Lover's Betrayal: Misfits of the Lore Series

by Hopkins, J. E.

  Amalia stood up on shaky legs. Trying to regain her composure, she focused on the patient and not the man who would most definitely kill her. She was not afraid for her life. The guilt was eating her up inside. She hated herself for what she did, but she had no choice. Lucian would not understand, but hopefully one day he could. He was the closest thing Amalia had to a friend, to family. She didn’t want to lose him.

  “What is mescah?” Kaden asked.

  Reysa sat next to him, holding his hand. “It’s an addictive drug that’s been used to kill immortals. It’s not well known, but somehow it looks like your mother was exposed to it.”

  “That’s ridiculous. My mother is not some drug user.”

  “Kaden, the lure of the drug is that it provides relief from suffering. I’m sure your mother did not realize how it addictive it was or how dangerous it could be to her. Your mother was in pain and she took this to make the pain go away.”

  “Pain I caused,” Kaden confessed.

  “Pain we all caused,” Lucian admitted. “You should tell you brother before…”

  “We won’t lose her.” Kaden kissed her lightly on the forehead and then left to find Julian.

  “I’ll go find Corinne,” Lorenzo offered.

  V

  “She needs blood,” Amalia diagnosed as she examined Olivia. “She’s getting really pale. Blood might help. Yours in particular, Lucian. You’re her mate. Maybe your blood could help her fight this?”

  Lucian did not say a word, but shifted Olivia in his arm so that Amalia could transfuse his blood into hers. Lucian refused to let go of Olivia. He agreed to move to another bedroom and lie with her in the bed, but he held her tightly in his arms.

  “We can give her my blood as well,” Reysa offered. “It does help with healing some injuries; maybe it could do something for Olivia.”

  Amalia agreed. “Let’s see how she responds to Lucian’s first, and then we’ll try yours.”

  Julian and Kaden stood by the bed, hoping their mother would open her eyes. It had been hours, but there was no progress. She was slipping deeper and deeper into sleep, further away from them.

  Corinne was cowering in the corner of the room, crying in Lorenzo’s arms. She blamed herself for not recognizing what was wrong with her best friend.

  Amalia continued muttering to herself, trying to find some answer to help save Olivia. Kaden approached her in his usual intimidating style. “What’s going on with her? Is she asleep? Can she hear us? There has to be a way to wake her.”

  “She’s stuck in a web of dreams and the further she goes in, the less likely we can pull her back to reality. Even if we did, there’s the whole addiction thing to work through.”

  “Wait.” Reysa walked over to Amalia. “You said she is stuck in a dream?”

  “Yes. This drug affects immortals differently, but Olivia seems like the category where the user is living in a dream that becomes the only reality. Eventually the brain deteriorates and the user never wakes.”

  “So if we could reach her in the dream, maybe we could help find her way back to reality?”

  “In theory, but that’s not really possible. You would need a dreamcatcher, and those beings are the rarest of immortals. I think they may be extinct.”

  “Not quite.” Reysa disappeared and returned a half hour later with a sleepy, ticked-off redhead.

  “What the hell, Rey! Why did you bring me here, and where the hell am I?” Lina looked around the room at all these morose faces staring inquisitively at her. “What’s going on?”

  “We need your help. The woman in the bed is Olivia. You met her at the club when you were trying to seduce her mate, Lucian.” Lina blushed. “Olivia is stuck in some kind of dream. We need to reach her. Get into her head and help her find her way back here. I need you to try and connect Lucian to Olivia’s mind.”

  “Whoa, sis, this is way out of my league. I may invade a dream now and again and cause someone to have a nightmare, but I never pulled anyone else into someone’s dream. I don’t know if I could maintain the connection. I’m not that strong.”

  Reysa clutched Lina’s shoulders firmly. “You’re that strong. We need you to be that strong, otherwise this woman will die. I know you can do this, Lina. Just focus.”

  “But I’m not good at focusing,” Lina whined. “You know I have Immortal ADD. I can’t concentrate long enough.”

  “Lina, I know you can do this. Please try for us.”

