Lucca (32 page)

Rap tap tap…

She knocked this time.
Open the darn
door, you buffoon before she leaves.

His hands obviously received the message as
his fingers closed over the doorknob, tearing the door open and
startling Trinity McTavish in the process. Her sky blue eyes
widened and she jumped, her hand flying to her chest.

“Jesus, Gideon, you scared me.” Trinity’s
deep raspy voice caressed him, making the blood in his veins go hot
and molten.

“Sorry, I didn’t want you to… Sorry.” Yeah,
go ahead and tell her you were afraid she’d leave. Do you want to
sound desperate? “What brings you by my place?”

“You’re probably wondering how I knew where
you lived.” She cleared her throat and hurried on. “I’m not some
stalker chick or anything like that.”

She could stalk him anytime, but he
refrained from saying so. She was nervous. Her fingers tucked
imaginary strands of hair behind her ear and she moistened her dark
red lips a few times. Man, she had kissable lips, full and
lovely.

“You left your wallet.” She shoved the dark
leather forward for him to see.”

His hand automatically went to his back
pocket. Sure enough his wallet wasn’t there.

“I left a message on your cell.”

“I just charged it. I haven’t checked for
messages.” He didn’t bother stating he didn’t usually have
messages. If one of the Watchers wanted to reach him, they flew
over or shimmered.

She nodded still holding the wallet in front
of her like an offering.

“Are you going to ask her in?” Owen’s voice
reminded Gideon he wasn’t alone. He looked at the boy, sitting on
his sofa with his graphic novel in his lap. He stared at Gideon as
if he were some kind of social reject in need of assistance. The
boy might be right.

Gideon rounded his shoulders uncomfortably
before facing Trinity. He moved aside to let her in, but she
hesitated as she peeked around the doorframe and looked at Owen
sitting on the sofa. Juliet decided at that moment to walk into the
living room. Trinity’s gaze riveted to Gideon’s, her porcelain skin
turning a nice shade of crimson.

“I didn’t know… I should be going.” She
thrust the wallet into his hand and whirled around, racing down the
hall. He just stood there staring after her, frozen where he stood
and unable to stop her.

“Go after her, Gideon? What are you waiting
for?” Juliet’s question was like a good slap of reality, waking him
up.

He bolted out the door, catching up with her
as she hit the bottom steps, just seconds away from racing outside
and to her car. “Trinity, hold up.”

She halted and looked back at him where he
stood a few steps above her, dark shadows filling her once joyous
gaze.

His brows drew together. “Why did you
run?”

She squared her shoulders and took a deep
breath. “I didn’t run.”

His lips twitched but he managed not to
smile. He didn’t want to make her anymore uncomfortable. “From
where I stood, it sure looked like you bolted.”

She cleared her throat. “I didn’t know you
were... involved with anyone. God, are you married?”

“What? Married?” His voice rose in panic and
he shook his head. “I’m not married.” He pointed over his shoulder
with quick jab of his thumb. “That’s Juliet and Owen, friends of
one of the breth… uh… a colleague of mine. They’re staying with me
for a few days is all.”

Her features immediately relaxed. “Oh.” She
walked up the few steps separating them, so that they shared the
same step, their bodies a breath away from touching.

Trinity ran because she thought he was
involved with someone. Did that mean she was interested him? Maybe.
He liked to find out, but after this mess with Lucca and the
Archangels, when the threat of death didn’t loom over his head.
“Listen, I know I mentioned this before, but I would like to meet
for coffee or something.”

She nodded and her lips curved. “Or
something.” She leaned forward and kissed the side of his mouth.
She didn’t wait for him to answer, but hurried down the steps once
more. His gaze roved over her hungrily and he followed her outside
the apartment building. She turned and waved to him. God, the black
formfitting outfit she wore hugged her body in all the right
places.

His gaze shifted and he caught sight of Eli,
his true self revealed to him, but not to the casual human
strolling by. He nodded toward him and Eli repeated the gesture,
signaling all was okay.

Gideon headed back upstairs. Owen was still
pouring over the graphic novel.

He peeked his head into the kitchen to speak
with Juliet, but she wasn’t in there. “Owen, where’s your
aunt?”

