by J. Lynn
“Has the entire circle agreed on this?” Luke demanded, coming to life beside her. “This is the first I’ve heard of this.”
Nathaniel’s eyes turned cold. “I don’t need the circle’s agreement.”
Her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath she took. “What if I didn’t have a place to go? You’d throw me out on the street, Nathaniel?”
“If you didn’t have a place to go, you would be secluded in one of the isolation cells. That is still an option,” he warned icily.
Was she supposed to actually say “thank you” to that? “So you don’t trust me to hunt, but you trust me to train Michael? That makes no sense!”
Adrian, no longer able to remain silent, spoke up again. “Your indiscretion must not interrupt his training. He has done well under you and Rafe, and we cannot run the risk of undoing everything he has learned.”
“In other words, you don’t trust me to be out there hunting and running amok through the Sanctuary in case I take a peek at the Book, but you want to be able to keep your eyes on me at some point. Oh, and none of you want to be saddled with training someone.”
“Lily!” Nathaniel’s voice rose. “Your suspension begins immediately, and I strongly advise you cease any contact with the Fallen.”
“Wait, I will take full responsibility for her,” objected Luke. “If she hunts, then I hunt. That will also solve the problem of the Fallen. He doesn’t come around when I am with her. He never has.”
Nathaniel shook his head. “The decision is already made. The suspension stands as is.”
“Do any of you understand what this will do to her reputation?” demanded Luke. “This won’t stay secret for long. The other Nephilim will find out. There will be no stopping the damage.”
“She should have thought about that before she slept with the Fallen, placing herself in such a bad light,” Adrian shot back.
Lily started forward, coming close to swinging on him, but Nathaniel grabbed her arm. “Everyone has been sworn to silence. The knowledge that there is a traitor will not leave the circle, nor will the knowledge of why you have been suspended.”
Danyal snorted. “There’re so many reasons why you’d finally be suspended, Lily. They will assume it’s any number of things. All anyone knows now is that you and Micah got into it.”
“Shut up,” she seethed, wanting to plant her fist in his face.
Nathaniel’s grip tightened. “All of you leave now. This is over.”
With Nathaniel’s patience at an end, and her temper near explosive levels, the other Nephilim left with the exception of Luke. She turned to Nathaniel, her hurt clearly visible for him to see. “You said—”
“It doesn’t matter,” he cut her off, dropping her arm. “The moment Micah told Adrian what happened, there was nothing I could do to halt this meeting. The only reason you weren’t suspended yesterday was because I had hoped this wouldn’t blow up. Stop looking at me like I’ve kicked your puppy into oncoming traffic, Lily! For far too long, I have let my fondness for you get in the way, and your behavior has increasingly gotten out of hand.”
“My behavior?” she demanded in a low voice. She was quite curious what he was referring to that was so bad.
He raised his hand, cutting off anything else she would have said. “Your suspension is more for your benefit than it is anyone else’s.”
She looked at him like he had grown fifteen heads. “How is this for my benefit?”
Nathaniel took a step forward, causing Luke to immediately move closer to her. “They don’t trust you, Lily. What do you think will happen if you are out there hunting and get cornered or you have to call for help? Do you think they’ll come to your aid?”
“Nate, come on.” Luke’s displeasure was rolling off him in waves.
“No, she needs to hear this. She needs to know how badly she has screwed up. She will be out there on her own, and you can’t be with her every second.”
Lily stared aghast, unwilling to believe that. “The others will help me.”
Nathaniel barked harsh laughter. “The others will follow their lead. Lily, I cannot have you out there and be unprotected if something goes wrong. Not until this is cleared up.”
She stepped back. His words felt like a slap in the face. She turned before they could see how strongly affected she was. “I assume you don’t expect me to finish training Michael today?”
“No. You may leave. Get whatever you need from your room. I won’t require anyone to go with you. Report back here Monday for training.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She started to walk off, but Nathaniel stopped her.
“Lily, they wanted you locked up, but I couldn’t allow that. I don’t think it’s you,” he said, and for the first time his voice reflected the heaviness weighing on him. “At least, I don’t think you know it is. I don’t know if he has manipulated you, or you’re under some sort of compulsion, but until we find out for sure, this is the only way.”
Her eyes shut, and she drew in a deep breath. She didn’t know what hurt her more. The fact he couldn’t trust her, or that after all these years, he really didn’t know her at all.
“Lily?” Luke called out to her.
She forced a smile and faced them. “It’s okay. Be safe out there.” She glanced at Nathaniel, her heart in her throat. “You, too,” she added. And before she broke down in front of them, she turned and raced back into the building.
Chapter Twenty-four
Lily had hopped on the metro and rode it to the Gallery. She made it that far without breaking down or calling Julian, but once she stepped inside her apartment, she had dialed him. He had answered on the second ring. All she could ask was if he could come by her apartment. He hung up without responding, and she felt a chill race down her spine and the air behind her stirred.
Whirling, she found Julian standing before her. Startled, she clutched her throat. “I’ll never get used to you doing that.”
