Emblaze (40 page)

Lincoln and I kept moving, keeping up the pretence of my weakness until we"d disembarked. Once we were off, we made a bee-line for the terminal, only stopping when we were surrounded by other people. I turned around. Spence was right behind us and dropped the invisibility glamour instantly. He was alone.

„Where is she?" I asked, suddenly sick at the though we"d been caught.

Spence shrugged, apologetically. „I had her until we hit the terminal, but as soon as there were people she just took off into the crowd."

I put my hands on my hips and let out a breath. What had I expected?

„Whatever. Let"s go."

„
And the angel said, “I have learned that every man lives, not
through care of himself, but by love."

Leo Tolstoy

There was so much to do, but not one of us knew where to start. Somehow we all ended up back at Hades. By the time Lincoln, Spence and I walked into Dapper"s apartment, everyone else was already there.

The conversation ebbed and flowed as we reflected on the past few days, Griffin telling us how he"d managed to recruit so many Grigori from the mainland to help our cause and Lincoln filling in the gaps, explaining that he"d been back to Irin to request their and the Rogue forces" safe entry to the island. I wondered if Irin had fed from him again, but Lincoln, as if reading my thoughts, assured me that the Keeper had simply agreed, still on cloud nine from whatever payment Phoenix had sent him.

That was where Lincoln had been coming from the night I left with Phoenix. I could see the regret in his eyes now, how much it pained him that his delay in reaching me had enabled Phoenix to take me away with him.

Theories were thrown around about what Lilith would do, now that she was back, where she would focus on her destructive energy. The only thing everyone agreed on was that it wouldn"t take her long to resurface.

I made my way to the minibar, where Onyx was handing out drinks like a pro.

„You asked me once if I was willing to make the big choices," I said, grabbing a Coke.

„And?"

„I am. Are you?"

He downed a large gulp of whiskey and cast his eyes around the room, filled with enemies of old. „I believe I already have."

I nodded. „You"re welcome to stay close to us," I said, giving him my word. „Thank you for helping me."

He shrugged. „I"m not good, Violet."

„I know that, Onyx, but you"re not evil either."

He gave a brief nod. „You saved a lot of people on that island, myself included."

Tears welled and I shook my head. „It was my fault. I helped Phoenix bring back Lilith."

He waited until I"d composed myself.

„If you hadn"t brokered the deal, it would"ve happened anyway, just differently. You did the best you could. I"m amazed you managed what you did."

I really hadn"t thought of it that way,

Dapper joined us at the bar. „I need you to work tomorrow, Onyx. Trisha said a couple of staff have called in sick."

I could Onyx was tempted to tell him to get stuffed but then he surprised us both by simply passing Dapper a full glass. „I can do that."

Dapper sipped his drink to hide his shock and nodded with a raspy, "That"s good."

Onyx harrumphed and moved away. Once we were alone, I leaned in to Dapper. "I know it was you who healed Onyx and Steph."

Dapper fixed his gaze on me.

„I won"t tell anyone," I offered.

I saw the tension leave as his shoulders and mouth relaxed. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

„Thank you."

„Ah-hem."

We spun round to see Griffin. "Except I already know and would prefer not to have to pretend otherwise."

„Me, too," Lincoln said, now walking towards us.

„Didn"t anyone ever tell you its rude to listen in to other people"s conversations?" snapped Dapper.

„Afraid I"d already worked it out, my friend. Lincoln had, too, I expect. There weren"t many alternatives once we ruled out Violet"s abilities," Griffin said, lowering his voice now.

„Just humans?" Lincoln asked.

Dapper grunted, apparently resigned. „Anything mostly human."

And then I couldn"t help myself. „Dapper, what
are
you?"

Dapper picked up his cleaning cloth and started wiping down the bar. „Just a barman.

That"s all I bloody well wanna be, anyway."

With that, we let it go, melting back into other conversations. If Dapper wanted to keep his business private, that was his call. I was glad Griffin and Lincoln seemed to agree.

Settling on my bar stool, I looked around the room and smiled. My friends,
my family
, were home and safe. We had big problems and the safe part wouldn"t last long, but for now, we were okay.

-

Steph found me a bit later, hiding in the bathroom.

„You okay?" she asked.

