Lysander assumed Frost understood Gemini’s code.
The room seemed to hold its breath as Gemini headed to a room Lysander suspected was Frost’s office.
Frost focused on Stone. A kind and professional smile sat sturdy on his features. “I haven’t thought to ask how you are this morning. It’s not every day you meet your mate.”Wrap your arms around him. I’ll need you to hold him.
Stone didn’t look suspicious. That was good. “I’m fine.” He sounded completely unmoved. Zero personality. No care for Lysander's existence.
Lysander molded against Stone’s back and wrapped his arms around Stone’s waist. He kissed Stone’s shoulder. His throat swelled. There was only a black hole where Stone should be. He forced a chuckle. “Yeah, he is.” Lysander’s voice dripped with sex. I’m ready.
Frost moved closer.
Without warning, the room turned so dark and oppressive that a chill ran through Lysander. Lysander immediately braced for a fight. He could smell the evil in the air. Then Lucifer walked into the room from the same room where Gemini had disappeared. Lysander nearly failed Stone. His knees weakened. Lysander was born of light magic. This was the actual dark one. Oddly, he was also the most beautiful man Lysander had ever set eyes on. That was what gave him strength to squeeze Stone against him. He could pretend he wasn’t in the presence of pure evil. No one else seemed the least bit surprised or scared. Eyes that looked exactly like a summertime sky at noon flashed with irritation as he crossed the room. “You’re interrupting my Papaw time. No one takes me away from granddaughter.” That was all the warning they had before Lucifer’s glowing hands reached inside Stone like dipping his hands into water. The scream that roared from Stone was the most pain-filled sound Lysander had ever heard in his life.
As quickly and easily as plucking a tissue from a tissue box, Lucifer held a human-shaped shadow. “Ah. There you are, my little spellcaster. Tell me why you cursed my son.”
An evil laugh vibrated from the darkness. “You’ll have nothing from me.”
Lysander had no fucking clue what Lucifer meant. All he knew was the darkness was gone from Stone.
Lucifer pulled him forward, going nose to nose with the phantom form, as if he saw something no one else could. A terrifying smile spread across Lucifer’s deceptively beautiful face. “I see.” Lucifer snorted. “Return to Bodhi. I want him to feel the crushing blow of knowing my family is united now. He failed.” During the speech, Lucifer had sounded almost normal. But at the name Bodhi, Frost gasped. Lucifer’s voice hardened as his grip tightened on the nearly translucent shadow. “And if he ever comes for one of mine again, there’ll be nothing left of him to be reborn. I will not play this game with you again.” With a solid shake, Stone’s hijacker vanished.
Lucifer sighed. The sound was a tired one. “Ridiculous.” His gaze found Frost, as if no one else existed. “Come with me.”
Frost didn’t hesitate.
Until the choking oppression disappeared, Lysander’s mind didn’t clear enough for him to remember he held Stone’s slumped body. A shot of panic hit him before he realized Stone was alive. He was just unconscious.
Leif rushed to help as Lysander moved Stone into the lone hospital bed. “What can I do to help? I know your magic is stronger than mine, but I can lend a hand.”
For a moment, Lysander simply stared at Leif. Leif should hate him. He had once tried to win Leif’s mate just to prove to himselfStone had no hold over him. Now the vamp offered his magic. That was the highest compliment among his kind.
“Thank you.” Lysander sounded as sincere as he was. “He needs to be warded against possession. Stone is vulnerable now. Once one being finds its way in, a trail is left to follow for others.”
Leif didn’t hesitate. He waved a hand over Stone, covering his body in symbols that sank into Stone’s skin and disappeared. “That should block all pathways. We should probably keep him knocked out for a bit. What do you think?”
Lysander eyed Stone inside and out. “Agreed. There’s damage left behind. Wisps of darkness. We should keep him asleep until Frost gives us the all clear.”
Their gazes met. A silent message passed between them. There was something big going on in this town, and they were the only two under this roof who didn’t know what.
Voices chatted from all around him. Stone felt like he was in a wind tunnel. Once, when he had been much younger, he had been trapped in a snowstorm. The wind and snow had made it nearly impossible to push forward. Screams of his warrior brethren had echoed all around him, but he couldn’t see anything but an eerie white. He couldn’t help them. That was how he felt now. He knew people were near, but he couldn’t find them. Stone had been rendered useless.
“So help me understand this. Bodhi was your great aunt, but now he’s some twenty-something dude. He’s out there cursing people, and it’s because you’re Lucifer’s son.” Lysander sounded confused.
“He used me to curse Frost.” The words sounded like a car driving over gravel. They hurt too, but Stone knew this one. Hehad to warn them before the darkness returned. “Bodhi wanted you to doubt yourself so much, you left this place before Lucifer learned the truth. He used me to get close to you.”
“You’re awake. I thought Leif and I had done enough to keep you out for a while. You need to rest.” Stone recognized Lysander’s voice, but he couldn’t get to him. He couldn’t see a thing.
“Can’t. There’s too much danger. He’ll be back. The darkness is always back.” Stone heard himself fading. He fought the magic being used against him. “No. I need…”
For a moment, there was nothing. The snow turned into an inky field. A bright light cut through the darkness, nearly blinding Stone. Then Lysander was there. His heart rate slowed. Lysander was here. He wasn’t alone. The gaping hole in his chest sealed a little as Lysander reached for him.
“Come with me.” A bed came into view. It was the only thing other than them in the darkness. “I know you’re scared.” Lysander crawled into bed, urging Stone to join him. “But your body needs rest. I’ll stay with you. You’re warded now. No one can harm you.”
Stone automatically obeyed Lysander’s every command. The moment he was settled under the blankets, Lysander used his chest as a pillow and draped his leg over Stone’s. “How are you here?” Lysander felt so real.
“I claimed you. No spell could keep me from your mind. You’re my other half.”
“But you’re really here?” Stone couldn’t stop questioning things. Too much had happened lately. He couldn’t tell the difference between what was reality and what wasn’t.
