Demon Gates (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 2)

by May Freighter

  Helena remembered her from the time she formed the link with Lucious. She was the one to warn her that it would be a difficult path to undertake, yet she ignored this stranger’s warning back then.

  “You seek to break the bond between you and the vampire, do you not?”

  “Is it possible? Can you break it?”

  The girl nodded and gave Helena a soft smile. “There is a way, but the time has not yet come. Right now, you need the undead to help you battle the demon.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “A day will come when we shall meet. That day is nearing, but you mustn’t forget that the undead are not your friends. They are the enemy of the living,” she replied and disappeared without a trace.

  ‘They are your enemy…’ the girl’s words echoed in Helena’s mind as she broke her concentration and awoke on her bed with Lucious by her side, stroking her hair. His tender touch was enough to make her question the words of the doppelganger.

  Is he really my enemy?

  6

  Friend Or Foe?

  Lucious left Helena in her room once she fell asleep. As he descended the stairs, he gripped the railing to stop from falling. The healing was taking longer than usual and because he was feeding every day, his thirst was spinning out of control. Seeing her sleeping on the bed, vulnerable and open for him to take, he struggled not to bite into her neck. Without realising it, he was already pushing her hair away from her jugular, obsessed with the sweet taste that ran through her veins. That was when he knew it was dangerous to remain with her for long.

  He entered the living area and found Alexander sitting there alone. Alexander had dismissed his women while Lucious went to check on Helena. Perhaps it was for the best. His control was waning.

  Alexander pointed to the seat across from him. “Sit. We have much to discuss, my friend.”

  Lucious abandoned the pretence of being fine and lumbered over to the sofa where he collapsed into a seat and let the back of the furniture keep his head upright. He found his situation to be quite amusing. Here he was, unable to defend a single human while the hunters were on their way back to this apartment. Should I bring her to Alexander’s warehouse?

  “Why must you do this to yourself?” Alexander asked, concern shining in his eyes.

  Lucious managed to lift his shoulder in a form of a shrug. “I find this misery hilarious, perhaps?”

  “This isn’t the time for jokes. You were lucky they didn’t kill you last night.”

  Lucious’ false humour dispersed. “Indeed, I would have been dead if it weren’t for her.”

  “She is the reason you are in this mess! Can you not see that?” Alexander shouted. His shoulders shook and his hands fisted in his lap.

  Raising his brow, Lucious assessed his friend’s outburst. Alexander was a man of logic and quick judgement. He never let his emotions control him. Yet, here he was, breaking his own rules.

  “I would not have survived had it not been for her. She is the reason I can walk in the sunlight, Alexander. I have felt the UV rays of the lamp on me and their effect was minimal,” Lucious explained. “The bond we share may be a burden, but I must admit, there are many perks of being tied to this woman.”

  Alexander massaged his temples, and his frown deepened. “Are you telling me you are enjoying this? You? The man who slaughtered half of the hunters in London while on your rampage?” He shook his head. “She had to have brainwashed you. That is the only explanation for this tomfoolery.”

  “You must realise that times change, and we must change with them. Anna is alive and well. I cannot ask for more.”

  “She is Eliza’s slave, Lucious, or have you forgotten that titbit?”

  Lucious disliked the idea of his sire being restricted by Eliza’s schemes. Yet, Anna assured him she was treated well and that he should return to Helena’s side. In a way, protecting Helena was a direct order from his sire—an order he would not defy.

  “I didn’t mean to say that, I’m sorry,” Alexander added and ran his hand through his short platinum locks. “That human irks me for some reason. Every time I see her, I want to snap her neck.”

  As Lucious sat up properly, the muscles in his gut screamed their agony with every ripple. He grimaced but managed to give his undivided attention to his friend. “You would be snapping my neck at the same time if you act on your desires.”

  “I know. You don’t have to remind me. She is just…” Alexander searched for a word as he tapped his index finger against his thigh. “…a nuisance.”

  “You may be right or you may be wrong. I do not see her as such. I see a young woman who has survived through a stay with two Council members. I see a girl who desperately clings to life while battling against powers she doesn’t understand. Don’t you find that commendable?”

  Alexander pressed his lips into a grim line as he stared at his hands. “You are right. I did not think of her like that.”

  “You two have a lot in common. It may be the reason why you clash to this extent.” For his words, Lucious received another glare.

  “Do not compare me to that human! And by God, put on a shirt, Lucious. How long do you plan to walk around like a homeless man?”

  Lucious chuckled and studied his torn jeans, or what was left of them. He liked his shirt until the hunters ripped it to shreds. “I will search for something suitable in my childe’s room. Although his clothes are close-fitting, they will have to do for the time being.”

  “Ah, that’s another matter I wanted to discuss with you. Andrew is coming back next Friday. That gives you…” Alexander mumbled the numbers under his breath. “Nine more days to play with the human.”

  It was Lucious’ turn to run his hand through his hair in frustration. He did not get along with his childe. It was a miracle both of them could be in the same room and not try to kill one another. Even if Andrew wished to do it, he wouldn’t be able to. The childe-sire bond would prevent him from harming Lucious.

