The Siren (Laments of Angels & Dark Chemistry Book 1) (27 page)

Right,
she thought. He saw and heard that when he crashed her date with Vladimir that night. “I want to believe I felt that way, but I don’t.” Lucienne exhaled slowly. “You mean more to me than I expected. More than I want to admit.”

Ashburn’s eyes warmed and lit bright silver, but he complained, “I don’t know what you really think. I can’t read your mind.”

“You don’t need to read my mind to know I’ll not hurt you. I do want to run some tests on you, but they’re only normal kinds of tests that will help us learn more. I’ll have myself tested alongside you. We need to start putting the pieces of our puzzle, and figure this all out.”

The light dimmed in Ashburn’s eyes. “That’s what I’m afraid of,” he said. “The TimeDust needs us to find the truth, which will lead us to where we can never return.” He paused to harden his voice. “I showed you those things so you’d understand and make the right choice. I expected you could be reasoned with.”

“You want me to walk away from all this?” Lucienne’s voice was cooling. 

“It’s the only way,” Ashburn said with a set jaw.

“So you think this is all your decision,” Lucienne said, “but you don’t get to make one for me.”

“I disagreed with Seraphen’s hard method. I tried to persuade him not to go after you. I thought a soft approach and undisputable reasons would make you leave this alone.”

Lucienne’s eyes darkened to russet brown. “What if I don’t go along with your plan? You’ll pick up where the mad dog left off and kill me?”

A metal-cold look sunk into Ashburn’s eyes. “We’ll do whatever it takes, unless you come to your senses before it’s too late.”

“You have access to everyone’s memories, including all of my enemies,” Lucienne said with lethal softness. “You must know that I don’t take threats well.”

“It isn’t a threat,” Ashburn said. “I won’t be able to stop Seraphen then.”

“Bring it on, either of you. Or both of you.”

“I’d never lay a finger on you,” Ashburn sighed, “but you know you can’t beat him, even with your net launcher. You have no idea of what he can do.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“Why do you have to be so stubborn, Lucienne Lam?”

“Why do you, Ashburn Fury?”

They glared at each other. Lucienne could hear his hard breathing, in sync with her own. She bit her lip, resisting the strong attraction calling to her. 

Ashburn snapped his head toward the door. “Violet’s here.”  

Before Lucienne could rise from Ashburn’s bed, Violet had pushed open the door and marched in. Her face sunk at the sight of Lucienne. “What are you doing here?” the girl demanded, looking daggers at Lucienne, clearly inspecting whether the taller girl’s silky pajama top was unbuttoned or wrinkled.

“I believe I should be the one asking this question.” Lucienne said. “Why are you here at this hour disturbing our nice chat?”

“I came to check on Ash!” Violet said.

“Does he need you to tuck him in?” Lucienne said with an ironic smile.

“I heard you’re spending the night here,” Violet said. “I needed to make sure you weren’t bewitching him. And here you are, coming to his room in the middle of night and throwing yourself at him.”

“I am?” Lucienne gazed at Ashburn through her lashes. It was a sultry look.

“Don’t look at him like that!” Violet said.

“Like what?” Lucienne batted her eyes.

The redhead lunged at Lucienne, her long fingernails reaching for the dark-haired beauty, trying to scratch Lucienne’s face. Lucienne could have easily deflected the redhead’s attack, but instead she cringed and hid behind Ashburn.

Ashburn shot to his feet and grabbed Violet’s hands to stop her. “What are you doing?” 

“Don’t you see what the witch is trying to do?” Violet asked. “She’s trying to steal you from me!”

Lucienne considered sticking her tongue out at Violet or giving the redhead a wink, but she knew Ashburn would see it in Violet’s memory, and she’d lose her credibility as the victim. So she put on the demure look of a girl who would never want to hurt Ashburn’s dear friend. 

“Violet, I’m not yours,” Ashburn said. “Not in that way. I care about you more than my life, but I’ve always regarded you as a sister.”

“That’s not true,” Violet said. “Before she came, you didn’t treat me like a sister.”

“You misunderstood how I treated you,” Ashburn said.

“You’re lying to yourself as you’re lying to me. You aren’t the Ash I know anymore.” Violet put a fist in her mouth to muffle a devastated cry and ran out of the room.

Ashburn looked at Violet’s retreating figure, then at Lucienne, and ran after Violet.

Lucienne heard the door to the master bedroom open. “Ash?” Clement’s voice sounded from the hallway. Lucienne darted to hide behind the door.

