Killean drove for a couple of miles before pulling to the side of the road. He parked behind another black SUV and a black van with no windows in the back.
They switched everything over, including all of Callie’s things, and Lucien found himself sitting in the back of the new SUV with her as Killean and Simone returned to the front. Everyone else filed into the van.
They set the other SUVs on fire to remove any evidence they may have left behind before pulling away. By the time anyone arrived to put out the fires, little would remain of the vehicles.
Almost an hour later, they pulled into the parking lot of Ronan’s hotel on the Cape. It was where they established the Alliance.
So much had transpired since then, but on the day the vampires and hunters first met here, he never would have guessed they would be as entwined as they were now. Then, both factions were extremely wary of each other, but now they were a joined, single unit.
And they were bringing a demon into their midst.
Killean drove around the circular entranceway and parked behind the two SUVs already sitting in front of the large, gray building. At one time, the building had retained the charm of a Cape building while promising five-star luxury, but the chipping paint and boarded-over windows no longer spoke of luxury.
Though the five-star luxury hadn’t existed in years, the building remained mostly in good repair as Ronan hired people to look after the property. With its oceanfront location, if it wasn’t maintained, it would fall apart fast.
The glass front doors opened, and Ronan, Kadence, Nathan, Vicky, Saxon, and Elyse greeted them. Ronan opened the back door of the SUV and handed Lucien bags of blood.
Lucien’s stomach rumbled as he took them. His injuries were healing, but they’d sapped his strength. The sight of the blood renewed his energy.
“Thank you,” he said.
“How is she?” Ronan asked.
“In pain, but I think it’s almost over.”
“Good.”
When Ronan closed the door and Killean and Simone exited the vehicle, Lucien tore the top off the first bag and downed its contents in one big gulp. It took him three gulps to finish the second bag, but only two for the third. The blood flowing into his system imbued him with strength as it sped up his healing.
He was about to open the fourth bag when the others opened the back door of the van and removed the demon. Even draped in blankets, smoke rose from it as they ran with it to the hotel and disappeared inside.
Lucien finished the last bag, tossed it aside, and gathered Callie into his arms. He shifted her to open the door, but Killean did it for him. He nodded his thanks to his friend before slipping from the vehicle.
Cradling Callie against his chest, he strode beside Killean and Simone toward the front of the building. Killean opened the door for him, and he stepped into the open lobby. If boards didn’t cover the windows, the sun would spill inside, but instead, it was full of shadows.
The pale blue walls brought to mind the sea and sky. In some places, the paint was a darker blue from where pictures once hung, but those pictures were long gone, as were any other decorations that once adorned the place.
To his right, the front desk ran the length of the wall. What remained of the furniture was draped with white cloths meant to protect it. A thin layer of dust coated everything, but he would guess someone had cleaned the place sometime within the past month. Otherwise, the dust would be a lot thicker.
They made their way through the lobby and into the dining area. Protective cloths were also draped over most of the tables within, and plywood covered windows that would have looked out on the sea. He couldn’t recall if boards covered those the last time he was here, but that was years ago, and things had changed since then.
From the large dining room, they moved into a hallway with doors to some of the first-floor rooms. As the three of them stepped into the hall, the others slipped into one of the rooms.
When they arrived at the room, Lucien looked inside to discover Ronan and Saber tying the demon to a chair. Lucien turned away when Saber lifted the creature’s head so they could wind chain around its throat.
He walked three doors down, grasped the knob, and pushed the door open. None of the locks were engaged on any of the rooms. There was no reason for them to be locked when there weren’t any guests staying here. Having them unlocked made it easier for the cleaning crew to go through the rooms.
He carefully placed Callie on the bed and caressed her forehead while he studied her. She’d settled down as the worst of her transformation ebbed, but her mouth remained pinched, and her fingers twitched on the bed. Soon, she would wake looking to feed.
Chapter Forty-Six
Lucien shiftedher as he stripped her blood-soaked clothing before removing his. Then he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. He kicked the door closed behind them, turned on the water, and waited for it to warm before stepping beneath the spray.
Callie flinched when the water hit her skin, but she soon calmed again, and she didn’t wake. He set her down in the tub and knelt to massage muscles he knew had to be sore after everything she endured. He worked his way up her legs and over her back and shoulders as he leaned her against him.
Blood streamed from their bodies and swirled around the drain before vanishing. It took a good five minutes before the water ran clear. The wound in her chest was healing, but it remained a gaping hole. However, he could no longer see her heart beating inside her as bone and muscle had knitted closed over it.
He fought against the emotion burning his throat and eyes as he gazed at the injury. He’d come so close to losing her, and now that they were finally safe, the reality of how close was sinking in. His shoulders hunched forward as he drew her into his arms and crushed her to him as his tears mingled with the water streaming over them.
