by Raven Steele
"Reina!" a voice shouted from below.
She gripped the rail and peered over.
"Come on in!" Terence called up to her.
Ryan doggy paddled next to him, yelling his encouragements too, while Llona swam to the shore. Lucien couldn't see Bo.
"Without a bungee?" Eve yelled. "You're crazy!"
Ryan laughed. "You're scared! Never thought I would see that!"
She growled and jumped onto the rail, her arms wrapping around the wooden beam.
"Don't listen to them," Lucien said.
She glanced back at him and said, "I'm not crazy. There's no way I'm jumping without a rope, but I'm not letting them know that."
This comment made him think that she didn't know she was an immortal. Maybe if he could show her that she was, she might believe other things about her past, specifically the fact that her mother had never been murdered. Maybe her walls could finally come down.
She scooted her feet on the rail and let go of the post with one hand. "You really think I should jump?" she called down.
The boys laughed and jeered. "You don't have the guts!"
Lucien wanted to jump in and tie cinderblocks to their feet.
Eve flipped them off and bent over to get down when all of a sudden Bo appeared behind her, startling even Lucien.
"Time to spread your wings!" Bo said and shoved her hard.
She fell from the railing, a terrified scream ripping from her lungs.
"Eve!" Lucien cried and jumped after her. He knew she would be okay, but she didn't. The sound of her fear caused a pain in Lucien's chest he couldn't ignore.
He reached her quickly and spun her around so his back was to the water. They had been in this position before. At the time, he didn't know how to use magic. This time he did and maybe if he used it, it might help her remember.
Her terrified gaze met his, and in that moment, he called upon magic. It surged within him, traveling fast through his body and to the tips of his fingers where it crossed over to Eve. She gasped in surprise.
"Praesidium," he whispered.
An invisible barrier appeared around them so when they hit the water there was very little impact. They dipped below the surface, the protective wall dropping. Eve stared at him through the dark water, her hair swirling around her face. Her expression was full of wonder, but when he reached for her she jerked away and swam to the surface.
He stayed below a moment longer, the pain in his chest like a rock weighing him down. Water had always been a comfort to him, but since he had met Eve, she had become his solace instead.
He kicked upward, but when he broke the surface, Eve was already swimming to shore. The two shifters had also left the water and were heading up the hill a short distance from Llona. He couldn't see Bo, but when he did, he was going to tear him apart. By Eve's demeanor, she was too.
Lucien hurried after her, but he could barely keep up. When they reached the bridge, Bo stood in the center, his arms crossed at his chest and sporting a knowing smile. Llona stood off to the side with Terence and Ryan.
Bo opened his mouth to say something to Eve as she approached, but she shoved him hard.
"What the hell was that?" she yelled, water dripping from her hair and clothing.
"What?" he asked innocently. "I was just trying to have some fun."
"You could've killed me!"
He snorted. "You're fine. Besides, you had hero-boy trying to save you and looking like an idiot while doing it."
Lucien stepped next to her, his hands balled into fists. It was taking every ounce of control he had to not rip off his head.
"Lucien," Llona warned from behind him, as if she could sense his rage.
Bo expanded his chest, his nostrils flaring.
"Take me home," Eve demanded and stormed past him. Her feet stomping against the floor shook the old bridge. Llona hurried after her.
Lucien waited until they were both out of sight before he stepped directly in front of Bo. "If you ever do something like that again, I will break more than your legs. Do you understand?"
Bo's lips curled into a slow smile. "This must be killing you."
"What?" Lucien growled, trying to restrain himself.
"Me being with Eve."
Lucien flinched.
"Yeah, I know who you are, Lucien. I wasn't sure at first because I didn't sense your vampirism, but then you said Reina's real name a moment ago. How did you find her?"
Lucien's mind spun, and his heart pounded. This shifter knew Eve's identity, but how? She couldn't have told him, which left only one other possibility. His blood turned cold with fear.
The corners of Bo's mouth curled up knowingly.
Lucien bared his fangs. He would kill Bo and take Eve away from here, willingly or not. If Bo knew Eve's identity, then it was just a matter of time before the DSRD came and took her.
He lunged at Bo, but his arms were suddenly restrained by Ryan and Terence who had crept up behind him. He growled and prepared to use magic, but then Bo spoke.
"He said you would come. I was hoping I'd have more time with her but no matter."
"Who said?" Lucien asked, every part of him tense.
"Lord Chaos. The one who will restore balance."
"Are you talking about the President?"
"That title doesn't give him the respect he deserves." Bo opened his mouth, revealing elongated eyeteeth, teeth that could rip Lucien's throat out if Lucien wasn't careful. He shouldn't waste any more time, but he needed to know more.
"Why hasn't the DSRD come for Eve already if they know where she is?" Lucien asked, hoping Bo would at least answer that question. There might be something he could use for later.
"Because I'm trying to gain Eve's trust. Our Lord has a way to help her remember her favorite piece of jewelry, while still keeping her mind blocked to the past."
"Why would he want that?"