“Yes, Mama?” Ashburn answered.

“I heard noises,” Clement said.

“I’m sorry, Mama. I’ll be quiet,” Ashburn said. “Go back to sleep. It’s late.”

“Where have you been? Queen Lucienne has been asking about you. And you missed dinner,” Clement said. “You want me to warm up the beef stew for you?”

“No, Mama. I ate some already,” Ashburn said.

“Shush,” Peder’s voice came from their bedroom, “Queen Lucienne is sleeping. Her Majesty is dwelling in our humble home to learn our dialect and customs. We must set a good example for her.”

“You’re right, Papa. Everyone go back to sleep now,” Ashburn lowered his voices.

The house quieted down, but Ashburn never returned.

Lucienne knew he had gone after Violet. An unexpected jealousy besieged her. Furiously, she shook it off. She had Vladimir. Her heart had space for only one man, and that man had staked his claim. Why then did she feel so possessive toward Ashburn?

Lying on the bed in the guest room, Lucienne was listening and waiting for Ashburn to return, tossing and turning as the night sky transitioned to dawn. 

CHAPTER 21

“Ash?” Lucienne knocked on the wall.

“Yes?” a voice from the other side answered.

“Are you awake?” 

“I am now.”

“Sorry. Are you decent?”

“You didn’t ask me that last night before you charged into my room.”

“My sincerest apologies. Can we meet in the backyard?”

“Why?”

“I have an idea.”

“About dragging me to Sphinxes?”

Lucienne felt her heart jump erratically in her rib cage. “No, I was wrong. I should just leave things the way they are. Before I go, I want to say a proper farewell.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Yes. Meet me in three minutes. Bring your machine ride with you. Let’s go see the sunrise before we part ways forever.”

“Its name is Spike.”

When Lucienne scurried to the backyard, Ashburn was already on Spike. He wore an ebony sweater and white pants. The pale light was on his silver hair, highlighting strands of pale gold. It flowed easily in the breeze against his gorgeous pale face.

Lucienne felt her breath catch as she saw his eyes twinkling at the sight of her. She’d put a little more effort than usual into her outfit and makeup. Her smoke-colored, leather jacket fit her body like a second skin. Underneath she was wearing a red dress shirt, and leather pants that added just the right edge of sexiness. Her bold look would make it easy to spot her from miles away. With a bright smile, she strolled toward him. “Hi, Ash.”

“Hi, you.” He smiled back. “Where would you like to go?”

“The mountains. For the first and the last time.”

Ashburn’s silver gray eyes were a pool of profound sadness and relief. “You’ve made the right choice,” he said. “You’re stronger than I. It is not easy for me to stay away from you, but you seem to do it with ease.”

“Don’t be so sure about that.” Lucienne hopped onto the back of Spike.

“You ready?” Ashburn asked.

Lucienne curled her fingers around Ashburn’s waist. “Rock it!”

Spike soared into the gray sky that was just starting to wake up. Lucienne held back her yearning to press her face against Ashburn’s firm back, but she couldn’t help screaming. “We’re faster than a shooting star!”

Ashburn laughed. “Isn’t it beautiful? I’m glad I can share this with you.” 

Lucienne heard the wild wind around them, but it didn’t assault them. Spike created a force field to shield its riders.
Vladimir would kill to have a ride like this,
she thought.

“G-force!” Lucienne shouted. And Ashburn’s nearness was even more intoxicating. A fierce tenderness washed over her. She cared about him more than she thought.
Well, it’s just the program,
she told herself.
Like Ash said, the TimeDust is doing this to both of us.

“Spike can go much faster. You won’t believe it,” Ashburn said.

In a few seconds, they reached the ring of mountains that enclosed Nirvana.

Spike halted on top of a snow-capped mountain. As the orange-red sun leapt out of its nest, Ashburn pulled Spike backward, so he and Lucienne could have the best angle to watch the sun breathe between the mountains.

“It’s the most beautiful sunrise I’ve ever seen,” she sighed. “It’s our first one together.”

“And our last. I won’t forget you.”

“I won’t either,” she said. “Can we park Spike in the valley? Let’s take a walk.”

“Anything you want,” he said.

Spike landed in the center of the valley. Lucienne swung her long legs off the machine and, at the same time, pulled a syringe from her leather pocket and stabbed it into the side of Ashburn’s neck. The serum shot into his vein.

