Chapter Fourteen
Nicole leaned her back against the door. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to maintain some sort of control over her emotions. Things had not gone at all how she expected. Although she wasn’t exactly sure how she was supposed to guess that the man she’d spent the night with might be one of the hybrids.
Her instincts had been telling her he was hiding something, but she thought that would end up meaning something like a minor criminal background, or even something stupid like moonshine stills, not that he was a genetically engineered super-soldier.
Not wanting to dwell on it, Nicole made her way to the bathroom and stepped into the shower. Maybe a long, hot shower would clear up all her thoughts. It wasn’t like she could do much about it now.
The steam filled the room and billowed up against the ceiling as she entered. The hot spray relaxed all the muscles she’d just used. A smile slipped over her face as she remembered the way she had just felt. Satisfied. Happy. Complete.
Despite everything, Nicole had enjoyed her time with Joran. There was something about him that she could still feel herself being attracted to, even if she didn’t buy all his made for each other bullshit for a second.
Hybrid.
Just thinking the word in her head felt like something out of a movie. But if she were being honest, things were starting to make a lot more sense. The dreams, the way his group of people acted, how amazing all of them looked.
Of course, no normal man could exude sexual magnetism like that, let alone move the way Joran had. He’d saved her from getting shot when he was cuffed like it was nothing.
He’d been smart to mention Luna Lodge. Nicole watched the news. She’d followed the troubles concerning the hybrids at the Lodge.
Now it seemed like the government had conspired to abuse the hybrids at Luna Lodge. It was no wonder Joran’s people were on the lam. If it were her, she wouldn’t want to be found by anyone either, whether the government or the Horatius Group.
And yet Joran had told her everything. Sure, she’d seen the light, but he could have denied it. In fact, she almost expected him to do just that. But he’d told her everything without even any spin.
Nicole still wasn’t quite sure how she felt. At first it had just been fear and hurt. Thinking on it now, she had mixed emotions. The larger part of her was interested in getting to know the man who had just left.
She sighed and turned off the shower. She leaned her head against the glass shower door. This was all just so fucked up.
Nicole started drying off and stifled a yawn. With a little sleep, maybe everything would seem better.
* * *
Nicole awakened to the sound of her phone chiming. It was too damned early. The sun wasn’t even up yet.
There were only two people who would be calling her right now. Frank or Joran. Either way, she didn’t want to miss the call.
Nicole leaned over to grab the phone from her night stand and stared at the screen.
Frank.
“What’s up, Frank?” she answered.
“I’m glad you’re up.” His voice was rough, and she wondered if he’d only just woken up himself.
“Yeah,” Nicole mumbled. “What did you need?”
“I just got off the phone with Ted’s wife.”
Nicole grimaced. Maybe Ted had gone home and complained about Nicole to his wife. She’d nearly forgotten about that part of the night as she glanced down at her hand.
She flexed it a few times and frowned.
It was healed. Not the normal kind of healed, but it was like she’d never even hit Ted at all. Her heart hammered in her chest. She didn’t know what the hell was going on but knew this had to be related to Joran and the light.
“I know you two got into it last night, but he never came home,” Frank continued, unaware of her anxiety.
Nicole put down her hand. That wasn’t what she’d been expecting at all. “Did one of the guys take him to their place?”
Frank sighed, and she could hear the worry behind it. “None of them know where he went. He said something about Farm Road 57.”
Nicole faltered at the mention of 57. That was where she had seen Joran. It was where her car had been attacked, and she was certain it was where trouble would be waiting.
Joran had said there were creatures called Glycons out there. If Ted were looking for proof of Joran being a troublemaker and ran into one of those monsters, there would be only one outcome. Above all, she needed to make sure she kept the people of the town safe. If even the hybrids were scared, that meant the humans should be terrified.
“Ted was talking at work about paying a visit to the people at the base of the mountain,” Nicole said as she slipped on her clothes. “I let them know he might be coming out, but maybe you should send some guys over there.”
She heard some movement on the other side of the line. “I’ll go over there,” Frank said. “You head out to 57 since you’re closer. Call in if you find anything.”
Nicole grabbed her gun from the drawer and all the extra mags she had. Three. She could only hope it was enough to deal with whatever strange creature she encountered.
For a moment she considered calling Joran, but she wasn’t sure exactly how she would do that. She’d given him her number but hadn’t thought to get his. Either way, she hoped that Ted had just decided to go pay them a visit and was face down in the dirt there passed out from booze.
As Nicole buttoned her shirt, her fingers shook a little. She took a few deep breaths. It was hard to deny how much she wished Joran was there with her. He made her feel safe in a way she never expected to need. She’d pushed him away because of the suddenness of his revelation, but it was like she’d sent away a part of her.
Nicole shook herself. She had a job to do, and that was exactly what she was going to do. With or without Joran.
With that she grabbed her gun and loaded a magazine. She headed out the door.
