Incubus (88 page)

“It’s safe,” he said. I heard amusement edging his voice and scowled.

“Your towel,” I said, pulling a towel out of the top of the guest room closet and shoving it at his

chest. Seth’s grin deepened.

I returned to the kitchen. “Seth’s going to grab a quick shower,” I said. Dad nodded, and joined me

at the kitchen island with another plate of buttered toast.

Seth joined us a few minutes later, after the fastest shower in the world. We all ate breakfast

together, keeping the conversation light, until Dad had to leave for his daily rounds to the outposts.

The coast was finally clear.

“You sure you want to do this now?” Seth asked.

“If anyone gets suspicious, the first thing they’re going to do is check for this chest,” I replied.

Seth nodded, and we both pushed back from the kitchen island. We retrieved the chest from Seth’s

room. I cloaked us for the walk next door to the Guard’s house. I hesitated on the porch, opening the

door with the key I’d taken from Lucas once again. The inside of the house was quiet. It didn’t seem

like anyone was home. I pulled Seth inside. In the shelter of the hallway by the stairs, I uncloaked us.

The last thing we needed was for one of the newcomers seeing me uncloaking accidentally, and I’d

need Seth’s help placing the chest, which meant we’d be too far apart for me to keep us both invisible.

It’d be a lot easier to explain what we were doing hiding a chest in the basement than it’d be to explain

how I could make myself and Seth invisible.

We walked to the basement. The lights were off. Seth and I descended the basement stairs, our

only illumination the light streaming down the staircase. I led him to the column and together we slid

it aside. While I held it, Seth replaced the chest with my direction. We let the column swing back

down, covering the hole in the floor, and heard the soft click as the latch reengaged.

“Done and done,” I said, sagging in relief against the column.

Seth turned, suddenly close. His eyes searched my face. The strangest tingle crept over my skin.

Seth leaned forward and kissed me. The touch of our lips was like an electric shock, shooting through

my whole body, down to my toes. I froze, paralyzed by the swarming emotions that flooded through

me. Seth cradled my cheek, his hand warm and firm on my skin. The kiss grew more heated, and I felt

myself beginning to respond. I lifted my hands, placed them on his chest—and gently pushed him

back, breaking the kiss.

“Seth...” My heart was still pounding, I swayed, dizzy.

Seth stepped back, mortified. “I’m sorry. I thought—”

I lowered my eyes. Why did I want to pull him closer? “I think you’d better meet me back at my

house.”

“Right.” He rung his hands, miserable, then retreated up the dark staircase. I watched him go,

sinking against the post again.

Something moved in the darkness beyond the staircase. My eyes adjusted—and it felt like the

world plummeted away beneath my feet.

Lucas walked forward slowly. He flipped on the light switch, and his hand lingered on the wall, as

though he needed the support to remain standing.

“Wait,” I breathed, crossing the distance between us. “What you saw—Seth kissed me. I’m not

into him, I promise.”

“I know,” he said. But he didn’t look at me.

“Then, what’s wrong?”

“How did you know where to look for the vessel?” His question struck me like a physical blow. I

stepped back involuntarily. Lucas turned his head toward me, his eyes heavy and full of pain. “Yeah. I

had a feeling, when I couldn’t remember any of the stuff I’d studied for my history test.”

“Lucas—” I breathed. But it wasn’t a denial. Lucas looked sick.

“You made me tell you. After I made it clear how I felt about this.” He turned back to the wall,

unable to look at me.

I drew in a ragged breath, struggling for calm. “I didn’t want to hurt you.” My voice sounded

thready, weak.

“You took what you needed,” he said simply, “then you made me forget.”

I put a hand on his shoulder. He pulled away from me abruptly.

“You made me forget.” He turned his eyes toward me. “
I trusted you.
”

The force of his words burned through the last of my excuses. “I did it for us,” I said faintly. But I

knew, even as I said the words, that I couldn’t undo this damage.

Lucas laughed, but the sound was brutal, humorless. “That’s rich.”

“You have to believe me,” I said. My voice was shrill, on the edge of breaking.

“No. I don’t.” Lucas looked at me. It was as if a cement wall had been built behind his eyes.

Whatever he was thinking, whatever he was feeling, he kept it veiled. With a wrenching pain, I felt

him slipping away. “I don’t think I’ll ever believe you again.”

“You said you’d never doubt me.” My throat was tight with emotion. “Not unless I told you I

didn’t love you anymore.”

Lucas met my eyes with a clear, direct stare. “Don’t you get it?” he asked. “You just did.”

Chapter 16

Steam curled from an oversized mug of hot chocolate in my hands. Heat radiated through the ceramic.

The rich aroma of cocoa and chili powder hung heavy in the air. I observed it all like it was happening

to someone else. Nothing had seemed real to me since Lucas had left me standing alone in the Guard’s

basement.

After the first wave of shock had worn off, I’d fled to my car. I hadn’t intended to come here, but

my drive had wandered through the neighborhood. Sophia’s seemed as safe a place as any. I needed

some time alone to think. When Lucas had made it clear we were through, I’d started to question

everything. I’d fought so hard to become human, desperate for the chance at a healthy relationship

with him. And now that chance was gone.