The boy looked up. “She stepped out for a
moment. She told me to tell you not to worry.”

“Not to…” His mouth flattened into a fine
line. “Lucca will have my head,” he mumbled under his breath. “Did
she say where she was going?” He withdrew his cell phone.

“Oh, yeah. She’s was going to see the
witch.”

“Shi…eesh.” He quickly curved the curse
word. He rang Zaiden, who could hunt anyone down. Once he knew the
Guardian was on his way, he rang Lucca.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The minute Juliet rounded the corner of the
apartment she jerked off the hoodie and unzipped the sweatshirt she
borrowed from Gideon’s dresser drawer. The woman who came to visit
Gideon proved the perfect distraction.

She had her gun with her. It may not kill a
preternatural being, but it might slow one down. She had Raziel’s
dagger, too. That she knew would take down a preternatural.

She wasn’t used to having someone tell her
to stay put and she wasn’t about to comply now. She’d been
protecting Owen all these years. Relinquishing the responsibility
didn’t sit well with her. She didn’t mind the help, but she balked
at being kept out of the loop. She hadn’t avoided detection from
the Archangels this long without playing it safe. She wanted to
know what Lucca and his brethren were up to. The last thing she
needed was for them to accidently send out a beacon to where Owen
and she were residing.

They sought a witch for spells and
containment. Trapping an Archangel seemed like an iffy project. At
Gideon’s, she borrowed his computer and logged into the police
website. Gideon had state of the art computer equipment, making her
wonder what the Watcher did when he wasn’t sketching the next
graphic novel, but she’d worry about that another time.

She located Ryden’s cousin, Lana O’Sullivan
easily enough. She was clean. Not even a traffic ticket to her
name. She lived in Long Beach and owned a new age shop in walking
distance of her home, called the
Enchanted Whispers
.

Juliet needed her vehicle for this little
jaunt. Thank goodness, she insisted on driving over here. She
parked the Honda in one of the guest-parking stalls.

She opened her car door and threw her purse
on the passenger side before yanking her arms out of the
sweatshirt. The day proved warm and her spaghetti strapped tank
would do fine in this weather. That was the charm of living in
Southern California. There could be rain on Monday and the rest of
the week there could be sunshine with temperatures in the seventies
or eighties. She tossed the sweatshirt in the backseat, making a
mental note to return the garment to Gideon as soon as she
could.

She slid into the car and shut the door,
placing the key in the ignition. “Home free.” She put the car in
reverse, turning in her seat to back up. A large dark shadow caught
her attention and she slammed on the breaks, skidding to a halt as
she came inches from hitting the winged roadblock. Curses flew from
her lips when she recognized the Nephilim. His wings flapped in
irritation, the sound echoing like a slap.

She turned around in her seat, her hands
gripping the steering wheel, her heart pumping in her chest. Two
seconds later, Zaiden leaned down to peer in her window. His scowl
a menacing snarl with his blue eyes like two ice shards of
glass.

“Where do you think you’re going?” His deep
rumble did nothing to relieve her fear, but she would not back
down.

“I’m going to the Enchanted Whispers.”

“You most certainly are not,” he threw open
the car door, intent on yanking her out.

“Don’t you dare lay a hand on me. I’m going
and you’re not going to stop me.” She slapped at his hands as he
drug her out of the car. His large fingers snagged on her spaghetti
strap, nearly relieving her of the top. “Hey, watch it!” She bit
his hand and he stepped back with a cry of surprise.

While she tried to rearrange her shirt, she
caught him staring at her. “Do you mind,” she snapped.

His gaze riveted to hers and his hand
whipped out halting her process to set her top on straight. “Be
still,” he commanded with such authority, she actually ceased
moving. “What is this?” He pointed to the small swell of her breast
peeking over her lace bra.”

“What? Do mean to tell me you’ve never seen
a boob before. If that don’t beat—”

“Don’t be absurd. What is this mark?”

Her brows drew together at his concern and
she glanced down at herself. On her right breast, just above where
the cup of her bra curved, there was a small feather shape
discoloration. Her fingers caressed the raised skin. It was
sensitive to the touch, but not entirely of a bad sort. It was
almost… She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Erotic, was the
word she was looking for. She dropped her hand and her eyes popped
open.
Erotic? What in the world?