  Lina closed her eyes and said a silent prayer, begging to find some inner strength she doubted she had, but knew she needed. All these desperate faces needed her to do this.

  Lina approached the bed and sat on the other side of Lucian. Seeing his agonized expression, there was no way she could refuse to help. No one should suffer so. “Ok, I will need you to close your eyes and hold Olivia with one hand and touch mine with the other. I will chant. You won’t understand the words, but I need you to not fight them. Let them control you. That’s the only way I can bring you in. When I feel the connection breaking, I’ll pull you out. I’ll hold it as long as I can, but I don’t think I can manage more than several minutes. I’ll do my best for you, for Olivia. If this doesn’t work…”

  “It will work, Lina,” Lucian assured Lina. “I can feel your power. You have more than you realize. Find it within you.”

  Alejandro approached the bed and placed his palm on Lina’s back, feeding her some of his strength. “I don’t know how you do that, but thanks. I need all the extra help possible.”

  Lina closed her eyes and held Lucian and Olivia’s hands tightly; she recited the chant that allowed her to slip into Olivia’s dream.

  Lucian closed his eyes and awoke in a fog so thick that he could not see anything in front of him, but he could hear a voice. Children’s voices laughing. He followed those voices until the fog cleared and ended up on a cliff. Perched at the end was Olivia, sitting there quietly, watching the children below. She was watching the children playing She was watching them when they were kids building castles in the sand.

  “Livy,” Lucian whispered her name and approached her slowly so as not to disturb her. She did not respond. He continued to walk closer and she took several steps closer to the edge. Lucian stopped. The image of the children playing faded and was replaced by a bottomless pit. It was an illusion.

  “She sees only the illusion.” Lucian turned around to see Lina standing behind him. “She thinks it’s real. Something wants her to see it and embrace it. If she falls, she won’t come back. This isn’t an ordinary dream. That’s why it took me so long to find you here. This is the death journey. This is the path where one chooses darkness or light. You’re her light, Lucian, but I don’t think she can see that right now. The illusion is playing with her mind. She wants to remain in it even though the illusion is really death.”

  “How do I make her see?” Lucian asked.

  “No clue, dude. I know she has to make the choice, so you can’t force her. You have to convince her. Unfortunately, you don’t have a lot of time to figure it out. I can’t keep you here much longer. I hope you’re good with words.”

  Lucian turned to Olivia, who was still staring at the abyss below as if she were completely unaware of his presence. “We’re in trouble, Livy. We both know words were never my strength,” Lucian quipped, but quickly became serious as he saw the vacant look in Olivia’s eyes. She was fading. “I would move mountains for you, destroy anything that hurt you to show you how much I love you, but that’s not what you needed. You always needed the words. You needed my love, my trust, my forgiveness. I couldn’t tell you I forgave you, Livy, because there was nothing for me to forgive. I am the one who needs your forgiveness. I should have protected you. You suffered immeasurably because I was not strong enough to keep you safe. I failed you as a mate and there can be no forgiveness for that sin. I understand why you want to leave me. I’ve let you down too many times and to ask for another chance is beyond my usual arrogance. I’m asking anyway, though. I’m
begging you. I can’t live without you. Not again. For the first time in so long I feel alive again. I want to live again, but only if it’s with you. I can’t exist as half a man anymore. I need my other half. I need you, Livy. You’re my strength, my soul, my light, my hope. I can’t exist without that.

  “Do you remember the words we said to each other as part of the mating ritual? ‘Together we shall live forever or together we shall die. Always we shall love. Never shall we part.’ I’m saying those words again to you now, Livy. I will not part from you. Not again. As long as you stay here, I will stay with you. And if you leap to the darkness below, I will embrace it with you. I don’t care where we go as long as we go there together.”

  Lucian reached for Olivia’s hand and held it tightly in his. “I promised you, Olivia, I’ll never let you fall. I’ll hold on to you forever.”

  “Lucian, you can’t stay here,” Lina pleaded. “You’ll die. We need to leave. I can’t hold on much longer.”

  “I’m not leaving, Lina. Not without her. We live together or we die together, but I will finally be with my Olivia.”

