Crumbling Control (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 3)

by May Freighter

  A devilish grin portrayed the real pleasure he was getting out of teasing her. Yet, she no longer cared. She wanted him to touch her, to take her.

  Oh so slowly, his hands ghosted their way up her exposed thighs, riding the dress up with them. She undid the rest of the buttons which acted like locks that kept his chest imprisoned in his shirt. Ready to explore, she slid the material apart. Pressing her palms to his taut chest, she enjoyed the feel of him.

  His hands stopped on her ass, and he flipped her over, pushing her body into the cushions as he settled on top of her.

  “I believe I’m at my limit,” he said and buried his face in her neck. His fangs grazed her skin.

  Unafraid, she tilted her head, giving him more room. He planted one final feather-light kiss on her and bit down.

  She clutched his back, gasping for air. Her nails dug into the material of his shirt and her mind floated up to cloud nine. As if magic worked its way into the mix, her body grew overly sensitive to everything he did. Even the faintest of touches felt like venom that intensified her pleasure while he drank from her.

  “I love you…” she said, giving him the control he craved.

  Lucious laid her on the bed and pulled the covers over her spent body. He brushed away the damp strands of hair away from her forehead. She was still beautiful in his eyes.

  Careful not to wake her, he planted a soft kiss on her lips and walked to the window. London had changed over the centuries, but it remained his true home. As the stars melted away in preparation for sunrise, he watched the sleeping office blocks and houses.

  In the end, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t let Helena go. He gave her his undying attention and unyielding love tonight to make her feel normal again. Only the sorrow in his soul remained. Anna’s dying wish was for him to help Lilia in her crusade, but he couldn’t do it. His love for Helena lingered, even with the link being broken. And, no matter what, he couldn’t let her go. Not again.

  Making his way to the sofa, he pressed the button for the metal shutters to come down. Lucious sat in a cushy seat and watched the view of the world disappear. Darkness shrouded him. The power from Eliza’s body, he felt it, mingling with his energy but never merging. It was as if she remained a part of him, watching, evaluating his actions. The last words she had spoken to him replayed in his mind. Would he take the seat? Could he shoulder the pressure of protecting hundreds of vampires across Europe and dispense judgement for their wrongdoings if need be?

  He glanced at his sleeping lover. If she would go with him, he would take the oath.

  Helena stretched with the sun bathing her skin. Even though her muscles ached, she didn’t mind. The sofa was much softer than she had expected it to be. Blushing at her indecent thoughts, she searched the bed to find Lucious missing. She squinted at the sunshine coming in through the window. He could no longer be in the sun with her.

  Across the room, the shutters were in place. In the shadows, Lucious sat with that same blank expression she had seen before. His mind was elsewhere, and she couldn’t help her worry rising.

  She slid out of bed and wrapped the sheets around her as she padded across to him.

  He raised a hand, halting her mid-step. “Stay there. Stay where the light is.”

  “Why?”

  “I fear that once you come into the dark, I won’t be able to let you go again.”

  She assessed his meaningful words. Her feet were a mere inch away from the border. She knew exactly what he wanted to know. Was she willing to stay with him? Doing so would take away her chance at a normal life. She would forever be tied to the supernatural and the monsters that hide in plain sight.

  She placed her hand over her longing heart. The answer was there. She couldn’t leave him even if she tried. They shared too much pain, memories, and loss.

  Helena joined him on the sofa and snuggled into his side. “You’re stuck with me now.”

  He hugged her close to his chest. “I may be asked to take a seat on the Council.”

  She peeled away from him. “What? Is it because you killed Anna?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want to do it?”

  He rubbed his thumb over her bandaged arm and his gaze darkened. “A title of a Councilman could protect you from the others.”

  “I’m not asking about me, I’m asking what it is you want to do. Is this something you have ever thought about?”

  “I’ve never considered such an eventuality, no.”

  “How long do you have to decide?”

