Midnight Reckoning

Lyra bared her teeth and looked at the others. “Leave us or her head comes off. Then yours.”



He wasn’t surprised to see the uneasy glances exchanged before the lot of them slinked off back into the darkness. These were no hardened hunters, just courtiers in town for some fun. He was sure they’d decide not to mention this unpleasant incident to anyone else and find a different way to amuse themselves. Once they were gone, Lyra hurled Carissa to the ground where the vampire collapsed, gagging. She would heal soon enough, though, and from the look in her eyes she wouldn’t slink away quite so easily.



“Come on,” Jaden said. “In the car. Now.”



“You got it,” Lyra said. There was a deadness in her eyes that chilled Jaden to the bone. In this state of mind, he felt sure she would have gladly leaped into a sea of Ptolemy, fighting tooth and claw until she was overwhelmed. He recognized the symptoms—he’d been there before. Right now, she didn’t care about anything, least of all herself. But she couldn’t stay numb forever. And he wanted to be well out of here when she started to fall apart.



Jaden pulled the keys from his pocket, and they got quickly into the Corvette. As soon as they were inside, he locked the doors. A quick glance at the street showed him that Carissa had already vanished. He doubted she’d gone far, though. All the more reason to burn rubber out of here.



“It’s going to be all right,” he told her as the engine growled to life, as much to convince himself as to convince her. Lyra didn’t look at him, just stared straight ahead, expressionless.



“Just drive,” she said.



So he did, pushing the pedal to the floor and roaring off into the night.



Chapter TWENTY-ONE



BY THE TIME they made it to Tipton the next night, Lyra was fighting to maintain the eerie calm that had stolen over her after her father had turned his back on her. She knew Jaden was worried, but she didn’t want to talk about it. Talking about it would make it that much more real. So she had spent most of the two nights of their trip sitting quietly in the car, or pretending to sleep so he would leave her alone.



She wished she could really sleep, but that had proven elusive. Every time she lay down, the entire terrible scene played over and over in her head on an endless loop. While Jaden had slept the day away in their hotel room, she’d taken his cell phone down to the lounge and tried to call her house, over and over again.



No answer. Just her father’s gruff and grumbly voice on the answering machine. Eventually, she’d realized she was just calling back to hear his message and stopped. She tried Simon, both on his cell and his house phone, but got no answer there either. It was as though they had dropped off the face of the earth.



Or she had.



So she’d eaten some fruit from the continental breakfast, which she hadn’t really wanted and had barely tasted. And then she’d gone back up to the room, and while Jaden slept peacefully on one of the two beds, she’d curled into him to take what comfort she could. By the time he’d awakened, she was back on her own bed. He’d seemed a little puzzled—Lyra wondered whether he sensed that she’d essentially stolen comfort from him. In truth, she had no idea how to ask for it when he was awake.



Jaden had humbled her with the words he’d spoken in front of her pack. She was grateful, too, that he didn’t seem to expect her to return them—the words or the sentiment. She didn’t know how she felt, or how she would feel once the full import of what had happened sunk in. She didn’t even know if the bond mark she wore on her arm would matter to her anymore, because right now, she couldn’t seem to feel much of anything but an ache that echoed all the way down to her soul.



After a lifetime spent pushing against boundaries that often refused to give, she was finally, completely, free to do what she liked. But with her entire life, all her dreams, crumbled around her, Lyra no longer knew what she wanted.



Tipton was quiet when they arrived at the Bonner Mansion, which was now the seat of the Lilim. The town had seemed sleepy at the best of times, from what Lyra remembered of her trip there, but on a Tuesday night around midnight, there was only the occasional car on otherwise empty streets. Jaden pulled around into the little parking lot beside the house, which Lyra had learned had functioned as the county historical society for quite a few years prior.



Jaden turned off the engine and sat quietly for a moment, waiting, she supposed, for her to show some sign that she was coming out of the wraithlike state she’d been in since her expulsion from the Thorn last night. Lyra tried to meet his gaze, but she had to look away. He saw too much. Her defenses were low, and she could no longer be sure what would come tumbling out. The worry, stress, and little sleep had taken their toll. She was in the same clothes she’d left Silver Falls in, rumpled and weary. Her eyes felt dry and irritated. Her hair was clean, thanks to the hotel’s complimentary toiletries, but it was pulled into a careless bun.



She didn’t know what she looked like, though she doubted it was good.



At this point, she didn’t care.