Ashburn twisted his body and stared at Lucienne, his ice blue eyes widening in disbelief and bitterness, then he dropped his head. Lucienne caught him in her arms. “I’m sorry, Ash,” she said. “I had to do this. You’d never listen to me.”

After placing Ashburn on the rocky ground, Lucienne pulled out her Eidolon and hit speed dial. Kian answered at the first ring. “Are you all right, kid?” His voice was anxious. “The boy has been blocking our satellite—”

“Not anymore. I’ve got him,” Lucienne said. “Find me in the mountains and bring all our birds. We’re leaving for good.”

“What about the mutant?” Kian asked. “I can stay behind and finish him.”

“We’ll come back and deal with him after we ship Ashburn to Sphinxes.”   

Lucienne hung up and looked up at the sky. The light hadn’t quite reached the valley yet, blotted out by the mountains, but her red pants should be easy for her men to spot.

The chilly wind blew across the landscape. Lucienne shuddered and squatted beside Ashburn, who lay still on the ground like Sleeping Beauty. “Don’t hate me, Ash.” She brushed his platinum hair from the corner of his eye. “Everything will be all right, I promise. My home will be your second home.” Her fingers lingered on his cheek a little too long, wishing to move down to trace the shape of his flawless lips and the lines of his perfect jaw.

Lucienne rose, shoved her hands into her leather pockets, and waited for her men to show up.

CHAPTER
22

The first helicopter flew across the mountains.

Lucienne saw Vladimir at the open cabin door. She waved at him with a smile, and he smiled back dazzlingly, delighted to see her and relieved she was safe. But his grin vanished quickly. He raised his machine gun, shooting in her direction, above her.

“The mutant!” he shouted. “Behind you!”

Lucienne wheeled to face the mountain at her back, her mouth instantly dry.

Seraphen, bare-chested with loose pants hanging around his waist, was running down the mountain toward her like a shooting arrow. He was only halfway to the foothill, but with speed like this, he would reach her in less than a minute.

How did that devil get here?

The bullets had no effect on him; he continued moving forcefully toward her. 

The helicopter dashed toward Seraphen.

“Net!” Vladimir yelled.

A metal net shot from the sky, catching Seraphen and tightening around him.

The relieved smile on Lucienne’s face faded quickly. With incredible speed, the creature shot his hand out through the opening before the net closed him in completely. Dragging the steel cable that connected to the helicopter, Seraphen flung it toward the mountain. The copter careened out of control.

“No!” Lucienne screamed. Ice pumped into her lungs, but she managed to breathe in and out. She must deal with the situation. She couldn’t afford to break down. For a moment, and only a moment, she shut her eyes to keep from seeing Vladimir and her warriors go down with the black hawk.

She heard Vladimir’s faint yelling at the men amid the chopper noises.

Lucienne opened her eyes with desperate hope.
Please, let them live.
From the distance, she saw Vladimir and a few soldiers jump without a parachute right before the helicopter smashed into the mountain and erupted into a ball of fire and smoke. The explosion rocked the mountain, echoing all around the valley.

Lucienne couldn’t see Vladimir and the men anymore. Her cold hand wiped the tears from her face. She knew even if Vladimir and the men who jumped made it, they’d be badly wounded. She also knew that some of her soldiers, including the pilot, were gone.

Lucienne pulled Ashburn up to a sitting position, waiting for the approaching BL7 and a second helicopter to touch down and take Ashburn. Then she and her warriors would look for the survivors. Sphinxes never left a man behind. And she would never leave Vladimir behind.

While she held Ashburn against her shoulder, she saw Seraphen, who somehow had freed himself from the net, darting toward her. Lucienne carefully put Ashburn down and rose.

BL7 fired a missile at Seraphen, but incredibly, he ducked it. The missile hit the mountain. The ear-piercing explosion didn’t prevent Seraphen from speeding toward her; neither did the clouds of dust, debris, and billowing smoke. 

A second rocket instantly shot from BL7. Seraphen caught the rocket with two hands. Lucienne’s heart tightened as she watched him throw it back toward the jet. Kian was piloting BL7, and he wouldn’t be expecting the mutant to have that kind of strength. 

The jet pulled up to avoid collision, but the rocket struck its left wing. BL7 flapped in the air and collided into the other side of the mountain.

Lucienne’s blood went completely cold. “Kian!” she cried. A string of saliva dripped from her mouth. She wouldn’t allow her will break. Not now. Not with Seraphen closing in on her.