* * *
Joran needed to get back to the compound. He’d spent hours driving around just trying to clear his head. Everything had been going so well until his stupid tattoo had to reveal the truth.
He slammed his hand into the steering wheel.
He loved Nicole. From the moment they had met, he had known she was his Vestal, but there was more to the situation than that, something deep down inside that had only grown the more he got to know her. Nicole wasn’t just his Vestal; she was a piece of his heart.
It had hurt when she pushed him away. Not that she was wrong. It would be a lot for anyone to take in all at once. Still he hated that it had come to that. All he wanted was to make things right with her and to keep her safe, whether it be from Ted, Glycons, or Erebus.
The phone in his pocket buzzed against his leg. Joran frowned as he pulled it out. He’d let Rem know he was going to be staying the night out, so the only reason they would call was if there were trouble.
He hit the green button to answer Rem’s call.
“Nicole needs help,” Rem said.
The tension in the normally calm hybrid’s voice tightened Joran’s stomach. The situation must be serious.
Joran made a quick U-turn to head back to her apartment. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve got Sheriff Frank Jones here, and they are looking for Deputy Ted Brown. They thought he might have visited us.”
Joran clenched his hands at the mention of that asshole Ted.
“We haven’t seen him, though,” Rem said, this time quieter. “But she’s headed out to 57.”
Joran gritted his teeth. His heart hammered in his chest. The dome. Neither of them knew what they were really dealing with out there.
He punched the gas. This car shot ahead.
“We’re on our way,” Rem continued, “but you need to get there quickly.”
Joran killed the call, shoved the phone back in his pocket, and then grabbed out the gun he kept in the glove compartment. He hadn’t needed it in a while, but it was better s
afe than sorry.
It was lucky that he was still in the area, but there was no telling how long ago she had left her place.
Time seemed to tick by too slowly as he raced through the darkness. The sleepy town remained unaware of the dangers that lurked just at the edge of civilization.
Joran had to get there in time to stop her. To save her.
After what felt like hours, Joran spotted her car near the downed tree they had put up to prevent anyone from moving too close to the dome. The haze of the blue dome was now almost visible through the forest line in the darkness.
It had moved quite a bit since the last time he’d checked on it. It wouldn’t be long before it reached the log and then the main road, and from there, the town. At that point, not only would the people be in danger, but the government and the Group would come, and given how Agatha was acting, Joran wouldn’t put it past the Horatius Group to destroy the town to get to her.
He slammed on his brakes, and the car screeched to a halt. He jumped out of the vehicle and tucked the gun into the back of his pants.
“Nicole!” he yelled.
Nothing answered him from the darkness. No animals moved. No insects chirped. It was as if all life had vanished from the area.
He breathed in deeply and caught her faint scent in the air. His body moved with ease in the darkness toward the blue dome up ahead. With each step, her scent only grew stronger until he had passed the thick of the woods.
Joran skidded to a stop just at the clearing edge. A charred body lay on the other side of the blue line. His eyes widened.
For a split second, he thought it was her. The charred figure there only vaguely resembled anything human.
He choked on whatever sound was trying to make its way out as movement caught his eye just to the left.
Nicole stood there just outside of the blue dome. His heart nearly stopped in his chest at the sight of her.
She was alive. He repeated it over and over in his head.
“Ni—” Joran stopped as she took a step closer to the blue dome. His feet started to move just as a black claw reached through the dome and wrapped itself around her arm.
Their eyes locked, and he could see her panic.
“No!” Joran roared.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled hard away from the dome. On the other side, the black shadowy outline of Erebus peered out at them with his ice blue eyes. The monster seemed to almost grin at him, as if he had already won.
“You can’t have her,” Joran shouted, and pulled out the gun behind him.
He fired several rounds into the blue dome. It sunk in like gelatin.
Nicole and Joran lurched forward as Erebus pulled harder.
The hybrid fired again. This time he managed to nail the black arm that stretched outside of the blue dome. Erebus screamed and pulled hard one last time.
The hybrid fired several more times in hopes of getting away. Another great scream ripped through the air as the black hand disappeared. But it was already too late.
This time there was nothing he could do. They were falling into the blue energy. He dropped the gun and wrapped his arms around Nicole. If they died, at least they died together.
Chapter Fifteen
Nicole had closed her eyes so hard that it hurt to open them. For a moment she thought maybe she’d damaged them in the fall. When she finally opened them, she gasped.
A haze of blue shrouded them. The grass beneath them was charred black.
She blinked several times, just trying to remember everything that had happened. It all seemed like just a dream with the blue dome and shadowy hand.
No. It wasn’t a dream. It was a nightmare. Something she couldn’t seem to wake herself from until she’d seen Joran.
Her gaze wandered down to the man that lay on the ground next to her. Given the way he stared at her with wonderment on his face, she wondered just what he thought would happen. Her stomach tightened.
“We’re not dead,” Joran mumbled. “We should be dead, but we aren’t.”