“Lily and Ty are good people,” Jaden said. “They won’t ask too many questions, and they won’t be offended if there’s something you don’t want to answer. But… pretty soon you should start talking to someone, Lyra. Even if it isn’t me.”



She nodded. Then a sliver of terror managed to penetrate her little cocoon. Would he expect her to stay with him? If she stayed with him, he was going to see her break. She was supposed to be strong, independent. If he offered his shoulder, she might have to take it. Then he might see that she really was just as weak as her kind had judged her to be.



But alone… being alone actually scared her worse.



“You’ll stay with me, Lyra. At least at first. I can sleep on the floor if you want, it doesn’t matter. But I’m not letting you out of my sight.”



She was torn between relief and annoyance at having the decision made for her. She didn’t really want to be alone right now… but she also didn’t want to be told what to do. Confused, exhausted, she focused her ire on Jaden.



“You’re not my boss. Don’t push me around like one,” she grumbled.



Jaden glowered back at her. “I promised I would take care of you, and that’s what I’m doing. You do need some care, Lyra, even if you don’t think so. Last night was a hell of a night for both of us, so quit being a stubborn ass about it and just… accept it, okay?”



He sighed and shoved a hand through his hair, and Lyra felt the guilt creeping in. He’d been wonderfully accommodating. And she’d been either catatonic or prickly. It wouldn’t kill her to be gracious, she thought. None of this was his fault, unless she counted his being too appealing as a mark against him.



“I’m… sorry. I’ll stay with you. Thank you.”



She knew she sounded stiff, but she couldn’t help it. She thought she might actually sleep, at least, because her body was finally going to give her no other choice.



“Let’s just go in,” he said. “They’re expecting us.”



Lyra was glad about that. She just wasn’t sure what to expect herself. She slid out of the car and walked beside Jaden to the house, a beautiful old Victorian. Lights glowed cheerfully in the windows, melting away just a little of the ice that seemed to have frozen into a hard ball right at the center of her. With that melting came a wave of yearning for home. That was something she knew she was going to have to learn to deal with. Jaden slowed, and she could feel him looking at her. Her feelings must be written all over her face.



“Lyra—”



“Hmm?” She couldn’t look at him. She just wasn’t ready to see what might be in his eyes.



He hesitated. Then gave up… for now.



“Nothing.”



The heavy front door swung open as soon as they got halfway up the steps, and a woman Lyra remembered very well came rushing out to throw her arms around Jaden. Lyra watched him accept the embrace and felt an unexpected twinge of jealousy. She was well aware of who this was, and Jaden had said enough that Lyra knew she was married. But still… didn’t she have her own man to paw at?



Lyra looked the leader of the Lilim over while she waited for her to stop fussing over Jaden. Lily MacGillivray had been a beautiful woman when Lyra had met her months ago. The change in her, though, was remarkable. She’d gone from beautiful to drop-dead gorgeous. And the tall, dark vampire lingering in the doorway with the intense expression… she remembered him, too, and he was almost—but not quite—as good looking as Jaden.



Lily and Ty were definitely vampires, with all that untouchable perfection. But at least they seemed friendly. Well, Lily did. And after a moment, Lily turned her oceanic blue gaze on her. The sympathy Lyra saw reflected back at her was almost too much for her to deal with. Pain, bright and sharp, sliced neatly through her haze.



“Lyra,” Lily said, striding forward to stand before her. She stood probably a head shorter than Lyra, but still managed to convey a sort of regal grace. She wasn’t exactly imposing, though. No one who wore her emotions on her face so unabashedly could ever be imposing. In this case, Lyra counted that as a good thing.



“I’m not sure you remember me, but I’m Lily.”



“I know who you are,” Lyra replied, and then offered what she knew was only a small, weary smile. “Thanks for having me. Congrats on the whole dynasty thing.”



“Thank you,” Lily replied, her answering smile full of warmth. “And you’re more than welcome. Anything you need, I want you to let me know, okay? I know what it’s like to have your life turned upside down.”



“I bet,” Lyra replied, looking up at the impressive façade of the house again.



“Come on in, please,” Lily said, laying a hand lightly on Lyra’s back and guiding her inside. Lyra allowed it, glad to have someone pilot her body around for a little while since her mind kept trying to check out.



“Let’s get you settled in. I’ll show you where your room is, and then you’re welcome to rest or join us. Whatever you’re comfortable with. And don’t worry that you won’t be treated well. I’ve got no problem with werewolves, and my people aren’t going to either.”