Lucca

by Karen Michelle Nutt

  The boy couldn’t be more than sixteen or seventeen, much too young for Trinity but the way the male stared at her with his beady eyes made Gideon want to poke his eyes right out of his head. He took a step forward and froze when he heard Eli’s low chuckle. He looked at him, his eyes narrowing to slits.

  Eli shook his head. “If you’re interested in the female, I would temper your jealousy. The emotion will not endear her to you.”

  “I’m not jealous.” He forced his hands to relax, wiggling his fingers out of the fists he held. Maybe pummeling the teen wasn’t such a hot idea. He lifted a shoulder in a nervous shrug. “What if I am? Interested in Trinity that is?”

  Eli lifted his brows. “We are free to mingle with the humans. I say don’t be shy if you want her.”

  “You mean we are free to find our soul mates,” he corrected him.

  “How are you to know if she’s the one if you do not talk to her?”

  Gideon looked at Trinity again. The teen lucked out this time. He grabbed his purchase and headed out the door. Trinity, sensing she became the center of attention, looked his way. Her lips slid into an easy smile, revealing straight white teeth. He couldn’t help but return the gesture, grinning like a fool and hoping his fangs hadn’t lengthened too much, making him appear as if he was leering at her.

  “She likes you, too,” Eli whispered near his ear like a pesky fly.

  He was reluctant to turn away from Trinity, but he didn’t want Eli around if he did strike up a conversation with her. “Are you here to play matchmaker, too?” He raised his brows in challenge. “I have a book signing tonight.” He tapped his book for emphasis.

  Eli lost his smirk, turning serious again. “I only came to you out of respect for your friendship with Lucca. I need to find him.”

  He harrumphed and crossed his arms across his chest.

  “Don’t believe me, but I owe you one, Gideon.” They both knew Eli spoke of his missing wing, a sacrifice Gideon made when he sided with Eli in his quest to prove he found his soul mate.

  Gideon let his arms slide to his side surprised at the sincerity in Eli’s words. “I didn’t know we were keeping score.”

  Eli ignored his sarcasm. “You came to my aid when I needed it most. I will not forget it.” Eli’s gaze landed on the book he held, actually reading the title. “Interesting.” The fallen Angel with one wing stared back from the cover in dark colors of black, gray, and deep blue. He turned his gaze back to Gideon. “Finding your soul mate is the most awarding experience you’ll ever have, no matter how many lifetimes you’ll live. But I must warn you, if you’re interested in the girl…” He trailed off for a moment as he glanced at Trinity then back to Gideon again. “If the relationship goes far enough to reveal your true self, you must inform her how her life will change. Being with a human is not without sacrifices.”

  “What do you mean?” He frowned, not understanding where this conversation was heading.

  Eli ran a hand through his dark strands. “A brush of an angel’s wing is not just a human’s myth. She’s changing, Gideon. Ryden will live longer, heal faster, as though she is Nephilim.” He gave a short laugh, but the humor didn’t sound joyous.

  “This is good, isn’t it?” Gideon didn’t understand Eli’s duress.

  “Good for me. Not so great for Ryden. She’ll outlive everyone she knows.” He looked away, placing the book down he’d been holding. “Make sure your soul mate realizes what she’ll have to give up before she commits.”

  Gideon reached for Eli, gripping his arm. “Does Ryden wish she could take it all back?”

  Eli gave him a small smile. “No, but I would have liked to have given her the choice. It’s not right otherwise. What if she didn’t want to live lifetimes? Choice. We should always give the ones we love a choice, don’t you agree?”

  Gideon dropped his hand and nodded. “Yes.”

  Eli gave him a curt nod. His eyes shifted and he stood up straighter, making him look regal even in his button down shirt and jeans. “If you see Lucca, tell him I’d like to have our talk. He’ll know what I mean.” He tapped the book. “And good luck tonight.” His lips slid into a grin as he looked over Gideon’s shoulder. “It looks like your woman is coming over to speak to you.” Eli stepped around the table.

  “She’s not my—” As he turned to give Eli the last word on the subject, he came face to face with Trinity. Her sky blue eyes landed on him, making him forget to breathe, let alone speak.