„Yeah. You?"

She sat beside me on the edge of the bath. „Yeah. Thanks, by the way," she said, fingering her necklace.

„Sure. I"d prefer that you didn"t have to be around this stuff at all, though."

She shuffled closer to me. „I know, but this is exactly where I want to be, Vi."

„I know." I stood up and took her hand. „Come one, Salvatore"s probably sent out a search party." That earned me a smile. „Yeah, yeah, I know … you love him."

She followed me out, still holding my hands and bumping my hip. „I really do."

We linked arms and walked out laughing - right into a silent living room.

„What"s going on?" Steph asked, still laughing.

But she stopped when she saw her brother standing in the doorway.

„Someone said they saw you come in here," Jase said, realising he"d interrupted something.

„Jase! Hey! Yeah, I just got back," Steph stalled, not sure how much to say.

I suddenly remembered the text he"d sent me. I squeezed Steph"s hand.

„Yeah. Some crazy getaway. We … um … we got stranded up the coast and just grabbed a lift back. Someone … working downstairs told us you were here, so we came up to look for you."

Oh my God, this isn"t going well.

Jase snorted. "And just
happened
to find Lincoln and his friend Griffin? Along with
my
boss, who has also been mysteriously absent for the same amount of time as the rest of you!"

Damn. He is observant.

„Jase …I … I…I" But she had nothing. Neither did I.

„She was with me," Salvatore said from behind, coming up and putting an arm around Steph. "In fact, we were all together, doing things very important. I am apologising, Jase, but Steph is not able to tell you where she is been or what she is doing. Can it be enough to know she"s with people who care for her, just as you? That now she is being home and safe and maybe one day she tells you more?"

Jase looked completely gob smacked.

He wasn"t the only one. I"d never hears so many words come out of Salvatore"s mouth in one go.

Griffin chose that moment to step in. „Salvatore is right, Jase. We wish we could tell you more. But everything he has said is the truth and it is your choice what you do with that."

I could see Griffin"s power swirling, using his ability to instil truth. A layer of mist moved over Jase, penetrating him with his honesty. Steph"s wide eyes told me her necklace was working well, too, as it broke down the illusions that would normally hide human eyes from such things.

Jase looked around the room. He was still fro so long, people started leaving - first Samuel and Kaitlin, then Nathan and Becca and eventually, Dapper, too, who put a consoling hand on Jase"s shoulder on the way, „You"ll be right, lad. Sometimes it"s better not to know everything. Bloody well wish I didn"t!"

He was followed by Onyx, who seemed revived with a bounce in his step. He smiled broadly at us. „And I thought you people didn"t mess with humans."

Steph squeezed onto the sofa with Salvatore, beside Spence and Zoe, and waited nervously. Lincoln and Griffin made themselves comfortable at the minbar while I was left in no-man"s land.

Finally, I went up to him. „Jase?"

His eyes focused on me. „Something really big is going on here, isn"t it?"

I smiled sadly. „Yes, but believe me when I tell you it"s better if you don"t know."

He looked at Steph. „She"s safe?"

I wished I didn"t fell like lying. „Yes."

„And you?" I saw Lincoln shift from the corner of my eye.

„Yes. I"m fine."

He threw a hand towards Salvatore, who was watching nervously. „So he and my sister

…?"

Jase nodded as if he"d figured that much out for himself.

„So, I just pretend you were off sitting on a beach up the coast?"

I put my hands in my pockets. "Better than us lying to you."

„True." The corners of his mouth turned up mischievously. "So … if Steph is going out with him, I guess that means it"ll just be me taking you to the dance?"

Lincoln stood abruptly. I felt his fury building and had to force myself not to look.

Jase, however, did, and whatever he saw made him stubborn.

„Saturday night, right? I"ll pick you up at six and we can get something to eat on the way."

„Oh," my mouth was dry/ all I could concentrate on was feeling Lincoln"s rage.

„Oh," I said again. I really didn"t want to hurt him.

Steph jumped up. "Why don"t we all go together? You know, as a group."