He pulled her against him and kissed her. “What’s wrong?”
She bit down on her lip. Calling him was probably foolish, since he was the main reason she’d been suspended, but who else could she go to? “I’ve kind of had one of those days…”
His gaze fell upon her arm as he guided her to the couch. “Why is your arm bruised?” He grabbed her hand, holding up her arm.
“Long story,” she murmured, “but not the problem, Julian.”
He didn’t seem to like her answer. “What’s happened?”
She hoped she hadn’t interrupted anything important. God only knows what his day actually consisted of, but she told him everything that had gone on that day.
He listened quietly and didn’t pass over any of the important stuff. When she got to the point of Nathaniel demanding that she answer whether or not they had slept together, his lips thinned to a tight line.
“I’ve been suspended from hunting and given restricted access to the Sanctuary. Apparently, I’m supposed to feel lucky I wasn’t locked up in one of the cells, and that I am still allowed to train.” She forced a laugh. “Lucky me.”
His entire body stiffened. “Let me get this straight. They’ve suspended you because of your relationship with me, and they suspect you of betraying the Sanctuary?”
“Yes.” She smoothed her hand down the cushion.
“Did they at least give you an option of not seeing me to avoid suspension?”
Odd question. “Kinda…they asked if I would, but my answer didn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t be suspended.”
“Well…how did you answer?”
“Um, I said they couldn’t tell me who I could see.” She felt his gaze on her as she stared at her hands. “I lost my temper, and the way Nathaniel was yelling at me…” She trailed off as she felt his fingers curve around her lowered chin, turning her head toward his. “What?”
“I’m surprised you admitted it. That is the second time you have risked yourself for me.”
She shrugged self-consc
iously. She wanted to tell him she thought he was worth it but couldn’t work up the nerve to do so.
“You could have told them you wouldn’t see me. That probably would have gotten you out of the suspension and back into their good graces, but you chose not to.”
She stared into his bright eyes. “Yeah, I chose not to.”
He seemed to think about something for a second but then kissed her softly. “You risked everything for me. I’m…honored.”
She felt herself flush again as her eyes darted away from his. “It is what it is.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “So what do you do now?”
“I don’t know. Find out who is betraying them, clear my name, and all that stuff.”
“You’re kidding, right?” he asked, a small smile playing over his lips. “We could leave. You know that. They’ve turned against you, Lily.”
She winced at the reminder. “Julian, I have to find out who is betraying them, and not just to clear my name. Someone is betraying them, and they’re not even looking anymore.”
“So?” he demanded. “Let them dig their own graves. It should no longer be your concern.”
“It is my concern.”
“Why?” Julian stood, prowling the length of her living room like a caged animal. “Why would you even care, Lily? You can’t tell me you aren’t hurt by Nathaniel or how quickly all of them turned on you.”
She understood his anger, but it was for her benefit. “It does hurt, especially Nathaniel, but I can’t turn my back on them because they have.”
He knelt before her, capturing her hands. “Lily, my offer still stands. I could take you away from this. To islands so beautiful the hurt Nathaniel has given you would fade away as soon as you laid eyes upon them.” He brought her hands to his lips. “Let me take you away.”
Once again the offer was tempting, and even more so now than before. She shook her head again. “Julian, they are my friends—my family. Someone is betraying them, and it’s only going to get worse. I have to help them.”
He kissed her hands once more before he released them. “You’re so pigheaded.” He smiled at her sour look. “But my offer always stands. All you have to do is let me know.”
“Okay.”
“If you won’t let me take you away, then you have to let me help you. Who are the likely suspects?”
She launched into a tirade about Micah, telling him about the stuff she’d read in his personnel file and how he was snooping around Nathaniel’s office. Julian actually seemed to agree with her, especially after he realized Micah was the “little shit” from the other night.
“No one else seemed to find any of this suspicious?” he asked.
“Only Luke, but he’s outnumbered.” She pushed at her hair. Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she turned toward Julian. “Do you know who it is?”
He met her stare and didn’t hesitate. “No.”
“You wouldn’t lie about this, would you?” she asked. “Because if you know, it would really help me out, and if you didn’t tell me, I would be pissed.” And she meant it, too.
“It’s not like we hang around in large groups, gossiping about what the other is doing. I do pick up information from time to time, because some do frequent my bars quite regularly,” he told her. “And even if I did, what help would it be? They wouldn’t believe you if it came from me.”
She sighed, disappointed. Figured it wouldn’t be that easy. “I need to find out who Micah is working with.”
Julian was silent for a moment but then smiled. “What we need to do is find some minions and make them talk.”
She arched a brow. “You think I haven’t already tried that?”
His smile spread. “But you haven’t had me with you. I have…ways of making people talk.”
No doubt. Picking up on what he was suggesting, she stood. “You want to go hunting with me?”
“Actually, I was suggesting I go find Micah and make him talk,” he said. “Or I could just take care of him.”