  “Do you need any help with anything?”

  Her deep raspy voice caressed him, making his one good wing ache, a cramp that wouldn’t go away unless he shifted and let it spread wide. His gaze focused on her lips… kissable lips, ready for tasting.

  “Gideon?”

  He shook his head, forcing his gaze away from her before he forgot himself. “No, I have everything under control.” He almost laughed. Control? Heck, he didn’t have anything under control when it came to her.

  Her hand touched his arm and heat warmed his skin, sending a current through his veins. “Let me know if you do need help. Your fans are already lined up outside. Billy will keep the crowd under control and I’ll ring up the purchases.”

  He chanced a look at her face again. Her eyes met his, holding him captive. Speak fool, before she thinks you’re an imbecile masquerading as a male being. “Thank you.”

  She gave him a hesitant smile before turning away.

  “Trinity?”

  “Hmm?” She looked back at him.

  “Would you like to … uh … have coffee with me sometime?” Please say yes. Good Lord, what if she says no and I’ve made a complete fool of myself.

  She smiled again. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Lucca needed to clear up a few things before he met Juliet tonight. He had to tell the truth about him being one of the Watchers. He knew she could sense other preternatural beings, but not him. She believed he was human. He never claimed he wasn’t a Watcher, but omitting the fact still constituted as a falsehood.

  He’d been banished from the Otherworldly realm and was ordered to learn how to respect humans. To do so meant to ignore his upbringing, his father’s demands, and he had, hadn’t he? He befriended not one human, but two. Juliet and Owen had somehow wiggled their way into his heart. He wanted a relationship with Juliet so bad he could taste it. He would have gone through with it too, but today at the crime scene he found something that made their relationship impossible. Being with her would put her in danger, but still he needed to warn her. He needed to come clean and tell her everything.

  His hand clasped the amulet in his pocket, the amulet Arizul wore around his neck when Lucca lived under his roof. The emblem resembled a pentacle with ancient words etched around the star. He’d seen the damn thing up close.

  He was five at the time. His gaze caught sight of the amulet sitting on the table. He only wanted to look at it, but his father accused him of trying to steal it. As a punishment, he burned the Amulet into his palms. The Nephilim heal fast and within the hour his skin healed, but his father burned his palms over and over throughout the day. Just to make sure he learned his lesson.

  Barachiel may have released Leroy from his body, but the other Time Guardian’s house stunk of evil. It appeared his father stepped up his game of torture and added murder to the long list of offenses.

  Barachiel believed his father and Kasadya joined forces. Lucca had a hunch his father released Kasadya by accident. One thing he knew about Arizul, he didn’t like to share power.

  What Lucca didn’t understand is why his father was shadowing him, but refusing to make contact? He had sensed someone watching him at Eli’s the other night. He tried to dismiss it, but he couldn’t anymore. The amulet proved his father was watching him.

  When he entered World’s End, two Darklins escorted him to the back room where Blaize Kayson sat upon a couch with two scantily clothed human females—one red headed, most likely dyed since no human p
ossessed such a vibrant shade of crimson, and a brunette with breasts that weighed more than the rest of her body. Blaize with his dark brooding looks and talent mesmerized millions with his melancholy music on the human realm, but on the otherworldly aspect of existence, his expertise of breaking into secure buildings and finding sacred artifacts astounded the immortals. They would pay exuberant prices to hire him for a job no one else would touch.

  He called Blaize a friend once, knew him when they were just younglins. They forged a friendship, slipping through the centuries, and landing in the sixteenth century for a bit of fun then ended up staying when they met Christopher Marlowe. Later, they drew William Shakespeare into their band of fun and living free.

  Kit, Will, Blaize, and he gamed together, drank cheap ale, while they contemplated the reasons for life. They were stupid youths. They thought they had a lifetime together. No one realized the good times would end all because of him. He might as well stamp Angel of Death on his chest to warn people away from him. If he had, Kit would have lived a long life. Instead, Arizul cheated him out of it.

  Lucca hadn’t crossed Blaize’s path since that fateful night. It may have something to do with him accusing Blaize of letting Kit die.

