Atticus was relieved when a small opening to a cave appeared on the other side of a hill near the water. The area was littered with small lava caves, and he was glad to have found one that didn’t appear to have animal occupants, especially since it smelled like rain in the distance.
He nodded at the dark space inside. "Go ahead and have a seat, and I'll get a fire started.”
Atticus didn't wait for her to comply. Instead, the hybrid moved right into the task of collecting enough wood to get them through the night. There were enough holes in the cave they could have a small fire without risk. They would need it to keep out the chill if rain came.
Atticus might be able to get through anything, but Celine was human.
He brought in the first armfull of wood and set it down. He was surprised when he found she'd made a sort of fire pit out of stones from the neighboring stream.
"Is it safe to start a fire?" she asked quietly. “What if it draws one of those things?”
Atticus knelt down to where she was and started stacking the wood into the makeshift fire pit. "Many of the people in these parts have fireplaces," he said as he worked. "The advantage is that that we might be able to trick their senses just a bit. Their noses are very sensitive, and the smoke will help hide how sweet you smell."
Celine leaned forward. “I smell sweet?’
Atticus turned away from her, afraid to even look at the woman. “You smell like the most amazing thing on the planet. Resisting you is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
He turned to look at her, and for the first time, he realized how badly damaged one side of her glasses were. One of the lenses had broken last night, and the frames had hit her nose, creating a bruise at the bridge.
He had been so focused on her leg and exhausted from the fight that it hadn't even occurred to him she might be hurt elsewhere.
"I need your glasses to start the fire." Atticus held out his hand.
Celine nodded and pulled the glasses from her face. For a moment, Atticus found himself captivated by just how beautiful she was.
He shook himself and took the glasses from her hand. He angled them so the sunlight was filtered through them, creating a hot beam against the leaves.
First, they smoked as a spark arose. Finally, the leaves burst into flames.
Atticus blew on the smoldering leaves as the wood caught fire and smiled when the flames crackled around the fire pit. He turned and was surprised to find Celine’s face so close to his own.
"That's the first time I've seen you smile," she said, and gave a soft laugh. "Figures it would happen when I don't have my glasses on."
Atticus could feel the heat as it rose on his face and wasn't so certain that it was the flames in front of him.
He stood and stepped toward the opening of the cave. He needed to get out of there before he again let his urges take control. It would be the best thing for both of them.
"We don't have much light left,” Atticus said. “I should get the rest of the wood before it starts to rain." He hurried quickly outside the cave where he was met by the cooling night air.
He wanted her. Badly. Even with everything that was going on, he still wanted her. A furious ache burned deep within his soul, pushing him to be with her. It wasn’t actually something that was easy to ignore.
Something rustled in the leaves nearby. He raised his arms as his keen eyes sought out whatever it was.
A white fluffy tail popped up from the brush. Not an enemy. Dinner.
Chapter Nine
Celine’s stomach rumbled as she shifted in her spot on the floor of the cave. She couldn’t help but think of the pie sitting in her car. Not only would it taste delicious, but on top of it, by the time she got out of this crazy situation, it probably wouldn’t be good anymore.
Imagining things wasn’t going to make any food appear. Maybe Atticus had some sort of Boy Scout-style trick for finding food, just like he’d done when he started the fire.
As if a light bulb went on in her head, Celine shoved her hand into her pocket and was surprised to find the two candy bars she placed there earlier.
After all the running and chasing and walking, those two candy bars had somehow managed to stay in her pocket. She offered a silent prayer to the Lord for preserving her chocolate.
Celine set them down on the rock next to her. It would be best to wait for Atticus so he could decide what they should do. She’d never been in a survival situation before, but it seemed like Atticus had.
There might be some sort of rationing they needed to implement. Although deep down inside, she hoped they could gobble the candy bars down right away, she had to admit she didn’t really know the plan or what even a good plan might be.
She worried now about how long they would be stuck in the woods. Sure, she’d wanted to spend more time with Atticus, but hiding in caves from strange monsters hadn’t exactly been in her list of good date ideas. She was thinking more a movie or dinner. Hell, spending it in the sheets all weekend. Anything but this.
She let out a long sigh. Surely that creature couldn’t follow them forever. It had to give up eventually. She wasn’t anything important. It had to know that.
Celine thought about the attack. The creatures had attacked the Azilian compound, so maybe they had something to do with the cult, but that was her first time even setting foot on Azilian land.
The truth was that she was just some stupid secretary who sometimes got feelings about people and liked to drink a little too much wine on the weekend. Not really a game changer on any level, and certainly not worth chasing through the woods.
Heavy footfalls came just outside the cave entrance. She bit her lip as her heart kicked up. Her head whipped toward the cave opening, and she prayed it wasn't the monster from before.
A handsome form appeared in front of the opening. She relaxed at the sight of Atticus. In his hand, he carried a long stick with the carcass of a skinned rabbit pinned to it.
Celine had always been a sort of fuzzy bunny lover in the town of hunters, but at that moment, her stomach grumbled, and all she could think of was how great it would taste after a little roasting.