  He rubbed his chin. “Until we meet with Hans tonight.”

  Her heart sank. It was too soon. Neither of them had prepared for this. “Maybe we can stall or go back another day.”

  “As much as I’d like to, I cannot keep running.” Lucious went down on one knee in front of her and took her hand. “Will you stay by my side if I accept?”

  Helena studied the worry creasing his brow. She ran her fingers across his forehead to wipe away the frown lines. “I will once I talk to my parents. I’ll call them tonight when we get back.” She grinned. “Till then, I believe we should utilise that room service they boasted about in the lobby.”

  She didn’t have to be a supernatural creature to see the despair hanging over Hans’ shoulders like a stormy cloud. Vincent’s childe stared at the floor of the living room with an ashen face. He appeared almost suspended in time, a perfect, immobile statue.

  She edged closer to him, she said, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  A tear escaped his bloodshot eyes, but he gave her no other reaction to prove that he had heard or accepted her words.

  To contrast him, Karl waltzed into the room with a grin stretching from one ear to the next. “Looks like everyone is finally here. I hope you’ve enjoyed your night.” He winked at Helena, making her wrap her arms around her middle.

  “I have great news for some of you gathered here today!” the hound announced and rubbed his hands together.

  “Drop the theatrics, Karl,” Lucious warned. “No one here is in the mood for them.”

  Karl’s smile faltered and his demeanour changed. “Some respect would be nice after I got you this far.”

  Lucious stared at him, unamused.

  Byron coughed, bringing everyone’s eyes to him. “I take it you already know about your position on the Council, Lucious?”

  He nodded, his gaze locking with Karl who smirked.

  “Then you also know that Hans must take the temporary seat as Vincent’s replacement, too?”

  Lucious blinked and glanced at Hans.

  The grieving vampire rose to his full height and bowed his head in automation. “I will shoulder the task given to me. I accept my sire’s burden and the seat…”

  Taking Helena’s hand, Lucious bowed his head as well. “I, too, accept to take the seat and shoulder my deceased sire’s burden.”

  Karl bowed his head and said, “I, too, accept to take the seat and bring order back to this Council.”

  Helena frowned while the rest of the room fell so silent for a second that a pin dropping could be heard.

  Lucious glared at the hound. “What is the meaning of this?”

  Karl scratched the back of his head. “Oh, I didn’t tell you? This must have slipped my mind…” He licked his lips and draped his arm over Hans’ shoulders. “I’m Kallias, Arthemis’ second son. I believe your kind calls me a Royal.”

  Helena gasped. The events at the cemetery fell back into place. Kallias, Runa, Hartwin, they were the names of the Royals—vampires who were turned by the original.

  When Kallias’ calculating gaze landed on her, she shuddered. Whatever he was planning, she knew it wasn’t anything good. Now that Lucious had accepted the seat, there was no way out. They had no choice but to stick together and figure out what this man really wanted.

  22

  When Death Comes Knocking

  They sat in the living room, grim faces all around. Helena was glad that Karl had left to begin the arrange
ments for the official ceremony. It gave them time to adjust to the news.

  Sinead walked in with a tray of steaming mugs. Helena rushed over, taking it from her and offered coffee to each of the frozen men in the room. Setting the tray aside, she joined Lucious on the sofa and wrapped her hands around the cup for some comfort. The room seemed to have dropped a few degrees in temperature since the news of a Royal taking a seat on the Council floated up.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Byron finally said. “That bastard was an even bigger fish than I thought.”

  “How can we tell if he’s telling the truth,” Alexander asked.

  “He is,” Helena replied. “He spoke to the demon inside Anna as if they knew one another. They used their original names, too.”

  Alexander sighed and turned to Byron. “Does your household have something stronger than coffee?”

  Byron rubbed his hand over his face. “I have a kid in the house. Whatever booze I get must be drunk on the spot.”

  “Did anyone see how Vincent died?” Hans asked, bringing forth another awkward silence.