“Did Lucca mark you?” Zaiden shook her.

She looked at him. “What? Marked me? What
are you talking about?”

“Did you mate with him?”

She blinked at him. “Now, that is none of
your business,” she sputtered and pulled her top up higher to hide
the mark. Then she remembered when Lucca and she made love. Lucca’s
teeth had grazed her skin, nipping her. Had he marked her in some
way and if he did what did that entail? She opened her mouth to ask
Zaiden but his troubled frowned worried her.

“Lucca’s wings are bound
ed
,” he said, but she wasn’t entirely sure he was
telling her or reminding himself.

“I’m aware. He told me.”

“Hmm,” he grumbled. “The mating ritual is
incomplete. His feathers must caress you when you mate.”

She backed up a step. “I have no idea what
you’re talking about.”

He shook his head. “This changes
everything.” Zaiden announced. His gaze locked onto hers again.
“I’ll take you to him.”

Her brow arched high on her forehead. “To
Lucca?”

“Of course.” He held out his hand to her.
“We’ll fly.”

“Uh… Why don’t you get in the car and I’ll
drive.”

He considered her request and shrugged. “As
you wish.”

Once they were in the vehicle and buckled
in, she glanced at Zaiden. “Not that I’m complaining, but what
exactly changed your mind?”

He glanced at her shirt where the mark lay
hidden beneath the fabric.

“Because Lucca marked me?” she asked.

He looked at her now. “He will have to
answer for what he’s done.”

Juliet didn’t like what his words entailed.
Was Lucca in trouble because he had slept with her? She thought the
Nephilim could have relationships with humans now. “Hey, it was a
mutual coming together. He didn’t force me.”

Zaiden harrumphed and sat forward in his
seat, ending all conversation on the matter.

Okay, fine with her. She didn’t need him to
explain what happened anyway. She needed a private conversation
with Lucca.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Blaize stood by Lucca as they eyed the
demon. He was Werdn from the house of Trugoy or so the demon
claimed. His red eyes were wide with fear, darting to Lana then
back to Lucca and Blaize in equal nervousness. His limbs were
pinned within the wind funnel Lana created. When Werdn refused to
answer the questions, the binds grew tighter.

“Who sent you?” Lucca asked.

“I told you, we like the herbs the witch
sells. Don’t we, Lana?”

Lana tightened her wind binds and Werdn
grimaced before his lips curved into a smile.

Lucca held back the urge to beat the smile
off the demon’s face. “Do you recognize him, Lana?”

She shook her head. “But I see a lot of
customers. I’m not sure.”

Lucca’s phone buzzed, vibrating annoyingly
in his pant pocket. He fished it out with a growl. His brows
furrowed when he recognized the number as being Gideon’s. He moved
away to take the call. “This better be good,” he hissed into the
phone. Two seconds into the conversation with Gideon and Werdn
wasn’t the only one he would like to throttle. “Thanks for the
heads up.” He ended the call with Blaize and Ryden staring at him
for an explanation. “It would seem Juliet insists on joining us.
Zaiden is bringing her here.”

Blaize chuckled, ending it with a cough
behind his fist when Lucca glared at him. “Sorry, bro, it just
doesn’t surprise me that your woman wouldn’t want to sit back and
do nothing.”

He was going to correct him on the
his
woman
jibe, but didn’t have the chance. Zaiden shimmered
inside, holding Juliet in his arms. Lucca growled and took a step
forward before he realized he had done so. Luckily, Blaize’s hand
snaked out to hold him back.

“Stand down,” Blaize whispered. “Juliet
can’t shimmer,” he reminded him.

Since they bolted the front door, Zaiden’s
form of transportation was the only way in. Lucca grunted and
yanked free from Blaize. He still didn’t like Zaiden touching
Juliet, regardless of his reasons. “What are you doing here,
Juliet?” Lucca addressed her. “I thought I told you to stay with
Gideon.”

She lifted her chin in defiance, but spoke
in a smooth even tone. “No one tells me what to do, not even you
Lucca.”

Not even him?
He didn’t miss the
hidden message laced in her words. Beneath the calm façade, lay an
edge of fury just waiting to break free and it looked like her
anger was directed at him.