"To keep her weak, of course. Eve has no idea how powerful she really is. All we need from her is that tiny memory of where she hid that necklace. And when it comes, she will turn to me, her loving boyfriend, to help her sort through this sudden recollection she can't make sense of. I will be her rock."
Anger coursed through Lucien faster than a lightning bolt. The power exploded from his mind, knocking Bo to the ground. Lucien jerked free from the other shifter’s grips, and, in a blink of an eye, picked them up and tossed them over the bridge. He whirled on Bo who had already gotten to his feet.
Bo whispered something under his breath, but Lucien was too busy rushing him to hear. Magic was too good for Bo. He would kill him with his bare hands.
Five feet away, Lucien crashed into an invisible wall. Bo laughed.
From within his pocket, Bo withdrew a blue stone and tossed it up into the air only to catch it again. "Your old friend made this protection amulet for me just in case you showed up. That Liane sure has it out for you. She made us all promise not to kill you because she wants to do it herself."
Lucien pressed his hands against the invisible wall and felt the magic it contained. It was incredibly strong, but, he closed his eyes and searched his mind, looking for the ancient power that existed within him. Genesis.
Over the last year, Henry had tried to help him access it through intense meditation sessions. They lasted for hours, and during all that time, he had only experienced maybe a fraction of it. It went beyond his consciousness, to an eternal part of him that existed before time. At least that's the impression he got. It truly was beyond his comprehension. Maybe that's why he had never experienced its full power.
Spurred on by anger and determination to protect Eve, he quickly scanned his consciousness until he found a tiny thread of Genesis, weaving its way through the deepest part of his mind, but every time he mentally tried to grab onto it, it would evade his grasp and slip further away from him.
He growled and tried again. Before Eve had disappeared, thinking of her had always helped him access magic easier, but that hadn't happened in a while
. Henry said it was because he was too full of anger, a lot of it directed toward Eve. Lucien hadn't agreed then, but he sure did now. He was pissed. Pissed that she left him, pissed that she had this intense hatred for vampires, and pissed that she had a boyfriend.
He lowered his hands, panting hard. This wasn't going to work.
Bo laughed at him. "I know you want to kill me but don't even think about it. I report to my Lord daily on Eve's progress. If he doesn't receive that call, the DSRD will be here in hours taking Eve away, and you do not want her to go through their backup plan. My way is much easier for everyone involved, so control yourself."
This gave Lucien pause. If he did manage to kill Bo, would he be able to get Eve out of Rouen before the DSRD came for her? And what if he couldn't convince her to go with him, even if she did get her memory back? He straightened and stepped back.
"Good boy. Now I suggest you skip town before your old friend Liane shows up."
Lucien said nothing. He needed a plan.
A growling sound behind him made him turn around. Terence and Ryan appeared at the end of the bridge, dripping wet and looking extremely angry.
Bo pocketed the rock. "I'll take you back to your hotel room, then you're gone. And don't even think of mentioning any of this to Eve."
Lucien ground his teeth together but walked away. His only comfort was knowing that one day soon, Bo's head would no longer be attached to his body.
Chapter 12
In the distance, Llona and Eve leaned against the hood of the car speaking softly when Lucien approached. He was glad Llona was there. She could reach Eve better than he could at this point, and he needed someone he could trust to look after her.
As if sensing his approach, Eve glanced over her shoulder at him, then beyond him. She must be wondering what happened between him and Bo. She came to her feet and walked toward him.
He met her half way. "Are you all right?"
She stared at him for a moment, her eyes boring into his. He let her look, keeping his mind and heart as open as possible. It was an uncomfortable feeling, being this vulnerable, but he needed her to sense his intentions. He needed her to trust him.
He didn't get the response he hoped for.
She cleared her throat and glanced away. "Thank you for jumping after me, but can I ask why you did it?"
"I didn't have a choice."
Her eyes returned to his. "What does that mean?"
"I couldn't stand the thought of you feeling any pain."
"But I don't know you. I'm nothing to you."
It was his turn to stare at her. Surely she could feel the heat in his gaze. "That couldn't be further from the truth."
"Who are you?" she asked in an exasperated tone. "And what are you? I felt magic when you touched me."
"Reina!" Bo's voice called behind him.
Eve looked past Lucien.
"Don't go to him," Lucien whispered, but she didn't seem to hear him.
"This isn't over," she said to Lucien then crossed the road to Bo.
Lucien let her go and joined Llona at the jeep, who was looking down at something on her phone.
"Everything okay?" she asked after pocketing her cell.
He motioned with his head to get into the car. Llona slid into the backseat and closed the door at the same time as him.
"Bo knows who I am," he said.
Llona’s mouth fell open. "How is that possible?"
"He already suspected, but then I accidentally said Eve's name when he pushed her off the edge."
"That was such a dick move, pushing her off the bridge like that," Llona grumbled, settling back into the seat, but then her eyes grew wide. "Wait a minute! If he knows who you are, then he knows who Eve is, which means—"
"He's working for the President," Lucien finished. "He's been trying to gain Eve's trust for when they extract her memory about the necklace."
Llona frowned. "But how will that work? Won't she remember you?"