  Lucious said, “The last person to speak with him would have been Helena.”

  She thought back. “The last person was Karl, no, Kallias. He went to get the Arcanae Mortum from Vincent after Anna hit him.”

  “Then it is safe to say he may have finished Vincent off,” Alexander said.

  Helena grimaced. “Why do that? Vincent was a good guy.”

  “He talked about purging the Council in the car,” Lucious added. “I believe he managed to do just that.”

  Hans clenched his fists. “Without a witness, we cannot put him on trial…”

  Alexander snorted. “Even with a witness, you can’t touch him. He’s a Royal—above the law and beyond our reach.”

  “We can’t let my sire’s death go unpunished!” Hans shouted.

  Lucious placed his hand on Hans’ shoulder. “We cannot know for certain what happened on that day. What is important right now is to take the time to mourn the dead and eradicate any evidence of our existence from the minds of the nearby humans.”

  Hans buried his face in his hands. “You are right. As of tonight, we hold that responsibility.” Lifting his head back up, his coffee-coloured eyes reflected his determination as he stood. “Karl already took care of the reporters who were on-site…”

  “You mean he killed them?” Helena asked, growing paler by the minute.

  “Yes. He claimed some wouldn’t bend to his will, so he chose the ultimate silence to keep the peace between our species.”

  Lucious took her hand and ran his thumb over her skin, sending a light current through her. “And the rest? There were more than enough spectators when we arrived. What will the cover story be?”

  “How about some LSD got mixed in with the waterline in that area and they were all high as kites,” Byron offered.

  Alexander chuckled. “I will contact my friends to falsify the water reports. Phil could still be alive.”

  “Phil remains unaccounted for,” Hans added.

  “He’d never leave his cat for too long. He’ll surface sometime,” Byron assured Alexander.

  Lucious rose. “I will be back tomorrow. I cannot rest this problem solely on Hans’ shoulders.” His gaze lingered on Helena. “Will you be alright?”

  “Yes, Mother. I’ll be fine,” she grumbled.

  The light mood returned to the room with a chuckle from the guys.

  Helena grinned at Alexander when Lucious and Hans left to deal with their business. “Could I use your phone now?”

  He groaned as he took out his ivory smartphone with what appeared to be a golden trim. “Don’t drop it.”

  She bit back a snide remark and walked down the corridor, through the kitchen, and into the garden. Late July air was like a snug dream. It brushed past her, perfuming the air with the scent of freshly cut grass. When did Byron find the time to mow his lawn? With her stalling complete, she searched for her mother’s name in Alexander’s contacts.

  Helena strolled around the garden, counting her steps with every dial tone. At last, when someone picked up, she launched into an explanation, “I’m so sorry I haven’t called, Mum. I know you and Richard must be worried.”

  “Hello, Thorn,” Laura’s voice came from the other end of the line.

  Her heart and step faltered as a sudden cold washed over Helena. “Laura, why do you have that phone?”

  “Funny you should ask. Here I was, planning to return to Dublin when I saw your parents meandering through Heathrow airport. I thought my luck couldn’t get any better.”

  “Where are they?”

  Laura’s harsh words took the breath out of Helena’s chest. “With me, of course. I couldn’t let them go after everything you did to me. Oh, and Helena—” Laura lowered her voice to a whisper, “—if you tell anyone about this, I’ll be sure to make them suffer.”

  “Don’t, please…” Helena covered her mouth, fighting the tears stinging her eyes.

  “I will call you tomorrow with the location you must go to, alone. If you bring anyone along, and I mean even a pet, I will put two bullets in your mother’s head and then in Richard’s.”

  Helena’s stomach barrel rolled at the image Laura’s words conjured in her mind. She swallowed her nausea and squeezed her eyes shut. “This is not you. You’d never hurt them.”

  “An eye for an eye, Helena. Orion’s teachings tell us we must punish the wicked. But, as an old friend, I’m giving you a choice: your family for you. It’s a fair trade, don’t you think?”