"I found dinner," Atticus said.
She could hear the uncertainty in his voice. He probably did this sort of thing all the time.
“You hunted, and I gathered.” Celine smiled and held up the two candy bars. "I found dessert.”
His beautiful blue eyes flicked over to where she was. A small smile played on his face. “Good job. You are full of so many surprises.”
Atticus placed the rabbit over the flame, propping the stick up in just the right way so that it wouldn't burn. She couldn’t help but lick her lips at the thought of getting some protein into her stomach.
He then turned and made his way back outside. She could hear the scraping of branches as he dragged them over in front of the opening. Not exactly luxury living, but it’d help conceal them from the elements and maybe even a monster or two.
Despite everything that had happened, Celine realized she was starting to feel a little more relaxed and safe thanks to Atticus.
He stepped back through the small opening he made then pulled the branches behind him. "That should do it for tonight," he said, shaking the area a few times just to be sure.
He made his way quietly into the cave and sat down in front of the rabbit on the stick. There were so many things that she wanted to ask him, yet nothing seemed to come out now that she had the chance.
As if reading her mind, Atticus looked up at her and nodded. “So I said I’d answer your questions.”
Celine offered him a nod in response.
"We are hybrids," he said quietly.
She blinked. “Like the ones on the news? The ones from Luna Lodge?”
“Yes and no. That is, we have abilities like them, but we’re different. It’s why our eyes are blue and not yellow like the hybrids of Luna Lodge.” Atticus glanced over to where she was. The flames reflected in his blue eyes. "My people
were held captive for years," he said. "We’re not certain how long, but in some cases, likely hundreds of years."
Celine sat in silence as he rotated the stick. Before last night, even with her knowledge of the existence of hybrids, she would have doubted a story like that, but now she believed every single word.
All those times she thought he was different, special somehow, but she would've never guessed he was a hybrid, let alone some special ancient type of hybrid.
"They froze us. The Horatius Group. You know who they are, right?”
Celine nodded. “They were the ones who created the Luna Lodge hybrids.”
“Yeah. They go back a lot longer than anyone suspected.” Atticus let out a quiet growl. “They froze us to get us away from whoever we may have loved. They then made us into something else," he said. "Not quite human enough to fully fit in, but enough to pass."
So many things about Atticus and his friends now made perfect sense. Like why they lived away from the town in the mountains and why they stuck with their own people.
“And the monsters?”
“They are called Glycons, sort of mutated hybrids, more animal than man. The one most interested in you is named Thrax.”
A few other things clicked into place, such as the daily visits to the mayor.
"Does Allison know all this?" Celine asked.
Atticus’s hand stilled on the stick he had been so diligently turning. He cleared his throat.
"Yes, she does," he said. "She is a Vestal of Quintus."
"Vestal?"
Celine considered the word for a moment before realizing she’d heard it before. When she'd gone in to see Anassa, the woman had used it to describe her. She’d said she was a Vestal and chosen.
"It means she was designed for him," Atticus said softly. “And him for her. Two halves of the same whole.” He shrugged. “I guess you could say they are soulmates, but it’s deeper even than that.”
The more he spoke the more questions arose in Celine’s mind.
"The crazy people said I was a Vestal," she said.
Atticus turned and looked at her now. His blue eyes glowed slightly as he did.
“That’s true.” He swallowed once. "You are my Vestal."
Something about the way he said it sent a shiver through her. She was afraid. But it still excited her.
Celine played with the hem of her coat. "And what does that mean exactly? You’re my soulmate? I was designed for you? That’s… a bit much.”
Atticus sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I don’t know all of what I believe, but I do accept that it means we are intended for one another.”
Her heart beat frantically in her chest at his words. She had felt that all along. The pull between them. And now it all made sense. Or at least sort of made sense in some strange way.
"So where does that leave us?" she asked. She still had more than a few questions, especially considering her dreams and some of the other bizarre things Anassa had said, but finding out she was a hybrid’s soulmate was about all she could process at that moment.
He turned the rabbit again before answering her question. "Well, right now, it means we’re running for our lives." Atticus gave a small chuckle, and she frowned. Somehow that didn’t seem very funny to her. "Although that's fairly par for the course in my book," he said. After a moment, he pulled the rabbit from the fire and held it out to her. "For now we get through this, and when it's over,” he pulled a leg off for her, "we figure out what all this is."
Celine took a bite of the steaming meat and suddenly realized how ravenously hungry she had been.
Atticus was right. Now wasn’t the time to figure out what was going on and all the fine details. For right now, they just needed to get by.
Chapter Ten
The wind swirled around outside of the cave. Atticus woke with a start, not certain what had woken him, but ready to take action all the same. The experiences with the local Glycons had taught the hybrids that the creatures could show great cunning, so he couldn’t assume that an attacker would announce himself with a screech.
Atticus stilled, listening to the noises outside the cave. The wind howled, and the rain continued to beat down heavily, but their cover kept them from getting wet.