Her mouth dropped open. “No. No, Julian. You killing him, and I know that’s what you plan, will not help me. And stop grinning like you’d enjoy it.”
He didn’t stop grinning. “I would.”
Lily folded her arms.
“Okay. If that doesn’t suit you, then I could go hunting with you.”
The idea was insane. And a little bit laughable. A Fallen hunting minions to make them talk. She ran her hands down her face. If they were caught together by any of the Nephilim, she knew her Contract would be breached. “This is risky.”
“It is.” He turned away, staring out the window. “You know what I prefer, but if you’re insistent upon discovering this traitor, you will not do so alone.”
Mulling it over, she glanced at the wall clock. “I don’t usually start hunting—”
“Until after nine, I know.” He faced her. “The time frame works out perfectly.”
“It does?”
He crossed the room, dipping his head to her neck. His lips brushed over her skin, causing her to shiver. “That gives us just enough time.”
She placed her hands on his chest. “Weren’t you doing something when I called?”
“I was at my club in Bethesda.” He snaked an arm around her waist. “But they’ll live without me.”
Already, she felt her insides tightening, a pool of heat gathering in her core. Her body had absolutely no sense of priority. But the minions wouldn’t come out until later tonight…
Then he caught her earlobe between his teeth and tugged. Her breath came out in small gasps until he let go, his hands splayed across her lower back.
“I need to…I need to shower first. I’m sweaty.” Somehow her brain still registered that she’d been training half the day.
“I can help you with that.” He scooped her up, smiling when she laughed. Heading through her apartment, he stopped once to kiss her and then again to help her get out of her workout clothes. “It’s probably a good thing you won’t take me up on my offer.”
“Why’s that?” She tugged his shirt over his head, then moved on to his pants.
“Because I’d never get anything done.” He stepped out of his pants, standing gloriously nude in her front of her. “All I’d want to do is worship your body all day.”
She walked backward into the bathroom, stopping when she hit the sink. “I don’t see anything wrong with that.”
Leaning around her, he reached into the shower stall and turned on the water. Steam quickly filled the bathroom. When he straightened, he tucked his hair back. The look he gave her was curiously intimate.
“What?” she asked.
“You’re beautiful.”
She rolled her eyes. “Flattery will get you laid.”
“I sure hope so.” He dipped his head to her breast, drawing her nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue and teeth. The way he devoured her breast and then the other drove her crazy. Tight coils sprang low in her belly as she watched him worship her body.
When they did move into the shower, Julian was more interested in tasting every part of her than he was with helping her wash. Not that she minded. Her legs were literally shaking when he knelt and peered up at her through thick lashes.
She placed her hand on his cheek. Her chest swelled with a powerful foreign emotion as her eyes locked with his. He lowered his mouth to her sex, making a long, deep swipe with his tongue. She didn’t even have time to catch her breath before he did it again. His tongue swirled and stabbed, turning her insides to mush as she clasped the back of his head, greedily rocking against him. Then he sealed his mouth over her clit and sucked hard. There was nothing but white-hot pleasure as her orgasm rocked through her. Lily’s knees buckled, and he caught her as he stood and entered her with one quick thrust.
Maybe this was wrong–everyone besides her believed so–but as her head lulled back and he took her the closest to Heaven she’d ever been, she decided this kind of wrong was so right
for her.
Hunting with Julian was kind of weird.
This was the second night in a row they took to the streets, and she still hadn’t gotten used to doing this with him. Like she said, it was weird.
Weird because it was like hunting with Luke, with the exception that she couldn’t stop looking at Julian and remembering what it felt like to have his mouth on her, his fingers in her, the way he kissed her… She cleared her throat, focusing on the humans crowding the street near the Verizon Center. Her cheeks felt hot.
But then she gazed at him again.
God, he was beautiful. She always thought he was, but she never really grasped just how beautiful he truly was. Out here, with the moonlight and the weak flicker of streetlamps, his cheekbones seemed more pronounced, his hair softer, and the indent above his upper lip more lickable.
All around them, people passed her over to stare at him. Male, female, the young and old stared at him. It was more than his looks, she quickly realized. He had this confident swagger that begged people to get out of his way.
She sighed, shaking out her shoulders. They’d been at this for four hours without a deadhead or minion in sight. Last night had been a bust, too. Other than the two deadheads and a minion who practically pissed himself the moment Julian touched him, they hadn’t made any headway. The only thing she accomplished thus far was making herself horny. “Where in the hell are they?”
He tucked his hair back, eyes scanning the crowd as they rounded the avenue. “You do this every night? Walking around until you hear a deadhead?”
“Pretty much.” She shoved her hands into her cargo pants, catching two girls in their early twenties checking out Julian and whispering. A grin played across her lips. “It’s usually busier than this, especially on a Saturday night.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.” He smiled. “Hungry?”
“Always.”
They stopped at a late-night eatery and hung out there for a little while. She made sure to pay attention to her Nephilim radar. Exchanging stories while they ate, she was amazed by how comfortable she was with him doing normal things—human things.