"Bo said the DSRD has a way to get her to remember just that one memory. When it comes, Bo will be there for her and help her to find the necklace." He glanced at Eve and Bo through the window. Her arms were folded to her chest, but Bo's hands were on her shoulders as if consoling her. It made his stomach churn.
"This is bad," Llona said.
"Bo wants me gone, but that's not going to happen. I convinced Eve that I'm a PI and will investigate her mother's death. When I tell her I couldn't find anything related to the case, it will force her to look into it herself. This will be a huge step in her confronting her false past."
"It's a start," she said.
Lucien noticed she was rubbing her pocket where her phone was.
"How's Liam?"
"I haven't heard anything from him yet, but May texted and said the local TV station showed up."
"Good. I'll call Henry later today and find out what I can."
She stared straight ahead. "We need to find that necklace. Auras aren't safe until we do."
"No one is safe."
The front door opened. Eve dropped into the seat in front of Llona, letting out a long groan. "He is so frustrating."
Bo climbed in the driver’s seat and started the car.
"Sorry for ruining the fun," he grumbled. "One harmless prank and everyone gets all pissy."
"No one likes to be shoved from a hundred-foot drop," Llona snapped.
"No, they don't," Eve added.
"I hear you ladies loud and clear." Bo eyed Lucien in the rearview mirror. "Let me make it up to you, Reina. I'll make you dinner at my place."
Lucien's whole body tensed.
"Nope. I'm hanging out with Llona tonight."
Lucien let go of his tight grip on the door.
"Ah, come on. I told you I was sorry," Bo whined.
"I know, but I need some girl time. You men are too confusing." She glanced sideways at Lucien.
At least she wasn't going to be with Bo.
The mood on the way back to the city slowly relaxed as they talked about trivial things. Eve even laughed a few times, but Lucien did notice that when Bo tried to hold her hand at one point, she pulled away. Good.
Bo arrived at Lucien's hotel. "This is your stop, Lucien."
"Actually it's mine too," Eve said. "I'll be going with Llona from here."
"Don't do that," Bo said. "I'll take you back to my place, then you two can take my car."
"I like walking, remember?" Eve asked.
Lucien repressed a smile. He remembered.
"Whatever," Bo said, his hands tightening around the steering wheel.
Eve opened the passenger door. "I'll call you later. I promise."
Lucien exited the car along with Llona. As he rounded the rear of the vehicle, he glanced down at the tire and whispered, "Sternuntur". Before Bo reached home, he would find himself stranded with a flat tire. Hopefully in the heat and far from civilization.
Bo called out the window at Lucien. "You're leaving for good, right?"
Eve whirled around, her eyes wide, almost desperate. "Where are you going?"
His eyes flashed from Eve and then to Bo. He couldn't say he was staying, but he wasn't about to say he was leaving either. Instead, he chose to ignore them both. He walked toward Llona and leaned close to her.
"I'll call you soon," he said quietly.
He glanced at Eve briefly before disappearing into the hotel room. She seemed genuinely upset at the thought of him leaving. Hopefully that meant she felt something between them.
As soon as he was in his hotel room, he called Henry. He answered on the first ring.
"How's Eve?" Henry asked.
Lucien let out a long sigh and dropped onto the floral bedspread covering the bed. "Where do I start?"
"At the beginning."
Lucien told him about following Eve and her vigilante vampire hunting, all because of a vendetta she had based on false history. He also told him about his plan to fake being a private investigator.
"Interesting that
she hates vampires," Henry mused. "It may be important to find out why this narrative was created in the first place. There might be something there you can work with."
Lucien doubted it. "That's not our only problem. Eve has a boyfriend, a shifter sent by Hansen to gain her trust. Her boyfriend calls him "Lord Chaos", and as soon as the shifter thinks he has gained Eve's trust, this "Lord" is going to unlock her memory about just the necklace. I can't imagine how difficult the spell would be to isolate something like that."
Henry was silent.
"Henry?" Lucien asked.
"A spell of that magnitude not only takes great power but can also be dangerous to the recipient if not performed correctly. It could cause all sorts of brain damage, or even create an irreparable personality split. We mustn't let this happen."
"I tried to kill the shifter but he had a magical, blue stone given to him by Liane. I couldn't go near him."
"That witch has given us a hard time here, too," Henry said, his voice low.
"What's been going on?"
"Before the media arrived, she attempted to break her way in to search the grounds, but when I held her back with magic, she opened fire. I wasn't prepared."
"With guns? On a school?" Lucien asked, appalled. He knew she was cruel, but to do something like that?
"The President told her to get in by any means necessary."
"Was anyone killed?"
"Two girls were shot," he paused. "And Liam."
Lucien gripped the phone tightly. "Liam?"
"Everyone lived and is in the recovery process. Please don't tell Llona. Liam wants to do it himself."
Lucien rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. People were already getting hurt. "Have you found anything that could help us?"
"Llona was right about the Auran records. I've never seen books this old before. I could spend years combing through everything."
"We don't have years."
"That's why I used magic to find what we need. The spell guided me to a book written millennia ago. It's in a language I'm not familiar with, but Dr. Han is helping me decipher it."
"What have you learned?"