„Yeah. A group would be good." But I could still feel Lincoln behind me so I added. "Jase, I"m not really available … like that." I swallowed hard, unsure if I was doing the right thing. I didn"t want to lead him on and, more than that, I didn"t want to hurt Lincoln. Just because we couldn"t be together …

„Oh," Jase said, flashing another look in Lincoln"s direction. "I didn"t realise you were seeing someone."

„I"m not … it"s just that …" I took a deep breath. "It just wouldn"t be fair to you, Jase. "I"m sorry."

He stepped towards me and put a hand out towards my face. I grabbed it before he made contact. "Jase, I mean it," I said, surprised by my reaction.

Lincoln must have felt it too because I sensed him relax. I knew he"d understand what I said next. "The dance will be fun - if you"re okay with going as friends?"

Jase glanced in Lincoln"s direction again then back to me. He took a step back. "Steph, I"m leaving in twenty and you"d better come with me if we"re going to figure out something to say to Mum."

Steph nodded. "I"ll meet you out front."

Jase headed towards the door, stopping to look back at me. He smiled a killer smile that would have blown most girls away.

„Friends is fine, Vi. His hand braced the doorframe as his smile widened. „For now."

Either he was well-practised at pissing other guys off or just had really good intuition, because he was out the door in a flash.

Good God.

Spence broke the awkward silence. „Come on, Zo. Let"s get you settled a the hotel, you can pout about Music Man later. Can"t believe the Academy is paying for your accommodation!" He pulled her up from the sofa.

„Well, you will when I tell you the dirt we have on Mr Carven. And anyway, she said, throwing me a foul look, „I"m pretty sure I already called dibs on Music Man."

I"d forgotten that Zoe had hit on Jase a couple of months ago. I gave her a worried look, but her annoyance morphed into a light smile.

„No biggie."

I breathed a sigh of relied - I couldn"t take on anyone else right now. Seeing my chance, I jumped at the exit opportunity. „I"ll walk out with you guys," I said, grabbing my bag.

-

I stood in the middle of the footpath, immobile. Getting away had been all well and good, but once I had said my goodbyes and loaded Spence and Zoe into a taxi I found I had no idea where to go. I couldn"t face Dad yet, I knew there would be endless questions that I would have to answer. Before that, I needed to get my head straight.

I felt his presence when Lincoln neared. I started to speed up - it would be better to stay away from him right now - but he was beside me within moments. He pulled his coat off and wrapped it around me.

„Come on," he said. „I"ll sleep on the couch."

I let him walk me all the way to the warehouse and we settled into a perfect silence that somehow conveyed more than anything we would dare say aloud.

„I"ll run you a bath," was all he said when we got there.

I soaked for as long as I could before my hungry soul dragged me back out to him.

While Lincoln disappeared to have a quick shower, I picked up my paintbrush and pulled back the drop-sheet from a section of my wall. I hadn"t thought about the mural much lately, and I still wasn"t ready to tackle the whole thin, but now, down one side, I felt inspired sand outline something that felt right - a single lily on a long stem.

Lincoln made dinner. Pasta. I asked for extra basil, which made him smile for some reason, and I soaked up every note of its aroma as it cooked.

Mmm … Home.

We sat in silence while we ate and until I made coffee. I dosed Lincoln"s with sugar, knowing if I asked he"d say one, so not bothering and instead just adding the two I knew he really preferred. He smiled as he watched.

„He likes you," he said eventually. I knew he was talking about Jase. When I didn"t respond, he added, „I wanted to rip his throat out."

I couldn"t hold back the smile. „I"m glad," I said, saying exactly what I knew I shouldn"t He started to laugh but covered it quickly with a cough. „You should get some sleep," he said, clearing away our plates.

I didn"t want to sleep. I wanted to grab him, make him all mine.

I followed him to his bedroom where he stayed standing to the doorway. I went straight to the bed, sitting on the edge.

„Are we going to talk about your Mum?"

I shook my head. „No. She"s gone."

„You don"t think she"ll come back?"

„I hope not." I flicked my hair so it curtained my face. "I never want to see her again."

„We"ll see," he said under his breath, but he let it go and I was grateful. I wasn"t up to contemplating the hows and whys of her return. Or anything else for that matter. At least I could rely on the fact that she followed a consistent pattern when it came to me. Permanent absence. Whatever she was here for, I hoped she would stay away from me. And Dad.