  The centuries had been kind to Blaize Kayson. He looked youthful and vibrant. “Blaize.” He gave the Darklin a slight bow of respect. It rankled him to do so, but he stood at a disadvantage with his glamour for the most part bound. Besides insults would get him nowhere fast and he needed the Dark Angel’s cooperation.

  The women paid Lucca no mind as they pawed at Blaize and rubbed their bodies suggestively against the Darklin. With Blaize’s ink black hair and violet eyes, females swooned at the mere sight of him, yet the women at his side were most likely glamour enthralled to do his bidding. Lucca had no wish to witness the three in an illicit depravity of some sort, but he had to play it cool, act indifferent to the public display. Blaize enjoyed an audience whether it was on stage or not. Indifference would put a stop to the Darklin’s theatrics faster than heated words of disapproval. “Would you like me to film you?” Lucca’s one brow lifted in question. “I’ve heard sex tapes sell quite well. Especially if they star a well-known artist.”

  Blaize growled, obviously not liking Lucca’s response to his little show. He snapped his fingers and the women disengaged their hold on him, sliding out of the booth, and leaving them alone. Even the Darklin’s bodyguards made themselves scarce.

  “I hope you don’t expect me to be all cozy with you.” Lucca remained standing, for safety reasons. On his feet, he’d have a better chance of survival if a fight took place.

  Blaize gave him a brief grin and sat back in his seat. “Always the smart-arse.”

  He shrugged. “No reason to change now.”

  “I know, after all this time, this isn’t a social call. What do you want, Lucca?”

  “I have a proposition.”

  Blaize studied his black colored fingernails as if the nail polish might have chipped while he’d been groping the two women earlier. His gaze met Lucca’s then and he waved his hand to proceed. “I’m bored, so I’ll hear you out if only to amuse myself.”

  Good, he’d get to the point before Blaize changed his mind and shimmered away. “I’d like to hire you. I need to break into the Temple of Moqaddas so I can retrieve Raziel’s Book of Magic.”

  Blaize’s deep chuckle rankled him. “The magic book given to Adam and Eve?” His laughter deepened in an amused chortle at his expense. “Even if I wanted the thrill of lifting Raziel’s pride and joy, it’s in a Vault and your daddy has the key. Isn’t that what you told me? What’s your need for it anyway?” His violet eyes slid over him. “You’re bound to the human realm. Even with the book, you won’t be able to time travel. Stealing it is a waste of your time and mine as well.” His features darkened. “I believe we’re through here. You know the way out.” This time, he waved his hand in dismissal and his two guard dogs appeared, flanking Lucca. They flexed their biceps as if he missed their beefy appearance moments ago. They each grabbed his arms in a death grip, ready to escort him outside the bar.

  This is where the negotiation would prove tricky. When he revealed his leverage, the Darklin could kill him on the spot or begrudgingly help him obtain the book. He hoped it would be the latter. Really, what choice did he have? Archangels were breathing down his back, his psychopathic father was on the loose, and the demons even wanted a piece of him. The ones he should have been able to turn to, the Watchers, really didn’t a give a cold day in hell about him. He was on his own and needed to start thinking what he wanted out of life. First being, he wanted his wings back, bringing him back to his full strength. He needed it before his father decided to make his move. “You probably don’t want to kick me out so soon. Trust me, you’ll want to know what I’ve found out about your sister.”

  Blaize lifted his hand for his lackeys to release him. “Is that so? Care to enlighten me?” The Darklin shifted uneasily in his seat. Blaize may be a coldhearted egotist most of the time, but he cared about his twin, going to great lengths to keep her safe.

  Blaize studied his polished black nails again, feigning boredom. He was really doing a piss poor job of it, too. The air hummed around Blaize as he tried to keep his anger in check. “Sarice does as she pleases. What do I care about your findings? Take it to her and see if she can break you into the Temple of Moqaddas.”

