Page 55 of The Void

She laughed. “I didn’t. At first.” She bounced down on the bed next to him. He’d removed his shirt and pants and was lounging on her bed in his gym shorts and a T-shirt.

She’d changed into her most comfortable pajama shorts and a tank top. It felt so good to be back in her own clothes.

“You were more of a challenge.” He smiled at her and pulled her closer to his side. “Your parents seemed super happy to have your brother back.”

“I still can’t believe he’s alive.” She sighed. “And so… normal.” She shook her head. “I mean, it’s not going to take him long to catch up on the world. He was totally into the new games on my tablet.”

“What’s he going to do now?” Lucas asked her.

“My parents are going to stay here with him until they figure something out. They had filed a death certificate a few years after he went missing. The official report says he was attacked by a bear when they went hiking on the property. It had been close to what the elders had told them when they’d returned home without him. Only it wasn’t a bear.”

She rested her chin on his chest. “We can head to New York tomorrow,” she suggested. “Meet your parents?”

He smiled down at her. “They are going to love you.” He brushed a strand of her hair away from her eyes. Then he frowned. “Hidden Creek is calling,” he said with a sigh. “I can feel it. Moros is close.”

She nodded. “We need Pandora and Elpis.”

He nodded and closed his eyes. “Why does it feel like we just left the pits of hell and stepped into even hotter flames?”

“Because we have. How long do you think we have?”

He shrugged and pulled her closer. “Days, weeks, months. Whatever we have, at least we’ll be together.”

Her heart burst with love, and she placed her lips over his. How was she supposed to know just how much he’d come to mean to her. How much what she felt for him would benefit the fight. Was it like this with all the others?

Each person that had gathered in Hidden Creek had in their own way fought to be with the one they were destined to be with. That love made them all stronger.

Lucas had filled her in on how his sister Selene had kept Moros from taking over Scott. Their love was binding, so claiming Scott as her own had released Moros’s hold on Scott, his son. It had been old magic. Much like that of Fa Li and Malik al-Ahmar, her true ancestors. Fa Li, who, after her love’s death, had left it all behind to start over in a strange new land. To carry on the traditions they saw fit to pass on.

Love. Kindness. Protection.

The Li family had many great stories of all of those things. History was full of the myths of their heroics.

“Mia.” Lucas’s hands were running slowly over her hips. “How bad would it be if we had sex in a room just down the hallway from your parents, grandparents, and brother?”

She chuckled. “You thought fighting a dragon was bad?” She sighed. “You did say we can leave for New York in the morning, right? If we leave early enough, they may not kill you.”

He sighed. “Okay, I’m going to head to my room now.” He started to get up but she stopped him by placing her hands on his chest.

“I didn’t say we couldn’t fool around first. There’s plenty we can do that isn’t… sex.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him and he groaned again.

By morning, she was packed and waiting for the car that would take her and Lucas to the airport. Her parents tried to talk her into staying longer but she wanted to give them time to catch up with Lei.

Saying their goodbyes, she realized that the best thing she could do for them was to keep them all in the dark about the doom hanging over everyone’s head. If Moros won, none of this would have mattered. If they won, then maybe someday she would share with them the trials they’d gone through.

“You’re quiet,” Lucas said as they made their way back towards Atlanta.

“What if this doesn’t work?” she asked in a hushed tone so their driver didn’t hear.

“This?” Lucas frowned.

“Not… this.” She motioned between them. Then she nodded and opened her eyes slightly. “This.”

Lucas nodded. “Oh, right.” He sighed and looked out the window. “Then we deal with it, I guess.” He leaned closer to her. “If you’d been up to it, we could have…” He waved his hands like she did each time she conjured something. “Popped to New York.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “I wouldn’t chance messing that up. Can you imagine appearing in the middle of Times Square?” She rolled her eyes and he chuckled.

“Okay, so, we’re supposed to meet my folks for dinner at the restaurant at eight.” He glanced at his watch and then at her. “You can still…” He waved his hand over himself. “Change?”