It had been a good choice for them to get somewhere dry. The last thing they needed was to catch some sort of illness while stranded in the middle of the forest.
Atticus stretched his sore muscles. It had been a long day of travel. He was glad they had put some distance between them and Thrax, but he wasn't so certain that would be the end of it.
The Glycon was driven. More so than he'd ever seen in such a creature. If the other hybrids didn't find Atticus and Celine, things weren’t going to look so good for them, especially if Thrax brought reinforcements.
There was only so long they could hide before they were eventually found and having fought him once, Atticus wasn’t sure if he could win.
Whatever they had done to make Thrax what he was, it was clear that the Group had engineered him to beat the hybrids. Maybe as a sort of failsafe. It was hard to tell. For all the questions Celine had, the hybrids still didn’t understand much about their own situation.
If they were to believe all this gods nonsense, then why would the Horatius Group need something to take out the hybrids? Especially if they were supposed to be demigods in their eyes? He’d never understand the Group, no matter how hard he tried.
Instead Atticus focused on devising some sort of escape plan. Not having his phone meant that he wasn't able to keep in contact with his people. There was no way of knowing what was happening back at the Azilian compound.
He had faith that his people would come out ahead, and he also knew that Rem would work to minimize anyone getting hurt.
Atticus chuckled. For all he knew, Thrax and the rest of the Glycons had been killed, and he’d fled with Celine for no good reason.
Eventually they would need to make their way back to the hybrids, and all he could do was hope for the best when they returned.
Glancing around, Atticus was surprised to find Celine had moved closer to where he lay on the floor. She shivered slightly in her sleep, her arms wound tightly around her body.
Quietly, he lifted himself and moved over to the fire. The flames were slowly dwindling out. He added two more logs and stoked it with the stick. It was the least he could do after what she had been through.
"Please," Celine called out quietly.
Atticus turned, expecting the woman to be staring at him but instead found her still fast asleep, her brow wrinkled in worry.
The wind whipped hard against the little cave, swirling around outside between the trees and howling to the night through the branches.
Atticus nodded to himself satisfied. Heavy winds and rains would make it harder to track them. The elements served as a useful ally against the Glycons, at least for the night.
He watched Celine as she tossed and turned in her sleep.
"Stay away," she cried out. "Please, you can't."
A branch from their makeshift wall flew off into the darkness. Atticus went over to help secure what they had left of the branches. He pulled hard and tucked the large branches inside the opening. All the while, the wind tugged and pulled on the other side.
When Atticus turned around, he found Celine crying in her sleep. Tears slid down her soft cheeks. It was more than he could bear.
Atticus made his way over to where she lay and shook her shoulders slightly. "Celine," he said softly.
With a gasping breath, Celine sat bolt upright, her eyes wild with fear. She grasped on to Atticus, gripping him with surprising strength.
"He's coming," she said wildly. "He's getting stronger."
Atticus sighed. It was no surprise she was having nightmares given that she was being hunted in the woods like some sort of animal. Of course she had been thinking about Thrax in her nightmare.
The hybrid tried to soothe her by rubbing her back and whi
spering calming words to her. She leaned her head against his chest as he pulled them both against the wall of the cave.
Atticus ran his hands through her soft strawberry blonde hair. Silky threads passed easily through his fingers, and he wondered how after moving all day she could still look so good.
After a moment Celine sat up, her hand still on his chest, and stared into his eyes.
"I thought the nightmares were over," she said softly. She shook her head and placed the hand that was on his chest to her forehead. "It always seemed so real," she said, and looked back into his eyes. "But it can't be, can it? The nightmare can't be real."
Atticus shrugged. He had seen some strange things in his time. Several of the Vestals were wracked by nightmares. It was hard to say. All he could do was deal with the enemy in front of him.
"Do you think it's real?" Atticus asked.
Celine placed her head back against his chest and breathed in deeply. The shaking in her body started to subside.
"That strange woman Anassa said they were real," she said. "She said the Shadow Man was trying to come through. She said his name was Erebus.”
His heart picked up a bit. Shadow Man? It wasn't something he'd ever heard before although he knew Jade had dealt with some sort of shadowy figure. They still weren't sure what exactly it was, but he supposed it could be the same.
"You'll stay with me won’t you?" Celine asked softly. She pulled back slightly to stare up at him, her soft green eyes pinning him. "In your arms I feel safe," she said. "I feel like nothing can get me here."
His arm tightened around her. Nothing would get to her. He would make damn sure of that, no matter what it took.
"You're safe with me," Atticus said gruffly.
He glanced down at the woman in his arms. Her eyes were now holding something different than before. The fear had vanished completely.
"How do you feel about me?" Celine asked.
Atticus glanced away. Feelings weren’t something he was good at talking about. Hell, he couldn’t think of a hybrid that did have an easy time with it besides Vitus, and he still had a world of secrets he never talked about.
Atticus: #8 (Luna Lodge: Hunters of Atlas) Page 5