  “I’ll do it. I’ll go!”

  “Ta. Talk to you tomorrow.”

  The line went dead, and the phone slid out of her hand. Her throat constricted, almost suffocating her. Heaving breath after breath, she tried to regain control. Her heartbeat evened out, and she managed to mimic something resembling a smile. Picking the phone off the ground, Helena marched back inside and handed it to Alexander.

  “I’m going to get a call from my parents tomorrow, would you mind passing it to me then?” she asked.

  His eyes narrowed. “Did you drop it?”

  “I’m sorry, I tripped.”

  “It’s fine. Go get some sleep. You look pale enough to have seen a ghost.”

  “Yeah, news about Karl really shook me up…”

  Throughout the night, Michael called out to her. She knew what he would say, so she avoided him and kept her pillow over her head while she attempted to get some sleep. It didn’t work because, the next thing she knew, she stood inside of her mental shields. She hadn’t even tried concentrating on them, which meant she wasn’t in control.

  “What are you’re doing?” Lilia huffed.

  “Trying to sleep,” Helena replied.

  “You will die tomorrow. Is that your wish, to go out there and be a paragon of virtue?”

  Helena’s mask of indifference fell away and anger took its place. “Do you think this in an easy choice? To give up my family or the man I love? I promised Lucious I wouldn’t leave him, I gave my word!” Heartache ripped at heart, and she clutched her chest.

  “Let me take control. I can make this choice easy…”

  “Can you save them? Do you have some mystical power to teleport my parents to me? Because if you do, then use it. Use it and take this pain away from me.”

  “I cannot.”

  Helena wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I know. That’s why I can’t let you out. I won’t. Until my family and their unborn child are safe, I will let Laura do whatever she likes to me.” She wrapped her arms around her quivering form and screamed, “So, get the hell out of my head!”

  Lilia, the shields, everything was gone. She was back in the bedroom with the bedside lamp on. A second passed and a headache consumed her. She cried out in agony as Lilia pushed more memories to merge with hers.

  “If you had a choice to link two souls for an eternity, would you do it?” Lilia asked Michael, getting him to look up from his scroll.

&nb
sp; “Is linking souls important? I do not see a point you are trying to make…”

  She puckered her lips. “But what about love? Is it not important to find the one for you and cherish them enough to live as long as they do?”

  “What is important is finishing this report on demon activity. I do not have the time for these pointless conversations.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because angels are created from souls! We do not have them. This theory of yours about love, about—” he waved his hand in the air as if searching for the right term, “—eternal souls is merely something you do for entertainment.”

  Lilia pushed his papers off the desk and grasped him by the material of his navy tunic. “Do not insult the bonds, archangel.”

  Michael captured her wrists. His unyielding grip prevented her from escaping. As he rose to his full height, dwarfing her, her brazen act was replaced with a mixture of fear and excitement.

  He tugged her to him. Their bodies were a dismal inch apart. From up close, she studied the edges of his sculpted face, the depths of his azure eyes, and the golden hair she always wanted to touch. Static energy danced around the room, tickling her body as his intense gaze chipped away the remnants of her bravery.

  “Do not be afraid,” he whispered, “I would never hurt my charge, no matter how infuriating she may be.”

  “Michael…”

  “Yes?”

  “I love you.” She planted her hands on his broad shoulders, so she could balance on her tiptoes. Her mouth brushed his, and he froze. She smiled and continued to possess his lips.

  After a few moments, he returned her kiss. His power cocooned her as he released her wrists and moved his hand to the back of her neck. Her body cried out for him, yearned to be one with him, down to the last strand of her raven hair…

  Helena screamed within her mind, trying to block the memories out. She couldn’t let Lilia take over. No, wouldn’t. Her body burned as if lava boiled beneath her skin. Clawing at her arms, and clamping her jaw shut, she silently suffered throughout the night as memories of their passionate nights, one after another, shredded her control.