  “Don’t look so distraught, but he will want to see her. He asks me about her well-being every time we speak on the phone.”

  “You know me, Alexander. I dislike dealing with him. This whole ‘siring a newborn’ business was a mistake I made to force her to cooperate with me. I did not have enough time to consider the consequences.”

  Alexander sighed. “You reap what you sow. Deal with your childe when he returns. If you are available, I suggest collecting him at the airport and having a pleasant meal together. You could give Helena to him to build your friendship further.”

  “Out of the question!” Lucious snapped. “She is mine.”

  “What is the point of keeping such a weak human at your side when you can have Zafira?”

  “Zafira will never love me. We are merely partners in bed upon occasion.”

  Alexander’s brow arched. “You are as blind as a bat, my friend. And, I do hope you are not planning on falling for this mortal anytime soon.”

  “I am not falling for her. She is a tool I must tame.”

  Alexander pointed at him. “As blind as a bat.”

  “Enough with the pointless chatter, I must rest to heal. Please look into the weapon I mentioned over the phone,” Lucious said, rising. He ignored the piercing sensation shooting through his kneecaps and focused on his friend, awaiting an answer.

  “I will look into it, as long as you keep searching for a way to break the bond with her. Since she is close with Vincent, you could try pushing her in that direction. I heard his library on supernatural matters is a dream come true for many scholars.”

  “I will do what I can.”

  Alexander stood and planted a hand on Lucious’ shoulder. “Take better care of yourself. You are one of the few friends I have left in this world.”

  “And you as well,” Lucious replied and stumbled over to the staircase.

  He did not wait for Alexander to leave before climbing the steps at a human’s pace. At the top, he wandered into Andrew’s room where he opened th
e wardrobe and selected a grey t-shirt from the middle shelf as well as a pair of jeans. Lucious undid the buttons on his shredded jeans and peeled off the material stuck to his skin via patches of dried blood. After a quick shower, he changed into the new, ill-fitting clothes.

  The hunters hadn’t returned, and he entered Helena’s room. The link sent a tremor of longing through him, tickling his gut as he drew close to her. With his thirst back under control, he sat on the edge of the bed, studying her sleeping face. She seemed too exposed, and he wanted to hide her somewhere where only he could control her movements. What stopped him was an unsettling fear of seeing her hateful expression directed towards him.

  He ran his hands through her messy hair, brushing it away from her face. Her brows knitted together in discomfort, and he removed his hand. Once her face relaxed again, he bent over her and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. He knew he lied to Alexander when he said he was using her. This alien emotion residing in him—a strong willingness to protect her and an urge to hold her in his arms—was different to the brief bursts of lust he had when he was with Zafira. Yet, he would never admit this to anyone.

  Lucious settled in behind her. He gently rolled her onto her side and pressed her back against his chest. Peace flooded through him—the kind he craved every time he was apart from her. Be it emotions induced by the link between them or his own; he no longer cared. He simply wanted to have her.

  Inhaling her scent, he enjoyed her lavender shampoo that helped lull him to sleep.

  Helena opened her eyes. She lifted her head from the pillow, enough to see an arm draped across her waistline. Shifting, she found Lucious’ sleeping face behind her. Her hands covered her reddening face, trapping her surprise in her mouth.

  She awkwardly lifted his arm with two fingers and scooted away. Luckily, he didn’t rouse from sleep. She carefully wriggled to the edge of the bed and observed his relaxed face. She had to admit, he was handsome. If they ever met in a nightclub, and he tried picking her up, she would’ve gladly gone with him. But, such a fantasy would never happen. Their lives were too intertwined with nightmares for them to have a normal relationship. Part of the reason was because he was undead and another was because of the warning from the doppelganger.

  Was he really my enemy? She unconsciously shifted closer.

  “Have you finished marvelling at my sleeping face?” Lucious asked, his eyes remaining closed.

  Helena jumped and fell off the bed. She grunted as pain shot up her back and quickly dispelled after turning into a dull ache. With a groan, she climbed to her feet and massaged her backside.

  Lucious was already sitting up, his full attention directed at her. Thankfully, he was wearing clothes. She found the sight of his dishevelled state on her bed to be captivating, especially in the skintight t-shirt that hugged every curve of his taut chest.

  Helena’s brows drew together. “You stole Andrew’s clothes?”

  He smirked. “Would you rather I walk around naked?”

  Deciding not to engage in further argument, she bit her lip and migrated to her wardrobe where she selected a fresh set of clothes she would put on after the shower she desperately needed—preferably a cold one.

  “Are you not going to talk to me? When you are so complacent, it makes me want to play with you more,” Lucious said directly behind her.

  She stiffened, fighting the urge to relax against him. Her mind was battling between rationality and ripping his clothes off. It had to be the link’s doing. “I am not complacent. I just don’t think you deserved an answer.”

  “Oh, that is disappointing, my dear,” he whispered next to her ear.

  Helena bit her lip, tasting blood on her tongue.

  It all happened in a mere second. Lucious embraced and kissed her. She didn’t have the time to blink, but she was already returning his passionate kiss as if she were the one starving for his attention.

