While Elise comforted her friend, Tegan glanced into the ultraviolet-enhanced cell at Lucan. He sat in the far corner, his black hair wild and drooping into his face like a dark thicket. His eyes blazed, but the life in them was starting to dull.
Elise rose from the cot, looking at Tegan in concern. “I’m going to take Gabrielle to freshen up for a minute,” she said, assisting Lucan’s mate to her feet.
Gabrielle moved sluggishly, but she grabbed Tegan’s sleeve as Elise started to hustle her toward the door. “Swear you’ll stay with Lucan while I’m gone. Don’t take your eyes off him, Tegan. Promise me.”
Tegan nodded. “I promise.”
She sagged into Elise as the two women stepped out.
Tegan approached the UV bars of the cell. He cursed under his breath, realizing that Lucan looked even worse now than he had when Tegan saw him earlier in the day.
“If you’re just gonna stare at me in pity, get the fuck out.” The sound that came out of Lucan could hardly be called a voice. It was unearthly, a low, throaty growl that seethed with madness.
“It’s not pity,” Tegan replied. “It’s respect. Concern for my friend, my brother.”
A caustic snarl grated out in response.
“I hate like hell to see you like this, Lucan. I wish to fuck I could help you.”
The dark head came up at that. “You wanna help me? There is something you can do.”
“Name it.”
Lucan got to his feet and prowled toward the bars, his body hunched forward, lips curled away from his teeth and enormous fangs. He nodded at the weapons belt Tegan still wore around his hips. “Take out that long blade, then open this door and slice my head from my shoulders.”
Tegan recoiled. “Fuck no. Jesus Christ, Lucan. No.”
“Do it,” he uttered viciously. “If you truly consider me your friend--your brother--then for fuck’s sake . . . do this for me.” He panted, whether from the effort of speaking or the fury clearly erupting inside him, Tegan wasn’t sure. “Make it quick, Tegan, so she doesn’t suffer any pain. Damn you, do it now! Before she comes back.”
Tegan shook his head. “I can’t do it. Don’t ask it of me.”
Lucan glowered at him, nostrils flaring. “You used to hate me, T. Surely, you remember. How could you forget? I was the one who killed your first Breedmate, Sorcha. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t love a little payback?”
“No,” Tegan insisted. “You couldn’t be more wrong about that. I don’t want payback. I forgave you a long time ago for that. What you did was a mercy--for her and for me.”
“Then have some fucking mercy for me,” Lucan raged. “Have some for Gabrielle. End this for me. You know damned well you would demand the same of me if the tables were turned.”
Tegan couldn’t deny it. He wasn’t sure he could have held on as long as Lucan already had. And yes, if it were him caught in the downward spiral of Bloodlust and hurting Elise every minute he continued breathing, he would have begged someone--anyone--to make it stop.
His hand came to rest on the grip of his long blade while he grappled with the impossible request. He couldn’t imagine the Order without Lucan at the helm. He didn’t want to think about the hole it would leave in his own life if he lost his closest friend.
There had been times when the two of them might have both wanted to kill each other, but their friendship was unbreakable now. They had grown as close as any brothers could be.
And as much as he wanted to end Lucan’s suffering, Tegan couldn’t give up the selfish hope that his friend would be able to overcome even this. Tegan refused to give up hope, even when he felt in his heart it was futile.
Lucan moved closer to the bars. His face was a mask of utter torment and despair. “Tegan . . . please.”
He swore tightly, and let his hand fall to his side. “I’m not giving up on you, Lucan. Don’t you fucking give up, either. You hold on as long as you can. You can beat this. If anyone can, it’s you.”
Lucan stared at him. “You really believe that?”
Tegan gave a firm nod. “Yes. I do.”
The chuckle that slipped past Lucan’s cracked lips was brittle. He looked at Tegan with a deep disappointment in his blazing amber eyes. “That’s the first time you ever lied to me.”
Then he turned away and slunk back to the corner, dropping into a slow crouch as Elise and Gabrielle returned to the room.
CHAPTER 36