I took a sip of the scalding liquid. The pain focused my thoughts. Brought me back to the present

moment.

Do I even want to become human?
I asked myself.
Why sugarcoat it? Everything I’d done, I’d done

for Lucas, hadn’t I? To be with Lucas. Who now wanted nothing to do with me ever again. So I was

free to decide my future unencumbered.

But even as I thought this, my stomach twisted painfully. A fresh wash of grief spilled through me.

I tipped my head forward, ashamed. The life of a Lilitu? To never have a romantic relationship that

didn’t end in devastation or death? To never get married, never have Dad walk me down the aisle? To

never have a child unless I stole the life of another?

No. Lucas wasn’t the reason I wanted to be human.

Exhaustion battered at my mind. I stood, leaving the cup still steaming on the table, next to a

crumpled five-dollar bill.

How I made it home, I don’t really know. The house was empty. Seth was gone. Dad hadn’t

returned from his rounds. I climbed the stairs, feeling gravity pulling a little harder on my limbs with

every step. I collapsed into bed, tumbling into a dreamless sleep only seconds later.

I struggled to wake up, hearing the sounds of voices below. I glanced out the window. The sun was low

in the west. I’d slept most of the day away. I considered pulling a blanket over me, seeking the

oblivion of dreamless sleep once more. But my stomach growled angrily. I’d had nothing to eat today

but that piece of toast at breakfast and a few cups of hot chocolate. I rose, still groggy, and headed

downstairs.

Dad and Hale were talking with two others at the dining room table. As I came down the stairs,

Thane’s face came into view. So he was finally back. The fourth man at the table was a stranger to me,

but the others were listening to him with rapt attention.

“It doesn’t surprise me that he tried to manipulate your children,” he was saying. “It would have

been a great coup for him if they’d managed to perform the ritual.”

My steps slowed on the staircase.

“When I think what could have happened,” Dad said. He shook his head. The others murmured

agreement.

“What?” I asked, reaching the bottom of the staircase. “What could have happened?”

Dad turned. “Braedyn. This is Ian Masters. He’s Terrance Clay’s archivist.” Dad gave me a sharp

look, urging caution. I walked into the dining room, crossing my arms so I could hide my bandaged

hand nonchalantly.

“What are you guys talking about?” I asked again.

“This ritual you were so intent on,” Thane said. “The one you thought would lock the Lilitu out of

this world?”

“Yeah?” I asked. A strange prickling wash spread across my back.

Thane inclined his head toward the new archivist. “Ian’s just told your father and Hale that this

ritual is the way to
open
the seal.”

“Open?” I asked.

“Indeed.” Thane shot a look at my father. “The incubus tried to play you all for fools.”

I reached out for the wall, suddenly needing the support. Dad’s eyes locked onto my face. I saw the

bolt of understanding strike him. He clamped a lid on his rising panic and gave me a mild smile. “You

look tired, kiddo. Go up to your room. I’ll bring you some dinner in a minute.”

I stared at him, reeling, unable to move.

Thane glanced at me.

“Go on up,” Dad said, some of his anxiety breaking through the calm facade. “I’ll come see you in

a minute.”

I turned back to the stairs.

“
Stop.
” Thane was on his feet in an instant. He crossed the distance between us in three long

strides, then grabbed my arm and spun me around. My eyes darted to Dad for help, but Thane

tightened his grip on my arm. “What did you do?”

“I—I’m sorry,” I wheezed.

“
Stupid girl,
” Thane hissed.

Dad pushed back from the table. “
Thane.
Let her go.”

“You realize what she’s done?” Thane turned to the others. Hale was staring at me, his face full of

disbelief. Ian looked from me to Dad, unsure what to make of this. “She’s delivered victory to our

enemies! She’s opened the seal!”

“Braedyn?” Hale turned to me with a look of horror.

“I—it was supposed to lock the door,” I said helplessly.

“Please, no one panic,” Ian said, standing. “They couldn’t have finished the ritual. They’d need the

blood of a Lilitu to set the power—”

Hale, Thane, and Dad turned to me. Thane grabbed my wounded hand and ripped the bandage off. I

blanched, biting back a gasp of pain. The gash in my palm was healing quickly, but it hadn’t yet

closed. Thane’s breath came out in a low hiss of fury.

“Call the others,” Hale said quietly.

Ian looked around the room with a blank look. “Have I missed something?”

Thane glared at Hale.

“Call the others,” Hale repeated to Ian, with more force this time. Ian nodded, confused, and

walked quickly for the front door. We heard the door close behind him. Thane released my wrist.

“And what about our errant young Lilitu?” Thane asked Hale quietly. “You are, after all, assuming

she made a mistake. How do we know she hasn’t changed her allegiance? You continue to cling to the

hope she is our secret weapon. How do we know she isn’t
theirs?
” Dad stepped toward Thane, too

angry to speak. Thane backed away reflexively, then drew himself up to his full height. “You still

defend her?”

“I will
always
defend her,” Dad said.

Thane gave my dad a level look. “Then this is as much your fault as it is hers.”

“What’s done is done,” Hale snapped. “We need to pull the forces together.”

“What should I do?” I asked in a tiny voice. All three men turned to look at me.