Fuck...
Incense smoke lashed around me; the burning in my heart grew worse.
Maybe he wasn’t mad.
What if everything he said was true...
Marching into Rook, I grabbed her cheeks and kissed her. Hard.
She gasped as my tongue slipped into her mouth, hunting her coolness, needing her to calm me.
With a soft moan, she opened for me—drenching me in wonderful, flame-dousing ice.
I kissed her all while my mind raced.
The old man might be senile. He might’ve suffered a fall that led him to living in delusions but what if he was right?
Mountains eating babies and drinking blood.
It sounded ridiculous but...I’d spent my life trapped in the middle of England in a palatial prison. If anyone heard me ranting and raving about blood harvesting and women trying to breed and kill me, I would’ve been branded a lunatic too.
Requiem...R gene...
Breaking the kiss, I pressed my forehead against Rook’s, my heart burning out of control.
“Easy.” She cupped my cheeks, her fingers feeding me pure winter.
“Come with me.” Snatching Rook’s hand, I dragged her outside.
The flames in my blood tasted a clue, latching on, wanting to hunt.
My gaze landed on the sharp stone peaks rising behind the rooflines—
“Lucien?” Rook jogged to keep up, her skin icing over. “Where...where are we going?”
“Home.”
“What? Now? But I thought we were going to Brimstone.”
“I think Marcus has hidden something in these mountains.”
“Wait, you do?” She frowned. “But that poor man was obviously upset. I’m not denying some of the things he said gave me chills but—”
“Some of it could be real.” I pulled her down an alleyway. “Even if it isn’t...I won’t be able to rest until I find out.”
“But what about Marcus?”
“He can wait. He can’t touch me now and...if heisup to something, isn’t it better I find out what it is, so I can repay himexactlywhat he’s owed?”
“That makes sense, I guess.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this but...I trust him.” I shrugged. “I trust the old man because Iwashim.”
Rook squeezed my hand as if she understood exactly what I meant. “I’m sure Lao Li will be very grateful to know someone finally listened.”
“Youlistened.” I squeezed her hand, rushing her back the way we’d come. “I’m free because you were the first and only to help me.”
“And you want to return the favour.” She stayed glued to my side. “You lived twenty years in a similar state of entrapment. You know how it feels to be ignored and forgotten. I get it.”