He pulled her tightly against him and pressed his mouth to hers. She leaned into the kiss, forgetting everything else. When he pulled away, she could see the fear and anger that had settled into his eyes.
“We need to get out of here,” the hybrid said. Joran stood and pulled her to her feet as well.
“That… thing,” Nicole whispered. “I’ve seen it before. In my nightmares.”
Joran nodded. “Erebus.”
Nicole frowned. The name was one she’d heard before. It was strange that it would be familiar to her.
She looked up. “Wait, wasn’t Erebus a Greek god or something?”
The hybrid looked around them and peered into the blue-tinged darkness. It was clear he didn’t want to answer the question, and if she were being honest, it seemed like a crazy thing to ask, but it was the first thing to come to mind from her lessons in high school on Greek mythology. Maybe in a world with hybrids no question was ridiculous.
Joran pulled out his phone from his pocket and held it up. “No signal.”
Nicole pulled out her own phone. It hadn’t even occurred to her before. “Same.”
It didn’t escape her notice that he didn’t want to answer the question yet. That didn’t fill her with confidence, but just being around the man made her feel like they could survive whatever was going on.
She pulled out her walkie talkie and flipped it on.
“This is Deputy Monroe,” she called into it.
A harsh crackle was the only thing that came back. Nothing.
In the distance, something screamed from the darkness.
Nicole shivered at the sound. “Is that… him?”
Joran nodded. “We need to find a place to hide until we figure this out. I promise you that I’ll protect you.”
The statement filled her heart with warmth, but it was only then she noticed the dark blood that coated the side of his blue shirt. Nicole leaned in to pull up on the fabric. Joran hissed as she did so.
Nicole’s eyes widened. “You’re bleeding!”
Three gashes bled freely from his side.
Another scream came from the forest, and Joran tensed.
Joran pulled down his shirt and put his hand to her elbow. “Let’s move.”
They hadn’t moved far when she noticed the charred body. She gasped and turned her head away.
“What happened?”
Joran shook his head. “Not sure? Maybe the poor bastard wandered in. Maybe it was Erebus. Doesn’t change the fact he’s dead.”
Nicole glanced back to the figure on the ground. “It’s Ted, isn’t it?”
Joran gave a short nod before guiding them down the hill. “Likely,” he said quietly. “And that’s going to make things more complicated after this.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Somebody’s going to have to explain the charred body of a cop.” The hybrid shrugged.
Nicole let out a sigh. Joran was right.
They walked down the steep hill for a bit before she spoke again.
“Did Frank send you?”
Joran stopped at a tree just at the edge of what looked like a damaged barn with more than a few holes. “Frank stopped to see if Ted was at our place. Rem called to tell me where you were. They are on their way though.”
Panic raced through her. Frank couldn’t come to where they were. She had to warn him before he ended up just like Ted.
Joran shook his head. “He’s with my people.” His warm hands landed on her shoulders. “They won’t let anything happen to him.”
Nicole had never known someone so in tune with her emotions. It was like having someone read her mind.
She nodded and turned back to the barn. “Are we going in?”
Joran gritted his teeth. “This is where the Glycons sleep.”
Another scream echoed through the air.
“We don’t have much choice.”
“We can’t just stay here.” Joran nodde
d. “You have your gun?”
Nicole nodded. Joran stared at her for a moment, his face grim.
“Any of them find us, you run,” he said. “You shoot anything in your way, and you keep running. Those things are tough, but they can be killed.”
She shook her head. “What about you? I can’t just leave you.”
Joran pulled her hard against his chest. She could feel the blood from his shirt and knew he had to be in quite a bit of pain.
“I’ll get away,” he whispered. “And I promise I’ll come to you.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, and Nicole quickly dashed them away. She wasn’t a crier. She was a doer. He could tell her to run all he wanted, but there was no way in hell she was going to leave him.
Nicole pulled back and stared up at him. It was strange that earlier things had been so different. Now she was seeing everything as if it were new. The blue glow had cleared her head, and it all just worked. They worked.
Is this what it meant to be a Vestal? It felt right. She finally understood. On a deep level, she knew that they were meant to be together.
Joran reached down and took her hand. “Keep low and quiet,” he said. “If we’re lucky, they won’t notice us.”
Surviving and making it over to the other side of the dome hadn’t made Joran relax. Not only that, he wasn’t sure if that’s where they actually were. The blue haze seemed more indistinct than it should be from just the light from the dome. It reminded him almost of what it was like to be in the nightmares where Erebus appeared.
Without more information, going into the barn was a terrible plan. In fact, he was half certain they should just take their chances in the forest with Erebus rather than go where Agatha and her Glycons slept. These new types were an unknown quantity, and in the end, it hadn’t been one of his people to take out Thrax, but the blue stone.
Winning against one super-Glycon was questionable enough, let alone several.
Erebus screamed again from the woods. This time the scream sounded closer. Joran didn’t know how long it took for a creature like that to heal, but he’d bet it was a lot less time than his people.
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