  “No, Lucian,” Olivia whispered. “You must go.” She tried to release her hand, but Lucian would not free her.

  “Not without you, cara. We’ve spent too many years apart. I will not spend another.”

  “I can’t go back there,” Olivia cried. “It’s too late for me. I’m not ok anymore.”

  “I know, Livy. I know about the drug you’ve taken.” Olivia finally faced Lucian, her eyes overflowing with her tears. “I know you’re addicted. I’ll help you break free of it. We can do this together. We have the rest of our lives to fix this mess we’ve made of the first 200 years. I read your words in your journal, ‘immortality is a curse,’ but you’re wrong, my love. It’s a blessing. It gives us time, time to right the wrongs we’ve made. There are centuries of happiness ahead of us, if you will move beyond the past with me and start again. Take this leap with me again, Livy. I’ll catch you.”

  “He can’t help you, Livy. No one can. Just jump. Be free.”

  Olivia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the tormenting voice. She collapsed in Lucian’s arms.

  “It keeps calling me, Lucian. I can’t silence it.”

  Lucian held her face in his hands. “Focus on my voice, Olivia. I love you with every ounce of my being. I need you to breathe. Stay with me and let’s fight this thing together. We don’t need dreams or illusions. We can have the real thing if you’ll have me again. Forgive me, Livy. Forgive me and give us another chance. After everything we’ve suffered, we deserve happiness. Love me, Olivia, as I will always love you.” Lucian kissed her with all the passion he had within him. As if this was the last kiss. Olivia held him tightly, returning his passion. “I love you, Olivia,” Lucian cried.

  “I love you, Lucian. I don’t want to exist if I can’t be with you. Not anymore. I wanted to stay in this dream where I could always have your love, but I would much prefer the reality of you regardless of all the struggles ahead. Are you sure you can forgive the past and have a future with me?”

  “No more talk of forgiveness,” Lucian urged. “We have wasted too much time wallowing in our past sins. The present and the future is all that matters, Liv. You and I are all that matters.”

  “What about Nina? Do you love her?” Olivia asked, afraid of the answer. She wanted to be sure of Lucian’s love, but she needed to know if his heart could not completely be hers.

  “Nina was a failed attempt to forget you. She’s a good person, but I could never love her. You have owned my heart since I was six years old. I am yours and only yours, Livy. I could never belong to another.”

  “Ah, I hate to interrupt this, but we really have to go.” Lina grabbed Lucian’s hand while he held on to Olivia. She nodded in acceptance and the three of them traversed through the fog, which had grown thicker. The denseness of the mist ahead stifled their breathing. “My power is fading.” Lucian’s hand was slipping from Lina’s grasp. “Hold on to me!” Lina chanted as fast as she could, stumbling over the words as her nerves overwhelmed her. She could barely feel Lucian’s hand and she could no longer see him or sense his presence. She grasped helplessly for his hand as he seemed to fade further from her reach.

  Lina awoke with a scream. Reysa held her, reassuring her that she was safe. A confused Lina looked to the bed and saw the motionless bodies of Lucian and Olivia. “I failed them,” Lina cried in Reysa’s arms. “I lost them, Reysa. I didn’t bring them back. I didn’t mean to let go.”

  VI

  Olivia woke to the sound of a heartbreaking sob. She turned to see the young redhead from The Lore crying over her, apologizing for letting go. “Lina?”

  Lina stopped crying and clutched Olivia’s hand. “You made it! You’re really here. I didn’t mess this up?”

  “You were in my dream.” Olivia remembered Lina warning Lucian that they had to wake up. “Lucian!” Olivia shouted as she looked at his still form in the bed next to her. She shook him, begging him to wake up. “Lucian, Lucian!”

  Lucian jerked awake and Olivia embraced him with trembling arms. “Shh, cara. I promised you I would never leave you again.”

  “Thank you for saving my life,” Olivia cried.

  “You’re my life, cara.”

  Olivia slept most of the night and the next few days, waking only to feed. Lucian stayed by her side, never leaving her alone. Olivia would always wake to his presence.