  As their tongues danced together, he groaned into her mouth, sending the pleasant vibration through her system. She dug her fingers into his hair. She wanted him, badly. Her knees were growing weak, and she slid her hands to his broad shoulders, using his solid form for support.

  He withdrew from her, breaking the kiss, and studied her with glowing blue eyes that could suck out her soul. “Helena, if we do not stop now, I fear I won’t be able to stop at all.”

  She clutched her heaving chest. “You’re right, we should stop.”

  He took a step back. “Are you that eager to be away from me?”

  Helena didn’t know what to say. She wanted his touch to continue, craved his lips to claim hers, and for his hands to roam her body. At the same time, she feared what it may bring. Did she possess the courage to love a man who could kill another and peacefully sleep at night as if it never happened?

  “What is on your mind?”

  She blinked several times. “It’s not a good idea for you to stay so close to me. The link—”

  “Are you trying to say it is the link’s fault we are attracted to one another?”

  “Yes. It has to be. You-you’ve killed people, Lucious. I don’t think I can accept that.”

  He interrupted her by drawing close and lifting her chin. “You, my dear, have killed Andreaz, an elder, and you find it repulsive that I have used these hands to end countless lives of my enemies?”

  At the mention of Andreaz’s name, a shudder reverberated through her. To this day, she could feel his hands on her body and his lips on her chest. She rubbed her exposed forearms and was enveloped in Lucious’ arms.

  “What did he do to you, my dear?”

  Tears stung her eyes. Forcing them closed, she buried her face in his familiar scent and the comfort he provided.

  “Will you not share your burden with me?” he asked. “Remember, we are two parts of one.”

  Helena clung to the material of his t-shirt as the awful memories tore at her sanity. They sank to the ground together. The three days she spent at Andreaz’s mansion left a scar on her soul which would remain there forever. So many souls faded because she couldn’t give in. Those women died because of her. Viola, Krista, Anya—none of them would see freedom or the light of day.

  Her body shook, and Lucious lifted her off the floor. He carried her to the bed, taking a seat with her in his lap.

  “All is well, my dear. Try not to dwell on it,” he said in a soothing tone and rubbed her back—something he did every time she cried her heart out to him.

  She didn’t like the comfort she took from him. It made her weak. He knew her weaknesses, and she knew next to nothing about him. She didn’t even know his favourite colour.

  Helena sniffed and rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hands. “What’s your favourite colour?”

  “Baby pink.”

  She studied him intently. “Seriously?”

  “No, but I thought that answer would entertain you.”

  Helena smiled. “You are a strange man, Lucious.”

  He kissed her forehead and slid her off his lap, so she sat next to him. “Aubergine.”

  “What?”

  “My favourite colour is aubergine. Most of the time, I wear black because it is practical. For now, I suggest you take a shower and eat something. You have lost weight again,” he said, displeased. “I will be taking a nap downstairs in the meantime.”

  Helena watched him leave her room with a sense of fulfilment. For a vampire, Lucious was a good man. He took care of her and never tried to be something he was not. She admired that.

  With a smile, she wiped away the remaining wetness on her cheeks and went to take a shower with relieved spirit.

  Straight out of the shower, she brushed her teeth and tied her wet hair into a messy bun on top of her head. She searched her room for her phone and remembered that Maya had smashed the communication devices they had on them after tying everyone up.

  Helena rushed into Laura’s room, mumbling an apology to no one in particular as she set foot over the threshold. Clothes and un
derwear were scattered on every available surface. A colourful array of bras hung from the full-length mirror in the corner of the room next to the built-in wardrobe. How could a Psychology student be this messy?

  She waded through the minefield of clothes to a chest of drawers where she was pretty sure Laura kept a spare phone. The top drawer was bursting with more underwear, so she pulled out the next one. Her eyes settled on her grandmother’s leather-bound journal. What’s it doing in Laura’s room? Helena had been searching for it since she returned from London. She had asked Laura about its possible whereabouts, but her friend declared she knew nothing about it before she and her family went on a holiday abroad.

  A spare smartphone lay next to it. She took them both out of the drawer. Although Laura took the journal, she couldn’t read it, right?

  Helena went downstairs and gathered the remains of her old phone near the bin in the kitchen. She peeled off the casing and the battery until she rescued her intact sim card. When she was done, she slotted it into the new device and turned it on. Ever since she got involved with vampires, she decided to keep her contacts on her sim card. Technology around them didn’t seem to last long.

  Looking past the kitchen island, she found Lucious laying on the sofa with his arm over his eyes, completely relaxed in her presence. She scanned the living area. Everything was back to normal, no loose ropes, UV lamps, or puke lying around that she could complain about. Did he clean while she slept?

  Her phone buzzed in her hand, stating it was finally turned on. She skimmed through her contacts till she found Perri’s name. She pressed the call button and waited for Perri’s loud voice to assault her eardrums. “Helena, thank God you called. Are you alright? Did they do anything else to you? Should we come back?”

  Helena had to move the phone away from her ear to not go deaf.

  When Perri took in a deep breath, Helena used this intermission and said, “Perri, I’m fine. The hunters have not returned since they left.”