  Lucca’s grinned. “Oh, you care. She plays with fire courting one of the Fallen and playing blood games for fun.” Fallen Angels didn’t need blood to survive, but Darklins did. The Darklins found their source with the Darklin Blood Banks, not by bleeding humans dry like ancient vampires were prone to do. Blooding between a Darklin and the Fallen was a discouraged practice. The Darklin tended to lose control when feeding, the craving for Nephilim blood being the factor that drove them.

  If the Fallen had a weakness, it was the euphoria of exchanging blood with a Darklin. One could say it was the Fallens’ kryptonite. The Fallen wouldn’t care if the Darklin drained them dry as long as they managed a taste of the Darklin’s blood before expiring.

  “Blooding isn’t forbidden,” Blaize said offhandedly. “Who am I to dictate who my sister takes her blood from, be it Watcher or human? If the being consents, so be it.”

  Lucca nodded. “So true. My mistake.” He turned to leave, but threw over his shoulder, “Zaiden surely knows the risks as well.”

  “Zaiden LeGard?” Blaize’s voice rose despite his attempt at being aloof. “She’s blooding from one of the Guards of Judgment?”

  Lucca gave him a leveled gaze. “Of course, I thought you knew.”

  In a blink of an eye, Blaize appeared in front of Lucca, his hands at his throat, his violet eyes turning to blood red. “You know bloody well I didn’t know.” In a rush of frustration, he flung Lucca back and away from him.

  Lucca slammed into the wall, but held his ground, miraculously staying on his feet.

  Blaize paced, his snakeskin boots clicked noisily on the hardwood floor. The silver on his leather vest gleamed in the light overhead as if electricity threatened to spark to life. They both knew if Sarice lost control and bled Zaiden dry, she wouldn’t have a prayer of being acquitted of killing him. She’d be hunted down and made an example of, and it wouldn’t be a quick death. Lucca would only have to put the fillers out and if Zaiden just happened to die from massive blood loss, well it wouldn’t look good for sweet Sarice.

  “Why do you think I came to you?” Lucca held out his hands, palms up.

  Blaize narrowed his gaze on him. “Don’t play games with me, Lucca. Let’s say it like it is. You’re blackmailing me. You want me to help you for whatever frickin’ reasons you have for stealing Raziel’s book, in exchange for your silence on my sister’s extra curricular activities.”

  “I think you have it right. So… Do we have a deal?”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Sarice felt her brother’s arrival at the hospital before he burst into her
office with the look of murder in his eyes. Blaize was all decked out in his heavy metal garb and looking every bit like the teen idol, bad boy, girls screamed to be close to. She glanced at the clock on the wall, indicating it was a few minutes past noon. “You’re up early.” Her brother kept hours as if he were a vampire.

  Blaize slammed his fist on the desk, sending the contents in her coffee mug sloshing dangerously over the edge of the rim. “Watch it,” she warned. “I have hospital documents here.” She grabbed for the cup before her brother decided to throw a temper tantrum again.

  “You’re screwing a Guard of Judgment!” He didn’t ask her. He accused her.

  She rose from her seat and closed the door to her office, hoping to keep others from hearing their business. Leaning against the door, she faced her brother. “Who I sleep with is none of your concern.”

  “I don’t give a damn who you screw. It’s blooding the bastard that pisses me off.”

  Her brows narrowed, wondering how her brother found out. Zaiden and she were very discreet, or so she believed.

  “Don’t deny it.”

  “I didn’t,” she snapped back. “Still none of your business.”

  He was at her side in a flash, holding her captive against the door. “It is when I’m being coerced into keeping your dirty little secret.” He pounded his fist on the door, inches from her face. She flinched, but she didn’t fear her brother’s wrath. He wouldn’t harm her no matter how his temper rose.

  “Who? Why?” She couldn’t fathom why anyone would care what she and Zaiden did behind closed doors.

  He whirled on her, his finger pointing at her with purpose. “It doesn’t matter, but your little fantasy play will stop now. Today. Before you lose control and kill the Watcher.”

  “I wouldn’t hurt Zaiden.”

  “Not intentionally, but we both know good intentions can go out the window when you least expect it. Zaiden is a high-ranking officer with the Watchers. If anything happens to him, you might as well wear a red dot on your chest and stand in their Grand Hall for target practice.”