  Amalia continually pumped Lucian’s blood into Olivia’s system, hoping it could help weed out the traces of mescah. Reysa’s blood was used in between infusions of Lucian’s. The traces of mescah in Olivia’s blood declined gradually. Amalia feared Olivia would not be safe until all hints of the drug were gone, but she was impressed with her progress. Olivia was the first patient to show any signs of escaping the deadly clutches of mescah.

  “You’re improving,” Amalia noted to Olivia.

  “You sound surprised,” Lucian responded. He was still angry with Amalia, but she was helping now, and for that he was grateful.

  “I’m a little surprised. Although this is scientifically illogical, I think the bond between you two is helping you fight this. I’m not much of a romantic and I certainly don’t believe love conquers all, but your bond is strengthening both of you. It’s in your blood. As you grow stronger, the mescah fades a little more. It’s quite remarkable.”

  “Not so illogical, Amalia. The mating bond increases our strength. As we become one, we become stronger. Once we complete the bond, I have no doubt Olivia will be safe.”

  Olivia reached to cup Lucian’s cheek in her hand. “I want nothing more than to complete the bond, but I cannot allow you to drink any of my tainted blood until I’m healed. It’s too dangerous. I won’t risk losing you again.”

  “Olivia, I’ll be fine.” Seeing the fear in her eyes, he would not force her. “We can wait a little longer until there is even less of this drug in your blood if that makes you feel better, but I will not wait long. We’ve already waited too long and it cost us too much. We will face this battle together. We will face everything together.”

  VII

  “Your sons want to see you, cara. They need to see their mother.”

  Olivia had feigned sleep when anyone other than Lucian or Amalia was present. She did not want to face her family and their inevitable looks of shame. Lucian would allow her to hide forever if that’s what she wanted, but she knew it wasn’t right or fair to them. Hiding would make things worse.

  “And I need to see my boys.”

  Lucian opened the door and Kaden and Julian entered. Julian ran to his mother’s side, hugging her the way he did when she was a child. “I’m so glad you’re ok. I thought we lost you. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for everything.”

  Olivia hugged him tighter. “No, mio bambino. I’m the one that’s sorry for so many things, including this latest mess. I’m going to fix it. I’m going to fix me. Once I get my head on straight, I can be
a better mother to you and your brother if you’ll allow me to be. If you can give me a second chance to be a better mother.”

  “Only if you give me a second chance to be a better son.”

  “Well, there’s one thing I would like you to do for me. When I get better, I want you to take me on that trip you mentioned. I want to see the places where you take those amazing photographs. I want to see what makes you happy.”

  Julian smiled fighting back his tears. “As long as you don’t get all bossy and motherly and embarrass me. I have a reputation to maintain.”

  “I promise I won’t embarrass you intentionally, but I’m your mother and a certain amount of embarrassment is required of a parent.”

  “Agreed.” Julian’s expression became more serious again. “I do love you, Mama. I’ve always loved you no matter what stupid things I said in anger or how jealous I got. I will probably mess it up again in the future, but please know that you mean everything to me. If that makes me a pathetic mama’s boy, then I’ll gladly be one. I don’t want you to ever doubt again how much I need you.” Julian hugged her again and sprinted from the room.

  Kaden had remained frozen by the door, just observing Olivia with Julian. Olivia knew Kaden better than anyone. She could tell he was struggling with his emotions. Kaden felt more deeply than anyone would realize, but he would always keep that side hidden. He would rather feign apathy than acknowledge the emotions he wanted to bury.

  “Kaden, I know you’re angry with me. I know you, mio angelo. I don’t blame you. I let you down and myself down. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make this right. I don’t want you to blame yourself for my stupidity. As angry as you are with me, that’s no match for the anger you’re directing at yourself. Don’t use that as an excuse to push everyone away who cares about you. Forgive me, but most of all forgive yourself and move forward. You have been mired in the past for too long. You have a chance at something remarkable.” Kaden finally met her eyes, his intense green seeking his mother’s calming violet eyes. “She’s an amazing woman and there is something strong between you. The question is whether you will embrace happiness or continue to run away from it. You’ve been running all your life. It’s time to stop running and start fighting for what you want.”