Chapter 21
Cain
Iled Phoebe up thestaircase. When we reached the top landing, I stopped and reached for her hand. “Here, it’s going to get dark in the tunnel and you won’t be able to see.” I could’ve flipped on the lights, but I enjoyed the darkness and how it forced Phoebe to rely on my protection.
“Where are we?” She placed her palm against mine and gripped my hand tightly.
“Somewhere safe.”
Focusing on the unlit metal corridor, walking carefully so she didn’t stumble, I reveled in the feel of her warm, silky skin against mine. I pushed a wisp of power through the steel door twenty feet ahead, separating the back of the small cave hiding the forgotten silo—my sanctuary.
Nothing lay outside but the nocturnal wildlife scavenging or hunting for food. Giving the wards around the area one final check and finding nothing amiss, I relaxed enough to release the power. My enhanced vision landed on the cypher lock, and I entered the code.
With a quiet hiss, the pressure seal released, and I pulled her into the humid cave.
Moisture beaded on the walls in some places, running downward until they pooled on the ground and merged with one another, creating rivulets which would eventually collect into the water purifier tanks feeding directly into my home.
Our footsteps, the only sound besides an occasional drip, echoed in the small space.
“Are we outside?” she asked, her voice reverberating against the walls, bouncing her words everywhere.
“Almost.” Holding her hand against mine, a fleeting wish to remain connected with her sang in my blood. “A few more feet to go.”
How long has it been since I stood in the presence of another human and not watched them die in front of my eyes?After seeing my power tonight and enduring Malachi’s cruelty, I had expected her to run away screaming, or at least resist me. Instead, she seemed willing to trust me, possibly even accept me.
“You live underground?” she exclaimed, her melodic tone caressing my ears.
Will being here bring back memories of our first day when she’d wandered inside?I hoped not, because that first meeting had not been the most endearing.
“You might be pretty on the outside, but you’re an ass-load of ugly on the inside,”she’d said, and as much as I hated to admit it, she’d been right.
How could anyone ever accept me after the things I’d done?
Sighing, I glanced over my shoulder at her.
She held out her other hand for balance, letting her fingertips trail the wall, but her face showed no signs of remembrance as far as I could tell. My memory wipe had been thorough. No one else, besides a Chosen, could reverse it.
“Yes, I live underground. The silo and surrounding hills are great camouflage, which is needed in my line of work.” I swallowed a chuckle.I wouldn’t want an angel tracking me when I needed a soul and my power waned.The surrounding limestone and deepness of the bunker, along with my wards, had kept me invisible for years.
At the mouth of the opening, bright moonlight revealed the path outward, and I tugged her through the rocky enclosure, once again enjoying the close contact.
The longing, to be with another human, I’d learned to bury a long time ago. It had served no purpose other than to distract me from an assignment, knowing Lucian would eventually reward me with full ascendance to a Chosen, and that honor was worth so much more than a relationship or casual fling.
“Here we are.” I gestured to the forest. “My front yard.”
Stepping beside me, still holding my hand, she nibbled her bottom lip and tipped her face to the velvety sky. “This is beautiful, Cain. I’ve never seen so many stars at night. I can almost feel their light on my skin.”
Even after everything, Phoebe still looked for hidden beauty in the dark. Exquisite and perfect, she reminded me of how the Chosen might’ve appeared before their betrayal, when they’d worked together to build the universe instead of sowing chaos and death.
I wanted to siphon her light and armor my body with it, to pull her into my arms and never let go. What would it be like to strip the clothing between us and sink myself into—
“Hey, there’s cave art out here.” Phoebe’s voice rose. She dropped my hand and studied the wall outside the cave’s mouth. “Wish I had my phone to take a picture of this.” With excitement shining in her eyes, even in the dark, she blasted me with a humongous grin and clapped her hands, lost in the moment.
“There’s more to see during the day. For now”—I found her wrist and dragged her from the rock with the faint images—“I want to show you my favorite place out here and we can discuss tonight.”
My protective ward extended fifteen feet into the wooded area around the cave. To the right, I’d created an outdoor nook against the rock wall.
Gravel crunched under the soles of my boots as I strolled through the area. A small fountain, nestled between two upraised vegetable beds sitting against the cave wall, gurgled, creating a calming backdrop against the hoot of an owl and cricket chirps.