The second helicopter had learned not to engage Seraphen. Instead, it desperately tried to reach Lucienne. The machine landed seven yards from Lucienne and Ashburn, but it was already too late. The mutant was twenty yards from them and dashing toward her at lightning speed. Lucienne and her warriors wouldn’t make it into the helicopter, even if they abandoned Ashburn.

Orlando led the soldiers out of the helicopter and cut in between Lucienne and the mutant before he crashed into their Siren. Cam was in the first wave. Punches flew and human flesh crashed against raw steel. A few warriors went flying.

With a furious cry, Lucienne joined her warriors, despite her men urgently calling for her to leave. She swept her leg in an arc and delivered a devil’s kick to Seraphen’s Meridian death point on his back. The mutant staggered but absorbed it. He wheeled, facing Lucienne.

“After I finish you off, little Siren, I’ll pick off your men one by one,” Seraphen said. 

Duncan grabbed Seraphen from behind to stop him from reaching Lucienne. Seraphen elbowed Duncan on the side. Lucienne heard the nauseating sound of bones cracking. Duncan staggered back several feet and collapsed. 

Seraphen went for Lucienne again. His target was her and only her.

Cam, bleeding all over, stepped in front of Lucienne and cut off the mutant. “Take this, dick!”

The two giants’ arms and fists crashed, until Lucienne heard the sound of bones breaking. Cam shouted with pain and rage, throwing another series of punches at the mutant with his good arm. Seraphen deflected the giant’s attack. Then with a bored look, the mutant smashed Cam’s chest. Blood spurted out of Cam’s mouth like a red fountain.

Her blood boiling, Lucienne charged at Seraphen. 

“Leave, Lucienne!” Orlando shouted at a few soldiers furiously. “Get the Siren out of here! Take the copter!”

Cam managed to drag Lucienne back as he staggered and fell.

Orlando shot out the metal net. It tangled Seraphen. “More net!” Another warrior launched another net. Seraphen was fighting his way out of the mesh. The warriors closed in on him, trying to pin him down. Some stabbed him, but to no avail. Through the net, Seraphen yanked the warriors along the rocky ground brutally.

Lucienne’s blood pumped hot and hard in battle frenzy. She knew it was only a matter of time before the mutant would overpower them all. She forced herself to breathe slowly and deeply so she could think logically. 

The mutant, no matter who he was, wasn’t a god. Even angels, good or fallen, had a weakness. That was the divine design of God. Lucienne would cut every inch of the mutant’s flesh to find his weak spot if only she had the means and the time. In her dire desperation, her eyes wandered toward Ashburn a few feet away.

He had mentioned when he activated the Eye of Time, the TimeDust also brought Seraphen back. If she deactivated Ashburn, she would terminate Seraphen. That was why the mutant would do anything to preserve Ashburn. Lucienne’s eyes lit with the revelation.
Ashburn is Seraphen’s Achilles’ heel.

She hurried toward the boy, but then stopped. This was
Ash
lying on the ground.

A warrior flew by her, his blood spilling onto the ground. The rest of the warriors were still tangling with Seraphen, knowing they couldn’t defeat him, knowing they’d die here, yet no one retreated.

Two soldiers begged Lucienne to take the copter and leave. “I’ll never leave my soldiers behind!” she snapped.

Every minute, Seraphen would break out and one of her warriors would die under his brutal force. She had to choose—either Ashburn or her royal warriors and friends. Many of them had followed her for a decade, ever since she was a little girl. Only by killing Ashburn, could she save her people. She stared at Ashburn, unconscious at her feet. But if she destroyed him, she’d never be the same. She’d never recover. She knew that deep in her bones, but that was her burden to carry.

Lucienne squatted beside Ashburn. Her hand touched the side of his neck, her eyes steady on the curve of his beautiful white throat. Her thumb found the acupoint of death. Just a hard press, and her people would be saved. Her fingers shaking, Lucienne closed her eyes.

Just then, Lucienne felt a stir under her hand. She fluttered open her eyes in surprise. Ashburn looked straight at her, his silver eyes clearer than the cloudless sky. 

She’d shot him with enough narcotics to knock him out for at least two hours. How could he wake up in the middle of this? And how could she murder him like this, with his eyes wide open? But this was war. There’d be casualties. Lucienne hardened her heart. 

Peeking into Lucienne’s eyes, Ashburn said quietly, “The TimeDust has gone into automatic protect mode. It woke me up.” As he spoke, black lightning emerged from his fingertips. “You want to kill me.”

