to explain a mangled door knob to the chief M.E., let alone explain to him why the metal doors to the refrigerated cubbies had been pulled from their hinges. It looks like the Hulk went through this room.”
Livia gasped. “Where is he now?”
“He’s on his way outside, is my guess. He got away before I knew what was happening. I’d stepped into my office to check on him and when I returned…gone! Look, I’ve got to find him. Watch for me out front.” He disconnected, leaving silence rattling around in her ears.
“Jesus Christ,” Egan said. “This whole thing makes no sense.” She turned the car onto the street where the OCME was located. “Livia, look!”