“It was either you or me,” Lucienne said, waiting for him to make the first move, to strike her, then she’d end him before his lightning reached her. He was more powerful, but she was quicker and better trained.

Ashburn held back his lightning with effort. “Do what you have to do,” he said. “It’ll come to this anyway.”

“Fight me, then.”

“I won’t fight you.”

Lucienne swallowed. “I don’t want to choose myself over you, but I want my men to go home safely.” Her conscience immediately asked,
What about Ashburn? Don’t his parents and Violet want him to come home safely, too?

“Just do it,” Ashburn said. “I’ll close my eyes if it’s easier for you.” And he shut his icy blue eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Ash,” Lucienne said, going for the kill.

A voice tingled in her head.
The two of you are a genetic match, destined to be one to achieve the greater good. Kill him, and you’ll lose the only mate you can ever have.

Her shaking finger halted. “Did you just send a message into my mind, Ash?” Her voice was hoarse and trembling.

Ashburn opened his eyes. They had turned gunmetal blue, hard and cold, flashing dangerous light. “I told you, I can’t get into your mind.” Black lightning hissed in his fingertips, desperate to strike, but Ashburn restrained it with gritted teeth. “What are you waiting for?” His voice was guttural. “I was programmed for evil. Just finish me off. Do it now before I change my mind.”

Did he know that if she slew him, she’d carry something worse than death with her all her life? Breathing hard, Lucienne ordered her cold, shaking finger to press the Meridian death point on Ashburn’s neck, but she just couldn’t carry through with it.

Then Seraphen reached her. His mighty fist shot out toward her like a spear, about to punch through her heart. Hovering over Ashburn, Lucienne was in no position to dodge the inevitable strike.

“No!” Ashburn cried, but there was nothing he could do. She was kneeling over him, between him and Seraphen. If he let out his lightning, it would go through her first, and he was still half immobile under the influence of the drug.

A brute force threw Lucienne aside. Orlando hurled himself before Seraphen’s fist, and it stabbed right through him. Ashburn let his lightning blast out, striking Seraphen and Orlando, who was beyond help, sending both flying.

Screaming Orlando’s name, Lucienne rolled on the ground, got up on fours, and ran toward him. Blood pooled around Orlando’s chest and soaked through his uniform. With a rueful look that said he was sorry he couldn’t protect her anymore, Orlando shut his eyes forever.

“No!” Lucienne cried, “Orlando Sutherland, stay with me! You can’t go!”

Seraphen recovered from Ashburn’s electrocution and advanced on Lucienne again.

Her eyes blazing red rage, Lucienne leapt in the air, spinning and kicking Seraphen in the face with all her wrath, hitting the Meridian point of pain. Though it might be in vain—she had seen what little effect acupoints had on Seraphen—she nevertheless tried to inflict as much pain on him as she could.

Wincing, Seraphen lunged toward the warrior girl. Lucienne yanked out her steel whip, sweeping it across the pain point on Seraphen’s face.

“Haven’t we tried this already, Siren?” Seraphen said.

Suddenly, Vladimir and the other survivors from the mountains joined them. They were bloody and ragged, yet alive and willing to fight. “Get your hands off my girl, you greasy pig!” Vladimir slashed his sanjiegun at Seraphen’s skull. The mighty force would kill any human, but Seraphen only wheeled and kicked Vladimir. The mutant was faster than Vladimir, her, and all the warriors combined. Vladimir ducked, but not quickly enough. Besides, he was already wounded jumping from the helicopter. Seraphen’s foot connected to the base of Vladimir’s skull. 

Blood spurted from Vladimir’s mouth. His handsome face went ashen as he collapsed to the ground. Seraphen immediately went for the remaining soldiers.

“Vlad!” Lucienne moved toward him as tears streamed down her sooty face.

Seraphen strolled toward Lucienne, slowly and purposefully. There was no one standing between them now. All her warriors were down.

She needed more time to find a way to terminate the mutant, but time was another luxury she didn’t have. Her fists raised. Her legs parted. Lucienne bent her front knee and sank her weight down into a halfmoon Karate stance, waiting for the final showdown.

Then in front of her, Ashburn appeared, still swaying from the narcotics, but blocking Seraphen. “Enough killing!” he said.

“You can thank me later,” Seraphen said, giving Ashburn a hard shove.

Ashburn shoved Seraphen back. “You’ll not kill her!”

“She lied to you, tricked you, and nearly killed you,” Seraphen asked, “didn’t she?”